Chapter Volume 1 71

“Consort Xian is kind, then as deference is no substitute for obedience, Junqing shall obey.” As Ye Junqing walked over, he kept an eye on Yao Mowan’s every move. If it weren’t for the fact that he had personally experienced how evil she was inwardly, he likely would have been fooled by her current appearance. Innocent and natural? More like pei!

“You sit over there, I want to sit here.” Before Ye Junqing could sit down, Yao Mowan pushed him aside and sat down on the main seat. Ye Junqing hadn’t expected for Yao Mowan to suddenly push him and staggered from the shove. By the time he steadied himself, his face had already flushed red.

“Prince, are you alright?” If it weren’t for the fact that she had just seen it with her own eyes, Yu Funing never would have believed that Yao Mowan would actually treat Ye Junqing this way. For better or for worse, he was a prince, yet she seemed to feel no fear at all! For that instant, Yu Funing felt extreme hatred towards Ye Hongyi. If it weren’t for his despicable schemes, how could Ye Junqing have fallen to such terrible grounds? if it weren’t for the fact that he doted on Yao Mowan, how would Yao Mowan dare to be this presumptuous?

“Forget it, this prince is fine.” Ye Junqing inhaled sharply to calm himself, then gave this embarrassed reply.

“Qian Xi, pour a cup of wine for the prince.” Ye Junqing’s reaction caused Yu Funing’s heart to ache. The monarch that could once rebuke Heaven and Earth had fallen to the point of being bullied by a fool. Even her, this spectator, couldn’t bear to watch anymore.

At the side, Qian Xi walked up to pour a cup of wine for Ye Junqing, but right after she finished pouring it, Yao Mowan snatched it.

“Ting Yue, this wine smells really nice ah!” Despite having just snatched someone else’s thing, Yao Mowan exhibited no trace of embarrassment and continued to chat with her servant happily. Yu Funing found this scene intolerable.

“Consort Yao, if you want to drink wine, you should have your personal palace maid serve you some. How can you snatch the prince’s cup?” said Yu Funing between gritted teeth. The reason she had hosted this banquet was to see for herself how Ye Junqing was treated. She saw now that Yao Mowan’s behavior was truly even worse than what Qian Xi had reported.

“It’s fine, he’s used to it, right?” Yao Mowan looked towards Ye Junqing in an innocent manner, but her clear eyes contained a hint of mirth.

“There’s no need for Consort Xian to mind it, this prince can just use another cup.” This was not Guan Osprey Palace after all, so Ye Junqing could only endure Yao Mowan’s deliberate provocation. At this time, Qian Xi had already poured another cup of wine and placed it in front of Ye Junqing.

During this meal, every time Ye Junqing reached out to take a bit of a dish, Yao Mowan would snatch it first, so during this entire two hours, Ye Junqing barely ate anything. Every time Yu Funing spoke, she would meet a dead end at Yao Mowan’s innocent-seeming rebuff.

“Junqing, it looks like you’ve had enough food, so head back first. Fluffy is probably awake by now!” Just as Ye Junqing was about to lift his chopsticks again, Yao Mowan suddenly snatched his chopsticks away and gave him this command.

Ye Junqing’s lips twitched when Yao Mowan snatched his chopsticks away but in the end, he still restrained himself by taking deep breaths.

“What does Fluffy waking up have to do with the prince?” Yu Funing was practically at her last straw. Her voice was no longer as calm as it had been at the start of this meal.

“He’s Fluffy’s personal bodyguard ah! Wan er bestowed him this position! What do you think? Isn’t it impressive?” A hard-to-describe feeling flashed through Yao Mowan’s heart when she saw Yu Funing so angry on Ye Junqing’s behalf.

“Ahem… Many thanks, Consort Xian, for your generous hospitality today. This prince still has matters to attend to and will leave now!” Ye Junqing was worried that if he continued to stay here, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from exploding at Yao Mowan. It was enough that she usually picked on him, but today she was insulting him this way in front of others! It was preposterous! Perhaps Ye Junqing himself hadn’t noticed that in his heart, he no longer viewed Yao Mowan the same way he viewed the other consorts of the Inner Palace.

When Yu Funing saw that Ye Junqing was leaving, she hastily got up to catch up with him. She walked out and sent him off with her gaze until his figure disappeared into the night.

