Although Jiang Qianyu had never met the eldest miss mentioned by the maid, she had heard of her.
Her name was Gao Feifei, the legitimate eldest daughter of Gao Zhao and the niece of Concubine Lan, now the Imperial Noble Consort Lan.
It was said that she was extremely beautiful and highly accomplished in both talent and art. In particular, she played the konghou masterfully, and even the emperor had once praised her greatly.
However, in the past two years, she seemed to have been in poor health and had been recuperating in seclusion in the inner chambers.
As a result, she was over twenty years old and still unmarried.
The commotion caused by the carriage collision just now was indeed quite loud. Even Jiang Qianyu and Fang Xiao were greatly startled.
Presumably, the delicate beauty in the carriage opposite, who was as frail as a willow, was also terribly frightened.
No wonder her maid was so angry.
"The Gao family has become even more arrogant since Concubine Lan was promoted to Imperial Noble Consort. Even a mere maid dares to shout and scream."
Fang Xiao was very dissatisfied with the maid's rude behavior.
In terms of status, Miss Jiang was the daughter of a third - rank minister of the Ministry of Works. In terms of position, she was about to become a side consort of the crown prince. Wasn't she more noble than the eldest miss of the Gao family?
The maid of the Gao family kept scolding.
Her shrill voice, filled with anger, attracted many passers - by to gather around.
Jiang Qianyu's coachman, Lu Feng, was a young man in his twenties, full of vigor and vitality.
All those unpleasant words went straight into his ears. Filled with indignation, he shouted back, "It was clearly your coachman who wasn't looking and rammed into our carriage. Our miss is magnanimous and doesn't bother to argue with you, yet you're the first to complain like a wronged party!"
"No matter who you are, when a Gao family carriage is on the street, other carriages should just give way. Who told you to be so blind as to take our lane? Who else should we ram if not you?"
"This long street is wide enough for four carriages to run side by side. Could it be that all the roads in the capital belong to your Gao family?"
Lu Feng served in the Crown Prince's Residence and had accompanied the crown prince to meet many high - ranking officials and nobles. But apart from the late eldest princess, he had never seen anyone as overbearing as this.
Jiang Qianyu frowned slightly. Judging from the other party's tone, they clearly didn't want to reason.
They were obviously trying to make a big deal out of this.
The Gao family was backed by the Second Prince, and the rivalry between the Second Prince and the crown prince, although not yet out in the open, was already well - known.
Although she had gone out in a low - key manner and there was no sign of the Crown Prince's Residence on the carriage, with a little inquiry, people would know that she was from the Crown Prince's Residence.
The Gao family deliberately ramming into her carriage was by no means an accident.
Someone was deliberately fanning the flames in the dark, trying to smear the crown prince.
If she came out to confront Gao Feifei, there was a good chance that the Gao family would submit a memorial to the emperor tomorrow, accusing the crown prince of indulging his subordinates to bully the weak.
As for the truth, it didn't really matter.
What mattered was that the status of the Crown Prince's Residence was far above that of the Gao family. Even if the Crown Prince's Residence was completely in the right, people would still say that she was relying on the power of the Crown Prince's Residence to oppress the Gao family and make Gao Feifei suffer grievances.
She must not fall into this trap!
"Lu Feng, stop talking."
Jiang Qianyu stopped Lu Feng.
"Miss, the Gao family is being too overbearing!"
"Is it something to be proud of to quarrel with a maid in public? Even if you win the quarrel, you'll still lose your dignity."
Lu Feng stopped arguing, looking somewhat ashamed. "Miss is right."
"Make way and let the Gao family's carriage go first."
The Gao family's maid was in the middle of a heated argument when she saw the carriage opposite had already backed to the side of the road.
A wide passage was cleared.
The maid was taken aback and couldn't help but peek into the carriage.
Something wasn't right. Why wasn't the situation developing as they had planned?
Jiang Qianyu was about to become a side consort of the crown prince. How could she be so meek?
The Gao family's original intention was to make a big fuss, confuse right and wrong, and give the court officials a reason to impeach the Crown Prince's Residence.
But now that Jiang Qianyu was being humble even after being humiliated, how could they continue with their plan?
Two weak coughs came from inside the carriage, and then a frail voice said, "Forget it. Tolerance will bring peace. Let's go."
Back at the Crown Prince's Residence, Jiang Qianyu immediately told Cheng Simian about this incident.
She also shared her speculations.
Cheng Simian looked solemn, frowning slightly as she fell into deep thought.
"Princess Consort, have I caused trouble for the Crown Prince's Residence?"
"Of course not. You did a great job. You didn't act on impulse. Your speculations are almost the same as mine."
Cheng Simian held her hand and gently patted the back of it.
"The Gao family must have a follow - up plan. This matter isn't over yet."
Jiang Qianyu's mind was racing.
