Isn't that right?

Consort Xue was taken aback. She had only heard the palace guards report that Cheng Yilan had disturbed the Crown Prince at the gate for the sake of the little princess, which had angered His Highness, so she rushed over.

"If it's just about winning her over, why rush things? Miss Cheng has repeatedly blocked the Crown Prince's carriage, even being reprimanded by me, and she still refuses to leave despite Nian Nian's obvious displeasure. Doesn't this mean she's determined to take Nian Nian away today?"

Huo Chengche coldly uttered these words and then ignored Consort Xue.

"Miss Cheng, why are you in such a hurry to take Niannian away?" Huo Chengche's tone turned low, his anger rising sharply. "Or perhaps I should ask, what is your father's purpose in having you do this?"

Cheng Yilan's body trembled violently, and her trembling eyes slowly rose to meet Shang Huochengche's deep eyes that seemed to see through everything. The last trace of life on her face faded, and she collapsed to the ground with empty eyes.

Consort Xue initially did not believe Huo Chengche's words, thinking he was just exaggerating and trying to warn his son by attacking Cheng Yilan.

However, before she could even open her mouth to defend Cheng Yilan, she saw Cheng Yilan's reaction, and her face instantly darkened.

Huo Chengche said coldly to Cheng Yilan with a blank expression, "You are meritorious for being the first to report. As long as you are willing to tell me, I will never bother to make things difficult for a woman. But if you refuse to tell me, then you may have to experience the methods of the old nanny in the Inner Court."

The old nanny in the Inner Court was so ruthless that anyone in the palace would tremble at the mention of her. How many palace servants who entered the Inner Court could come out with their heads held high?

Cheng Yilan shuddered, her empty eyes filled with fear and struggle.

Upon hearing the words "Inner Court Department," Consort Xue's expression immediately changed, and she said, "Your Highness, even if the Cheng family has made a grave mistake, the Empress Dowager and I will guide them. In the future, after Your Highness marries the Crown Princess, the Cheng family can be dealt with by her, but they will definitely not be sent to the Inner Court Department!"

Huo Chengche glanced at Consort Xue, and surprisingly, he did not get angry.

It was probably because Consort Xue's words "Crown Princess" reminded him of a little baby that his mood improved considerably, and even his thin lips curled up almost imperceptibly—he imagined a three-year-old baby running around among a group of royal wives, pink and cute, yet the one with the most noble status.

Let a three-year-old handle this? Her reaction would probably be, "Bad sister, you're naughty! You're not allowed to eat braised meat today! Not tomorrow either! Humph!"

When they brought Huo Chengche back to his senses, they met Consort Xue's excited expression as she checked if he had gone mad.

The boy casually suppressed his good mood, his face darkening, revealing his cold and sharp expression once again.

Consort Xue's "wish fulfilled" and her expression returned to its previous irritable and gloomy state.

Huo Chengche spoke calmly, but his tone was forceful and left no room for refusal, "Just this morning, some bad guys tried to harm Niannian. Now that Cheng Shi is behaving so strangely, it's hard not to be suspicious. Since the young lady is unwilling to speak, Fuman, take her to the Inner Court!"

Fu Man bowed and agreed. He then summoned a few eunuchs who stepped forward and, without resistance, dragged Cheng Yilan up.

Consort Xue immediately wanted to stop her, but before she could speak, she heard Huo Chengche's cold voice sound in a deep voice behind her: