The New Year's Eve dinner arranged by Concubine Xu was more grand than any previous dinner. It seemed that she wanted to use this method to announce to the world that she was the undisputed master of the Bei'an harem.
Ah Man, who had been neglected recently, came late with Xuan Er. She just glanced at Concubine Xu who was sitting at the top, and sat down in her seat with a look of arrogance on her face.
"I thought the princess wasn't coming." Seeing Ah Man sitting down without even saying hello, Concubine Xu felt a little embarrassed. She smiled awkwardly and spoke softly.
"Today's New Year's Eve dinner is actually a royal family dinner. I'm Princess Jiaoyang, why don't I come?"
"That's not what I meant. I..." Concubine Xu glanced at the ladies sitting below who were staring at them, and said in a timid tone.
“The Imperial Concubine is the Emperor’s concubine and is pregnant with the Emperor’s child. For the princess to treat her like this is really…” Lord Xu’s party was naturally angry when they saw that Imperial Concubine Xu looked so wronged and couldn’t help but speak up for her.
Ah Man didn't even look at the lady, but just moved the fruit plate in front of him to Xuan'er.
"This is too disrespectful to the elders. Concubine Xu is really a ..."
"The princess has always treated Concubine Xu like this. When the child is born..."
"The princess has always had a bad temper..."
"… "
Today's dinner was arranged by Concubine Xu. She has been very favored recently, so naturally some people would speak up for her. So, although these words were whispered, every word of them fell into Ah Man's ears.
Ah Man was used to being trampled upon by others, but she never expected that there would come a day when she would be trampled upon.
However, Xuan Er, after hearing what the people below said, had a gloomy face and shouted to the guards behind him, "Drive those people out."
Several guards were stunned when they heard this. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was well-educated by the Queen and was always gentle and polite to others. This was the first time he had angrily driven someone away, especially at a banquet like today.
They naturally had to obey the prince's orders, but recently, the prince and the princess seemed to have a low status in the emperor's heart.
Concubine Xu was pregnant, and if the woman was kicked out, it would be a slap in the face of Concubine Xu.
They stood behind the prince in embarrassment. Ah Man, who had been calm and composed, saw that the guards did not even move, and sneered at the guards behind him, "Did you hear what the prince said?"
Ah Man was giving orders to his own people, so he naturally knew that the actions of the guards just now had slapped the prince in the face, which made Ah Man unhappy.
"Do as the prince ordered. Take those guys out and beat them to death with clubs."
After Ah Man finished speaking, he lowered his head, picked up a piece of fruit with a fork, and brought it to Xuan'er's mouth, saying as if teaching: "Xuan'er, you are the crown prince. In this palace, except for your father, you are the most powerful. Anyone who dares to disobey you will be killed."
Xuan Er looked at his sister, not quite understanding, and wanted to tell her that his mother had said that killing people at will was not good, but after thinking about it, he chose to keep silent. He knew very well that his sister was protecting his authority.
"Xuan'er, don't think too much. They are palace guards, and they should be most clear about their duties. But after you gave the order, they considered other things, so their death is not unjust."
Ah Man explained softly to Xuan'er that she understood Xuan'er's reluctance best, because they both received the same education that human life is precious and one should not kill people at will.
However, they all disobeyed the prince's first order. If they did not establish the prince's authority, no one in the harem would dare to listen to him in the future.
Concubine Xu was just there to watch the fun. She felt pretty happy when she saw a few guards treating the prince as nothing. She thought such a result would be good for the baby in her belly. However, she didn't expect that the situation would be very different a moment later. The people who followed the order this time obviously had no scruples and went straight to the guards and the people who had just slandered Ah Man.
(End of this chapter)