Indeed, the pitiful-looking woman on the bed was the same person who had followed Mu Cuihuan and tried to disfigure Ouyang Yue with a hairpin. Mu Cuihuan trembled. She cautiously looked up and saw Baili Cheng staring at her with an unprecedentedly cold gaze. Although Baili Cheng said nothing and let everyone look at him, his noble demeanor and extreme anger made the crowd tremble and involuntarily step back.
Mu Cuihuan stared coldly at Ning Xihe, inwardly seething with resentment. What kind of mess was this? She clearly saw Ouyang Yue in bed, and when she left, she even had people guarding the courtyard gate. She hadn't seen anyone else go in until Crown Prince Baili Cheng entered the courtyard. Only then did Mu Cuihuan, according to her plan, summon the young ladies to seduce him. Baili Cheng hadn't intended to expose himself in public; he only wanted to create a misunderstanding. Otherwise, it would truly ruin his reputation, and there would be no way to make amends. Everything had gone according to plan, but why did that woman have to be Ning Xihe?!
Just thinking about the way Baili Cheng had looked at her before made Mu Cuihuan feel a chill run down her spine. It was her suggestion, after all. Would the Crown Prince think she was playing a trick on him? Would he think she was deliberately deceiving him? If so, not only would it not help her in becoming the Crown Princess and Empress in the future, but it would also completely enrage the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince hated being deceived the most, especially by the woman beside him. Just thinking about that possibility made Mu Cuihuan shudder. In her heart, she hated Ning Xihe to the point of no return, wishing she could tear her apart right now!
The young ladies left the room and began to whisper among themselves. They dared not speak in front of Baili Cheng, but now that they were outside the courtyard, Baili Cheng probably couldn't hear them. Besides, the scene they had just witnessed was simply too shocking for them.
"I never imagined that Ning Xihe would be so shameless as to seduce the Crown Prince."
"How despicable! She climbed into bed with the Crown Prince herself. Don't we all know what she was after? And afterwards, she even acted like she was wronged. What did she have to be wronged about? She's probably laughing to herself right now!"
"You can't say that. Miss Ning used to seem like an excellent young lady from a respectable family. I think there must be some misunderstanding." The young lady who used to be on good terms with Ning Xihe couldn't help but blush as she spoke. After all, it wouldn't be good for Ning Xihe to be spoken to like that.
The other ladies looked at this girl and sneered: "What, you still want to play dumb? You've already slept with her. You don't think Ning Xihe is still a virgin, do you? People will laugh at you if they say that. Do you even believe it yourself?"
The young woman immediately blushed: "I know Xihe, she's not that kind of person."
"Oh, how much do you really know about her? She's already in the Crown Prince's bed, she's destined to be his woman. You're so concerned about her and speaking up for her, but why haven't you heard her give you a helping hand at a time like this? Aren't you angry?" Another young lady immediately said sarcastically. The young lady was immediately stung and speechless, her face turning pale, then red, then white, until finally her face turned ashen. Everyone who came to the Crown Prince's residence had a sliver of hope that the Crown Prince would fall in love with them at first sight and choose them. Everyone who came to participate in the selection had this thought, and this young lady was no exception.
"You're still defending her? If she really considered you a sister, why didn't she invite you when something good happened?" another woman sneered.
"What are you saying? Do you think everyone is like Miss Ning, considering being a slut a good thing? Shameless enough to climb into someone's bed in broad daylight and seduce them. We are true ladies from noble families. Even if we had the opportunity, would you do it, would you do it, or would you be able to do it?" Another young lady covered her mouth and chuckled, but the sarcasm in her words was even more obvious.
This immediately caused a group of young ladies to chuckle: "That's right, we're not the kind of family with bad morals, where everyone comes from a family of dissolute scoundrels. The eldest son is a dissolute playboy who died in the end because of a woman. As for the two eldest daughters, one is impulsive, sharp-tongued, and utterly uncouth, while the other was initially thought to be quite nice, but she turned out to be such a despicable person. Oh, and the most famous one has to be that abandoned woman who was swept away by the General's Mansion. They're all scoundrels, so only a family like ours could do such despicable things."
"Hey, don't talk nonsense. That family is one of the five famous families in the Great Zhou Dynasty. In terms of background, it is far superior to your family. I think you are just jealous."
