Lin Yu Ning clutched her hands tightly, pacing back and forth in the woodshed.
The Prince would surely come here to interrogate her after seeing off the guests, and she had to explain things clearly to him.
As long as she said it was to take advantage of Su Qingtian's absence from the capital to bring down the General's Mansion, she believed the Prince would understand her.
Lin Yu Ning took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
The woodshed door was kicked open.
Ye Jing Cheng appeared at the doorway, his face dark. "All of you, withdraw. Without my command, no one is to approach this place."
The surrounding servants all bowed and retreated.
Once everyone was gone, Ye Jing Cheng stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.
Lin Yu Ning took a step forward, saying urgently, "Your Highness, this is a misunderstanding. In fact..."
*Slap!*
A palm, carrying a fierce force, struck her.
Lin Yu Ning was knocked to the ground, instinctively shielding her belly.
Ignoring the pain of the blow, she crawled forward and grabbed Ye Jing Cheng's robe. "Your Highness, please listen to my explanation. Things are not as you think."
Ye Jing Cheng looked down at her from above, his eyes filled with disgust. "Useless. Do you think you have so many brains that Zhou Wan You is so easy to scheme against?"
In those days, Zhou Wan You was known as a talented woman, not only proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but also skilled in weaponry.
This woman was meticulous and steady in her thoughts. She only gradually hid her sharpness after marriage. Could such a woman be brought down by your petty tricks?
Lin Yu Ning looked at him in astonishment.
The Prince knew?
Ye Jing Cheng looked at her coldly. "I've turned a blind eye to past matters. But what day is today? You colluded with Ye Yun Shuang and ruined my plans. How can I spare you!"
Lin Yu Ning shook her head in panic. "Your Highness, your concubine merely..."
"Merely afraid your position as Princess would be lost, aren't you?" Ye Jing Cheng's words turned Lin Yu Ning's face completely pale.
He had even guessed this?
It was her carelessness, truly her carelessness this time.
Ye Jing Cheng pulled his robe from her grasp, saying indifferently, "Whom I marry is not for you to comment on."
"You didn't want the Nanjiang Princess to enter the mansion, did you? I will tell Father Emperor tomorrow to immediately welcome the Princess. The Princess will reflect in this woodshed for the next few days!"
He turned and left with a flick of his sleeve.
Lin Yu Ning tried to grab him but missed, falling to the ground.
Lin Yu Ning, holding her belly with one hand and supporting herself on the ground with the other, sat up with difficulty.
"Your Highness, you cannot treat me like this. Even if you are heartless towards me, you must consider the child in my womb!"
It was winter, and the woodshed was dark and damp. What if something happened to the child?
Ye Jing Cheng paused, not looking back. "I believe the Princess will protect the child no matter where she is, after all, this child is your last trump card."
He walked away, and the woodshed door closed.
"No, no! Your Highness, Your Highness!" Lin Yu Ning struggled to get up and rushed over, desperately pounding on the woodshed door.
But it was quickly locked from the outside.
Lin Yu Ning sat on the ground, hugging her belly, weeping bitterly.
Why did it turn out like this? She was the Princess, the Princess!
She bit her lower lip tightly, her eyes filled with hatred.
"Su Yun Mo, Zhou Wan You, I will not rest until I am even with you!"
Meanwhile, the little dumpling was carried onto the carriage.
Ye Jing Yu sat down with her in his arms. "Are you happy now?"
"It's alright. Lin Yu Ning brought it upon herself," Su Yun Mo peeked out the carriage window and said to him, "Are you going back to the Prince's mansion?"
"I'll take you back to the mansion first, then I'll return," Ye Jing Yu said in a deep voice and called out to 'Qian Xue'. "Go and tell the General's wife to come and travel with us."
Qian Xue said "Yes" in a deep voice and went to greet Zhou Wan You.
Su Yun Mo looked outside.
It was already dark.
Winter Solstice, it was a day for the whole family to eat dumplings.
She looked back at Ye Jing Yu, her eyes flashing.
Consort Liang was still asleep and hadn't woken up. It was likely that with his personality, he wouldn't eat with the servants.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and Zhou Wan You entered from outside. "His Highness Prince Yu is escorting us. This concubine thanks you."
"It's just on the way," Ye Jing Yu moved aside, making a large space for Zhou Wan You.
A Zi and the other two squeezed onto the outside of the carriage, driving it together.
Zhou Wan You sat down and opened her arms to the little dumpling. "Mo Mo, come to your mother."
The little dumpling looked at her, then looked up at Ye Jing Yu. She didn't go over, but raised her little hands and hugged Ye Jing Yu's neck. "Mother, can you ask Brother Yu to come to our house to celebrate the festival today?"
Ye Jing Yu's fingers stiffened slightly. He pursed his lips and did not speak.
Zhou Wan You was a little surprised, then smiled knowingly. "If His Highness Prince Yu doesn't mind, it would be good. But this depends on His Highness's wishes."
She also knew about this Highness. Having grown up in the palace, she had suffered a lot without anyone's affection.
It was likely that on such lively days, he would feel even more lonely.
"Thank you, Mother~" The little dumpling happily turned back and tugged at the man's neck. "You come home with me to celebrate the festival."
Ye Jing Yu pursed his lips, a flicker of complexity in his eyes. "No need."
He was indeed unaccustomed to liveliness on such days. He imagined that even if he went, it would only make the atmosphere awkward.
He pulled the little dumpling's arm away and rubbed her head. "You go back to the mansion and celebrate the festival properly."
"No, you have to come with me!" The little dumpling pounced back into his arms, clutching his collar tightly with both hands, rubbing her forehead against his chest.
"Come on, come on, okay~ Mo Mo has invited you, so you must come with me~"
Seeing the troubled look on Ye Jing Yu's face, Zhou Wan You sighed inwardly and waved. "Mo Mo, you can't be so impolite. If His Highness Prince Yu doesn't want to come, he has his reasons. You can't force others to do things they don't like."
Prince Yu disliked interacting with people the most; everyone in the capital knew this. It was already surprising that he came for Mo Mo's birthday last time.
She was afraid that asking him to come to the mansion for the festival this time was beyond his comfort zone.
"I don't want to, I just want him to come." The little dumpling tugged at Ye Jing Yu's arm and rolled around in his arms, acting spoiled. "If you don't come, I won't get out of the carriage!"
She had promised Consort Liang that she would take good care of him.
She could tolerate other things, but she couldn't stand seeing him alone and lonely. If this continued, what would happen to him in the future if he became a recluse?
Ye Jing Yu was helpless against her antics and sighed. "Alright, I'll go."
The little dumpling immediately sat up, beaming. "Yay!"
Ye Jing Yu's eyes showed a hint of pampering at this.
Zhou Wan You also curved her lips as she watched them.
Prince Yu seemed to dote on Mo Mo even more than she had imagined.
The carriage gradually stopped.
A Cai called out from outside, "Madam, we've arrived."
The carriage curtain was lifted, and Zhou Wan You got out first.
The little dumpling was still hugging Ye Jing Yu's neck, afraid he would run away. "Sister Qian Xue, you stay today too and celebrate the festival with Mo Mo!"