If the purpose was just to collide with the carriage, speak arrogantly, bully her, and force her to fight back on the spot so as to catch her for bullying others with power, they could have just sent any young master or miss of the Gao family.
Why did they have to send the sickly Gao Feifei?
"Princess Consort, if the Gao family wants to make a big deal out of this, then let's make it even bigger before they do!"
Cheng Simian smiled brightly. "We think alike!"
Before nightfall, a shocking piece of news suddenly spread from the Crown Prince's Residence.
Jiang Qianyu, the daughter of a third - rank minister of the Ministry of Works and the candidate for the crown prince's side consort personally chosen by the queen, had collided with a Gao family carriage on the road. She had suffered extremely serious internal injuries, was spitting blood continuously, and was on the verge of death.
Even the queen was alarmed and personally went to the Crown Prince's Residence to visit.
At the same time, Gao Zhao, who had personally gone to the Imperial Hospital to invite a doctor, was stunned.
Almost the entire Imperial Hospital was empty, except for the doctor on night duty and a young eunuch guarding the pharmacy.
The doctor on night duty told Gao Zhao, "Young Master Gao, you'd better go to the market to find other experts. Miss Jiang from the Crown Prince's Residence is in critical condition. Even our chief doctor, Doctor Shen, won't be back tonight."
Gao Zhao was completely at a loss.
How could the Crown Prince's Residence steal the Gao family's script?
Originally, Gao Feifei was supposed to be "struck ill" due to the shock from the carriage collision tonight.
Now that Jiang Qianyu had taken all of Gao Feifei's roles, wasn't the Gao family's effort in vain?
Gao Zhao returned to the Gao family nervously.
Lu Siming was in the Gao family at this moment.
The news that Jiang Qianyu was seriously injured and on the verge of death had already spread.
Lu Siming was shocked and filled with anger.
"I underestimated the enemy. I underestimated that Jiang Qianyu too much."
Previously, he really hadn't taken Jiang Qianyu seriously, thinking that she was just a silly little maid who rushed forward blindly for love.
But if she could lurk in Lu Ningzhen's place for six years without being discovered and continuously send confidential information to the crown prince, how could she be an ordinary person?
Now that the Crown Prince's Residence had struck first, the Gao family had become the unreasonable, overbearing, and bullying party!
"Grandfather, Uncle, we've already lost the initiative. If this matter blows up, it will have a great impact on us and Mother Concubine. The consequences will be unimaginable. Tomorrow in court, you must go to the crown prince to plead guilty on bended knees!"
Gao Tianyu and Gao Zhao didn't say a word.
Gao Tianyu had just returned victorious from the northern border.
The emperor, taking pity on his old age and great achievements, had specially ordered him to return to the capital early.
The defense line in the northern border had been completely entrusted to Shi Luohan.
Gao Zhao mumbled, "Father has just returned victorious and is at the peak of his glory. Just because of a small carriage - collision incident, do you want this old official to plead guilty on bended knees to that young crown prince? How will Father be able to hold his head up in the court in the future? What about the face of the Gao family? Even Her Imperial Noble Consort will lose face in front of the emperor!"
Lu Siming really couldn't stand Gao Zhao's stupidity and short - sightedness.
"What does temporary honor or disgrace matter? If you don't bow your head now, when the crown prince ascends the throne, you won't even know where your head will roll! By then, even if you want to bow your head, there won't be a head to bow!"
The Second Prince, who was always gentle and polite to his elders, shouted sternly.
Gao Zhao was greatly startled.
Although he was the prince's uncle, he didn't dare to talk back to the prince!
His big face turned bright red.
Gao Tianyu was more far - sighted than Gao Zhao. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Ming'er is right. Bowing to the crown prince is just a temporary measure. Don't ruin the big picture because of a momentary fit of anger."
The next morning in court, the father - and - son of the Gao family knelt outside the Qianming Hall to plead guilty to the crown prince.
Cheng Simian and Jiang Qianyu had deliberately made a big deal out of the carriage - collision incident, aiming to make the Gao family admit defeat.
Since the father - and - son of the Gao family were still aware enough not to turn this incident into a confrontation between the Crown Prince's Residence and the Gao family and bring it to the court, the crown prince decided to let it go.
This was a game where Lu Siming attacked and the crown prince defended.
The Crown Prince's Residence took advantage of the situation and struck first, leaving the Gao family with no follow - up moves.
Lu Siming's defeat was due to his not taking Jiang Qianyu seriously at all.
Underestimating the enemy, being arrogant, and looking down on women, he was doomed to fail.
Just when the crown prince thought that the carriage - collision incident had come to an end, there was another upheaval in the court.
Liang Wentao submitted a ten - thousand - word memorial, impeaching the Gao family for bullying the weak, harassing men and women, running amok in the streets, and arousing the wrath of both heaven and man.