When Jiang Jinyue rushed to the dormitory, she suddenly heard a series of gasps coming from inside.
The sound was as miserable as a warbler crying blood, echoing in her heart.
Although still a young girl, Jiang Jinyue was not completely ignorant. The sound was too ambiguous, making her heart race. She quickly stopped in her tracks.
She stood still at the door and heard intermittent, coquettish pleas from inside:
"Your Highness... Your Highness... This servant can't bear it anymore..."
"Ah... It hurts... Be gentle..."
Jiang Jinyue's head buzzed. Her face turned deathly pale, her lips trembled, and so did her hand on the door panel.
What her aunt said was true.
This slut!
She had really seduced her cousin into bed!
For her, her cousin had condescended to come to the servants' quarters for an affair!
For her, her cousin had even abandoned the Buddha he once believed in, right here in the mountain temple, right under the Buddha's nose!
Jiang Jinyue didn't know how she left. She staggered forward, suppressing her panic and anger, and bumped head - on into someone!
"Ouch!"
The other person let out a cry of pain as they collided.
Jiang Jinyue fell to the ground and then heard an angry rebuke:
"Where did this blind person come from? Can't you see that the young lady of the Dong family, the Commissioner of the Administration Commission, is here?"
Jiang Jinyue looked up in surprise and saw a gorgeously dressed woman covering her head with tears in her eyes. The little maid beside her was domineering, hands on hips, looking down at her.
The young lady of Dong Fangzhuo, the Commissioner of the Administration Commission?
This was the family member of a high - ranking official in Daye!
She quickly got up from the ground and bowed to Dong Yurong. "Jiang Jinyue of the Jiang family in Jiaodong pays respects to Miss Dong."
Dong Yurong took her hand off her head, and her arrogant expression faded a little.
"The Jiang family in Jiaodong? Are you the new cousin girl in the Prince of Yan's mansion?"
"Miss Dong has heard of me?" Jiang Jinyue was a bit delighted.
After all, the Jiang family was just a noble and clean family. Compared with the prominent families in the court, their power was vastly different. They only had the integrity of literati.
Dong Yurong lifted her chin and snorted haughtily from her nose. "Humph!"
Seeing that Dong Yurong seemed uninterested in her, Jiang Jinyue could only smile awkwardly. "Just now, it was this little girl who didn't see the way clearly and bumped into Miss Dong. Another day, I will surely come to apologize to Miss Dong. Farewell!"
But Dong Yurong spoke up. "Wait."
Jiang Jinyue stopped and looked at her in surprise.
Dong Yurong pursed her lips, sized up Jiang Jinyue, and asked:
"I heard that your... your cousin, Song Yinghuai, the Prince of Yan, is also here at the Great Baoen Temple today?"
When Jiang Jinyue saw her suddenly blush when she mentioned Song Yinghuai's name, she suddenly had a guess.
Could this Miss Dong like her cousin?
In fact, her guess was right.
Song Yinghuai had kept a low - key profile for the past six years and rarely showed up in the Yan region. Under the guise of becoming a Buddhist, the aristocratic families only dared to send some beautiful women to his mansion to test the waters. No one dared to risk sending their own daughters into his mansion.
But recently, Song Yinghuai first mobilized his old subordinates in the capital to stop the Crown Prince from harming his brothers, and then had a martial arts competition with the Hu cavalry in Shanhaiguan and Kaiping.
Every move made people speculate that this war - god prince who had been in seclusion for many years was about to re - enter the mortal world.
The situation in the court might change greatly because of this.
One day, Song Yinghuai rode a horse with Caiyu to inspect his properties in the city, which also allowed those who had not seen the Prince of Yan for a long time to appreciate his grace and charm.
A young girl's heart is always full of dreams.
Dong Yurong was one of them.
She happened to be out on the street that day and saw Song Yinghuai riding a horse with a young male servant. She immediately fell in love with him.
So she began to inquire about Song Yinghuai non - stop. The more she inquired, the more she was fascinated by the former young war god's great military achievements.
