Chapter 44: Caught in Adultery!

“Your Highness.”

Xie Yao’s hand was held tightly in Xiao Ji’s palm, so warm that she instinctively bit her lip and asked in a low voice, “Was this… my fault?”

“Nonsense.” Xiao Ji frowned, looking at her. “How could it be your fault? Looks are what one is born with. It was his own crooked mind, his disrespect toward his elder brother’s wife.” When he mentioned Xiao Hong, Xiao Ji’s gaze turned icy, his tone filled with disdain.

The world all praised Xiao Hong as gentle, cultured, a true gentleman. But in truth, he was nothing more than gold and jade on the outside, but rotten rags within.

Xie Yao’s heart instantly eased, the corners of her lips rising uncontrollably. She had always thought the same, but hearing those words come from Xiao Ji’s own lips made them sound especially pleasant.

Her heated gaze was impossible to ignore. Xiao Ji grew a little uncomfortable under her eyes, coughed lightly, and said, “Crown Princess, you…”

“Your Highness.” Xie Yao leaned closer, lifted her face to look up at him, and whispered in his ear, “You are truly good.”

They were too close, and her breath seemed to pour endlessly into his nose.

“Ahem.” Xiao Ji coughed again, supporting her shoulders to steady her. “We are in public, do not…”

Her smile deepened, her eyes twinkling as she replied, “I know, Your Highness.”

Xiao Ji froze slightly. “Know what?”

“Know that when we return to the residence, we can be close in private,” she answered matter-of-factly.

Xiao Ji: “…”

He looked at her full of helplessness.

Not far away, Xie Yujiao, who had come with the Xie family’s invitation, saw Xie Yao and Xiao Ji speaking so intimately. Her expression instantly twisted beyond recognition. The smile on Xie Yao’s face stabbed straight into her eyes.

That wretch! That wretch! Why? Why had the Crown Prince, who in her past life treated her with cold rejection and kept her at arm’s length, now drawn so near to Xie Yao? Men were such shallow creatures, always blinded by a face!

She furiously clawed at the flowers in her hand, shredding them.

“Second Young Lady…” Qincha called softly.

Xie Yujiao turned and slapped her across the face. “Shut up!”

Qincha dropped to her knees at once. “Second Young Lady, please calm yourself. This is Princess Yongle’s residence…”

Xie Yujiao’s face stiffened. She quickly looked around, confirmed no one had noticed, then flung her sleeve and stormed away.

Naturally, Xie Yao noticed. She gave Zhuqing a look; Zhuqing nodded slightly and slipped away.

Just as Zhuqing left, footsteps came from behind them, Pei Chen finally emerged. Seeing Xie Yao and Xiao Ji, he cupped his hands. “Your Highness, Crown Princess.”

“Brother Pei Chen!”

Xiao Ning’s crisp, spoiled voice rang out. She hurried over, reaching to take his arm. “You’ve finally returned.”

Pei Chen reacted quickly, stepping back to avoid her touch. He said politely, “Princess He Yi.”

Xiao Ning bit her lip, looking wronged. “Brother Pei Chen, I’ve told you long ago you don’t need to be so distant. Just call me Ning’er.”

Pei Chen’s face remained unchanged. “If the Princess has no other matter, I must go wash and change.” He had galloped all the way back to the capital, still clad in dusty armor and stinking of the road.

Xiao Ning had no choice but to let him leave.

Xie Yao watched his departing back, clicking her tongue and shaking her head slightly.

“What is the Crown Princess looking at?” Xiao Ji’s voice came, low and edged with faint displeasure.

She withdrew her gaze. “The Marquis of Zhenbei is indeed imposing.”

She distinctly felt Xiao Ji’s grip on her hand tighten, only to loosen again almost immediately, as though afraid of hurting her.

He fell silent for a moment, and then said, “His temper is too blunt, not considerate enough. Always stationed with the army, if war breaks out it would be extremely dangerous…”

Xie Yao turned to him with wide eyes, utterly shocked. What was His Highness saying? Was he… evaluating Pei Chen?

She thought for a moment and replied, “Even so, we cannot allow him to be ruined by Princess He Yi. What does Your Highness think?”

Xiao Ji countered, “Does the Crown Princess feel pity for him?”

Xie Yao shook her head. “Not pity, but it would truly be a shame.”

So… she decided to lend him a hand. She had already ordered Zhuqing to make arrangements earlier. Sometimes, it was better for her own people to act rather than those of the Crown Prince.

After Pei Chen left, Xie Yao and Xiao Ji stayed by Princess Yongle’s side.

Meanwhile, the garden was lively.

Song Wenbo was searching everywhere for Princess He Yi. In the past two days, he had tried to see the Second Prince again but had been denied. Thus, he had followed Xie Yujiao and the Xie family to today’s banquet, hoping to meet Princess He Yi again and arouse her sympathy.

At that moment, a figure approached him and whispered, “Scholar Song, the Princess awaits you. Please follow me.”

Song Wenbo’s eyes lit up. Thanking the man, he immediately followed toward the rear courtyard.

But he did not know that not far away, a richly dressed young man had been watching him all along, and now followed him unconsciously…

…

Inside Princess Yongle’s residence, many people of high rank were present. Yet with her position as Crown Princess, Xie Yao was seated fairly close.

As she smiled and conversed, she suddenly felt a gaze fixed on her.

She turned to look straight into the assessing eyes of a woman in yellow robes. The woman’s features were delicate, but her faintly furrowed brows carried obvious distaste.

Xie Yao’s face cooled. She gave the woman a casual glance, and then looked away.

The woman’s expression immediately turned ugly.

At that moment, someone hurried in and whispered something into Princess Yongle’s ear.

Her expression darkened instantly, her aura exploding outward. The room fell silent, everyone cowed.

Something big had happened!

Princess Yongle rose abruptly and strode out, anger radiating from her.

The others exchanged looks and followed her out.

Outside, chaos had already broken out. People whispered furtively, their expressions shocked, it was clear something scandalous had occurred.

Princess Yongle pushed past the crowd and went straight to a courtyard at the rear.

No sooner had they entered than muffled sounds came from within the house! Just listening was enough to make one’s face burn.

What was happening inside was obvious. No wonder Princess Yongle was enraged!

She gave her momo a look. The stout, broad-shouldered woman immediately stepped forward and kicked the door open.

Moments later, another momo’s face changed dramatically as she rushed out. “Princess, it’s inside, it’s…”

“Royal Aunt!”

Before she could finish, Xiao Ning’s pitiful voice floated out from inside. “Brother Pei Chen, he… he must have been drunk, that’s why…”

A stir of gasps erupted!

None of them had expected that the man and woman committing such shameless conduct in broad daylight, on Princess Yongle’s birthday no less, would be Princess He Yi and the Marquis of Zhenbei!

Beyond the scandal, sharp-minded onlookers were already thinking of the political implications. Did this mean Princess Yongle and the Marquis of Zhenbei stood behind the Second Prince?

“Royal Aunt…” Xiao Ning’s voice grew softer, full of grievance. “I don’t blame Brother Pei Chen. I am willing to marry him. Please, do not punish him…”

“What is going on?” A rough, gravelly voice suddenly sounded from behind the crowd.

The place fell deathly silent!

The people parted, revealing the speaker at the very back; Pei Chen, the Marquis of Zhenbei.

“Mother.” He stepped forward, bowed respectfully to Princess Yongle, his face bright and composed. “I met Crown Prince and spoke with him for a while. What has happened here?”

Everyone’s minds spun. If the man inside with Princess He Yi was not Pei Chen… then who was it?