The trio were frozen. In their hesitation and sudden arrival of the emperor, they had forget to pay him their respect.
"This consort greets the husband. ", Kin Fie cupped her hands and bowed.
"This daughter greets the emperor father. ", Jing Li also followed her consort mother.
" This daughter of lowly official greets his highness, the emperor. ", Kin Hua Jing kneeled on the ground.
She might be the imperial consort's niece only neither she was bestowed with any special title from the daughter as being the child of the official nor she was the member of the Imperial Family by the marriage. Thus, she had to kneel on the ground as she greeted.
The servants in the hall also kneeled and stated to bang their head for forgiveness. Blood could be seen coming out from their heads .
"Humph. ", Emperor Jing Qin snorted. "This one is happy today as my new daughter in law has come to serve my tea. I will not it to heart but eunuch Zhang order these servants to be beaten with 50 lashes each. Humph."
He then began to go to the highest seat for the host.
The trio straighten their clothes and also came to their seats. Ji Mu thought about her highness but soon brought her thoughts to act genuine and not to cause any trouble for her.
Jing Qin told them to sit but before Kin Hua Jing could sit next to the princess, she was questioned by the emperor.
"What is the Kin's official daughter doing in the snow pavilion? ", he asked lazily.
Ji Mu smirked. 'This butch! how dare she call my princess lowly. You are not even close to the emperor and it's clear that the emperor does not like you. You still came here at this time.Let me guess, was this plotted by your dear aunty... ', her thoughts in her mind were rushing like a water stream.
Jing Yang sitting next to her could not see her face but from the looks that her eyes had, he surly knew that this woman was smirking. He kept observing her expression.
Kin Hua Jing hurriedly came forward and kneeled while replying, " This subject was here to visit imperial aunt. " She had always used her aunt's name.
" Why did you visit? ", Jing Qin asked. He wanted to show his son that how far could a women fell and how interesting was it to play with them.
"Husband... ", Kin Fie tried to sweet talk him but could as he had raised his hand, signaling her to shut her mouth.
If she would speak further, she might have to face his fury and he would confront as to why the second Princess consort was referring him as a dead man.
She could easily misplace the words but this was for her son. The auspicious hour the ceremony if missed would bring bad luck to the bride and groom and it would tell that they both did not respect traditions.
She could let that damn girl have all the bad luck but not her son, so she kept quite. Initially, she had thought that she would make this woman serve her tea earlier then expected.
Due to this, his highness would get angry and punish her but this woman instead of feeling intimidated by her and others, she won the game. She did not want to loose favour so easily just because that bastardization woman.
" That.. I have not visited aunt for a long time so I missed him, and came. ", she said while biting her lips. 'Old geezer, once I have become the second princess, I will immediately win over everything then will beat to you to death.' She could only suppress her anger. Due to the irritation and anger she was feeling, she trembles while suppressing them. But, it looked like she was trembling as she was scared and had an innocent heart which was hurt and silently crying.
"Hua'er has a close relationship with me and loves me a lot. That's why she have missed me and come to spend some time with this consort. How lovely is she.", Kin Fie began to sound reasonable.
Jing Li also could not let Kin Hua Jing suffer like this but when her mother was coaxing her father, and she would speak, instead of going in right direction, things might be spilled by her. So she kept quite.
In Yanfou, the emperor did not have a harem but out of five, two princes had. All the five princes were very close to the princess, so all those women had tried to curry favour with her whenever she was in view. But, most of the time, it was not Ling Siyue being pushed and tried to be impressed but Ji Mu dressed as the princess. So, she well knew these kinds of acting.
She was enjoying the show as she always did but also was serious enough that if the matter and blame was pushed in her, so she could speak in her defense. Moreover, a sword was still lingering on her neck in this nation. So she had to keep a note of her surroundings.
But this note also let her see that the second prince was staring at her. Her heart trembled but she did not change her expression as she was an expert at it.
Jing Yang was feeling awful with this princess consort. Last night, it was fine but today there was something probably he was missing. He had to investigate this matter.
Mean while, the emperor hurrmphed as all the attention of his son was on other lady. He decided to kick the kneeling woman out then test that veiled lady, daughter in law.
" Have this lady not met my beloved consort, yesterday on the prince's wedding? Then, who was that woman with my consort yesterday, perhaps a ghost? ", Jing Qin asked in confused tone.
The trio filled in the sweat, could not find a better excuse.
" That.. ..", before she could explain further, she was cut by the emperor.
"Now, you must have met your aunt.", he asked, no, he had clearly stated the fact tone.
" Y.. Yes. "
" Then, leave this hall as there is nothing for you. ", Jing Qin said straightforwardly.
The trio were shocked as the emperor did not even give any face neither to Kin Fie nor to the left Prime Minister.
As soon the words were said, Ji Mu really could not control her laughter and to suppress it, she faced internal injuries.
" Husband, let Hua'er stay. She could learn from this ceremony. ", Kin Fie wanted her to stay.
" Are you saying that she is not taught properly in the Prime Minister's mansion ?", He glanced at his wife.
" No.. Not that... "
" Eunuch Zhang, send an imperial tutor to Prime Minister's mansion and show this girl the way to exit my palace. ", he commanded.
" As you wish, your highness. ", Eunuch Zhang bowed and went outside to give the instruction.
Kin Hua Jing followed him behind in shocked expression.
( She followed without saying anything, as she did not want to be dragged and loose more face. Who can understand the emperor ? May be he will do say if she does not follow. )