Xiao Ce had no expectations of Fan Zehao. In this household, the woman called the shots!
"Your Highness, what crime did my mother commit to deserve being punished by kneeling? At least my mother is a noble lady of the court!" He suppressed his anger, lowering his voice as much as possible, but wore a sullen expression.
Zhao Jiaqi slammed the teacup down on the table, her fury rising. "A noble lady of the court? Very well, let your mother explain. Insulting the Prince, threatening to use force within the manor, and disregarding the law of the land – what punishment does such a person deserve!"
The Princess's words stunned Xiao Ce. He quickly looked at the person on the ground. "Mother... you... you didn't really say anything treasonous, did you!"
Ji Yuwan raised her tear-streaked face. Upon seeing Xiao Ce's disbelieving gaze, she quickly knelt and kowtowed to Zhao Jiaqi. "Your Highness, it is this humble woman's fault. My mind was clouded by greed, and I lost my temper, speaking without restraint. I beg the Prince and Princess for forgiveness!"
Her head struck the ground with resounding thuds, demonstrating an excellent attitude of repentance.
But Zhao Jiaqi couldn't be bothered to even look at her. She dared to use her status as a noble lady to speak to her? Was she not also a noble lady?
Forget about being a mere lady; she was now the Princess, soaring to great heights, worth more than any countess!
Fan Zehao, standing by, gave her a meaningful look, signaling her to stop. She should show some consideration, at least for Xiao Ce's sake.
A moment later, Zhao Jiaqi spoke. "Rise. Let us discuss the matter at hand!"
Xiao Ce, his face pale, helped his mother sit on a nearby chair, directly opposite Li Sisi.
"Sisi, the Countess is Xiao Ce's mother. She has come today to accuse you of shamelessly seducing Xiao Ce, aspiring to marry the young Marquis and become the legitimate wife of the Count's manor. Now that both parties are present, tell us what this is all about!"
Li Sisi's face turned ashen. 'Shameless, seducing, legitimate wife of the Count's manor.' Her lips trembled, and she shook her head repeatedly. Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled uncontrollably.
"Your Highness, Sisi did not seduce him. It is Xiao Ce who... who has feelings for me. He privately mentioned this matter, but I did not agree!"
Seeing her turn pale and cry sadly, Xiao Ce's heart was filled with mixed emotions. He immediately stepped forward to explain, "Your Highness, this matter is my fault. I like Sisi, and I intend to marry her and make her the Crown Princess, not that Sisi seduced me."
"Be silent. How can an outsider address Sisi by her given name!" Zhao Jiaqi warned him.
Even if Sisi were not from a distinguished family, she was still an unmarried young woman. How could such an intimate address be used by an outsider?
If this were overheard by those with ill intentions, it might not ruin Xiao Ce's reputation. At most, they would say he was young and impetuous, a momentary philanderer.
But Sisi's reputation would be ruined, earning her the charge of being loose and immoral, making it difficult to find a suitable husband!
Xiao Ce also realized the seriousness of the matter and quickly lowered his head.
Ji Yuwan understood the situation. It wasn't that someone had seduced her son, but rather that her son was actively seeking to marry such a woman as his legitimate wife.
She had objected from the start, her words being very diplomatic: "Ce'er, I don't object to you marrying the Li family's daughter, but she can only be a concubine. A legitimate wife is absolutely out of the question. You won't pass this by me, let alone your father!"
The great noble families of the capital were intricately connected, all seeking alliances. How could one possibly marry a peasant woman? Would that not make a laughingstock of the entire capital!
If a lesser son in the manor wished to marry a girl from such a family, she, Ji Yuwan, would support it wholeheartedly and would never obstruct it. She could even send her maids to help arrange the wedding. But for the eldest legitimate son, such an action was absolutely forbidden.
He looked at the resolve in his mother's eyes, then at the wronged face of his beloved on the other side. After a moment of hesitation, he walked towards Li Sisi.
He said sincerely, "A concubine's status is indeed unfair to you, but my feelings for you are genuine. Rest assured, I can guarantee that no one in the manor will dare to bully you, and I will not take any more concubines. Aside from my legitimate wife, you will be my only concubine in this life."
He spoke to Li Sisi with deep affection. Hearing this, Sisi took two steps back, her expression of resolve unwavering. Without any hesitation, she directly refused him. "Though I, Li Sisi, am not from a noble family, I am the daughter of an upright household. I also know that concubines are lowly servants, subject to the mistreatment and sale by the mistress. I am sorry, but I cannot accept your affections. I would rather be a poor man's wife than a high-ranking concubine!"
Ji Yuwan sneered at Li Sisi. "To give you the status of a concubine is already elevating you. Look around the capital; how many noble daughters wish to be my son's concubine, and he disdains them. And you..."
Li Sisi had no patience to listen to the nagging of such a shrew. Before Ji Yuwan could finish speaking, she turned and curtsied to Zhao Jiaqi. "Sister, I still have matters to attend to at my shop, so I will take my leave."
Zhao Jiaqi was very satisfied with her performance and smiled, nodding at her. "Go."
Li Sisi ran away, leaving Ji Yuwan with her mouth agape. She had intended to praise her son further, but the person she wanted to impress had no interest in listening, leaving her standing there extremely embarrassed.
"The matter has been made clear, and Sisi has made her decision. Countess, you have heard everything clearly. This Princess hopes this matter ends here, with everyone living their own lives. Otherwise, my manor is not to be trifled with."
Ji Yuwan understood what the Princess meant and immediately made a promise. "Your Highness, please be assured, this humble woman will never joke about Ce'er's reputation. This humble woman takes her leave."
She pulled Xiao Ce along and walked straight out of the manor. Even though Xiao Ce was unwilling, he could not disobey his mother's wishes.
After they left, Zhao Jiaqi slumped down, her body going limp as she sat on the chair, listlessly fiddling with her teacup. She sighed and asked, "Husband, do you think Xiao Ce truly likes Sisi?"
"Perhaps... perhaps there is an element of liking, but he likes the position of Crown Prince more. So, it can hardly be called love."
Zhao Jiaqi found his analysis very reasonable. She then asked him, "Between me and the throne, which would you choose?"
"I strive and fight to provide for you, to ensure you are not bullied. Without you, that position would be a burden to me," he replied without hesitation.
She smiled, her heart as sweet as honey.
After Ji Yuwan's incident, Li Sisi fell ill the next day and was confined to bed. Famous doctors from the capital examined her one by one, all shaking their heads and telling her, "Your Highness, the young lady has no physical ailments. This old physician believes it is a heart ailment. If she can let go, she will recover without medicine."
A heart ailment? That was a difficult illness to cure!