Recalling these past events, Shen Yuan's shoulders trembled uncontrollably, and the hatred in her heart surged like a raging sea.
Even after so much time has passed, she still can't forget how Chu Qiuyue tied her up in a cave in her previous life and stripped her naked in front of everyone.
Then, Chu Qiuyue invited Xiao Yunyan over.
"Your Highness, my sister and I came here to enjoy the scenery, but we never expected to run into this vile woman. She sneaked into the woods outside the cave with my brother, and before entering the woods, she even took off her top, exposing her breasts. She looked so lewd!"
Chu Qiuyue knelt on the ground and vividly recounted, "The moment I saw her like this, I knew she was trying to seduce my brother using today's opportunity. So my sister and I immediately followed her and tied her up before she entered the woods. Your Highness, rest assured, I will not allow this vile woman to have the chance to appear before my brother!"
Upon hearing Chu Qiuyue's words, a hint of annoyance flashed in Xiao Yunyan's eyes. Although she concealed it well, Shen Yuan knew that Xiao Yunyan was very unhappy.
She huddled against the stone wall, curling herself into a ball, shaking her head desperately. She wanted to explain, but her mouth was stuffed with Chu Qiuyue's handkerchief, and she couldn't utter a single word.
She could only shake her head desperately in front of Xiao Yunyan, trying to make her understand that she had not done such a thing, that she had never thought of seducing Chu Yuning, that she had not!
Xiao Yunyan merely glanced down at Shen Yuan before haughtily raising her chin.
The more disheveled Shen Yuan appeared, the deeper Xiao Yunyan's cold smile became, sending chills down one's spine.
"It seems that even after all this time, you still haven't given up on Yulang!"
"Since that's the case, I'm not the kind of jealous woman who can't tolerate others. I'll bestow you upon Yulang as his concubine!"
"Ugh... ugh..." Shen Yuan shook her head like a rattle drum; she had no intention of becoming Chu Yuning's concubine!
She had long since severed her ties with Chu Yuning and given up on him. Even if she were to serve as a slave for the rest of her life, she would never want to have any further involvement with Chu Yuning!
But Xiao Yunyan became even more furious when she saw her shake her head, and said sarcastically, "What, you're not satisfied with just being a concubine? You want to be Mrs. Chu?"
"Your Highness, how could someone as shameless and despicable as her be worthy of entering the gates of my Chu family?"
Chu Qiuyue quickly stepped forward, expressing her utmost loyalty with utmost respect, "Only a woman as beautiful, virtuous, and elegant as Her Highness the Princess is a match for my brother!"
Seeing Chu Qiuyue's humble and ingratiating manner towards Xiao Yunyan, Shen Yuan felt nothing but irony.
She had known Chu Qiuyue for over a decade and loved her like her own younger sister. When they were little, she would carry Chu Qiuyue on her back to see Chu Yuning in town, a journey of ten miles.
When Chu Qiuyue grew older, she bought her clothes and silk flowers, dressing her up to be the most beautiful girl in the village. She even considered saving more money to add to Chu Qiuyue's dowry when she got married.
But what did we get in return?
Chu Qiuyue knew that Chu Yuning had passed the imperial examination, but she conspired with Zhao Shi and Chu Chunhua to keep it a secret from her.
They secretly took her to the capital by Chu Yuning and made her an official's daughter. Not only did they forget all her past contributions, but now they repay kindness with enmity, deliberately smearing and framing her in order to please Xiao Yunyan.
They even wanted to ruin her.
Chu Qiuyue earnestly offered Xiao Yunyan a suggestion: "Your Highness, Shen Yuan is so frivolous and shameless, only thinking about seducing men all day long. Why not demote her to a courtesan and send her to serve the men in the military camp..."
Upon hearing this, Shen Yuan felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, a chill running through her body, making her face turn pale.
She actually treated a venomous snake as her own sister and loved it for more than ten years.
At that moment, Shen Yuan really wanted to smash her head against the stone cave and die. She thought it would be better for her to die like this than to become a courtesan and suffer a fate worse than death.
But the people who harmed and hurt her are all living well in this world, so why should she be the one who tries to commit suicide?
She was unwilling to accept it!
She's not the one who deserves to die!
Xiao Yunyan was very interested in Chu Qiuyue's suggestion. She stared at Shen Yuan's pale face with a playful expression and asked Chu Qiuyue, "She is your fellow villager, and she was once engaged to your brother. She almost became your sister-in-law. If I just demote her to a prostitute and send her to the military camp, won't your brother think I'm ruthless?"
Chu Qiuyue hurriedly said, "Your Highness, rest assured, my brother has nothing to do with this vile woman. The marriage agreement was entirely fabricated by her. My brother only has eyes for the princess and doesn't care about her at all. He would never blame the princess!"
"Yeah?"
Xiao Yunyan suddenly bent down and pulled the handkerchief out of Shen Yuan's mouth.
Since she could speak, Shen Yuan's first question was: "Chu Qiuyue, I have treated you well, why did you harm me?"
"Not stingy? Can those silk flowers you gave me compare to a single gold hairpin that the princess bestowed upon me?"
Chu Qiuyue crossed her arms and sneered disdainfully, "Besides, I didn't harm you. You were the one who tried to seduce my brother first. I just wanted to vent my anger for Her Highness the Princess!"
Shen Yuan said sternly, "I did not seduce Chu Yuning!"
"Lying to the princess is a great disrespect to her! I was ordered by the stewardess to transplant chrysanthemums for the princess in the forest. I had no idea whether Chu Yuning was in the forest or not, so how could I be seducing her?"
"Chu Qiuyue, today you staged this whole charade to please Her Highness, treating her like a three-year-old child. This is disrespectful and disloyal to Her Highness, a grave crime!"
Xiao Yunyan's expression changed.
"I didn't lie!" Seeing Xiao Yunyan's stern face, Chu Qiuyue knelt down with a thud. "Your Highness, this vile woman is eloquent; you must not believe her!"
Seeing Chu Qiuyue trembling, Xiao Yunyan suddenly burst out laughing.
Shen Yuan knew then that she had made the right bet!
Xiao Yunyan was born into the royal family and lived in the treacherous harem for nearly twenty years. What kind of tricks hadn't she seen?
Xiao Yunyan wasn't unaware of Chu Qiuyue's clumsy tricks; she simply wanted to take the opportunity to teach her a lesson.
But this doesn't mean that Xiao Yunyan can tolerate Chu Qiuyue deceiving her like she's a fool.
That's why Xiao Yunyan pulled the handkerchief out of Shen Yuan's mouth, giving Shen Yuan a chance to speak.
After Shen Yuan finished speaking, Xiao Yunyan's gaze towards Chu Qiuyue turned much colder.
"Waaaaah—"
Chu Qiuyue's writhing and thrashing on the ground pulled Shen Yuan from her thoughts.
She stared intently at Chu Qiuyue, who was lying on the ground desperately trying to break free of the reins, and a half-smile curled at the corner of her lips.
In her previous life, Chu Qiuyue went to great lengths to tie her up in a cave, humiliate her, slander her, and even had Xiao Yunyan break one of her legs.
But she herself didn't get away with it either.
She was hung on the edge of a cliff by that madwoman Xiao Yunyan for three whole days.
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