Rebirth of the Phoenix Princess novel Chapter 220

Hua Jing was absolutely furious. Li Yingying! After hearing Ya Xi's story and assuring him that she would seek justice for the incident at Suiyu House, Hua Jing had sent an invitation to Li Yingying. Before picking on her cousin, she wanted to be absolutely certain that Ya Xi had not lied. It would not do to get into trouble with her father again. However, upon hearing the extent to which Li Yingying had gone to force Ya Xi, the Princess was infuriated. How dare Li Yingying slobber over her man and humiliate her! Did Li Yingying think she could do as she pleases simply because she was the granddaughter of the Grand Councilor? That was absurd!

The chamberlain entered when Hua Jing was fuming over Li Yingying's actions. Hua Jing asked angrily. "What happened?"

The chamberlain was not expecting such hostility. He lowered his head and spoke nervously. "Your Highness, a servant from the Grand Councilor's Mansion just arrived. He explained that Lady Yingying seeks your forgiveness for not accepting your invitation. She went to Jingsi Temple to pray for the Grand Councilor and Lady Li today, and she is exhausted from the trip. As per the servant, Lady Yingying thinks it inappropriate to meet Your Highness when she feels worn-out. Lady Yingying has promised to pay her respect to Your Highness first thing tomorrow morning instead."

Hua Jing's mouth twisted in a contemptuous sneer. "Pray? Humph! She is such a natural liar that I am questioning my own abilities! All right, since she wants to pay her respects to me tomorrow, I don't mind. Tell her to prostrate three times, and kowtow thrice at each prostration with reverence."

The chamberlain was surprised as Lady Yingying used to have a good relationship with Her Highness. Although there was less contact between them in recent weeks, he couldn't understand what Lady Yingying had done to irritate Her Highness this much. While trying to imagine what had soured the relationship between the Princess and Lady Yingying, the chamberlain respectfully bowed and answered, "Yes, Your Highness. I will tell the servant to pass the message to Lady Yingying."

"Wait a moment!" Hua Jing sighed before standing. Her expression was cold. She knew that the facade of mutual respect between her and Li Yingying would be removed if she really asked her cousin to do so. After all, Li Yingying had a closer relationship with Grandfather and Grandmother, since she stayed at the Grand Councilor's Mansion all the time. Although Hua Jing was always respected as a Princess, she worried that if Li Yingying spoke ill of her every now and then, her grandparents might believe Li Yingying. Hua Jing couldn't afford to let that happen because she still needed their help.

Hua Jing was smart enough to understand that although her grandparents might be inferior to her in rank, the Empress and she needed to count on their support.

Hua Jing frowned as she thought it over. "You don't need to reply to the messenger. I'll go to Grand Councilor's Mansion and visit Li Yingying." Then she said to the maid who had been standing aside. "Get me dressed."

The light yellow dress selected by the maid softened Hua Jing's appearance. Hua Jing nodded in approval before asking for a carriage to be prepared. She also asked her maid to inform Ya Xi of her whereabouts. Then she turned and left for the Grand Councilor's Mansion. Grandfather should be out at this moment, and Grandmother always felt protective and tender about her daughter, a noble Empress with no freedom. As a result, Grandmother often spoiled her. It would be prudent for Hua Jing to start with her grandmother as she would be easier to manipulate.

After pondering over the whole situation, the Princess reached a decision and accordingly, prepared a speech in her mind. A few moments later, Hua Jing arrived at the Grand Councilor's Mansion.

As she alighted from the carriage, the servant at the door recognized Hua Jing and came to greet her with a bright smile. "Your Highness."

Hua Jing nodded and asked, "Where's Grandmother?"

The servant bowed and answered, "Lady Li is in Jingya* House (*TN: meaning tranquility and elegance)." Hua Jing nodded. Jingya House was her Grandmother's residence, so she headed toward it. As she walked into the yard, the Princess heard a noise coming from inside. Hua Jing frowned and wondered who dared to make noise in Jingya House since Grandmother had a preference for peace.

As Hua Jing approached, she saw a woman in a carmine dress standing in the middle of the room. The woman was smiling with disdain and complaining, "Don't think you can fool me just because I'm from another country. I know your norms. I'm pregnant and I deserve enough nutrition. You cannot deny me that! Although I'm just a concubine, my marriage was granted by your Emperor and I now bear a child of the Li Clan. Moreover, the third Prince of the State of Yelang is still in the Imperial City and I don't think he will be pleased to learn that I'm being bullied here. If you don't give in to my demands, I will go to His Majesty."

