This piece of juicy gossip hit people so hard that everyone, whether they liked it or not, was completely stunned.
Xiao Jinghan strode over quickly. He had arranged secret guards for Yi Qing. If those guards didn't do their job well, he'd replace them later.
Madam Di also wanted to follow, but was held back by Bai Yutang.
"Aunt, if you go like this, it'll only make the princess more angry," Bai Yutang said worriedly.
Madam Di shook off Bai Yutang's hand directly. Bai Yutang staggered and bumped into Lady Yuan beside her. She quickly apologized to Lady Yuan.
Lady Yuan glanced at her. "You're part of the Di family now. Do you really want to watch the show like an outsider?"
"Yutang has never seen such a scene before. Lady Xiao doesn't like me. She acts so high - handedly. I can't do anything about it," Bai Yutang said meekly.
Lady Yuan ignored Bai Yutang. She wasn't her family member, and she had no mood to teach her.
Bai Yutang stood there awkwardly, while Madam Di had already followed over.
From afar, the group heard a woman's shrill screams. They thought Lady Xiao was in trouble, so their steps involuntarily slowed down. They were thinking about how to deal with the situation later.
The door of the small courtyard was open. Xiao Yu was lying on the ground. Inside, Yi Weiwei was tied to a pillar, and Yi Qing was plucking her leg hair.
Everyone was completely dumbfounded. What was going on?
"Yi Weiwei said no one would come here. Why are you all here? Do you want to join me?" Yi Qing said and blew the leg hair off her hand.
This woman was a devil! Plucking someone's leg hair right here. But who was this person with such long leg hair?
"Princess, save me!" Yi Weiwei was already hoarse from shouting.
"What are you doing here?" the princess asked, looking at them.
"The maid of the eldest young lady brought me here. Otherwise, it's my first time in the princess's mansion. How could I have found this place?" Yi Qing said and plucked another bunch of leg hair.
Just looking at it made others wince. They turned their faces away.
"Enough!" the princess thundered. "Madam Di, quickly take your family away."
"Yes," Madam Di replied. As long as Yi Qing was okay, that was fine. She wanted to go over and take Yi Qing away.
Yi Qing stood up and flicked the possible hairs off her hand.
Xiao Jinghan stepped forward quickly, grabbed Yi Qing's wrist, and walked away.
"Hey... what are you doing?" Yi Qing felt that Xiao Jinghan seemed a bit angry.
"Go wash your hands," Xiao Jinghan said angrily. "You touch anything. Aren't you afraid it's dirty?"
Yi Qing was speechless. Why did it feel like in Xiao Jinghan's eyes, she was a child playing with mud?
Hearing what Xiao Jinghan said, Yi Weiwei fainted from anger. The princess's chest heaved with anger. She just couldn't swallow this humiliation.
Xiao Jinghan stared at Yi Qing as she washed her hands repeatedly. Then he took out a handkerchief and wiped her hands.
"You don't know how cold the water is," Yi Qing complained, pretending to be aggrieved.
Xiao Jinghan wiped her hands and held her hands in his own to warm them. "You should leave this kind of thing to the secret guards."
"It's more fun to do it myself," Yi Qing said. Feeling the warmth from Xiao Jinghan's palm, her heart also felt warm.
Xiao Jinghan gave a doting smile. He really had no way with her.
The noble ladies who attended the banquet all went back. Madam Di was waiting at the garden gate. It was a long time before she saw Xiao Jinghan leading Yi Qing's hand out.
Seeing that they were okay, Madam Di quickly turned around and got into the carriage.
Yi Qing nudged Xiao Jinghan's arm, looking at Madam Di's back. "Hey, when are you going to make up?"
"Wasn't it you who was causing trouble?" Xiao Jinghan looked at Yi Qing.
"What trouble would I cause?" Yi Qing said indifferently.
To put it bluntly, she just happened to be in this identity. These people were just passers - by to her. She had no feelings for them. But since Madam Di was willing to protect her and be kind to her, she would also get along with her as a good acquaintance.
Xiao Jinghan thought it made sense. The current Yi Qing was not the old one.
"Are you free this afternoon?" Yi Qing knew that Xiao Jinghan had been busy with the Tiexue Danxin Token these days.
"Free," Xiao Jinghan said. As long as he saw Yi Qing, no matter how busy he was, he was free.
"Then let's go home together," Yi Qing said, pulling Xiao Jinghan's hand and getting into the carriage.
The princess went straight to the palace and cried. Her crying gave the emperor a headache. This Yi Qing was really good at causing trouble. She could even make the usually strong princess cry.
So as soon as Yi Qing got home, she was summoned to the palace by the emperor.
When she entered the imperial study, she saw the princess sitting on one side with an angry face. Her eyes were red. She must have just cried.
"The noble lady pays respects to the emperor," Yi Qing said simply with a bow.
The emperor glanced at Xiao Jinghan. There were so many things to do, but he went to that stupid banquet and caused such a big problem for him.
"Quickly apologize to the princess," the emperor said angrily.
"Okay," Yi Qing turned to the princess. "Princess, I'm sorry."
"Do you know your mistake?" the princess felt a bit better seeing Yi Qing's apology.
"What mistake?" Yi Qing looked blank.
"You apologize but don't know what your mistake is?" The princess's just - soothed anger flared up again.
The emperor helplessly rubbed his forehead. If one apologized and the other accepted, wouldn't it be okay? Why did they have to make a fuss again?
"I apologize because it's the emperor's order. The imperial order is hard to disobey. It has nothing to do with whether I made a mistake or not," Yi Qing said matter - of - factly.
Xiao Jinghan was worried that Yi Qing would suffer, but after hearing what she said, he felt relieved. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"You're still smiling," the emperor said and threw the paperweight over.
Xiao Jinghan reached out and caught it.
"Thank the emperor for the reward," Yi Qing immediately bowed.
The emperor was directly stunned. When did he give a reward?
"This must be very valuable. Do you think if we say it's something the emperor used when we go out, it'll be even more valuable?" Yi Qing said, looking at Xiao Jinghan's hand.
The emperor took several deep breaths. He was almost about to call the imperial doctor. "Get out of here!"
"Yes," the two bowed and walked out cheerfully.
The princess was still in a daze. "Your Majesty."
The emperor then realized that he had been angered by Yi Qing again. "Aunt, she has apologized. I think we should let this matter go."
The princess came to the palace crying, sacrificing her dignity. In the end, she only got a "let it go." "Your Majesty is being too partial to General Xiao."
The emperor knew that, but Xiao Jinghan was his only capable general. "Aunt, the border is unstable now. We need him to stabilize the morale of the army. I'm in a difficult situation."
Since the emperor had said so much, the princess couldn't keep pressing this issue.
"Your Majesty, if you want to win over General Xiao, why not marry Qian'er to him? Qian'er is at least half of the royal family. She will surely help Your Majesty hold General Xiao firmly," the princess said seriously.
The emperor stared blankly at the princess. If he didn't want General Xiao anymore, he would do so. "Aunt, you saw today that Xiao Jinghan and his wife are deeply in love. If we bestow the marriage without his consent, it may lead to a rift between the monarch and his subject."
"Your Majesty is over - thinking. Men like something new. Qian'er is young. In terms of appearance and family background, she is no worse than Lady Xiao," the princess said confidently.