Time Travel: Pampered by the Aloof Prince-Chapter 415: The Prince Also Wants to Marry a Concubine?

Chapter 415: Chapter 415: The Prince Also Wants to Marry a Concubine?

Qi Yu hugged her knees, sitting under the tree for a long while, deeply lost in thought. When exactly had she slipped up?

Yin Wanning’s reaction had made it clear; she had always known that someone was following her.

Even though she couldn’t see this person at all.

Qi Yu sighed softly, resigned. So be it, being discovered was inevitable—after all, none of it was real to begin with.

After consoling herself, she lightly got to her feet and strolled around the Imperial Palace.

The afternoon offered little spectacle; the Empress had long decided on her favored candidates and had summoned so many people merely for the sake of appearances.

She chose two women with good family backgrounds and appearances as concubines for Cang Ming and secretly instructed them to closely monitor every move of Yin Wanning.

The Empress had a cunning plan; she intended to catch Yin Wanning’s mistakes and then punish her severely.

Yet, Yin Wanning spent her days in the mansion either practicing her swordplay or reading and sleeping, leading a life as bland as plain water.

After several days of surveillance, the two concubines found nothing of note to report.

The Empress was so furious she berated them for their stupidity.

The concubines hung their heads, feeling wronged inside, but outwardly they meekly agreed.

Qi Yu watched with amusement—it was truly a drama of three women.

Scolded by the Empress, the two concubines found Yin Wanning even more displeasing upon returning to the mansion.

As they watched the figure clad in red practicing swordplay under the tree, envy flashed in their eyes.

They had been in the mansion for several days, yet the Crown Prince had not once visited their courtyards.

However, according to the servants of the mansion, the Crown Prince spent most of his days locked in his study, seldom sharing a room with the Crown Princess Consort.

"Sister Zhao, do you think the Crown Prince is already tired of the Crown Princess Consort?" Lin Zhaoyi glared at Yin Wanning with resentment and then turned to ask Zhao Qingrou.

Zhao Qingrou laughed mockingly, "Haven’t you heard what the servants said? His Highness has been staying in the study these days."

The two exchanged glances, both unable to conceal their smugness.

Qi Yu sat not far away, watching Yin Wanning’s sword practice while also enduring the incessant chatter of these two women.

She thought to herself, Cang Ming is a man utterly devoid of heart—how could he possibly have any regard for these songbirds.

She silently shook her head and paid no further attention to their eager fantasies about when they might become the Crown Princess Consort.

Soon after, Yin Wanning put away her sword. The two women sashayed over, their tone sarcastic as they spoke, "Some people really treat this place like their own home, brandishing swords and practicing arms every day without fear of injuring His Highness the Crown Prince!"

Hearing their insinuating remarks, Yin Wanning furrowed her brows. With her cold nature, she had no interest in wasting words with these two.

After sheathing her sword, she intended to leave.

Seeing that she was about to go, the two women rushed forward, one to the left and one to the right, blocking her path.

Yin Wanning looked at them with a detached gaze, "Is there something you want?"

Lin Zhaoyi was the first to speak, "I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince has been staying in the study these past few nights?"

Her intent was to taunt Yin Wanning for her lack of appeal as the Crown Princess Consort, but Yin Wanning didn’t catch the implied criticism. She simply responded with a nonchalant "Hmm,"

and looked at them puzzled, "This matter is common knowledge in the mansion."

Lin Zhaoyi choked, not expecting this person to play out of turn.

Zhao Qingrou, seeing her fiery spirit extinguished, cursed inwardly before speaking with a smile that hid a knife, "Doesn’t Sister worry that the Crown Prince’s heart might be seduced by another woman?"

Yin Wanning’s gaze swept over her face, and she frowned slightly, "Who is your Sister?"

Zhao Qingrou was stunned, and as Yin Wanning caught the strong scent of makeup on her, she took a step back and spoke coolly, "If I remember correctly, you both are older than I am, so it’s best not to claim Sisters randomly."

Having said that, she turned and walked away by another path.

Leaving the two behind, dumbfounded, staring at her retreating figure.

"How... how could she be so outrageous!" Lin Zhaoyi twisted her fingers, grinding her teeth.

Zhao Qingrou was somewhat calmer, but being told they were older still made them flush, and with a cold snort, she said, "I don’t believe the Crown Prince would fancy someone like her!"

Lin Zhaoyi nodded in agreement, "Exactly! Maybe she practices swordsmanship here every day to vent her frustrations because she cannot gain the Crown Prince’s favor!"

Her theory pleased Zhao Qingrou, a hint of a smile appeared on her face, and a determined glint flashed in her eyes, "The Crown Prince will dispose of her sooner or later!"

Lin Zhaoyi continued her thought, "Then, we’ll be able to trample that wench under our feet!"

The two carefully avoided the topic of who would become the Crown Princess Consort after Yin Wanning was disposed of.

For now, they hadn’t yet brought down their common enemy; infighting would only benefit the adversary.

However, unknown to them, not far away, someone stood, having overheard their entire conversation.

La Yan quietly looked up, glimpsing Cang Ming’s expression and had a bad feeling about it.

Meanwhile, those two were still incessantly bad-mouthing Yin Wanning, and as La Yan heard them calling her a wench over and over, his heart thumped, and before Cang Ming could get angry, he coughed to give them a warning.

At this cough, Lin Zhaoyi and Zhao Qingrou trembled all over.

The two slowly turned their heads and saw the Crown Prince they longed for standing right in front of them. Instead of happiness, their expressions were as if they had seen a ghost.

La Yan silently turned his face away, unable to bear witnessing the imminent misfortune about to befall them.

Cang Ming stared at them with a gloomy look, and in a chilly voice, he said, "Who gave you the audacity to gossip about the Crown Princess Consort?"

Faces filled with alarm, Lin Zhaoyi and Zhao Qingrou hurriedly knelt down, attempting to explain, but Cang Ming interrupted them with a gesture, his tone grave, "Slap yourselves fifty times."

"Your Highness!" Now they were truly panicking, desperately pleading for mercy, but Cang Ming remained unmoved, looking coldly upon them as if they were something filthy.

Under his intimidating presence, they begrudgingly raised their hands and slapped themselves one slap after another on their own faces.

After fifty slaps, their faces were swollen and marked with red welts.

Qi Yu shook her head at the scene, clicking her tongue in sympathy, "How tragic!"

But they truly had it coming.

Li Mingjue observed her feigned commiseration and curled his lips slightly.

Qi Yu touched her own face, sighing, "Cang Ming is quite ruthless, not sparing even a hint of tenderness for women."

Li Mingjue, however, said, "If it were me, I would have done the same."

Qi Yu tilted her head to glance at him, her eyes narrowing slightly, her tone slightly dangerous, "Oh? So the Prince also wants to take a concubine?"

Li Mingjue pinched her cheek irritably, "This Prince has no such intention."

Qi Yu was deliberately twisting his words, but hearing his response, she couldn’t help feeling a bit of happiness.

She then turned her gaze back to Cang Ming, touched her chin, and spoke with some confusion, "What exactly is he trying to accomplish?"

New n𝙤vel chapters are published on f(r)e𝒆webn(o)vel.com