She refused to believe that Prince Zhangsun Zhu would dare to lay a hand on them, disregarding the ministers of court and the influence of their powerful families, simply because of some inexplicable woman. Her eyes, filled with a malevolent glare, ignited with a burning fury.
“I will not let that woman have an easy time.”
Shen Xuerou said coldly, her expression hardening.
At that moment, footsteps sounded outside the door, and everyone became tense. Several people fearfully stood up, wondering if it was His Highness. They could barely catch their breath. Fortunately, it was the maid Ying Feng who walked in.
The ladies usually tried to curry favor with Ying Feng, as she was a trusted confidante of His Highness. So, upon seeing her appear, Shen Xuerou immediately put on a smile.
“Oh, isn’t this Miss Ying Feng? Come in, please sit down.”
Ying Feng, leading the third maid, stood motionlessly at the doorway. Her eyes casually swept across the small flower hall. The intended people were all present. With a calm demeanor, she spoke.
“His Highness has instructed that you all behave yourselves. If you provoke someone you shouldn't, you know the consequences. Therefore, think carefully about what you should and shouldn’t do.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the women in the flower hall exchanged glances. His Highness usually paid no mind to the affairs of the women in the inner court, but this time he had sent someone to warn them.
What did this imply? It meant His Highness valued that woman greatly, and it seemed she might indeed become the Crown Princess in the end.
None of these women dared to entertain any further reckless thoughts.
They knew how His Highness conducted himself. His punishments were not simple reprimands; the severe ones could be worse than death. It seemed best for them to remain tranquil.
Only Shen Xuerou’s eyes were filled with a chilling coldness. She hadn't expected him to send a warning for that woman, which meant he was truly infatuated.
She refused to believe that he could do anything to their First Great Family. After all, did he not need the support of the First Great Family to ascend to the throne?
“What are you talking about, Miss Ying Feng? We were just a group of sisters chatting and having fun?”
“That is good. Side Consort Shen has always been an intelligent person and understands the meaning of His Highness’s words best.” After speaking, Ying Feng, leading the third maid, bowed to all the ladies in the room and turned to leave.
In the flower hall, Shen Xuerou waited until she estimated Ying Feng had gone far before daring to let out a cold snort.
“Who does she think she is? Just a mere maid, yet she dares to be so arrogant.”
The dozen or so women below looked at her, questions evident in their eyes. If you’re so brave, why didn’t you show your defiance to her face? Why the resentment behind her back?
The flower hall had just quieted down when a figure rushed in breathlessly. It was a maid from the Anle Courtyard. Panting, she gasped out, “Your Highness, I heard that Miss Ying Qing was punished by His Highness and received twenty military strokes.”
“Mmm, is that so?” Shen Xuerou stood up, a flicker of calculation in her eyes.
This was truly excellent! That Ying Qing was always arrogant, relying on having climbed into His Highness’s bed, and usually looked down on them. Now she had brought suffering upon herself; it served her right.
However, that maid must also be unwilling. She could use this opportunity to investigate who that woman was.
After her calculations, Shen Xuerou’s smile widened, and her mood improved greatly. She waved her hand.
“Alright, sisters, since His Highness has issued his decree, let us cease our actions. It seems the choice for the Crown Princess has been made. You should all visit the Crown Princess more often to maintain good relations.”
“Yes, Sister.”
The dozen or so women responded, simultaneously heaving a sigh of relief. They were genuinely afraid of Shen Xuerou making them do something, and they truly dared not provoke His Highness’s anger, wishing only to live peacefully in the inner court.
Shen Xuerou waited until all the women had left, then suddenly stood up and said anxiously, “Let’s go visit Miss Ying Qing?”
“Yes, Your Highness,” her personal maid quickly replied, following her as she walked towards Ying Qing’s residence.
Although Ying Qing was His Highness’s personal guard, she was considered one of the women in the inner court because she had slept with His Highness. She also had her own courtyard in the inner court.
Because she was always arrogant and looked down on the other ladies, no one in the inner court paid her any attention.
Even Shen Xuerou did not pay her much heed. Therefore, Shen Xuerou felt a schadenfreude when Ying Qing was beaten this time. However, upon entering Ying Qing’s room, her face was filled with feigned sorrow.
“Miss Ying Qing, I heard you were beaten? Why would His Highness hit you?”
Ying Qing was currently lying on the bed. A young maid was attending to her in the room. Upon seeing Side Consort Shen arrive, she dared not offend her and nimbly prepared tea and served it.
Ying Qing, hearing Shen Xuerou’s suppressed glee, felt her face contort as if she were constipated. Indignant, she glared at Shen Xuerou coldly.
“Stop pretending to be happy for me. Do you think I don’t know what you’re trying to do? If you want to know something, ask directly. Stop putting on a false show of kindness, or you’ll hurt yourself.”
Shen Xuerou had always been accustomed to arrogance and high-handedness in the Crown Prince’s mansion. Although she was only a side consort, everyone treated her as the Crown Princess.
As the saying goes, when the tiger is not in the mountains, the monkey becomes king. There had never been a Crown Princess in the mansion before, so she, a side consort, naturally lived a life of luxury and freedom. When had she ever suffered such humiliation? Her expression changed several times.
However, her greatest enemy now was not this maid Ying Qing, but the woman who had occupied her courtyard and stolen her position.
“Alright, you’re straightforward. I like Miss Ying Qing’s forthright temper.”
“Speak,” Ying Qing said, lying on the bed with her eyes closed. Her backside was bruised and bleeding. She had just applied medicine, and the searing pain made her unwilling to say more, nor did she bother with the woman in the room.
“Who is the woman residing in Mingyue Courtyard? What is her background?”
“I don’t know her background. I only know she is called Mu Qingyao and she is from the Xuan Yue Kingdom. His Highness seems to have known her for a long time, and it wasn’t that she wanted to come here; His Highness forced her to stay. She came to the Qing Luo Kingdom because she had no choice.”
After Ying Qing finished speaking, she fell silent. Shen Xuerou, her expression solemn, put down her teacup.
She hadn’t expected that His Highness, such a majestic man, a rare figure in the world, would resort to such despicable means to win over that woman. She felt extremely uncomfortable, heavily slammed the teacup in her hand onto the table, stood up abruptly, and walked out.
In the room, Ying Qing’s voice rang out.
“Don’t touch her. His Highness will not allow anyone to harm her, but if it’s done in secret, perhaps His Highness…”
She didn’t finish her sentence, closing her eyes as if she had fallen asleep. Shen Xuerou, being a woman of great intelligence, understood the meaning of these words. A cold smile played on her lips.
Since she was from the Xuan Yue Kingdom, she likely had no allies in the Qing Luo Kingdom. If she were to disappear mysteriously, no matter how heartbroken His Highness might be, what could he do? Men, after all, would only mourn for a while before embracing others.