A woman’s scream broke the peaceful environment when Duchess Mingguo was enjoying the scenery in the Osmanthus Garden with several other madams. Flowers slanted on both sides of the path. They were talking and laughing along the way. As they were chatting happily, they heard the scream. Moreover, the scream was nearby. As the hostess, Duchess Mingguo was naturally going to have a look. The other madams followed her to the place where the sound came from.
When they turned a corner, they heard the panicked voice of women coming from the yard in front of them. Everyone hurried into the yard.
The maidservant who rushed to the front screamed as soon as she entered. Then she ran out with a flushed face. She was panting in a panic. It was obvious that something had happened inside.
“What happened?” Duchess Mingguo frowned and asked coldly. No matter what happened, as the mistress, she was just as to blame.
“I… I, I didn’t see anything!” The maidservant kept shaking her head. But the more she said this, the more suspicious it became. In particular, she also heard the loud sound of something falling on the ground, and a woman’s involuntary cry of pain, which made people feel that something had happened inside.
Duchess Mingguo pushed away the maidservant in front of her and walked in with her maidservants. The madams behind looked at each other and followed in her footsteps.
As the half-closed door was pushed open, the scene in front of them shocked everyone. The huge screen had fallen to the ground and the woman only wearing underwear was lying on the ground littered with women’s clothes and accessories. The handsome man lying on the couch didn’t wear the outer robe. He was not properly dressed. At this moment, he was rubbing his eyes and raising his cold and handsome face. It seemed that he was still drunk. He was awakened by the loud sound of the screen falling to the ground and looked blankly at the woman lying on the ground.
When a woman dressed like this and was seen by a man, her reputation had been ruined!
Duchess Mingguo dazedly looked at You Yuecheng, who was lying on the couch and had yet to react. Then she looked at the red-faced Sixth Princess whose dress was pinned by the screen by the corner. She was so shocked that she could not even speak. How, how could this be!
The madams behind her did not expect to see this scene and immediately quieted down. This was not an ordinary matter between a man and a woman. It was related to the Sixth Princess and Marquess Mingguo’s son. And the most important thing was that Marquess Mingguo’s son had already married, and the Sixth Princess was said to be someone who was going to marry into another country.
But, why were the two of them… together…
“Your Highness, Your Highness, what, what’s wrong with you? Your clothes are wet. I just brought you a set of clothes. How… ” A palace maid rushed in from the crowd, and the clothes in her hands fell to the ground in a mess. She was so scared that her face turned pale and her body trembled.
“I… I changed my clothes… but there is someone here… ” Seeing her personal palace maid coming, the Sixth Princess immediately looked as if she had seen her family. She was held in the palace maid’s arms and immediately burst into tears, blushing.
Even though she only said a few words, everyone immediately understood. It seemed that Sixth Princess had come in to change her clothes and did not have anything to do with Marquess Mingguo. Then what about Marquess Mingguo? Everyone’s gaze fell on You Yuecheng.
Rubbing his dull head, You Yuecheng stood up and picked up the outer robe beside him. Under everyone’s gaze, he put it on calmly. When he was dressed neatly, he went up to greet Duchess Mingguo and the other madams.
“Your Excellency, why, why are you here?” Duchess Ding’s face was so dark that it looked as if one could squeeze out of water. If this matter was settled, there would definitely be a conflict with Mingyan. Given the status of the princess, even if something really happened, it had to be hidden. At that time, it would be her daughter who would suffer.
“Mother-in-law, this is the place where Mingyan and I usually rest. Mingyan likes the environment here. It is connected to my study on the other side. She usually comes from the inner courtyard. I come from the back door of the Osmanthus Garden through the study. Then I will rest here for a while and talk with Mingyan.”
You Yuecheng explained. Most of the people in Mingguo Manor knew about this matter. As such, even though the Osmanthus Garden had not been given to You Yuecheng, it was the courtyard where he and Ling Mingyan rested. You Yuecheng rarely went to the main courtyard, so Ling Mingyan would have to come to see You Yuecheng here most of the time.
The Osmanthus Garden was designed to be a place for the male master to rest. The back door of You Yuecheng’s study was facing the back door of the Osmanthus Garden, so it did not need to enter the second door. One could enter the inner courtyard directly through this yard. As such, the Osmanthus Garden was the most special place in the manor. Furthermore, it was convenient and You Yuecheng usually lived here.
“Today, you…” Duchess Mingguo regained her wits. She looked at You Yuecheng and asked hesitantly. Even though she was Duchess Mingguo, she was not You Yuecheng’s biological mother. Furthermore, You Yuecheng had always been powerful. She usually did not dare to speak casually in front of You Yuecheng, so her question was a little obscure!
But she had expressed her meaning clearly.
“A few of my friends came today and I drank a few cups of wine with them. I was a little tipsy, so I came to the Osmanthus Garden to have a rest. I didn’t expect that Sixth Princess would come to the room to change her clothes…” You Yuecheng frowned and said unhappily. His eyes fell on the Sixth Princess who had been helped up, and he wore a cold look on his face.
