Oh no! Seven kids at the start, all yellow and skinny.

Chapter 286 The Peerless Princess

Han Lian'er broke out in a cold sweat and got up to run away.

Nongqi lashed out with his whip, which struck her squarely in the face.

Han Lian'er screamed and collapsed to the ground.

Ning Wushuang wasn't worried at all. Instead, she went over to check and said, "Nongqi, haven't you eaten? This scar is two inches shorter than the one on my head."

Nongqi lashed out with the whip again.

Han Lian'er's face was immediately covered in blood, and she desperately cried for help.

"What happened over there?" a male voice asked.

Ning Wushuang gave Nongqi a wink.

Nongqi put away the whip and turned back to the Princess's side.

Those who came upon hearing the noise were several princes and noblemen, led by the Third Prince Zhou Jingxuan.

"Third cousin, help me..." Han Lian'er cried even louder when she saw Zhou Jingxuan.

"Lian'er, what happened?" Zhou Jingxuan was also shocked to see Han Lian'er's face covered in blood.

"Ning Wushuang disfigured me, sob sob..."

"Wushuang, are you avenging yourself?" Ning Xingchen rushed over immediately. "Are you alright? You should let your brother handle revenge. Why did you do it yourself?"

"Brother, I can't help myself when I see her. These past few months have been like living hell. I finally managed to go out, and she brought people over to mock me. Brother, am I still royalty? Am I still a princess? Why does a mere concubine's daughter from a minor noble family dare to hurt me? Brother, ask Father, is the title of Marquis no longer enough? Ask Mother, is the title of Princess no longer enough? Waaah..."

After Ning Wushuang finished her tearful rant, the noble ladies who followed Han Lian'er were speechless and dared not say anything. After all, she had said that they had all come with Han Lian'er to make fun of the princess.

They were so wronged.

"Cousin Wushuang, don't cry." Fifth Prince Zhou Jinghao hurriedly spoke up, "Who would be so blind as to treat you like this?" As he spoke, he glanced at the kneeling noble ladies, "There are not many people who dare to bear the crime of disrespecting the royal family."

The noble ladies lowered their heads even further.

"Alright, cousin Lian'er, let's see the imperial physician first." Although Zhou Jingxuan was impatient, he still spoke to Han Lian'er patiently and ordered someone to fetch the imperial physician.

Youyi secretly gave Ning Wushuang a thumbs-up, but Ning Xingchen saw it and quickly lowered his head.

Ning Xingchen's eyes flashed; this girl was in cahoots with her sister.

Soon, the imperial physician arrived, and Consort Chen also came.

After treatment and medication, she was no longer fit to attend the palace banquet, so she had to be sent out of the palace.

Consort Chen smiled at Ning Wushuang: "Wushuang, you have quite a temper."

Ning Wushuang remained composed and dignified: "Your Highness is mistaken. If it were anything else, I could pretend it never happened, but this is my face. Should it be ruined for no reason?"

Consort Chen frowned slightly: "Alright, now that you've vented your anger, this matter is over."

"Wushuang." Princess Qiaochu walked over. "Since the Imperial Concubine has spoken, let's go over there."

"Yes." Ning Wushuang nodded. "However, my daughter is not feeling well and would like to go back first."

"Alright, go back now." Princess Qiaochu nodded. "Ruhua, play chess and protect the princess well."

The two maids quickly agreed.

However, at that moment, a eunuch announced: The Emperor has arrived, and the Imperial Concubine has arrived.

Seeing that she couldn't leave for the time being, Ning Wushuang could only bow along with them.

Emperor Zhou Shun, supported by Consort Hong, slowly walked over and went straight into the waterside pavilion, where he sat down in the main seat.

The rest of the people followed into the hall and knelt down to pay their respects once more.

"It's the end of the year today, everyone is gathered together in celebration, so please get up." The Red Dowager nodded.

Emperor Zhou Shun raised his hand and said, "Rise."

Everyone thanked them, stood up, and then sat down.

Ning Wushuang exchanged a helpless glance with You Yi, then sat down behind the Princess and her husband.

"What just happened? I just saw a maid leave covered in blood," Consort Hong spoke first.

The people around fell silent for a moment.

"Your Highness, the young ladies were just playing around." Zhou Jingxuan, the highest-ranking among the men present, could only stand up and report, "The one who was injured is Han Lian'er, the second young lady of the Marquis of Xing'an's mansion."

"Oh dear, what kind of conflict could lead to bloodshed?" The Red Consort glanced at the Princess's group. "These young girls nowadays, how come they're all so ruthless?"

Ning Wushuang was about to get up when she heard this, but the princess held her down, so she could only snort inwardly.

“Your Highness,” Princess Qiaochu began, “you are absolutely right. Last time, my Wushuang won first place, and then someone whipped her and disfigured her. Oh my, these past few months have been... these young girls nowadays, really, their jealousy is just too strong, it's just... what's even more hateful is that their parents spoil them. They hurt someone and then ran away. They say if the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will be crooked too, tsk tsk…”

Marquis Xing'an Han Zheng's face turned red. After the incident last time, he shamelessly went to apologize, and now he was being mocked. However, he couldn't talk back because the other party was the eldest princess, who was the emperor's own sister. So, he could only glare at his illegitimate son and his wife with resentment.

Han Sheng and Chen Xueyan could only keep their heads down; this was not the time to show off.

"Peerless," Emperor Zhou Shun said.

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor." Ning Wushuang could only rise and bow.

"How is your face?" Emperor Zhou Shun asked with concern.

"Uncle." Ning Wushuang's tears fell, "Wushuang...Wushuang...Waaah..." She cried so hard she couldn't speak.

"Sigh." Emperor Zhou Shun sighed, "Alright, your uncle knows you've been wronged. From now on, Princess Wushuang will be promoted to Princess Wushuang, and her fiefdom of Ningcheng will be renamed Wushuang City..."

Everyone was stunned. The eldest princess's daughter had become a princess? And a princess with a fiefdom at that?

Ning Wushuang turned her head to look at her mother, then kowtowed to express her gratitude: "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty."

Some people around her were envious, some were jealous, and of course, some were happy for her, like Youyi.

You Song was a fifth-rank academy official, whose position was relatively low. He was accompanied by many people, including Wu Shuang, but he still tried his best to congratulate her with hand gestures.

Ning Wushuang thanked the emperor and returned to her seat.

Thus, the palace banquet exceeded her expectations and achieved her goal.

Consort Chen's face remained calm, but she was inwardly excited. Although Ning Wushuang's face was disfigured, her current status was higher, and she had even been granted a fiefdom, which would be more helpful to her son. So she poured Emperor Zhou Shun a cup of wine: "Your Majesty, Princess Wushuang has come of age. Shouldn't she be engaged?"