So when she learned that Song Yinghuai was accompanying the female relatives out of the mansion today, she rushed here immediately, hoping for a passionate encounter with him.
Seeing Jiang Jinyue silent, Dong Yurong got impatient. "Hey! I'm asking you a question!"
Jiang Jinyue woke up as if from a dream. "Oh! Yes... Cousin came with me and my aunt."
Dong Yurong looked anxious. "Where can I meet him?"
Jiang Jinyue was about to prevaricate.
This woman was obviously her love rival at first glance. She didn't want to create a competitor for herself.
But just as the words were about to come out, a sudden idea flashed through her mind and she blurted out, "Cousin is in the dormitory arranged by the sweeping monk!"
Dong Yurong was stunned. "Isn't the dormitory the lowest - class room in the temple?"
"I don't know how to explain this." Jiang Jinyue looked hesitant, with a constipated look on her face. She said mysteriously and haltingly, "Well, maybe Miss Dong should go and see for herself!"
Dong Yurong watched in bewilderment as Jiang Jinyue stomped her feet and blushed as she left. She angrily flicked her sleeves. "So annoying!"
She said to her maid, "Let's go and take a look at the dormitory!"
Jiang Jinyue didn't go far. She turned a corner after walking a short distance and then came back. She followed Dong Yurong to watch the show.
She wanted Caiyu to be caught in the act of adultery and ruined.
With her status, she dared to seduce the prince and engage in illicit affairs in this pure Buddhist land. Once caught, neither the common people nor the monks, neither Concubine Yao nor the emperor, would spare Caiyu's life!
As for Dong Yurong, the Commissioner of the Administration Commission and the vassal king were political enemies. How could her cousin possibly take a fancy to Miss Dong?
A smug smile appeared on Jiang Jinyue's face.
Anyway, it wasn't herself who would catch the adulterers. She wouldn't offend her cousin and aunt either. It was really a perfect plan to kill two birds with one stone and use others to do her dirty work.
As soon as Dong Yurong and her maid stepped into the courtyard of the dormitory, they heard lascivious sounds coming from one of the rooms:
"Ah... It hurts. Be gentle, gentler. Ahh... Slow down. This servant can't bear it..."
Dong Yurong immediately blushed, and then a surge of anger welled up in her heart.
In this pure Buddhist land, there was actually an adulterous couple!
This was intolerable!
"Break the door down for me!" Dong Yurong ordered.
Four strong women behind her immediately took the order and rushed forward, slapping and kicking the door. The door panel was kicked open.
Dong Yurong rushed forward aggressively. Before she could get close, a strong gust of wind blew out of the room.
The force was extremely great, seemingly carrying the anger of a thunderstorm. It hit the chests of the women blocking the door.
The women let out a scream and flew backwards, their backs hitting Dong Yurong.
Dong Yurong didn't even understand what was going on when she was crushed by the burly women like a stack of pancakes.
The sudden and great weight on her chest made her eyes go black. She almost couldn't catch her breath.
"Get... Get off me..." Dong Yurong pushed desperately.
As the women rolled to the side, Dong Yurong was helped up by her maid. She was in a complete mess, her hairpin askew and her hair ornaments scattered all over the ground.
Dong Yurong cursed, "Adulterous couple..."
Her voice suddenly stopped when she saw the furious man walking out.
The man's black hair was tied up high, wearing a gold - inlaid crown with green jade. He was wearing a gorgeous white fox cloak over his brocade robe with bamboo patterns, and a silver spider - patterned belt around his waist.
A pair of deep, sea - like eyes were filled with anger as he looked down from above, giving people a strong sense of oppression. The aura of a superior was overwhelming.
"Prince... Prince of Yan..." Dong Yurong's voice trembled without her even noticing.
The "adulterer" in the room was actually Song Yinghuai, the Prince of Yan, who claimed to have become a Buddhist and seen through the world of mortals?
Song Yinghuai's eyebrows were filled with gloom. The killing aura on his body was hard to hide, making people palpitate. His cold and stern demeanor made her not dare to look directly at him.
"Who are you?"
Dong Yurong heard his icy voice.