Ye Xue sneered and leaned into her ear, "You think you can rest easy by clinging to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion? Your reputation is already that of a drowning rat, reviled by all."
"As soon as you enter the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, the people inside won't make things easy for you."
"You don't know yet, do you? Father and the Lu family have already planned it. After you marry, your husband's family will give you a white silken rope to be buried with your dead husband."
"One mansion, not two consorts. After you die, I will be the Third Prince Consort."
"Ah—it hurts, it hurts—"
Ye Xue's face turned pale, her arms pinned behind her back. She collapsed onto the table, writhing in pain.
Ye Luan exerted force and sneered, "You truly exude a pure kind of stupidity from head to toe."
A daughter born to a secondary wife, aspiring to be a prince consort, was truly a pipe dream!
"Ah, Second Miss!"
The servants rushed to pull her away. Ye Luan shoved hard, flinging Ye Xue directly at them. She crashed into several people, creating a chaotic mess on the floor.
Pained cries instantly filled the room.
Ye Luan's hearing was sharp, and she faintly heard distant laughter. She curled her lips and ignored it.
"Ah—you're seeking death, Ye San, come out now! Capture her for me, I want to beat this bitch to death—"
"What's all the commotion in the middle of the night!"
In the flickering lamplight, Ye Wensong and Gao Shi, followed by a group of people, strode in.
Behind them was Fu Dai, holding a lantern. Such a commotion had woken her up too.
"Miss."
Upon seeing the scene in the room, Gao Shi's teeth itched with hatred. She quickly scooped up the crying Ye Xue from the floor.
"Mother, you've finally arrived! Eldest Sister has hidden a man in her room and hit her daughter. She's too arrogant! If she marries out looking like this, people will surely gossip about our Ye family."
Ye Wensong roared, "What's going on?"
Late at night, a嬷嬷 from Gao Shi's side suddenly reported that the eldest daughter of Yueya Courtyard was privately meeting a man and was caught red-handed by the second daughter.
He had rushed over, but where was the person?
"Father, you saw it. Second Sister brought people to search my room and disturbed my rest."
"You're spouting nonsense! Clearly, secret guards heard a man's voice in your room."
Ye Luan raised her eyebrows, "Father, I'm about to get married. What's the point of ruining my reputation?"
Hearing this, Ye Wensong vaguely understood.
He glared at Ye Luan, "Wicked daughter."
But Gao Shi did not intend to let Ye Luan go just like that.
"My Lord, why is that cabinet still locked?"
Even if she couldn't kill Ye Luan, it would be good to make her suffer a little before her wedding.
"Yes, search it! The adulterer must be hiding in that cabinet." Ye Xue immediately stood up, drew a sword from a guard, and walked towards the cabinet.
Ye Luan's expression darkened. She slapped Ye Xue's face with a crack, the force so great that it sent her sprawling onto the floor.
Everyone was stunned.
"Making such a racket at my place in the middle of the night, do you really think I'm easy to bully?"
She paused, then looked at Ye Wensong, her eyes growing colder. "Father, if this continues, it will benefit none of us."
Gao Shi lowered her gaze and added fuel to the fire, her voice neither light nor heavy.
"My Lord, Eldest Miss is about to ride all over you."
Yes.
The Madam is right.
This wicked daughter has threatened him repeatedly, it's truly detestable.
"Guards, tie up the Eldest Miss for me."
The guards rushed in.
Seeing Ye Luan unrepentant, Ye Wensong was furious. He slapped Ye Luan's face, but she couldn't dodge in time and was hit on the neck.
A red mark instantly appeared on her fair skin.
At that moment, with a bang, there was a violent commotion from the cabinet.
Everyone looked in surprise. A man in white robes kicked open the cabinet door, his tall figure slightly bent as he walked out with a languid and casual air.
His aura was powerful and commanded attention.
The corners of his lips curved into a faint smile, yet it filled the entire room with an aura of terror.
"Wang—Your Highness."
Ye Wensong was greatly alarmed and knelt down.
The lover turned out to be the Prince of Dingbei. It was over.
He was finished.
Everyone else also knelt in fear, speaking respectfully.
'Greetings, Your Highness.'
Xiao Chizhan lazily twisted his arm and chuckled lightly, "What a wonderfully exciting play I've heard."
His voice was very soft, but it inexplicably carried a murderous aura.
Ye Wensong trembled with fear, prostrating himself on the ground, not daring to move.
"My darling, that cabinet doesn't even have an air vent. I was suffocating."
Xiao Chizhan grinned roguishly, tilting his head, and pulled the stunned Ye Luan into his arms.
His gaze dropped, and the red mark on her neck caught his eye, a startling sight.
His deep red eyes darkened.
A deathly silence and terror permeated the room.
Seeing Xiao Chizhan's doting behavior towards Ye Luan, everyone's expressions varied.
Ye Xue was so angry that she was about to grind her teeth into powder.
Bitch.
Bitch!
Even after being betrothed, she still hadn't forgotten to seduce men.
While cursing inwardly, she couldn't help but secretly look up at the man who seemed like a deity. Her heart pounded!
The Prince of Dingbei was truly handsome, his brows filled with a wild and unruly spirit.
He wore white robes and boots, with a purple-gold crown holding his hair. His temples were sharp as if cut by a knife, and his face was as beautiful as a painting.
Those terrifying red eyes emanated a wild, unrestrained, and charmingly evil smile.
She quickly adopted a shy, maidenly posture, clutching her handkerchief and speaking delicately.
"So it's Your Highness. How could Sister let Your Highness hide in the cabinet? This is truly improper."
Ye Luan covered her injury, raising her eyebrows.
Does this Ye Xue like Xiao Chizhan?!
She was happy to watch the show and discreetly withdrew from his embrace, kneeling on the ground with the others.
Xiao Chizhan looked at her actions and licked his lips with a cold smile.
"Your Highness's visit to my humble abode is an unexpected honor. This subordinate has failed to greet you properly. I beg Your Highness for forgiveness."
Rumor had it that this good-for-nothing daughter of his was not favored at all and had even been kicked out of the Prince's mansion. Why had the Prince of Dingbei come here in the middle of the night?
Ye Wensong's mind churned like a stormy sea. The Ye family's influence was weak. If he could curry favor with the Prince of Dingbei's mansion, his career path would undoubtedly be smooth.
With this thought, a fawning smile spread across his face. "A'Luan, why aren't you quickly going to pour tea for His Highness?"
This old scoundrel, he intended to use her to climb to the Prince's mansion.
Ye Luan's expression remained unchanged. She stood up and poured tea for Xiao Chizhan.
"The tea in Sister's room is from last year. Your Highness, this humble subject has fresh rain-picked Dai tea in my room—"
Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Chizhan interrupted her coldly.
"Noisy! Long Qi, drag her away."
A secret guard suddenly appeared and dragged Ye Xue away.
Everyone was shocked.
The Prince of Dingbei's cruel methods were widely rumored in the capital.
Gao Shi, fearing something might happen to Ye Xue, said tremblingly, "Your Highness, spare her. My daughter is ignorant. I beg Your Highness to spare her."
"Your Highness, spare her life."
Ye Wensong was also greatly horrified but did not dare to beg for mercy. As an official in court, he had witnessed the Prince of Dingbei's cruel and terrifying nature.
The Prince of Dingbei's temperament was unpredictable. Even ministers with great prestige in court would be directly killed if they angered him.
Let alone him, a mere Minister.