"Jealousy, yes, I am jealous of this kind of noble family that is all show and no substance. It's really an eye-opener. The whole mansion is full of oddballs."
"Hahaha!"
"It's a good thing that the lowly and shameless are all born into the same family, so as to prevent them from harming others."
"Yes, that's despicable and shameless!"
The young ladies' initial hushed chatter gradually spiraled out of control, eventually turning into insults and accusations. Ning Xihe, who was tidying her clothes and about to come out, turned pale upon hearing this, her body trembling. She was completely at a loss for how to react. She had initially followed Mu Cuihuan out of curiosity about where she had taken Ouyang Yue, but as she followed, she noticed Mu Cuihuan's extremely cautious actions, which only fueled her curiosity, leading her to follow her all the way to the Crown Princess's courtyard.
Seeing Ouyang Yue being helped inside, while Mu Cuihuan and the others left, Ning Xihe couldn't contain her curiosity and secretly followed. Driven by jealousy of Ouyang Yue, she planned to linger a little longer to slash Ouyang Yue's face, hoping that even the Crown Prince would be shocked and despise Ouyang Yue, thus venting her resentment. However, she didn't expect the ghostly-looking woman to suddenly enter. Startled, she gave herself away, and the woman suddenly approached her. She didn't know what happened, only feeling a sharp pain in her neck, and then the knife went numb.
Who could have imagined... who could have predicted that things would turn out this way?
Hearing the scornful curses and insults outside, calling her a shameless slut, Ning Xihe's face flushed and paled in turns. Her fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her flesh, preventing her from impulsively rushing out to argue. She knew that saying anything now would be useless; no one would listen. Despite the indignant tone of the young ladies outside, they all believed that even if nothing had happened between her and the Crown Prince, she deserved a title. Regardless of whether the Crown Prince had initially chosen her, her name would always be on the list. As for whether she would be a principal or secondary consort, who cared about that now? Whose Crown Princess was she? Of course, she belonged to Xuan Yuan Yue, not anyone else. These young ladies had lost all chance after what had happened to Ning Xihe; how could they not be consumed by jealousy and relentlessly hurl insults at her?
Although she tried to comfort herself in this way, the sharp accusations and mocking voices outside still made Ning Xihe's chest tremble with anger, and her lips were bitten raw with hatred. Suddenly, she took a step and walked out.
"Seduce people into bed, that's what prostitutes do, how could the legitimate daughter of the Ning family be just like a prostitute?"
"Hahaha."
"Shut up!" Ning Xihe couldn't take it anymore and rushed to the door, shouting angrily. Her eyes were already red from being constantly insulted by these young ladies. Her pale face made her look even more charming and pitiful.
However, at this moment, the Crown Prince simply flicked his sleeve and turned to walk out of the courtyard. He didn't even notice that such a delicate beauty needed his careful care. Mu Cuihuan, on the other hand, stood aside and stared viciously at Ning Xihe. She immediately followed Baili Cheng. If she didn't explain now, it would be too late to explain later. By then, the Crown Prince would definitely have already concluded that she was playing him. She had to take this opportunity to explain clearly.
"Xuanyuan Yue, what are you doing here!" But as she rushed out the door, she suddenly saw Baili Cheng stop. Mu Cuihuan glanced over and saw Ouyang Yue walking over calmly, with a hint of curiosity on her face.
Ouyang Yue asked in confusion, "If I'm not here, where should I be?"
Mu Cuihuan was speechless for a moment, but she was unwilling to give up and said, "Princess Mingyue, didn't you leave alone before? Where did you go? We've been looking for you everywhere."
Ouyang Yue frowned: "It's strange, I left with Consort Mu, and then I lost all my memories? Do you know Consort Mu?"
Everyone was startled by these words and looked at Mu Cuihuan. Mu Cuihuan was taken aback, but immediately forced a smile and said, "Princess Mingyue is truly forgetful. When I came out, I suddenly felt a stomachache and wanted to go back to my room to rest. At that time, Princess Mingyue also said that you wanted to walk alone, and that you had a headache and felt dizzy, so you asked me to come back first. How would I know where Princess Mingyue went? But Princess Mingyue, you seem to have no recollection of what happened before?"
