"Mother Consort!" Feng Jinrui, closest to Consort Zhen, immediately went to her rescue.
Yu Linglong stood not far away, between Consort Zhen and Xiao Tao.
The moment Xiao Tao lunged, her expression changed, and she urgently cried, "Do not harm Ye Xuan's kin!"
As if in a moment of desperation, she sent out a palm strike.
This palm strike landed precisely on Xiao Tao's forehead.
Yu Linglong knew martial arts!
And her skill was so formidable!
This fact surprised everyone.
Even Feng Ye Xuan couldn't help but narrow his eyes, caught off guard.
With a bang, Xiao Tao's forehead was struck, and she immediately fell straight down.
Thick blood slowly seeped from the corner of her mouth.
She looked at Yu Linglong, her eyes gradually losing their luster.
Chu Qianli's smile vanished, her expression shifting slightly. She quickly moved forward, her fingers landing on Xiao Tao's neck.
The next moment, she looked up sharply, staring at Yu Linglong!
"This girl has been by your side for quite some time, and you could be so ruthless, killing her to silence her?"
Were human lives truly so worthless in the eyes of these people?
Moreover, she had seen it clearly: Xiao Tao was absolutely loyal to Yu Linglong.
For such a loyal and protective maid, Yu Linglong could kill her without hesitation; she truly had no humanity!
Yu Linglong's face showed no emotion at all.
She didn't even glance at Xiao Tao's corpse, her gaze fixed solely on Feng Ye Xuan.
"The situation was urgent just now, and I only acted to protect Consort Zhen within the manor. I ask for the Prince's understanding."
"You..." Consort Zhen froze for a good while before seeming to regain her senses.
Looking at Yu Linglong again, she then turned to Feng Ye Xuan, her voice completely calm:
"I simply dislike Chu Qianli entering the household. For others, they wouldn't have such a profound impact on you, only Rui'er."
"So, to drive away the 'demon girl,' you would even scheme against me?"
Feng Jinrui took two steps back, his gaze towards Consort Zhen now like that of a stranger.
"Rui'er..." This look pierced Consort Zhen's heart with unspeakable pain!
But she could not say more.
Finally, she merely lowered her head and nodded: "To drive her away, at any cost!"
Chu Qianli stood up, no longer willing to spare these people even a glance.
Whether these people were truthful or deceitful, aware or unaware, it no longer mattered to her.
Chu Qianli left.
Consort Zhen looked at Feng Ye Xuan, her voice a low murmur, "Xuan'er, Mother Consort may have made mistakes, but everything was for you."
"That woman, she is not worthy of you at all!"
"Xuan'er..."
"Guards."
Feng Ye Xuan's coldness was not a recent development; Consort Zhen knew it, everyone knew it.
Today, she had harmed Feng Jinrui, and in Feng Ye Xuan's eyes, that was an unforgivable crime!
Qing Ming arrived before him and bowed, "Your subordinate is here!"
"Escort Consort Zhen back to the palace. Without my order, Consort Zhen is forbidden from setting foot in the manor for three years!"
"What?" Consort Zhen was completely stunned upon hearing this!
Three years! He was actually forbidding her from coming to the manor!
This was telling the Emperor that in his eyes, the Prince of Xuan, she was no longer worthy of respect.
And the Emperor would no longer show her any favor!
Her life in the harem would surely not be easy.
The son she had painstakingly raised was now pushing her to a dead end!
"Xuan'er, I... I am your Mother Consort!"
Consort Zhen believed that by relying on her status, even if she made a mistake, she wouldn't end up in such a pitiful state.
But this outcome completely exceeded her expectations!
"Fourth Brother, even if Mother Consort has erred, it was ultimately for you!"
Although Feng Jinrui was heartbroken, he could not stand by and watch his mother suffer.
Fourth Brother's punishment was too heartless!
"Imperial Brother..."
"My mind is made up. No one is allowed to plead for her!"
Feng Ye Xuan uttered these words, flicked his long sleeves, and strode away.
"Xuan'er, Mother Consort knows her mistake, Xuan'er..."
But he had ultimately walked far away.
Consort Zhen slumped to the ground with a thud. She turned her head, her gaze slowly falling on Yu Linglong.
Yu Linglong remained standing in place, her expression blank.
Consort Zhen's gaze then shifted to Xiao Tao's corpse.
A profound sense of desolation filled her heart.
Had she... truly been wrong?
...Feng Ye Xuan returned to his chambers. After bathing and changing, a certain entanglement suddenly arose in his heart.
He wanted to see what that woman was doing.
Having just been vindicated, what was her mood now?
But the events of last night still filled him with immense disgust towards her.
At such a time, how could he go to see her?
Feng Ye Xuan sat at his desk and opened a book, but the words on the pages failed to register.
After an unknown period, Leng Ji hurried in to report: "My Prince, the guards reported that... that the Princess..."
"What about that woman?" Feng Ye Xuan raised his eyes, staring at the anxious Leng Ji.
Leng Ji took a deep breath before stepping forward quickly and handing over a letter with both hands:
"The Princess... rode away from the manor overnight, leaving... leaving this for you, my Prince."
Feng Ye Xuan took one look, and the perpetually frozen expression on his face instantly cracked!
A divorce letter!
This damned woman! How dare she!
Who gave her the courage!
Leng Ji trembled under the dark cloud that had descended upon the Prince's face.
He dared not even breathe.
If this matter were to get out, perhaps no one in the entire Northern Ming Kingdom would believe it.
Yet, this matter was a stark reality!
Their Prince... had been abandoned!