The little dumpling swallowed the pastry in her mouth and spread her hands innocently, shrugging. "Auntie, Momo didn't say anything just now, nor did she provoke you."
Her deliberate provocation was too obvious.
Qin Mingyan's mouth twitched, and she said angrily, "You ill-bred thing, who are you calling Auntie?"
The little dumpling yelped, "Are you angry? Don't be angry, Momo called you wrong, Auntie."
"Presumptuous!" Qin Mingyan reprimanded, and stepped forward.
"To be so ill-mannered in front of His Highness Prince Yu, what kind of person is Consort Liang, that a trash like you can be in the Consort's bed? Get down immediately!"
She reached out to grab her.
A cold glint flashed in Su Yunmo's eyes, and she picked up a pastry and threw it at the woman's face.
"Ah!" Qin Mingyan was hit directly, her makeup smeared, her face full of pastry crumbs.
Some crumbs fell down her chin into her clothes.
She then shrieked, pulling at her clothes.
The little dumpling clapped her hands, gloating, "The clean auntie has become a dirty auntie."
Qin Mingyan was both ashamed and angry. In her fury, she raised her hand to slap Su Yunmo's face, "You lowly creature, how dare you toy with me!"
*Slap!*
Qin Mingyan's wrist was grabbed, and she looked up in shock at Consort Liang's cold face. The indifference emanating from that face was exactly the same as Ye Jingyu's.
"Consort Liang?" Qin Mingyan's eyes widened, not expecting her to intervene.
Su Yunmo was also a little surprised.
Consort Liang threw her away, cradled the little dumpling in one arm, and her usually gentle face now showed anger. "You are not allowed to touch her!"
No one could touch Momo even with a single finger!
Qin Mingyan was thrown to the ground, both angry and annoyed, truly unable to understand why the Consort was angry with her for such a little brat.
If she wasn't foolish, she should have easily realized that she was the princess chosen by the Empress for His Highness Prince Yu.
Compared to that dead girl named Momo, she should have been closer to the Consort.
"Consort, please calm your anger. This humble daughter did not intend to make you angry. It's just that this child is too rude. You saw it just now, she made the first move."
"This humble daughter requests that Consort drag this girl away and punish her severely!"
Consort Liang ignored her, reached out to cover the little dumpling's head, and gently rubbed it. "Is Momo alright? Good child, don't be afraid, don't be afraid, Mother Consort will protect you."
Su Yunmo knew that Consort Liang's memory was still confused, so she didn't correct her and obediently nuzzled in her palm. "Momo is fine."
"Mother Consort?" Qin Mingyan seized on the key point, her gaze shifting complexly between the two.
She hadn't heard that Consort Liang had a second daughter. Could it be Consort Liang's illegitimate daughter?
She remembered that Consort Liang was sent to the cold palace because of an affair, and judging by the age of this dead girl, it was quite possible.
Su Yunmo caught the astonishment on Qin Mingyan's face and knew she had likely misunderstood, but she didn't mind leading her further down that path.
"Mother Consort~" The little dumpling hugged Consort Liang, her little head rubbing against her chest as she complained aggrievedly, "Momo doesn't like this auntie. She wanted to hit Momo just now, and Momo was so scared~"
Consort Liang heard the little dumpling say she was scared and immediately held her tighter, gently patting her back. "Momo, don't be afraid, Mother Consort will make her leave immediately."
Consort Liang turned to Qin Mingyan. "Get out! Don't come here again."
Being pointed at and scolded, Qin Mingyan felt her face was losing its composure.
She should get out?
What right did she have to tell her to get out? If it weren't for Prince Yu, did she think she would be willing to come to this cold palace?
Now she was just a woman who had been disfavored by His Majesty. Why was she being so arrogant towards her?
"Your Highness~" Qin Mingyan drew out her voice and knelt on the ground, inching towards Ye Jingyu.
Her eyes were full of tears, like pear blossoms in the rain. "Your Highness, you must be fair to this humble daughter. The Consort is driving me away for this illegitimate daughter. This is not only slapping my face, but it's also insulting Your Highness~"
In the early years, Prince Yu was not favored by His Majesty because he had a mother like Consort Liang, who was ignorant of propriety and indecent.
She didn't believe that Prince Yu harbored no resentment in his heart over the years. Now, Prince Yu had to come to visit and pay his respects daily on the Empress Dowager's orders.
But she assumed he didn't want to come in his heart, and his frequent visits were just to gain a reputation for filial piety.
Now that Consort Liang openly disregarded him for an illegitimate child, she dared to guarantee that Prince Yu would definitely feel unbalanced and would surely stand up for her!
Ye Jingyu narrowed his dangerous eyes and looked at her coldly. "Then should I thank you for considering me?"
Qin Mingyan's eyes lit up, secretly thinking she had guessed correctly.
Prince Yu was indeed on her side.
"This humble daughter admires Your Highness's character, so naturally, whatever I do, I consider Your Highness first."
Qian Xue sneered.
Some people were seeking their own demise, truly unstoppable.
To complain to His Lordship about the two people in his heart, she really had the nerve to think of that.
Ye Jingyu's expression was blank, his eyes looking at her as if she were a dead person. "Then, according to you, what should this Prince do?"
Qin Mingyan glanced at Su Yunmo, her eyes full of arrogance and provocation.
She really wanted to tell Prince Yu to drag that dead girl out and beat her to death, but considering that the other party was half-royal, she swallowed the harsh words.
"This humble daughter asks for nothing else, as long as Your Highness makes that girl eat all the pastries in this room, this humble daughter will not pursue the matter further."
"As you wish." Ye Jingyu waved his hand.
Qian Xue stepped forward.
Qin Mingyan was filled with joy, waiting to see Su Yunmo being forced to eat pastries.
But Qian Xue, after collecting the pastries, did not grab Su Yunmo, but walked towards her instead.
The smile on Qin Mingyan's face froze. "What are you doing?"
"Miss Qin, please forgive me." Qian Xue grabbed her by the neck and stuffed the pastries from the oil-paper packet directly into her throat.
The pastries in this packet were moldy.
As soon as the pastries entered her mouth, the moldy smell went up her esophagus and rushed to her brain.
"Mmm! Your Highness... Your Highness!" Qin Mingyan's face finally showed terror, mixed with confusion.
She struggled desperately, reaching out towards Ye Jingyu for help.
The little dumpling leaned into Consort Liang's embrace, twirling her hair. "Mother Consort, this auntie is really noisy."
Consort Liang thought so too and looked displeasedly at Ye Jingyu. "Can't you just throw her out? She's disturbing Momo."
Young Master Yu is so old, and he can't handle things properly.
Ye Jingyu heard the displeasure in Consort Liang's tone and felt helpless. "Qian Xue, take her out."
Qian Xue responded with a deep "Yes," grabbed Qin Mingyan by the hair, and dragged her out forcefully.
Soon, Qin Mingyan's screams could be heard again from outside the courtyard, but the sound was noticeably much fainter than before.
Consort Liang opened a drawer and found an oil-paper packet of candied dates. "Good Momo, eat this."
"Okay~" Su Yunmo smiled, thinking she could finally change her taste.
She glanced at the person over there. "Qian Xue just called her 'Miss Qin?' Why is the Empress surnamed Qin?"
The woman she found for him last time was also surnamed Qin.