Song Zhiyu carefully put away the prepared pills, instructed Lu Bai to continue monitoring Chen the wet nurse's whereabouts, and then took her things and went out.
The streets of the capital were bustling and lively, filled with the cries of vendors and the chatter of pedestrians.
It had been some time since Song Zhiyu was reborn, but it felt like she was in a dream. It wasn't until she saw the familiar scenes on both sides of the street again that she felt a little bit of reality.
Song Zhiyu casually walked into a shop, looked at a few pieces of jewelry, and picked out a jade hairpin of good quality. Just as she was about to buy it, a haughty and sharp female voice rang out from behind her, "I want this hairpin. Shopkeeper, wrap it up for me."
"This..." The shopkeeper looked troubled, clearly not wanting to offend the visitor.
But Song Zhiyu had chosen the hairpin first, and everyone knows the rule of first come, first served. He didn't want to ruin his own shop's reputation, so he was caught in a dilemma.
The woman glanced at Song Zhiyu disdainfully, her tone contemptuous, showing she didn't take her seriously. "Didn't you hear what I said? I've got my eye on this hairpin. Does she look like a poor wretch and can afford it?"
Song Zhiyu glanced at her own clothes: a light purple silk dress, a single jade hairpin in her hair, and no makeup. Compared to the woman in front of her, dressed in fine clothes and adorned with gold hairpins, her attire was far too simple. No wonder she was considered poor and shabby.
"Wrap it up, I'll buy this hairpin." Song Zhiyu ignored the woman's words. She had entered the shop first and chosen her items first, so why should she let the other woman have her way?
Unexpectedly, Song Zhiyu was so oblivious. The woman suddenly turned her head, and the hairpin on her head shook violently with her movement, making a tinkling sound. "You poor girl dare to snatch things from me? Do you know who I am?"
My elder sister is the concubine of the Prince of Li. If you dare offend me, believe me, I'll make sure you don't see the sun rise tomorrow.
Upon hearing the words "Prince Li," Song Zhiyu paused in his actions, looked up at the woman, and a calculating glint flashed in his eyes.
She hadn't even made a move against Prince Li yet, and this weakness was delivered right to her doorstep.
"What if I don't allow it? Do you think you can get Prince Li to kill me?" Song Zhiyu's red lips parted slightly, her tone full of seductive meaning, intentionally leading the woman into the trap she had set.
The woman snorted coldly, her anger indeed provoked. She continued along with Song Zhiyu's words, "Why not? You are nothing but a lowly commoner. If you want to kill me, so be it. Who dares to oppose my Tan family and the Liwang family?"
These words caused an uproar among the crowd, and everyone looked at the woman with disgust and dissatisfaction.
Her use of the term "lowly people" encompassed all commoners.
Song Zhiyu feigned surprise, deliberately raising his voice to attract more onlookers. "I never expected that Prince Li, who is known for his virtue and concern for the people, would allow his concubine's sister to use his name to commit murder, all for a hairpin."
"If King Li is such a person, then what about the lives of us common people?"
"They keep using the term 'lowly commoners' and even tried to beat this girl to death in the street. It's clear they've a history of disregarding human life."
"..."
The whispers of the people reached Tan Yingying's ears clearly, making her panic. Even if she was stupid, she knew that she had said something she shouldn't have.
If her father finds out what happened today, she's finished.
"Shut up! Who gave you permission to speak ill of Prince Li? Anyone who dares to utter a word about what happened today is going against the Tan family. You should think this through." Tan Yingying looked at the angry but resentful expressions of the crowd with satisfaction, and breathed a long sigh of relief, thinking that her threat had worked and that they wouldn't dare to go out and spread rumors.
"This woman's words and actions are inappropriate, and she has slandered the prince. I will take her back for a proper interrogation." With the reassurance of her trusted maid, Tan Yingying regained her composure.
She felt a momentary surge of jealousy as she looked at Song Zhiyu's beautiful face, and a wicked thought arose in her mind.
"Is Miss Tan so angry and embarrassed that I hit a nerve, and now she wants to kill someone to silence her?" Song Zhiyu didn't expect Tan Yingying to be so stupid as to try to arrest someone in the street. Isn't this just handing over the Prince of Li's secret to his political enemies?
Tan Yingying was furious. Knowing that if Song Zhiyu continued to talk, things would only get worse, she roared at the servants beside her, "What are you standing there for? Quickly cover her mouth and take her back."
Seeing that Tan Yingying was about to make a move, the woman who had been watching from the crowd for a long time finally couldn't help but speak up, "Tan Yingying, don't push your luck."
"Ye Linxi, what business is it of yours? You're just a down-on-your-luck guy, how dare you lecture me? Don't think that just because Brother Xiao Xun is protecting you, I won't dare to touch you."
Enemies meeting are bound to be filled with hatred.
Tan Yingying likes Xiao Xun and always follows him around. She has long regarded herself as Xiao Xun's wife.
She thought she could marry Xiao Xun as she wished, until Ye Linxi's arrival shattered her dream.
She was just a down-on-her-luck cousin from the Marquis of Anyang's mansion. Why should Brother Xiao Xun treat her differently?
"You dare touch her?" A sinister and cold voice came from the shop entrance.
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw the heir of the Marquis of Anyang and Pei Qingyan walking in one after the other, their expressions identically indifferent.
"Cousin." Ye Linxi's body stiffened, her face turning pale instantly. Under Xiao Xun's burning and oppressive gaze, she subconsciously took two steps back and murmured her name.
Whenever she met Xiao Xun's gaze, she couldn't help but recall that night...
The soft touch, the burning body temperature, and the intense love in the man's eyes enveloped her, leaving her no escape.
Xiao Xun's eyes were dark. For every step Ye Linxi took back, he took a step closer, not allowing her to back down.
If the mountain won't come to me, then I'll come to the mountain.
Whether a forced relationship is sweet or not, you'll only know after you try.
Tan Yingying watched the two men's actions with a burning hatred in her eyes.
That vile woman seduced Brother Xiao Xun again; she must make Aunt Xiao kick her out of the Marquis's mansion.
Song Zhiyu then turned her gaze to Pei Qingyan, her eyes sparkling like stars.
The man in black on the opposite rooftop took in Song Zhiyu's subtle expressions, and his grip on his teacup tightened involuntarily.
The man in brocade robes sitting by the window clicked his tongue twice and teased, "This little girl likes Pei Qingyan? I agree to this marriage."
Ling Chen raised his fox-like eyes slightly, and tapped the man in brocade on the head with his folding fan, his words carrying a hidden meaning, "What's the use of your agreement? There are people who disagree."
"So this is the benefactor you've been longing for?" Ling Chen looked at Zhou Xingzhi beside him, whose face was calm but whose eyes were churning with turbulent emotions. Although it was a question, his tone was one of certainty.
He caught a glimpse of the cracked teacup in Zhou Xingzhi's hand out of the corner of his eye, and shook his head with a wry smile.
Even their usually composed and upright Crown Prince has his moments of losing his composure.
That's interesting, really interesting.
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