“Zhuang Han Yan, how dare you!” Yi Lin Na strode to Han Yan’s front, her manner aggressive.
Han Yan smiled slightly: “The Princess flatters me. I’m quite timid. Otherwise, I would have pushed the door open earlier.”
Yi Lin Na caught her meaning and replied smugly: “So what? The Prince and I were having a private conversation in the study. As an outsider, naturally, you couldn’t come in. Do you think Prince Xuan Qing’s mansion is somewhere you can come and go as you please?”
Han Yan didn’t even furrow her brow. She remained silent, a faint smile on her lips. Though her expression was faultless, Yi Lin Na somehow detected mockery in it. Her eyebrows shot up as she pointed at Ling Lang and ordered the servant: “Stop right now!”
The servant looked uncertainly between Han Yan and Yi Lin Na. They couldn’t afford to offend Yi Lin Na, but Han Yan had once held a special place in the Prince’s heart. Though unclear why the Prince’s attitude had changed upon his return, men understood men – the Prince’s expressions toward Han Yan clearly showed he still cared. What if Han Yan regained her position later?
Han Yan smiled: “You may stop.”
The servant sighed in relief, flashing Han Yan a grateful smile. Seeing this, Yi Lin Na became even more furious, because she considered herself the true mistress of Prince Xuan Qing’s mansion, yet servants constantly reminded her, intentionally or not, that Han Yan was the real Princess Consort. She knew Han Yan had lived here for a full year, earning the servants’ affection, but this wasn’t good for Yi Lin Na. Once Han Yan’s authority was established among the servants, how could Yi Lin Na command respect when she became the mansion’s mistress? Everyone would think Han Yan was the true Princess Consort while she was nothing. The servant’s submission to Han Yan made her displeasure grow rapidly, and she looked at Han Yan with jealousy and resentment.
“Zhuang Han Yan, by what right do you beat my maid?” Yi Lin Na demanded. Ling Lang was her person – Han Yan beating her servant in front of her was a direct slap to Yi Lin Na’s face. Originally, she had deliberately kept the door closed, wanting to delay Fu Yun Xi and embarrass Han Yan, teaching her a lesson. But who knew Han Yan would openly beat her maid outside? If she hadn’t come out, wouldn’t that suggest she was weak? More importantly, Yi Lin Na had heard every word Han Yan said outside – her mockery of Xi Rong and herself, her utter contempt. For Yi Lin Na, this was intolerable. Accustomed to being superior, how could she endure such humiliation? Now, she planned to use this incident against Han Yan.
Han Yan raised an eyebrow: “Your Highness is unaware, but this maid, relying on her position as your attendant, has shown deplorable conduct, spreading rumors, and even slandered me to my face, claiming it was on your orders. Is this the custom of the Xi Rong people? I think not. Surely this wicked servant was trying to frame Your Highness, which is why I disciplined her on your behalf.”
With such ease, she deflected all blame, dumping everything on the maid. What could Yi Lin Na do? If she didn’t allow the maid’s punishment, she’d indirectly admit ordering Ling Lang to trouble Han Yan. If she let Ling Lang be punished, it went against her wishes. She could only grit her teeth and say: “Ling Lang wouldn’t do this… you must be lying…”
Han Yan smiled slightly: “Your Highness wrongly accuses me. Surely everyone in the study heard my conversation with this maid? Even if the Prince and Princess couldn’t hear, there’s still Guard Mu Feng, isn’t there? Mu Feng, was anything I said untrue?”
Suddenly addressed, Mu Feng inwardly groaned but could only answer stiffly: “Young Lady Zhuang spoke truthfully.”
Han Yan turned to Yi Lin Na, spreading her hands: “See? I didn’t lie. These are the facts.”
Yi Lin Na suddenly felt helpless. When facing Han Yan, she found herself powerless. Apart from physical force, in terms of strategy, she was no match for this Zhuang Han Yan. This woman was truly frightening – appearing so quiet, like the venomous snakes common in Xi Rong that seemed unremarkable but carried the deadliest poison. One bite left no hope of survival. Han Yan was the same – once she set her sights on someone, there was no chance of recovery. Unconsciously, Yi Lin Na had come to see Han Yan as a deeply calculating, ruthless woman.
What Yi Lin Na didn’t know was that Han Yan’s cunning was forged through blood and tears in her previous life. Each of her strategies was a weapon for survival, developed through vicious politics in the great mansion. For a princess of the Xi Rong royal family, who had subordinates to strategize for her and lived high above others, such an inhuman life was unimaginable. Yi Lin Na could only see Han Yan’s cunning, not her vulnerability.
But who was there to see that vulnerability? Han Yan smiled faintly. Since deciding to live better, she had to hide all her fragility.
Yi Lin Na stared hard at Han Yan, then suddenly smiled. She was originally extremely beautiful but usually wore such a superior expression that it diminished her beauty by three parts. Now as she smiled, her honey-colored skin glowed, and her glass-bead eyes sparkled with charm: “I did hear your earlier conversation, but Ling Lang was right. I heard Young Lady Zhuang didn’t return last night, and was seen spending the entire night with a strange man at an inn.”
Finally getting to the point, Han Yan inwardly smiled. She’d been wondering when the Xi Rong Princess would bring this up – she’d lost patience so quickly. Though Han Yan was curious about who had spread this news, initially suspecting Zhuo Qi, now it seemed more likely to be Yi Lin Na. Had she sent someone to follow her? Han Yan’s heart skipped, but she quickly relaxed – what did it matter if she was followed?
“Yi Lin Na.” A cold voice interrupted. Fu Yun Xi had emerged from the study at some point and stood before them, speaking softly.
It seemed like ages since she’d seen Fu Yun Xi. Han Yan glanced at him, noting his black robe made his face appear even paler. He looked thinner, the indifference in his features more pronounced. His intervention in Yi Lin Na’s speech left his intentions unclear.
Yi Lin Na started, frowning, apparently very displeased at Fu Yun Xi’s interruption. She said coquettishly: “I’m not wrong, My Prince, you know too… she…”
“Your Highness,” Han Yan suddenly spoke up. “Since you know about this matter, do you also know that the man who spent the night with me was your brother, the Prince of Xi Rong?”
This statement stunned everyone. Mu Feng was shocked, while Yi Lin Na shook her head saying: “Impossible, you’re talking nonsense…” The calmest were Fu Yun Xi and Han Yan. Han Yan was calm because she saw nothing improper about revealing this, though Yi Lin Na didn’t seem to know about Zhuo Qi’s involvement, which was strange.