Jiang Shanyi's eyes flared with anger and annoyance, "The Empress is right to be wary of you. If you truly intend to attack the Luo family, I will never allow you to— Ah!"
He screamed and fell to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
Palace attendants rushed over upon hearing the commotion.
The leader was Eunuch Jiao, the Deputy Director of the Imperial Palace: "Your Highness Prince Yu? What has happened here?"
Ye Jingyu withdrew his hand from hitting Jiang Shanyi's back and turned to walk towards Su Yunmo.
Jiang Shanyi lay on the ground, spitting blood, gritting his teeth and glaring at Ye Jingyu.
"Eunuch Jiao, I must report to His Majesty. Prince Yu has crippled my daughter's wrists without reason. He intends to destroy my Jiang family!"
His wife was from the Luo family, and the Marquis Jiang's mansion owed its prominence in the capital to the Empress. Yufei's incident was just the beginning.
If Prince Yu was not brought down, the Marquis's mansion would never know peace!
Su Yunmo looked up at Ye Jingyu, her lips pressed together, a frown on her brow.
Ye Jingyu crouched before her and reached out.
Qianxue handed him a bottle of wound medicine.
Ye Jingyu took a dab and applied it to the swollen injury.
Eunuch Jiao glanced at Ye Jingyu, then frowned, "Marquis, you cannot speak such nonsense. Do you have any proof?"
"It was him, he just admitted it himself!" Jiang Shanyi said angrily.
At these words, everyone exchanged glances, their expressions turning strange.
Even Eunuch Jiao frowned.
Would an assailant admit to their crime in public? Especially someone as cautious as Prince Yu.
The Marquis Jiang's words were clearly untrustworthy.
"Eunuch, what is the penalty for falsely accusing a prince of committing a crime?" A faint glint flashed in Ye Jingyu's eyes.
Eunuch Jiao cast a sympathetic glance at the Marquis, then bowed his head to reply, "This matter should be handed over to the Ministry of Justice. Punishment will be meted out after the case is concluded."
Jiang Shanyi, who had been driven mad with rage earlier, now realized the inappropriateness of his accusation without proof, yet he couldn't suppress his inner fury.
"I am not slandering him! He did this for Su Yunmo, that wretched girl. All of this is Su Yunmo's doing!"
Everyone turned to look at Su Yunmo.
Su Yunmo blinked her innocent large eyes.
Ye Jingyu let out a cold laugh, "Then what is the crime for defaming a noblewoman and falsely accusing someone of murdering the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's mansion?"
Eunuch Jiao cupped his hands, "Thirty strokes of the court rod, and immediate detention."
Jiang Shanyi's anger surged, "My actions are to avenge my daughter!"
After applying the medicine, Ye Jingyu handed the empty bottle to Qianxue and said unhurriedly, "Then add another charge: malicious assault in the palace, attempting to kill the legitimate daughter of the General's mansion."
Jiang Shanyi was overcome with rage, spat out another mouthful of blood, and fainted.
Eunuch Jiao sighed and waved his hand, signaling the palace attendants to drag Jiang Shanyi away.
He would certainly not get to see His Majesty.
This illustrious Marquis Jiang's mansion would likely cease to exist from this day forward.
Jiang Shanyi was dragged away.
Su Yunmo looked at Ye Jingyu curiously, "What did you whisper to him just now?"
"That you are a little weakling," Ye Jingyu said dismissively, picking her up. His gaze swept over the bruises on her shoulder, a dark light flickering in his eyes.
Su Yunmo slapped him, "That was an accident this time!"
In fact, even without using her powers, she would have found a way.
2 The glazed lock contained more than just medicinal herbs, but she had been momentarily distracted.
Everyone was shocked and looked at Su Yunmo in panic.
After all, Prince Yu detested people touching him.
The former Empress, whom he had designated as his consort, had merely touched his mask at a palace banquet and had been slapped severely by him.
