Her guards

Chapter 142 The Princess's Plea

"Last year, we could only ride horses and shoot arrows at grass targets."

"We'll be able to hunt live animals this year. Heisei is truly a man of both literary and martial talents."

"Heisei, so what you sent to the Empress's palace was a deer."

The emperor was both full of praise and looked sorrowful.

"Father only got two wild rabbits."

Princess Heisei, holding a cup of hot tea, said with a smile, "Father is so good at riding and archery, he can hunt as many deer as he wants."

The emperor sighed, "The deer my daughter sent is quite different from the ones I hunted myself."

Because Princess Heicheng suddenly entered, the Empress stopped writing the decree, fearing that her daughter would catch a cold. She had someone bring her hot tea and snacks. The Emperor then looked with great interest at Princess Heicheng's hunt, and had someone go to check the hunt in the Empress's palace. When he learned that the hunt sent to the Empress was a deer, he became resentful.

The hall became lively.

Soon the prey was sent to the royal kitchen, and Princess Heisei's face turned rosy after drinking hot tea.

The Empress put down her tea and interrupted the father and daughter's laughter: "Go wash up and rest first. Your father and I have other matters to attend to."

The emperor froze, about to say something, when the empress spoke again.

"...You must have been exhausted and tired when you left in the middle of the night yesterday. You'll get sick if you get chilled."

"You'll get sick," the emperor hurriedly put down his tea and urged, "Yes, you should go soak in the hot spring and rest well."

Princess Heisei rose, but instead of taking her leave, she walked up to the Empress, took the Empress's hand, and knelt down.

"Mother, please do not issue an edict to punish Yang Luo," she said.

……

.......
"You have let me down too much."

"I thought you came back to comfort me, but it turns out you're here to plead for Yang Luo?"

“I know you have a good temper, but you can’t be so good that you let others humiliate you and then treat them with kindness in return.”

The Empress looked at Princess Heisei kneeling before her and shouted angrily.

"Have you gone stupid from reading too much?"

The emperor stood to the side and sighed, "Heisei, stand up and speak."

Princess Heisei looked at the Empress and said, "Mother, please forgive my selfishness. I stopped you for the sake of my own reputation."

For the sake of her own face? The Empress looked at her.

Princess Heisei withdrew her hand and straightened her knees.

"I know that Mother is not so angry because Yang Luo offended you, but also because of me."

"All of this started because I didn't do well on the exam for the National Academy."

"My cousin was standing up for me and got into an argument with Yang Luo, which led her to say some outrageous things that offended the Empress Dowager."

The Empress looked at her and said, "Just because you did well on one exam, you've become so arrogant and presumptuous. Shouldn't you be punished?"

Princess Heisei nodded: "There should be a punishment, but since it is because of studying, then the punishment should be based on studying. Please, Mother, do not issue an imperial decree to punish her, otherwise the world will laugh at your daughter for being a sore loser."

The Empress gently stroked her daughter's face: "How could the world laugh at you? Hei Cheng, you are the first princess of the Great Xia Dynasty, the eldest legitimate princess. You don't even need a reason to punish someone, and the world will not laugh at you, but will only respect you."

Princess Heicheng nodded: "Mother, it is precisely because of my noble status that I cannot fly into a rage over a single word from such a lowly person. That would be an insult to me as well."

The Empress paused slightly.

“Mother.” Princess Heicheng grasped the Empress’s hand again. “I know that Mother and my cousin meant well, but I was indifferent to this matter. It was just an exam, and I had already forgotten about it. If Mother punishes Yang Luo for this, then the world will never forget this, and I will never be able to forget it even if I want to.”

The Empress hesitated, "You may be indifferent, but that petty person has gained power..."

“She’s still studying, and she’s not just going to take the exam once,” Princess Heicheng said. “Does Mother think I’m not as good as her?”

The Empress scoffed, "What is she? How could she compare to you?"

After saying that, he helped Princess Heisei up.

"Heisei," the emperor, who had been quietly standing by, said, "You should go and rest."

The empress looked at him coldly.

The Emperor looked at Heisei with gentle eyes: "You should focus on your studies. Your mother and I will handle this matter."

Then look at the Empress.

"I will spare her the crime of disobedience because of her quick thinking in saving you earlier. However, this child is arrogant and domineering and cannot be allowed to be spoiled and ignored."

"I personally issued an edict to question her about her disrespect."

"Caning can be waived, but the hand must be struck."

Princess Heicheng smiled and bowed to the emperor: "Your Majesty is wise and just in rewarding and punishing your children."

The emperor looked at her with a gratified and grateful expression. He was about to say something when Princess Heping raised her sleeve to cover herself and yawned.

"Father, Mother, I'm really tired. I'm going to rest now," she said.

The emperor and empress said in unison, "Go quickly."

