Chapter 179: Chapter 179: 179 Prince Longevity (9)

However, this news only circulated for a day before it was quickly overshadowed by the scandal involving Ye Yang and Cheng Xiao.

Ye Yang and Cheng Xiao had rendezvoused in secret.

They were caught in an embrace.

That was how the rumors initially started.

But they soon escalated to insinuations of an illegitimate child.

Even though Ye Yang’s engagement to someone from the Prince Cheng Residence was not yet publicly finalized, outsiders were not privy to this detail; they all assumed Ye Yang was to marry the Prince’s Mansion’s young miss.

Now, it was Cheng Xiao who was entangled with Ye Yang.

“Xiaoxiao, what is this all about? What exactly is going around outside?”

Cheng Xiao’s face was ashen; she didn’t dare to look at Princess Consort Cheng: “I…I met with Brother Ye that day, and we were seen. I thought they hadn’t recognized us…”

“Are you stupid?!” Princess Consort Cheng poked Cheng Xiao on her forehead: “I told you recently not to go see Ye Yang, why don’t you ever listen to me? Didn’t you think to silence them with money, how have I been teaching you all this time?”

“I was scared at the time…” She also hadn’t expected that, from just one glance, those people would recognize her. Cheng Xiao was panicked and utterly lost: “Mother, what do we do?”

Princess Consort Cheng paced back and forth in the room, also out of ideas.

This matter had a tremendous impact on Cheng Xiao’s reputation.

And now the rumors outside were even more distasteful.

“Mother must think of something…”

The best solution would be for Ye Yang to officially propose marriage. That way, everyone would know that the original engagement had not specified any particular individual.

Ye Yang and Cheng Xiao being together would then be seen as a mutual affection.

–

While Princess Consort Cheng was busy trying to handle this matter, the day for her to enter the palace finally arrived.

The palace palanquin came to the Prince’s Mansion to pick up people.

“Princess Consort, Princess Consort, two palanquins have arrived,” a servant reported to Princess Consort Cheng in a panic.

“What?” Princess Consort Cheng was surprised but then calmed down: “Are they perhaps going to someone else’s place?”

“No, they’re coming our way.”

Princess Consort Cheng suddenly became restless; why would there be two palanquins?

By the time Chuzheng and Lv Zhu arrived, Princess Consort Cheng had already been speaking with the eunuch from the palace who came to pick them up.

Princess Consort Cheng had become particularly haggard lately, appearing much older than before.

“Eunuch, our household was only given one spot, why does Xiaoxiao also have to go?”

The eunuch replied in a soft and delicate voice: “This servant does not know, Princess Consort Cheng might want to hurry, as I still need to visit other households. If I’m delayed, I won’t be able to explain to His Majesty.”

Princess Consort Cheng was completely dumbfounded.

She couldn’t understand how such a situation had arisen.

Chuzheng passed by Princess Consort Cheng, who suddenly grabbed Chuzheng’s hand: “You little wretch, did you do this?”

“What?”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Princess Consort Cheng glared at Chuzheng furiously, forgetting all semblance of a princess consort’s demeanor: “Xiaoxiao’s entry into the palace, is it your doing?”

Everything was fine before; how suddenly did Xiaoxiao also have to go in?

She had made all the arrangements.

Chuzheng’s expression remained calm: “Father has offended many people, who knows.”

She withdrew her hand and sat in the soft palanquin with an air of composure.

“Princess Consort Cheng, please call out the second miss,” the eunuch urged Princess Consort Cheng.

Princess Consort Cheng dared not disobey, lest she be accused of defying an imperial command.

She hurried back to find Cheng Xiao, who completely fell apart upon hearing the news.

How could this be happening?

“Mother, I won’t go.”

“You have no choice but to go!” Princess Consort Cheng was finding her clothes: “Defiance is punishable by death.”

“I don’t want to, I won’t enter the palace!” Cheng Xiao shook her head; the one in the palace was too frightening.

Princess Consort Cheng pressed Cheng Xiao’s shoulders: “Xiaoxiao, don’t be afraid, that wretched girl is also entering the palace. Just play it by ear once you’re there; you’ll be fine, you’ll be fine.”

