Chapter 288: Is Xiao Fu Bao Disliked? The Whole City Loves Me With Their Lives
Chapter 288: The Grand Princess Takes Action
As soon as Feng Youtan shouted, Xu Shi was too frightened to say another word. Even though her eyes were filled with tears from grievance, she had no choice but to obediently get up and kneel in place.
Though Feng Youtan was young, she was still a princess! And considering she was raised in the palace of Concubine He, her status and position were not to be underestimated.
At that moment, when she shouted, Xu Shi had no reason not to be terrified.
The Marquis of Huaiyang’s household might sound noble, but in recent generations, it had been in decline. The current marquis, though holding the title, had no real power—he couldn’t even secure a minor official position. The family had wealth but lacked influence in the court.
If the princess took offense, the consequences for them would be severe.
Terrified, Xu Shi didn’t dare to speak further. After a moment of hesitation, Qiao Shi also quietly got up and went to kneel.
Feng Youtan, though angry, didn’t actually intend to shout at them. She wasn’t particularly familiar with these women and hadn’t felt it necessary to involve herself with their quarrels. But now, with her anger rising and an opportunity in front of her, she decided to vent. Moreover, Xu Shi’s attitude, similar to Li Fei’s—always applying makeup and shedding fake tears—was incredibly annoying.
Thinking about this, Feng Youtan shot a glare at Qiao Shi. She remembered that Qiao Shi was related to Li Fei’s family, but she wasn’t interested in bringing palace intrigues into this setting. Besides, she was just a child, why should she care about the affairs of adults?
Turning her attention back to Xu Shi, Feng Youtan spoke bluntly: “You’ve been mumbling on and on without getting to the point. Just tell me, where is the eldest daughter of the Wei family? And the eldest son? Did the sons of the Xu family bully anyone?”
Everyone fell silent, as they recognized Feng Youtan's authority. She was a princess, after all, and her words carried weight.
Feng Youtan wasn’t concerned with who was in front of her; if she wanted to say something, she would say it. After all, she was a princess, and no one could do anything to her.
Moreover, she didn’t feel like she was insulting anyone; the fact that a child’s head was pushed into the water was outright bullying. So, she called it out.
Xu Shi’s face turned pale after hearing Feng Youtan’s words.
She nervously glanced up, hoping to gauge Feng Youtan’s reaction, and decide what to say next. She needed time to prepare herself.
However, as soon as she looked up, she met the eyes of the Grand Princess, whose smile was both knowing and mocking.
Frightened, Xu Shi quickly ducked her head, not daring to speak another word.
The Grand Princess, not wanting to entertain a child’s tantrums, gestured for Feng Youtan to go play.
Although Feng Youtan was still upset and not fully satisfied, she dared not oppose her great-aunt. Thus, she obediently shrank back.
As she sat down, she remembered her earlier argument with Ying Zhi. Turning to her, she huffed loudly.
Ying Zhi: ?
Ying Zhi was confused, but decided to seize the opportunity to play with Suisui instead.
Since Feng Youtan was ignoring her, Ying Zhi cleared her throat and quietly said, “I’m going to play with Suisui.”
As soon as Feng Youtan heard this, she was instantly displeased. She turned around and glared, “No, you’re not!”
The Grand Princess, however, wasn’t concerned with the children’s play. She stopped Feng Youtan and cast a cold glance at Xu Shi, who was still kneeling on the ground. After a long pause, she coldly spoke:
“The eldest son of the Wei family was bullied so badly that he developed a high fever and was shoved into the fake mountain. If it weren’t for someone in the house noticing, by tomorrow, the Wei family might’ve come to accuse our family of wrongdoing.”
This statement sent a chill through the room.
Xu Shi, now terrified, remained silent and pressed herself to the ground in submission.
The Grand Princess sneered at her. “The eldest daughter of the Wei family is busy taking care of her brother, while Xu Shi, who prides herself on being a kind mother, should make sure to show her concern.”
Xu Shi, momentarily unsure of what the Grand Princess’s intentions were, could only speculate. But since the Grand Princess hadn’t outright accused her, there seemed to be room for negotiation.
After a moment’s thought, Xu Shi cautiously spoke, “I will go take care of the child. It was my neglect.”
The Grand Princess said nothing further.
After all, this matter wasn’t within her jurisdiction.
Had it not occurred in the Lu family’s residence, she wouldn’t have bothered with such sordid domestic disputes.
Seeing no additional response from the Grand Princess, Xu Shi breathed a quiet sigh of relief and discreetly left the table.
The Grand Princess, however, knew that Xu Shi had suffered a major setback and might vent her frustrations on those poor children later.
With this in mind, the Grand Princess decided it was necessary to enter the palace before the gates closed tonight.
Having intervened in this matter, she couldn’t leave it halfway—helping one side accrue enemies without ensuring that those siblings wouldn’t face even worse troubles afterward. She needed to inform the emperor.
As for the Marquis of Huaiyang?
The Grand Princess thought...
If she happened to meet him, perhaps she’d find an excuse to beat him up.
Back in their youth, the Grand Princess had thought he was no good.
And now…
Her instincts were confirmed.
As for the old matriarch of the Wei family…
Well, she must not have had better options when raising her children.
Otherwise, why prop up such a useless scoundrel?
While the Grand Princess was handling this matter, Suisui was craning her neck to sneak a peek at Ying Zhi.
She saw Ying Zhi and the others leaving the table to play and grew curious.
Qi Wangfei, observing this, asked softly, “Does Suisui want to join them?”
Suisui did but hesitated.
Seeing her uncertainty, Qi Wangfei immediately understood that she was tempted.
Qi Wangfei didn’t want to restrain the child and felt reassured knowing Ying Zhi would be there. Suisui wouldn’t suffer any grievances.
With that in mind, Qi Wangfei gestured lightly. “Go ahead and play if you like. You’re a princess of the Prince Residence; there’s no need to be afraid.”
She didn’t forget to remind her attendant, Aunt Xiang: “Stay with the princess. If anything happens, report back immediately. Prioritize the princess, no matter what—don’t worry about offending anyone.”
Aunt Xiang bowed in acknowledgment.
Encouraged by her mother, Suisui took a deep breath and clenched her little fists. “Alright, Mother. I’ll be back soon.”
Little children never like sitting still for long; they’re always eager to play.
Especially when there’s a familiar friend, they’re even more inclined to go out.
Earlier, when Xu Shi and Qiao Shi were bickering, several children had already quietly slipped away.
Even though the Grand Princess’s discussion cast a serious atmosphere, it hadn’t affected the children.
In particular, the few sitting near the Grand Princess had begun to fidget, inspiring the others to follow suit.
By the time the Grand Princess finished speaking, Suisui had already caught up to Ying Zhi with light steps, cheerfully calling out, “Sister Qiao Qiao!”
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