You Yuecheng had always had a good reputation in the world outside, and had been far from debauchery. Now, for no reason, he was put through such a thing. Everyone would be unhappy if they were involved in it.
But how to solve this problem now? It seemed to be a misunderstanding. But a princess had ruined her reputation, and it was related to Crown Prince Xieyue’s marriage. It could never be a small matter. All of a sudden, everyone quieted down.
“Sixth Princess, didn’t Mingyan wait for you ahead? Why are you still here at this time?” Duchess Ding was the first to break the silence. Unlike the other madams, she could stay out of it completely. Duchess Ding had a hunch that if the Sixth Princess really married into Mingguo Manor, her daughter would not have a good life.
The young lady of Ding General Manor was a duke’s daughter, who had an extremely noble status, and most young ladies of noble families would only be concubines even if they tried their best to marry into the manor. So it was nothing. However, the one in front of her was the Sixth Princess. How could Duchess Ding remain calm?
What happened today was too coincidental, as if everything was really unrelated. However, who was Duchess Ding? She had always been careful in this aspect. She was not Ling Mingyan. She always felt that there was something wrong with it. If the matter was really settled, her daughter would suffer the most. Thus, she would not just stand by and do nothing.
“Her Highness and the Seventh Princess came here together. When they came here, the two princesses liked the scenery here, but they were worried that the Young Madam would be waiting for them. So the Seventh Princess went to see the Young Madam first, and our princess came in casually. When she came here, she found that the fish in the tank in the garden was really interesting. When she came to play, she wetted her clothes, so she wanted to change inside. Who would have thought…?”
The palace maid had already dressed the Sixth Princess well and stood in front of the crying princess. She said angrily to Duchess Ding and then asked Duchess Mingguo, “Since it leads to the outer courtyard, shouldn’t you send a few people to guard here today? At least they can tell the female guests who know nothing about the situation not to come here.”
Everyone in Mingguo Manor knew that You Yuecheng usually stayed here, but others did not know. Speaking of this, it was not the Sixth Princess’s fault; it was Mingguo Manor’s own negligence, which caused the princess to suffer. Who could bear the responsibility? Duchess Mingguo’s face was pale and her hands trembled slightly.
Hearing the palace maid’s question, she panicked a little. But then, she thought of something and her eyes lit up. She answered hurriedly, “I’ve arranged for two maidservants to be here. They should be here. How could Sixth Princess not have seen them when she came in?”
Although Duchess Mingguo was also a daughter of an aristocratic family, her status was not as high as that of the first wife as she was the second wife. In front of Duchess Ding, she always felt inferior. Ling Mingyan was also arrogant and never took her stepmother seriously. Usually, she just ignored her. You Yuecheng’s status as the duke’s legitimate son could not be changed, and You Yue’e was Consort Yan. By any measure, the stepwife had had a difficult time.
Therefore, how could she dare to take the responsibility now?
“You’ve arranged for two maidservants to be here? Where are the two maidservants?” Duchess Ding asked in an unfriendly tone.
“There are two maidservants. But when we came in, the two maidservants all went to serve Consort Xuan. When Her Highness came in, she wanted to go there. But Consort Xuan’s maidservant asked the two maidservants of Mingguo Manor to tell us that Consort Xuan was resting there and ask us not to disturb them. She also said that the scenery here was more beautiful.”
The palace maid explained. The Sixth Princess, who was sitting behind her, cried even harder and could not speak.
“Consort Xuan?” Duchess Ding raised her brows and asked sternly, “Did she send someone to show Sixth Princess the way?”
Consort Xuan was not from Mingguo Manor, so how could she know that the scenery at the end of this road would be better?
“I don’t know either. But that’s what the two maidservants said before. I saw Consort Xuan from a distance. I thought that Consort Xuan liked quiet and didn’t want to be disturbed, so I told Her Highness and then went to the path that Consort Xuan told us. Who knew that such a thing would happen…?”
The palace maid said in a skillful manner. She had linked several completely unrelated things together. She did not say what the connection was, but she did suggest something. Even if Mo Xuetong were here right now, she would not be able to defend herself because the palace maid did not say what Mo Xuetong had done in the story!
The Sixth Princess, who had been wiping her tears, had a faint look of satisfaction on her face as she covered her face with her handkerchief.
She had planned this matter to frame Ling Mingyan. If she could drag Mo Xuetong in as well, Ding General Manor and King Xuan’s Manor would be at odds with each other. It would be an unexpected joy. She just mentioned Mo Xuetong a little, but Mo Xuetong could not defend herself against the result. Perhaps, others might even think that Mo Xuetong had been intending to frame her…
If this matter was related to Crown Prince Xieyue of the Southern Barbarian Lands, it would be hard for Mo Xuetong to get rid of it even if she died. The Sixth Princess did not expect that she could achieve such an effect with such a casual move. How could she not feel proud?
No one noticed that You Yuecheng’s pretty brows were unconsciously furrowed. He cast a cold glance at the Sixth Princess and his eyes were deep and icy!