novelraw Chapter 753 - 732: Farce
Chapter 753 - 732: Farce
Fengyu glanced at the young man speaking, her brows lightly furrowed. The speaker was the legitimate second son of the second branch of the Li Family, Li Wang, only eighteen, unaccomplished and yet to undergo the coming-of-age ceremony. This branch of the Li Family was exceedingly influential during the Yuwen Royal Family period, second only to the Lin and Xie Families. After Xie Xun ascended the throne, the main branch of the Li Family fell into disfavor; they were so sidelined that they hadn’t received Fengyu’s invitations to several imperial banquets. Fengyu was known for protecting her own, a trait renowned during her youth, and for bearing deep grudges—those who offended her invariably faced ruin. The matter of Li Si and Fang Lingjun naturally had planted a seed of resentment in her heart.
Such a prestigious clan as the Li Family was not commanded solely by the eldest son of the main branch; their ancestral shrine was rife with uncles balancing the family’s internal dynamics. Among all noble families, only the Xie Family faced an issue of scarce descendants due to its men perishing in battle; other clans were all ruled by their familial elders. The main branch had incurred the Empress Fengyu’s ire, while she wielded real power, enjoyed exclusive favor from the emperor in the Jiao Room, and was politically untouchable. Upon reporting grievances to Xie Xun via formal memorial, he chose not to intervene, leading the other elders to promptly discard the main branch and elevate the second branch, which happened to be tied to Marshal Fang by marriage.
The main and second branches were born of the same mother; their fortunes rose and fell together, and the decline of the main branch naturally led to power being handed over to the second branch. The Li Family would never allow one bloodline to compromise the destiny of the entire clan.
The young man was named Li Wang, a legitimate cousin of Fang Lingjun, who stood nearby watching the spectacle, inwardly labeling him a fool for being the only one among the crowd to step forward and act brashly.
A contemptuous remark about Beiman Women had provoked all the Beiman noble ladies. They had surrendered to Beining under duress, the court promising equal treatment, yet now they were repeatedly humiliated with the term "Beiman Women," the tone dripping with ridicule. Fengyu acted this way openly, and who knows what ominous words she might have uttered behind closed doors.
The Fourth Princess was about to rebuke him when Fengyu sneered, "Audacious! Who are you referring to as Beiman Women? Is it the Third Princess, or the Fourth Princess? They are daughters of Prince Jingbei of Beining. Upon seeing them, you should respectfully address them as ’Commandery Princess,’ bowing with the phrase ’May the Commandery Princess find peace.’ What gives you the right to overstep the bounds of propriety?"
The young men of the Imperial College were predominantly sons of noble families, pampered from a young age, insulated from hardships. Being young, they had been shielded from the turbulence of the past few years, growing up under the protective wings of their elders while clinging to beliefs in the supremacy of noble clans. Though they might hold respect for Xie Xun and Xie Jue, their reverence for Fengyu was absent.
In their eyes, Fengyu had never belonged to the same social tier—she had been the daughter of one of the least notable families in the Imperial College, with a merchant-born mother. Even after being granted a General’s title, she was dismissed as a commerce-born upstart. Fengyu, marginalized in her youth, now held the title of Empress but had primarily interacted with women. These youths, unfamiliar with her dealings, lacked the deference due her rank. Even after her reprimand of Li Wang, they whispered brazenly among themselves.
The accusation of overstepping authority left Li Wang staring in stunned silence. Lin Yunong interjected indignantly, "Why does Her Majesty the Empress rebuke Third Young Master Li without first inquiring about the circumstances?"
"Whether I rebuke you or him," Fengyu’s tone grew colder, "must I select a date or seek justification?" Instantly, the once murmuring riding grounds fell into utter silence!
Clearly, Lin Yunong was the figure these young nobles respected most. Fengyu hadn’t bothered to ask for the reasons, openly disregarded Lin Yunong’s pride. Whether in the previous dynasty or the current reign, such an occurrence was unprecedented.
Even the late Empress Dowager had never dared to trample upon the dignity of a Lin Family noblewoman so publicly.
"What nonsense!" Lin Yunong blurted, face flushed red, unable to believe that Fengyu would humiliate her so brazenly.
Qiuxiang frowned, "Bold! Her Majesty the Empress sits above all. Miss Lin, do you mean to defy her authority and overstep your bounds too?"
Lin Yunong took deep breaths and lowered her gaze submissively. Only then did Fengyu’s expression soften slightly. Fengyu hadn’t intended to humiliate Lin Yunong unnecessarily, but upon hearing Qiuxiang speak of the rivalry between Beiman noblewomen and clan ladies, Fengyu saw Lin Yunong as a ringleader who deliberately ostracized them. Whether arising from personal rancor or some other grudge, Lin Yunong’s actions remained the root cause behind the discord.
