Dou Quan was just about to leave to carry out his orders when he heard scattered sounds of a woman shouting from outside.

What the hell?

“What’s going on?” Jing Yi asked.

Dou Quan stuck his head out to look and saw Ji Muqing wearing a floor-length crimson wedding dress, her coiffure disheveled and loose, rushing into the courtyard.

“Your Highness, it’s the princess consort.”

Upon hearing this, Jing Yi’s brow immediately furrowed deeply, revealing utter disgust on his face.

Like he’d eaten a bag of filth!

While Ji Muqing entered from the front, Chen Xiang followed from behind.

Unlike the former, the latter walked with graceful steps.

Ji Muqing rushed into the room, her eyes bloodshot as she looked at Jing Yi sitting there calmly.

She demanded loudly, “You clearly married me, so why treat me this way?”

Jing Yi glanced at her lightly. “Treat you this way? How has this prince treated you?”

Playing dumb!

“Yesterday was our wedding night. You left me alone in the bridal chamber, spending the night alone—such humiliation…” She sniffled, her eyes stinging, and a few tears fell.

“Princess Consort, this prince had important matters yesterday, so I couldn’t consummate the marriage with you. That was this prince’s fault. But now that you’re the princess consort, your words and actions should be restrained. Coming here early in the morning to question this prince, not changing your clothes is one thing, but looking like this—where is there even a trace of a princess consort’s appearance?”

Turning it around on her!

Jing Yi was the best at this!

With these words, Ji Muqing’s body trembled violently. Only then did she realize her disheveled appearance—she looked exactly like a shrew.

Immediately struck speechless, her steps faltered backward.

Unlike her, Chen Xiang behind her was neatly dressed, dignified in appearance, displaying a noble temperament. Standing together, the two were on completely different wavelengths.

One was on the animal channel.

The other on the food channel.

Chen Xiang’s delicate face was full of grievance. She stepped forward and said, “Your Highness, this concubine just told younger sister that Your Highness was busy with important matters, which is why you couldn’t go over. But younger sister just wouldn’t listen and insisted on coming. I couldn’t stop her.”

What?

She consoled Ji Muqing again: “Younger sister, there are many days ahead. Why care about last night’s matter? If you rush over like this, soon everyone in the manor will know, and they’ll speak ill of you. The gain won’t be worth the loss.”

“You get away from me.”

Ji Muqing pushed her hard.

Chen Xiang staggered backward a few steps, lowering her eyes grievously. “What’s wrong with younger sister? I merely offered a few words of advice—why must you lay hands on me?”

“Don’t think I don’t know—you’re probably gloating inside.”

“You and I will be sisters from now on. Where do these words come from?” Chen Xiang said delicately with tears, walking with light steps to sit beside Jing Yi. Her hands smoothly linked around his arm as she said with difficulty, “Your Highness, this concubine knows that younger sister was alone in the bridal chamber last night and must feel uncomfortable. That’s why I wanted to go talk with younger sister earlier. Who knew younger sister would think this concubine went with malicious intent to mock her? How unjust.”

Hearing this, Ji Muqing refuted, “Stop putting on an act here.”

“I truly wanted to care for you, younger sister.”

“Enough.” Jing Yi interrupted the two, annoyance rising in his eyes. He looked displeasedly at Ji Muqing standing before him and said, “Princess Consort, last night this prince was handling important matters, and I’d also drunk rather too much, so I didn’t go to the bridal chamber. The princess consort shouldn’t take it to heart. There will be much time together in the future. Consider it this prince’s momentary oversight last night—I failed to consider your feelings. In the future, I’ll pay more attention.”

He had a headache.

Hearing that Jing Yi’s tone and attitude were still fairly good, the fire in Ji Muqing’s heart diminished slightly.

She pressed her lips together, then looked with tearful eyes at those two “shameless couple” clinging together before her, her heart feeling as if stabbed by needles.

She forcefully swallowed this grievance and said, “It was this consort who was rash. I hope Your Highness will forgive me.”

While speaking, she didn’t forget to glare fiercely at Chen Xiang.

Chen Xiang was utterly fearless and even responded with a smug smile.

Jing Yi waved his hand. “The princess consort didn’t mean it. Just pay more attention to your words and actions from now on.”

“Then this consort takes her leave.”

Ji Muqing swept her sleeves and left in a huff.

Behind her came Chen Xiang’s clear, tinkling laughter.

She nestled beside Jing Yi, massaging his shoulders while saying, “Your Highness, if you neglect her like this and word reaches the Ji brothers’ ears, will there be trouble?”

He laughed coldly. “This is Prince Yi’s manor. Some news may enter easily, but leaving is difficult.”

“That woman truly has no manners. You’re His Highness, she’s merely a princess consort. Just because she has two older brothers backing her, she acts so arrogantly.”

“She has backing, but you don’t. So you’d better not cause any troubles that vex this prince. Otherwise, this prince won’t let you off.” Jing Yi pinched her cheek with his hand.

Chen Xiang smiled bashfully and quickly said, “This concubine has been by Your Highness’s side for many years. Surely you know what kind of person this concubine is? How could I vex Your Highness?”

“It’s precisely because this prince knows what kind of person you are that I want to believe you went to the princess consort’s place early this morning just to mock her.”

“This concubine did this because I was worried that Your Highness, having gained a new person’s smile, would forget the old person’s goodness.” She lowered her willow-leaf brows, looking tearful.

Jing Rong grasped her hand. “What nonsense are you talking? She’s merely a chess piece in this prince’s hand. If not for borrowing the power of the Ji brothers, this prince wouldn’t even glance at her.”

“Then what about me?”

Jing Yi looked at her sideways, his lips curved in an evil smile. He pinched her chin. “You’re not even worthy of being this prince’s chess piece.”

Chen Xiang smiled at the corners of her mouth, grasping the hand that pinched her chin. “This concubine would like to be a chess piece in Your Highness’s hand. Perhaps that way, I could help Your Highness ascend to the throne sooner.”

Ha!

Jing Yi forcefully flung her chin away.

“I told you—you’re not worthy.”

She wasn’t annoyed. Her gaze shifted, noticing something on the table. Curiously, she reached to take it while asking, “Your Highness, what is this?”

Before her fingertips could touch it, Jing Yi blocked her hand.

That face, which had been evil before, now turned somewhat stern. He said, “This prince has told you—some things you cannot touch, nor can you ask about. Forgotten?”

Chen Xiang’s entire body shuddered. She quickly said, “This concubine hasn’t forgotten.”

“Alright, this prince still has matters to handle. You should go.”

His face changed faster than flipping through a book!

Chen Xiang was very obedient. She wasn’t stubborn and obstinate like Ji Muqing. She understood when to advance and retreat, read situations well, and could even guess Jing Yi’s thoughts.

So she rose and curtsied.

“Then this concubine takes her leave.”

As she was leaving, Jing Yi suddenly reminded her, “You can play your games, but don’t go too far.”

The implication was that she could torment Ji Muqing, but shouldn’t make any major disturbances.

“Rest assured, Your Highness. This concubine knows what to do.”

She smiled sinisterly in secret and then left.