Sensing the emotions of the person behind him, Yu Chengxuan unfurled his fan and slowly fanned himself. He chuckled, "The Princess Consort is indeed eloquent and silver-tongued. I am truly impressed. I merely wished to prevent the Princess Consort from arbitrarily pinning blame on someone to placate us. Yet, in your words, it has become that I need not explain myself?"
"Your sophistry seems to betray a hint of guilt!"
Yu Chengxuan's few words had deftly dismantled Nan Shiying's verbal trap, but Nan Shiying was not surprised. If Yu Chengxuan lacked such capabilities, she would indeed doubt if he was as formidable as Hui'an had described.
"This is the first time I've discovered a prince to be so fond of telling jokes."
"Does the prince intend to vouch for Nan Yuan'er, to guarantee her complete innocence in this matter? Do not forget, it was she who brought Princess Hui'an to Suihua Pavilion. If she accompanied the princess throughout, how could the princess have been so easily manipulated? If she did not accompany her throughout, then... Prince, tell me, was she acting intentionally or unintentionally?"
"Your Highness, this humble subject..."
"Silence! Did I grant you permission to speak?"
A sharp glint flashed in Nan Shiying's eyes. She tightened her grip on Nan Yuan'er's hair, the renewed pain causing Nan Yuan'er to cry out again.
Witnessing this, the crowd couldn't help but gasp. The Princess Consort was truly... ruthless!
"Your Highness, you are going too far!" Nan Chaoyin's expression darkened, his voice as cold and sharp as a knife scraping against dark iron, the resonating sound sending chills through everyone.
Ji Jinmo lifted his gaze, his phoenix eyes condescendingly falling upon Nan Chaoyin. In an instant, he extinguished Nan Chaoyin's arrogance. He was as cold as dark ice buried in a deep pond, unmelted for ten thousand years. Merely standing there made one's soul tremble.
With Ji Jinmo's backing, no one in Linyuan could touch her!
Not even Ji Hong!
Nan Shiying smiled, her smile bright and captivating. She was already stunningly beautiful, and her eyes now seemed to be illuminated. No matter how imperious, how cruel, or how ruthless she appeared, she exuded a fatal charm that could ensnare anyone.
Yu Chengxuan lowered his gaze slightly, his eyelids obscuring half of his pupils. His vision swept past Nan Shiying's enchanting face and landed on Nan Yuan'er.
Whether he was unwilling, disinclined, or afraid to look, it was unclear.
Nan Shiying slightly bent down, cupping Nan Yuan'er's delicate face. Her nails grazed her tender skin, the texture of her face clear and distinct in her sight.
With a little more force, Nan Shiying's nails would have torn Nan Yuan'er's face.
Remembering the Nan Shiying of the past, she felt a desire to suppress the madness that craved the annihilation of everyone in the Nan mansion. She clenched her fingers, her nails piercing Nan Yuan'er's skin. As blood slowly trickled through her nails, Nan Shiying watched Nan Yuan'er's terrified, almost enraged gaze, and the uncontainable hatred within it. She laughed joyfully.
Mad yet beautiful.
The crowd was witnessing a beauty like Nan Shiying for the first time.
Mad, venomous, yet so breathtakingly beautiful.
Nan Chaoyin's heart skipped a beat. He felt that Qingyuan had perhaps gone too far. Suppressing his displeasure and anger, he took a deep breath. "Your Highness, I implore you to spare my daughter. Regarding today's events, I... I will certainly provide an explanation to His Highness the Prince, Your Highness, and to everyone from Da Li!"
Nan Shiying released her hand. Nan Yuan'er clutched her face, emitting a cry like a cuckoo's mournful song.
Her hands covered her face, tears slowly flowing through the gaps between her fingers. The eyes hidden within burned with a fierce rage, wishing to turn Nan Shiying to ashes. Amidst the surging anger, a cold, sinister gleam, like that of a venomous snake, emerged.
Nan Shiying, one day, I will repay every bit of suffering you have inflicted upon me!
"Very well, I shall await your explanation!"
Nan Shiying knew she couldn't go too far, lest that old bastard Nan Chaoyin see through her act. She could only collect some interest from Nan Yuan'er for now. However, this pain and humiliation were but the tip of the iceberg compared to what the original Nan Shiying had endured. She would one day make Nan Yuan'er, Nan Chaoyin, and everyone in the Nan mansion pay for their past deeds!
It was not far off, that day was not far off!
"Your Highness truly possesses remarkable methods!"
Yu Chengxuan's eyes flickered. It was more of a sarcasm than a compliment.
Anyone who had been at the banquet before knew that the person in the room was Princess Hui'an and Nan Yujin, the son of Prime Minister Nan. Logically, this matter was most likely not Nan Chaoyin's doing. But as it stood, regardless of who was responsible, Nan Chaoyin would have to bear the brunt of it.
However, it was also true. The incident happened in his residence, so how could he escape responsibility?
"Ah—"
Just then, a startled scream erupted from within the room, piercing the air and exploding like thunder in everyone's ears.
This was Princess Hui'an's voice.
"Why am I... Damn it, kill him for me, kill him!"
Inside, Princess Hui'an's furious roar could be heard, her piteous cries striking a chord with those outside.
Hui'an kicked Nan Yujin to the ground. Everything within her sight became a weapon to attack Nan Yujin. Vases, stools, teacups, tables... The imperial physicians and maids could not restrain her.
"Your Highness, this is bad, the princess, the princess she..."
The imperial physician rushed out of the room, at a loss for how to articulate the situation. After the maids had helped the princess dress, and before he could even take her pulse, the princess had awakened from her unconscious state. The moment she woke, she saw the nearly naked man lying beside her and became utterly frenzied.
The man had not yet woken up. If she were not stopped, the princess would kill him.
Nan Shiying was eager to move, about to step towards the room when Ji Jinmo grabbed her hand, looking down at her.
Nan Shiying blinked, not understanding Ji Jinmo's intention.
Why was he holding her? She wanted to go in and watch the spectacle!
Ji Jinmo's phoenix eyes flickered, his gaze frosty.
Spectacle? I suspect you want to sneak in and ogle a naked body!
But no one had dressed Nan Yujin in advance!
Their eyes met, and they stared at each other for a long time, failing to connect mentally. Nan Chaoyin and Yu Chengxuan were unsure why the two were suddenly gazing at each other, but the commotion inside the room did not allow them to linger and speculate. Yu Chengxuan and Nan Chaoyin quickly entered the room.
The crowd left behind looked at each other. Ultimately, unable to resist their curiosity, they all surged inside.