Consort Ning Pin shook her head and cried.
"How could it be!?"
"I am her biological mother. Consort Hui has no relation to her. How could she truly care for her?"
"Please help me, Noble Consort!"
"I..."
"Enough."
Xia Ruqing interrupted impatiently.
Repeating the same words over and over, how tiresome!
"If I remember correctly, the Emperor punished you with house arrest for a month. Now you come crying and causing a scene here. Are you defying the imperial edict?!"
It’s not that she was heartless.
She truly didn’t want to help.
The Eldest Princess will be better off with Consort Hui, not worse.
Consort Ning Pin is fine in every way, except being too petty and rigid!
She has treated the Princess like a sheltered young lady.
Actually.
A princess of the realm doesn’t need to be so inflexible, right?
Besides, Yiming is the Eldest Princess!
She should have the demeanor of a princess. What has she become now?!
No wonder the Emperor is so angry!
Consort Ning Pin shook her head crying.
"I can’t care about all that!"
"If I don’t come out now, then..."
Xia Ruqing was utterly helpless.
"Even if you don’t come out, the Eldest Princess will be fine!"
After saying this, she looked around.
"If you go back now, I can pretend I didn’t see anything."
"If you don’t leave! Once someone sees you, you are defying the edict. You decide!"
Having said that, Xia Ruqing turned to leave.
Consort Ning Pin crawled forward and clung to her leg!
"No! I won’t go back!"
"I..."
"Mother?!"
Just as Consort Ning Pin was crying and causing a scene.
Consort Hui appeared with the Eldest Princess and Second Princess!
Yiming looked at her mother in shock, not knowing what to do.
Consort Ning Pin was also stunned as if struck by lightning.
Moments later, she hurriedly got up, wiped away her tears, tidied her clothes, and ran towards Yiming.
"Ming’er, is it you?"
She grasped Yiming’s shoulders, delighted yet disbelief.
The Eldest Princess instinctively stepped back, frowning as she broke free from her arms.
"Mother!"
"Weren’t you under house arrest? Why are you here?"
The Eldest Princess lowered her head and said, her tone a bit uncertain!
She had never dared rebel against her mother before. This was the first time!
Consort Ning Pin looked at her empty arms, filled with disbelief.
"Yiming?"
"What... did you say? Why am I here?!"
"Isn’t it for you?!"
Consort Ning Pin was furious.
She raised her hand and fiercely slapped the Eldest Princess.
"You ungrateful daughter! I’m kneeling here for you, begging, and you..."
"You come here flaunting with that wench right before me!!"
"Yes!"
"I’ve been demoted to Consort; no longer as noble as her rank!"
"But you are still my daughter. In this world, aside from me, no one else will care for you!"
Seeing things turn sour, Zi Su quickly stepped forward to stop Consort Ning Pin.
Consort Hui immediately comforted the Eldest Princess.
The Eldest Princess, after being heavily slapped.
Frightened and sad, angry and anxious, she covered her face and cried.
Consort Hui quickly consoled her.
"Don’t cry first!"
The Second Princess quickly pulled out a handkerchief for her.
"Big sister, don’t cry!"
Consort Ning Pin was still relentless.
"You still have the face to cry, you ungrateful daughter!"
Consort Hui hurriedly shielded the Eldest Princess.
"Consort Ning, say less!" Her tone revealed undisguised disdain.
What is this?!
Which mother talks to her daughter like that?
Her expression soured very much.
The wench Consort Ning referred to earlier was herself!
Ha!
What did she do to provoke this?
Unable to bear the foul words, Yiming covered her face with a handkerchief and ran away.
Consort Hui didn’t hesitate.
She left immediately with the Second Princess.
Xia Ruqing looked coldly at Consort Ning Pin, instructing lightly.
"Zi Su, let her go!"
Then she said to Consort Ning Pin.
"You can kneel if you want!"
"Let’s go!"
"Yes! Noble Consort!"
Zi Su saluted and released Consort Ning Pin’s hand.
The troop of masters and servants departed grandly.
At the vast palace gate, only she was left alone.
Consort Ning Pin looked at her reddened palm.
Her mind once again replayed the scene that just happened.
"Did I... slap her?"
From childhood to adulthood, she had always cared for her daughter.
Her daughter was indeed a darling, always considering her in everything.
Even with her repeated mistakes, her daughter could tolerate her.
Yiming actually... was very filial!
"But..."
Consort Ning Pin was tormented.
She had actually slapped her.
Now it’s done; Yiming is gone for good, what should she do?!
Leaving loses face. Staying loses even more face.
What a disgrace!
...
After agonizing for a while, Consort Ning Pin still left.
She made herself a mental excuse in her mind.
’Because she still has to be under house arrest, she was forced to leave!’