Ouyang Yue pursed her lips and sighed, "Then it might be as Consort Mu said. I was dizzy and then I just fainted while walking. I have no memory of what happened before, but just now I found myself lying in the grass. I wondered whose prank it was that knocked me out. It seems that I must have fainted from heatstroke."
Upon hearing this, Mu Cuihuan's heart churned with turmoil. Xuan Yuan Yue clearly had no recollection of what had happened before, which confirmed that her previous plan had been completely successful. It was only at the final hurdle that the person was suddenly switched; Xuan Yuan Yue had become Ning Xihe. Mu Cuihuan gritted her teeth in anger. Now, what was unclear? Ning Xihe had likely discovered the secret by chance, followed them, guessed her plan, and then discarded Xuan Yuan Yue, replacing her with herself, wanting her to directly reap the rewards of her scheme. This Ning Xihe was utterly insidious and despicable; she even dared to scheme against her! She was utterly vile, shameless, and utterly despicable!
Mu Cuihuan's face flushed red and then paled, while Ning Xihe was equally shocked. Apart from her intention to disfigure Ouyang Yue, she had no recollection of anything afterward. Looking at Ouyang Yue's confused and bewildered expression, she probably didn't know anything about what had happened in the Crown Princess's room. So who exactly was that ugly monster from before?!
"No, this is the Crown Prince's residence. Is this a place where outsiders can just wander in?!" Ning Xihe suddenly glared coldly at Mu Cuihuan. This bitch had dragged the unconscious Ouyang Yue away earlier. Why didn't so many young ladies notice, but she was the one who did? Did Mu Cuihuan think she was too threatening and deliberately plot against her?! In that case, what standing could she possibly have in the Crown Prince's eyes? It would be good enough if he didn't hate her. She had no grudge against Mu Cuihuan, yet she dared to hate her so much—that despicable bitch!
The two glared at each other, with Baili Cheng's face turning ashen. He still hadn't figured out the whole blunder, because these people couldn't even connect the dots between what had happened. He felt like he'd been thoroughly tricked. He'd never been so humiliated in his life. His face was ashen as he was about to speak when two people suddenly rushed out from the alley.
The two men staggered, their faces pale, and their legs spun as they ran, clearly showing signs of shock. They ran up to Baili Cheng and knelt down with a thud. Baili Cheng immediately frowned and asked, "What are you doing? Why are you in such a panic?"
One of them immediately raised his pale face, his lips trembling as he said, "Your Highness... Your Highness, someone has drowned in the lotus pond."
"What! There were a bunch of young ladies there before, and there were guards. How could someone drown? Who was it!" Baili Cheng's face was grim. These young ladies who came to participate in the selection were all of some status. If they died in his Crown Prince's residence, Baili Cheng would have a hard time explaining it.
The man looked at Mu Cuihuan tremblingly: "It's...it's Miss Mu Cuiwei."
"What? Say it again!" Mu Cuihuan trembled and screamed in disbelief.
"Miss Mu Cuiwei drowned in the lotus pond!"
The entire courtyard held its breath. Mu Cuiwei was dead?!
Chapter 162, Baili Chen proposes marriage! (Monthly votes!)
Everyone was stunned. Mu Cuiwei was dead. Her death was so sudden.
"Quickly, take me to see it." Mu Cuihuan's expression changed, and she immediately shouted. The servant did not dare to delay and immediately led people to the lotus pond.
Actually, Mu Cuihuan still harbored some resentment towards Mu Cuiwei. After all, it was Mu Cuiwei who suggested today's events, and now that things had gone wrong, not only did Mu Cuihuan gain nothing, but she also had to carefully consider how to make the Crown Prince not hold it against her. Mu Cuiwei was only focused on getting revenge on Xuan Yuan Yue and probably didn't consider the impact of the failed plan on her at all—that's called selfishness. But now that Mu Cuiwei had actually died in the Crown Prince's residence, it was clearly aimed at her. If she let Mu Cuiwei die like this in the Crown Prince's residence, would her family let it go? The Yuan family was not easy to deal with. Mu Cuihuan immediately felt waves of headaches and couldn't help but frown.
