Wrapped In Golden Branch - Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Reporting Mrs. Jin’s crime of confusing the Marquis’ bloodline

The Prince Consort’s background has changed? Li Kangning was shocked.

The carriages of the Princess Mansion were always ready and could set off to the palace immediately.

“The Prince consort is in the guard post. Also, have you sent people to summon Marquis Huai’an?” Li Kangning lifted her skirt slightly and stepped on the stool with her feet in embroidered shoes.

The eunuch nodded like pounding garlic, “Yes yes. Someone had already pa$sed on the message.”

After hearing his reply, Li Kangning jumped lightly on the carriage.

It happened to be afternoon, and the capital’s streets were bustling with people. Li Kangning wanted to avoid disturbing the people, so she usually did not allow the guards to clear the road in advance when she went out. Now that she saw the carriage moving slowly on the street like a snail, she felt anxious and like sitting on pins and needles. She was really curious about how Pei Yizhi’s background changed, could it be —

When she was about to tell the guards to clear the way, the carriages moved forward inexplicably faster, as fast as a whirlwind.

Li Kangning was suspicious and immediately lifted the brocade curtain and looked out slightly- A fat and robust dark brown Ferghana horse came to the front of the carriage at some point. The crowds on the street avoided it, fearing that this sturdy horse taller than a person would accidentally injure them, and they took the initiative to make way for it. The man on the horse was wearing a fourth-rank dark green military tiger pattern official uniform, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist; such a heroic figure. Looking more closely, one could vaguely see that the strong muscles under his clothes constantly expand as he controls the reins, like a tiger ready to attack.

Li Kangning’s heartbeat accelerated inexplicably, and she swallowed her saliva subconsciously. As if sensing something, the man on the horse in front suddenly turned sideways and looked back. Pei Yizhi was delighted when their eyes met and smiled at the Princess.

Li Kangning blushed with shame, quickly lowered the curtain, and retreated into the carriage.

After entering the palace, one could not ride a horse, so Pei Yizhi walked beside the Princess’ carriage.

Li Kangning then opened the curtain again. She looked out the window at the man as tall as the top of the carriage and asked tentatively: “Have you heard about it? Your background—“

“Yes, I heard about it.” Pei Yizhi’s momentum suddenly weakened a little, and his voice was muffled. The person who delivered the message said his life story was different. He subconsciously thought that he might not be the son of Huai’an Marquis, and maybe he couldn’t even be a Prince Consort.

Li Kangning mistakenly thought that he was sad about his background and couldn’t help but feel pity. Her eyes were a little softer when she looked at him.

In the warm room of Zhaoming Palace, the Emperor and the Empress sat on the golden nanmu chair. Empress Kang felt mixed emotions and waved to her daughter to sit beside her. She had no good feelings towards the Pei family because of the former Prince Consort, and now she was even speechless about this family. Does Marquis Huai’an have grass in his mind?

Li Kangning sat obediently beside her mother, hugging her mother’s arms and leaning against her with dependence. “Father, mother, what’s wrong?” She asked in a muffled voice.

Empress Kang had an excellent appearance, beautiful and charming, and ice-like skin. As she got older, she added a bit of mature charm, and her every frown and smile was captivating. There was a reason why she could rise from an enslaved person to an Empress and hold the Emperor’s favor for more than twenty years.

Li Kangning inherited her beauty and was taller than her but still young and tender, like a bud about to bloom on a branch in spring.

Empress Kang looked down at her daughter, her eyebrows slightly frowned, “You, the Prince Consort…” How about changing to someone else? She didn’t say the second half of the sentence, but it was self-evident.

Pei Yizhi pursed his lips tightly when he heard it, and his fingertips, hidden under his sleeves, trembled slightly.

Li Kangning became increasingly puzzled and looked at her father again, asking, “What happened?”

“You will know in a while.” The Emperor looked complicated. The Emperor’s tone was cold and stern. “Summon Qiao Kaiyuan.”

The eunuch outside the palace repeated his words in a sharp voice.

Qiao Kaiyuan had been waiting outside the palace and hurried in upon hearing the order. Huai’an Marquis and his son entered the palace with him.

Huai’an Marquis burst into tears when he saw his eldest son again after half a month. He felt heartbroken seeing him like a walking skeleton due to torture.

Seeing the Emperor, Huai’an Marquis pulled his eldest son to his knees. He cried and begged, “Your Majesty, please show mercy. Yujin has been punished and knows his faults. Please let him go home!”

Pei Yujin lowered his head and said nothing.

The Emperor smiled, “Marquis Huai’an’s sincere love for his son is very touching.”

For some reason, Huai’an Marquis felt a chill in his spine when he heard this.

After a short pause, the Emperor said, “Minister Qiao, what do you want to report?”

Qiao Kaiyuan bowed his head solemnly, “Your Majesty, I want to report Mrs. Jin of Huai’an Marquis Mansion for confusing the bloodline of the Marquis and interfering with the inheritance of the nobility!”

Marquis Huai’an, still kneeling on the ground, was struck by lightning when he heard this. What does his brother-in-law mean? What ‘confusing the bloodline’? What does ‘interfering with the inheritance’ mean?

He subconsciously glared at Pei Yizi, his eyes instantly filled with hatred. It must be this evil creature who has caused trouble again!

Qiao Kaiyuan knelt without being humble or arrogant, “Please, Your Majesty, deprive Pei Yujin of his status as the Heir and restore the name of my nephew, Yizhi!”

Li Kangning blinked and looked at Pei Yizhi in surprise.

Huai’an Marquis was so shocked that he was dumbfounded, “Brother, what did you say? Pei Yizhi is your nephew? How is it possible…”

Pei Yujin had expected this, but he was so ashamed that he wanted to dig a hole in the ground and hide.

Qiao Kaiyuan gritted his teeth. “Pei Shunqin, look carefully. Pei Yizhi, your father-in-law, my father seems to be cast from the same mold. I truly don’t know what the eyes on your face are for!”

Huai’an Marquis widened his eyes, still in disbelief. His eyes fell on Pei Yizhi’s face, and after a closer look, his breathing suddenly stagnated, and his face was as pale as paper.

Qiao Kaiyuan said respectfully again, “I have found a witness. Mrs. Zou, the w*t nurse who cared for Pei Yujin back then. She confessed that she had found something wrong with the young Heir, but she didn’t say it because of the mistress’s recent death.”

The Emperor nodded slightly. “I will issue an order to the Ministry of Rites to abolish Pei Yujin’s position as the Heir. Marquis Huai’an, do you have any objection?”

Marquis Huai’an knelt on the ground as if he had lost his strength, shook his head, and murmured: “How could it be…”

How could he not recognize his and Shuyun’s child? How could he treat their flesh and blood harshly for twenty years? The immense pain instantly surrounded him tightly, pressing him to the point of suffocation.

The Emperor and Empress couldn’t bear to see him in such a trance and soon ordered people to pull him and Pei Yujin down.

?

On the way back, Pei Yizhi did not ride a horse again but squeezed into the carriage with the Princess.

“If you are sad, just say it out, don’t hold it in.” Li Kangning said softly.

Pei Yizhi felt touched when he heard this: “If I am sad, how will Ningning comfort me?” He got his wish and married his beloved girl, and he no longer cared about these things. He was already past the age of needing his parents’ love and care. He was most worried that his position as a Prince Consort would be lost, especially with Third Gu eyeing her covetously.

“How do you want me to comfort you?” Li Kangning asked without thinking.

Pei Yizhi was well aware of the way to get more out of the situation. He leaned close to the girl’s ear and whispered, “Ningning, would you like to ride on my face tonight?”