flattery
"Your Highness! Your Highness, save me!!" Upon hearing Shangguan Zeyu's voice, Xiao Yiqing immediately struggled and cried for help.
Shangguan Zeyu did not immediately step forward, but instead asked, "What are you doing?"
Xiao Yiqing sensed his anger and quickly explained, "Your Highness, it's not what you see! No!! This scoundrel came out of nowhere and was being disrespectful to me."
The fat man didn't take Shangguan Zeyu seriously, looking at him provocatively. Then, while Chunhua and Xiao Yiqing were stunned, he pulled Xiao Yiqing into his arms and leeredly stroked the strand of hair hanging by Xiao Yiqing's right ear with his right hand.
Xiao Yiqing's eyes were red with anxiety, and she kept looking at Shangguan Zeyu as if pleading for help.
"What audacity!!"
Upon hearing the commotion, Zhang Qin instantly appeared beside the fat man and quickly knocked him to the ground on the bluestone slabs in the courtyard.
"Speak! What exactly happened?" Shangguan Zeyu walked up to him.
The fat man was frightened and quickly turned over, kneeling at his feet, devout and submissive.
"Your Highness, I know I was wrong. I won't do it again, I won't do it again!!"
"Hmph! You think you can just say you won't dare to do it again and that's it? Do you even know what wrong you committed by offending the Princess?"
The fat man was even more frightened, his head was pressed to the ground, his buttocks sticking out, and he kept explaining himself.
"Your Highness, this isn't just about one villain. It's the Princess Consort; she seduced that villain. Your Highness must investigate this thoroughly!"
Xiao Yiqing was so angry that her vision blurred and she almost collapsed.
After calming down a bit, she cried and cursed, "What kind of bastard are you to insult me like this? When did I... Speak! Tell me, who told you to do this?"
Then, as if suddenly realizing something, she gritted her teeth and said, "It was Liu Ruyi, wasn't it? She made you do this? How cruel she is!!"
A flash of disdain crossed Shangguan Zeyu's eyes as he spoke.
"Your Highness, Consort Liu was flogged and is unconscious. When would she have instigated this person to harm you?"
"This..." Xiao Yiqing was momentarily speechless, but quickly continued, "Your Highness, Consort Liu has been disrespectful to me ever since she entered the palace! She always tells the other ladies that she is the one you absolutely must marry, making them all envious and resentful. She is cunning and treacherous; she must have planned this all along. Your Highness, you must stand up for me!!"
A cold smile flashed across Shangguan Zeyu's face.
"Tell me, did the Princess Consort say it? If you tell a single lie, I will have your entire family executed!!"
The fat man also cried.
"Your Highness, I'm just a butcher. I've only ever seen the Princess Consort, never any Consort Liu. If you don't believe me, I swear to heaven! How could I possibly risk the lives of my own family!"
"really?"
"If I dare to utter a single lie, I will accept any punishment from Your Highness!"
"Xiao Yiqing!! What else do you have to say?" Shangguan Zeyu suddenly raised his voice, coldly snorting.
Xiao Yiqing had probably never seen Shangguan Zeyu so angry before, and was so frightened that she froze on the spot.
"By my decree! The Princess Consort has violated the virtues of a wife, her behavior is immoral, and her character is base. She is hereby confined to Peach Blossom Valley to reflect on her actions!! No unauthorized personnel are permitted to approach, or they will be killed!!!"
Xiao Yiqing suddenly came to her senses and hurriedly ran towards Shangguan Zeyu, but she forgot that there were steps under her feet. She lost her footing and tumbled down the steps.
Shangguan Zeyu watched this scene coldly, without saying a word, and left.
The fat man was grabbed by the back of his collar and dragged away by Zhang Qin, who was walking behind him.
Xiao Yiqing finally understood and burst into tears, her grief was truly heartbreaking.
"Good news doesn't travel far, but bad news travels a thousand miles." The news about Xiao Yiqing spread throughout the Duan Prince's mansion overnight.
The servants spread all sorts of rumors, saying that the reason Princess Xiao couldn't conceive the prince's child for so long was because she didn't want to have the prince's child, and that it was all because of the man who came to find her.
They also said that Princess Xiao was promiscuous, monopolizing the prince and not allowing other women to get close, while secretly having affairs with other men behind the prince's back.
Even more, some people say that he personally witnessed Princess Xiao having affairs with different men, including teenagers, young men in their twenties, middle-aged men in their forties and fifties, and even old men in their eighties and nineties.
Some say that Princess Xiao has an enormous appetite, and if it weren't for the fact that the prince is around, all the servants in the palace would probably have fallen into her hands long ago.
In short, the rumors about Princess Xiao were only getting more and more outrageous.
Wang Qianqian also heard about this and went to Wu Lanyu's Orchid Garden.
Wu Lanyu was in high spirits and danced gracefully in the shade of the courtyard, like a butterfly fluttering among the flowers, her figure light and supple.
"Little sister, you're having a great time! What kind of dance are you doing?"
Wang Qianqian smiled from outside the bamboo fence. Wu Lanyu's personal maid, Qingmei, bowed to her, ran over, and opened the fence gate.
"I'm sorry to have made you laugh, sister. I was just jumping around randomly." Wu Lanyu walked towards Wang Qianqian.
