As Gu Mingyue spoke, she, with her bulging belly, still wanted to kowtow to Nan Rong Qi, but Nan Rong Qi held her arm.
Gu Mingyue's righteous words made Nan Rong Qi look at her differently.
He had never realized that Gu Mingyue possessed such a righteous side.
Although he disdained being a good person, having someone by his side to maintain his image of being "kind-hearted and amiable" was also a way to enhance his own reputation.
"Mingyue is absolutely right. Guards, go search Miss Gu's room."
"Nephew, hold on!"
Nan Gong Mo glanced at Nan Rong Qi, his eyes flashing with an unfathomable deep light. "Sincerity!"
Nan Rong Qi was stunned, not quite understanding Nan Gong Mo's meaning.
At this moment, Nan Gong Mo turned his head and glanced at Bai Qi.
Bai Qi understood and immediately stepped forward to explain for his master. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, my master says that although Miss Gu has not yet married into the Ninth Prince's manor, she is widely known as the future Ninth Princess Consort of our manor. For Your Highness to send people to search the room of your Ninth Imperial Aunt is disrespectful. Thus, today, for your disrespect, shouldn't Your Highness first apologize to my Princess Consort? If you insist on searching, shouldn't you also show some sincerity?"
Bai Qi clearly laid out the relationship between Gu Qian Ying, Nan Gong Mo, and Nan Rong Qi.
His explanation on behalf of Nan Gong Mo caused Nan Rong Qi's expression to change.
As the Crown Prince, how could he apologize to a mere woman!
Moreover, this woman had once toyed with him. If she had followed him back then, it would have been one thing, but now, seeing her relationship with Nan Gong Mo being unclear, if it weren't for her elder brother Gu Ye Feng and her grandfather General Gu having already shown their sincerity to him.
In that case, for him, the noble Crown Prince, to call such a woman Ninth Imperial Aunt, wouldn't that be an insult to him!
"Ninth Imperial Uncle, your nephew is the Crown Prince of a nation..."
"So what? This Prince is a Prince of a nation, and also your Ninth Imperial Uncle."
Nan Gong Mo coldly interrupted Nan Rong Qi.
Nan Rong Qi's expression stiffened slightly.
Nan Gong Li, shaking his fan, added with a smile, "Brother Crown Prince, although your status is noble, our Ninth Imperial Uncle's status is even more noble than yours. Therefore, it is only right for you to apologize to our Ninth Imperial Aunt as a nephew first, and then send people to search, isn't it?"
Nan Gong Li felt the "fire" wasn't big enough, and after speaking, he suddenly remembered something. "Oh, and also, if Brother Crown Prince were to marry the second daughter of the Gu family into the Eastern Palace as Crown Princess in the future, then by seniority, Brother Crown Prince would be the second brother-in-law to Miss Gu. In that case, you should respect Miss Gu even more, right."
As soon as he said this, Nan Gong Li immediately hid behind Nan Gong Mo, covering his face with his fan to avoid Nan Rong Qi's murderous gaze.
"A mere concubine's daughter is not fit to enter my Eastern Palace as Crown Princess!"
Nan Rong Qi gritted his teeth and said with a cold face.
"Oh, not as a Princess Consort, then a concubine..." Nan Gong Li revealed his face, deliberately drawing out his tone.
He clearly remembered that just now, Gu Mingyue, the second daughter of the Gu family, had been opposing her Ninth Imperial Aunt everywhere and even tried to pin the murder charge on her Ninth Imperial Aunt!
Such a malicious person deserved his mockery. Hmph!
"Naturally, a concubine. If I, the Crown Prince, were to marry a concubine's daughter as Princess Consort, wouldn't I be ridiculed by the world!"
Beside him, Gu Mingyue, with her belly protruding, looked extremely displeased upon hearing his words.
However, she was ultimately just a concubine's daughter and dared not express any opinion in front of Nan Rong Qi. Even her unwillingness and displeasure could not be shown on her face.
All of this Gu Mingyue attributed to Gu Qian Ying.
If it weren't for that damned Gu Qian Ying, with her own delicate heart, she would have won the affection of the entire family in the Gu manor. With that affection, it wouldn't be impossible to elevate her status from a concubine's daughter to a legitimate daughter!
Gu Mingyue glared fiercely at Gu Qian Ying.
You dead slut, you'll be in trouble soon, hmph, just you wait!
Because of this incident, Gu Mingyue had originally planned to enter the Eastern Palace, give birth to the Crown Prince's heir, and then use her status as the mother of the Crown Prince's eldest son to plan for herself. If she couldn't become the main consort, then becoming a secondary consort would also be very good.
But now, because of Nan Gong Li's words, Gu Mingyue's plan to enter the Eastern Palace and give birth to the imperial heir had all fallen through.
Not only that, but the matter of her entering the Eastern Palace as a concubine with Crown Prince Nan Rong Qi, which was supposed to happen in two days, was once again postponed by Nan Rong Qi.
He had specially granted permission for the second daughter of the Gu family to stay at home and give birth to the imperial heir before being brought into the palace.
The reason Nan Rong Qi gave to General Gu was: As the Crown Prince, he should pay more attention to etiquette and appearance. The Crown Princess had not yet been married, and bringing in a concubine was improper!
This made Gu Mingyue so angry that she almost fainted.
But with General Gu, the princes, the Crown Prince, and Prince Jiu Nan Gong Mo present, she had no room to speak!
