"It was those two maids who did it."
It was said that those two maids had been digging the soil and fertilizing. Originally second-class maids with decent looks, they had been doing the work of coolies for Chu Yu.
Moreover, they had no complaints about Chu Yu at all.
Jiang Ning'an sneered. "Is this her so - called equality for all?"
Letting others do all the work, what kind of equality was this?
Hearing this, Meng Chun also laughed. "It can only deceive fools."
Jiang Ning'an yawned lazily. "Tomorrow, let's go and see how those flowers are growing."
---
That night, Jiang Ning'an slept extremely soundly. However, in the same mansion, Chu Yu tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep.
She had the system check several more times, but the results were all the same -
Jiang Ning'an had completely lost control, and the reason was unknown.
However, the system also said that currently only Jiang Ning'an had lost control, and there were no abnormalities with the other characters.
That meant her status as the female protagonist was still unshakable.
Thinking of this, she felt a bit more at ease and finally managed to fall asleep.
But not long after, she was shaken awake by Xiaocui.
"Miss, the princess is here!"
Chu Yu instantly lost all her drowsiness.
Why did Jiang Ning'an come suddenly?
Without time to think too much, Chu Yu quickly got up and changed her clothes.
In the courtyard, Jiang Ning'an was standing with her hands behind her back, looking at the flowers planted along the wall.
The wall was peeling, but it was covered by clusters of peonies that were growing extremely well, showing no sign of desolation.
"Miss Chu really knows how to enjoy life. There are both 'Yaohuang' and 'Dou Lv' peonies... Where did you get them?"
The two unfamiliar maids glanced at each other. One of them said stiffly with a straight face. "What does this have to do with the princess?"
They were newly sent by Chu Ming. One was named Dou Kou and the other was named Pei Lan.
Jiang Ning'an took a look at her and then turned back to look at the flowers. It was Meng Chun who spoke. "Anything that appears in the Princess Mansion, how can you say it has nothing to do with the princess?
Moreover, these are rare varieties. They can't be bought casually on the street. Coincidentally, I remember there are such peonies in the flower house of the Princess Mansion. These... weren't they moved from the flower house of the Princess Mansion, were they?"
Pei Lan was about to speak when Dou Kou tugged at her. "Replying to the princess, we don't know where these flowers came from. Someone left them at the door, and we just moved them in."
Hearing this, Jiang Ning'an couldn't help but look at her.
It was rare that there was a normal person around Chu Yu.
At this time, Chu Yu came out. "The aunt in charge of the flower house is very kind. She gave these to me. Is there any problem?"
Jiang Ning'an turned to look.
Chu Yu was truly the female protagonist in the storybook. Her skin was as smooth as mutton fat, glowing with a healthy sheen. Her nose was straight and delicate, her face was like a peach blossom, and even without makeup, she could be called extremely beautiful. The gentleness that inadvertently showed in her eyes and eyebrows was even more charming.
Jiang Ning'an smiled. "These peonies were carefully cultivated by the people in the palace. Only the top - grade ones were selected and sent here. They are worth a fortune if sold outside. Even I have to think carefully before giving them to someone. As a servant, she just gave them away like that?"
There sure were a lot of people who could make decisions in the Princess Mansion.
Seeing that Chu Yu didn't say a word, Jiang Ning'an continued. "Since Miss Chu moved into the Princess Mansion, she has occupied my courtyard and used my flowers without even saying a word. I'm narrow - minded and don't like you. What should I do?"
Although Jiang Ning'an's tone was calm, there was a strong threat in her words.
Chu Yu looked at her and actually smiled. "For a few pots of flowers, the princess wants to drive me out? Aren't you afraid that others will point fingers at you?"
"My backbone is strong enough. I'm not afraid of others' criticism."
"Uncle asked me to stay here. Don't you even respect your own father?"
"I'm standing right here. Isn't the answer obvious?"
As if getting the answer she wanted, Chu Yu's gaze passed over Jiang Ning'an's shoulder and looked behind her. "Uncle, you're here."
Seeing Chu Yu's smug look, Jiang Ning'an turned around and casually called out "Father".
She was very calm.
"You still know I'm your father!" Chu Ming walked over with a gloomy face.
He was holding a delicate food box in his hand, and a faint smell of food wafted out from it.
Jiang Ning'an raised her eyebrows.
She had called Chu Ming "father" for so many years, but she had never eaten the food that Chu Ming had brought specifically for her.
On weekdays, even when she took the initiative to find Chu Ming, all she received was cold perfunctory. As a result, she just found out today that Chu Ming could actually care about someone.
Chu Ming had the natural sense of oppression brought by his height. At this moment, with an angry look on his face, the sense of oppression was even stronger.
But before he could get closer, a black shadow silently landed in front of Jiang Ning'an, completely isolating the oppression brought by Chu Ming, and even seemed to have the upper hand.
Finally, Chu Ming stopped a few steps away from Lin Ji. "Your bodyguard is becoming more and more unruly!"
"Look at what you're saying, Father. With your imposing manner just now, I was even afraid that you would do something to me. How much more so for Lin Ji?" Jiang Ning'an said casually.
Chu Ming was at a loss for words.
He glanced at the flustered Chu Yu, took a deep breath, and said. "Ning'er, this child has had a hard life. It's really not easy for her to be separated from her mother. Your mother is also not with you. You should understand her the most."
Jiang Ning'an sneered. "Why should I understand her?
If she doesn't want to be separated from her mother, she can just go back. Why does she stay in my mother's mansion and use my things now?"
Moreover, this was not just a matter of the peonies!
Earlier, she had chased after Xu Linchuan, throwing all propriety and shame out of the window. Chu Yu had taken advantage of the situation and taken control of the entire Princess Mansion.
In the end, she was locked in the most insignificant corner of the mansion to wait for death, while Chu Yu lived in Wutongju, which should have belonged to her, and truly became the mistress of the mansion!
But all this clearly belonged to her!
"Ning'er, when did you become so unreasonable?" Chu Ming frowned tightly. "It's just a few clusters of flowers. Why do you have to push people to this extent? If your mother saw your stingy appearance, she would be so disappointed!"
Chu Ming looked at her with full - eyed disappointment.
The word "mother" was like a sharp needle, stabbing deeply into Jiang Ning'an's ears.
Jiang Ning'an's body swayed slightly, and even the pale color on her face faded completely.
Seeing her like this, a flash of pleasure passed through Chu Yu's eyes. She stepped forward two steps and grabbed Chu Ming's sleeve. "Uncle, don't say that about elder sister. If elder sister doesn't like me, I'll just leave..."
"Where are you going? You haven't done anything wrong," Chu Ming pulled Chu Yu behind him. "Ning'er, this is your younger sister. You drove her to the servant's room. It's her magnanimity that she doesn't hold it against you. It's not a reason for you to go too far!"
Seeing Jiang Ning'an's extremely ugly face, Chu Ming sighed. "When your mother was still alive, she asked me to raise you well. But now you've become like this... Ning'er, it's not too late for you to turn back now. Do you really want your mother to know that you've grown into such an aggressive person?"