Only after he managed to secure a place for himself in Nan Yan through his own abilities did those people dare not trample on him as they used to.
Wei Hong's words reminded Lian Cheng of his previous life, and he shook his head and smiled.
"Indeed, most people in this world bully the weak and fear the strong, so it is only right for Your Highness to take precautions."
Wei Hong nodded, thinking that if there was nothing else, he would go back. He was already getting up from the blanket when he suddenly remembered something.
Why are you staring at my princess?
Lian Cheng was taken aback: "Huh? When did I start watching her?"
"How would you know what she was wearing, what she was carrying, and what kind of lipstick she was using if you weren't watching her?"
Liancheng: "..."
Chapter 72 Jealousy
Liancheng often lingered among flowers. When he saw a woman, especially a beautiful one, he would subconsciously take a second look and observe her clothing and the cosmetics she liked to use.
Firstly, this allows you to get a general idea of the other person's status and position; secondly, you can give them gifts that they like.
Little did he expect that this habit would come out unintentionally when he met Yao Youqing, and he even blurted it out to Wei Hong in a moment of carelessness.
"I...I really wasn't staring at her, I just happened to see her when I greeted her."
"You just happened to see her lipstick?"
Wei Hong retorted, his expression growing increasingly gloomy.
Clothing and jewelry are one thing, it's normal to get an impression from a glance.
How can you tell the difference between a good quality cream and a bad one without a close look?
What is a grown man thinking, staring intently at a girl's lips?
Lian Cheng was speechless: "I really didn't mean to look at her, it was just..."
"This year's prospects can only be reduced by two points. I'll have someone send me the contract later."
Wei Hong stood up and was about to leave.
Liancheng quickly grabbed him: "Your Highness! Your Highness! Didn't we just agree on a three-way split? How can you change your mind like this?"
Wei Hong ignored him and broke free to go downstairs.
Liancheng followed closely: "Your Highness! A man's word is his bond, you..."
"One point."
"...I was wrong, two points it is."
...
When Wei Hong returned to the mansion, Yao Youqing was talking to Madam Song in her room. Upon seeing him return, Madam Song did not linger and got up to leave.
After she left, Wei Hong pulled Yao Youqing to his side and carefully examined the lip rouge on her lips.
Yao Youqing was puzzled and reached out to touch her lips.
"What's wrong? Is there something stuck to my lips?"
Wei Hong didn't say anything, but just kept staring at her. Then he suddenly pulled her hand away, lowered his head and kissed her.
The man's kiss was domineering and passionate, lingering on the girl's lips.
Yao Youqing made a sound of humming. At first, she let him kiss her, but later she couldn't help but push him away. When he finally let go, she frowned and reached out to wipe the corner of her mouth.
"Your Highness, what are you doing! You've eaten all my lip rouge!"
Looking at the girl's slightly swollen lips, Wei Hong pulled her into his arms again.
"Don't use this lip rouge anymore."
"Why? Wasn't this a gift from you?"
"...I had someone buy one that looked like the one sent from the palace, but it's not nice. I'll send you a new one another day."
Yao Youqing thought he was arguing with that person in the capital again, and since she didn't care what kind of lip rouge she used, she nodded in agreement.
Wei Hong loved her gentle, obedient, and submissive nature. He lowered his head and lightly pecked her lips for a while before asking, "What was your aunt talking to you about just now? I think I heard her mention beans."
At this point, Yao Youqing's eyes lit up slightly, and she smiled and said, "Doctor Dou is not young, but he has never gotten married. My aunt has taken a liking to Qiongyu and wants me to help her test the waters to see if Qiongyu is interested in him."
Although Qiongyu was just a maidservant by her side, she was always favored by her and was the closest person to her among all the servants, except for Zhou Mama.
Song had dealt with Qiongyu before when she was in Cangcheng. This time, she stayed at the Prince's Mansion and got even closer to her. She had been secretly observing her for a long time and was increasingly satisfied with the girl. That's why she came to Yao Youqing to put in a good word for her.
Although Yao Youqing, as Qiongyu's master, could make decisions directly for her, it's always best if it's a matter of mutual consent, so it's still necessary to ask Qiongyu's opinion.
Wei Hong nodded: "Then why don't we just call Qiongyu in and ask her?"
As she opened her mouth to call Qiongyu in, a pair of small hands tightly covered her mouth before she could utter a sound.
"Your Highness! My aunt just left. If you call Qiongyu in now, won't she immediately guess what my aunt was talking to me about?"
Wei Hong frowned, and after she put her hand down, he said, "It was Auntie who brought it up in the first place. So what if she knows?"
Yao Youqing glared at him: "Qiongyu is my maid, she's with me all day long. If she finds out that it was Aunt who brought this up, and that it didn't work out in the end, how awkward will it be for her when she sees Aunt and Doctor Dou in the future?"
Whether it would be awkward for others to meet him or not was never a consideration for Wei Hong, so he didn't think about it that much at all.
But since Yao Youqing cares, he's willing to consider it.