On this side, Nan Rong Qi, unable to save face, could only stand aside and fume.
At this moment, Nan Gong Li deliberately said, "Brother Crown Prince, why don't you quickly apologize to our Ninth Imperial Aunt and then send people to search? Is Brother Crown Prince so hesitant because he's afraid?"
Nan Rong Qi followed Nan Gong Li's words. "Hmph, as the Crown Prince of a nation, how can I be afraid? What is there to be afraid of?"
"Naturally, you're afraid of losing face and being laughed at by others."
"Hmph, a joke, a huge joke! I am not someone who fears being laughed at by others."
Nan Rong Qi said without thinking.
"Since you're not afraid, then please proceed."
Nan Gong Li moved aside the people around Gu Qian Ying, leaving only Gu Qian Ying in the middle, his intention being more than obvious.
Nan Gong Mo, sitting in his wheelchair not far from Nan Gong Li, looked at Nan Rong Qi indifferently.
He naturally tacitly approved of Nan Gong Li's actions.
"Nan Gong Li, you...!"
Nan Rong Qi was choked with anger. It took him a long time to realize that he had fallen into Nan Gong Li's trap.
"What about me? Brother Crown Prince, hurry up and act. Don't keep everyone waiting."
Nan Gong Li pressed on.
Nan Rong Qi was in a difficult position.
In the end, Nan Rong Qi had to bow to Nan Gong Mo's side.
"Ninth Imperial Aunt, your nephew has offended you."
Nan Rong Qi found it difficult to say the words "nephew" in front of Gu Qian Ying, so he referred to himself as "your nephew" as usual.
As for the title "Ninth Imperial Aunt," Nan Rong Qi did not believe that an unmarried woman would do such a shameless thing.
To call herself his "Ninth Imperial Aunt"? Wasn't she afraid of being laughed at by others?
However,
"Good nephew, feel free to send people to search. Those who do nothing wrong are not afraid of knocking on their doors."
Gu Qian Ying looked at Nan Rong Qi and replied calmly.
Nan Rong Qi's face immediately turned as colorful as a palette, extremely ugly.
He never expected Gu Qian Ying to agree to his words and shamelessly call him "nephew!"
He was the noble Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace!
Gu Mingyue, unable to bear Gu Qian Ying's arrogance, said with a sharp and sarcastic tone, "Eldest Sister, you are truly shameless, calling His Highness the Crown Prince 'nephew.' Don't you know you are still unmarried? And you even aspire to be the elder of His Highness the Crown Prince. Where do you get such confidence! Hmph, aren't you afraid of being laughed at by others!"
Hearing Gu Mingyue's words, Gu Qian Ying did not retort. She simply walked towards Nan Gong Mo in full view of everyone.
"Ninth Imperial Uncle, I'm being insulted."
A simple sentence, spoken by Gu Qian Ying, sounded like a spoiled child's complaint.
Nan Gong Mo was stunned for a moment. Before anyone noticed, his face actually blushed slightly, but he quickly returned to his usual composure.
"Bai Qi, why are you standing there stunned! Haven't you heard what the Ninth Princess Consort said?"
Nan Gong Mo glanced at Bai Qi, his voice clear and cold.
Bai Qi suddenly reacted and immediately said, "Guards, slap her!"
As soon as Bai Qi finished speaking, the guards who had been following Nan Gong Mo in the shadows appeared and walked over.
Slap, slap, slap...
The sound of slaps echoed again.
Everyone was startled.
Gu Mingyue covered half of her face and looked at Nan Rong Qi pitifully.
She had just been speaking up for His Highness the Crown Prince.
His Highness the Crown Prince would never stand by and watch her be beaten.
She was His Highness the Crown Prince's woman!
"Second Sister, does your face hurt?"
Gu Mingyue waited for Nan Rong Qi to stand up for her, but after waiting for a long time, she saw no intention of Nan Rong Qi standing up for her. Instead, she heard Gu Qian Ying's faint words.
Gu Mingyue glared at Gu Qian Ying. Before she could speak, she heard Gu Qian Ying say, "If your face hurts, then you'll remember. Second Sister, you must be more careful in the future. As the saying goes, disaster comes from the mouth. I hope that in the future, our Gu family members will not suffer unwarranted disaster because of your careless actions."
Gu Qian Ying's words made everyone look at Gu Mingyue differently.
Those who bring disaster to their family due to their own mistakes are inauspicious people, and even more so, they are wicked people.
Everyone present had their respective families behind them, so naturally, they did not want any member of their family to implicate the entire family due to their own mistakes.
"What nonsense are you talking about? How could I bring disaster to our Gu clan? It's you who today..."
As Gu Mingyue spoke, she suddenly felt a cold wind directed at her.
Immediately after, she met Nan Gong Mo's eyes, which were filled with sharp, cold light.
Gu Mingyue immediately closed her mouth.
Nan Gong Mo disdained to look at her. With a turn of his head, his gaze shifted to Gu Qian Ying.
When he looked at Gu Qian Ying, the coldness in his eyes was replaced by indulgence and tenderness.
Nan Rong Qi, having lost face, first apologized to Gu Qian Ying and then sent people to search the Garden Pavilion where Gu Qian Ying resided.
As for sincerity, he naturally promised that if the disgusting item was not found in the Garden Pavilion where Gu Qian Ying lived, then he would personally come before Master Gu in front of everyone...