Before anyone could see what happened, Qingmo swept by like a gust of wind, and in the blink of an eye, a group of groaning lackeys lay on the ground. She grabbed the man in brocade robes by the neck with one hand, raised her eyebrows and sneered, "Since you couldn't leave before, you can leave now, right?"
Looking into her emotionless yet unusually cold eyes, the man in brocade robes had a sudden, unsettling feeling that this woman was no less gentle than a demon from hell. He desperately suppressed his anger and embarrassment, staring at her with wide eyes, full of arrogance. "Today, I am outmatched and have nothing to say. But you, ugly woman, must remember this: I never tolerate disobeying me, especially not a woman. The humiliation you suffer today will be repaid tenfold in the future."
“Miss, look at him, he’s still being stubborn. Why don’t we acupuncture his pressure points and hang him on this bridge to feed the fish?” Tianzhen said, glancing at him with disdain as she made the suggestion with an air of seriousness.
When Qingmo heard Tianzhen's playful words, she rarely smiled. Just as she was about to speak, the man who was being supported by Lanman suddenly broke free from her hand, shouted happily, and ran over to hug her waist.
"Okay...okay...let's hang my brother on the bridge and feed him to the fish, let's see if he dares to bully me again next time."
Looking at the dark hands on her waist, Qingmo frowned slightly. Just as she was about to pull him away, she saw him kneeling on the ground, looking up at her with a pair of pure black eyes staring at her curiously. Under the corner of his eye, there was a beauty mark the size of a grain of rice. She was stunned and froze on the ground.
---Aside---
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Chapter 3: Obstacles to the Request for an Audience
"Sister, what's wrong?" Seeing her stunned, the man kneeling on the ground blinked pitifully, his lips trembling as if he was about to cry.
"Miss, are you alright?" Tianzhen and Lanman noticed her unusual behavior and took a few steps forward with some concern.
Qingmo shook her head, released her grip on the man in brocade robes, and helped him up from his kneeling position. She said weakly, "It's alright, I'm fine." It was just a beauty mark, not even blood-red. She didn't feel any discomfort; it was probably just a similar-looking mole. After a moment's thought, she forced a smile and said softly, "Get in the car, it's time to go."
The carriage moved forward slowly. Tianzhen looked at the dirty man with a kind smile and asked softly, "What's your name? Where do you live? I'll take you home."
The man held Qingmo's arms tightly with both hands, tilted his head and looked at her seriously, and said slowly, word by word: "Aunt Fang said that my name is Feng Chenhao, and they all call me Your Highness."
"Your Highness?" The three exchanged a glance, all startled.
Qingmo's eyebrows furrowed into a tight knot. She had suspected this man was no ordinary person, but she never imagined he was the eighth son of the Phoenix, Prince An. Prince An was known to everyone as a fool. It seemed she had gotten herself into big trouble the moment she entered Phoenix City. She immediately whispered to the outside of the carriage, "Old Li, go to Prince An's residence."
That night
The candlelight flickered on the lampstand as Qingmo took a bath, while Lanman spoke to her through the screen.
“Miss, according to our reports, there were originally two flawless pearls. When Consort Mei was still favored, she was unwell, and His Majesty bestowed one upon her. Later, Consort Mei fell out of favor, and the pearl disappeared. We haven't yet found out if it's in the possession of her son, Prince Ping. As for the other pearl, Prince Kang has been frail and sickly since childhood. His Majesty, pitying him for losing his mother at a young age, bestowed the remaining flawless pearl upon him. We can confirm that Prince Kang possesses one. However, we have discovered that Prince Kang is very close to the daughter of the Minister of War, to the point that he will not marry anyone but her. If we truly want Prince Kang to marry you, Miss, and hand over the flawless pearl, it may not be so easy.”
Qingmo leaned against the bathtub, her eyelids half-closed, and asked casually, "Has the memorial requesting an audience with the Emperor been submitted? Have those people at Manyue Manor made any moves?"
Lanman paused slightly, then said, "The memorial requesting an audience with His Majesty has been submitted. I heard that His Majesty has been unwell these past few days and it may take a few more days. In addition, the eldest and third young ladies have already set off for Fengqi City. Our people deliberately harassed and intercepted them on the way, delaying them for some time, but they should arrive by tomorrow at the latest."
"Okay, I understand. You should go and rest now." Qingmo looked thoughtful. It seemed she would be going to the residences of Prince Kang and Prince Ping tomorrow.
*
In late autumn, a season when everything withers, the garden before us is a riot of colors, a tapestry of blooming flowers.
