The news of Liu Ling, the legitimate son of the Minister of Rites, being stripped naked and tied to a tree quickly spread throughout the capital, and the name of Fengluan in Quanzhou appeared in everyone's sight for the first time.
"Quanzhou, Fengluan?"
In the study of the Prince Regent's mansion.
Ji Jinmo's voice carried a chilling coldness, his sneer like ice shards in the dead of winter, making Xuan Yi and Xuan Thirteen shiver.
The two hung their heads.
Xuan Thirteen glared fiercely at Xuan Yi from the corner of his eye: You useless fellow, you actually let the Princess tie someone to a tree after stripping them naked in the street!
Xuan Yi glared back, unwilling to be outdone: How was I supposed to know the Princess was so wild in her methods!
"Bang~"
The bracelet was slammed heavily onto the table, the sound interrupting the friendly exchange between Xuan Yi and Xuan Thirteen. The two cautiously raised their heads and saw dust flying from the table. Upon closer inspection, they realized it was powder from the bracelet being smashed into dust.
A whole string of jade beads, the Prince's favorite bracelet, had been reduced to powder.
A chill shot from the back of Xuan Yi and Xuan Thirteen's necks, and they immediately knelt on the ground.
A few veins pulsed on Ji Jinmo's forehead. He brushed the dust from his palm, his voice, suppressing rage, booming into Xuan Yi's ear: "Has the Princess returned?"
Xuan Yi lowered his head even further: "Not yet!"
"Bring her back."
"Yes!"
...
"Princess~"
Lü Wan, carrying bags and parcels, followed Nan Shiying. She looked at Xuan Yi, walking in front, her face ashen.
"Hm?"
Nan Shiying, holding a peach, was contemplating whether to peel and slice it or to eat it directly. Hearing Lü Wan call her, she turned back in surprise.
Seeing her strange expression, Nan Shiying extended her hand to Lü Wan: "Tired? Then give me the things."
Lü Wan: "..."
"Your Highness, aren't you afraid?" Lü Wan asked incredulously.
Nan Shiying blinked her eyes. Afraid? Afraid of what?
"Aren't you afraid of the Prince's punishment?"
Nan Shiying was slightly taken aback. It seemed that before Lü Wan asked this question, she had never even considered the possibility of being punished.
She let out a sound, and suddenly the peach in her hand didn't seem as sweet.
...
In Xinyuan Pavilion, Bai Zhi and the other two stood outside the door, not daring to even take a deep breath. Seeing Nan Shiying, they all looked as if they were about to cry from grievance.
Nan Shiying glanced at the three, casually took a bag of pastries from Lü Wan's hand, and pushed open the door.
As soon as she entered the room, she felt a palpable low-pressure atmosphere.
The further she walked into the room, the lower the pressure became.
"My Lord's peace."
Nan Shiying, carrying the pastries, entered the inner room and immediately saw Ji Jinmo sitting on the couch. He was wearing a dark blue robe today, with a silver-white belt around his waist, giving him a reserved and cold demeanor.
Perhaps it was because his face was so sour that it made him seem even more distant.
Even Nan Shiying couldn't help but shiver.
She smiled sweetly at Ji Jinmo, bowing as she opened the bag of pastries and presented them to him like a treasure: "My Lord, fresh chestnut cakes from Guishan Zhai. Would you like to try a piece?"
Ji Jinmo's eyes were half-closed as he looked down at the woman smiling and acting cute, and he couldn't help but let out a cold laugh: "I heard you stripped Liu Ling naked in the street?"
Ji Jinmo's voice, laced with a smile that wasn't a smile, reached Nan Shiying. The smile on Nan Shiying's face stiffened slightly. She coughed awkwardly, placed the pastries aside, and obediently knelt beside Ji Jinmo.
Not on the ground.
On the couch.
"My Lord, Liu Ling bullied your concubine."
Nan Shiying lowered her head, her fluffy eyelashes fluttering a few times, her eyes misting over. She looked at Ji Jinmo pitifully, like a small dog that had been bullied, not admitting her mistake but instead lodging a complaint.
Ji Jinmo pursed his lips, and for some reason, a subtle feeling rose in his heart, as if he had been brushed by a fluffy cat's paw.
But thinking of this woman's true face, Ji Jinmo's expression darkened further.
Nan Shiying, glancing at his darkening expression, suddenly raised her head and admitted her mistake with great sincerity: "My Lord, your concubine was wrong."
Ji Jinmo looked at Nan Shiying, almost amused to the point of laughter.
Her ability to change her expression so quickly would be a waste if she didn't become an opera singer.
Ji Jinmo fiddled with the hem of his robe and asked in a deep voice, "What was wrong?"
Nan Shiying pursed her lips, thought carefully, and then replied: "Wrong... wrong in that I shouldn't have stirred up trouble?"
Ji Jinmo smiled.
His smile sent a chill down Nan Shiying's spine.
"No, it's not that, it's that your concubine shouldn't have gone to the brothel... gone to Huancai Pavilion."
Ji Jinmo's smile deepened.
"Your concubine knows now, truly knows this time. First, your concubine shouldn't have gone to Huancai Pavilion. Second, your concubine shouldn't have stirred up trouble. Third, your concubine shouldn't have stripped someone naked and tied them to a tree in the street. Fourth, your concubine shouldn't have continued shopping after causing trouble. Fifth..."
Nan Shiying couldn't think of a fifth reason.
So she changed the subject and continued: "But my Lord, your concubine did these outrageous things to share your burdens."
"Your concubine heard that Minister of Rites Liu Yujing had privately discussed your Lord multiple times with others, saying that you were hoarding military power and were a rebellious minister. Today, your concubine met Liu Ling, the legitimate son of Liu Yujing, and wanted to vent this anger on your behalf."
"And to let the common people know what kind of uncouth scoundrel his legitimate son, Liu Yujing, is."
Nan Shiying spoke with such righteousness that even she almost believed herself.
"So, does that mean I should thank you?" Ji Jinmo pinched Nan Shiying's chin. He leaned down, his indifferent voice spilling out, falling onto Nan Shiying's face with a chilling coldness.
Nan Shiying stared blankly at the face so close to hers, the cool air lingering around her nose, carrying a faint scent of falling cherry blossoms, reminding Nan Shiying of the vast expanse of sapphire flowers that bloomed on the cliff when the first snow fell.
She swallowed her saliva shamelessly, nodded, and then shook her head: "My Lord, your concubine lied. Your concubine actually just wanted to see Huancai Pavilion's attitude."
"Hm?"
What other wicked ideas was she concocting?
Nan Shiying continued: "Your concubine wanted to see how Huancai Pavilion would react if I, within Huancai Pavilion, beat up the legitimate son of the Minister of Rites and stripped him naked, tying him to a tree. Would they help the Minister's son deal with me, an insignificant nobody, or remain neutral."
"As a result, no one from top to bottom in Huancai Pavilion came forward to inquire about the matter. Even after I stripped that Liu Ling naked and tied him to a tree, no one came out to rescue him."
"This shows that the master behind Huancai Pavilion simply doesn't take the Minister of Rites seriously."
Ji Jinmo raised an eyebrow, his voice betraying no emotion: "So, what's the conclusion?"
What conclusion?
What conclusion could there be for a casual excuse she thought of?
Nan Shiying tilted her head up and blinked at Ji Jinmo: "So, my Lord, is Huancai Pavilion an industry of our Prince's mansion?"