The emperor added, "Remember to go to the hot springs."

Princess Heisei smiled and agreed, then bowed and withdrew. The Emperor watched his daughter's figure disappear.

"Having such a daughter is truly the greatest blessing in my life, Deng Shan," he said. Then he turned to look at the Empress beside him. "Ah Feng, I know you have resentment, but Heisei knows nothing. Don't involve her in the past."

The Empress looked at him and said, "Then please remember, Your Majesty, that Heisei is innocent. Do not mistreat Heisei because of others."

The emperor nodded, then sighed, "I will not mistreat the empress."

The Empress lowered her eyes, curtsied, and without saying a word, rose and walked out.

The emperor did not try to stop her and watched the empress leave.

The hall fell silent, and the emperor slowly exhaled.

Yang Luo.

"Someone, draft an oral order!"

……

.......
"Grandpa!"

Princess Heicheng had only taken a few steps from the emperor's bedroom when she saw two eunuchs leading two people toward her.

A tall, elderly man and a young girl.

Heisei recognized him at a glance and quickly hurried over to greet him.

The eunuchs bowed and withdrew.

Marquis Yichun stood still, smiling and bowing: "Greetings, Princess."

Chai Wan'er, who was following behind, also bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Princess."

Princess Heicheng personally helped Marquis Yichun up, saying, "I've troubled my maternal grandfather again."

Marquis Yichun straightened up, looked at Princess Hepingcheng, and said, "With the princess back, I won't have to suffer anymore."

Neither the grandfather nor the grandson said anything, but each of them said something that showed they understood each other, and they immediately smiled at each other.

"I have already appeased the Empress Dowager," Princess Heicheng said with a smile.
Marquis Yichun gave a soft snort: "She's getting worse with age, not even as good as a child."

Princess Heicheng smiled and said, "Grandfather, please don't blame Mother." Then she told Marquis Yichun what she had just done and said.

Marquis Yichun listened attentively and nodded in satisfaction.

“That’s the demeanor of a princess,” he said. “Whether it’s a quarrel or a decree of punishment, it’s all an honor for her.”

These things are just for show, and don't do much good for the people involved.

We should silently crush this ant to demonstrate the majesty of the empress and the dignity of the princess.

After saying that, he glared at Chai Wan'er, who was standing to the side.

"Apologize to the princess now."

Chai Wan'er knelt down with a look of self-reproach: "Princess, it was my own initiative that caused this trouble."

Princess Heisei quickly reached out and pulled her up, saying, "Cousin, get up quickly."

Chai Wan'er stood up and said timidly, "Princess, I'm sorry, I was too stupid..."

She had styled her hair in a high bun today, revealing her forehead, where the whip marks were clearly visible.

Princess Heisei's gaze fell on her wound, and she frowned.

"Won't it leave a scar?" she said. "Let's call a royal physician to take a look."

Overwhelmed with the princess's concern, Chai Wan'er was moved to tears: "I'm not afraid of scars, I'm only afraid of letting the princess down."

Princess Heisei chuckled: "You, you're not good at studying, so why are you comparing your studies with others?"

Chai Wan'er was overjoyed: "Princess, don't worry, I've already been disciplined by my father, and I know what to do."

That's right, reading isn't her forte.

Next time she'll challenge Yang Luo to a kung fu contest and beat that wretched girl to death!

“Grandfather, all I can do is prevent Father and Mother from arguing.” Princess Heping looked at Marquis Yichun again and said, “I am only able to resolve the superficial issues because my parents love me. I still need to trouble Grandfather to appease Father and Mother so that they will not harbor resentment.”

Marquis Yichun looked at Princess Heping with satisfaction once again: "Your mother is luckier than me, having given birth to such a fine daughter as you."

Princess Heisei was amused and playfully called out to her maternal grandfather.

“Alright, you don’t need to worry about it. You’ve done your best as a daughter,” said Marquis Yichun. “I’ll take care of the rest.”

Princess Heicheng did not ask what arrangements Marquis Yichun had made, but simply smiled and agreed.

"Princess, you've had a long and tiring journey all night. Go back and rest," Marquis Yichun said softly. Then, looking at Chai Wan'er, he said in a deep voice, "You come with me to apologize to the Emperor and Empress."

Chai Wan'er lowered her head in alarm.

Princess Heicheng took Chai Wan'er's hand and said, "She's just a child. Father won't make things difficult for her. If we take her there, Father will feel uncomfortable and won't be able to say what he wants to say. Grandfather, you know Father's temperament. Don't make things difficult for him."

This granddaughter truly understands the emperor better than her own daughter.

Well, after all, he has half of Deng Shan's blood in his veins.

That's good, even better.

Marquis Yichun smiled and bowed, saying, "This old minister obeys."