"No need for formalities, Little Swallow. Why are you the only one here today? Where is Yongqi?"

Xiao Yanzi lowered her head and replied, "Your Majesty, Yongqi said that he has some things to say to the Emperor at the Qianqing Palace, so I had no choice but to send Qing'er back myself."

"I see. Do you know what Yongqi is going to say to the Emperor?"

Little Swallow shook her head. "Your Majesty, Little Swallow doesn't know. He didn't say anything..."

She paused for a moment, then continued, "Your Majesty, I suppose you and Qing'er still have something to say. If there's nothing else, then I'll take my leave."

Saying something is one thing, doing it is another. To avoid making more mistakes by saying too much, she'd better leave as soon as possible!

"Alright, then you can go back!" Seeing how frightened Xiao Yanzi looked, the Empress Dowager didn't intend to keep her any longer and let her leave.

After leaving Cining Palace, Xiao Yanzi seemed to come alive again.

Xiao Shunzi followed behind and said, "Miss, why don't we go back to Yonghe Palace first? If the Fifth Prince finds out that you've been staying outside, he'll worry!"

"Yes, young lady, you should go home soon."

Little Swallow shook her head, "But I don't want to go back so early. I want to walk around outside by myself..."

"But the Fifth Prince told us to follow you..."

Xiao Shunzi was still a little hesitant; they were really worried about letting Xiao Yanzi wander around the palace alone.

Whether it's Little Swallow accidentally offending a master or some clueless person who offends her, they will all suffer!

Little Swallow smiled slightly, "Little Shunzi, Little Guizi, I know you're worried about me..."

"However, I've been in the palace for two days now, so I know what I'm doing. I just want to take a quiet walk and won't cause any trouble. You should all go back now!"

"Alright..." Little Swallow's words were not to be questioned, so they couldn't force her.

However, they were also worried about leaving Xiao Yanzi alone.

As Xiao Shunzi watched Xiao Yanzi's departing figure, he said, "Xiao Guizi, go to the Qianqing Palace right away and find the Fifth Prince. Tell him what happened!"

"If the Fifth Prince doesn't come out so quickly, then go back and find Xingchen and tell her to come over as soon as possible. I'll follow behind her..."

"Okay, I'll go first. You stay with me!"

Little Swallow walked aimlessly ahead, while Little Shunzi followed silently behind, trying to avoid being discovered by Little Swallow while still keeping an eye on her safety.

"What's so good about that Little Swallow that makes the Fifth Prince treat her like that?"

"I don't understand either. How could the Emperor and the Empress Dowager agree to let a woman whose identity and background are unknown stay by the Fifth Prince's side?"

"Could it be that she's in love with the Fifth Prince...that's why the Fifth Prince likes her so much?"

"You can't just say things like that. If someone finds out, you'll lose your head!"

"I'm just not convinced! We're all from outside the palace, so why is it that she gets to stay by the Fifth Prince's side as soon as she arrives, while we have to do all this hard labor?"

"I heard that when she first entered the palace, she wore tattered clothes and deliberately acted pitiful. Maybe the Fifth Prince was kind-hearted and took her in..."

"She looks like a demon; the Fifth Prince must have been bewitched by her..."

"How long do you think the Fifth Prince can tolerate having someone like that around?"

"I think you should all stop dreaming. The way the Fifth Prince looked at that girl, he clearly had a determined look in his eyes. How could he possibly let her leave?"

"I don't know what he was thinking. Why would he give up on someone as noble as Princess Qing and instead fall for some wild girl of unknown origin!"

"But I think she has a good temper. I heard from the eunuchs and maids who work at Yonghe Palace that Little Swallow has no airs at all..."

"I'd better not see her, or I'll tear her face to shreds and see what she'll use to seduce the Fifth Prince!"

This is the one among them who hates Xiao Yanzi the most!

Ever since she saw Yongqi bring Xiaoyanzi into the palace, she hasn't been able to sleep at all!

