Foster Son, Don’t Be So Crazy (55)

Like what she had told Nian Shou, Song Jia was summoned by Princess Bai Xue the very next day for an arraignment. Song Jia didn't refuse but took ample preparations before responding to the princess' call.

Despite Xiang Feng's insistence, Song Jia persuaded him not to come. Instead, she told him to use the opportunity of the crown princess interrogating her to search for Su Liang and Qiao Huan all over the castle. Song Jia had to employ both honey trap and crocodile tears just to get him to leave her alone.

In the end, she had to promise him several papapa sessions for compensation as well.

Song Jia felt that she had truly sacrificed too much just for a bit of personal space.

She had kept Nian Shou's warning in her mind, so she didn't want Xiang Feng to have to choose between her and Princess Bai Xue. It was almost certain that the two of them would argue during the court arraignment.

"Your Highness."

Song Jia entered the throne room and gave a deep curtsy. It flowed from the balls of her feet to her fingertips in one fluid movement, her right foot behind her as she slowly sank to one knee. Her navy blue skirts swathed the floor in a silky puddle.

Nearly all of those watching sighed in admiration. Even the lower-ranked maids, who knew little of etiquette, were in awe.

Princess Bai Xue clenched her fists as she sat on her throne. Her coronation was going to be held tomorrow, and the title of being Queen was almost within her grasp. Yet, she still couldn't set her mind at ease.

"Lady Jin Jia."

Song Jia lifted her eyes and stood up. She had tied her hair back into a demure knot, but golden tendrils still escaped from behind her ears. With her hands clasped in front of her in a suppliant pose, it brought to mind the image of a guardian angel receiving uplifting tidings about the Fate of Man.

The various nobles and officials standing there nearly craned their necks to see if there was an angelic orchestra sounding their trumpets behind her.

Song Jia smiled softly, "Does Her Highness need something from this lowly servant?"

As the background she revealed to the world was the daughter of a duchess, it was not right for Princess Bai Xue to simply call her by the title 'lady.' Since she was the heir apparent to the duchy, even if it was the Queen herself, she still had to call her by her official title 'marchioness' or even 'princess.' The duchess was only second to the queen in power, after all.

But since Princess Bai Xue wanted so badly to look down on her, she could only become meek and humble. Look and see, the tyrant princess is bullying me, ah~

The various expressions of the nobles standing there dimmed. Aristocrats adhered to etiquette and manners seriously. They were the conventional rules to be followed in polite society. Especially for the royal family, etiquette became the chief rules to uphold their proper reputation.

Princess Bai Xue regretted her sudden outburst. Seeing her greatest rival, she had accidentally allowed her emotions get the best of her.

In a more level tone, she asked, "Do you know why you have been brought to court?"

"Answering Your Highness, I don't."

Princess Bai Xue gestured, and the royal advisor brought over a stack of documents. Flipping over one of them, she looked at Song Jia with a cold gaze.

"There was a report of an uprising in twelve provinces, located in the south, east, and west of the kingdom. The rebels are reported to have been wearing a yellow scarf to cover their face, following the lead of the 'Golden Princess.' You know nothing of this?"

"Answering Your Highness, I don't."

Song Jia didn't even hesitate and outright denied the accusation.

"These rebels have begun using guerrilla warfare to clash against the military and the knight order. Are you aware of this, Lady Jin Jia?"

"Answering Your Highness, this servant is unaware."

Song Jia was truly unaware that her followers were only using guerrilla warfare. She looked at the royal advisor, who quickly bowed his head. Song Jia's eyes glimmered.

So she had another supporter to her cause? How nice~

To only use guerrilla warfare against the military and the knight order, how could the rebels possibly win? Only Princess Bai Xue who was ignorant of the battlefield would believe that kind of weak excuse. The military and the knight order were both supreme in terms of weapons and training. Even if Song Jia employed sly and creative tactics like Zhuge Liang [1], it would still be a difficult battle.

In the first place, Song Jia had no intention to violently usurp Princess Bai Xue from her throne. During the past eight years, she had gained much more control through clever alliances, patronage, and bribery than an outright war. The royal military and the knight order? Nearly half of them were already hers, oh.

Tactics and strategies were only useful if two opponents were aware of each other's existence and are fairly facing each other on the side of the board. Sending a pawn to fight off a pawn, a rook with another rook. But if your own enemy was ignorant of your existence for so long?

Hehe, no need to answer, just directly squash them flat.

Princess Bai Xue angrily threw the documents that she was holding onto the floor.

"Do you think that if you don't respond, I wouldn't know that you're the one behind all of this? Jin Jia, your heart is truly dark, to even scheme against your own sovereign. This is an act of treason!"

"Does Her Highness have any evidence to accuse this servant? Her Highness is so insightful and capable, she already knew the truth of the matter without investigating. She even knows the color of my heart, this servant is shocked that her inner soul has been discovered..."

Song Jia knelt down and kowtowed. "Your Highness, please punish this incompetent servant, having eyes but not recognizing Mount Tai! I have been woefully negligent of Your Highness' fortune-telling abilities and divinity!"

"Pu!"

A trickle of blood flowed out from the corner of Princess Bai Xue's lips. She directly swayed from side to side with suppressed anger. If the crown princess had not deliberately worn a heavy dress decorated with large jewels to look regal and imposing, it was estimated that she would have jumped forward and throttled Song Jia to death.

"All of you, leave!"

Princess Bai Xue shouted to the nobles and ministers, who immediately scurried away like frightened mice. As soon as they were alone, Princess Bai Xue stood up and shot a hateful glare at Song Jia.

"Where's Feng? Where are you hiding him?"

At the mention of Xiang Feng, all traces of schadenfreude completely left Song Jia's face. She also stood up, face to face with the crown princess.

"I don't know," she answered quietly, with none of her earlier teasing tone.

"How could you not know?! Haven't you always been with him?"

Princess Bai Xue's face was twisted with extreme loathing and jealousy.

"I don't know how you seduced him, but sooner or later, he would find his way back to me. Someone like you, who hasn't been with him for as long as I had..."

"I'm the one who raised him!" Song Jia blurted out.

Her declaration made Princess Bai Xue descend into sarcastic laughter. "Raised him? Someone of a younger generation like you could actually claim to have raised him? Jin Jia, don't take me for a fool!"

"It's true." Song Jia was disgruntled that she was showing off the years she spent together with Xiang Feng. "Tree rings are usually hidden, the same applies for my age. It's only because I have a baby face."

Princess Bai Xue didn't want to listen to her nonsense. "I'm also the one who took care of his past for him. Just by these things alone, which part of you could compare to me?!"

When Princess Bai Xue saw Song Jia's expression slightly change, her eyes sharpened.

"Don't tell me, he didn't even tell you about his past?" she asked gleefully.

[1] A Ch. politician and brilliant military strategist