"May I ask, Your Highness, where did you see that my painting is rough?" Shen Ye straightened up and looked up at Lian Jingzhi.
Lian Jingzhi pointed a hint of mockery: "I asked you to paint a portrait of a beautiful woman, not an ugly one. Look around, is there anyone in the world uglier than this painting?"
"Your Highness's taste is truly unprecedented and unparalleled. If this is considered ugly, then one can only imagine that the women in Your Highness's harem must all be fat, big-eared, and buck-toothed."
"......"
Lian Jingzhi was instantly choked.
Their eyes met again, and Lian Jingzhi casually crossed his arms over his chest. "You're absolutely right. Beauties don't catch my eye. I'm more interested in vegetables."
Shen Ye's eyes flashed, clearly not expecting Lian Jingzhi to say such a thing. "Hehe, I didn't expect that Your Highness is also a glib-tongued person."
"Heh~!" He laughed again, but this time it was a cold laugh.
He picked up Shen Ye's painting and slammed it down in front of Shen Ye in front of everyone. "My Ning'an Prince's Mansion never supports useless people. Replace this second place with someone else who has the ability. As for you... go back to where you came from."
Shen Ye didn't pick up the painting. Instead, she stood up immediately, pointed at Lian Jingzhi's nose, and started yelling, "You're taking revenge on me for what I did that night! It's so low! You're just getting back at me for what happened that night..."
Before Shen Ye could finish speaking, his mouth was covered. Su Yan said, "Your Highness, he didn't mean to offend you. Please give Chang Jun another chance."
"Opportunities are earned, not given by others." Lian Jingzhi glanced at Shen Ye out of the corner of his eye.
"I'll try to get you to be a big..." Shen Ye regretted his words halfway through. He couldn't be impulsive and offend this target. As long as he was alive, he could always find a way to make a comeback. He should first sneak into the Prince's mansion.
He knelt on the ground, putting on an expression that said, "Your Highness, please forgive my mistake and give me another chance. I really didn't mean to offend you."
If he wants to infiltrate the Prince's mansion, he'll have to bow down to Lian Jingzhi. Once he gets in, he'll be in for a world of trouble.
After hearing Shen Ye's words, Lian Jingzhi also put on a smile.
An eerie silence lasted for a minute before Lian Jingzhi spoke, "Then I'll give you a chance. The backyard is short of someone to chop wood and carry water. I wonder if you'd be willing? If not, I won't force you."
As he spoke, he looked down at Shen Ye and thought, "You've gone to such lengths to get into the manor, so be it. Let's see what your true purpose is."
"I'm willing, as long as I can have something to eat."
Then, the second-place finisher became a servant who chopped wood and carried water, and naturally, someone else took his place and became the painter in the palace.
Su Yan felt it was unfair and a pity for Shen Ye. He wanted to confront Lian Jingzhi, but Shen Ye stopped him. It was obvious that Lian Jingzhi was setting him up. Why would he ask Su Yan to speak up for him? Lian Jingzhi would not only refuse to give second place back to Shen Ye, but even Su Yan's first place was very likely to be denied.
That day, Shen Ye went home and sent Yu Rong to work as a handyman in the back of a tavern. This way, he could ensure her food and lodging as well as her personal safety. Otherwise, he would not have been able to take care of her in the Prince's mansion.
The next day, he returned to the palace, told the gatekeeper his name, and then someone led him to the back.
Finally, he was led to a pile of wood. The leader pointed at the pile of wood and said, "The prince said that you are not allowed to eat until you finish your work."
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