"Shut up! If you dare to speak nonsense again, don't blame me for being impolite!" Ling Mo's tone was laced with anger.
"If you don't want me to speak, I won't. I can guess, someone like you..."
Upon meeting the man's furious gaze, Feng Jin’s half-spoken words abruptly stopped, and she quickly closed her mouth.
"I'm planning to open a cosmetics shop, selling skincare products, rouge, and powder. What do you think?"
Feng Jin changed the subject, consciously omitting the unpleasantness.
"Whatever you say." Ling Mo Han was completely uninterested in business matters.
The shops and businesses under his name were all managed by Feng Jin; he had never inquired about their profit or loss.
"Talking to you is so boring, it's like playing the lute to a cow!"
Feng Jin rolled her eyes at him and, leaning over the desk, began to busy herself with her own affairs. Indeed, discussing these matters with Ling Mo Han would never yield results.
...
"Your Highness, your subordinate has investigated and confirmed that Zhao Yulong was apprehended by Prince Jing's men. Fortunately, Zhao Yulong managed to burn the correspondence in time."
Chu Yanxi stood with his hands behind his back by the window, his expression dark and unreadable. "Keep a close watch on them. If anything is discovered, make sure our people get there first and destroy the evidence at all costs."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
The man in black received the order and, with a leap, his figure vanished into the air.
Chu Yanxi's brows were tightly furrowed as he suppressed his anger. He had never imagined that Chu Chenyi, who had been lame for so long and had stayed away from court affairs for years, would join forces with Ling Mo Han to oppose him once his leg recovered.
To bring down Zhao Yulong and cut off his financial lifeline was infuriating. It was his own soft-heartedness back then that he had only broken Chu Chenyi's leg instead of directly taking his life. Otherwise, there would be no trouble today.
"Imperial Consort, His Highness has ordered that no one is to enter the study. Imperial Consort, please return."
Liu Menghan was blocked at the door, her face instantly losing its composure. "How dare you stop me!"
"Imperial Consort, please forgive me. Your subordinate is merely following orders."
Liu Menghan's lips twitched twice, and she was so furious her teeth itched. She shouted loudly towards the door, "Your Highness, Your Highness, your consort has important matters to discuss with you. Your Highness, Your Highness!"
"Imperial Consort, please have some self-respect. His Highness has ordered that no one is to disturb him!"
'Slap!' A clear, sharp slapping sound.
Five distinct finger marks instantly appeared on the face of the侍卫 (shìwèi - guard) who had been struck.
"You scoundrel! How dare you interrupt when this consort is speaking!"
Liu Menghan reprimanded angrily. If she couldn't even deal with a mere guard, then she truly had no authority in the Third Prince's mansion.
'Creak...' With a sound, the door opened from the inside. Chu Yanxi stood in the room with a somber expression, his cold gaze falling on Liu Menghan. His thin lips parted slightly, "Come in!"
"Yes, Your Highness."
Granted permission, Liu Menghan swayed her slender waist and walked into the room with a cat-like gait.
"Your Highness, your consort learned that you have been worrying about state affairs, so I specially made bird's nest and ginseng soup. Please have some first."
"Put it there. I dislike luxurious things like bird's nest and ginseng the most,"
Chu Yanxi said, his tone cold and devoid of any emotion, without even glancing at it.
"Yes, Your Highness." Liu Menghan concealed the embarrassment on her face, her tone remaining very gentle.
"It's all my oversight. Your consort is ultimately not as thoughtful as Ruoyan sister and cannot fully understand Your Highness's preferences. From now on, your consort will definitely learn more from Ruoyan sister."
"You are you, and Yan'er is Yan'er. You don't need to involve Yan'er in everything!"
Chu Yanxi said impatiently, his face filled with disgust towards Liu Menghan, unwilling to even look at her more than necessary.
"Your Highness speaks the truth. Naturally, I cannot compare to Ruoyan sister's closeness with Your Highness. However, Your Highness, please do not forget that I am also your legally wedded wife. No matter how much you dislike me, we are already husband and wife. You must consider..."
"Enough. You know better than anyone how this marriage came about. I never wanted to marry you!"
If it hadn't been for his mother's forceful insistence, he would never have married Liu Menghan. The fact that he brought Liu Menghan home and treated her well was already going above and beyond. Did she still expect him to live in harmony and affection with her?
"Even if Your Highness is unwilling, you have still married me. Your Highness, our marriage was arranged by the Empress, and the Emperor personally bestowed the marriage. They are both waiting for us to flourish. Your Highness surely wouldn't want these domestic disputes to be known to the Emperor and the Empress."
Ever since she married into the Third Prince's mansion, Chu Yanxi had never given her a pleasant look, and on their wedding night, he had humiliated her by going to Feng Ruoyan's room. The entire Third Prince's mansion knew that she was not favored by Chu Yanxi, and many people even treated her as a joke.
The main consort of the Third Prince's mansion seemed to be Feng Ruoyan, while she had become an insignificant existence. Even a mere guard dared not take her seriously.
"You dare to threaten me!"
Chu Yanxi's expression instantly turned cold. He reached out and grasped Liu Menghan's neck, his voice icy.
"Your Highness... if you kill me, how... how will you explain to the Empress? How will you... how will you silence the public's gossip..."
"Do you really think I fear these things? As long as I want to kill you, it's as easy as lifting a finger."
Chu Yanxi applied a little more pressure to his hand. Liu Menghan immediately had difficulty breathing, her face turning pale. Her survival instinct made her tightly grip Chu Yanxi's hand, her eyes filled with fear.
After a moment, Liu Menghan's consciousness began to fade. Just as she thought she was about to die, the man abruptly released his hand.
Liu Menghan greedily breathed in the air, the dizziness in front of her eyes slightly abating.
"If there is a next time, I will not spare you."
Liu Menghan lifted her eyelids to glance at Chu Yanxi. The fear from moments ago instantly enveloped her, and she couldn't help but shiver. Leaning on the desk, she stood up with difficulty, maintaining her elegance: "Thank you, Your Highness, for sparing my life."
Chu Yanxi scrutinized her. This was somewhat beyond his expectations. To maintain such composure after being on the brink of death was indeed not easy.
It was no wonder his mother had chosen Liu Menghan, who was not particularly outstanding in family background or appearance, among the women of the Liu family.
She was indeed suitable to be taken home as a main consort. It was just a pity that he felt no affection for her at all.
The wife he desired was one who shared his thoughts and feelings, just like Feng Ruoyan.
If not for those unforeseen circumstances, Feng Ruoyan should have been his wife at this moment.
"Get up. Know your limits from now on, and you will still have a place in the Third Prince's mansion. Otherwise, don't blame me for being unceremonious!"