Yuan Chengyu looked at Qin Xiangyang's retreating figure and scratched his head.

Yuan Chengyu was, after all, a guest of the princess's residence, which had so many servants.

Even if the prince consort needed someone to deliver a message, he wouldn't order this guest around, would he?

Yuan Chengyu sensed something and immediately headed towards the greenhouse.

Yuan Chengyu was also careful to keep his distance. He listened outside the greenhouse and, finding no movement, then knocked on the door.

When Yuan Chengyu entered, Xie Qi was helping Pei Zhi get dressed.

The greenhouse smelled sweet, but Yuan Chengyu didn't smell anything.

The princess was dressed haphazardly, but her complexion was rosy.

Xie Qi's clothes were neat and tidy, so he probably hadn't taken them off, but there seemed to be some water stains on his face.

Yuan Chengyu glared at Xie Qi, hesitated for a moment, and then said directly, "The Prince Consort just asked me to come and say that the meal is ready."

Xie Qi took the handkerchief Pei Zhi had placed aside and wiped his face without a care.

Pei Zhi was adjusting her belt when she understood what Yuan Chengyu meant.

Qin Xiangyang must have overheard what happened between her and Xie Qi in the flower room.

Pei Zhi sneered, "Young Master Xie is truly cunning and calculating."

Xie Qi wiped his face clean. "Princess, are you planning to turn your back on me?"

"Or is it that now that the prince consort is back, he no longer needs us? And he's going to kick us aside?"

After hearing Xie Qi's words, Yuan Chengyu also looked at Pei Zhi.

Pei Zhi felt a little aggrieved. "Of course not."

Xie Qi asked, "Since it's not true, what's wrong with letting him know sooner?"

“You…” Pei Zhi was at a loss for words.

"In the end, the princess just couldn't bring herself to say it."

Pei Zhi's thoughts had been exposed by Xie Qi, so she could only glare at him.

Seeing that Pei Zhi was so frustrated by Xie Qi that she couldn't speak, Yuan Chengyu chimed in, "Alright, alright, now let's think about how to face Qin Xiangyang."

Xie Qi tossed aside the handkerchief he had just used to wipe his fingers. "What's there to face?"

"If he doesn't accept it, just let him get lost. It's that simple."

"This isn't a good idea..."

Pei Zhi nudged Yuan Chengyu, "Try to suppress that smile."

Yuan Chengyu covered his mouth with his hand. If Qin Xiangyang couldn't stand it and quit being the prince consort, would he be able to have a legitimate claim to the position?

No matter what, given the current situation, he has a better chance than Xie Qi, right?

"I'm going to change my clothes. You may leave if you have nothing else to do."

Xie Qi was displeased. "Why should we leave? The Prince Consort has invited us to stay for dinner. We can't refuse him."

This time, Yuan Chengyu sided with Qin Xiangyang, saying, "He's right, we can't disrespect the prince consort."

Pei Zhi was too lazy to waste words with them and went straight out of the flower room.

After Pei Zhi left, Yuan Chengyu was still caught up in Xie Qi's assumptions.

"If Qin Xiangyang were to request a divorce from the princess, His Majesty would likely grant it, wouldn't he?"

Xie Qi picked up the jade pendant placed to the side, "Ayu."

"Um?"

"Check the table later to see if there are any pig brains."

Yuan Chengyu didn't understand Xie Qi's idiotic talk: "What's wrong?"

"If not, have someone bring you a plate; you need to replenish your energy."

Yuan Chengyu still didn't understand that Xie Qi was mocking him; he was truly as stupid as a pig.

"It wasn't you who said it, Qin Xiangyang, he..."

"Leaving aside the fact that Qin Xiangyang helped the princess obtain evidence of the Zhong family's crimes, as the princess's husband, did he really not know about the princess's schemes?"

"If he were really that stupid, the Qin family wouldn't have become wealthy merchants for so many years."

