Chapter 38 Bewitching the Crown Prince

Xiao Xingyuan looked at Meng Yanzhi with a gloomy expression: "I heard that Miss Meng is already engaged?"

This question immediately caught Meng Yanzhi off guard. Although the two of them had been involved in that incident, it was just an accident that day, and Meng Yanzhi didn't take it to heart. She looked at Xiao Xingyuan and met his cold face. After hesitating for a moment, Meng Yanzhi still told the truth: "There was indeed a marriage agreement before, but it has been dissolved now."

"Why?" Consort Wang immediately looked at Meng Yanzhi with curiosity.

This was something that couldn't be said aloud, so Meng Yanzhi could only lower her head, looking pitiful.

Seeing her like this, Consort Wang felt a pang of heartache almost instinctively: "Tell me what happened, and I might be able to help you!"

"Auntie!" Zhao Bailu's voice interrupted the conversation again, and Meng Yanzhi breathed a sigh of relief.

Her affair with Xu Shize had already been resolved, so there was absolutely no need to bring it up before the emperor.

Moreover, Meng Yanzhi is now certain that when Xiao Xingyuan looks at her, his eyes are indeed strange, always hiding murderous intent.

She didn't know if she had offended Xiao Xingyuan, or if she was a disgrace to him, which was why he would grit his teeth every time he saw her.

"Auntie, I missed you so much!" Zhao Bailu ran over happily and jumped into Consort Wang's arms.

Consort Wang, both amused and exasperated, hugged Zhao Bailu and said helplessly, "How can you be so ill-mannered?"

"Why should I need any rules in front of my aunt?" Zhao Bailu smiled, her eyes crinkling.

She seemed to have just noticed Meng Yanzhi, and her eyes lit up again. She said with a smile, "Yanzhi, you're here too. What are you doing?"

"Someone to keep me company."

"You're all about the same age, you should be able to talk to each other, right?"

Consort Wang smiled and looked at Zhao Bailu.

"Sister Yanzhi is beautiful, I like her." Zhao Bailu spoke the truth. She stepped out of Consort Wang's arms and grabbed Meng Yanzhi's hand: "I just don't know if Yanzhi will find me too lively or too loud?"

Her behavior was unacceptable among the noble ladies of the capital, which is why Zhao Bailu was afraid of being disliked.

“When I lived in the countryside, I used to speak loudly and walk through the grass. I didn’t mind at all. Sometimes I was even a little envious.”

"I used to go up the mountain and down the river in the countryside. I was the best fisherman in our village, I..."

As Meng Yanzhi was speaking, she seemed to suddenly realize something, and hurriedly shut her mouth, her face turning completely red.

When Consort Wang and Zhao Bailu were listening with the most enthusiasm, they saw that she had stopped talking and became a little anxious: "What else is there? Tell us!"

"My mother said that once we're in the capital and with the Meng family, we can't keep talking about things from the village." Meng Yanzhi lowered her eyes, looking somewhat forlorn.

Consort Wang chuckled: "I allow you to speak; I want to hear it."

"yes."

Meng Yanzhi's eyes immediately became bright and sparkling.

"Once, when I went hunting in the mountains, I accidentally encountered a large wild boar!"

"That wild boar had a blue face and tusks, it was terrifying. I was completely dumbfounded..."

Meng Yanzhi's voice became somewhat shrill due to her excitement, but it was not harsh.

She had never looked so radiant before; she seemed like a completely different person.

Xiao Xingyuan stared at Meng Yanzhi, feeling that the girl was shining brightly now, which was almost identical to her passion and rebelliousness that night.

He knew that this little girl was definitely not a peaceful girl; she just kept her sharp edge hidden all the time.

"What are you talking about? Why is it so lively?" Xiao Ce stepped down from the polo field, strode over, and bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Father Emperor, Greetings, Empress Dowager."

Immediately afterwards, Xiao Ce sat down in his seat, took a sip of water, and looked at Meng Yanzhi with some curiosity.

Meng Yanzhi's cheeks, which were originally pale, turned rosy with excitement.

Her eyes crinkled into crescents, and she came alive, a stark contrast to her lifeless demeanor at the Meng family home.

As Xiao Ce watched, he couldn't help but smile.

Meng Yanzhi felt shy under his gaze, and silently lowered her head, whispering, "It's just some little jokes from the countryside."

I really envy you!

"Even with all my martial arts skills, I've never encountered a wild boar!"

Zhao Bailu held Meng Yanzhi's hand, her face full of envy.

Consort Wang bluntly retorted, "What you're saying is all show and no substance. Where did you get this supposed martial arts skill from?"

The atmosphere here was lively and bustling; Meng Anxian's handkerchief was almost torn to shreds!

She stared intently at the smiling Meng Yanzhi, then her face darkened as she gritted her teeth and said, "Mother, look at this vile woman! She's racking her brains to show off here. After currying favor with the Crown Prince, she's now trying to curry favor with the Emperor and the Imperial Concubine. Does she think she's above everyone else?!"

Seeing Meng Anxian's annoyed expression, Meng's mother's face changed, and she lowered her voice: "We're outside now, so behave yourself."

When out in public, a lady from a prominent family is expected to be gentle and quiet, and a woman's reputation is of utmost importance.

Meng Anxian had heard these principles since she was a child, so she understood what her mother meant. She could only grit her teeth and stare intently at Meng Yanzhi, already plotting in her mind how she would deal with Meng Yanzhi when she got back.

"Yanzhi, what do you play? Do you play polo? There's a really pretty beaded flower over there. Let's team up and get it, okay?" Zhao Bailu was a restless person. She grabbed Meng Yanzhi and got up to leave.

Meng Yanzhi was startled and quickly bowed, saying, "This humble woman takes her leave."

"She does know the rules!" Consort Wang chuckled and looked at Xiao Xingyuan beside her. "Your Majesty, it would be wonderful if she could come to the palace to keep me company."

Before Xiao Xingyuan could speak, Xiao Ce became somewhat anxious.

"Why does Lady Wang need her when she has so many people around her?"

Xiao Xingyuan's gaze fell on Xiao Ce, with a hint of scrutiny.

Xiao Ce then realized that he had lost his composure in front of Xiao Xingyuan. He quickly stood up and bowed, saying, "Father, please forgive me. I will never dare to do it again."

"Hmm." Xiao Xingyuan didn't blame him, but his gaze fell on Meng Yanzhi on the field.

This woman is indeed quite cunning; she actually managed to bewitch the Crown Prince.

Seeing that Meng Yanzhi was about to go on the polo field, Meng Anxian finally found an opportunity to teach her a lesson!

Meng Anxian quickly stepped forward, teamed up with Miss Lin, and faced off against Meng Yanzhi.

Zhao Bailu, holding a golf club, frowned: "Meng Anxian, are you going to fight with your own family for it?"

"We're just having fun, why take it so seriously?"

"Who says sisters can't perform together?"

Meng Anxian snorted and then launched the first attack.

Zhao Bailu's martial arts skills were definitely not just talk; she took the lead and chased after them.

Meng Yanzhi followed closely behind and also began to help steal the ball.