The rest of the meal was very dull. No matter that Yao Mowan said, Yu Funing didn’t react much. She was still stuck on how desolate and sorrowful Ye Junqing looked when he left earlier. Whose fault was all this? Yao Mowan? No, it was Ye Hongyi! If he hadn’t framed Ye Junqing, how could Ye Junqing have fallen to the point of being the bodyguard of an animal, to being commanded by the whims of a fool!? She couldn’t allow Ye Junqing to continue wasting his life away like this, she couldn’t!

“The food you have here is so tasty, can I bring some back for Fluffy?” Just as Yu Funing was sinking into her thoughts, Yao Mowan put down her chopsticks and looked towards her beseechingly.

“Shouldn’t Consort Yao also bring some back for the Esteemed Prince?” Yu Funing now hated Yao Mowan’s naive manner to the bone. What right did she have to bully the Esteemed Prince?

“He didn’t eat his fill? That fine though, in any case he’s often like that in Guan Osprey Palace too. Being hungry for a while won’t change much! I want to bring some back for Fluffy, can I?” Yao Mowan replied, unconcerned.

“Qian Xi! Box all of this up for Consort Yao!” commanded Yu Funing icily.

Only after Yao Mowan left did Yu Funing abruptly flip over the phoenix table. Furious flames burned in her eyes.

“Niang niang…”

“Who does she think she is, to actually dare to treat the Esteemed Prince that way!? Qian Xi, do you know that this consort really wanted to just slap her just then!? Could it be that she doesn’t know that she’s just a fool? The Esteemed Prince isn’t someone she even has the right to touch!” Yu Funing clenched her fists as rage filled her heart.

“It’s true that she is a fool, but if the Esteemed Prince wasn’t willing, who could make him obey? In the end, it’s the Esteemed Prince himself that had abandoned himself to despair…” Qian Xi gave an accurate analysis of the situation even as a trace of pity flashed through her eyes.

“Qian Xi!”

“This servant knows her wrong…” Qian Xi knew of the feelings her master held towards Ye Junqing and knew that her master wasn’t willing to hear these truths.

“Forget it. This consort won’t allow Ye Junqing to continue wasting away like this! Definitely not!” vowed Yu Funing fiercely as a cold light shone from her eyes.

“Niang niang, what are you thinking?” Sensing her master’s abnormality, Qian Xi looked towards Yu Funing worriedly.

“The reason he’s dispirited is because he has completely lost hope. If… if he learned of Yao Moxin’s true cause of death, do you think, would he still…”

“Niang niang! No matter what you can’t do that! If he found out, he might revolt!” Qian Xi looked extremely worried. She hastily turned around to close the palace doors tightly before returning to Yu Funing’s side.

“Revolting is at least better than being the bodyguard of a cat!” snarled Yu Funing.

“Then have you considered what would happen if his revolt failed?” Qian Xi knew that her master would become overly emotional when it came to matters involving the Esteemed Prince. If it weren’t for that, based on how intelligent her master was, she would never say something this dangerous.

“As long as he wished for it, this consort would give up everything to help him! Rather than watch him waste away like this, it would be better to have him put all he has into one last fight! During that time… this consort might have a chance…” A trace of hope flashed through Yu Funing’s cold eyes. Yao Moxin has already died so she no longer had anymore barriers.

“Niang niang, this servant understands how you feel about the Esteemed Prince, but even if you’re willing to risk everything, you still have to see what the Esteemed Prince thinks. Why don’t you try probing to see if the Esteemed Prince wishes to investigate the cause of Yao Moxin’s death? It won’t be too late if we start planning after that!” Qian Xi only wanted to calm her master down a little first so that she could have the chance to report to the lord about her master’s plan to start a revolt.

“You’re right. Then you arrange this. This consort wants to personally witness the Esteemed Prince’s reaction!” said Yu Funing coldly and resolutely.

“Understood!” Qian Xi lowered her head as she accepted the order but a trace of worry emerged in her heart. This wasn’t a small matter. If it wasn’t handled carefully, it might drag down the entire Yu Residence.

In Guan Osprey Palace, Yao Mowan gazed at Fluffy who was sleeping on the chaise lounge as she gently stroked its warm white fur. Her heartstrings seemed to vibrate slightly with ripples.

“Niang niang, here are the pastries you wanted.” Ting Yue had been sent by Yao Mowan to the imperial kitchen right after they left Fragrant Steps Pavilion. At this time, Ting Yue walked in carrying a food box.

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Credits: Translated by Chiyomira

[Chiyomira’s Corner]Enjoy~

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