Hua Jing frowned as she thought about the woman's identity. Could this be Cangyang Yu'er, the woman who showed an interest in Prince Jing during the Imperial Feast? Hua Jing raised an eyebrow when she recalled the embarrassing situation when Cangyang was caught having an affair with her grandfather during a feast to celebrate Prince Jing's birthday... That was how she ended up in this mansion. Was she pregnant?

Hua Jing walked in with a sneer. "I was just wondering who was so ill-educated to make a fuss here. So it's you, a concubine from a small country, right? Let me think for a moment. What is your lineage? You are the sworn daughter of the Yelang Chief Councilor, correct? Or perhaps you are just a bastard who was adopted by the Chief Councilor. Do you have any idea whom you are yelling at?"

Cangyang Yu'er frowned as she glared at the woman speaking disrespectfully to her. The woman looked familiar, however, it took Cangyang quite a while to recall that she was Hua Jing, a Princess of the State of Ning.

"You mean this woman sitting before me?" Canyang turned to point at Lady Li before continuing, "I'm not a concubine. I'm also the wife of the Grand Councilor." Cangyang became more annoyed when she heard the word bastard, so she argued impatiently in spite of Hua Jing's status.

Hua Jing looked at her grandmother, who was rubbing her forehead. She curtsied to her grandmother before turning and glowering at Cangyang. "You are now in the State of Ning. Lady Li, to whom you were making impolite remarks is the Mother-in-Law of the Emperor. She is the Empress's mother. And this respectable lady is also my grandmother. You were saying that you are not a concubine but a wife with equal status. However, the truth is that in the State of Ning you are nothing more than a high-ranked concubine. And you have no rights to bark here. Believe it or not, even if I kill your unborn child today, His Majesty will not punish me. Oh, by the way, you seem to brag about the State of Yelang a lot. But now that you are a concubine in this family, do you think your country would really go to war over a married daughter? You are a member of the Li Clan now. Behave like one!"

Cangyang Yu'er had always been respected in her country. She hadn't felt that respect since her marriage to the Grand Councilor. If her attitude wasn't so hardline, she might have been bullied even more by these people. Despite all that she had endured, being taunted by a young girl was so humiliating that she slapped Hua Jing without thinking.

Hua Jing, a Princess who had been raised in the Imperial Palace, had received instruction in many things like embroidery and the Four Arts. But she knew nothing about fighting. Cangyang Yu'er, however, grew up in the grasslands where emphasis was laid on strength. So she was a tougher woman than Hua Jing. And that was why Hua Jing failed to dodge the slap.

Hua Jing's face reddened right away and the shape of a palm appeared. Lady Li was petrified with the direction the confrontation was taking. She rushed to Hua Jing immediately. "Your Highness, are you alright? I'll send for the physician immediately."

Hua Jing had never experienced such humiliation. What was worse is that she was suffering at the hands of a foreign woman in her grandparent's house. Someone as lowly as a concubine dared to slap her! She was outraged and scowled at Cangyang with a cruel smile. "This woman hit the Princess of Ning. Arrest her and take her to the Fuya* with my token. ( *TN: Government office in Ancient China)

Several guards sprinted to Hua Jing's side and bowed. "Yes, Your Highness." Then they grabbed Cangyang and began dragging her out as ordered.

Cangyang Yu'er was bewildered. She had acted on impulse and didn't realize that she had hit a Princess.

Panicked, she struggled with the guards as she shrieked. "How dare you? I'm the wife of the Grand Councilor!"

But the guards turned a deaf ear to her and took her away promptly. Though Cangyang was a strong woman, she couldn't outfight several trained guards. Soon she disappeared from sight.

Lady Li sighed and gently caressed Hua Jing's face. Hua Jing cried out in pain. Lady Li drew her hand back at once and asked the servant to send for the physician. Lady Li frowned, "Jing'er, you didn't have to provoke her. She was sent here by His Majesty. And she's pregnant. What if your grandfather blames you?"

Hua Jing straightened her sleeves and answered coldly. "So what? When Grandfather returns, I will tell him about Cangyang's audacity and insolent behavior. That rude woman will only bring chaos into this family. Imprisonment is the best thing that could happen to her considering I want her to die for hitting me. Before she hit me, she should have known that I would not go easy on her."

Although Lady Li was pleased that Cangyang was finally removed from her residence, she was worried about Hua Jing. Lady Li frowned and went back to her seat.

After a while, the physician appeared and applied medicine to Hua Jing's face. Hua Jing grabbed a mirror and looked at herself carefully. The swelling on her face looked even worse with the medicine. Annoyed that others would notice and gossip over her humiliating moment, Hua Jing began detesting Cangyang Yu'er even more. Hua Jing smashed the mirror on the ground. "I will implore Grandfather to award an appropriate punishment to that woman!"

Lady Li sighed. "What brought you here today, Jing'er?"