Su Yunmo's disgust froze, and she turned her head strangely to survey her surroundings.
Was Ye Jingyu nearby?
Her chin was grasped, forcing her to look at the man opposite her.
Ye Jingcheng narrowed his eyes, a hint of displeasure evident. "Has no one taught you to look people in the eye when you speak to them?"
The urge to jump into the river grew even stronger.
Su Yunmo felt a surge of annoyance.
That scoundrel Ye Jingyu!
She slapped away Ye Jingcheng's hand. "Regarding your proposal, my answer will always be one word: go to hell!"
A faint gleam flashed in Ye Jingcheng's eyes. "You know me best. There's nothing I desire that I cannot obtain."
Su Yunmo sneered. "The same goes for you. There's no one I wish to protect whom I cannot protect!"
The Su family, likewise.
Consort Liang, likewise.
Ye Jingyu, likewise!
She turned and walked away proudly.
Ye Jingcheng watched her retreating back, his gaze sinister.
Then I shall see how long you can protect them in your current state!
Su Yunmo made her way into the inner palace, her heart simmering with anger.
Not because of Ye Jingcheng, but because of Ye Jingyu!
"Your Highness, you don't know, your son is too much of a scoundrel! He placed a thousand-love蛊 on me. I saved him at the time, yet he repaid kindness with enmity!"
"Don't you think he's being outrageous? You must punish him once you've recovered! Stand up for me!"
Su Yunmo grumbled as she entered the room.
Consort Liang sat on the bed, tilting her head and frowning at her, struggling to comprehend her words.
Her ankle was still shackled, but the wound had been treated and was healing.
Su Yunmo took out pastries and buns from a glass jar and placed them on the small table by the bed, letting Consort Liang help herself.
Consort Liang took a piece of pastry, but instead of eating it, she brought it to Su Yunmo's lips.
Su Yunmo was startled, then overjoyed. "Your Highness, you remember me?"
The key to resolving the Soul Devouring Soup was recognizing people. If she could recognize her, it meant her consciousness was gradually recovering, and detoxification was within reach.
Consort Liang frowned, gritting her teeth with difficulty as she tried to speak. Finally, she could only utter a single, indistinct word.
Su Yunmo didn't know what she was saying, but she guessed that Consort Liang wanted her to stop being angry, so she took a bite of the pastry in a very good mood.
A patient's improvement was the best medicine for any doctor, capable of dispelling all unhappiness.
"I'm not really that angry. I just feel he doesn't appreciate kindness. His fiancée..."
"Oh, I haven't told you about this yet. The Empress has arranged a marriage for him with a daughter from the Qin family. I don't know what her character is like."
However, considering it was arranged by the Empress, it likely wouldn't be anything good.
Su Yunmo paused as she applied the medicine, her brow furrowed with worry.
If she turned out to be a shrew, Ye Jingyu's life would be even more difficult. Or, that woman might be a spy sent by the Empress.
"Do you think I should find an opportunity to test her? Ye Jingyu and I are considered friends now, right? If a friend is in trouble, I shouldn't stand by and do nothing..."
Su Yunmo muttered softly, her brow furrowed.
Consort Liang listened to her rambling the entire time without interruption.
She merely moved her hand, which had been stroking Su Yunmo's hair, to her head, patting it gently as if soothing a child.
When Su Yunmo left the cold palace, the banquet had already begun. There were few people around the palace, and the maids and servants were also fewer.
This was the perfect opportunity to leave the palace and return to her residence, then pretend to be a well-behaved girl who hadn't wandered around all day.
"Miss, please don't cry. Medicine was just applied to your face, and your makeup was just done. It won't be good if it gets wet again."
Someone was weeping softly by the small garden.
"Let it be ruined. I can't go to the palace banquet anyway, sob sob..."
Su Yunmo needed to leave the palace, and this was a shortcut.
As she detoured towards the pavilion, she saw a mistress and her servant inside.
The young lady was wearing a blue-green dress that resembled the sea and sky, with a graceful appearance and her hair adorned with pearls and jewels. However, her left cheek was slightly red and swollen, and there was a scratch near her eye, as if from fingernails.
"Miss, you too. You know His Highness hates it when people touch his mask, so why did you have to touch it? And in front of everyone."
The maid stood to the side, holding an ice pack.
"Xianglian, who are you taking sides with! They say he's disfigured. If I don't see for myself, how can I be at ease? If he looks like a demon, must I marry him just because he's a prince?"
But he actually hit her in front of so many people. She was his fiancée!
Su Yunmo stopped in her tracks.
The Qin family's daughter?
"Who's peeking there? Don't you want to live!" Qin Aoxue felt the gaze and looked up. When she saw Su Yunmo, she froze, and anger flared in her eyes. "It's you!"
Su Yunmo was bewildered. "Do you know me?"
She hadn't met this person after returning to the capital.
"I didn't know you before, but I know you now!" Qin Aoxue threw the cold compress towel to the ground and strode angrily down from the pavilion.
The female guard by Prince Yu's side said she had entered the palace with him today. She had searched everywhere and couldn't find her, thinking she had gone to the palace banquet. She didn't expect her to be here!
"Miss, please don't..." Xianglian followed, trying to stop her.
Qin Aoxue pushed her aside and pointed at Su Yunmo, scolding, "I thought you were a pearl or agate, but you're just a nobody from a fallen family. How dare you try to snatch someone from me?"
It was her business if she didn't fancy Prince Yu.
But since the Empress had decreed the marriage, she had to be Prince Yu's consort, and no one could trespass on her territory!
Su Yunmo frowned, becoming more confused. "Snatch whom?"
"You still dare to play dumb? You have a seductive look at such a young age. If you grow up, who knows how you'll ensnare men!" Qin Aoxue grew angrier as she spoke, raising her hand to strike.
Su Yunmo's eyes darkened, and she raised her hand to grasp her wrist.
"Are you crazy?"
Even if she were to hit someone, there had to be a reason!
"You dare to stop me? Don't think that just because Prince Yu likes you, you can disregard me. You're just a little thing now, what can you accomplish!"
Qin Aoxue turned and called out, "Xianglian, come here and slap her a few times to teach her a lesson, and make her appear less before me!"
Xianglian hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and raised her hand towards Su Yunmo.
A cold light flashed in Su Yunmo's eyes.
But before she could act, Xianglian was sent flying.
Qian Xue surged from behind Su Yunmo and pushed Qin Aoxue away. "Little Miss, are you alright?"
Su Yunmo frowned, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists. "I'm fine. She might not be."
"Little Miss, wait a moment." Qian Xue quickly stopped her, afraid she would cause a death in the palace.
Qin Aoxue's teeth itched with hatred. "Qian Xue, get out of my way. I want to see how capable she is that Prince Yu..."
"Miss Qin!" Qian Xue's sharp reprimand cut off her words, her tone chilling. "The Emperor values today's banquet greatly. You wouldn't want to escalate things further, would you?"
The scene she had caused in the hall today was enough for everyone to gossip about.
Qin Aoxue clenched her fists, as if remembering something, and glared hatefully at Su Yunmo. "You just wait!"
With that, she turned and left in a fury.
Su Yunmo's anger also flared. If Qian Xue hadn't stopped her, she would have knocked out this person's teeth!
"What kind of person is your master marrying? She's simply a scoundrel!"
Whether their marriage succeeded or failed was none of her business.
Snatching someone? Who was she talking about!
Su Yunmo was furious, but a sliver of reason suddenly surfaced, bringing her back to her senses.
Yes, why was she saying she was seducing Ye Jingyu?
"Did your master say something to her?"