Best friends dressed up in ancient times to become mistresses? You run, I run too!

I found a secluded spot to get some fresh air.

"How are you feeling? Does your leg hurt? Sit here and I'll rub it for you."

Liu Zhiyi found a secluded pavilion, went inside, and sat down first.

Shen Ningzhu didn't care whether the chair was dirty or not, and plopped down on it. "Don't even mention it, my legs are numb from standing. You must be tired too, sit here, let's rub each other's legs."

Liu Zhiyi smiled and agreed, and was about to make a move when she heard a gasp coming from outside the pavilion.

"My God, this is... His Highness Prince Chen? Wasn't he supposed to be in his fiefdom? What's he doing in the palace?"

"I heard that the princes have all come of age but have not yet married. The Emperor is eager to have a grandson, so he wants to hold a spring banquet to select consorts for the princes together."

“As the Emperor’s favorite prince, Prince Chen should naturally be returning. Judging by the days, he should be arriving today. Look at how travel-worn His Highness looks; he must have just returned.”

The palace maid's voice faded into the distance, and then a man's low cough came from behind.

The sound was very close.

So close, it seemed to be right next to Shen Ningzhu's ear.

Realizing this, Shen Ningzhu was shocked and hurriedly got up, but because she moved too quickly, she tripped over the hem of her skirt and fell forward instantly.

"Zhuzhu, be careful—"

Liu Zhiyi on the other side screamed.

Just when Shen Ningzhu thought she was about to fall flat on her face, someone suddenly grabbed the back of her neck.

In a dizzying moment, I bumped into a solid embrace. Before I could even see who it was, I caught a faint scent of sandalwood.

This smell is familiar; it's him, Jiang Yanche.

Shen Ningzhu looked up in surprise and, sure enough, met an extremely handsome face.

His peach blossom eyes curved into a smile as he slowly approached her, his lips brushing against her ear, his laughter ambiguous.

"Zhuzhu, I told you we would meet soon. See, I didn't lie to you, did I?"

He is Prince Chen, the emperor's most beloved son, the current empress's biological son, and the Prince Chen who almost caused Jiang Xuanyan's position as crown prince to be revoked at birth.

It was him? No way, how could she be so unlucky? One crown prince was already bad enough for her, and now this Prince Chen has come along?

Shen Ningzhu felt her hands and feet turn icy cold in an instant, and her heart sank uncontrollably.

Her delicate brows furrowed, and she said, unwilling to give up,

"Are you Prince Chen?"

The other person looked up at her, raised an eyebrow noncommittally, and the answer was self-evident.

Liu Zhiyi finally realized what was happening. Her gaze fell on the conspicuous arm around Shen Ningzhu's waist, and she felt a chill run down her spine. She was about to step forward and pull the two apart, but it was too late.

"What are you doing?"

A furious shout came from outside the pavilion. The group turned around and saw Jiang Xuan Yan standing coldly not far away from the pavilion, his face ashen.

Standing beside her were Princess Qingyi and her maid.

Upon seeing the scene inside, Jiang Qingyi pretended to be startled, widening her eyes and covering her mouth.

"This... Sister, A-Yan has always treated you well, how could you... how could you..."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xuan Yan's face darkened even more, almost to the point of dripping ink.

"Shen Ningzhu, come here."

At this moment, Shen Ningzhu had already pushed Jiang Yanche aside and stood up straight. Meeting the sinister and ruthless look in his phoenix eyes, Shen Ningzhu's heart clenched, and a chill ran down her spine.

This expression was even more sinister and terrifying than when I grabbed her this morning and forced her head into the water.

Shen Ningzhu shuddered, realizing that he had misunderstood the relationship between her and Jiang Yanche.

He hurriedly explained, "It's not what you think, I..."

"I said, come here."

The other party had lost patience, but Shen Ningzhu dared not step forward. She felt inexplicably afraid and instinctively stepped back, resisting going to his side.

This action, however, completely enraged Jiang Xuan Yan.

He strode forward to pull her along, but before he could take two steps, Liu Zhiyi, who was rushing over from the opposite side, blocked his way.

"Your Highness, please understand, the Lady..."

"Get out of here, you blind lackey! Do you even have the right to speak?"

Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Xuan Yan kicked her hard in the chest.

Shen Ningzhu watched helplessly as her best friend was kicked away. Her frail body flew through the air like a kite with a broken string, tracing an arc before crashing to the ground with a thud.

He vomited a large amount of blood and fainted.

"don't want--"

Shen Ningzhu screamed and rushed forward with bloodshot eyes, frantically pulling the person into her arms.

"Xiaoyi, Xiaoyi, what's wrong with you, Xiaoyi? Waaah, don't scare me, Xiaoyi. It's all my fault, it's all my fault. I'm the one who made you like this."

Seeing her crying like this, Jiang Xuan Yan frowned deeply. He was about to say something more when he saw Shen Ning Zhu stare at him with bloodshot eyes.

Like a raging wild beast, its eyes seemed to want to devour him alive.

"Shen Ningzhu, how dare you glare at me? I think I don't intend to keep your eyes." Jiang Xuan Yan was stunned, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

Didn't she love him to death? Why...?

Jiang Qingyi added fuel to the fire, constantly stirring things up, but Shen Ningzhu was no longer listening to any of it.

Her mind was buzzing, like a million bees were constantly buzzing around. All she knew was that her best friend was injured and needed medical attention.

"Quickly, fetch a doctor! Someone, go and fetch a doctor!"

Jiang Qingyi laughed and said, "Rumors outside say that Miss Shen is arrogant and domineering, and looks down on everyone. In my opinion, it must be just a rumor. Look at her with tears in her eyes, it breaks my heart to see her crying like this."

"A mere maidservant has captured Miss Shen's heart so much. Judging from this, even Ah Yan might not be as important to her."

Shen Ningzhu's roar had already displeased Jiang Xuanyan, and upon hearing this, his face darkened even more.

"You're yelling at me over a mere servant, Shen Ningzhu? Where have you learned all your manners?"

Shen Ningzhu ignored them completely and turned to Prince Chen, "Jiang Yanche, please call a doctor for me, quickly."

The other person smiled brightly, their lips curving upwards.

"Why should we need words between us? Rest assured, I am willing to do anything for you with just one word."

Jiang Xuan Yan was stunned.

“Shen… Ning… Zhu…”

The other person looked at him coldly, their eyes filled with murderous intent, and said, word by word, "If anything happens to Xiaoyi, I will never let the person who hurt her get away with it."

Jiang Xuan Yan was stunned, and it took him a long time to come back to his senses. At this moment, he was perfectly clear in his mind that Shen Ning Zhu was threatening him; she wanted to kill him, just because of a maid?

Shen Ningzhu, how dare she?

"Guards, take that maid back to my residence."

As soon as she finished speaking, a man in black appeared out of thin air. Shen Ningzhu was shocked, "What do you want to do? Don't touch Xiaoyi."

Jiang Xuan Yan just stared at her coldly without saying a word, while the man in black ignored her completely, snatched Liu Zhi Yi away, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Shen Ningzhu was terrified.

"Jiang Xuan Yan, what... what are you doing? Give Xiao Yi back to me."