Chapter 294: Chapter 295: Seeking One’s Own Death

He Qiuwen pursed her lips. "He might not hit you now, but who knows about the future? Everyone in Shangjing City knows Prince Zhao is a madman. What sort of reason can you expect from a madman..."

Hua Manman slammed her teacup on the table, cutting her off.

With a SLAM, tea splashed out.

"This is the Prince Zhao Mansion. Are you badmouthing Prince Zhao here because you think you’ve lived too long?"

He Qiuwen was frightened to see her angry, but she still muttered under her breath.

"Prince Zhao isn’t here, is he? It’s just the three of us. If you don’t say anything and I don’t say anything, who’s going to know?"

Hua Manman was utterly disgusted with this aunt of hers.

She didn’t mind that the woman was scheming, ignorant, and selfish, but she could not tolerate her speaking ill of Prince Zhao.

Not a single word!

Hua Manman shot to her feet, her face cold as she spoke.

"You are not welcome in the Prince Zhao Mansion. Please leave immediately!"

He Qiuwen was incredulous. "I’m your aunt! You’re actually kicking me out?"

Hua Manman looked down on her.

"If you don’t leave now, I’ll have the guards throw you out."

He Qiuwen felt deeply insulted and flew into a rage out of humiliation.

"Is this any way to treat an elder? Where are your manners?"

Hua Manman had no desire to exchange another word with her and shouted.

"Guards! Throw this person out, and from now on, she is forbidden from ever setting foot in the Prince Zhao Mansion again!"

Two guards immediately rushed in, grabbed He Qiuwen by the arms, and began to drag her out roughly.

He Qiuwen hadn’t expected Hua Manman to actually go through with it. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

In her fury and panic, she completely forgot she had come to ask for a favor and began to scream curses at the top of her lungs.

"You think I wanted to come to this place?

Why don’t you go out and ask around? Who out there doesn’t know how foul Prince Zhao’s reputation is?

A madman who kills without batting an eye! Any family with even a shred of dignity in Shangjing City wouldn’t deign to associate with Prince Zhao.

And you have the nerve to put on airs as a Princess Consort in front of me?!"

Just as Hua Manman was about to order someone to knock her unconscious, she heard Prince Zhao’s voice from outside the door.

"Who did you say is a madman who kills without batting an eye?"

He Qiuwen froze.

Her neck turned as if it were rusted, and she saw a tall, imposing man standing in the doorway.

Li Ji had returned at some point without anyone noticing!

Meeting his narrow, dark eyes, which held a hint of a smile that wasn’t a smile, He Qiuwen’s legs gave out, and she collapsed to the floor. Only a single thought remained in her mind—

’I’m done for!’

Though she had been cursing up a storm just moments ago, she had only dared to be so insolent because she thought Prince Zhao wasn’t there.

She never imagined Prince Zhao would return so quietly.

Who in Shangjing City didn’t know how terrifying Prince Zhao was? Provoking him was no different from courting death.

The guards cupped their fists in a salute.

"Greetings, Your Highness."

Li Ji stepped over the threshold and slowly walked into the room.

He looked at He Qiuwen, who was collapsed on the floor and trembling, and asked casually, as if making small talk.

"Why don’t you answer my question? Are you deaf, or are you mute?"

He Qiuwen stammered.

"I-I was just spouting nonsense in a panic. It can’t be taken seriously. I beg Your Highness not to lower yourself to my level."

Li Ji smiled, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.

"And what if I insist on lowering myself to your level?"

He Qiuwen panicked.

She begged for mercy repeatedly, not forgetting to cast pleading glances at Madam He and Hua Manman, hoping they would intercede for her.

Madam He couldn’t bear to watch and turned her face away.

Hua Manman’s brows were furrowed from start to finish, and she looked very unhappy.

Li Ji said, "Rest assured, I don’t usually hit women."

He Qiuwen had just breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Prince Zhao continue.

"I just order other people to do it."

With that, Li Ji raised his hand slightly.

"Give her a beating, then send her back with great fanfare."

The guards received their orders and immediately dragged He Qiuwen out.

He Qiuwen shrieked in terror, "No! I can go back on my own! Don’t send me back!"

A beating was one thing, but if people from the Prince Zhao Mansion escorted her back, her husband’s family would find out she had provoked Prince Zhao.

Although her husband was also a military general, his rank was very low. Prince Zhao could crush him with a flick of his finger.

Her parents-in-law would surely divorce her from their son to protect themselves, and her husband would most likely not speak up for her.

He Qiuwen could not accept such a bleak future.

She struggled and screamed with all her might, but it was useless.

The guards gagged her, gave her a beating, and then escorted her back to her husband’s family in a great flurry.

At the same time, Madam He also announced her departure.

She was too ashamed to stay in the Prince’s Mansion any longer. In the future, unless absolutely necessary, she would not come to the Prince Zhao Mansion again, lest she cause more trouble for Manman.

Before leaving, she made a point of apologizing to Hua Manman.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t expect your aunt to say such things. I thought she just wanted to come see you. It’s all my fault..."

Hua Manman consoled her, "It has nothing to do with you. If someone is determined to court death, no one can stop them."

Madam He sighed. "You might not believe it, but your aunt wasn’t always like this. She’s become more and more extreme since she got married. Oh, well, forget it. You don’t need to know about these things. Take good care of yourself. I’ll be going now."

Hua Manman reluctantly saw her to the door.

"I had someone put some fabrics and furs in your carriage. You can use them to make some winter clothes."

Madam He didn’t want her to spend the money. "I’m not short on clothes. Hurry and take those things back."

But Hua Manman wouldn’t hear of it, only saying,

"Travel safely. Come visit the Prince’s Mansion whenever you have time."

Madam He gave a wry smile. "After the scene today, you’ve lost face because of me. How could I have the nerve to come back?"

Hua Manman said with conviction, "You’re my mother. You can come whenever you want!"

Madam He said helplessly, "Apologize to the Prince for me. I’m truly sorry about what happened today."

Hua Manman replied, "Don’t worry, I’ll smooth things over with him."

After seeing Madam He off, Hua Manman returned to the room to find Prince Zhao leisurely sipping his tea. He looked quite content and completely unaffected by the earlier unpleasantness.

Hua Manman sat down across from him and said in all seriousness, "You’re not a madman. You’re a very good person."

Li Ji’s tea-drinking motion paused.

He looked up at the woman before him, the corners of his lips lifting into an unreadable smile.

"Are you trying to comfort me?"

Hua Manman: "I am stating a fact."

Li Ji set down his teacup and said leisurely,

"Then why don’t you tell me, what’s so good about me?"

Hua Manman: "You’re very handsome."

Li Ji: "And?"

Hua Manman: "..."

...

...

...

The smile on Li Ji’s face gradually vanished. "That’s it?"

’So my only good quality is being handsome?!’

Hua Manman cleared her throat. "You’re very smart, decisive, and a good judge of character. And you’re very handsome."

Li Ji’s eyes narrowed slightly, and the smile returned to his face.

’She’s already said I’m handsome twice. It seems she really likes my face.’

’Rounding up, that basically means she really likes me.’