Wang Qianqian smiled and paused beside her for a moment, then walked past her to the bamboo chair she had placed in the shady corner and sat down.
Wu Lanyu walked over.
"Have you heard?" Wang Qianqian asked, fiddling with the bamboo fan she had placed on the low table.
"What does 'sister' mean?" Wu Lanyu stood five steps away from her.
Wang Qianqian glanced at her and said, "Sister, you don't know? Liuying said she ran into Qingmei in the front yard early this morning."
Wu Lanyu then realized and exclaimed, "Oh! Sister, you mean Princess Xiao?"
Wang Qianqian looked at her and smiled meaningfully.
Qingmei brought over an identical bamboo chair and placed it on the other side of the low table.
Wu Lanyu sat down.
"What does my sister think about this?"
"Does your sister think it's true or false?"
"...Princess Xiao is so devoted to the Prince, she certainly wouldn't do something so outrageous. Besides, I've also heard that that person... seems to be quite mediocre."
Wang Qianqian smiled dismissively: "What my sister said is exactly what I wanted to say."
"What my sister means is..."
Wang Qianqian smiled mysteriously and looked at her.
"The prince has begun to loathe Princess Xiao!"
Wu Lanyu didn't seem to understand.
Wang Qianqian gave a cold smirk: "Good sister, let's see who's more capable now. I don't want to become enemies with you."
Wu Lanyu smiled awkwardly: "Sister, you've misunderstood me. I've never thought of monopolizing the Prince, nor would I ever turn against you."
Wang Qianqian fanned her with a round fan and put it back in its original place.
"I just came to let you know, that's all." She stood up, smiled, and glanced at the calm Wu Lanyu. "I still need to visit Madam Chen, so I'll be going now."
"Wang Qianqian has been gone for a while," Qingmei said.
"Master, this is a rare opportunity. Are you really not going to take a gamble?"
Wu Lanyu shed her weak, ignorant, and unassuming demeanor.
"What do you think? Am I, the daughter of a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Rites, to remain subservient to others for long? Humph! Whether it's Xiao Yiqing or Wang Qianqian, they will all have to submit to me!"
"Master, Madam Shen? The Prince seems to treat her very well too."
Wu Lanyu let out a cold laugh: "Not bad? Qingmei, how bad are your eyes? The Prince treats her well? Humph! If the Prince truly cared for her, he wouldn't have let Princess Xiao harm her!!"
"What the master means is that Madam Shen has miscarried..."
"Don't tell anyone."
"Yes, Master."
Wu Lanyu looked at the bamboo fan that Wang Qianqian had just been holding with utter disgust and disdain.
"Burn it!!!"
"Yes, Master."
Shangguan Zeyu bestowed many tonics upon Jiang Yan and Shen Qianqian, as well as a great deal of gold and silver jewelry.
Shen Qianqian had originally thought that Shangguan Zeyu would despise her because of her miscarriage, but now that she saw him bestowing so many gifts upon her, she was overjoyed and dressed up nicely before going to find Shangguan Zeyu.
Shangguan Zeyu just returned from outside.
"Your Highness, Your Highness, wait a moment."
Upon hearing the sound, Shangguan Zeyu stopped and turned to look at her.
"Chen Qianqian? Aren't you supposed to be recuperating? What are you doing here?"
Zhang Qin only glanced at Chen Qianqian briefly, then lowered his eyes and remained silent.
"Your Highness, Qianqian has finally caught up with you."
Shen Qianqian's cheeks were flushed, she was panting heavily, and the hair on her forehead was soaked with sweat.
"Qianmei, why are you running so fast? Look how tired you are!" Shangguan Zeyu changed his previous impatience and indifference and helped her up with concern.
Shen Qianqian smiled shyly: "Your Highness~ Qianqian hasn't seen you for so long, I've missed you so much."
When she said "I want to," her voice was both alluring and sweet, making Zhang Qin feel embarrassed and take four or five steps back.
But Shangguan Zeyu seemed oblivious, his expression remaining the same as before—cold yet not distant.
"Qianmei, your health is important. It was my oversight. I thought you needed to rest, but I didn't realize you also wanted to see me."
As Shangguan Zeyu spoke, his voice grew deeper and softer, like the finest silk gently gliding over one's skin—itchy, soft, and unforgettable.
"Your Highness~~"
"Alright, I happen to have some time now, I'll take you back to rest, Qianmei."
Ignoring the disappointment and desolation in Shen Qianqian's eyes, Shangguan Zeyu put his arm around her waist and walked towards Xinghua Manor.
To get to Xinghuazhuang, take the left fork in the road on the main road, go in from there, pass Haitangyuan, and walk another hundred meters or so and you will arrive.
However, Shangguan Zeyu took the fork in the road to the right of the main road.
That's the only way to get to Pear Blossom Residence, but not the only way to get to other courtyards.
"Your Highness, this is the road to Pear Blossom Residence..."
"Oh? I seem to recall that this road connects to the road on the left?"
"That would take a very, very long detour..."
"Qianmei is unwilling to accompany me for a walk?"
"No, no, Qianqian is of course willing."
"If Qianmei doesn't like walking this path, I can walk the same way we came with her, how about that?" Shangguan Zeyu smiled so brightly that it was hard to look away.
Shen Qianqian was naturally powerless to resist and surrendered.
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