Li Rushuang had just followed the other young ladies out to look for Ouyang Yue. Now that she saw Ouyang Yue was alright, she went straight over and whispered, "What happened? I also saw Mu Cuiwei earlier. She was dressed so strangely and chatting with someone. I rushed out with these people to find you, and I didn't notice if Mu Cuiwei had followed. Her death is really suspicious."
Ouyang Yue watched Mu Cuihuan leave quickly and coldly, then took Li Rushuang's hand and said, "It is indeed very strange. Let's go and see what's going on."
Li Rushuang had no objections. She was full of questions and wanted to see what was going on. The other young ladies naturally followed, but their expressions were not good. After all, Mu Cuiwei had died in the lotus pond where the Crown Princess had just been. Just thinking about how Mu Cuiwei had been chatting and laughing with them a moment ago and then suddenly died made them feel a chill down their spines. There was an indescribable eeriness about it. If they were alone, they wouldn't dare to go. But now that there were so many of them, each trying to bolster their courage, what they wanted most was to find out the truth.
A large group of people walked over in a grand procession, but the young ladies from various families, who usually loved to chatter, were now all keeping their mouths shut. With so many people traveling, all that could be heard was the sound of their footsteps.
At this moment, the lotus pond was completely surrounded by the servants of the Crown Prince's residence. If it weren't for the Crown Prince and Mu Cuihuan leading the way, these young ladies probably wouldn't have been able to get close. Seeing that the Crown Prince looked unwell and was walking in front, the servants didn't dare to stop him and immediately stepped aside to let these people in.
After walking a few steps along the corridor, the group saw a large pavilion in the center of the lotus pond where many servants had gathered. They all quickened their pace and followed, and when they saw the scene inside the pavilion, many of them gasped.
The servants in the pavilion immediately stepped aside upon seeing them, instantly highlighting the person lying on the ground. The person wore a deep purple dress, soaked and clinging tightly to their body, outlining a beautiful and alluring figure. Unfortunately, this person lay there lifeless; who had the heart to appreciate such a sight? Mu Cuiwei's face was deathly pale, devoid of any life. Her eyes were wide open, seemingly rolling, and her mouth was agape, her face contorted with terrified fear. If her eyeballs weren't still in their sockets, everyone suspected they would jump out at a glance—perhaps a result of witnessing an extremely frightening scene before her death.
Mu Cuihuan's heart skipped a beat: "What happened? Why did Miss Mu fall into the lotus pond and drown?"
At this moment, a royal physician was already treating the patient in the pavilion. This physician had been found by the servants of the mansion when the incident occurred. He had been busy here for several days and had naturally figured out what had happened. At this moment, he said with a somewhat unwell expression, "Your Highness, Princess Mingyue, Consort Mu, in my observation, Miss Mu should have accidentally fallen into the lotus pond and drowned."
"What!" Mu Cuihuan's face was full of disbelief: "Have you investigated thoroughly? How could my cousin have fallen into the lotus pond without a care? Could it be that someone pushed her and deliberately let her drown?"
The imperial physician shook his head slightly: "In my observation, this is unlikely. Please look, Miss Mu's legs are still wrapped with some green ribbon-like plants. This must be because Miss Mu accidentally fell into the lotus pond. She could have swum out of the lotus pond, but her feet got tangled. Moreover, Miss Mu had some problems with both hands before, and her hands were weak, so she couldn't swim to her rescue. In addition, her feet were tangled. She was... scared to death and drowned."
Mu Cuihuan's heart tightened, and she gasped, "No, Cuiwei has always been very cautious. She never wanted to get involved in anything dangerous before. How could she have fallen into the lotus pond? Someone must have killed her. There must be a murderer here." Mu Cuiwei had come to the mansion to find her, but Mu Cuihuan had let Mu Cuiwei die. Just thinking about the consequences if her family found out about this gave her a headache. Naturally, she didn't want to believe that Mu Cuiwei had simply fallen into the lotus pond and drowned because of bad luck.
The imperial physician's expression turned somewhat grim upon hearing this, but out of consideration for Mu Cuihuan's status, he unusually offered another explanation: "Consort Mu, if you do not believe me, then please have a few more doctors come and take a look. This is the result of my investigation; I have confirmed that Miss Mu accidentally fell into the lotus pond and drowned."
