"Miss Song, let's hurry back, lest we keep the princess waiting too long." Chunxia smiled, her eyes slightly upturned, and her tone became much lighter.
Whether Song Zhiyu changed into the clothes prepared for her by the Seventh Princess was not important; their real purpose was not just to see her make a fool of herself.
Now that the fish has taken the bait, she can go back and report to her master.
Thinking of the generous reward promised to her by the Seventh Princess, Chunxia's smile deepened, and she couldn't wait any longer.
Song Zhiyu handed her the clothes. When their fingertips touched, the cool touch made Chunxia feel a tingling sensation in her hand and she shivered. It was a fleeting feeling, but she didn't think much of it.
"This is my first time here, and I'm not very familiar with the area. Could you please lead the way, Miss Chunxia?" Song Zhiyu seemed oblivious to the barely concealed malice in Chunxia's eyes. A faint smile appeared on her fair and beautiful face, making her seem innocent, harmless, and incredibly easy to fool.
If Shen Yanxi were here and saw this scene, he would probably be on edge, with alarm bells ringing in his mind.
Having been tricked by Song Zhiyu too many times, he had learned a lot of lessons.
Every time he saw Song Zhiyu's smiling face, he knew that someone else was about to suffer.
Chunxia didn't know Song Zhiyu well, so she naturally thought she was easy to fool and even secretly mocked her in her heart.
The true daughter of the Marquis of Chengen's mansion is nothing special; stupid and brainless, not even as good as a maid.
I'm afraid they'll be sold out and still be counting the money for the other person, right?
Chunxia was lost in her own thoughts, her feet never stopping, unaware that Song Zhiyu, who was walking behind her, had fallen a few steps behind.
Song Zhiyu paused, the smile on her face vanished, her dark, cold pupils narrowed slightly, and she looked up at the figure walking further and further away. Her lips moved slightly, "The medicine should be taking effect soon."
As her last note faded, the figure walking ahead, full of excitement, suddenly jolted, then collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
A rustling sound came from the artificial hill not far away. Lu Bai peeked out and, seeing that no one was around, cautiously walked to Song Zhiyu's side.
"Miss." She looked at the unconscious Chunxia with a puzzled expression.
The people the Seventh Princess sent earlier were clearly trying to get rid of her, and now that Chunxia has inexplicably fallen into a coma, she can't help but connect all the dots.
Song Zhiyu walked forward leisurely, looking down at Chunxia who was lying on the ground with her eyes closed. He slowly took off the sachet from his waist and took out the object that had appeared out of nowhere to examine it carefully.
"Isn't this the Seventh Princess's Blood Jade? Miss, they're trying to frame you!" Lu Bai's eyes widened suddenly, and her mind cleared instantly.
No wonder the young lady, even though she clearly saw through the Seventh Princess's intentions, still allowed the Seventh Princess's people to send her away.
Song Zhiyu stroked the patterns and texture of the blood jade in his hand, his tone enigmatic, "It truly is a fine piece; the Seventh Princess has really gone all out this time."
Lu Bai clutched her dress, her face filled with worry. "Then, Miss, what should we do next? Chunxia is right here. If we return the Blood Jade to her, the Seventh Princess won't be able to harm you."
"Returning the Blood Jade to her is easy enough, but I'm not someone to be trifled with." Song Zhiyu's eyes hardened. So what if she's the Seventh Princess? If she dares to scheme against her, she'll have to be able to withstand her counterattack.
*
Lotus Pavilion.
Not long after Song Zhiyu left, Shen Jinshu caught a glimpse of the Seventh Princess's uncontrollable smile out of the corner of her eye, and knew that her plan had begun.
Since that was the case, she gave it a push.
"Since the lake tour banquet hasn't started yet, and Second Sister hasn't changed her clothes, why don't we go and take a look at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion next door?"
These words were immediately echoed by the noble ladies.
"I heard that the Hundred Flowers Pavilion at the annual lake banquet is very beautiful, and it even contains fresh flowers that are transported from the northern border by fast horses. It is said to be extremely beautiful."
"This suggestion is good, I agree." The Seventh Princess was just worried about not having a good excuse to get rid of these noble ladies, but she didn't expect that Shen Jinshu would solve a big problem for her with just one move.
Since the Seventh Princess had spoken, they naturally had to give her face and echoed her sentiments.
Moreover, as the name suggests, the Hundred Flowers Pavilion truly has a hundred flowers to admire, and they wanted to see them for themselves.
After saying that, the Seventh Princess and Shen Jinshu led a large group of noble ladies toward the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.
*
Meanwhile, in the magnificent yet tranquil bamboo pavilion standing in the center of the lake, two handsome and noble men, with completely different temperaments, sat facing each other.
The young master, dressed in a black python robe, had a handsome face with distinct features, like finely carved white jade, warm and gentle yet noble.
The man's deep, dark eyes revealed a sharp and indifferent look. His long, jade-like fingers toyed with the black pieces in his hand, then slowly placed them down. His movements were elegant and composed, deliberate and methodical, yet they completely blocked the white pieces' escape route on the chessboard.
The outcome is already decided.
"Your Highness's chess skills are becoming increasingly exquisite. Every move you make is incredibly ingenious, truly leaving my brother completely baffled." Prince Li put down the last white piece in his hand, a faint scholarly air lingering between his brows, his smile gentle.
Seeing that the situation was settled, a shadow crossed his eyes, but it vanished in an instant.
Zhou Xingzhi smiled, but his eyes were devoid of warmth. "It's been a long time since I played chess with Ziyan, and I've become a bit rusty."
Upon hearing this, the smile on Li Wang's lips softened slightly, and the gloom in his eyes deepened.
Ling Chen, who had been watching the show from the sidelines, raised an eyebrow, his fox-like eyes, full of allure, smiling.
His Highness the Crown Prince has the same twisted sense of humor as always; he loves to kill by destroying one's spirit.
Not content with defeating the Prince of Li, they also had to stab him in the heart. It's unclear what the Prince of Li did to offend them so badly.
Normally, he wouldn't even bother with the Prince of Li's provocative little actions, so why is he so different today?
Li Wang smiled, picked up the white pieces from the chessboard, and casually changed the subject, "I didn't expect that my royal brother would be interested in the lake banquet. You never participated in previous years."
"I find this year's lake tour banquet particularly interesting." Zhou Xingzhi no longer seemed uninterested as usual; he appeared to have thought of something, and even his tone softened.
Where Yu'er is, things are naturally interesting.
Prince Li was taken aback, suddenly recalling the rumors in the palace and the last family reunion banquet, and his suspicions became seven-tenths.
Ling Chen couldn't bear to look at Zhou Xingzhi and looked away. Seeing Zhou Xingzhi's appearance, he knew everything.
He couldn't help but cast a teasing glance at Pei Qingyan, who had a cold expression on his face, and found it amusing.
He was completely unaware that his little sister was about to be carried back to the wolf's den.
I really wonder what Pei Qingyan's expression will be after he finds out what His Highness the Crown Prince is thinking.
Life was so boring, and he was really curious.
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