Lenglei glanced at the princess, who was still unconscious on the bed, and exchanged a look with the butler before the two of them left the bedroom together.

"Butler, given the princess’s current state, it seems unlikely she’ll wake up any time soon. I think it would be better to inform Eunuch Shi of the situation and suggest we wait until after the princess has woken up before conveying the imperial decree. What do you think?"

The butler turned back to look and sighed, "There’s nothing else to be done."

Lenglei and the butler walked to the main hall in the front courtyard, where they saw Eunuch Shi, dressed in his green eunuch supervisor’s uniform, sitting impatiently in a chair, sipping tea as he waited for the enchanting princess to come and receive the decree.

"Mei Lenglei pays respects to Eunuch Shi." Bowing to Eunuch Shi, who was seated in the place of honor, Lenglei kept her head lowered, her eyes filled with chill and her hands, hidden within her wide sleeves, clenched into fists. She felt somewhat desolate thinking that ever since the Prince went missing, even a mere eunuch dared to look down on the Prince Residence and to take the master’s seat. It was worrying how the princess, in the future, would uphold the Prince Residence on her own.

Eunuch Shi looked down at Mei Lenglei, who was bowing before him, and glanced back with cloudy eyes that suddenly became furious. He glared at Lenglei in mid-bow, "Where is the enchanting princess?" He huffed angrily and slammed the teacup down onto the Eight Immortals Table. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"The princess is unwell and still unconscious, unable to come and receive the decree. I hope after Eunuch Shi returns to the Imperial Palace, he can report to the emperor. After the princess recovers, she’ll visit the emperor to explain everything," Lenglei said, lifting her gaze briefly at Eunuch Shi before dropping it again, a hint of cold light flashing in her eyes.

"You make it sound so simple. When I left the palace, the emperor instructed me three times that today, I must announce the decree in front of the enchanting princess. And now you’re telling me that the princess is still unconscious. Could it be that she intends to disrespect the emperor, to profane the Royal Family?" his words cutting off sharply as his eyes bore into the servant girl before him with fury.

"Eunuch, you mustn’t speak irresponsibly. When has the princess ever disrespected the emperor? When has she ever profaned the Royal Family? You shouldn’t go too far, Eunuch. Although the Prince is missing, the princess of the Prince Residence is still present. By slandering the princess who already belongs to the Royal Family’s Yudie, do you realize the gravity of your crime?" Hearing Eunuch Shi accuse her own princess of disrespecting the emperor and profaning the Royal Family, Lenglei surged to her feet, her almond eyes angrily glaring at the eunuch as his complexion kept changing. If the princess were to be charged with such accusations, even if she weren’t put to death, she would be stripped of her title and exiled to infertile lands. It was clear that Eunuch Shi harbored malicious intentions. Whether it was by the emperor’s design or a servant deceiving his master remained to be investigated.

Eunuch Shi, with a flushed face and shock in his eyes, pointed a trembling finger at Lenglei, her face cold as frost. "You sharp-tongued wench, how dare you slander me like this! If I don’t tear you limb from limb today, then..."

"Then what?" A clear, beautiful voice interrupted.

Eunuch Shi turned towards the voice and saw a pregnant woman, pale and thin, standing at the entrance of the hall. Her proud posture and defiant eyes focused unwaveringly on him, sending a chill down his spine.

"Princess." He stood up uneasily and bowed to the enchanting princess, obviously nervous.

Feng Xuxu withdrew her gaze, glanced down at the chair with a frown, then turned to the butler and said, "Replace this dirty chair for your princess."

"Yes, princess." Glancing at Eunuch Shi, who stood there awkwardly, the butler shook his beard and immediately ordered someone to remove the chair that the eunuch had used and brought in a new one.

Sitting on the new chair, Feng Xuxu then opened her eyes to look at Eunuch Shi, "Eunuch Shi, then what? I am still waiting to hear!" She crossed one leg over the other leisurely as she questioned the eunuch standing by.