Chapter 32: He Loves Only Himself

Yun Shengsheng’s expression shifted violently, her fury mounting, yet she clenched her teeth, refusing to concede.

She was to enter the palace to see the Emperor tomorrow; who dared to place her under house arrest?

"If this were any other time, I would naturally submit to such a trivial confinement," Yun Shengsheng said, forcing a smile back onto her face. Her eyes were filled with provocation as she whispered, "But unfortunately, the Emperor has summoned me to the palace tomorrow. I am afraid I cannot grant the Princess her wish."

"Is that so?" Jia'an curled her lips coldly and murmured, "Then I shall go see my imperial uncle, the Emperor, today. I will tell him the whole story from start to finish and ask him to be the judge of who is right and who is wrong."

Jia'an had heard every word they said before entering the shop.

Yun Shengsheng wanted to dress appropriately to gain favor with the nobles, but she would make sure she did not get her way!

After suffering such humiliation, if she did not teach these two a harsh lesson, she, Jia'an, would be worth nothing.

"Princess..." Yun Shengsheng’s face turned deathly pale, her fingertips trembling beneath her sleeves. "Leave a path for others so we may meet again in the future. My father is the current Prime Minister. Is the Princess truly going to be so unreasonable?"

"What are you to even speak to me of reason!" Jia'an’s demeanor was arrogant, her tone dripping with disdain. "So what if you are a young lady of the Prime Minister’s estate? My mother is the Eldest Princess, a jewel of the heavens. Where do you find the confidence to challenge me?"

"Will you confine yourself voluntarily, or shall I go to my imperial uncle and have him issue an order to punish you?"

Yun Shengsheng’s pale face flushed with a tinge of red. Suppressing the resentment in her heart, she maintained a graceful and gentle facade. "It was my fault for not recognizing the Princess. If the Princess is struggling to calm her emotions, I am willing to accept punishment."

Seeing her act so sensibly, Jia'an let out a cold laugh and shifted her gaze to Yang Zhiwen, who was trembling so hard she dared not even breathe.

Sensing Jia'an’s stare, Yang Zhiwen gave a violent jolt. She scrambled to her knees, pleading desperately, "Princess, please forgive me... please forgive me... I was blind and did not recognize the true stature of such a noble person..."

"A moment ago you called me a beggar, and now you call me Princess. You Chu people certainly change your faces quickly." Jia'an peered at her with cold eyes, her tone flat. "Tell me, which official’s daughter are you?"

Yang Zhiwen felt a chill run through her entire body. Having kicked an iron plate, she dared not reveal her family background. "I... as long as the Princess can vent her anger, I am willing to do anything!"

Jia'an raised an eyebrow with interest and pointed toward the dumbfounded officer nearby. "You, take her and drag her to the magistrate’s office for fifty strokes of the cane."

Yang Zhiwen froze, lifting her head in disbelief as she stared blankly at Jia'an.

"Fifty..." The officer hesitated, whispering, "Reporting to the Princess, Miss Yang is a young lady after all; I fear she cannot withstand fifty strokes of the spine..."

"So you know that a young lady cannot withstand the cane?" Jia'an sneered, her tone ambiguous. "Where did that person go—the one who was just shouting that our crime was doubled and that even a hundred strokes wouldn't be enough to satisfy her?"

The head officer buried his head low, feeling so ashamed at these words that he wished he could disappear into a crack in the ground. "Princess, forgive me! Miss Yang was disrespectful to you first; fifty strokes... are deserved."

Jia'an stood by with her arms crossed. "Since it is deserved, stop wasting words and take her away."

"...Yes."

"No... no!" Yang Zhiwen turned pale with terror. She grabbed Yun Shengsheng’s wrist, begging bitterly, "Sister Yun... Sister Yun, save me! If fifty strokes land, I fear I won't even survive!"

Yun Shengsheng, shaken by her pulling, cursed inwardly, her rage intensifying. "Stop pulling at me! I taught you to be sensible and polite, but it all went in one ear and out the other. If you hadn't stirred up trouble today, we wouldn't have ended up in this state!"

