"Does His Highness also ask where this consort went?" she retorted sarcastically.
"What do you mean by that?" he glanced at her.
She sneered, "Your Highness, that little maidservant named Nuoluo, isn't she very beautiful? She seems to be only a little over ten years old, a young girl, so tender that you could squeeze water from her. I presume Your Highness would like such a type."
Ye Qingcheng had also seen this little maidservant named Nuoluo. She was indeed a beauty in the making.
Compared to Nuoluo, Ye Qingcheng's appearance was indeed inferior.
"Why are you suddenly mentioning this?" he frowned.
"What, can't I? Or has this consort accidentally touched Your Highness's sore spot? It seems Your Highness really likes Nuoluo. Then this consort won't say anything more. If Your Highness likes her, you might as well pamper her well."
She was angered by the previous conversation and couldn't control her words at all.
Although she spoke that way, her heart kept telling her to stop, that those words were not what she truly meant to express.
But she could no longer control herself.
Xiao Wangye was silent for a moment and said, "I've never seen someone as generous as you before."
In an instant, Ye Qingcheng's eyes turned red.
Did he mean to imply that he was indeed interested in that little maidservant named Nuoluo?
"Yes, after all, this consort isn't utterly dependent on Your Highness, just as Your Highness isn't solely dependent on this consort." She spoke with a cold smile, feeling utterly heartbroken.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Wangye's expression changed, "You say you are not utterly dependent on His Highness?"
She provocatively said, "Yes, Your Highness, don't you know? The young Marquis Dingyuan has always been interested in this consort, and he might elope with me at any moment. Besides him, there is also Young Master Shangguan."
Hearing her mention Shangguan Hong, Xiao Wangye's face darkened, and he crushed the teacup in his hand.
Ye Qingcheng was startled.
"You mean, if they wish, you would go with them?" He looked at her expressionlessly, letting the shards of the teacup cut his palm.
Blood flowed profusely, yet he acted as if nothing had happened.
"So what if I do?" she glared at him defiantly.
"Heh, then you will likely be disappointed." He stood up, blood dripping from his palm onto the ground. "Your Young Master Shangguan is already close to death. You probably won't wait for him to take you away."
"Close to death? What do you mean, close to death?"
Ye Qingcheng's eyes widened as she looked at Xiao Wangye.
"Literally," he left those few words and turned to leave.
Ye Qingcheng frowned, suddenly at a loss.
Shangguan Hong was close to death? Was this true? Could he be faking illness? But for what reason would Shangguan Hong fake illness? He always had a reason for his actions, but now it seemed he had no reason at all to fake an illness.
Since Xiao Wangye said he was close to death, then Shangguan Hong might truly be at the end of his life.
For a moment, Ye Qingcheng no longer cared about Nuoluo or Xiao Wangye. Her mind was filled with thoughts of Shangguan Hong's critical condition.
She sat in the courtyard for a moment, and finally, she made a decision.
Regardless of the reason, she felt she should go and see Shangguan Hong.
Tonight, Ye Qingcheng decided to leave the Regent's Manor and personally visit Shangguan Hong's residence.
Although she had decided to visit Shangguan Hong, overcoming Xiao Wangye's barrier was extremely difficult.
Ye Qingcheng mentally rehearsed several plans, all of which ended in failure. Especially after a quarrel just now, the possibility of him allowing her to visit Shangguan Hong was almost zero.
Her head ached from thinking, and Ye Qingcheng walked out of her small courtyard, coincidentally encountering Gu Qingyuan, whom she hadn't seen in some time.
"Why are you here?" She looked at him with wide eyes, her face full of disbelief.
Wasn't it said that Xiao Wangye absolutely would not let him in? And he had maintained a safe distance from the Regent's Manor because of Xiao Wangye.
How could it be such a coincidence that he came to the manor this time?
Upon seeing Ye Qingcheng, Gu Qingyuan scratched his head and smiled, "Well, it's because the Regent invited me."
"He sent someone to invite you? Why?" She still didn't understand.
"It seems he said there was a restless maidservant in the manor, and your Prince knew that my manor had a good place, so he asked me to take her away and train her properly," Gu Qingyuan said.
"A restless maidservant?"
"Yes, I think her name was Nuoluo," Gu Qingyuan mused, stroking his chin.
Instantly, Ye Qingcheng felt as if she had been struck by something.
She was stunned for a moment.
Was it because she had asked Xiao Wangye about Nuoluo that he had asked Gu Qingyuan to take her away? Did this also mean that he had no interest in that Nuoluo at all?
"Princess Consort? Princess Consort? Are you alright?"
Gu Qingyuan reached out and waved his hand in front of her eyes.
Ye Qingcheng snapped back to reality, looked at Gu Qingyuan in front of her, and then, gritting her teeth, said, "I need your help with something."
"What kind of help?"
Ye Qingcheng beckoned him over. As he leaned closer, she stood on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and whispered in his ear, "Help me knock out Xiao Wangye. I have something to attend to and need to leave the manor temporarily. But I don't want him to know."
She released Gu Qingyuan and blinked at him, "How about it? Can you do it?"
"This might not be good, right? After all, your Prince doesn't allow you to go out for your own good," he said.
"I know he's doing it for my own good, but I really have something to do. Please help me this once," she blinked again.
Gu Qingyuan sighed, "Alright then, I'll help you just this once. Only this once, mind you."
"Mhm, you're the best."
She smiled. With Xiao Wangye's matter resolved, it would be easy to visit Shangguan Hong tonight.
As for Gu Qingyuan's "only this once," it seemed he didn't plan to help again in the future, but she wasn't worried. If she needed his help again, she could just act cute a bit more.
Since they hadn't reconciled after the quarrel during the day, Xiao Wangye did not sleep with her that night but went to another room.
As the moon was high and the wind was strong, Ye Qingcheng received the news that Gu Qingyuan had successfully knocked out Xiao Wangye. She immediately scaled the wall and crept out of the manor.
Her horses were already prepared, and Ye Qingcheng soon arrived at Shangguan Hong's residence.
Guided by the night watchman, she went to Shangguan Hong's room and pushed the door open.
"Young Master Shangguan, the Princess Consort from the Regent's Manor has arrived," the attendant announced.
Shangguan Hong's room was lit, but not brightly, just enough for minimal illumination. He was lying on his bed, indeed much thinner than when she had seen him a few days prior.
Judging by his appearance, he truly looked frail and close to death.