Ying Xiang was stunned.
Was this really something her Miss would say?
Ying Xiang doubted her illness had muddled her mind, causing hallucinations, so she pinched herself hard, tears forming from the pain, yet her Miss still stood there in front of her.
No hallucinations...
Ying Xiang cautiously said, "Miss, you said before not to cause trouble for the Master, right?"
"I said that?" The original owner, pig-headed fool!
Ying Xiang nodded.
She had long disapproved of the Prince treating Miss this way; several times she wanted to go back and ask the Master to help her, but Miss stopped her every time.
"I forgot," Chuzheng spoke with straightforward assurance.
"..."
This wasn’t her Miss!
Her Miss would absolutely never say this kind of thing!
She must be dreaming!
When Yun Xiang brought the doctor over, Chuzheng sat next to him while he diagnosed her. Ying Xiang had no choice but to accept that she wasn’t dreaming.
Her Miss had really changed!
Ying Xiang stared at her face, suspecting that someone had taken her place, but what kind of impostor would be this blatant and unhidden?
"Reporting to the Prince’s Consort, Miss Ying Xiang is not seriously ill. She just needs to take and change her medicine on time every day." The doctor dictated a prescription: "Please follow this prescription to get the medicine."
Yun Xiang reached out to take it, but Chuzheng intercepted.
"Prince’s Consort, let me handle it," Yun Xiang quickly said.
"No need." Chuzheng tucked the prescription away, saying, "You don’t need to come to me tomorrow."
"Ah?" Yun Xiang’s expression froze momentarily, then she asked anxiously, "Prince’s Consort, did I fail in my duties somewhere?"
"The master you wish to serve isn’t here, so why should I keep you?"
Chuzheng spoke bluntly, without beating around the bush.
Yun Xiang was first taken aback, then her face paled as she knelt to the ground: "Prince’s Consort, what are you saying? I have been yours since I came here. Please don’t drive me away. Tell me what I did wrong, and I’ll fix it."
"Get out."
"Prince’s Consort..."
Yun Xiang wanted to say more, but Chuzheng grew impatient, directly handling her and throwing her out.
The young girl who appeared delicate, somehow had great strength, and Yun Xiang couldn’t resist being thrown out the door.
Chuzheng stood inside the door, her tone steady and indifferent: "If you dare appear before me tomorrow morning, I won’t mind sending you off."
The warm, dim light surrounded her, forming a halo of shadows, inexplicably adding a touch of coldness and detachment.
The wind was bitterly cold, and Yun Xiang’s body trembled uncontrollably, as the chill seemed to seep into her bones.
Was this the same Prince’s Consort from before?
Why... had she become so strange?
-
After driving Yun Xiang away, Chuzheng sought someone else to fetch the medicine. After Ying Xiang had taken her medicine, Chuzheng finally returned to her own room.
Besides Yun Xiang and Ying Xiang, Jinxiu Pavilion had several young maids and two ordinary senior women. Chuzheng wasn’t in the courtyard, and these people had already rested.
Changsun Hang had said he disliked extravagance, so the original owner traveled with just Yun Xiang and Ying Xiang, leaving the others in the courtyard.
Among these people, likely none were loyal to the original owner.
Thus, seeing Chuzheng come out of her own room the next day, these servants were quite startled.
They had no idea when their master had returned...
No matter how little favor the original owner received, they dared not overstep, rushing to prepare breakfast.
The assassin was not caught despite searching all night, and the residence remained under lockdown.
Changsun Hang had no time to confront Chuzheng for now, but his sweetheart eagerly came to visit the next day.
Chuzheng glanced at the woman before her, noting her starkly different style from the original owner—enchanting and seductive, with gestures capable of captivating others.
Indeed, a beauty.
"Greetings to my sister," the beauty said politely.
Chuzheng leisurely drank tea, "Are you here for something?"
"I heard my sister returned, so I specially came to see." Zhen Rou’s voice was sickly sweet, the kind that might make men’s legs weak.
Chuzheng set down her teacup, her fingertip resting on the edge of the table: "I don’t have a sister. Don’t call me that."
"..." Zhen Rou’s hand squeezed the handkerchief tightly. Yun Xiang had rushed over last night to say the woman had returned from self-reflection and even unexpectedly chased her out.
She couldn’t figure out what had happened after a full night’s contemplation, so she came over early.
Mere eye contact told Zhen Rou the person before her had changed.
Not that she physically changed, but her aura differed...
Though she carried the title of Prince’s Consort before, when did she ever have the demeanor of one? Yet today, she seemed to possess it.
How can someone change so much in such a short time?
Perhaps she’s just putting on an act...
Zhen Rou tightened her grip on the handkerchief, speaking softly and tenderly: "But His Highness told me to address you this way. If sister doesn’t like it, I won’t call you that."
Zhen Rou brought Changsun Hang into the conversation.
This was usually a sharp weapon, capable of wounding her deeply each time.
But today, the person sitting there didn’t even furrow her brow, tapping her fingertips rhythmically on the edge of the table.
"Sister..."
Chuzheng’s gaze swept toward Zhen Rou, "Has no one taught you manners upon entering the residence?"
Zhen Rou: "?"
"You have no rank, so what right do you have to stand here and speak to me?" No matter how unremarkable the original owner was, she held the title of Prince’s Consort, recorded in the Imperial Jade Disc.
Though the original owner feared Changsun Hang’s dislike, living as a consort like a maid was pitiful.
But now that she was here, things would not continue to be this way.
When Zhen Rou heard she wasn’t ranked, her complexion changed.
Though she flaunted herself in the residence, supported by Changsun Hang, ultimately she remained nameless and without rank.
Chuzheng gestured with her fair hand, "Throw her out."
The maids standing by were shocked.
This was His Highness’s favorite Miss Rou...
"Why hesitate?" Chuzheng saw no one move and her tone grew colder: "Can’t I command you?"
One with an unfavorable status yet noble title of Prince’s Consort, the other adored but rankless Miss Rou, this was hardly an easy situation for them.
Chuzheng slightly reclined, her sight sweeping over them one by one: "If you don’t act, it’ll be you thrown out next."
Servants caught in her gaze inexplicably felt the Prince’s Consort’s gaze was somewhat fierce.
Finally, a maid took a step forward, grabbing Zhen Rou’s arm.
"How dare you touch me!" Zhen Rou exclaimed, shaking off the maid’s hand: "Sister, what did I do wrong? I only came to offer you my respects; you can’t bully someone without cause!"
Chuzheng responded with lightness, like a breeze and mist: "What’s wrong with bullying you?"
Zhen Rou: "..."
Bullying me, what then?
Zhen Rou nearly laughed at the remark, thinking if His Highness knew this, you’d be doomed. This woman was crazy!
"His Highness will..."
Chuzheng’s words were sharp: "Throw her out."
Chuzheng’s aura was overwhelmingly strong, so the maids who hadn’t moved before were startled by her voice, and two more stepped forward, joining forces to escort Zhen Rou out of Jinxiu Pavilion.
Zhen Rou stood outside Jinxiu Pavilion, her face turning ashen with rage.
She actually dared...
"Miss Rou..." A nearby servant called cautiously.
Zhen Rou stared at Jinxiu Pavilion, asking through clenched teeth: "Where is His Highness?"
"His Highness should be in the study..."
"Go, offer respects to His Highness."
The servant understood this meant she intended to report grievances to His Highness.
With Zhen Rou favored, it was evident the Prince’s Consort would be in misery again.