Ji Muqing was shocked to her core!

Gritting her teeth, she said, “You wretched girl, to actually help an outsider spout such nonsense—I truly raised you for nothing.”

“Princess Consort, this servant is speaking the honest truth!”

“Wretched girl, you…”

“Enough.” Jing Yi was getting a headache from all the noise.

What he detested most was precisely this kind of matter between women. He had already married Ji Muqing for the sake of his grand ambitions, thinking that once this woman obtained the title of princess consort she would settle down somewhat. Who knew she would insist on causing small troubles every day and major incidents every three days? He truly wished he could quickly ascend to the throne and have this woman executed.

Ji Muqing felt aggrieved, looking at Jing Yi with tear-filled eyes. “Your Highness, please believe me. This consort is not lying.”

“Then would your attendant be lying? This maid came with you from the General’s Manor as part of your dowry. Logically, she should be helping you. Why would she say she didn’t see anything?”

“This consort…”

“Enough. No matter what, this matter is not to be pursued further. Such incidents must not occur again within the prince’s manor.” He commanded sternly.

Ji Muqing fell silent.

Jing Yi glanced at Chen Xiang. “Stop your crying as well. Everyone disperse quickly and don’t disturb the princess consort’s rest.”

Having said this, he swept his sleeves and left.

Chen Xiang also stood up a moment later and followed Jing Yi out.

More than half the people left the room, making it much more spacious and much quieter.

However, Cailan kept chattering incessantly!

Ji Muqing’s gaze naturally settled on her. “Come here.”

Cailan shuffled her steps over.

“Kneel down.”

She barked at her.

Cailan hurriedly knelt.

“Princess Consort, spare me.”

“Slap!” Ji Muqing raised her uninjured hand and swung it down viciously.

This woman was truly an advanced primate—even now, covered in injuries and in such pain she was grinding her teeth, she still had enough strength to strike someone to the ground.

Half of Cailan’s body collapsed onto the floor. She quickly scrambled back up and knelt properly. When she had decided to say those words earlier, she had already anticipated the consequences.

“Spare you? Now you know to beg for mercy?”

“Princess Consort, this servant truly didn’t see anything.”

“You are my person. Whatever words I tell you to say, you must say them! Now look what’s happened—the prince thinks I’m causing trouble, thinks I’m spouting complete nonsense. What am I supposed to do from now on? Now that woman has gained the upper hand.”

“It’s this servant’s fault. At the time, this servant was too frightened, which is why I said such things. Princess Consort, please spare this servant.”

Ji Muqing glared at her, then shouted, “Get out! All of you, get out!”

If they could leave without being beaten, why wouldn’t they leave?

At her words, everyone in the room truly did exit.

Leaving only her sitting alone on the bed.

On one hand, in so much pain she was covered in cold sweat.

On the other hand, crying inconsolably.

This grievance was even worse than spending her wedding night alone in an empty chamber.

…

Meanwhile, Jing Yi, who had left the courtyard, suddenly dismissed everyone following him on the way back, leaving only Chen Xiang, who had just finished crying.

Once those servants left, he suddenly reached out and gripped Chen Xiang’s delicate neck, slamming her entire body violently against a nearby large tree.

Pinning her against it.

Chen Xiang’s eyes filled with terror as her hands desperately clawed at the hand gripping her throat.

She pleaded with difficulty, “Your… Your Highness… spare…”

Her throat was deprived of oxygen!

Her face turned bright red from suffocation.

“This prince warned you—play your games if you must, but don’t go too far. Did you not understand this prince’s words clearly, or do you wish to defy this prince’s intentions?” His eyes were full of fury, concentrating into a raging inferno.

“Ugh…” Chen Xiang couldn’t catch her breath.

Just as her eyes were about to roll back, Jing Yi released her.

Her entire body went numb, her hands and feet weak and powerless. She collapsed to the ground, unable to get up no matter how she tried. Covering her neck, which had been squeezed until it bore several bloody marks, she coughed violently.

