Tao Lengshuang looked at Princess Anning again and again, then exclaimed, "I'm just wondering why you've come to me, an ignorant woman, for help?"
Princess Anning now dared not underestimate Tao Lengshuang. She dabbed the corners of her eyes with her embroidered handkerchief, tears welling up, "Sister Tao, you know I was once betrothed."
Tao Lengshuang let out an "Oh," brought over melon seeds, peanuts, and tea, sat in a chair, and began to drink tea and snack while listening to Princess Anning speak, "Take your time. I have plenty of time. I don't have much entertainment in my daily life. Now that I finally have something interesting, if you speak too quickly, I'll be very bored."
Her demeanor left Princess Anning speechless, her face flushing red as she stood there.
"Why aren't you speaking?"
Tao Lengshuang asked with great surprise, urging her, "Princess Anning, please speak quickly. Look, I've prepared all this tea, melon seeds, and peanuts. If you don't continue, I'll have wasted them, and I spent money to buy them."
Princess Anning almost couldn't catch her breath. She opened her mouth to say something, but not a sound came out.
Tao Lengshuang continued to drink tea and snack as if she hadn't noticed.
After a while, Princess Anning finally recovered. She managed a smile that wasn't too unpleasant, "Sister Tao, I want to ask Prince Mingrui for a favor, but I can't see Prince Mingrui, so I've come to you for help."
Tao Lengshuang responded with a perfunctory "Oh," "You're asking me for help, so I have to help you?"
She sneered, "This is the first time I've seen someone come to ask for help empty-handed. Truly worthy of being Princess Anning."
Princess Anning looked apologetic, "I was originally planning to invite Sister Tao and your son to Qingfeng Restaurant for a meal later."
Tao Lengshuang almost rolled her eyes to the heavens and mocked, "Fortunately, you are Prince Rui's only legitimate daughter. Otherwise, with your conduct, you would have been beaten to death eight hundred years ago."
She waved her hand impatiently, dismissing her, "Hurry up, hurry up. I don't have time to entertain you and your servant, and I won't help you."
Princess Anning would not leave so easily. She curtsied again, "Sister Tao, please help me."
"Our family is not favored by His Majesty. Although my betrothal has been annulled, I could be sent to some old man or pervert at any moment. So, I want to ask Prince Mingrui to fulfill the engagement... Ah!"
Tao Lengshuang splashed tea onto her face, her gaze freezing inch by inch, colder than the ice and snow, "Princess Anning, your face isn't that big. Where do you get the audacity to say such things? Is it because you are a princess? You are truly shameless."
Princess Anning wiped the tea from her face with her handkerchief, shivering from the cold, "Sister Tao, you misunderstand my meaning. I mean that with Prince Mingrui's protection, I can choose a husband I like and not be forced to marry anyone."
Tao Lengshuang narrowed her sharp eyes and looked at her for a long time, then suddenly said, "If you can't find someone you like, then you'll be Prince Mingrui's consort for life, and I, his rightful wife, will have to go into hiding or live as a concubine for life?
"I must say, your scheme is quite brilliant. Prince Mingrui is now favored by the Crown Prince. Becoming his consort will elevate your status. If Prince Mingrui were to have an accident in the future, you would push us, mother and son, out and clear yourself completely.
"This way, you would gain both fame and fortune, and also escape safely."
Princess Anning's heart jumped, and she almost tore the embroidered handkerchief in her hand, "Sister Tao is joking. How could I do such a thing? This is just a temporary measure."
Tao Lengshuang's eyes were filled with scrutiny, her tone unspeakably sarcastic, "Whether it's a temporary measure or a genuine calculation, it has nothing to do with me. I will never agree to what you've said.
"However, if you can get Prince Mingrui to agree, that would be your capability."
"I will not agree." At this moment, Mo Lingxi strode in, casting a fierce glance at Princess Anning.
Princess Anning had not expected Mo Lingxi to return so soon and felt a little flustered, "Greetings, Your Highness Prince Mingrui. Please forgive me, Your Highness. I came to chat with Sister Tao."
Mo Lingxi didn't look at her again, his voice as cold as ice, "My wife has no sisters."
Tao Lengshuang covered her mouth and chuckled, giving him an appreciative look, acknowledging that Mo Lingxi knew how to speak.
Princess Anning choked, "I misspoke. Please forgive me, Your Highness Prince Mingrui, and Her Highness Princess Consort Mingrui. Since Your Highness Prince Mingrui has returned, I will take my leave."
"Stop." Mo Lingxi raised his hand, and two dark guards blocked Princess Anning and her servant.
Princess Anning, not understanding, asked, "Your Highness Prince Mingrui, what is the meaning of this?"
Mo Lingxi looked at her fiercely, "How did you find out about my wife and matters here?"
Princess Anning replied with confusion, "Isn't this common knowledge? My maid told me."
The maid quickly said, "It was I who heard it from the servants in the Prince's mansion. What I said is absolutely true. Please, Your Highness Prince Mingrui, investigate."
Mo Lingxi did not believe them and ordered the dark guards to take Princess Anning and her servant down for interrogation.
He thought about the whole matter and felt that something was not quite right. He temporarily set the matter aside.
Turning, he cautioned Tao Lengshuang to be more careful. He had learned of this matter from the dark guards on his way back, and he might not be able to rush back so quickly in the future.
Tao Lengshuang said she would be more careful, "Princess Anning's matter is indeed very suspicious. We just arrived here, and she brought her maid to our door. It looks problematic no matter how you look at it."
"You say, could it be that some shadowy figure wants to use Princess Anning to do something?"
Mo Lingxi replied that it was hard to say, "In any case, it's best to be vigilant. If it's really necessary, you and Xiao Feng can move back to Prince Mingrui's mansion."
Tao Lengshuang did not want to move to Prince Mingrui's mansion. Once inside, it would be difficult to get out.
"Let's not discuss this matter further."
She changed the subject, "Did you work all night, or did you come back to see me and Xiao Feng? If you worked all night, then go rest. I'll take Xiao Feng out for a stroll."
Mo Lingxi had not worked all night, but rather most of the night, and had barely rested.
Upon hearing this, he wanted to accompany Tao Lengshuang and her son, but Tao Lengshuang refused.
"There's no rush to accompany us now. You go rest. Xiao Feng and I will go out for a stroll, and we'll have dark guards with us."
Mo Lingxi did not insist. After reminding Tao Lengshuang of a few things, he watched the mother and son leave before returning to his room to rest.
Tao Lengshuang did not head directly to her destination with Xiao Feng. She first took Xiao Feng around the streets, bought some inexpensive trinkets, and then slowly made her way to her destination.
It was two streets away from the pharmacy where she was temporarily staying. This area was more prosperous, with more pedestrians and better surrounding shops.
As mother and son entered the pharmacy, a shop assistant came up to them and asked with a smile, "Are you here to see a doctor or to get medicine?"