Chapter 66: I’ll Never Stay in the Imperial Palace
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Second Madam was stunned for a moment, but she understood in an instant.
Before the Dragon Boat Festival, the Crown Prince granted the Duke Mansion bayberries. They all thought it was granted to either Ruoshui or Ruoyi.
But the Duke still had another daughter, Qiao Jinniang!
Second Madam hurriedly went to the imperial prison. When she entered the damp, cold and dark imperial prison, she could even hear rats’ squeaking sounds from the straw piles…
“Mother!” Qiao Ruofeng quickly called her after seeing her.
Second Madam walked up to Qiao Ruofeng and asked angrily, “Tell me honestly why you were so sure that Qiao Jinniang seduced Prince Mediocre. Do you like Prince Mediocre yourself?”
Qiao Ruofeng hurriedly said, “Mother, come on! Save me. Get me out of here!
“My ancestors were the founders of the country! Doesn’t our Qiao family still have an Absolution Token? ”
Second Madam snapped, “You already offended your uncle so much, and you still want to use the Absolution Token? Tell me, have you and Prince Mediocre fallen in love?”
Qiao Ruofeng nodded and said, “Yes, if it weren’t for Qiao Jinniang, I would have been Prince Mediocre’s wife now.”
Second Madam’s hand reached into the bars and slapped Qiao Ruofeng hard.
“Qiao Ruofeng, you are always smart. How can you be so stupid about the matter of Prince Mediocre? How is it possible for Prince Mediocre to marry you as his wife?”
Qiao Ruofeng said, “Mother, among the girls in the Duke Mansion, Qiao Ruoyun is dull and cowardly, Qiao Ruoshui is stroppy and wayward, and Qiao Ruoyi is cold and unapproachable although she is smart…
“But every time we went out, these three people were always more respected than me.
“We’re all girls of the Duke Mansion. Why are they more respected than me? Just because their father is a Duke?
“Why can’t I become Prince Mediocre’s wife? If I can become his wife, I’ll be above them!
“My ancestors were founders of the country, and my uncle is one of the most powerful ministers!
“If it weren’t for Qiao Jinniang, that slut, I would have become Prince Mediocre’s wife.”
Second Madam said angrily, “Don’t you understand?
“Prince Mediocre doesn’t like you at all. He just used you!
“Even without Qiao Jinniang, you are only a tool to Prince Mediocre.
“Prince Mediocre dared to pick concubine among you and your cousins and abandoned you for choose Qiao Jinniang because you’re stupid!”
Qiao Ruofeng said, “How is it possible?”
Second Madam shook her head and said, “Why is it impossible? Do you know that Prince Mediocre went to the Duke Mansion to propose to Qiao Jinniang yesterday?
“Do you think you are just spreading the rumor of Jinniang just to humiliate her? No! That’s exactly what Prince Mediocre wants!
“If all things went according to his plan, in order to preserve Qiao Jinniang’s reputation, the Duke Mansion can only agree to marrying Qiao Jinniang to him as a concubine!”
Qiao Ruofeng was not hopelessly stupid. After hearing her mother’s words, she immediately realized that she had been cheated. She collapsed to the ground and said,
“Then I… Mother, what should I do? Now I’ve been ruined by Prince Mediocre!”
Second Madam said with tears, “What else can you do? After you come out, apologize to Jinniang. She’ll forgive you.
“And your grandmother will help you. At worst, you can marry far away. The Duke Mansion still has military influence in the Southwest.
“Your cousin is over there too, and the Duke also plans to marry Ruoshui to the Southwest, so you can find a decent man to marry and live well in the Southwest.”
Qiao Ruofeng bit her lip and said, “Then what about Prince Mediocre? Are we just letting him off?”
“Otherwise, what else can we do?” Second Madam said helplessly.
“If you dare to say anything bad about him, Prince Mediocre can just say that you seduced him.
“He can just say that you slander him because you’re jealous of Jinniang.
“Besides, Prince Mediocre’s protector in the Imperial Palace is still alive!”
