Yu Linglong couldn't help but turn her head, looking in the direction of the dense forest's exit.
It wasn't Chu Qianli.
She breathed a sigh of relief.
But as she turned back, she saw a flash of darkness in Feng Yexuan's eyes.
Yu Linglong's palms tightened involuntarily.
What was he disappointed about?
Didn't he no longer care about Chu Qianli? Could it be that there was someone else he cared about among these selected girls?
Who could it be?
That girl came out. Yu Linglong glanced at her, feeling a bit puzzled.
This girl's clothes were also clean, without any trace of sweat or dust.
Most importantly, she looked so delicate and weak, how could she come out so quickly?
"Your Highness, Jing'er has retrieved the token."
The girl named Jing'er dismounted and walked with small steps towards Feng Yexuan.
Seeing Prince Xuan so close up, she was instantly stunned. Her legs froze as she approached him.
"Miss, please hand me the token," Leng Ji said, interrupting her infatuated gaze.
The girl named Jing'er quickly lowered her head, her movements seeming a bit stiff as she handed over the token.
However, it was only a moment of stiffness, and she quickly became natural again.
"Your Highness, Jing'er's admiration for you..."
"Your Highness, this token is fake," Leng Ji suddenly said.
Jing'er's face changed, and she said anxiously, "How, how could it be fake? I brought it back from the other side of the mountain after great hardship. You... you are slandering me!"
"Your Highness, he..."
"Drag her away and give her thirty strokes," Feng Yexuan waved his hand.
The girl named Jing'er was so frightened that she couldn't even think of calling for help before being dragged away.
It wasn't until the plank fell on her that the sharp pain awakened her.
She immediately cried out in pain, "No... help! No! Ah! Ah! I am the young lady of the Marquis's mansion... Ah! Ah!"
"My father is... is the Marquis, my mother... is a first-rank lady, who dares to hit... me... Ah... Ah..."
"Fifty," Feng Yexuan said expressionlessly.
Leng Ji felt a little uneasy, "Your Highness, this girl is so delicate. Fifty strokes might be fatal."
"A delicate girl dares to participate in my concubine selection ceremony?"
Feng Yexuan sneered, picked up his cup, and ignored them.
Leng Ji had nothing to say and could only turn back and glance at the two guards carrying out the punishment.
Fifty it is, but the force must be controlled.
It's not a big deal if she's crippled, but don't beat her to death.
After all, the people from the Marquis's mansion were not to be trifled with.
His Highness was not afraid of offending people, but he didn't want His Highness to make too many enemies.
"How did you know the token was fake?" Liu Jin glanced at the tokens of the two girls. They seemed quite similar.
"Oh, this part is wrong." Liu Jin looked more closely and finally saw clearly that there were some symbols engraved on the bottom right corner of the token.
"Each girl's symbol is different. I had them engraved. I have the drafts here."
Leng Ji was responsible for this matter from beginning to end.
Even the engraver didn't know whose name the symbols represented.
Therefore, the imposter could only make an identical token, but she definitely wouldn't know her own symbol.
She could only see other people's symbols and then engrave an identical one.
Little did she know, her own symbol was completely different.
The selection of the Xuan King's Consort was closely watched by many. So many girls wanted to marry the Prince, and so many high-ranking officials wanted to use this opportunity to get close to the Prince.
From this, it could be seen how many secret collusions and illicit dealings existed in the court.
Before long, the girls inside started coming out one after another.
Feng Yexuan's cup never left his hand, until... Chu Qianli and Long Ziyue came out.
They actually came out side by side, chatting and laughing as they emerged!
Feng Yexuan's expression was very displeased.
The two girls came before him. Long Ziyue handed her token to Leng Ji, while Chu Qianli looked at Leng Ji and said, "There was no token prepared for me over there."
Leng Ji immediately felt ashamed, "Be-because Miss Li'er's name was not on the selection list."
"But I truly reached the other side of the mountain to get the token," Chu Qianli said to Feng Yexuan with a sincere expression, "I didn't lie to Your Highness."
"Your Highness, I can vouch for this. Ah Li and I reached the destination together," Long Ziyue said quickly.
"Ah Li?" Feng Yexuan's eyes darkened, but then slowly lifted.
"You are making friends with the girls participating in my concubine selection?"
Chu Qianli lowered her head, unsure how to answer.
"Princess Pingyue, do you think this woman is genuinely befriending you?"
Feng Yexuan suddenly stood up and looked at Long Ziyue, "How much do you know about this woman's schemes? She must have a purpose in approaching you."
Dropping his cup, Feng Yexuan turned and left, "Princess Pingyue, you should go back and rest early."
Prince Xuan left.
There were still countless girls who hadn't come out, but he had lost his patience to wait.
Yu Linglong finally understood who Feng Yexuan had been waiting for!
He was actually interested in Long Ziyue!
Yu Linglong's eyes turned red with anger. Looking at Long Ziyue, she didn't see half of her own beauty.
She didn't have any feminine gentleness at all!
She didn't know what Feng Yexuan saw in her.
However, Long Ziyue was the daughter of Prince Ding of Longteng Kingdom, and Prince Ding of Longteng Kingdom was the sister of the former Empress and the current Empress.
Her status was noble!
Long Ziyue was indeed valuable to Feng Yexuan!
Yu Linglong bit her lip, her palms clenched, filled with anger and unwillingness.
Even if Long Ziyue was of noble status, she would not allow her to snatch Feng Yexuan away!
Never!
Yu Linglong also left, and before leaving, she couldn't resist mocking her former love rival, "Even Yexuan can see through your schemes. How pathetic!"
Yu Linglong left.
Chu Qianli remained expressionless, showing no sign of discomfort.
The guards of Longteng Kingdom arrived and escorted Long Ziyue away.
Long Ziyue didn't say anything as she left.
Chu Qianli was about to leave when more girls emerged from the dense forest.
Chu Huaiyu sat on her horse, panting, as if she had just survived a life-or-death ordeal.
She looked so fragile that she seemed about to fall off her horse at any moment.
After Prince Xuan left, everyone became more relaxed.
Han Zhan and Xiao Ya had arrived, waiting for people.
Han Zhan had heard Feng Yexuan's words clearly earlier.
Now, seeing Chu Qianli standing alone, he felt an impulse to go and comfort her.
But he had no right.
When Chu Huaiyu came out, Han Zhan could only step forward, "How is it? Are you injured?"
A tear hung in Chu Huaiyu's eye, and she said hoarsely, "My whole body hurts so much..."
Xiao Ya felt heartbroken and, along with Han Zhan, helped her dismount.
Leng Ji was still there, responsible for checking the tokens.
Chu Qianli didn't even look at Chu Huaiyu, only saying to Leng Ji, "With Princess Pingyue as a witness, have I advanced?"