Before the Ninth Prince had finished dealing with official business, he received news that people from the Bai and Gu families had gone to the National Academy.
He stepped into the tea room with a cold expression, dressed in a bright red robe and with his hair tied up in a golden crown.
His gaze immediately fell on Yuan Yao.
"Father!"
The little dumpling rushed towards him with a joyful expression.
The Ninth Prince opened his arms, bent down, and scooped up the milk dumpling.
Everyone in the tea room bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Excellency."
Neither the Bai family father and daughter nor the Gu family father and daughter dared to utter a sound.
The dean of the National Academy approached and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, please take a seat."
The Ninth Prince nodded, carried Yuan Yao to the head seat, and then said lightly, "I've heard that something has happened at the Rongguo Duke's Mansion and the Changdu Marquis's Mansion?"
Bai Fengyuan and Gu Bowen both wiped their sweat, not daring to get up: "Your Majesty, that is indeed the case."
"Oh?" The Ninth Prince held Yuan Yao in one arm and took the teacup from Dean Kong with the other.
He took a sip of tea before saying, "Something happened. Instead of reporting to the Ministry of Justice and the Inspectorate, why did you come to the National Academy?"
"I had no idea that the National Academy had become a place for reporting crimes?"
After the Ninth Prince finished speaking, his gaze shifted and landed on Dean Kong's face.
Dean Kong cupped his hands in apology: "Your subject is humbled."
The Ninth Prince lightly flicked his sleeve, then looked at Gu Bowen and Bai Fengyuan, and said coldly, "The people from the Dali Temple are quite bold, daring to overstep my bounds and interrogate the prince and princess!"
With a thud, Bai Fengyuan knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, please forgive us. We came to the National Academy not for interrogation, but simply to inquire about what happened at the banquet that day..."
"A banquet?" The Ninth Prince's gaze turned icy. "What is the purpose of this banquet?"
Bai Wantao, sporting a bald head and a greasy face, knelt beside her father: "Your Majesty, the other day, Wantao had a disagreement with Princess Huaiyao in the Imperial Garden..."
Wan Tao clearly apologized, but last night, someone shaved my head!
With tears in her eyes, Gu Yucha also knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, Yucha only had the same hairstyle as Princess Yuanyao that day, but last night, Yucha's hair... was also shaved off..."
Their heads and faces were in increasingly worse condition than each other.
The Ninth Prince glanced at her once, then looked away and asked coldly, "Huaiyao."
Huaiyao reluctantly stepped forward, gripping the whip: "Your Majesty."
The Ninth Prince pointed at Bai Wantao: "Did you do that to her head and face?"
"No!" Huaiyao said angrily.
"No?" Bai Wantao stared with her swollen, red eyes and said, "If it wasn't you, then who else could it be?"
Huaiyao's eyes widened even more: "Bai Wantao, are you sick? You've offended so many people, how would this princess know who they are?"
If you continue to slander this princess, I will borrow a knife and prove my reputation!
Even though you have no hair to shave, your eyebrows are still there!
Did they shave her eyebrows?
Like Gu Yucha?
Bai Wantao was both angry and scared.
She believed that if Huaiyao could say it, he could definitely do it!
Bai Wantao was half-kneeling and half-sitting, tears streaming down her face.
Huaiyao snorted and walked to Huairou's side.
Gu Yucha wiped away her tears and looked up at the Ninth Prince: "Your Highness..."
The Ninth Prince looked at her expressionlessly: "What is it?"
Looking at the peerless and aloof Ninth Prince, and then at herself, with only two strands of her beautiful hair remaining beside her ears, and her head covered in turtles and messy drawings, Gu Yucha felt unbearably ashamed.
As a woman, she was not even as pretty as a man's finger...
With tears in her eyes, Gu Yucha knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, after much thought, I have realized that I have not offended anyone."
If I had to offend anyone, it would only be because I had the same hairstyle as Princess Yuan Yao on the day of the banquet...
Yu Cha knew she had offended the princess, but... but why shave Yu Cha's hair?
"Yu Cha is a woman; how can she live without her hair?"
Yuan Yao: "?"
Although, she and Yun Chan shaved her hair.
But she shaved Gu Yucha's head not because they had the same hairstyle!
If she doesn't stand up and bully Huaiyao with Bai Wantao, who will care about her?
Sure enough, it has the aroma and flavor of tea!
Yun Chan's painting of that cup of tea is absolutely wonderful!
Yunchan is practically a tea connoisseur!
Yuan Yao glanced at Gu Yucha, then looked up at the Ninth Prince and said confidently, "Father, I didn't shave Princess Gu's hair!"
It was Yun Chan's hand that moved.
Looking at his beloved daughter, the Ninth Prince naturally believed her.
Moreover, Ying truthfully reported what happened that night to him.
The Ninth Prince nodded and looked at Gu Yucha: "You first said that Yun Chan shaved your hair, and then you implied that Yuan Yao shaved your hair."
As everyone knows, Yun Chan is in poor health and coughs after walking just a few steps.
Tell me, how did he manage to get past the strict security of the Rongguo Duke's mansion and into your boudoir with his frail and sickly body?
Furthermore, Yuan Yao was only three years old, so how could she have entered the Rongguo Duke's mansion?
"In my opinion, Princess Gu, are you implying that I shaved your hair and painted your face? Is that right?"
His voice was cold and ruthless.
Each sound was like a blade of ice.
Gu Yucha and Gu Bowen both turned pale.
"No!" Gu Yucha shook her head desperately, tears welling in her eyes. "Your Majesty, Yucha didn't mean that!"
Yu Cha only wanted to seek justice for herself! How dare she doubt His Majesty?
"You dare not?" The Ninth Prince coldly glared at her. "Isn't that what you're doing right now?"
Gu Yucha listened, feeling utterly speechless.
Her eyes were blurry with tears as she looked at her father.
Gu Bowen's face was extremely pale. He shook his head at her before speaking, "Your Highness, my daughter is young and spoke nonsense out of anger..."
The reason I... this humble commoner came to find the princess and the others first was to find out what was going on...
Ultimately, this is just a conflict between children; it would be best if it could be resolved privately.
As the son of the Duke of Rongguo, who held no official position and was not granted a title, Gu Bowen could only refer to himself as a "commoner".
The moment he uttered the word "commoner," Gu Yucha knew that she could no longer count on her father.
Unfortunately, it was inconvenient for the Duke of Rong to intervene in such matters...
Gu Yucha hung her head and cried very sadly.
The Ninth Prince glanced at Gu Bowen with disdain: "You went to the Dali Temple to report the case in a big way, and then came to the National Academy to search for people. Is this what you call a private resolution?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Bowen lowered his head.
The Ninth Prince looked at the little dumpling in his arms and sneered: "At this time, everyone in the capital knows that the young ladies of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion and the Changdu Marquis's Mansion have had their heads shaved and their faces painted."
Soon, the whole capital will hear that the princesses and princes did this.
It is believed that soon, the State of Chu will also learn that his young prince has been falsely accused of trespassing into a woman's boudoir and committing indecent acts...
"Young Master Gu, is the Rongguo Duke's mansion making such a fuss to arrange the engagement of County Princess Gu to the prince of Chu, thereby currying favor with Chu?"
Engaged...?
He Yunchan?
Yuan Yao stared wide-eyed at Gu Yucha, then at Yun Chan.
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