Yao Niang listened to a few more sentences and did not expect that Zhuang Lingyi's servant would actually speak like this, because although Zhuang Lingyi had a great chance of winning when he entered the palace, later the Xian Guogong Mansion respected the Lin family and the eldest prince, and even Zhuang Lingyi himself asked Princess Zhenyang to pay respects to the Lin family, so he was out from that time.

What's more, she had asked Gao Xuance, and the fact that he could marry her clearly meant that Gao Xuance himself wanted to marry her.

Otherwise, she was supposed to marry the King of Zhou. But no matter whether it was the King of Zhou or the King of Chen, she was worthy of him and she didn't use any tricks. Zhuang Lingyi's family actually dared to slander her and raise their own status.

Still indifferent to fame and fortune?

The Duke of Constitutional Mansion is in such a mess now, and she still calls herself the daughter of the Duke of Constitutional Mansion.

She wondered if this person was hysterical. How could he enter the palace as a companion? Why was she not chosen? Was she snatched away by someone else? Li Tianjiao was the granddaughter of the Prime Minister, and Wei Feng also had a good family background. Tang Huijun was the niece of the Queen.

Just when Yao Niang was angry, Gao Xuance suddenly rushed out.

Zhuang Lingyi only felt a shadow shrouding his eyes, and when he looked up suddenly, he actually saw Gao Xuance.

Gao Xuance looked her up and down, and then picked up Nanny Yuan, who had just spoken too much, like a chicken, and laughed in anger: "It's really true that cats and dogs can slander me these days."

"Prince, I..." Zhuang Lingyi was so frightened that he didn't know how to object.

"What do you mean by 'you'? How dare you be worthy of this prince? I tell you honestly, I have had an impression of you from the beginning because you said bad things about Yao Niang. If you hadn't said bad things about Yao Niang back then, I wouldn't even know who you are? How dare you flatter yourself. You are not at all comparable to my Yao Niang. Not only is she smart, brave, kind and considerate, she is also the best girl in the world. To tell you the truth, none of us brothers liked you back then, and you still say that you are indifferent to fame and fortune. You are so shameless. Only my sister Yao is the one I asked for myself." Gao Xuance was really angry to death.

Why would anyone slander Yao Niang?

Zhuang Lingyi had now regained consciousness, and she quickly knelt down and said, "It was all my fault for talking too much, please forgive me, Your Highness."

"Forgive you? You just pushed it away completely."

After being talked about behind someone's back and being slapped in the face, Zhuang Lingyi's face felt hot and red.

It would be fine if Yao Niang heard it, but Gao Xuance himself heard it. She had heard of the prince's reputation. He was not a kind person.

Zhuang Lingyi kowtowed again and said, "It is my fault that I did not discipline the servants well. Please punish me. It is all my fault."

She was a woman after all, and it was the Crown Prince of King Chen who had taken a look at her before, and seemed to have some pity on her back then. Although Zhuang Lingyi was not ashamed of doing so, men would never be too cruel to women.

Yao Niang did not come out because Gao Xuance had already started to make a noise. If she quarreled with him like a shrew, it would damage her image. It would be better for her to just listen. If Gao Xuance reacted too violently, she would step forward to persuade him.

In fact, it would be good for Zhuang Lingyi to apologize. People who fail have already failed greatly. It is probably because their life is not as satisfactory as it used to be, and they no longer have the high spirits they used to have, so they always fantasize about how good they are.

Come to think of it, she was married to Lu Xiao in her previous life, and never complained about Lu Xiao's identity.

While he was thinking, he heard Gao Xuance sneer: "Punish you? Humph, if someone like you dared to slander the Crown Princess and get close to this Crown Prince in the palace, it would be a serious crime."

Zhuang Lingyi heaved a sigh of relief when she heard this. Gao Xuance said, "You should apologize to the Crown Princess first. For so many years, you have said bad things about her behind her back, and you think it's justified."

As he spoke, he waved to Yao Niang, who then came out and saw Zhuang Lingyi. Zhuang Lingyi was no longer the same person she used to be. She was only about thirty years old, but she did not look young and energetic at all. Instead, she looked old and gloomy.

When Zhuang Lingyi saw Yao Niang, he was stunned. She was still so beautiful.

She didn't even look at herself, but just said to Gao Xuance: "Why are you so angry?"

Gao Xuance said, "Sister Yao, she has said bad things about you before, but you never really took it to heart. As the saying goes, if you catch a thief, you catch the stolen goods. Look, we heard it with our own ears today. I'll make her kowtow to you and make amends, okay?"

"Well, Zhuang bullied me in the past, but I never wanted to make it public. Prince, you are so good to me. As the saying goes, show mercy to others. I just hope that she won't say such evil things in the future." She could never stand Zhuang Lingyi.

Gao Xuance looked at Zhuang Lingyi and said, "Why don't you kneel down and apologize for your crime and show gratitude to the Crown Princess?"

Never had she felt so humiliated before. Zhuang Lingyi crawled on the ground, her face so red and hot that it seemed to be bleeding. Her heart was as sharp as a knife. What was this? Luo Yaoniang was just a little better looking than her, but she could easily gain the prince's favor. The prince was so wise and powerful, but he still stood up for her?

"What are you still standing there for?" Gao Xuance scolded.

Only then did Zhuang Lingyi kowtow and say, "It is all my fault. Please forgive me."

"No, if you say that you have a vicious heart and often slander my sister Yao for no reason, even I can hear it two or three times at random. How many times have you said it outside? You are just like Wang Po selling melons, praising yourself. I don't think this prince will fall in love with you..." Gao Xuance was very dissatisfied with her attitude of admitting her mistakes.

Nanny Yuan had just been thrown aside by Gao Xuance. Now, seeing Gao Xuance saying this, she said, "This is all my fault. Please, Prince, do not punish our wife. She is the daughter of the Duke of Xian's mansion after all—"

"So what? Can a mere daughter of a married Xian Guo Duke slander my Crown Princess at will?" If Yao Niang had not been here, Gao Xuance would never have bothered with this old woman.

Zhuang Lingyi pursed her lips and kowtowed again: "Your Highness, Crown Princess, I was blinded by greed and had evil thoughts, so I spoke without thinking. Please forgive me."

Yao Niang and Gao Xuance looked at each other and said, "I won't care about it this time. I just hope you can be a good person in the future."

Zhuang Lingyi breathed a sigh of relief, while Gao Xuance was like chasing a fly: "Get lost, don't disturb our fun."

Nanny Yuan quickly supported Zhuang Lingyi as he stumbled out. Zhuang Lingyi had never felt so embarrassed in his life. It turned out that he only had Crown Princess Luo in his heart.

That is to say, not only Prince Chen, but even Prince Zhou did not fancy her. Even if she tried her best to please him, it was useless because Prince Chen did not have her in his heart at all. He even remembered her only because she gossiped about Luo Yaoniang.

She is so conceited!

Thinking of this, she became so angry that she fell backwards.