Qiao Jinniang went to the Hall of Diligent Governance to see the Emperor and thank him.
Emperor Huilin said to Qiao Jinniang, “Arise. I tasted the summer desserts brought by Junior Duke Rong and Fulu yesterday. They tasted very good. It happened that a lot of fresh fish were sent to the imperial kitchen today…”
When Emperor Huilin said this, he paused.
Qiao Jinniang forgot the rules in the Imperial Palace, looked at Emperor Huilin, pondered for a moment, and said, “I happen to be itchy to cook. I wonder if I can have the honor to cook for Your Majesty.”
“That’s good.” Emperor Huilin said with a relaxed expression, “Then please do that, County Mistress Jia’an.”
On the way to the imperial kitchen, Qiao Jinniang was thinking about the title the Emperor granted to her…
Did he give her this title to make her cook for him?
Walking into the garden, Qiao Jinniang was reprimanded by a mammy.
“Where are you from? How can you be so rude? This is Her Highness Consort Xian, quickly get on your knees!”
Qiao Jinniang looked up and saw Consort Xian was sitting high in a sedan. Seeing that she looked at Consort Xian, the mammy was immediately enraged.
“Which family are you from? Have you not learned court etiquette? How dare you look directly at Her Highness?”
With that, she was about to slap Qiao Jinniang.
Consort Xian didn’t stop her. It was not that she wasn’t afraid of offending the Duke Mansion.
But yesterday, she learned from Prince Mediocre that this girl actually had the ability to win the Crown Prince’s favor.
Plus, she still had a trump card to use in the Duke Mansion, which was Qiao Ruoshui.
And she didn’t think the Duke Mansion would choose to fight against her and Prince Mediocre just because she slapped Qiao Jinniang.
However, when the mammy’s hand was about to touch her face…
Someone suddenly grabbed her waist and then she was brought to a man’s back.
Lu Chen glanced coldly at the mammy next to Consort Xian and said,
“She is a county mistress. Her grandfather and father are all the pillars of the country. Who do you think you are? How dare you slap her?”
Consort Xian said, “Your Royal Highness, you’re wrong. According to the court etiquette, she is supposed to salute me!”
“I wonder when court etiquette is up to you. I allow the County Mistress Jia’an to not salute in the Imperial Palace.”
Qiao Jinniang heard a soft female voice.
She looked over, only to see the Queen in a red dress, followed by Tuan’er in a little red robe, who looked so cute.
Consort Xian had to get out of the sedan chair and saluted reluctantly to the Queen. “Your Majesty.”
The Queen glanced at Consort Xian coldly and said, “I’m afraid you have forgotten how to salute me, right? Now I order you to salute here for an hour!”
Consort Xian stared at the Queen with vicious eyes. The sun was scorching. Saluting here for an hour? Her skin would be damaged by the glaring sun.
Moreover, she was seven years older than the Queen. How could she boss around her like that?
How dare she!
Qiao Jinniang saluted the Queen, but she felt a bit scared. This was the imperial palace. It was basically a jungle.
If she became Lu Chen’s second concubine, then the crown princess and his first concubine would be able to punish her and bully her at will!
Consort Xian still had the Empress Dowager to rely on, but what about her?
The Queen walked up to Qiao Jinniang and said, “I heard that you are going to cook? I’d like to learn how to cook from you.”
Qiao Jinniang said, “I’m afraid the kitchen is too messy and will get your clothes dirty, Your Majesty.”
The Queen said, “It’s okay. Although the palace is hierarchical, I’m not an unreasonable person.
“Consort Xian hurt my son, so I picked on her. Don’t sympathize with her.”
Qiao Jinniang thought to herself, ‘The queen is so loved by the Emperor but she still has to endure Consort Xian.
And Consort Xian has to salute under the scorching sun for an hour even though she is protected by the Empress Dowager…’
She was even more determined that she would never marry into the imperial palace and be involved in harem disputes.
Finding that Lu Chen was still holding her hand, she quickly threw his hand away and wiped the wrist that Lu Chen had touched with a handkerchief in disgust.
Lu Chen: “…”