Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 1304: Chapter 1306 Having a Great Chat_1

Ao Qi was probably stung by the laughter in Bai Ruozhu’s eyes. He coughed twice and did not dare to continue bickering with Princess Yingtong any longer.

At this time, the dishes and wine were served one after another. Ao Qi poured wine and drank a cup with Jiang Yichun. Jiang Yichun took the initiative to thank them both. Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help feeling that Ao Qi was becoming somewhat annoyed with Jiang Yichun, perhaps due to Princess Yingtong’s earlier remark that Jiang was ”much better than that youngster Ao Qi”.

After the waiter who brought the dishes had left, Bai Ruozhu said, ”We were stopped by the Holy Guard on our way here. Jin Wanliang has contracted a bizarre illness and insisted that we caused it and asked me to cure it. I had never seen such a foul disease and do not know how he managed to get into Gaochang. If this had happened in Danliang Country, foreigners with such strange illnesses would not be allowed to enter the Capital City so easily. What if the disease is contagious?”

Princess Yingtong frowned, ”I’ve never even heard of this person. What kind of illness does he have? Is it terrible?”

Bai Ruozhu pretended to gag and said, ”Let’s not talk about it, I’m afraid if I do, none of you will have the appetite to eat.”

”It doesn’t matter, I don’t care about those things. Just tell me,” urged Princess Yingtong.

”The skin exposed on the outside is festering and oozing pus, and his body emits a foul stench; you can smell it from far away. Moreover, flies keep landing on him. I saw him shooing them away several times, but they quickly returned to settle on his skin,” Bai Ruozhu narrated.

Ao Qi showed a look of surprise, ”What kind of strange illness is this? With such a condition, could it be the plague from the road? How could they let him into the city? Can the Holy Hall actually cure it?”

Princess Yingtong snorted displeasedly, ”It’s probably that woman Diao Mo who brought him in. She thinks just because she’s a favorite of the Holy Maiden, she can disregard our laws. I think the Holy Hall has been paying less and less regard to the royal family in recent years.”

”Yingtong, enough, don’t talk about this anymore, be careful the walls have ears,” Ao Qi sternly reprimanded.

Although Princess Yingtong was displeased, she did not continue to talk about the matter, but Bai Ruozhu could see that both people present were very dissatisfied with the Holy Hall.

It was clear that in the Western Regions, the discord between the Holy Hall and the royal family was intensifying, but the royal family seemed to be completely controlled by the Holy Hall and had to swallow their anger and turn a blind eye.

At that moment, a commotion suddenly erupted outside, as if something had happened to someone.

Ao Qi called for a young waiter to come in and asked what had happened. The waiter apologized profusely and said, ”I apologize for disturbing your honors. Just now, a guest in the Main Hall suddenly fainted, looking terribly pale. Fortunately, the people he was with carried him off to the Holy Hall for blessings.”

The waiter seemed very relieved, as if the sick would be fine as soon as they were blessed at the Holy Hall.

Ao Qi tipped the waiter with some silver and asked him to go back to work.

”Based on the waiter’s description, it might be a heart disease,” Bai Ruozhu speculated after some thought.

Ao Qi sighed, ”I fear it’s more likely to be bad news than good. Sick and not seeking medical help, instead going for a blessing which requires burning incense and bathing—I don’t know how long it’s all going to take.”

Princess Yingtong scoffed, ”The Holy Hall just loves to put on those pretentious, mystical displays to fool people.”

Bai Ruozhu and Jiang Yichun exchanged a glance, grateful that the younger generation of Western Regions aristocrats hadn’t been brainwashed by the Holy Hall.

Ao Qi gave an awkward smile and said, ”I have made you two laugh. You might have heard that the people of the Western Regions rarely seek medical help, instead, they seek blessings from the Holy Hall. I have traveled far and wide, yet I have never seen a country like this; I really cannot agree with it.”

”Although I cannot leave Gaochang, I am not an ignorant woman without any worldly experience, and I especially disdain the Holy Hall’s trickery of playing god. To be honest, I am quite envious of the Royal Family of Danliang, as you are able to control your own destinies.” By the end of her statement, the overbearing princess also showed a hint of desolation.

Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but think of Princess Diao Bin, whose future was still uncertain, and thought that perhaps the Imperial family of Danliang couldn’t control their destinies after all, just like she and Jiang Yichun might not be able to control their own. Just like this trip, they could not have changed anything, even if they did not want to come.

But as long as one tries their best to fight for the life they want, everything will certainly get better.

All four of them were young people who had some issues with the Holy Hall, so they found common ground in their conversation. After the meal, Princess Yingtong said she needed to return to the Palace to report the matters regarding Jin Wanliang to her mother.

”Such a vile and ungrateful scoundrel should be expelled at once, and Diao Mo’s abuse of power for personal gain should not be tolerated either.” Princess Yingtong took on an attitude that said ”I will handle this matter.”

Bai Ruozhu was somewhat worried and asked, ”Thank you for your righteous support, Your Highness, but I don’t want you to offend the Holy Hall and King Yuchuan because of Diao Mo.”

”King Yuchuan?”

”Uncle Yuchuan?”

Both Yingtong and Ao Qi looked at Bai Ruozhu, puzzled, while Bai Ruozhu was also taken aback. Could it be that when the princess called Diao Mo a ”slut,” she wasn’t referring to her affair with King Yuchuan?

”Seeing that Your Highness disapproves of her behavior, I thought you knew about her affairs with King Yuchuan,” Bai Ruozhu had to continue, bracing herself.

Yingtong’s face turned red with anger, ”That’s because I knew about her dalliance with an elder of the Holy Hall. My maid and I even stumbled upon them once. How did it get connected to Uncle Yuchuan? You better clarify things quickly!” It seemed that Yingtong had a good relationship with King Yuchuan.

Bai Ruozhu had to carefully explain, ”When we were in Shengyao City, we discovered that she met with Jin Wanliang and planned to harm us. So, we secretly followed Diao Mo and found out she was having a private meeting with King Yuchuan. It seems they had been together many years ago, and Diao Mo had made sacrifices for King Yuchuan. King Yuchuan asked Diao Mo to divorce Jin Wanliang and then become his concubine.”

”What?” Before Bai Ruozhu could finish, Princess Yingtong interrupted with an outraged cry, ”A concubine? Has Uncle Yuchuan lost his mind? He doesn’t know about Diao Mo’s shameful behavior at Shengyao City? No, I have to make him see the truth sooner.”

”Don’t hurry, Your Highness. Diao Mo rejected him on the spot, saying that she was afraid she wouldn’t survive in the harem or something like that. But from her expression, it seemed like she was dissatisfied with being King Yuchuan’s concubine,” Bai Ruozhu added.

Princess Yingtong’s nostrils flared with anger, ”She’s not satisfied? With her status as someone who’s been with countless men, she dares to disdain becoming Uncle Yuchuan’s concubine?”

Ao Qi coughed twice, helplessly saying, ”Alright, alright, why are you so worked up? Maybe King Yuchuan just said it casually. Let’s not interfere as the younger generation.”

”But I will interfere!” Yingtong lost her temper. ”When I was young, Uncle Yuchuan always took us out to play. I am his niece; he will definitely listen to me.”

”And I am your cousin; you should listen to me in this matter.” Ao Qi’s countenance grew serious; he had a much clearer perspective on these matters than Princess Yingtong.

Bai Ruozhu and Jiang Yichun exchanged glances, ready to take their leave to let the two quarrel, but the conversation that followed took them by surprise.