use
Shangguan Zeyu suddenly pulled her into his arms, whispered sweet nothings in her ear for a while, and then went to the library.
“This is my father’s library, which has always been guarded.” Standing outside the courtyard of the two-story library, Xiao Yiqing looked at the people who looked like soldiers surrounding the building and said.
Shangguan Zeyu hid behind her, tilting his head slightly, and cautiously looked over from her left.
He could tell at a glance that these people were well-trained soldiers!
Sure enough, there must be something he wanted in this library!
Xiao Yiqing looked at them thoughtfully and said, "Your Highness, let's go over there."
Shangguan Zeyu did not refuse and went over with her.
"Who goes there? Stop in your tracks!!!" the tall, imposing man who appeared to be the leader shouted sternly.
Xiao Yiqing puffed out her chest and walked over triumphantly.
"I am the Princess Consort of Duan! This is Prince Duan!! Why don't you kneel down upon seeing the Prince and Princess Consort?"
The man in the lead seemed incredulous and at a loss, glancing at the others behind him who were just as astonished, unable to make a decision.
Xiao Yiqing raised her voice instantly, her anger flaring.
"You bunch of lackeys! Is this how you treat the Prince and Princess? You still want to serve my father? When he returns, I will tell him everything you've done, and we'll see how you explain yourselves then!!!"
Others also knelt down, and they all knelt down at the same time.
"This servant was blind and ignorant, please punish me, Your Highness and Your Highness!" The leading man lowered his head, his voice loud.
Xiao Yiqing glanced at him coldly, then looked at Shangguan Zeyu gently.
"Your Highness, what do you suggest we do to punish them?"
Shangguan Zeyu was very unhappy, whether because of something else or because he felt slighted, but he was very forgiving and said.
"Your Highness, they are, after all, your father's men. Whether to reward or punish them is entirely up to your father."
"How can that be? It doesn't matter if they neglect me, but neglecting Your Highness is unacceptable!!!" Xiao Yiqing said, frowning and coldly scanning the people on the first and second floors one by one, speaking fiercely.
"You just wait! When my father returns, he will punish you severely!!!"
Then, pulling Shangguan Zeyu's right arm, he was about to enter the library.
"Your Highness, Your Highness, please forgive us. The Prime Minister has instructed that no one is allowed to enter the library." The leading man immediately stood up from the ground, spread his arms, and blocked Xiao Yiqing and Shangguan Zeyu.
Shangguan Zeyu seemed to have expected this, but he just stared at him with an icy expression.
But Xiao Yiqing refused!
Without hesitation, she slapped him hard across the face, catching him off guard and causing him to turn his head to the side.
"You dog servants!!! How dare you speak to your master like that? Are you tired of living? You wait, I'll have my mother replace you all in a moment!!!" After saying that, she tried to walk towards the library as if no one else was there, but the other party blocked their way like a wall.
"You have some nerve!!!" Xiao Yiqing said, unable to contain her anger, and was about to hit him again.
At this moment, Shangguan Zeyu grabbed her raised right hand, shook his head slightly, and whispered, "You mustn't do that."
Xiao Yiqing felt wronged: "But they..."
"It's alright, they're just following orders, it's not easy for them. Don't make things difficult for them. Let's go." After saying that, Shangguan Zeyu pulled Xiao Yiqing away.
Xiao Yiqing didn't forget to warn them again: "You just wait! I will never let you be so arrogant!!!" Only then did Shangguan Zeyu pull her away.
They had walked some distance from the attic when Xiao Yiqing asked, puzzled.
"Your Highness, why did you try to pull me away? This is my home! They are my father's servants! They have no right to stop me, or Your Highness!!!"
Shangguan Zeyu said with a faint smile.
"I am deeply moved by the Princess's kindness. However, the library is not located in the palace. I am here as a guest, not the host, and I cannot be rude. Besides, they are just following orders, and scolding or punishing them will have no effect."
Xiao Yiqing vaguely felt that Shangguan Zeyu seemed to be complaining about her, and she asked him tentatively, feeling uneasy.
"Your Highness, do you think I was too unladylike just now?"
Shangguan Zeyu couldn't help but sneer: "When did the Princess Consort ever care about such things?"
