Yuwen Hao gnashed his teeth, rubbing a certain part of his chest, secretly swearing that after things settled down, he would definitely take Yuan Qingling to a dark room and let a mad dog bite her a hundred times to avenge today's disgrace.
Yuan Qingling let out a breath, her whole body relaxed a lot, and her heart was not as panicky anymore. However, seeing his livid face, she really had bitten too hard just now, so she sincerely apologized, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have bitten you."
Looking at her sincere and bright eyes, Yuwen Hao's heart fiercely slapped himself a hundred times. He couldn't be soft-hearted, this woman was not sincerely apologizing, she was pretending.
"Oh, I don't know what's wrong with me, I've become like a madman, I'm really sorry." Yuan Qingling continued to apologize, looking very dejected and regretful, "I know you really care about me, and even put on an act for me in front of my family, still remembering when I was drunk and said I wanted to go home. You are actually very good, it's me who doesn't know what's going on, always wanting to oppose you."
Yuwen Hao's face was cold, "Forget it, I'm too lazy to care about you."
Yuan Qingling gratefully said, "I knew that the Prince was a generous man. Then in front of the Empress Dowager, please speak well of me."
"What I promised you, I will never go back on my word." Yuwen Hao said with a wave of his hand.
Yuan Qingling revealed a bright smile, "Thank you, my prince."
Men are so easy to coax after all, just praise them relentlessly.
Yuwen Hao secretly felt that he had been tricked, but never mind, don't bother arguing with a woman, especially an ugly one.
After all this fuss, it didn't feel so heavy-hearted to enter the palace. Ever since he married Yuan Qingling a year ago, whenever he entered the palace, he felt very bad. The people he cared about revealed disappointment in their eyes. Over time, every time he set foot on this path, he would feel bad for no reason.
A year of torment, caused by Yuan Qingling, also ended because of Yuan Qingling. The affairs of the world were truly inexplicable.
After entering the palace, he went directly to the Hall of Heaven and Earth to pay his respects. Yuan Qingling's attitude of pleading guilty was very good. When she went in, she didn't look around, but knelt directly on the ground with her head drooping, "Grandfather, I was wrong. I shouldn't have gotten drunk and lost control that day, frightening Grandfather and causing your illness. Please forgive me this once."
"Got drunk and lost control?" A familiar and majestic voice rang out from the side.
Yuan Qingling slowly raised her head, her eyebrows white with fright. Why was the Emperor here?
"Fa...Father, you are here too!" She stammered.
The Retired Emperor and Yuwen Hao looked at Yuan Qingling together. This woman would die a tragic death one day, killed by her own stupidity.
"Got drunk and lost control, causing illness in the Retired Emperor? Princess, tell me what happened." Emperor Ming Yuan said lightly.
Yuan Qingling's head was almost buried in the ground, her voice as small as a mosquito's, "Your daughter-in-law was drunk that day and momentarily lost control, offending the Retired Emperor. Please forgive me, Father."
"Lost control from drinking?" Ming Yuan slapped the armrest angrily, shocking all the palace maids to their knees. Even Mu Ru eunuch dropped to his knees very smoothly, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"
But Ming Yuan did not calm down. He angrily said, "As a princess, you should behave with dignity and propriety. Drinking for no reason is already wrong. To act drunkenly in front of the Retired Emperor, causing his illness to relapse, and not caring, only coming to apologize after two or three days, do you still have any regard for imperial rules? Do you still remember your status? If I don't severely punish you today, I'm afraid you will continue to make foolish mistakes."
"Your daughter-in-law will accept the punishment." Yuan Qingling cried bitterly in her heart. She looked to the Retired Emperor for help, hoping he would say something to lighten her punishment.
But the Retired Emperor just rolled his eyes. He didn't care at all. It was her own stupidity, what did it have to do with others?
Ming Yuan continued, "Considering this is your first offense, and the Retired Emperor has recovered, I will punish you to clean the Hall of Heaven and Earth and the Imperial Study. You may eat only after you finish cleaning. Fifth brother, you are also punished."
Yuwen Hao's eyes widened in shock. What did this have to do with him?
"What? Any objections?" Ming Yuan roared.
"Your son obeys!" Yuwen Hao quickly said.
Ming Yuan snorted contemptuously, "Look at you two useless things. I'm so angry. It seems you are too free. When your injury gets better, come to Jingzhao Mansion in a few days to take over. If I don't give you something to do, you will continue to fool around and be useless."
After speaking, Ming Yuan turned to the Retired Emperor, "Father, please rest. Don't worry about these wastrels. For such people, you can't be too soft and compassionate. If you continue to pamper them, who knows what madness they will commit. Son will take his leave first."
"Go on." The Retired Emperor nodded slightly, seeming rather happy.
Once outside, Ming Yuan's lips curved up. He finally let out his anger. Did Yuan Qingling think she could hide her drunken tantrum from him? Why did she throw a drunken fit? Wasn't it because he blamed her in the Imperial Study, and she resented him for it, so she took the chance to act out while drunk?
It was the Retired Emperor covering for her. He had no chance to scold her. He didn't expect her to crash in today. It was so satisfying.
For a while, Yuwen Hao didn't react at all. He even thought he had misheard. Father actually appointed him to Jingzhao Mansion? The prefect of Jingzhao was a crucial position for the capital region. Father actually trusted him so much?
"What are you still kneeling there for? Go sweep!" The Retired Emperor yelled vigorously.
The difficult husband and wife helped each other up. Over there, Mu Ru eunuch had already prepared huge brooms and placed them at the door.
Sighing at each other, and throwing each other a resentful glance, they each picked up a broom and went out.
It was autumn. Fallen leaves were drifting everywhere, in the courtyard and corridors.
"It's all your fault. Are your eyes under your feet? Didn't you see Father was there?" Yuwen Hao was still angry. A dignified prince, reduced to a sweeper, all thanks to her.
Yuan Qingling cried grievously, "Why didn't you kneel down and greet Father when you saw him? If you had said it, I would have known!"
"Grandfather was there. I had to greet Grandfather first. You didn't even greet him before immediately talking about things. Do you have a brain?" Yuwen Hao was furious.
"It's too late to say anything now. Fortunately it's just sweeping. Getting caned would be terrible. Let's sweep." Yuan Qingling was quite optimistic. In fact, she had already prepared mentally for a caning.
"I'd rather be caned. My hands are for swords, spears and blades, not brooms." Yuwen Hao said sullenly. If other princes and ministers saw this prince sweeping floors, would he have any dignity left?
"Stop blabbering. You sweep the Study, I'll sweep here. Division of labor for cooperation." Yuan Qingling really didn't want to keep listening to his endless complaints.
"Get lost!" Yuwen Hao yelled angrily.
Raising her broom, she walked out. Along the way, the palace maids giggled while covering their mouths.
Arriving at the Imperial Study, Gu Si stood outside, giving her a faint glance. "His Majesty ordered me to supervise."
Seeing his helpless expression, it seemed he had never done this kind of work before.
"Just sweeping right?" Yuan Qingling asked.
"No, you also need to dust inside." Gu Si said.
Go inside the Study? Yuan Qingling felt a headache coming on. So many people went in and out of the Study every day. If they all saw her, a princess, dusting in there, how embarrassing!
