Damn Nanmeng Rong, to actually beat Jiu’er into unconsciousness! Jiu’er had been perfectly fine before — now, to be reduced to such a fragile state!

No one knew exactly what Nanmeng Rong had done to Feng Jiu’er; Xiao Yingtao’s heart ached just looking at her.

She rushed over at once and helped Feng Jiu’er up.

From the outside looking in, that was all that could be seen — after that, the door had been shut.

The guards Zhan Yuheng had sent outside also looked anxious, but facing Consort Rong, the Crown Prince’s own mother, who would dare go head-to-head with her?

Now that Consort Rong had struck Feng Jiu’er, no one knew what the situation was like inside.

But, given Consort Rong’s recent state of health, a beating… should be nothing serious, right?

If something had truly gone wrong, Qiao Mu and Xiao Yingtao inside would surely already be reacting.

Since there was no commotion now, it probably… really was nothing serious.

……

No one knew why Consort Rong wasn’t returning to the palace at this time, but instead heading to Nanmeng Manor.

Then again, Consort Rong was originally from the Nanmeng clan herself, so it wasn’t strange at all for her to want to return to the manor at a time like this.

It was just that Nanmeng Manor, compared to the palace, was even farther from the Imperial Academy — there was quite some distance in between.

They hadn’t brought many people out with them today, and if they ran into any danger along the way, the responsibility for that would be a heavy one indeed.

So the group of a dozen or so people kept themselves sharply alert, just in case there were assassins or the like.

Consort Rong was no ordinary consort — she held enormous power within the Nanmeng clan, and not the slightest mishap could be allowed to happen.

But, just as the carriage had traveled some distance from the Imperial Academy and had just turned onto another road, suddenly, a man on horseback came charging up, blocking the carriage’s path squarely.

“Who’s there?” Qinxue, now Consort Rong’s trusted aide, frowned the moment she made out who had dismounted: “Young Master Xu, what are you doing here?”

This Young Master Xu — word had it he’d only that morning been publicly jilted by Feng Jiu’er, his dignity utterly lost. At a time like this, instead of finding somewhere to hide, was he still running around everywhere?

Although Nanmeng Xu was also quite handsome in appearance, unfortunately, he lacked a good background — his birth mother had only been a singing girl. Despite also bearing the title of “young master,” he held no power whatsoever within the Nanmeng clan.

A man like that, no matter how handsome, held little appeal in the eyes of young ladies.

Nanmeng Xu seemed already accustomed to the disrespect shown to him by servants. He leapt down from his horse and walked up to the carriage, staring intently through the curtain at the blurred figure within.

“Aunt, your nephew has come seeking your help on a matter.”

There was no response from inside. Nanmeng Xu continued: “Aunt, you said you trusted your nephew — could it be that now, with circumstances different, Aunt no longer believes in her nephew?”

That Nanmeng Xu would actually speak to Consort Rong like this — did he really hold such standing?

As for what he meant by circumstances being different now — could he be referring to Consort Rong’s having been deposed?

Qinxue wasn’t sure whether this Nanmeng Xu and Consort Rong had truly had a close relationship in private before — otherwise, Nanmeng Xu surely wouldn’t dare speak this way.

But there seemed to be no reaction from Consort Rong’s side.

Nanmeng Xu continued: “Aunt, your nephew begs an audience, please grant your nephew a meeting!”

“Aunt, today your nephew was publicly jilted by Feng Jiu’er — can Aunt help your nephew out? Now your nephew has become a laughingstock to everyone — will Aunt really pay it no mind at all?”

“Young Master Xu, Consort Rong still needs to hurry to Nanmeng Manor. Whatever the matter is, you can discuss it once we arrive there.”

Since Her Ladyship wasn’t willing to pay him any attention, Qinxue naturally couldn’t let him keep lingering here either — otherwise, Her Ladyship would blame her for handling things poorly.

“Young Master Xu…”

But Nanmeng Xu still wouldn’t give up, still staring at the figure behind the curtain, saying earnestly: “Aunt, it was you who said you trusted your nephew. Your nephew has been running about outside, all for your sake, Aunt — please, grant your nephew a meeting!”

“Young Master Xu, Her Ladyship—”

“Let him come up.” From inside, Nanmeng Rong’s somewhat hoarse voice came through.

Qinxue hadn’t expected Her Ladyship would truly be willing to see Nanmeng Xu — and to let him come up into the carriage, no less, such intimacy. Could there really be some private feelings between them after all?

She had always assumed that Young Master Xu of the Nanmeng Manor was the least valued of them all — so why, today, would Her Ladyship be willing to let this nephew up into her carriage?

As for the preferences and favor of these masters, even with her doubts, Qinxue didn’t dare question them.

Perhaps Nanmeng Xu had recently done something to please Consort Rong, and Her Ladyship now favored this nephew of hers.

After all, he was her own nephew by blood — it wasn’t so strange for a sudden fondness to develop.

Qinxue pursed her lips, and was just about to lift the carriage curtain for him when Nanmeng Xu beat her to it, stepping up into the carriage himself without waiting.

The curtain was only lifted a corner before falling back down again, leaving no one able to see clearly what was happening between the two inside.

Still, the carriage was spacious enough — let alone two people, even four people sitting together inside wouldn’t feel cramped.

Once inside, Nanmeng Xu immediately said: “Aunt, Feng Jiu’er actually broke off our engagement in public, making your nephew an innocent laughingstock. Now your nephew has become the joke of the entire imperial capital — Aunt must get justice for your nephew!”

“Mm.” Nanmeng Rong acknowledged with a sound, saying nothing further.

That Nanmeng Xu, who was usually so poor with words, today had far more to say than usual, even going on and on indignantly.

“Aunt, what Feng Jiu’er did is clearly a slap in the face to the entire Nanmeng clan. Aunt, if you don’t punish her, how can the Nanmeng clan’s dignity ever be restored?”

“Aunt, Feng Jiu’er has always shown you disrespect too, and now she’s pulled a stunt like this again. Aunt, are we really going to let her continue running wild?”

Nanmeng Rong said nothing the whole time, letting Nanmeng Xu do all the complaining. Qinxue truly couldn’t understand why Her Ladyship had the patience to keep listening.

What’s more, she had no idea why Nanmeng Xu was speaking so loudly today — didn’t Her Ladyship find it grating on the ears?

But Nanmeng Rong never once cut him off, so how could Qinxue, a mere maid, possibly dare to interrupt? Let alone the guards standing watch around them.

The masters’ affairs were the masters’ to resolve — as for the matter of going to Nanmeng Manor, whether they traveled quickly or slowly, they’d still get there eventually.

As long as Her Ladyship didn’t urge them to hurry, they weren’t going to rush the timing either.

Although it was rather unusual for the normally quiet Young Master Xu to suddenly have so much to say today, no one thought too much of it.

After some unknown length of time, Nanmeng Rong finally cut off the ceaselessly talking Nanmeng Xu, saying flatly: “This consort understands. You may withdraw now.”

Nanmeng Xu looked deeply at her for a moment, then nodded and said: “Yes.”

That figure climbed down from the carriage, bent at the waist the whole time, showing genuine respect toward Consort Rong.

But once down, he leapt onto his horse, and without so much as a parting word, galloped off into the distance in the blink of an eye.