"Your Majesty, listen to this! Miss Qin's mouth is so charming, she's so beautiful and sensible. If it weren't for the fact that Miss Qin isn't from an official family, I would really like her to be my daughter-in-law!"

Upon hearing this, Lan Linxue felt so disgusted she could vomit.

Bah! Even if he dies, it's not Lan Xiuyuan's turn to be his son's stepfather.

Lan Shanyang smiled and lowered his head, but did not say anything.

Hu Qianyu was saying this to him! Hmph, of course, a daughter-in-law who becomes her son's wife can't let her father have any wild thoughts.

Bah! What a disgrace! Still scheming against Qin Kou'er? He'd be lucky if this little brat managed to swindle him out of everything!

Lan Linxue, standing behind her, sneered and said, "I think Consort Shu is not regretful that Miss Qin cannot be her daughter-in-law, but rather that Miss Qin should never become the Emperor's daughter-in-law!"

Qin Kou'er looked up at Lan Linxue after hearing his sharp and sarcastic words.

Lan Linxue glared fiercely at Hu Qianyu. Who was she trying to fool with that virtuous act? Everyone knew she was thinking nothing more than slapping or stomping Qin Kou'er to death. Her deliberately sour tone was just a way to prevent Qin Kou'er from becoming her father's new lover.

Hu Qianyu's face had already changed. She turned to look at Lan Linxue and said with great grievance, "Even if Your Highness doesn't like me, you should still consider the face of the royal family. Speaking like this in front of outsiders, wouldn't that make the common people laugh at us!"

Although Hu Qianyu was talking to Lan Linxue, she kept belittling Qin Kou'er's status, which made Lan Linxue very unhappy.

"Who's the outsider? I don't see any!" Lan Linxue deliberately glanced around coldly, finally fixing her gaze on Qin Kou'er, and said with a sneer, "Is Consort Shu referring to Miss Qin? I think Consort Shu is just too shallow. Miss Qin is the Emperor's subject, a guest invited by the Emperor. I am the Emperor's son. No matter how you look at it, I feel that my son and subjects are my own flesh and blood. On the contrary, Consort Shu, you, a woman of a different surname, are like clothes, to be thrown away at will!"

Although Qin Kou'er knew that Lan Linxue's words were vicious, she had never heard such deadly words before, and couldn't help but glance at Hu Qianyu, whose face had changed drastically.

Hu Qianyu was so angry that her face changed color. She wanted to demand an explanation from Lan Shanyang, but she found that Lan Shanyang was looking down at the teacup in front of him as if he hadn't heard her. She felt even more bitter. She had been husband and wife with him for a lifetime, but in the end, he was still closer to her than their son.

Struggling to suppress the urge to tear Lan Linxue's face apart, Hu Qianyu said coldly, her face pale, "Even if Your Highness is no longer the Crown Prince, there's no need for you to resort to such vulgar language in the palace! Even if I heard such crude words, it would make me feel sorry for the Emperor! Even if Your Highness lost your mother at a young age, the Emperor's favor and personal guidance shouldn't have made you speak like this today!"

Upon hearing this, Lan Linxue smiled wickedly and immediately said, "What Consort Shu said is absolutely right! I really did grow up by the Emperor's side! Of course, I am just like the Emperor! Do you think I learned how I am from the Emperor?"

"you--"

Hu Qianyu really wanted to rush up and beat Lan Linxue to death, but when she looked down, she found Lan Shanyang staring at her with a cold gaze.

Hu Qianyu was immediately startled. She knew that if she continued to talk, she would definitely offend Lan Shanyang.

In Lan Shanyang's heart, no one in the world could say a bad word about Lan Linxue, because this child was raised by his own hands and had never had any problems or shortcomings.

Anyone who dares to touch this topic is asking for trouble.

Trying to calm herself down, Hu Qianyu smiled and said, "Of course, what His Majesty gives to His Highness is the best! It's just that the people outside are not good, and sometimes His Highness inevitably learns some things he shouldn't! I think that as long as His Majesty gives more encouragement, His Highness will naturally get better and better! In this selection of concubines, I hope that His Highness can choose a virtuous wife and beautiful concubine, so that he can have children sooner, which would make His Majesty feel more at ease!"

Lan Linxue sneered coldly, "My marriage is none of Consort Shu's concern. Whom I marry is chosen by the Emperor himself! Consort Shu would be better off worrying about her own son! What if he really picks some country bumpkin to be an eyesore? Then Consort Shu won't even have a place to cry! Humph!"

Hu Qianyu really hated Lan Linxue. He really dared to talk nonsense in front of Lan Shanyang.

With a cold laugh, Hu Qianyu said to Lan Linxue without giving her a pleasant look, "There's no need for Your Highness to worry about that! Rest assured, even if Xiuyuan can't marry a woman as good as the one Your Highness has chosen, he certainly won't bring some country bumpkin to disgrace the royal family!"

That would be best!

At least this way, Lan Xiuyuan will never be able to think about his Kou'er again in his lifetime.

Lan Shanyang frowned as she watched the two of them arguing fiercely, and gently tapped the table: "Miss Qin is still here, what kind of behavior is this?"

Immediately, both Lan Linxue and Hu Qianyu fell silent.

"I only wanted to play a game of chess with Miss Qin in peace, but you two insisted on ruining my mood! How utterly boring!"

With that, Lan Shanyang stood up unhappily and said to Qin Kou'er, "Kou'er, you come with me to stroll in the Imperial Garden! Let the two of them argue here. When they've had their fill, Lan Linxue, you can come find me then. Humph, nothing pleases me these days!"

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