Mu Cuihuan, of course, couldn't let it go like that. She immediately waved her hand and said, "Quick, go find doctors! Find several, the best ones!" Her personal maidservant obeyed and ran out immediately. The imperial physician's expression was rather unpleasant. Judging from Mu Cuihuan's look, she clearly didn't believe in the physician's medical skills. Moreover, this physician had a close relationship with the Crown Prince. Over the years, serving Baili Cheng and the Crown Prince's residence, no one had ever said his medical skills were bad. People are naturally proud, especially an imperial physician who frequently entered and exited the palace and met the most distinguished people.
However, Mu Cuihuan couldn't care less about any of that at the moment. She would rather fabricate a murderer than take responsibility for not taking good care of Mu Cuiwei.
Soon, servants brought several doctors. The doctors examined all the patients and, having heard that the imperial physician had previously diagnosed them, simply repeated what the former physician had said. Of course, their findings were actually the same, but they wouldn't say anything even if they were different. The imperial physician was the best in their profession, and who would want to offend such a person?
"No, this is impossible, how could Cuiwei..." Mu Cuihuan's face darkened, and she was unwilling to accept this fact.
One of the women muttered, "Didn't they say that Mu Cuiwei couldn't use her hands to swim and couldn't save herself, so she got tangled in the water and died? They don't even know the details, so why are they making such a fuss? Just looking at Mu Cuiwei like this, my heart is still pounding."
"Yeah, she looks really scary, I don't even dare to look at her."
"She must have been scared to death by herself, right?" one of the ladies couldn't help but say. They all understood what she meant. She was being dragged in the water, and Mu Cuiwei, due to her physical condition, couldn't save herself. She was slowly suffocating in the lotus pond, unable to breathe. How beautiful could her death be? She was scared to death by the consequences she was about to face.
"This Mu Cuiwei is really unlucky. She injured her hands before, and this time she fell into the lotus pond and drowned when she entered the Crown Prince's residence."
Another woman lowered her voice and said, "I think she's just been doing too many bad things, and now she's getting her comeuppance."
The other young ladies nodded slightly, but didn't agree verbally. At the same time, their eyes widened as Mu Cuihuan walked over and raised her hand to slap the young lady across the face. The young lady reacted a little slowly, and only realized what was happening when the slap hit her face hard. Her expression changed drastically, and she covered her face angrily, saying, "Consort Mu, what are you doing!"
"I'll tell you what you can and can't say. You have no manners, so I'll hit you." Mu Cuihuan was in a state of turmoil. Hearing these young ladies talking so casually, she couldn't hold back anymore and came over to vent her anger.
The young lady snorted angrily, but raised her chin and said, "Consort Mu, I respect you, but I am not some nobody that you can bully at will. Besides, what I said is the truth. Consort Mu, you are of high rank and power, a consort of the Crown Prince's residence. I cannot afford to offend you, but Consort Mu has no reason to shut me up and prevent me from even speaking the truth."
“Facts? What kind of facts are you talking about?” Mu Cuihuan said coldly.
The young lady sneered, "Consort Mu, if you don't want people to know, then don't do it at all. I do know a few things Miss Mu has done before. If that's your attitude, Consort Mu, why don't I tell you them one by one? Tsk tsk tsk, I'm sure Consort Mu would be very willing to listen." Mu Cuiwei's past actions, such as being threatened by Ouyang Yue at the Ning Mansion's birthday banquet and kneeling down to apologize on the spot, and many other things that happened afterward, were enough to bring shame to the Mu family. Especially during the final round of the beauty pageant, she actually lied in front of so many people, attempting to maliciously kill Ouyang Yue.
The Miao woman did explain at the time, but no one would believe she was Ouyang Yue's person. After all, she had tried to harm Ouyang Yue before, and the two were mortal enemies. Would your enemy speak for you in a crucial moment? That would be ridiculous!
