Chapter 147: Brother, You Can’t Be Greedy

Xiao Li was dragged away by the Emperor. While her spirited performance was thrilling, it was also probably a tiny bit... embarrassing!

However, Xiao Li got the one hundred thousand taels of Silver she had demanded.

Marquis Xuanping gave seventy thousand, and the Wang family added thirty thousand.

The Wang family: ...Why us???

Xiao Li: Because you helped speak up for me. Everyone who was there gets a cut.

The Wang father and son: "..."

"Brother, why aren’t you with your Imperial Sister-in-law? What did you drag me off for?"

The Emperor: "Your Imperial Sister-in-law needs to take care of her niece. What would I do if I stayed?"

’He’s surprisingly self-aware, but that’s no excuse to drag me into this.’

"Brother, the Imperial Palace gates are about to close. I need to get back."

The Emperor: "The Imperial Palace is your home, too. Stay the night."

’This can’t be good.’

Xiao Li thought for a moment. "Are you angry, Brother? Fine, I’ll split the one hundred thousand with you, fifty-fifty."

The Emperor was silent. Xiao Li sighed, "Brother, you can’t be greedy. Half is the most you’ll get. I’m already being very generous."

The Emperor was practically fuming. "Am I short that fifty thousand in Silver?"

Xiao Li disagreed with his sentiment. "Brother, you rule the world. Of course you’re not short fifty thousand in Silver. But there’s a difference between your own Silver and Silver you’ve pried from someone else’s pockets."

"It’s like you’re not short on pies, Brother. But a pie that falls from the sky? That tastes completely different."

The Emperor thought about it and was almost convinced. Then, his face darkened. "Shut up! Can’t you act like a Princess for once?"

Although the Emperor had dragged Xiao Li away, he didn’t really do anything to her. In the end, he just decided to make her stay in the Imperial Palace for the night.

Xiao Li: "..." ’What is his problem?!’

Xiao Li sneakily tried to make a run for it. The Emperor saw this and, furious, slammed his hand on the table. "Someone! Where is Lou Yan?"

A purple-robed Lou Yan entered from outside and bowed slightly. "Your Majesty."

The Emperor pointed at Xiao Li, trembling with rage. "You will watch her. She is not to set foot outside this bedchamber."

Lou Yan replied without so much as a glance, "This servant obeys."

The Emperor departed with an angry huff and a flick of his sleeves.

Xiao Li leaned against a pillar and yawned. ’This Emperor might lack a bit of imperial might, but he’s not really a bad person.’

’For now, he’s still worth protecting.’

Xiao Li glanced at Lou Yan. He stood ramrod straight, eyes fixed forward. ’He puts on a good act,’ she thought, before turning to enter the bedchamber. "Is no one coming to help this Princess change?"

A group of palace maids entered bearing trays, ready to help her wash up and change her clothes.

Xiao Li had expected Lou Yan to come in, but even after she lay down in bed, there was no sign of him. She pulled the blanket over herself. ’If he’s not coming, so be it. Time for bed!’

Certain she wasn’t in any danger, Xiao Li snuggled under the covers and slept soundly.

By the time she woke up, the Emperor had already finished his morning court session.

"Xuanyang!"

Xiao Li was just lifting a shrimp dumpling to her lips when the sudden shout startled her so much she dropped it.

Fortunately, it landed in her bowl, so she could still eat it.

The Emperor, clad in his Bright Yellow Dragon Robe, stormed in and demanded, "Who were you with during the Lantern Festival last night?"

Xiao Li picked up her dumpling. "Feng Yin. Why do you ask?"

It melted in her mouth—savory, smooth, and tender. Delicious!

Seeing her casual attitude enraged him. "Didn’t you promise me you wouldn’t mess with that boy from the Feng Family?"

Xiao Li: "I didn’t mess with him. His family’s carriage broke down and his mother was injured. I happened to be passing by, so I gave them a ride. He wanted to thank me by taking me out. Is there something wrong with that?"