Xie Qi hung up the jade pendant. "So, don't think about those things. Right now, the princess's grand plan is the most important thing."

Yuan Chengyu understood Xie Qi's meaning: since Qin Xiangyang knew about the princess's scheme.

It is clear that for the princess, romantic love is nothing at all.

Qin Xiangyang naturally wouldn't be jealous or envious in front of the princess because of these things.

"Pooh."

Yuan Chengyu snorted, "You proposed coming to the Princess's residence yesterday, so you planned to do this, didn't you?"

"You're shameless."

"You're shameless."

"What a scoundrel!"

"Have you finished cursing?" Xie Qi asked coldly. "If you've finished cursing, let's go out for dinner."

At the dinner table, Xie Qi appeared normal, while Yuan Chengyu seemed somewhat uneasy.

Ultimately, it's just that Yuan Chengyu hasn't cultivated a level of shamelessness comparable to Xie Qi's.

Qin Xiangyang stood up and peeled a few shrimp for Pei Zhi.

"These live shrimp were brought over by my mother yesterday. They are very fresh. Princess, please eat more."

Pei Zhi: "You eat too."

There were about seven or eight live shrimp in Pei Zhi's bowl, all peeled by Qin Xiangyang and coated with broth.

Yuan Chengyu pursed his lips; he had peeled shrimp for Pei Zhi before.

Xie Qi picked up his chopsticks and placed a peeled shrimp directly into Pei Zhi's bowl.

Everyone watched as Xie Qi finished eating the shrimp, swallowed it, and praised, "The taste is indeed very good."

Yuan Chengyu coughed violently. How could a person be so shameless?

Yuan Chengyu has completely bowed down.

He admitted that he had truly lost to Xie Qi in this respect.

Qin Xiangyang's expression changed slightly, but in the end he simply got up and went to wash his hands.

Pei Zhi glared at Xie Qi, "You'd better tone it down."

"It's just a shrimp, surely the prince consort wouldn't be so stingy?"

Xie Qi's voice was so loud that Qin Xiangyang couldn't pretend he couldn't hear it.

Qin Xiangyang wiped his hands with a handkerchief. "If Young Master Xie would like some, I can peel some for you?"

At a time like this, shouldn't anyone decline?

Xie Qi: "Then I'll have to trouble you, Your Highness."

Xie Qitian shamelessly agreed, and then quietly watched Qin Xiangyang, as if waiting for the prince consort to make a move.

Pei Zhi put down her chopsticks, her face darkening.

Yuan Chengyu noticed this and immediately stood up, saying, "If you want to eat it, I'll peel it for you. It's no big deal."

As Yuan Chengyu spoke, his hands continued to work, quickly peeling a few shrimp and placing them in Xie Qi's bowl.

To shut Xie Qi up, Yuan Chengyu even held up a peeled shrimp and offered it to Xie Qi's mouth.

Yuan Chengyu said provocatively, "Eat it."

Even Xie Qi was completely taken aback by Yuan Chengyu's approach.

"Eat up, didn't you say shrimp tastes great?"

Pei Zhi couldn't help but chuckle. It seems that shameless people need to be dealt with by rogues.

Seeing that Xie Qi was no longer speaking, Yuan Chengyu stopped and placed the shrimp in Xie Qi's bowl.

Yuan Chengyu reminded Xie Qi, "We have shrimp now, so eat well."

This time, Xie Qi didn't argue anymore.

Xie Qi ate his meal quietly until he left the table.

Yuan Chengyu peeled shrimp for Xie Qi and placed them on a plate. Xie Qi felt disgusted even after just one look.

After finishing his meal, Qin Xiangyang took his leave, saying he needed to go to the shop to check the accounts.

Yuan Chengyu sighed, "Qin Xiangyang really has a good temper."

If it were him, he would have stayed by Pei Zhi's side no matter what, not giving anyone a chance to take advantage of her. How could he be so generous?

He truly deserves to be a prince consort; he must be quite capable.