Mo Chou slapped Yi Shuang’er as soon as the latter finished speaking.
A cold, sharp voice rang out, "How dare you! Our mistress was just reprimanded by you. What right do you have?"
Yi Shuang’er, at best, was merely a wilful young lady from a prominent family. She had never experienced such a situation before. Moreover, Mo Chou’s slap was delivered with considerable force, leaving her head buzzing and momentarily stunned. Meanwhile, Mo You, standing nearby, had a fleeting look of worry in his eyes, which quickly vanished as he quietly stood to the side.
When Yi Shuang’er finally reacted and saw that Mo You offered no help, she became both embarrassed and enraged. Tears streamed down her face like rain as she cried out, "Cousin, they hit me, and you’re not helping me."
The servants brought by Yi Shuang’er all glared furiously at Mo Chou, holding back their words out of anger.
These servants were not truly afraid of Mo Chou. After all, the Yi family were high-ranking officials in the Huang Yuan Kingdom, so they wouldn't be afraid of these people who appeared out of nowhere.
However, with the Seventh Prince present, these servants dared not make a move. Therefore, they could only glare at Mo Chou and Qing Yao with their eyes.
The atmosphere in the room was tense. Qing Yao seemed oblivious, her expression faint as she turned to look at Mo You.
"Is she really your cousin?"
"Reporting to mistress, no. I do not know this woman," Mo You replied plainly.
Regardless of how things were before, the moment his mistress saved him and brought him back to the palace, he was no longer his former self. If she hadn't saved him, he wouldn't be here today.
Upon hearing Mo You's words, Qing Yao’s star-like, sharp eyes cast a chilling glare.
Yi Shuang’er, intimidated by her ferocity, covered her face and dared not cause further trouble. She merely sobbed softly, occasionally casting sideways glances at Mo You.
"You heard him, he doesn't know you. Furthermore, he is merely my subordinate. If you are looking for your cousin, feel free to search elsewhere. Do not disturb us here, or I will not be polite. If you still refuse to leave, it won't just be a slap."
As Qing Yao finished speaking, Yi Shuang’er shivered inwardly and took a step back, standing beside Mo You. She reached out and tugged at him pitifully,
"Cousin, this woman is so fierce. Let's go back. Shuang’er is scared. Father has been waiting for you at home."
Unfortunately, her pitiful demeanor did not move Mo You. Mo You’s face was cold as he forcefully shook off her hand, speaking with annoyance.
"How many times have I told you, I am not your cousin, nor have I ever met you. I am just a servant named Mo You. As you can see, this is our mistress."
After Mo You spoke, Yi Shuang’er bit her lip, her expression tragic. Half of her pretty face was severely swollen, indicating that Mo Chou had indeed struck with force.
Mo Chou usually did not trouble these young maids, but this time she seemed impulsive. Was it because Qing Yao’s lips were tightly pursed? Did she subconsciously consider Mo You her possession, feeling a sense of crisis because of this young woman?
"Alright, young lady, you should leave. There is no point in staying any longer."
Qing Yao spoke coldly. Yi Shuang’er looked from one to the other, then stomped her foot, gritted her teeth, and shouted, "I will find my father. I don't believe you are not my cousin."
With that, she led her group of servants and rushed out. In the room, Qing Yao looked at Mo You motionlessly before finally saying in a deep voice, "Mo Chou, you go out first. I have something to ask Mo You."
"Miss?" Mo Chou opened her mouth, but upon seeing her mistress’s icy expression, she slowly retreated and stood guard outside the door.
Outside the door, another person stood, it was Yin Xuan. He did not rush in, but quietly waited in the corridor.
Mo Chou subtly sized him up. This man named Yin Xuan was truly mysterious, with handsome and peculiar features. His eyes were always inscrutable, as deep as the ocean. The arrogance and dominance radiating from him undeniably marked him as a formidable figure. But why was he so good to Miss?
Inside the room, there was a long silence, not a sound to be heard.
Unable to bear it, Mo You spoke, "Mistress?"
"Speak, I'm listening. I believe that Yi Shuang’er would not have misidentified someone."
Qing Yao spoke slowly, her tone serious and earnest, allowing no room for argument. Mo You knew his mistress had already figured out quite a bit. He remained silent, then spoke slowly and with great weight.
"My original name is Shen Yu. I am the Seventh Prince of the Huang Yuan Kingdom. My mother is Yi Manyun, one of the four concubines, Noble Consort Shu. My mother was the foremost talented woman in the Huang Yuan Kingdom and was deeply favored by the Emperor. Later, she gave birth to me. Who knew that shortly after my birth, my mother was murdered in a palace concubine struggle? Because the Emperor favored her, this was unacceptable to the royal family. Due to my mother's misfortune, my father felt indebted to me. Therefore, among the many princes and princesses, he treated me exceptionally well. However, this also led to ostracism from others, and eventually, those people began to target me."
Mo You paused here, his eyes clouded, and he lowered his head. Thinking of his gentle and lovely mother, his heart felt like it was being crushed by a massive stone, leaving him breathless.
If his mother had not entered the royal family, none of this would have happened. Originally, his mother was unwilling to enter the palace, but the Yi family forcibly sent her there. Therefore, he hated the Yi family and naturally refused to acknowledge them.
To them, he was merely a tool to be exploited. Within the royal family, kinship had ceased to exist.
"So your name is Shen Yu. What are your plans now?"
Now that she knew he was a prince, with such a noble status, how could she keep him by her side? Although her heart felt a pang of reluctance, having spent a year together, their bond naturally deepened.
"Whatever your plans, I will agree. You chose to be my subordinate, and you can now choose to leave voluntarily."
As Qing Yao’s words fell, Mo You dropped to his knees with a thud.
He had said before that he would follow his mistress and never abandon her, because even his mistress meant more to him than those so-called royal affections.
"Miss, without you, there would be no Mo You today. Perhaps I would have died long ago. Shen Yu is already dead. I am just Mo You, no longer anyone else."
Mo You was indeed a person of loyalty and righteousness, but he was ultimately a prince. How could he stay with her? Qing Yao raised an eyebrow slightly, a fleeting sharpness in her eyes.
"Mo You, if you stay, you will still be just an ordinary subordinate. I will not treat you with special consideration or regard you as a distinguished guest simply because you are a prince. You must think carefully about this."
She could not bring herself to treat him as a distinguished guest, so following her might lead to regret.
"Thank you, Miss. Mo You is still Mo You, just like before. There is no Shen Yu in this world; Shen Yu is dead."
Mo You stated his resolve with absolute certainty, without a hint of hesitation. Perhaps he was unaccustomed to it at first, but now he rather enjoyed this life, monotonous and ordinary, devoid of schemes and intrigue. In the past, he even had nightmares while sleeping, dreaming of people coming to harm him. How could he possibly return to that now?