She knew Wuchen was saying that to put her at ease, but she knew that Prince Minnan had intended to kill him. Therefore, she couldn't return to Mingtai Garden now. If she brought Wuchen back, someone would inevitably discover his discomfort. Moreover, she might even run into Prince Minnan, and she certainly didn't want to be threatened by him again.
However, Prince Minnan's ability to subdue Wuchen with a single move meant his power could not be underestimated. It seemed she would need to guard against Prince Minnan from now on.
"Hurry up and get everything ready. The Crown Princess will be here soon," came the voice of a rather old-looking嬷嬷.
The Crown Princess? Had she entered the Eastern Palace?
She heard footsteps growing clearer by the moment. Supporting Wuchen, she leaped into the bamboo forest ahead.
"Auntie, is there something over there?" a palace maid's voice drifted over.
Xue Xingyue's eyes glinted coldly. She surveyed the surroundings, seeing that the courtyard not far away seemed empty. She, carrying the unconscious Wuchen, fled. By the time the palace maid arrived in the bamboo forest with others, no one was there.
"That's not right, I clearly saw someone," the palace maid said, scratching her head in disbelief.
"Hurry up and get to work. Give the Crown Princess a good impression, or you'll all suffer later."
Xue Xingyue, with Wuchen, entered the courtyard and found it to be a grand bedchamber, adorned with vibrant red lanterns. Suddenly, she recalled something. Had she stumbled into the bridal chamber of the Crown Prince's wedding?
No, she had to leave. But after only a few steps, she heard numerous footsteps approaching. She inwardly cursed her misfortune, sensing someone was coming.
Quickly taking Wuchen, she infiltrated the Crown Prince's bedchamber.
The interior was awash in red. As the footsteps grew nearer, she shoved Wuchen under the bed and then slipped under it herself.
Once everything was in place, the door was pushed open. Through the gap at the bottom, she saw a pair of red embroidered shoes with intricate patterns, clearly belonging to Zhao Xiuzhu.
"Crown Princess, please slow down. The bed is just ahead," the palace maid reminded her.
Xue Xingyue felt a disturbance on the bed, likely Zhao Xiuzhu sitting down.
"Crown Princess, please be seated. If you need anything, just call for your servant. I will be attending outside," the palace maid said before leaving.
"Miss, are you tired?" Zhao Xiuzhu's head maid, Shancha, asked after the palace maid had gone.
"Miss must be very tired. Miss did not rest well last night," Yuncha said.
"Shancha, bring the wine," Zhao Xiuzhu commanded.
"Yes, Miss." Shancha brought the wine pot. Xue Xingyue couldn't see what Zhao Xiuzhu intended to do, only thinking that if Zhao Xiuzhu wanted to drink, she was doing so rather slowly.
"Alright," Zhao Xiuzhu spoke after a while.
"Yes, Miss." Shancha placed the wine pot on the table.
"Miss, if you do this, and if the Crown Prince..."
The maid's words were cut short by Zhao Xiuzhu's hushed reprimand, "Do you want everyone to know?"
"Miss, I..."
"Yuncha, Miss has her reasons for doing this. You just need to keep your mouth shut," Shancha glanced at Yuncha.
Yuncha could only nod. Da Feng Novel Network.
Xue Xingyue, hidden beneath the bed, grew puzzled. Was Zhao Xiuzhu planning to frame the Crown Prince?
As she pondered, she heard voices from outside, "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"Rise, everyone. You may all withdraw now!" the Crown Prince's voice reached her.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, there are still rituals..."
"You may all withdraw. We will not perform the rituals for now."
Xue Xingyue became even more confused. No rituals? Could it be...
The door was pushed open, and the Crown Prince, wearing black boots embroidered with Zhao silk totems, strode in. "You two also withdraw. Your Highness the Crown Prince and I have something to discuss."
Shancha and Yuncha did not leave. The Crown Prince heard this and let out a cold laugh, "Are my words no longer effective?"
"Your servant dare not. We beg Your Highness to forgive our transgression!"
"Scram..." the Crown Prince commanded with cold fury.
"You may all leave!" Zhao Xiuzhu suddenly spoke.
Despite their reluctance, Shancha and Yuncha quickly departed.
"Why is Your Highness the Crown Prince so angry?" Zhao Xiuzhu inquired.
The Crown Prince let out a cold snort, "What? Marrying this Highness, you feel wronged, don't you?"
"What does Your Highness the Crown Prince mean by that?"
"What do I mean? Do you think this Highness doesn't know who your heart belongs to?"
"You..."
"But you are married to this Highness now, aren't you?"
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, you're doing this deliberately?" Zhao Xiuzhu stood up abruptly, her bridal veil falling to the ground.
"Yes, this Highness simply cannot stand it. I want to take everything he has."
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, you don't actually like me, do you?" Zhao Xiuzhu looked at the Crown Prince and asked each word deliberately.
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince chuckled. He walked forward, grabbed Zhao Xiuzhu's arm, and reached towards her cheek. "What if I like you? What if I don't? In this Highness's eyes, you are merely an item. And since I must marry, why not marry someone beautiful? Someone pleasant to look at."
Zhao Xiuzhu shoved the Crown Prince's hand away and said coldly, "If you don't like me, why force me to marry you?"
"I simply cannot stand it. I asked him to assist this Highness, but he plays both sides. Therefore, this Highness will ensure he has nothing, neither his women nor his power."
"You... You are simply unreasonable." Zhao Xiuzhu retreated a few steps, only to bump into the edge of the bed and fall onto it.
The Crown Prince advanced, his eyes glinting coldly, "This Highness is unreasonable? Then who is reasonable? The Prime Minister?"
"You..." Zhao Xiuzhu was so enraged she couldn't speak.
The Crown Prince let out a cold laugh. "But no matter how much you like the Prime Minister, he doesn't like you at all. Otherwise, how could he have let this Highness beg the Emperor for an imperial marriage decree to have you betrothed to this Highness?"
"So it was you. You did this deliberately," Zhao Xiuzhu asked furiously.
"This Highness did it deliberately. So what? What's important is that you are now married to this Highness. From now on, you and Prime Minister Song have no connection whatsoever. With such a fine night, why don't this Highness taste you?" As he spoke, the Crown Prince loosened his robes and advanced towards Zhao Xiuzhu step by step.
"I'm telling you, don't come any closer," Zhao Xiuzhu retreated towards the corner of the bed.
"This Highness tells you, you are this Highness's person now. It is normal for this Highness to touch you. Do you think you can escape this fate by marrying this Highness?"
Before he finished speaking, the Crown Prince grabbed Zhao Xiuzhu's leg. Zhao Xiuzhu struggled desperately to kick him away, but how could she be a match for the Crown Prince?