These words were as much for herself as they were for Cheng Xiao.

“Mother…”

Princess Consort Cheng assured her, “Mother will go to the Ye Family immediately, you go into the palace first, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Cheng Xiao bit her lip, only able to agree to enter the palace first under Princess Consort Cheng’s consolation.

Waiting for Princess Consort Cheng to find Ye Yang to come into the palace and save her.

After consoling Cheng Xiao, Princess Consort Cheng called out to the outside, “Qing He, Qing He, hurry and find the court attire.”

“Miss cannot wear last year’s court attire, and the new one hasn’t been prepared…” Qing He hurried in from the outside.

It was assumed that Miss wouldn’t enter the palace this year, and she has high demands, insisting on gowns from Embroidered Brocade Pavilion, which is why the clothes had not been picked up yet.

Who knew such an incident would occur.

“Hurry up and figure something out!”

Qing He left in a rush to find a solution.

“Princess Consort, there is a set here,” a maid came in, holding a set of court attire.

“Quick, bring it here for Miss to change into,” Princess Consort Cheng instructed while walking out, “Come out as soon as you change, Mother will go ahead to steady the people in the palace.”

Cheng Xiao, weighed down with worries, nodded slowly.

–

Lavish, soft sedans were carried into the palace one after another, girls dressed delicately guided by palace attendants, moving towards the luxurious grand hall ahead.

There were also some ministers, all fathers or elders of these girls.

With no male figure available to come forward from the Prince Cheng Residence, naturally, no one accompanied them.

Every girl entering seemed to have a face filled with worry, no one smiled, and the atmosphere was very oppressive.

Yet, upon reaching the palace gate, they must hide their sad expressions and display cheerful smiles.

Cheng Xiao stepped out of the sedan, took one look at the palace, and had her eyes filled with fear.

She glanced to the side, Chuzheng, supported by Lv Zhu getting out of her sedan, appeared calm and composed, showing no signs of timidity.

The cold wind blew, and her black hair fluttered in the wind.

Her light purple court attire flowed to the ground, the tightened waist outlined a waistline so slender that it seemed hardly a handful, setting off the young lady’s graceful dignity, an unmatched nobility.

Cheng Xiao bit her lower lip, feeling a hint of jealousy rising from within her.

She glanced at her own court attire, suddenly realizing something was wrong, “Qing He, this court attire…”

Qing He had kept her head down since entering the palace, not daring to look around carelessly.

Hearing Cheng Xiao’s voice, she responded softly, “What’s wrong, Miss?”

“This…”

“Miss, this way please,” a palace attendant bowed and guided Cheng Xiao.

“Qing He…”

“Miss, please inside,” the palace attendant interrupted Cheng Xiao and Qing He, her tone becoming firmer, “Miss, do not delay, Your Majesty will be angered, and we servants cannot bear that.”

Qing He couldn’t follow into the hall, and Cheng Xiao, anxious and panic-stricken, looked back three steps at a time as she walked towards the brightly lit palace.

Qing He seemed to have also realized that something was off with Cheng Xiao’s clothing—that wasn’t the set she sent to the southern courtyard, was it?

Back at the residence, she went out to look for clothes, by the time she came back, Miss had already changed.

The situation was chaotic then, no one paid close attention.

This is bad!

Qing He’s heart skipped a beat.

–

Prince Cheng had passed away, but his status still commanded a presence, and in this environment of strict hierarchy, Chuzheng sat in the foremost position.

Of course.

At this moment, these daughters of nobility would have preferred to sit in the very back.

Lest they catch the tyrant’s eye—then they would be doomed.

The women were on the right side, and the ministers were across from them, with a passageway in the middle.

Chuzheng sat down calmly, and the noble daughters seated around her were very quiet, sitting with heads bowed and in restrained positions, not even daring to speak to one another.

Chuzheng watched as Cheng Xiao, looking uneasy, sat down beside her.

Cheng Xiao glared at her resentfully, wanting to speak, but the silent atmosphere in the hall was too quiet; she dared not be the one to stand out.