Jing Yi looked down at her from his high position.

“Listen well. Before this prince ascends the throne, you had better not touch her. Otherwise, this prince will take your life!”

Chen Xiang finally caught a breath and desperately grabbed at Jing Yi’s robes, looking up at him. “Your Highness, this concubine… did… nothing. Please believe me.”

This pitifully touching woman—which man, upon seeing her, wouldn’t be moved or feel heartache?

But Jing Yi was different. In his eyes, women were just chess pieces—taken out and placed on the board when useful, put back in the chess container when not needed.

They could even be destroyed.

At least for now, Ji Muqing had utility value, so nothing could happen to her. But the woman before his eyes merely had an alluring face. She was a potted flower he kept by his side—when he no longer liked it, he could cut it down with scissors at any time.

He kicked the woman at his feet away and looked coldly at Chen Xiang’s tear-filled eyes. “What you’re thinking in your heart? What you want to do? This prince knows perfectly well. You can deceive others, but you cannot deceive these eyes of this prince. If not for the fact that you’ve been by this prince’s side for many years, I would have had your hands and feet chopped off just now.”

Her face turned pale, her round eyes seeming about to burst out.

“If there’s a next time, I’ll take your life.”

Jing Yi swept his wide sleeves. “Hmph!” He left.

Leaving Chen Xiang sitting alone on the ground, in a wretched state!

Her ten fingers pressed into the ground, tightening bit by bit, gripping the broken earth.

Unwilling to accept this.

Her victory lay in having an alluring face!

Her defeat lay in not having a father with power!

…

The next day, Jing Yi sent someone to summon Ji Li, saying he had important matters to discuss with him.

But when Ji Li arrived at Prince Yi’s Manor in the early morning, he didn’t go to see Jing Yi first. Instead, he went to Ji Muqing’s courtyard.

As soon as he arrived, the maids in the courtyard became especially nervous.

Everyone knew that Military Division Secretary Ji Li was a stern person who never smiled, whose eyes couldn’t tolerate even a grain of sand. Those eyes seemed to be perpetually filled with killing intent, making people afraid to approach.

But this time, everyone was afraid for another reason as well.

Yesterday, the princess consort had been injured!

When Ji Li entered the room, he happened to run into Cailan carrying out a bowl of medicine. Seeing him suddenly appear here, her hands trembled violently, and the empty bowl on the tray she was holding also shook.

It clattered loudly!

Ji Li’s brows furrowed involuntarily. He stared at her for a moment, then his gaze fell on the bowl of medicine in her hands. He asked, “Whose medicine is this?”

Brother, whose medicine do you think it could be?

Of course it’s your dear sister’s medicine!

She’s ill!

And seriously ill at that—she’s practically dying!

Cailan lowered her head and said, “This… this is the princess consort’s medicine.”

“What happened to the princess consort?”

“The princess consort, she…” She stammered.

Ji Li grew anxious and quickly strode inside. He saw Ji Muqing leaning against the bed, her face pale, her head wrapped in bandages, her shoulders as well.

“Elder Brother?” Ji Muqing was surprised.

“What happened to you?” Ji Li asked with concern.

Ji Muqing was someone who cared about face, so naturally she wouldn’t say she had been bullied. She lied instead: “Last night when I got up, I accidentally took a fall.”

Not a blush, not a missed heartbeat!

She said it as if it were the truth.

Ji Li was somewhat skeptical. “How did a fall make you end up like this?”

“There’s no helping it—I just ended up like this from the fall.”

“Did the prince come by?”

Ji Muqing paused slightly, then smiled in response. “Of course he came. The prince treats me very well. When he learned I was injured, he had people bring many tonics, and he stayed with me for a while.”

Because she said it so convincingly, Ji Li actually believed her. After all, his difficult sister only ever bullied others—how could there be any possibility of others bullying her?

And if something truly had happened to her, she would naturally have said so.