Thus, Fengyu deliberately suppressed Lin Yunong’s arrogance—a warning, plain and simple.
Li Wang wished to argue further but was held back. Fang Lingjun stood by, thinking to himself, "Imbecile!"
Fengyu asked, "Mingzhu, tell your aunt what exactly happened?"
Fengyu bypassed everyone present and addressed Princess Mingzhu alone. First, because Mingzhu was still young; second, because Beiman individuals were straightforward and rarely lied. Princess Mingzhu explained, "Your Majesty, Empress, my elder sisters and I were playing at the riding grounds when Miss Lin arrived with a group of ladies and claimed they needed the grounds, ordering us to vacate. We had already arranged with the masters to use the grounds for an hour yesterday—they allotted us half an hour today. Despite this, Miss Lin tried to seize the grounds forcibly. Third Sister and Fourth Sister refused and requested to see the schedule; they had none but relied solely on their status to pressure us. They claimed we were defeated remnants of war and ought to stay meekly at home, that competing with them was nothing short of arrogance. Third Sister and Fourth Sister became enraged and issued a challenge—whomever could win at riding would secure the right to stay. During the contest, Miss Lin fell from her horse and accused Fourth Sister of deliberately sabotaging her with a whip. A verbal spat ensued, and soon this crowd of brothers rushed in and attacked us. That’s when the fight broke out."
No wonder some young men wore disheveled looks and bore visible injuries.
"Princess seems awfully biased toward the Beiman people. Clearly, it was their provocation, followed by malicious slander. My fall was a direct result of Fourth Princess deliberately irritating my horse!" Lin Yunong protested.
The Fourth Princess sneered, "If you lack skill, you lack skill. Making false accusations is absurd—you couldn’t even manage your mount properly, and yet you blame me?"
"You whipped my mount on purpose, causing it to go berserk—that’s why I lost!"
"And who lashed at my horse first during the start? Villains who cry victim are downright shameless, but do carry on pretending righteousness!" The Fourth Princess, with her fiery disposition, retorted sharply, reducing the argument to "the provoker is always despicable."
Fengyu noticed Princess Mingzhu wanted to add something, so she brought her closer, seating her down. Qiuxiang handed her a cup of milk tea and reminded her, "Mingzhu, don’t get caught in your sisters’ disputes. Let the imperial physician tend to your injuries later and remember to tell your father when you return to the palace."
"Even trivial matters must be reported to Father?" Mingzhu hesitated. She was slightly afraid of Xie Jue’s stern demeanor, feeling far less comfortable around him than she did with Ruyi.
Fengyu chuckled gently, "You are still young. If you’ve been hurt, you must inform him. Should you be reluctant, then tell Ruyi instead."
Ruyi was known to be a skilled tattletale, having inherited the art from Xie Xun’s childhood antics. Xie Xun had remarked once how, as a child, he thrived off complaining—leveraging power dynamics, seeking his father’s help first, then his mother’s, and if denied by both, going straight to his grandfather.
Always rely on those who can support you rather than resorting to personal confrontations!
"Understood!" Mingzhu didn’t fully grasp the reasoning but felt reassured by Fengyu’s advice, trusting it implicitly due to their bond.
Meanwhile, Lin Yunong and the Fourth Princess were locked in a heated exchange, hurling one claim after another. Fengyu, however, nonchalantly continued instructing Mingzhu on tattling techniques, sipping her tea leisurely and enjoying the spectacle. She reminded Mingzhu, as a princess, not to engage in public debates but to retaliate by gaining dominance or seeking support. Raising disputes in public was beneath her status.
Mingzhu nodded as though half-comprehending, while Fengyu watched, sipping tea, amused at their youth and impulsiveness. The sheer intensity of their quarrel astonished her.
Mingzhu asked, "Aunt, won’t you stop them?"
"No need," Fengyu replied indifferently, "Let them fight!"
If chaos were to ensue, why not let it unfold entirely?
Despite the Empress herself being present, these privileged young nobles brazenly disregarded her authority. Even after clarifying the Fourth Princess’s status, they stubbornly clung to derogatory insults like "Beiman Women." Fengyu decided to let the show escalate, intending to use it as an opportunity to teach these overindulgent, arrogant youths a lesson.
The elders of noble clans always knew the bounds of propriety, yet this group of pampered offspring behaved with reckless and insolent entitlement—it was truly infuriating!