Qing Ming quickly said, "Your Highness gave the Yi Jin Jing to Chu Qianli, and Chu Qianli must have been cultivating it for some time."
"If she has cultivated internal energy, how can Miss Huaiyu, who is as delicate as a flower, withstand it?"
Qing Ming looked furious.
Chu Huaiyu appeared pitiful.
Only Chu Qianli continued to watch everything with cold eyes, as if it had nothing to do with her at all.
"Someone," Feng Yexuan suddenly called out.
Outside the door, two guards bowed, "Your Highness!"
"Take Qing Ming away and give him fifty strokes of the cane!"
"What?" Qing Ming was completely stunned. What did His Highness mean by this?
Leng Ji, who had been watching coldly, finally couldn't help but speak, "Last night, Your Highness sealed Miss Li's acupoints. Miss Li can now not only not use any internal energy, but her strength is even less than that of an ordinary person."
Leng Ji glanced at Qing Ming, then at Chu Huaiyu, whose face had instantly turned pale. In truth, he harbored resentment.
Qing Ming had been by His Highness's side for so many years. If it weren't for his blindness towards Chu Huaiyu, how could he not have seen this?
His Highness never kept useless people around, especially not such capable assistants.
It could only be said that because of Chu Huaiyu, all of Qing Ming's abilities had been utterly downgraded.
If you were to use Miss Li's words, it was simply "sick!"
Qing Ming looked at Chu Qianli, and for a moment, even he was confused.
Upon closer inspection, he noticed that Chu Qianli's face did indeed show a hint of paleness, her slender figure lacking its usual sharpness.
Only her pride remained, but her breathing was clearly unstable.
Recalling further, when she entered the room earlier, her steps had been light and her figure weak, which was indeed very different from her usual self.
He had merely thought she was trying to appear fragile in front of His Highness, which only made him more disgusted!
But Qing Ming was still unwilling to give up!
"Your Highness, perhaps... perhaps she had already unsealed her acupoints herself..."
However, he didn't finish his sentence, realizing he had spoken out of turn.
Feng Yexuan raised an eyebrow, his voice cool, "So, you believe that anyone can undo my acupoint sealing techniques?"
"Your subordinate admits his mistake!" Qing Ming knelt on one knee.
He had truly made a mistake!
Yet, he still didn't believe Chu Qianli was innocent!
Chu Qianli, that vicious woman, must have used some special means to push Miss Huaiyu to the ground!
Miss Huaiyu was kind and gentle; how could she scheme to frame others?
It must have been Chu Qianli!
Chu Qianli, that damned enchantress! He would never let her go!
Qing Ming was dragged away by two guards to the backyard for caning.
Chu Huaiyu swayed precariously, unsure if it was nervousness or something else, but she looked as if she was about to faint.
"Your Highness, Huaiyu... Huaiyu is fine..."
Her vision suddenly darkened, and she was about to fall.
However, no one was there to support her anymore.
Xiao Ya dared not enter, and Qing Ming had been taken away.
Why did His Highness still appear so indifferent and unmoved?
She didn't know if anyone would catch her if she fainted.
Chu Qianli, on the other hand, glanced at her and smiled, "Sister Huaiyu, if you want to faint, then hurry up and do so. Perhaps His Highness will pity you and pick you up."
"You're like this, neither fainting nor not fainting, it looks very strange!"
"Fifth Sister, how can you... how can you be like this..."
Before Chu Huaiyu could finish speaking, she truly went limp and fell to the ground.
But she still tried to lift her head, looking at Feng Yexuan, and said hoarsely, "Your Highness, I also... I don't know why, but today I feel very unwell."
"I'm fine, as long as I rest for a moment, I'll..."
"Your Highness, I have something to tell you."
Chu Qianli walked up to Feng Yexuan, blocking all of Chu Huaiyu's line of sight.
Feng Yexuan looked at her, his calm eyes showing no change in emotion, "Speak."
"I want to make a deal with you."
"A deal?" Feng Yexuan raised an eyebrow, his cool gaze sweeping over her, "What qualifications do you have?"
"At least, there are some things that Your Highness doesn't know, and I believe Your Highness will be very interested."
"Let's hear it." Feng Yexuan picked up his cup; he was quite patient today.
Chu Qianli, however, looked back at Chu Huaiyu, who was still lying on the ground, too weak to get up, and said expressionlessly, "It's related to Black Wind Cliff. It's of great importance and cannot be overheard by unnecessary people."
She moved two steps to the side, making Chu Huaiyu clearly visible to Feng Yexuan.
Chu Huaiyu was still looking at him with pleading eyes, looking at him pitifully, "Your Highness, Huaiyu... did not do it intentionally. I was just... just pushed down earlier, and my body hasn't recovered yet."
She knew Qing Ming was being beaten, and the situation today was indeed unfavorable for her.
But the matter of her "being pushed down" had already begun, and it couldn't stop.
If she stopped, wouldn't it mean she was truly acting?
She wasn't acting; she had truly been pushed down by Chu Qianli.
Her body was so fragile that it was naturally more susceptible to any force than an ordinary person.
Even without internal energy, it would be easy for Chu Qianli to push her down.
"It seems Sister Huaiyu also thinks she's a delicate porcelain doll that will shatter at the slightest touch."
Chu Qianli sneered.
This woman was addicted to playing the role of a white lotus.
"Your Highness, a woman with poor health will not be qualified to be the mother of a nation in the future. I heard the Empress Dowager say that one must be healthy to be an Empress, otherwise, the Crown Prince born would also be sickly."
"You... What nonsense are you talking about?"
Did the Empress Dowager really say that?
Chu Huaiyu immediately panicked.
Wouldn't that give her a bad impression in front of the Empress Dowager and His Highness?
"Sister Huaiyu is so frail, and the child she bears in the future will surely be sickly. How can they shoulder great responsibilities?"
"N-no, Huaiyu is only like this because she was pushed down. Huaiyu's body... Huaiyu's body is fine."
This impression absolutely could not remain in Prince Xuan's mind!
Chu Huaiyu hated the vicious woman before her. How could she harm such a kind woman?
"Your Highness, Huaiyu will be fine after a short rest. Huaiyu's body is fine, really."
Feng Yexuan remained silent, but the impatience in his eyes became more apparent.
Chu Qianli's expression darkened, and she said displeasedly, "Since your body is fine, then stop pretending here! Get lost! You're disgusting to look at!"
"Your Highness!" Tears immediately slid from Chu Huaiyu's eyes.
She truly felt her dignity had been insulted, not that she was pretending to cry.
"Fifth Sister... Fifth Sister is so vicious. Your Highness... won't you do something about it?"
Chu Qianli was merely a concubine, but she was different!
She was the daughter of Long Qianyue, of noble birth, and she was destined to be the Princess Consort!
How could she let a mere concubine climb over her and bully her?
This was too much!