In the garden, a man and a woman sat in an ancient pavilion, their eyes filled with affection as they played chess. The man, dressed in snow-white robes, his jet-black hair cascading over his shoulders, possessed a face as white as powder and lips as red as cinnabar. His features were exquisite, his nose straight and handsome—truly a celestial being. The woman, with a face as delicate as a lotus blossom and eyebrows as graceful as willow branches, possessed alluring eyes and rosy cheeks, occasionally offering a shy smile—a rare beauty indeed. The two truly seemed like a match made in heaven.
"Cough...cough..." Seeing this scene from not far away, Steward Zhang wisely didn't get too close. He coughed a few times before slowly saying, "Your Highness, the second young lady of Manyue Manor, Yue Qingmo, requests an audience. Young Master Li is entertaining her in the living room."
Li Mumin looked up in surprise, "Butler Zhang, is Muxuan entertaining Miss Yue? He's still young and doesn't know any better, he shouldn't offend Miss Yue."
Feng Chenxi frowned slightly, his sickly pale face showing displeasure. He snorted coldly, "What is Miss Yue doing at the Kang Prince's Mansion? Let Mu Xuan see her and then send her away."
Butler Zhang hesitated for a moment, struggling internally, then said, "Alright, I'll send her away in a bit."
The living room was filled with the subtle aroma of tea.
Li Muxuan glanced at Qingmo sideways, sizing her up and down. His disappointment was obvious. After a while, he said arrogantly, "You are the second young lady of Manyue Manor? What brings you to see my brother-in-law today? He is not feeling well and is not able to receive guests. Just tell me what you want to say, and I will tell him."
Qingmo seemed oblivious to his rudeness, and smiled faintly, "I'm sorry, Young Master Li, what I'm about to say is a secret of Full Moon Manor and must not be told to a second person. I've heard that Your Highness is unwell, so I, Qingmo, can take your pulse. Full Moon Manor's medical skills are renowned throughout the land, and I believe Your Highness will not refuse."
"Bang..." Li Muxuan slammed his fist on the table and jumped up in a fit of rage, pointing at her and yelling, "You ungrateful woman! I've already told you, Prince Kang is my brother-in-law. How can he just meet other women like that? Besides, don't you ever look in the mirror before you go out? You're so ugly, how can you be worthy of someone as handsome as my brother-in-law? You're really overestimating yourself and don't know your own limitations."
"Who do you think you are, daring to point your finger at my young lady and curse her? Full Moon Manor is the number one manor in the world, and even if it's not, it's not up to a nobody like you to point fingers at us. You're not even married yet, and you're already calling him 'brother-in-law' this and 'brother-in-law' that, as if you want the whole world to know that the daughter of the Minister of War has an affair with someone else. You're shameless!" Tianzhen was worried that Qingmo wouldn't be able to see Prince Kang, so she had already restrained her temper. But seeing Li Muxuan becoming more and more arrogant and domineering, she was both angry and felt sorry for her young lady. She immediately pointed at Li Muxuan and started cursing him.
Seeing Li Muqing's face turn red and white in turns, Qingmo's expression darkened. "Tianzhen, shut up. How dare you speak so casually about your master's affairs? Quickly apologize to Young Master Li."
"No need. Since Manyue Manor is so powerful that even the son of the Vice Minister of War is just a nobody, I know I can't help Miss Yue. Please return the way you came. I won't see you off."
Just as Tianzhen was about to apologize, a cold and indifferent voice suddenly came from behind the living room blinds. The tone was neither happy nor angry, but it was unusually firm in ordering him to leave.
Qingmo suddenly stood up, looked at the thin curtain, and said in a low voice with a hint of pleading, "Your Highness, my maid has offended you because she did not know the rules. Please do not blame her. I apologize to you. However, I have come here today because I have something important to ask you. I would be very grateful if Your Highness would come out to see me."
Behind the curtain, Li Mumin was deathly pale, her head almost touching the ground. Feng Chenxi put his arm around her shoulder, holding her uneasy hand in one hand, and said unhappily, "I said it's unnecessary. No matter what important matter Miss Yue has, you have offended me today, and I will never see you again. Please leave on your own, or I will not mind asking you to leave the manor."
"Miss, I'll go and bring the Prince out to you." Tianzhen immediately rushed from behind Qingmo towards Juanlian...
Chapter 004: Truth and Falsehood
"Miss, I'll go and bring the Prince out to you." Tianzhen immediately rushed from behind Qingmo towards Juanlian...
*
“Tianzhen, don’t be rude…” Qingmo coldly rebuked, bowing slightly towards the curtain. “Since Your Highness does not wish to see Qingmo, I will leave now. However, I truly have something important to ask of you, and I hope Your Highness will grant me a chance to speak.” With that, she took out a blue-and-white porcelain bottle from her sleeve and placed it on the table. “This is a resurrection pill that I made, a gift for Your Highness as a token of our meeting. I hope Your Highness will not find it offensive. In that case, I will take my leave.” After saying this, she took Tianzhen’s hand and left the Kang Prince’s residence.