"Then I'll find an excuse to invite Douzi out another day, and have him dress smartly so you can let Qiongyu see if she's satisfied."
Yao Youqing chuckled: "Alright, if this matter succeeds in the future, I will thank Your Highness on behalf of Qiongyu!"
Wei Hong raised an eyebrow and gently nuzzled her nose: "How will you thank me?"
The girl blushed slightly at the deep, husky voice and puffed out her cheeks.
"Whether it will work out or not is still uncertain..."
Wei Hong chuckled, nibbled at her ear, and whispered a few words in it, making the girl blush even more. She frowned and shook her head in his arms, "No, no, I won't..."
Before she could finish speaking, her protest was swallowed by the man, leaving only weak gasps.
...
Wei Hong and Yao Youqing originally planned to go to a Buddhist temple on a mountain outside the city to offer incense in half a month. They planned to have Douzi come along and find a place to rest on the way back, and also to test Qiongyu.
On the day of the incident, the carriage had already left the city when Wei Hong was suddenly summoned away, leaving only Douzi and a group of guards behind.
Before, when he was away, Yao Youqing often went out on her own, so they didn't take it seriously. The group continued walking up the mountain, but unexpectedly, they ran into another group of people on the way.
This group was none other than Liancheng and his entourage. Upon meeting, Liancheng immediately tightened the reins and shouted at the carriage before they even got close: "Your Highness, what a coincidence, we've met again!"
This was truly a chance encounter; he wasn't deliberately looking for trouble.
But when he got closer, he realized that Wei Hong was not in the car.
"Your Highness, how could you let the Princess go out alone? It's so dangerous!"
He deliberately frowned as he spoke.
Douzi chuckled beside him: "With us following along, there's no danger."
With over thirty Jingyuan soldiers surrounding Hu City, if something were to happen to the princess, this place wouldn't be Hu City.
Liancheng ignored him and then said to the person in the carriage, "Your Highness, I, Liancheng, pay my respects to you."
As he spoke, he sat on horseback and cupped his hands to Yao Youqing through the carriage curtain.
He greeted her, and Yao Youqing naturally wanted to return the greeting, but as a woman with her husband not present, she didn't want to directly confront Lian Cheng, a talented but somewhat unreliable man. So, she simply sat in the carriage and said, "Young Master Lian, there's no need..."
Before he could finish speaking, Liancheng suddenly lowered his head in terror and waved his hands repeatedly.
"Your Highness, please don't lift the curtain! I dare not look at you even once. Last time we met, we only exchanged a few words, and the Prince flew into a rage, almost gouging out my eyes. If I look at you again today, I'm afraid I'll lose my life!"
An exaggerated tone means that even without seeing his actions, you can tell he's either exaggerating or talking nonsense.
Yao Youqing sat in the car without saying a word. Liancheng did not stop because of her silence, and looked up and sighed again.
“I know I am as handsome as Pan An, and it’s understandable that the prince is jealous of me, but…”
"The prince is not jealous of you."
The woman in the car suddenly spoke, interrupting his monologue.
Liancheng was slightly taken aback. After that brief pause, the woman's voice came again.
"The prince is not such a vulgar person who judges people by their appearance, so naturally he would not be jealous of you."
"Besides, I think... he's better looking than you, so there's even less reason for him to be jealous of you."
This was the first time in Liancheng's life that someone had ever told him to his face that another man was more handsome than him, and it was a woman who said it!
His forehead twitched, and he almost blurted out, "Are you blind?"
The words were barely out of her mouth when she remembered that this was Wei Hong's princess, and she forced a stiff smile as she said, "The princess's taste... is truly extraordinary."
Yao Youqing remained seated in the carriage without lifting the curtain, continuing, "Although Young Master Lian is handsome, as a..."
She swallowed back what she was about to say, which seemed a bit inappropriate, and skipped over it, saying, "But you're a bit too innocent, lacking a bit of heroic spirit."
Douzi and the others almost burst out laughing, while Liancheng's face turned ashen. If it weren't for her status, he would have rushed over, dragged her out of the car, and made her open her eyes wide to see who was more handsome, him or Wei Hong.
Perhaps his servants, fearing that he might anger the straightforward Princess Qin, whispered a reminder to him where the princess was headed and not to delay her journey.
Liancheng then forced a smile and stepped aside, saying, "I have urgent business to attend to in the city, so I won't say any more to the Princess."
Yao Youqing nodded and told Zhou's mother to instruct the driver to continue on their way.
After they left, Liancheng watched the carriages and horses gradually disappear into the distance, secretly gritting his teeth.
"Was she trying to say that I'm too pale as a man?"
But in the Great Liang Dynasty, scholars held the highest status, and now many scholars were fond of wearing flowers and applying powder. A man with fair skin and good looks like him should be the most popular with women!
What kind of taste does Princess Qin have to think Wei Hong is more handsome than him?
"Young master, please don't be angry. This Princess Qin has exceptional judgment. Why should you be upset by her words?"
Some people offered advice.