Chapter 4 — The Portrait That Condemned the Noble Consort

I mingled in the crowd, coldly observing Hoa Ngoc Nghien's every move. Suddenly, she clutched her stomach and coughed violently. The escorting officer knocked on the prison cage: "Be honest!" Hoa Ngoc Nghien suddenly closed her eyes, seemingly fainted, her whole body hanging limply on the prison cage. The soldiers, afraid something would happen, opened the door to check her breathing. At that moment, Hoa Ngoc Nghien suddenly opened her eyes and used the iron chain in her hand to hit the officer's head hard! After that, she flew to the east, performed light attacks, and staggered away! My pupils narrowed. Prince Ninh's residence lay to the east! In my previous life, after Hoa Ngoc Nghien impersonated Prince Ninh and married me and then humiliated me, big brother discovered something strange and went to Prince Ninh's palace to verify. But Prince Ninh only sent a servant to answer, saying that the person that night was indeed His Highness Prince Ninh, and also publicly humiliated my elder brother: "Your sister is not a virgin, she must secretly commit adultery. Either give her a white silk ribbon so she can commit suicide, or become a nun, there is no third way!" Those words completely condemned me even though I was innocent. In the end, my parents, afraid of the formalities and authority of the royal palace, could only do their best to arrange everything and take me to a nunnery. From that moment on, I knew that this Prince Ninh was not a good thing! If Hoa Ngoc Nghien reunites with Prince Ninh, the situation will be difficult to clean up! 08 Hoa Ngoc Nghien risked her life to perform martial arts, staggered away from the pursuit of the officers and soldiers, and finally ran to Prince Ninh's residence. Although it was still within the capital, Prince Ninh's residence stood near the outskirts, far from the main palace. The only straw that saved Hoa Ngoc Nghien's life was the nearest Prince Ninh's residence mansion. She pulled on the iron chains and desperately knocked on the door: "Open the door! Open the door! Prince Ninh! I am a noble consort! You guys quickly open the door! Open the door!" Big brother and I led the soldiers to chase. When she began pounding on the door and causing a commotion, I immediately ordered: "Escort this female thief back to the prison cage! Hurry! Don't let her alarm the prince!" The soldiers immediately advanced. Hoa Ngoc Nghien was so urgent that her voice was lost: "Save life! Save life! Prince Ninh! Someone wants to harm this palace! Save this palace! Save life!" The soldiers stepped forward to cover Hoa Ngoc Nghien's mouth and pulled her back on the spot! Hoa Ngoc Nghien struggled violently both her arms and legs. The soldiers held her limbs tightly, intending to use iron chains to tie her up on the spot. At that moment, the royal palace doors opened. Prince Ninh stretched his arms and walked out: "Who disturbed this king's beautiful dream?" Hoa Ngoc Nghien seemed to see a savior. She broke free from the guard's control, rolled and crawled in front of Prince Ninh! Prince Ninh was stunned for a long time. After recognizing his eyes and voice, he reluctantly realized that the ugly, bald woman in front of him was the royal sister-in-law he respected the most, Noble Consort Hoa! 09 "Royal sister-in-law! Why did she become like this?" Prince Ninh wore a mask to cover the lower half of his face but still could not hide his surprise. Hoa Ngoc Nghien seemed to have grasped a straw to save her life. She grabbed Prince Ninh's arm tightly and spoke incoherently: "Save me! Quickly save me! They falsely accused me of being a flower thief, wanting to take me away and put words on my face!" "Who is so bold?" "His Royal Highness Ninh." I stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "You absolutely must not be fooled by this cunning female thief. She is an accomplice of the flower thief, not a noble consort!" "The king knows better than you what kind of appearance a noble consort has!" Prince Ninh protected Hoa Ngoc Nghien behind him and angrily shouted at his big brother: "Minister of Dali Temple, you are so bold! You dare to detain a noble consort!" Big brother is sure that this woman is a fellow flower thief. He opened the painting and said with dignity: "Your Majesty, please look carefully at this portrait painted in the same way. This is the woman pretending to be a noble consort next to you!" "No! No!" Hoa Ngoc Nghien shouted loudly: "It's Tong Cam Chau! She shaved my hair! What's on my face is permanent ink applied by Tong Cam Chau! She harmed me! She used my appearance to paint a portrait of a wanted criminal! She harmed me! She harmed me!" "Your Highness, Prince Ninh, you and I have no grudge against each other. What motive would I have to risk harming the Emperor's most beloved consort?" I stepped out and argued with reason and evidence: "What's more, your concubine's status is noble, chivalrous and virtuous. Not only have I never seen your true appearance, but I also have no grudge against you! Yesterday I threw a embroidered ball to choose my husband. Is your noble heart so evil that you have to disguise yourself as a man and come to tease the purity and reputation of a lady like me?" After listening, Prince Ninh looked at Hoa Ngoc Nghien. Hoa Ngoc Nghien bowed her head guiltily. I pointed at Hoa Ngoc Nghien and said, "So she can only be a flower thief! If she dared to impersonate a prince, impersonating a noble consort was an even greater crime." The crowd surged toward Prince Ninh's residence to watch, and I stood before them, ready to expose the truth.