Chi Yang strolled leisurely in the back garden, each step feeling like walking on cotton, light and airy, unable to suppress the turmoil in his heart.

The eldest princess has been in the palace for quite some time now, taking only Nanfeng and Luoshan with her, and the mansion has become much quieter.

Those male favorites who used to fawn over him now seemed like completely different people, spewing sarcastic remarks like "old and faded" and "fallen out of favor," which made Chi Yang's heart tremble.

He knew very well that if these words reached the ears of the eldest princess, those people would certainly come to a bad end.

But the princess is not here now, so what can a mere male favorite do?

All they could do was silently pray that Her Highness the Princess would return soon and deal with these foul-mouthed fellows.

What made Chi Yang even more uneasy was that Shen Jintang had recently gained the trust of the Eldest Princess, and even took charge of the household affairs while the Eldest Princess was away from the mansion. Even the Crown Prince was completely under her control.

Shen Jintang is a very ruthless woman. Everyone in the manor is wary of her.

Chi Yang became more and more frightened, especially when he remembered that he had impulsively kicked Chen Jintang last time.

In retrospect, that was a huge mistake!

Chi Yang was filled with unease. If Shen Jintang wanted to deal with him, he knew he would be in for a rough time.

He stayed in the room for four or five days, feeling so bored he was practically growing weeds on his head, but Shen Jintang didn't make any move against him.

He secretly felt lucky; Shen Jintang hadn't bothered him for so long, maybe she had already forgotten about it.

That's why I couldn't resist coming out for some fresh air.

But as he walked to a corner of the garden, a breeze swept by, bringing a chill and an ominous premonition.

"Thump—"

Suddenly, a powerful kick came from behind and hit Chi Yang squarely in the buttocks.

Caught off guard, he suddenly fell to the ground, landing face-first in the mud.

Chi Yang braced himself on the ground with both hands, struggling to lift his head, his heart filled with shock and anger.

Since being taken in by the eldest princess, he has been a favorite in the household, and no one has dared to lay a hand on him for a long time.

Even though the princess has been a bit cold to him lately, he is still an elder in the household. Who would dare to treat him like that?

"Who is it?" Chi Yang was about to lash out, but the next second, his voice caught in his throat.

He slowly turned his head and saw Gu Zhixing standing in front of him, his gaze cold and sharp, as if carved from an iceberg.

He was dressed in a plain-colored robe, the hem of which swayed gently in the wind, making him look like an immortal who had stepped out of a painting.

Her appearance was excessively beautiful, with exquisite eyebrows and eyes, and red lips and white teeth, but her face exuded a cold and aloof aura that made people afraid to approach her.

The plain-colored clothes he wore made him appear even more otherworldly, as if he didn't belong to this mortal world.

However, his face now showed a hint of anger, which was frightening.

"His...His Royal Highness the Crown Prince..."

Chi Yang's voice softened instantly, and he quickly lowered his head and continued to lie on the ground.

The young prince is the princess's darling; who in the manor doesn't know that?

If you anger him, you're really doomed.

However, Chi Yang wondered to himself, what exactly had he done to offend him?

"The Crown Prince Chiyang was unaware of His Highness's esteemed presence..."

Just as Chi Yang was about to speak in a flattering manner, before he could finish speaking, Gu Zhixing kicked him again, hitting him squarely in the side waist.

Chi Yang groaned in pain and curled up on the ground.

"You dare touch my people? Are you provoking me?"

"Didn't you have eyes to see that Shen Jintang walked out of my courtyard? Who gave you the audacity to lay a hand on her?"

"To be beaten to death?"

"You've already started to bully your mother before she's even spoken!"

Gu Zhixing's voice was as cold as ice, each word piercing Chi Yang's heart like a knife.

Chi Yang was beaten so badly he rolled on the ground, only daring to beg for mercy while covering his head: "Your Highness, spare me! Your Highness, spare me! I really didn't know Shen Jintang was Your Highness's person..."

Gu Zhixing grew angrier the more he thought about it. In addition, he had been kept in check by Shen Jintang and could only study during this period. He had nowhere to vent his anger, and Chi Yang just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, so naturally he took out all his anger on him.

He kicked again, cursing, "You bastard who relies on his master's power!"

Chi Yang was beaten so badly that he rolled on the ground, only daring to cover his head and beg for mercy, not even daring to think of fighting back.

Gu Zhixing kicked him more than a dozen times until he was exhausted, and then he stopped.

By this time, Chi Yang was covered in dust, but he dared not slack off in the slightest. He quickly got up from the ground and knelt down.

He could tell from what the young master had just said that he was there to avenge Shen Jintang.

"Your Highness, spare my life!" Chi Yang was truly terrified. The young prince was ruthless when he hit people; he was a real troublemaker.

If he hadn't begged for mercy and had been beaten to death by the young prince, the princess would probably have just praised the young prince for his strength.

Seeing that the young master was still angry, Chi Yang quickly thought of a way out for himself.

"Your Highness, please don't do it! I...I have something important to tell you!"

Gu Zhixing was taken aback for a moment, then frowned and asked, "What is it?"

Chi Yang's eyes darted around slightly, as if he was quickly organizing his thoughts.

Finally, he gritted his teeth, as if he had made up his mind, and said with a hint of urgency in his voice, "I...I know why Shen Jintang is forcing His Highness to study!"

Gu Zhixing pretended to kick again: "Trying to sow discord, huh? I've already learned that trick before!"

Furthermore, it wasn't Shen Jintang who forced him to study; it was Shen Jintang herself who wanted to study. Bringing him along was just an excuse. He didn't even understand this, yet he dared to try to sow discord like Shen Huaixu. He's really still a bit naive.

"No! No!" Chi Yang clutched his head and shouted, "She made a bet with Her Highness the Princess that if the Crown Prince passed the next monthly exam, she could rise through the ranks by the Princess's side!"

"She's just using you, Your Highness! She's not worth your time to stand up for her!"

Chi Yang blurted out everything without a second thought. He knew that compared to the risk of things being exposed later, the risk of being beaten to death by the Crown Prince was clearly much higher!

Gu Zhixing froze in mid-air. Based on his understanding of Shen Jintang, it was highly likely that she would sell herself in order to advance her career. She always prioritized self-interest and was very clear-headed.

Seeing that his words had worked, Chi Yang quickly added, "If she hadn't made a deal with the Princess, how could the Princess have given her the token? How could she have gotten everyone in the manor to listen to her?"

"If Your Highness doesn't believe me, you can go to the storeroom now and see if all of these are things you've treasured. She directed the people to move them there, and she told everyone in the manor not to tell you!"

"Whether it's true or false, you'll know for sure at a glance!"