Yang Zhiwen’s face was deathly white. No matter how much resentment she held, she dared not offend her further and could only continue to plead. "Sister Yun, I only wanted you to have a quiet place. I did it all for you; you cannot abandon me now!"

Yun Shengsheng was furious. She shook off her hand and spoke coldly, "The Princess is punishing you; how can I help you?"

Tears streamed down Yang Zhiwen’s face. In her desperation, she spoke without thinking, "Sister Yun is about to become the Crown Princess; why can't you..."

"Silence!"

Yun Shengsheng’s breath hitched, and she rushed to cut her off, but it was too late.

Yang Zhiwen’s voice had been loud enough for everyone in the room to hear clearly.

Yun Shengsheng turned her head to glare at the officer, showing a ferocity she had never displayed in public before. "What are you standing there for? Drag her away at once!"

The officer snapped out of his trance, suppressing his shock. Fearing to offend Yun Shengsheng, he immediately moved to grab Yang Zhiwen’s arms, dragging her away by force.

"Sister Yun... Sister Yun..."

Yang Zhiwen wept, reaching out toward Yun Shengsheng as she was dragged away, pleading incessantly, "Sister Yun, save me!"

Yun Shengsheng ignored her, bowing her head slightly, afraid to meet the eyes of the others.

"No wonder she is so arrogant," Jia'an scoffed, her gaze sweeping over her with indifference. "So there is a backer behind her."

Yun Shengsheng bit her lower lip, consumed by shame and resentment.

Furthermore, the Ninth Prince’s personal attendant was still in the room...

Yun Lai cast an unreadable glance at her before taking the clothes handed over by Sheng Mingyue. He walked over to the shopkeeper, who was still paralyzed with fear, and whispered, "Settle the bill."

Finally seeing the end of the farce, the shopkeeper let out a sigh of relief. He hurriedly accepted the payment, consciously deducting three taels as an apology to the noble guests.

Jia'an held her chin high and, without sparing even a glance for Yun Shengsheng, walked straight out of the shop. As she passed Yun Shengsheng, she slammed her shoulder against hers.

Sheng Mingyue followed behind her, keeping a distance of one person.

As they brushed past each other, Yun Shengsheng lifted her face, staring at her with a sinister intensity, and whispered, "Sheng Mingyue, you must be very pleased with yourself, aren't you?"

"Thinking that just because you found a way to place me under house arrest, I can no longer marry A-Yan?"

"Sheng Mingyue, keep dreaming."

The soft voice reached Sheng Mingyue’s ears. She stopped in her tracks, a hint of a smile appearing in her eyes, and, mimicking the other woman, lowered her voice. "Miss Yun, do not think too highly of yourself. If the people around you were not so foolish, how would you have given me this opportunity?"

Seeing that she was no longer hiding it, Yun Shengsheng’s eyes turned red with fury. Gritting her teeth, she hissed, "Sheng Mingyue, you truly are a despicable wretch full of schemes!"

Sheng Mingyue pursed her lips and smiled faintly, saying languidly, "You flatter me, Miss Yun. We are one and the same."

Yun Shengsheng sneered, barely able to control her emotions. "Sheng Mingyue, as long as I am alive, no matter how much you try, you will never climb into A-Yan’s bed."

"I have no interest in other people’s beds, though I imagine you, Miss Yun, have had such thoughts more than once." Sheng Mingyue imagined the scene, finding it nauseating. "Does Miss Yun truly believe the Crown Prince favors you alone? Wake up. He only loves himself."

"Oh, I almost forgot," Sheng Mingyue curled her lips, though there was no warmth in her eyes. "Miss Yun is just the same type of person. You two are a perfect match."

"You!"

Yun Shengsheng was livid and about to explode, but Sheng Mingyue merely smiled at her and walked away without looking back, giving her no chance to retort.

Outside the shop, the carriage of the Prince of Jing'an sat quietly by the roadside. The curtains were drawn back, revealing the man’s distant and indifferent profile.