Faced with Shen Qingtang's question, Xue Zhiyi wanted to deny it.
But she was also worried. Was Shen Qingtang still deeply in love with Huo Wuyou? If she knew that she and Huo Wuyou were not in love, would Shen Qingtang still want to be with him?
Seeing Xue Zhiyi's eyes evasive, Shen Qingtang quickly said, "Don't misunderstand me, what I mean is..."
She sighed in frustration, "I'm sure you've noticed. I'm actually attracted to the Marquis of Lin'an, but I don't want to compete with you for him, and I won't do something stupid like resenting others if I can't have him..."
Xue Zhiyi's eyes lit up immediately: "Don't you want to get him?"
Shen Qingtang looked frustrated. "He doesn't like me, so what can I do to win him over? Besides, I, Shen Qingtang, am a woman of integrity. Can I still chase after a man and beg him to look at me? Since he doesn't have me in his heart, I don't want him in my heart either!"
Listening to her impassioned speech, Xue Zhiyi's brows relaxed little by little, and his heart finally settled down: "Are you serious?"
"Of course!" Shen Qingtang looked at her aggrievedly: "So now you can tell me what your relationship is, right?"
Xue Zhiyi secretly rejoiced that he had gotten rid of Xue Tingsheng and the bad love affair that might endanger Shen Qingtang. God really had a good will.
At this moment, she could finally admit without worry: "The Marquis of Lin'an and I are not in a relationship between a man and a woman."
Shen Qingtang opened her mouth in surprise. She looked at Xue Zhiyi and said, "Why wouldn't I believe it?"
"Really?" Xue Zhiyi said.
If there was any love between a man and a woman, it was her taking advantage of Huo Wuyou.
But now, it cannot be said that she was completely exploited. What she did really brought benefits to Huo Wuyou.
For example, he weakened Prince Gong's party, helped him gain the trust of the Minister of Rites Fang Ou, and even changed the Empress Dowager's dead end.
How can the exchange of interests be called exploitation?
Hearing this, Shen Qingtang also breathed a sigh of relief: "Your engagement with Prince Gong is still unclear, and His Majesty hasn't issued an edict to make it clear. I'm relieved that there's nothing going on between you and him. Otherwise, I'd always worry that something might go wrong, which would be terrible."
But she suddenly smiled: "But I think he has you in his heart."
Xue Zhiyi remained silent. She had noticed this a long time ago.
Shen Qingtang sighed deeply and looked at Xue Zhiyi with a teasing look: "It's just right, let the Marquis of Lin'an have a taste of what he has been longing for. I can't bear this kind of pain alone!"
The two of them were talking animatedly when they suddenly heard an inappropriate sound.
Only to hear a familiar voice with a hint of sarcasm: "Miss Shen, how can you speak to a palace maid like this? Aren't you afraid that others will see you and think you have violated the rules?"
Following the voice, Xue Zhiyi could only sneer inwardly, and saw that the person who spoke was actually Zhao Lian.
The person standing next to her was Ge Yuanhui, who was still the center of attention.
Today, Ge Yuanhui still has that gorgeous and noble demeanor, as graceful and elegant as a noble peony.
However, there was no scar on her forehead. Instead, there was a hibiscus foil that almost occupied her entire forehead.
Many women in Dayong like to stick floral foil on their faces, but no one has ever tried to use such a bold and passionate pattern on their face.
The red hibiscus flower made her face even more vibrant and charming, adding a touch of charm to her dignified demeanor, like a lamp painted with gold pastels, which was hard to ignore at a glance.
After her face was damaged, Ge Yuanhui became even more beautiful. Even Xue Zhiyi couldn't help but be moved when he saw her.
Following behind Ge Yuanhui were still the ladies who followed her lead. Some of them also followed Ge Yuanhui's example and pasted conspicuous large floral foil on their foreheads, but in comparison, they looked a little ugly.
Shen Qingtang was stunned. She held Xue Zhiyi's hand even tighter: "Zhiyi is from the palace after all, you...
Ge Yuanhui did not stop Zhao Lian, and Zhao Lian became even more arrogant. She sneered, "What's wrong with being in the palace? The servants in the palace, the lowest slaves are also palace people. How noble can Xue Zhiyi be? Xue Zhiyi's family is now in decline, and there is no one to support her at home. What's the difference between the daughter of a criminal and a slave? She deserves to be served!"
Her brother had married Xue Hanshu. When the Xue family was in trouble, they were terrified for a long time, fearing that they would be implicated by such an in-law. Now that they had escaped a disaster, she hated the Xue family to death. How could she vent her anger by torturing Xue Hanshu on a daily basis? Now that she saw Xue Zhiyi, she naturally wanted to trample her under her feet.
But Xue Zhiyi remained calm and unperturbed, saying, "Miss Zhao Wu, this is the Imperial Palace, please don't lose your composure."
Zhao Lian, however, seemed to have heard something amusing and sneered, "A slave is still a slave no matter where he is. A lowly slave, what's the difference between him and my foot-washing maid?"
After saying that, everyone around him burst into laughter.
Xue Zhiyi just smiled slightly: "Miss Zhao Wu said that there is no difference between me and your servants. Could it be that she meant that there is no difference between you and the Queen Mother?"
"What...what?" Zhao Lian was stunned and didn't understand the meaning of Xue Zhiyi's words for a moment.
Xue Zhiyi just looked at her and said, "I am now the Imperial Attendant of Jianzhang Palace. As a female official, I serve the Empress Dowager. Since, as Miss Zhao Wu said, I am not much different from the maids in the Zhao Mansion, then Miss Zhao Wu can try and see if you can bear my service."
Zhao Lian was stunned, and the ladies who were laughing so hard just now also shut up.
"Are you from Jianzhang Palace? Just you?"
Shen Qingtang snorted softly: "Could it be that you still want to ask the Queen Mother in person?"
"Zhao Lian." Only then did Ge Yuanhui finally speak up to stop her: "Don't lose your composure."
As she spoke, she glanced at Xue Zhiyi sideways, and the hand holding the white jade-handled Luo fan clenched tightly, and her long nails seemed to want to scratch Xue Zhiyi's face.
Zhao Lian could only shut up in anger and glared at Xue Zhiyi before she gave up.
At this moment, a voice was heard: "It's really lively here."
Following the sound, I saw a man in a prince's formal attire, with a half-smile in his eyes, and his gaze fell accurately on Xue Zhiyi.
Everyone was shocked and hurriedly bowed, "Greetings to His Royal Highness Prince Gong!"
Xue Zhiyi lowered his eyes and saluted, the smile on his face had long since disappeared.
Judging from Gu Shichong's behavior, I'm afraid he has been watching the fight from the sidelines for a long time.
"Get up."
Following his excuse, everyone stood up.
They were talking freely and excitedly just now, but now that Gu Shichong has arrived, everyone has shut up.
Only Ge Yuanhui was quietly observing Gu Shichong, and she saw that his gaze did not stay on Xue Zhiyi for long, but looked away after just one glance.
She was also glad that Gu Shichong did not speak up for Xue Zhiyi this time.
Yes, my cousin Prince Gong is a proud man. How could he tolerate a tainted person like Xue Zhiyi to stay by his side?
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