The Emperor’s face was dark. "He invites you and you just agree? A man and a woman, unchaperoned, out together for the Lantern Festival. Don’t you know what that implies?"

Xiao Li just looked at him and said nothing.

The Emperor sat down and said sternly, "From now on, you will stay away from that Feng boy. Even if he seeks you out, you are to ignore him. Understood?"

Xiao Li picked up an egg dumpling, unhurriedly ate it, and, in the face of his fury, replied nonchalantly, "Alright."

Her calm demeanor left the Emperor’s anger with nowhere to go. "As long as you remember."

Xiao Li chuckled softly. "I know you respect the Grand Tutor, Brother. And you’re thinking that the Feng Family only has one heir in three generations, so he can’t be ruined by me."

She continued, smiling, "But I am the Princess, your blood sister. How have I become so unworthy in your eyes? I may have been married to Lu Yanzhi, but I am still a virgin. I wasn’t the one at fault in that marriage. How can you think I’m not even worthy of the Grand Tutor’s grandson?"

"Even if I really did take Feng Yin as my Prince Consort, it would be an honor for the Feng Family. If there’s any scorning to be done, I should be the one scorning him, not the other way around."

If she had been hysterical, the Emperor might have had a few more words for her. But she spoke calmly, as if she were discussing something utterly insignificant.

"But there’s one thing you can rest assured about, Brother. I have no intention of taking another Prince Consort, much less obstructing the Feng Family’s line of succession."

The Emperor left, his expression complex. His mind was in turmoil for a long time after he left.

’He realized he really had been taking his sister for granted.’

’Xuanyang is his own sister, a revered Princess of the realm. Is there any man she isn’t good enough for?’

’That Feng boy... hmm, perhaps I should ask the Grand Tutor for his opinion?’

-----

Xiao Li had just finished breakfast and was preparing to leave the Imperial Palace when the Empress sent someone to invite her for lunch.

"..." ’I just want to leave the palace.’

’But then I remembered the thank-you gift the Empress promised me. Hmm, another bite to eat wouldn’t hurt.’

However, Xiao Li never made it to the Empress’s lunch. She was intercepted halfway there by the Empress Dowager’s people.

Xiao Li had a mind to just walk away, but the Empress Dowager’s Chief Eunuch, flanked by four little eunuchs, blocked her path.

’If she got physical with the Empress Dowager’s confidants in the Imperial Palace, not even the Emperor would be able to save her.’

"Kneel!"

The Empress Dowager barked a single word at her the moment they met. Her face was cold, her gaze sharp and full of disgust, as if she and Xiao Li shared a blood feud.

Xiao Li refused to kneel. "Xuanyang is unaware of how she has angered the Empress Dowager."

The Empress Dowager slammed her hand on the table. "Why am I angry?" she demanded imperiously. "Don’t you know full well?"

A nearby eunuch spoke in a pinched, snide voice, "Even if the Princess has her disagreements with Princess Jia Ruo, she shouldn’t have used that filthy drug on Princess Consort Hui, much less frame Lady Jing Fei for it. That was truly out of line."

Xiao Li’s chest tightened. ’I suddenly feel the urge to extend my sincerest regards to all of your mothers!’

’Besides, didn’t this happen before the New Year? Wasn’t the matter already investigated and cleared up?’

’The Emperor himself investigated the case, and the Empress Dowager even compensated Princess Consort Hui. How can it be dredged up and blamed on me now?’

"I’m afraid I don’t understand. What drug did I supposedly use? This is the first I’m hearing of it. I implore the Empress Dowager to look into this matter thoroughly!"

The Empress Dowager raised a hand, twirling a string of Buddha Beads, but she couldn’t hide the caustic hostility in her eyes. "If I am to punish you, it is because I have both witnesses and material evidence. I did not make this public out of concern for the Royal Family’s reputation, but for you to be so malicious and to violate the palace regulations, I must teach you a good lesson."

When Xiao Li remained standing, fury blazed in the Empress Dowager’s eyes. She gave a cold shout, "Guards! Seize her for me!"