If not for the palace rules holding them back, the grass on her grave would be three feet high by now.
With this slap from the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's mansion, Prince Yu would likely flay her alive.
Ye Jingyu caught her hand and sneered, "Look at your soft, powerless little claws. Aren't you still a little weakling?"
Su Yunmo snorted and turned her head away, pouting!
Everyone looked as if they had seen a ghost.
Good heavens! Prince Yu's differential treatment was quite severe.
"Momo, Momo! What's wrong with you, you little brat!" Su Qingtian came from the front hall, striding with great momentum.
Su Yunmo's eyes lit up, "Daddy!"
Su Qingtian, covered in a cold sweat, hurried over and snatched her from Ye Jingyu's arms, examining her little arms and legs, "How are you? Where are you hurt?"
He had heard reports that a fight had broken out here and was worried if the child was injured.
Su Yunmo's clothes, which had just been fastened, were pulled open again.
Su Qingtian saw the injury on her shoulder, his forehead veins bulging, "Where is Jiang Shanyi! I'll cripple him!!"
How could such a grown man be so cruel to a little girl? Was he even human!
Eunuch Jiao knew that this man had a bad temper and was afraid he would cause trouble on such an important occasion, so he quickly stepped forward to persuade him.
"General, please calm your anger. Marquis Jiang has already been dealt with by Prince Yu. The matter will now be handled by the Ministry of Justice."
Su Qingtian couldn't easily let go of his anger without beating the man, but since Eunuch Jiao had said so, he had to be mindful of his actions.
"I request Eunuch Jiao to report today's events truthfully to His Majesty and grant my daughter justice!"
Granting justice was secondary; the real intention was to seek the Emperor's permission to vent his anger personally.
Eunuch Jiao wiped a bead of cold sweat and quickly agreed.
None of these people were easy to deal with.
"I thank Your Highness Prince Yu for today's events," Su Qingtian said with a semblance of politeness, then his face darkened.
"And please convey to His Majesty that my daughter is unwell, so I will not be attending the palace banquet and will take my leave."
After saying this, without waiting for anyone else's reaction, he picked up his child and walked away.
His retreating back showed he was clearly very angry.
Ye Jingyu watched the father and daughter leave, then quietly called Qianxue, said a few words, and a murderous intent flared in his eyes.
Qianxue, receiving the order, secretly sighed.
Jiang Shanyi had truly angered the master this time.
Outside the palace gates, Su Qingtian placed Su Yunmo in the carriage and hurriedly pulled off all her clothes.
Although medicine had been applied, her small body was still tender. The palm print on her shoulder had turned blue, with traces of blood around it, looking quite terrifying.
Su Qingtian glared with his tiger-like eyes, grinding his teeth.
Su Yunmo somewhat helplessly put her clothes back on, "Daddy, you don't need to worry. Momo doesn't hurt."
Such a small injury was nothing. She had suffered stab wounds and blows before. As long as they weren't fatal, they weren't a big deal.
Su Qingtian lowered his gaze, his somber expression slowly easing, a hint of regret rising in his eyes, "Do you hate Daddy?"
Su Yunmo was startled, not understanding the meaning of his words.
Su Qingtian regretfully reached out and touched his uninjured right shoulder.
That was where he had forced the child to kneel when he first returned to the mansion, injuring her, and it was no less severe than the current injury.
Why had he acted so rashly back then?
The little girl's body was so frail. If something had truly gone wrong back then...
Su Qingtian took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
At the time, he was only concerned about You'er refusing to come home. Now, thinking back, You'er's slap to his face was too light!
Su Yunmo furrowed her brows and suddenly asked, "Does Daddy still hate my mother?"
Su Qingtian's fingers stiffened, and he gave a wry smile, "Yes."
Because of that woman, he had almost lost his reputation and been separated from his wife and children. It was a stain on his life, and it was impossible not to hate her.