“Miss, they’re practically riding on your head, and you’ve already given away the Rejuvenation Pills you’ve been making for nearly five years. That Prince Kang is so stingy. It was clearly that guy surnamed Li who was rude first, but he said we were the ones who offended him. He’s so protective of his own…” Tianzhen complained incessantly, but then she noticed Qingmo looking at her with a cold face and suddenly shut her mouth.
Qingmo's face was icy cold. "Tianzhen, you're so impatient. Do you even realize you've ruined my plans? I've said it before, Fengqi City isn't Full Moon Manor. You need to restrain your temper. You knew Miss Li was also at the Kang Prince's residence, yet you still dared to spout such nonsense. Now that the Kang Prince's connection is severed, how am I supposed to save the wet nurse?"
Tianzhen lowered her head and mumbled a defense in her own voice, "But I really didn't know Miss Li was at the Prince Kang's residence. If I had known, I wouldn't have said that."
"You..." Qingmo was furious. "Mo Tianzhen, you go back to the inn right now. I can go to the Prince Ping's mansion by myself." After saying that, she got into the carriage without looking back.
"Miss..." Tianzhen looked at the speeding carriage with a tearful face, sniffed innocently, and walked back dejectedly.
Prince Ping's Mansion
Two pretty maids led the way, saying, "Miss Yue, this way please."
The winding corridor led to Qingmo, who followed behind the two women, somewhat puzzled. "Sisters, I've been walking for so long, why haven't we reached the Prince's courtyard yet? I wonder where this place leads?"
The two maids kept walking, and one of them replied, "Miss Yue must be visiting Phoenix Perch for the first time. You don't know that our Prince has an eye ailment and is very particular about cleanliness. You are dressed in a blue robe and look travel-worn. If the Prince saw you, he would surely be furious. Therefore, whenever someone comes to visit the Prince, we always ask the visitor to take a bath first."
Qingmo's eyes twitched. Even someone as knowledgeable as her could only think of two words when she saw these three princes: freaks.
Before long, the maid led her to a courtyard. In the center of the courtyard was a large hot spring pool, with wisps of steam rising from its surface. She could also faintly smell the odor of ugly eggs. Her eyes lit up; it was hot spring water.
Thin white shirts hung around the pool, and many flowers and plants were planted around it. The water was probably drawn from the hot spring. Now that the flowers and plants were in bloom, it felt like spring. She was in a great mood.
After dismissing the maid, she glanced at the set of pink clothes the two had left on the small table, shrugged helplessly, loosened the sash, and slowly entered the water.
"Who is it?" She hadn't taken more than a few steps when she heard rustling sounds behind her. She turned around abruptly and saw Yuechu Qing and Yue Surong, each carrying a set of clothes, looking at her with ill intent and smiling.
Yue Surong, holding the clothes, glanced at her smugly. "Second sister, aren't you usually the most careful and cautious person? How come you're so careless today? These clothes on the small table are quite nice. Let me and my sister borrow them for a day or two, and we'll definitely return them to you, haha..." After saying that, she giggled.
Yue Qing looked at her coldly at the beginning of the month. "Yue Qingmo, you are a Moon Maiden of Full Moon Manor. To escape Full Moon Manor without the permission of the six elders is already a grave taboo. You even had your wet nurse hidden. Full Moon Manor is only so big. I have already ordered people to guard the pharmacy. I want to see how Han Danyi can survive without medicine. Hmph." After saying that, she raised her arrogant head and turned to leave.
Qingmo narrowed her eyes and stared intently at the two figures' backs. Suddenly, she struck the water with both palms, and the water in the hot spring seemed to grow wings and fly forward like sharp swords.
"Ah..." Two screams rang out as Yuechu Qing and Yue Surong were instantly drenched from head to toe by the hot spring water.
"Haha...haha..." Qingmo covered her chest with one hand, looked at the two of them with disdain, and laughed wildly.
Yuechu Qing and Yue Surong stared fiercely at her, and crystal-clear water droplets dripped down from her head, ruining her beautiful hairstyle and exquisite makeup in an instant.
A moment later, Yuechu Qing gritted her teeth and looked at Qingmo, saying coldly, "Let's go back first. I estimate that Prince Ping has already finished his lunch. We have plenty of time to deal with this bitch."
Once the two left, Qingmo leisurely found a place to sit down and called out to the courtyard wall in a cheeky tone, "Friends outside the wall have seen and heard enough, haven't they? Instead of hiding, why not come out and meet me? I, Yue Qingmo, am waiting here."
