Xie Qinglan's smile froze, and her expression turned cold in an instant.

It had an unpleasant, powdery smell.

He abruptly pulled his outstretched hand back, grabbed Zhang Wanshu's hair hanging down her back, and yanked it outwards, throwing her to the ground.

"Get out of here! You bitch!"

"Ah—" Zhang Wanshu was caught off guard and was thrown to the ground. Her exposed arm scraped against the ground, leaving a large wound. Her scalp stung and tingled, and she was in a sorry state.

"Who allowed you to come in?" Xie Qinglan's gentle expression had completely vanished, and the lower half of her face, with its tightly pursed lips, still showed that she was quite angry.

"Your Highness...it hurts so much." Zhang Wanshu sobbed, "I just..."

"Get out! Zhuo Qing!" Xie Qinglan shouted outside, but there was no response. His handsome face instantly turned as cold as frost.

Ignoring her pain, Zhang Wanshu quickly scrambled to her feet and rushed towards Xie Qinglan. "Your Highness, please don't send me away! Haven't you felt any of my affection for you all these years? I don't want to marry Xie Changyu. I'd even be willing to be your concubine!"

"What is it about me that I can't compare to Ye Chaoxi? She's a vulgar woman from the countryside, she doesn't know how to play the zither, chess, calligraphy, or painting, and she doesn't have the slightest bit of the demeanor of a well-bred lady. You don't even know what she looks like!"

As soon as she bumped into me, Xie Qinglan kicked her as if she had touched something dirty, sending her crashing against the door with a bang.

"What makes you think you can compare to her? Even if my wife didn't grow up in the capital, she's still more polite than you, who grew up in a marquis's mansion. At least she wouldn't go out of her way to become someone's concubine," Xie Qinglan said sarcastically.

Xie Qinglan loathed Zhang Wanshu. Last time, she gossiped in front of Ye Chaoxi, and he hadn't even bothered to argue with her. Now, however, she had taken the initiative to come to him.

Zhuo Qing had just returned to Tinglan Garden when he heard a loud noise coming from the study. Startled, he rushed over and pushed open the door, "Young Master!"

As soon as the door opened, Zhang Wanshu, disheveled, collapsed at his feet.

Zhuo Qing, "W-how...how did she get in?"

"What are you standing there for? Throw her out, and throw out everything she brought too!"

"If you allow unrelated people to enter and leave Tinglan Garden again, you will no longer need to stay by my side. Go and receive your punishment today."

"Yes!" Zhuo Qing quickly grabbed Zhang Wanshu and dragged her out.

A wave of panic washed over Zhang Wanshu. Was she really going to be thrown out looking like this? How could she possibly live a decent life?

"No! I'll leave! I'll leave by myself!"

Zhuo Qing didn't listen to her. He was furious because she had barged in and caused him to be punished. He picked her up, strode out of the yard, threw her down, and slammed the gate shut.

"If you dare to seduce the prince again, I'll throw you out on the street next time!"

Zhang Wanshu was terrified, both cold and frightened. In the freezing snow, she was only wearing a thin gauze dress, and she was sure she would be seen as she walked back.

Sure enough, as soon as she turned her head, she saw two maids who happened to be passing by pointing and whispering at her. When they saw her looking over, the two quickened their pace and walked away. Zhang Wanshu had lost all face, and on her way back, she tried to choose deserted paths, but she still couldn't avoid being seen by others.

Before nightfall, the entire household knew that Zhang Wanshu had failed to seduce the young master and was instead kicked out. The servants were whispering among themselves. Her reputation was completely ruined, and she hid in her room, crying and refusing to come out.

Zhang was furious with Zhang Wanshu. She had previously wanted Zhang Wanshu to marry her son, but now she had completely given up on that idea. Instead of being a proper wife, she was eager to become Xie Qinglan's concubine. It was a waste of all the years she had raised her!

She initially didn't want to deal with this clueless niece anymore, but then she thought that her niece was someone who couldn't be tamed, so it would be better to send her to Tinglan Garden, which could also drive a wedge between the couple.

Given Ye's depressed state of mind, how could she possibly save her unborn child?

...

Ye Chaoxi had just returned and was unaware of this matter until Zhang came to her door, demanding with a straight face that she allow Xie Qinglan to take a concubine.

“This afternoon, Wan Shu and the Prince were alone in a room together. When Wan Shu came out, she was seen by the servants with her clothes disheveled. How will she ever get married in the future? The Prince should take responsibility. As the legal wife, you should take the initiative to help your husband find a concubine.”

Ye Chaoxi's eyes widened in surprise. She had only been gone for an afternoon, what had happened?

She looked at Cuiyu and Juying.

The two women shook their heads blankly; they had gone out with the Crown Prince's wife that afternoon.

Zhuo Qing, who had been watching the commotion, ran out to clarify for Xie Qinglan, "Madam, this afternoon, the Lady of the Marquis's niece came to seduce the young master while you were away, but the young master chased her away. He did nothing! The Lady of the Marquis's words are simply a distortion of the facts."

Zhang immediately retorted, "Whether it happened or not, it's a fact that Wanshu was seen naked in the study."

"Oh, what does that have to do with the young master? It's not like the young master saw her naked. Why don't you make the servant who saw her take responsibility?" Ye Chaoxi glanced at Zhuo Qing casually. "Zhuo Qing, you'll take responsibility?"

Zhuo Qing shook his head vigorously, as if it were a rattle-drum. He lowered his head, sensing that the Crown Prince's wife was angry.

Zhang was no match for Ye Chaoxi's sharp tongue and was furious. For every word Zhang said, Ye Chaoxi would always have ten words to retort. In the end, Zhang left with a lot of anger in her mouth.

After seeing Zhang off, Ye Chaoxi looked at Zhuo Qing, who was cowering to the side and dared not utter a sound, and asked, "Where is the young master?"

"The young master went to the palace to see the emperor. He told his subordinates to wait in the courtyard for the lady to return so that he could explain things clearly as soon as possible, so that the lady would not overhear anything and have any bad thoughts."

It was almost bedtime when Xie Qinglan returned from the palace. After washing up and getting ready, he went to bed, stretched out his long arm, and hugged his sweet and soft wife. He buried his head in her neck and gently inhaled her sweet and pleasant scent.

Ye Chaoxi elbowed him, "Stay away from me."

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