AWB Chapter 222 Apology Ceremony
Chapter 222 Apology Ceremony
After dinner, Zhou Yu talked to everyone about what was happening in the palace.
Mr. Zhou and Mr. Zhou returned together.
The two were also shocked, but when they saw that Qin Ying and her daughter were fine, they felt relieved and asked various reasons.
After hearing this, Old Master Zhou was so angry that his beard stood up. "This is simply too much! Granddaughter-in-law, don't be afraid, Grandfather will make the decision for you!"
Zhou Yu advised a few times and suggested: "Grandfather, at this time, the more powerful we are, the more we will weaken the sympathy of His Majesty and the court officials, and it will make our family look so proud and arrogant.
"Why don't you and your second uncle go and cry before His Majesty? But please don't say anything about handing over military power.
"Just praise your majesty first, show your old robe to him, and then let everyone see the robe you are wearing."
After just a few words of advice, Mr. Zhou Er understood immediately. He stroked his beard and said with a smile, "Don't worry! This is easy!"
Old Master Zhou was also rubbing his hands in anticipation: "See if I don't make Prince Jing'an suffer a lot this time, and make him regret giving birth to such a worthless thing!"
The father and son ate a little and then left in a hurry.
Zhou Yu said to Qin Ying again: "Since you are pretending to be sick, go back to our place first. And An An, don't run around outside.
"Aunt, please send someone who is good at makeup to help Yingniang and An'an dress up. They should look sick."
Madam Zhou Er nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, I'm afraid someone from the palace will come. It's okay not to see others, but I have to see the people from the palace.
"Hurry up and go! Let's all get ready separately!"
After returning to his yard, Zhou Yu asked the mother and daughter to lie down on the bed. He went to the small kitchen and cooked a pot of medicine himself. He poured it all the way and brought it back and put it on the table. Soon the whole yard was filled with the smell of medicine.
When the skilled maid sent by Mrs. Zhou finished putting makeup on the mother and daughter, Zhou Yu was shocked. Both of them had pale faces and bloodless lips, as if they were seriously ill.
After observing them for a while, he warned: "Your eyes are too bright. You should pretend to be listless."
An An pouted: "What do you mean by 'slump'? I can't do that!"
Qin Ying pushed her down and said, "If you don't know, just lie facing inwards and pretend to be asleep."
"That's easy!" An An agreed readily.
Just as everything was ready, someone outside came back to report that someone had come from the palace.
Zhou Yu hurried out, but it turned out to be the imperial edict that conferred the title of Marquis’ Lady on Qin Ying. Seeing that only Madam Zhou Er and Zhou Yu were present, the messenger cautiously asked, “I wonder if the Marquis’ Lady…”
"Alas," Madam Zhou Er sighed, "My niece-in-law is a coward. Today, Princess Ronghua pointed at her nose and taunted her in the palace, and she fell ill when she came back."
Zhou Yu also frowned, "My wife is fine, after all, she is an adult, she will be fine after a few days. But my daughter is young and was frightened, and now she is still running a high fever.
"Alas, they were unwilling to follow me to the capital at the beginning, fearing that they would not be able to please the nobles there. I even swore that the nobles there were the most tolerant, but I didn't expect...
"I didn't want to be an official in the first place. If I had known, I would have been content to live in the countryside with them."
The official who delivered the imperial edict was sweating: "My Lord, please don't have such thoughts. His Majesty has high hopes for you, and everyone in the court knows that you are a pillar of the country.
"Your Majesty and the Empress knew that the Marquis' wife had been wronged, and they immediately punished Prince Jing'an and his daughter.
“Originally, we were going to choose a day to confer the title on the Marquis’ wife, but as a gesture of appeasement, we chose today.
"Your Majesty and the Queen even specially prepared generous gifts for Madam to calm her nerves.
"Also, you see, I am holding two imperial edicts, one of which is for your young lady.
"Congratulations! The young lady has been conferred the title of Second-Class Ning'an County Lady. The former Ronghua County Lady has been demoted to Third-Class Ronghua County Lady, one level lower than our Ning'an County Lady.
"If she dares to speak rudely again, it would be an offense."
Mrs. Zhou Er and Zhou Yu hurriedly thanked him, but Zhou Yu said with embarrassment, "It's just that my wife and daughter are both sick..."
"Special matters require special treatment!" the messenger said with a smile, "His Majesty has given the order, and the Marquis will receive it on his behalf."
After sending off the messenger, Mrs. Zhou Er and Zhou Yu went in to see Qin Ying and her daughter.
The two people had already gone downstairs, and they heard the conversation outside clearly.
Mrs. Zhou Er still felt aggrieved. "Will Prince Jing'an go unpunished? The fact that Princess Ronghua has developed such a temper is entirely due to his poor parenting!"
"Don't be angry, Auntie," Zhou Yu said calmly, "It doesn't make sense that Ronghua was demoted while Prince Jing'an was unharmed.
"Your Majesty was originally wary of Prince Jing'an, but he had to reward him because of his generous support.
"Now that this has happened, I'm afraid all those rewards will be taken back.
"Prince Jing'an will have to work hard if he wants to live a good life in the capital."
Mrs. Zhou Er asked curiously, "You mean, he wants to sacrifice his own flesh and blood?"
Zhou Yu just smiled and said nothing.
Soon, the servant came again to report: "Prince Jing'an and Princess Ronghua are visiting."
Mrs. Zhou Er pushed Qin Ying to lie down, "We will take care of what's going on outside."
When Prince Jing'an arrived, Zhou Yu naturally had to receive him personally, and Mrs. Zhou Er had to entertain Princess Ronghua.
The father and daughter looked shabby and dirty.
After some back and forth, the Zhou family found out that Prince Jing'an took out all his wealth, presented two-thirds to the emperor and empress, and gave one-third to the Cheng'en Marquis' Mansion as an apology.
They simply told the outside world that these were the dowries of the previous princess, which were buried deep underground when they fled and were only slowly dug out after they returned to Beijing.
"In order to support Your Majesty, the little prince has used up all his family wealth," said Prince Jing'an, a fat man who was originally born with a festive look, but now he has a sad face, "Because he is the only child, I can't help but dote on him a little more.
"You've spoiled a good child into an ignorant evildoer!"
"If you're talking about being ignorant," Mrs. Zhou Er took over the conversation, "the little kid in our family who is only five years old is the one who is truly ignorant.
"But she was taught very well by her mother. She never said anything she shouldn't say and never walked on a path she shouldn't walk on.
"Tsk tsk, I always say that our Wen Ru is a lucky man. He married a kind and capable wife who never plays those shabby tricks.
"I found a girl who is smart and clever, and more knowledgeable and well-mannered than other teenage girls."
Princess Ronghua's face turned red and then white, she clenched her fists, lowered her head and said nothing.
She was dressed simply today, with nothing special about her from head to toe.
Prince Jing'an said with a smile, "Second Madam is right! It's all my fault for not raising my daughter well. I will discipline her strictly from now on."
“I came here to apologize to the Marquis’ wife.
"In addition to these treasures, I also have an old mountain ginseng that I have treasured for several years. I will give it to the Marquis' wife and the young county lady to nourish their bodies."