"Miss Yue, an unmarried woman, is quite unrestrained." A slightly deep and indifferent male voice suddenly appeared, carrying a hint of disdain. Looking again, a man was already leaning against the courtyard gate.
Qingmo covered her chest with one hand without any awkwardness, and coldly looked at the man in front of the door.
The man was tall and slender, dressed in a deep purple robe. His jet-black hair, as black as brocade, was held atop his head by a white jade hairpin. His eyebrows were sharply defined, his eyes like carved paintings, their glaze as dark as an ancient well. They appeared calm and serene, yet when he glanced up, his gaze was cold, sharp, and piercing, sending chills down one's spine. The bright sunlight behind him accentuated his already striking features, making him an extremely handsome and dangerous man.
After looking him up and down, Qingmo laughed and said, "Heh... I'm not wearing any clothes, and Your Highness has been here for a while now. If I try to hide anything, it would only make me seem hypocritical. Besides, everyone in the city knows that Your Highness suffers from a chronic illness. Even if I'm not wearing any clothes, I haven't lost my innocence. Your Highness, don't you agree?"
"So Miss Yue is taking advantage of my physical disability to act so fearlessly. I'll have to see if Miss Yue is just a hypocrite." Feng Chenmu smiled wickedly and walked step by step toward the hot spring.
A playful breeze lifted the white veil high before letting it flutter down. Her casually styled black hair danced in the air like mischievous sprites, deliberately obscuring her eyes. Qingmo remained motionless, staring blankly through her hair as Feng Chenmu limped closer to her, her heart pounding erratically. She didn't know if it was from the embarrassment of being naked or the nervousness of confronting a dangerous man so openly for the first time.
Feng Chenmu's eyes narrowed as he stared intently at the body in the hot spring. The warm, tea-green water, reaching her chest, enveloped most of her skin. One of her slender arms barely covered her chest, not entirely completely, and he could even vaguely see the alluring glimpse of her breasts. Her small face was fixed on him, motionless and expressionless, like a person frozen in place. Her appearance was ordinary, but at this moment, he found her beautiful, a beauty that drove him mad.
Chapter 005: Choosing the Long Way Around Instead of the Shortest
The air suddenly thinned, each step forward a mixture of extreme pain and intense temptation. Veins bulged on Feng Chenmu's forehead; his usually impeccable self-control seemed on the verge of crumbling, and his opponent was such an ordinary woman. Suddenly enraged, he ripped off his outer robe and threw it towards the hot spring, turning back to coldly sneer, "If you're not a beauty that could topple kingdoms, and you're not exactly a meat on the bone, don't try to seduce me. You're truly overestimating yourself."
Qingmo reached out and grabbed her clothes, pouting helplessly. She hurriedly fastened the buttons a few times. "Alright, I'm dressed. Your Highness can turn around now."
Feng Chenmu turned around. Her outer robe hung loosely on her, the excessively long hem tied in knots on both sides, revealing her snow-white ankles. She clutched the hem of her robe with one hand, her face, flushed with moisture, smiling at him. He frowned slightly, his eyes narrowing. He glanced at the small bumps on her chest, then at her exposed ankles, and suddenly, anger welled up within him. He turned and walked away.
"Your Highness, I have an urgent matter to ask you, please don't leave." Qingmo hurriedly followed after him. She had finally managed to convince herself not to be so forceful and to be more gentle and cute, but she didn't expect that Prince Ping would treat her like a monster and avoid her like the plague. Sigh, is she really that ugly?
Feng Chenmu stopped, his handsome face as cold as ice in Antarctica. "Don't follow me. Stand here obediently. If I find out you've left this courtyard, I'll break your legs, hmph."
Qingmo stopped obediently, looking at the departing figure with a puzzled expression. "Freak... the whole family are freaks," she thought to herself.
Not long after, a maid brought over some clothes. As Qingmo put them on, she asked, "Has Your Highness seen the other two young ladies from Manyue Manor? Where are they? Please take me there immediately."
The maid in pink had a cold and aloof expression. "No, the prince didn't see anyone. He was furious in the hall and scolded everyone. The two young ladies from Manyue Manor were also asked to leave the manor."
"Huh?" Qingmo stopped tying her skirt, looking bewildered. What kind of epileptic fit was this Prince Ping having now? She asked uncertainly, "Then...did the Prince say whether he wanted to see me or not?"
The maid in pink gave her a cold look. "The prince said that after Miss Yue changes her clothes, she can go to him through the path outside the door. He will be waiting for her in the hall."
"Okay, thank you for letting me know, sister. I will definitely repay you when I have the chance." Qingmo took a deep breath, lifted the hem of her skirt, and ran out the door.