Xiao Yiqing blushed instantly, gently tugged at his sleeve, and stamped her feet: "Your Highness, do you really think I was too... rude just now?"
Shangguan Zeyu sighed, looking helpless, and smiled at her before saying...
"Your Highness has your own personality, and I respect that. As I've said before, I don't like beating around the bush; I prefer to be straightforward."
It was impossible to tell how much truth Shangguan Zeyu had said, but Xiao Yiqing felt it was all true, all expressions of Shangguan Zeyu's love and pampering. Overjoyed, she clung to Shangguan Zeyu's right arm, constantly acting coquettish and cute.
...
Summer has arrived, and it's extremely hot from midday to evening; it's impossible to stay outdoors.
Shangguan Zeyu persuaded Xiao Yiqing to have a heart-to-heart talk with her mother, while he and Zhang Qin secretly plotted how to sneak into the library that night and find something useful to them.
Shangguan Zeyu instructed Zhang Qin to find their people and devise a "luring the tiger away from the mountain" plan for the night. He and Zhang Qin would then sneak into the library to find evidence.
Once the time is set, the wait will be extremely agonizing.
Shangguan Zeyu sat inside, drinking one cup of tea after another.
Zhang Qin was busy with the tasks he had been given and was not by his side.
Zhang Qin didn't return until the sun had set.
"Is everything taken care of?"
"Yes, Your Highness. They will sneak into the Prime Minister's residence as soon as the lanterns are lit."
"Has anyone discovered it?"
"Your Highness, rest assured, I have acted very meticulously."
"good."
Shangguan Zeyu and Zhang Qin left the house one after the other.
Xiao Yiqing had nothing to say to her mother.
She was spoiled rotten; she argued with her mother two out of every three sentences they exchanged.
She didn't want to argue with her mother, but she just couldn't get rid of this habit. Several times she saw her mother's chest heaving with anger because of her, and she felt extremely guilty, but she still managed to anger her mother as soon as she opened her mouth.
She wanted to leave to find Shangguan Zeyu, but Shangguan Zeyu told her to spend the day with her mother and that he would take her back to the palace early tomorrow morning.
He also said that he was too tired from handling official business recently and wanted to rest, and didn't want her to bother him.
She heard that he hadn't even eaten dinner, and she was very worried about him. She wanted to bring him food, but halfway there she thought, what if she disturbed his rest and angered him?
She had finally managed to calm him down, and if she angered him again, things would be terrible. So, dejected, she returned to her boudoir in the Prime Minister's mansion, where she had lived before she was married.
Chunhua saw her lying on the soft couch looking sullen and comforted her.
"My lord, the fact that the Prince is willing to accompany you back to the Prime Minister's residence shows that he is still on your side at heart. You should be happy!"
Xiao Yiqing said lazily, "Yes, logically speaking, I should be overjoyed, but when I think about what my mother just said, my heart turns cold again."
Xiao Yiqing's mother asked her, if Shangguan Zeyu truly loved her, why was he unwilling to touch her? Why was he unwilling to have a child with her?
She said that Shangguan Zeyu had never touched any woman!
He has never had children with any woman!
To avoid being looked down upon by her mother, she did not reveal that Shen Qianqian was pregnant with Shangguan Zeyu's child.
Her mother said that Shangguan Zeyu could not touch any woman, could not have children with any woman, but he could not do the same with her.
Because she is a princess, Shangguan Zeyu's lawfully wedded wife, and the mistress of the Duan Prince's mansion!
Her mother told her to keep a close eye on Shangguan Zeyu's whereabouts, saying that she might be able to find out where Shangguan Zeyu's heart was.
When Xiao Yiqing was talking to her mother, she argued her point and didn't think carefully about what her mother was saying.
Now, whenever she has a spare moment and reflects on what her mother said, her heart begins to pound with unease.
Her mother was right. No matter how busy a man is with work or how ambitious he is, he can't possibly avoid touching the person he loves, unless...
Xiao Yiqing dared not and did not want to continue thinking about it.
She was afraid, she was terrified!
She was afraid that the outcome she dared not think about, dared not face, was the truth!
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