Chapter 988: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 988: Confrontation (1)
Cui Ping'an's body had always been weak. Even though he was rescued from the icy lake in time, he still fell gravely ill and almost died.
At the time, the Cui Matriarch flew into a rage. She presented her token and entered the palace to request an audience with the Empress Dowager, asking her to punish the person who had harmed her grandson.
That culprit had ties to the royal family, but the fact remained that she had targeted an innocent four-year-old child. Such a ruthless act could not be excused. Not only would the Cui family never let it go, but anyone with a shred of decency privately voiced sympathy for the Cui family.
Back when Princess Fuyun had inserted herself into the marriage between Lord Cui and his original wife, leading to the latter’s demotion to concubine despite no wrongdoing, and ultimately her death during childbirth—these events had once stirred public outrage and brought disgrace to the royal family.
Just as those scandals were fading from public memory, Lord Cui’s only son nearly lost his life again, and this time at the hands of another royal. Emperor Hui'an knew that the Cui family would never back down quietly. He didn't want this to reach the court and tarnish the royal reputation further, nor could he tolerate someone so destructive to the royal name. So not long after, he personally issued a decree to severely punish the culprit.
Princess Fuyun was also implicated and was sternly scolded by the Empress Dowager in the palace, finally appeasing the Cui family’s fury and bringing the matter to a close.
Once Cui Ping'an recovered, the Cui Matriarch sent him to their estate in Yuancheng, in the south. The weather there was mild and suitable for recuperation. More importantly, it kept him out of Princess Fuyun’s sight, denying her any excuse to torment him.
Had Cui Ping'an not reached the age of eighteen and come to the time for marriage discussions, the Cui Matriarch wouldn't have brought him back to the capital. But who could have expected that what should have been a good thing would turn into such a disaster?
Princess Fuyun wished for nothing more than for this illegitimate child to disappear forever. He had been ill for days, and she hadn’t even sent a message of concern. For her to suddenly come in person to visit was truly baffling.
Even though the Cui women felt as if they were facing a great enemy and worried that the princess was up to something again, they had no right to stop her from entering.
Soon, Princess Fuyun, surrounded by a grand entourage of maids and nursemaids, strode into Cui Ping’an’s bedchamber with regal presence.
“We greet Your Highness!” The Cui Matriarch and Cui Qingrou stepped forward and respectfully saluted the princess.
Although the Cui Matriarch was technically Princess Fuyun’s mother-in-law, the princess was a royal of high status, and by etiquette, even the matriarch had to bow to her daughter-in-law whom she did not favor.
“Rise.” Princess Fuyun waved off their salute with a cool demeanor, not even bothering to return a junior’s courtesy to the Cui Matriarch.
The matriarch had never received a courtesy in return from her over the years, so she expected nothing different now. Her expression unchanged, she stood up and stepped back with Cui Qingrou to the bedside, saying nothing more to the princess.
Princess Fuyun paid it no mind and walked gracefully to the bedside. Looking at Cui Ping’an, who lay unconscious and seemingly beyond hope, a trace of cold light flickered in her eyes. She then asked, “I heard Mother invited a female physician from outside and even allowed her to enter through the main gate. She must be highly skilled to earn such favor. Did she say when Ping’an might wake up?”
The Cui Matriarch’s heart tightened. So that was her real purpose—under the pretense of concern, Princess Fuyun had come to investigate the identity of the female physician.
“In my desperation, I simply sought help wherever I could and had that female physician brought in. Her skills are quite ordinary, and she didn’t say when Ping’an might wake.” The matriarch knew full well the princess’s vengeful nature and didn’t want to drag Mo Yan into this. So she gave a half-truth and added, “As for her entering through the main gate, that must have been the gatekeeper’s oversight. I will reprimand them later—those servants mustn’t be allowed to break the manor’s rules.”
(End of Chapter)
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