Every day, all I can think about are the images of Yongqi being so gentle and even doting on Xiaoyanzi...

"Talking behind someone's back is never a good thing!" Little Swallow didn't want to cause trouble, but she couldn't stand what they were saying. "If you're so capable, say it to my face, to the Fifth Prince's face!"

The woman looked up at Xiao Yanzi in front of her and said angrily, "Who do we have here? It's you, you wild girl!"

Xiao Yanzi glanced at her and said, "Even if I have no status, I am still someone Yongqi cherishes."

"You dare talk to me like that today? Believe me, he'll find out soon enough, and you won't have a good time then!"

Upon hearing this, the woman's expression changed slightly. She retorted, feigning fear, "Don't try to scare me!"

"The Fifth Prince was completely deceived by you. By the time he realizes what's happening, he'll be too busy looking down on you to possibly like you!"

Little Swallow's lips curled up slightly, a hint of smugness in her eyes. "At least for this period of time, he liked me, and that's enough for me to cherish for a lifetime!"

Little Swallow's words infuriated the woman!

"You...you bitch, I'll beat you to death!"

Little Swallow dodged her attack, then pinned her down and slapped her.

She sneered, "This slap is to tell you that I am a wild girl with no status or position, but the person behind me is the Fifth Prince Yongqi, the prince whom the Emperor favors!"

"If you dare to touch me, you're showing no respect for the Fifth Prince!"

The woman was stunned by Xiao Yanzi's slap. "You dare hit me?"

Then, Little Swallow slapped her again, saying, "This slap is to tell you that you shouldn't talk nonsense when you don't know anything!"

"My relationship with the Fifth Prince is completely innocent, it's not what you think!"

Having been slapped twice in a row, the woman naturally wanted to retaliate, shouting, "I'll beat you to death!"

However, how could she possibly be a match for Xiao Yanzi?

Little Swallow caught her and slapped her again. "This slap is to remind you that if I see you again, I will make sure you never forget me!"

Little Swallow slapped her three times before pushing her to the ground. "While I'm in a good mood and no one's here yet, you'd better take her away quickly!"

"Otherwise, when Yongqi arrives, how do you think he will treat you?"

Little Swallow's words really frightened them.

"Those who insulted me think they can leave safely? They're really showing no respect for me, the Fifth Prince!"

No one expected that Yongqi would stop them just as they were about to leave.

"Yongqi...I..." She was so imposing just now because she thought that she was, after all, a member of Yonghe Palace, and couldn't embarrass him!

But now, she was afraid. What if Yongqi thought she was causing trouble?

"Little Swallow, well done! We should teach these kinds of people a lesson!"

"But please don't use your hands next time. Your hands are all red from hitting you. Does it hurt?"

Yongqi held Xiaoyanzi's hand and blew on it, seemingly genuinely worried that she might get hurt from hitting someone too hard.

Those palace maids were about to vomit blood!

I especially like Yongqi the most, the most arrogant one, who is also the palace maid who was just hit three times by Xiaoyanzi!

"Fifth Prince, wake up! A woman like her is not good enough for you!"

"She can't do anything, she's nobody, so why should she stay by your side?"

Yongqi shielded Xiaoyanzi behind him, blocking the palace maid's view of Xiaoyanzi.

He glared at her coldly and said angrily, "She's not worthy? Do you think you are? You dare to bully Xiao Yanzi, I will never let you get away with this!"

Seeing Yongqi so protective of Xiaoyanzi, the woman was so angry that she cursed Xiaoyanzi, "Even if I die today, there will be a thousand or ten thousand people who will keep going after her and bullying her! She will never have peace!"

Yongqi's face instantly turned black, and he roared, "Gag her and lock her up! Lock her up until she dies!"

If such a person is released from the palace, what if she still harbors resentment towards Xiao Yanzi and tries to get back at her? That would be terrible. It would be better to lock her up and keep her under control!