Therefore, Mu Cuiwei definitely lied. She tried to harm Ouyang Yue, the most likely winner, because of her own defeat, and was humiliated by being exposed on the spot. Although Emperor Mingxian was present and the situation didn't escalate, many people privately mocked Mu Cuiwei for being a sore loser. In the end, she even tried to deliberately deny her loss, making the whole thing laughable. Now, Ouyang Yue is Princess Mingyue. If she wanted to bring up past grievances to cause trouble for Mu Cuiwei, no one would say anything, given the vast difference in their status. Mu Cuiwei's behavior back then disgusted many people, and Ouyang Yue's leniency in not causing her trouble shows her magnanimity, but that doesn't mean these people have forgotten the past.
If all of this were to be revealed, it would be retribution for Mu Cuiwei, if not retribution, because she was too unclean. Even Mu Cuihuan knew many things, and Mu Cuiwei would not be able to die a worthy death. She would be ridiculed and cursed by many people, and things would probably get out of control.
Mu Cuihuan was so angry she couldn't speak, but the young lady glanced at her disdainfully. She was clearly extremely vicious, yet she wanted to claim a good reputation—what a pipe dream. Gently stroking her face, the young lady's eyes were filled with gloom. Even if she didn't say anything here, she would make sure Mu Cuiwei and Mu Cuihuan got away with it once they left. How dare they hit her! What did Mu Cuihuan think she was!
In terms of social standing, apart from Ouyang Yue, no one present is superior to Mu Cuihuan. Baili Cheng, standing to the side with a displeased expression, listens to the imperial physician's words. These people naturally have to give Mu Cuihuan face, but how many truly respect her? Even in terms of background, those present aren't far behind Mu Cuihuan in terms of social standing, and some, like the daughters of noble families, are even considered superior. They are likely to become the future principal wives of princes; who would respect her? Mu Cuihuan's outburst of anger and violence shows she thinks too highly of herself. Most of the young ladies present are somewhat dissatisfied, but they haven't voiced their dissatisfaction.
"Alright, go and inform Minister Mu's residence. Make arrangements for Consort Mu's situation. All the young ladies have been frightened today, so they should go back to their respective courtyards to rest." The Crown Prince finally spoke, but he didn't even glance at Mu Cuiwei lying on the ground as he gave his orders.
The young ladies were as docile as rabbits, responding softly before filing away one by one. The lotus pond was now empty except for the Crown Prince's people. Mu Cuihuan knelt on the ground with a thud, her face streaked with tears: "Your Highness, I know I was wrong! But my plan was perfect! I never expected Ning Xihe to follow us. In the brief moment we left, she threw Xuan Yuan Yue outside and replaced her with herself! This is utterly despicable! She tricked both Your Highness and me! She's shameless!"
At this point, Baili Cheng's face darkened again. As the Crown Prince, when had he ever been so easily manipulated and used? Anyone seeing that situation would think of Ning Xihe's desire for the position of Crown Princess, so naturally, she would seize this opportunity to become Baili Cheng's woman—it's human nature. Let alone Ning Xihe, anyone else in that situation would probably act the same way. That's perfectly understandable, but the fact that he, Baili Cheng, was the one being manipulated was unacceptable.
Mu Cuihuan repeatedly said, "Your Highness, this lowly concubine was wrong. This lowly concubine's plan failed, allowing others to take advantage of the situation and harming Your Highness. This lowly concubine deserves to die a thousand deaths." As she spoke, her body trembled uncontrollably, and she cried uncontrollably.
Baili Cheng looked down at Mu Cuihuan's head, his face cold. After a slight pause, he suddenly squatted down and helped Mu Cuihuan up, saying, "Alright, don't be so sad. How can you be perfect in this kind of thing? In the end, it can only be said that Ning Xihe is greedy and dares to do such a disgraceful thing to me."
Mu Cuiwei's face also turned cold, and a murderous intent flashed in her eyes: "So, what does the Crown Prince mean...?"
The Crown Prince naturally understood what Mu Cuihuan was about to say, but he narrowed his eyes and said, "No, with so many young ladies present today, if Ning Xihe were to suddenly die, it would inevitably arouse suspicion. Moreover, the Ning family has produced many famous civil officials for generations and is one of the five great families. Although their reputation has been somewhat damaged now, it's just what I need." Now that the Ning family has encountered one misfortune after another, their reputation has worsened with each incident. When people in the capital hear about the people or things of the Ning family, their first reaction is to spit and express their disgust. This shows just how bad the Ning family's reputation really is.
However, the Ning family's foundation couldn't be destroyed by a few rumors. At least the Emperor hadn't intended to remove Ning Baichuan from his position as Imperial Censor, indicating that the Emperor hadn't completely lost interest in the Ning family. Therefore, the Ning family still had some use. Besides, given their current poor reputation, what they urgently needed to do was restore it, and they were also eager to pledge allegiance. Originally, the Ning family had planned to wait a few years before choosing sides, not wanting to risk prematurely siding with any prince. But now they had no choice. For Baili Cheng, it was simply about having another woman; gaining the Ning family's support would be entirely beneficial to him.
Mu Cuihuan understood the reasoning behind this, but upon hearing Baili Cheng's words, a cold and ruthless expression crept onto her face. She had agreed to Mu Cuiwei's suggestion because she knew it would greatly benefit her, and also because Ouyang Yue was, after all, a princess, a level above her in status, and would inevitably become the Crown Princess. Even if she didn't do it, the Crown Prince would certainly find a way to marry Ouyang Yue into the family; it was a foregone conclusion. She was merely acting as a go-between, pleasing Baili Cheng in return—why not? That's why Mu Cuihuan did it.
But who is this Ning Xihe? Their backgrounds are almost identical, yet she caused Mu Cuihuan's plans to fail, nearly incurring the Crown Prince's displeasure, and was used to rise in rank. Even though Ning Xihe's status only qualifies her as a concubine, this was still a case of stepping on Mu Cuihuan's shoulders to become a concubine. Mu Cuihuan felt incredibly angry at this moment. This Ning Xihe actually used her like this; it was utterly despicable, showing her no regard whatsoever. Ning Xihe, Ning Xihe, how dare you do such a thing! I hope you won't regret it in the future.
A cold glint flashed in Mu Cui's eyes.
Baili Cheng was in a bad mood today and didn't want to stay any longer. He waved his hand and left. Mu Cuihuan immediately saw him off. It was clear that the Crown Prince wanted to leave Mu Cuiwei's matter to her. She didn't want to get involved. Mu Cuihuan's face was also a little cold. It seemed that she would have to face the Mu family directly. How hateful! Her uncle Mu Liquan and Yuan Shi doted on Mu Cuiwei. That damned Mu Cuiwei couldn't have died any further away, causing her all this unnecessary trouble. How hateful, how hateful, how hateful! Why is everything going so badly today!
It's all Ning Xihe's fault! It's all Ning Xihe's fault!
The young ladies were dismissed by Baili Cheng, but as they returned to their respective courtyards, they continued to gossip. Ning Xihe walked among the crowd, yet no one wanted to walk beside her. Every now and then, a young lady would point and whisper about her, their faces flashing with jealousy and disgust. Ning Xihe felt as if she were standing in the crowd, constantly being insulted and spat upon, feeling utterly humiliated. Her expression was extremely unpleasant. Hearing the young ladies whispering, they made no effort to lower their voices. Hearing the vulgar words like "shameless," "slut," and "whore," she felt as if her palms were about to be crushed, but she had to endure it, she absolutely had to.
But before everyone had reached their respective residences, Ning Xihe couldn't hold back any longer. She walked straight toward Ouyang Yue, her face ashen as if she had just eaten feces, and couldn't help but ask, "Princess, where did you go before?"
A cold glint flashed in Ouyang Yue's eyes, but she looked at Ning Xihe with great confusion: "Miss Ning, what do you mean by this?"
"Does the princess intend to play dumb with me? Others may not know, but the princess certainly does. I clearly followed the princess to the Crown Princess's room." Since things have come to this, why should Ning Xihe pretend? If she's going to be accused, then so be it. She even felt that this was a scheme orchestrated by Ouyang Yue and Mu Cuihuan to mock and tease her. Otherwise, what explanation would she have for what happened before?
Ouyang Yue was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed in surprise, "Miss Ning, are you saying that when I collapsed on the road earlier, it wasn't because I fainted from heatstroke, but because I was kidnapped and taken to the Crown Princess's room? Is that what you mean?" As she spoke, Ouyang Yue's face darkened. "Miss Ning, are you saying that someone originally wanted to frame me for my innocence, but by some twist of fate, you stepped in for me? Is that what you mean?"