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

Putting aside everything else, Jiang Xuan Yan does have one redeeming quality: he's extremely protective of his own.

The original owner pursued Jiang Xuan Yan not simply because she was love-struck.

A young lady from a prominent family, carefully nurtured by noble families, and raised in the highest echelons of the capital, she has witnessed the intrigues and scheming within the inner quarters of the household. How could she possibly be a love-struck fool?

In fact, she was so persistent in pursuing Jiang Xuan Yan for two reasons. First, he was young and already held a high position of power. He was incredibly talented and handsome, the most noble and outstanding young man in the capital.

Secondly, it was by chance that I discovered he was extremely protective of his own.

So, the original owner thought that as long as she became his woman, no matter what her status was, she believed he would not mistreat her. That's why she disregarded everything and chased after him for three whole years.

And this was confirmed yesterday.

The courtyard assigned to her, the fine things delivered yesterday, and her current food, clothing, and daily necessities are not up to the standards expected of someone of her status.

Even a mere concubine has a large retinue of servants and wears fine clothes. If she were to marry the Crown Princess, how much favor would she receive?

Tsk tsk tsk——

It's clear that Jiang Xuan Yan is quite generous.

Now that everyone knows she's his woman, what does she have to be afraid of?

Zhier knelt down in front of Jiang Qingyi with a "whoosh," crying with tears streaming down her face.

"Princess, please, Your Highness, do justice for me! This Shen Ningzhu... she's too arrogant."

“I was merely disciplining a rude little maid, what wrong did I do? She actually… she actually…”

Jiang Qingyi looked at Shen Ningzhu, whose beautiful glassy eyes were now filled with a gloomy expression, completely ruining the beauty of her appearance.

"How does Miss Shen explain this?"

Shen Ningzhu sneered, "What do I need to explain? But Princess, I'd like to ask, what do you want to do? Don't forget, this is the Crown Prince's residence, not your Princess's residence."

Jiang Qingyi: "So what?"

Shen Ningzhu: "The princess prides herself on being a lady of high birth, dignified and elegant. How come she's acting so recklessly now?"

What self-proclaimed? She is who she is.

Ignoring Jiang Qingyi's venomous and chilling gaze, Shen Ningzhu continued speaking.

"Since you're staying here temporarily, you should behave like a guest, be aware of your role as a guest, and know the meaning of 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do'?"

Did I invite you into Plum Blossom Garden?

"Did you send someone to announce your arrival? Entering the owner's private courtyard without notifying them, arriving uninvited, and yet you dare to act arrogantly towards my people?"

"The princess truly has excellent manners and upbringing."

Jiang Qingyi stared intently at her. Suddenly, she smiled, stood up, and slowly leaned close to her ear.

"Guests? What a joke. Now that I've moved into the Crown Prince's residence, I have no intention of leaving."

"Didn't you just ask what I meant by those words? Well, today, I will mercifully tell you that last night, I deliberately lured A-Yan there, and I also had someone lead Prince Chen to the pavilion."

She originally planned to frame Shen Ningzhu, but unexpectedly, the two of them actually had an affair, which turned out to be a lucky accident.

The results were even better than she had expected.

Unexpectedly, Ah Yan, a proud man who couldn't tolerate even a speck of dust in his eyes, broke his rule last night and didn't kill Shen Ningzhu on the spot.

Not only that, it's said that he even stayed at that bitch's place last night, which is simply torturing her heart.

From childhood to adulthood, she was the only woman by his side. When they were young, he clearly said that he would marry her and make her his crown princess when he grew up.

Now, after only five years, he already has another woman by his side?

She would have accepted this person if she were a virtuous, talented, elegant, and gentle noblewoman. But instead, she was a vulgar village girl who was only beautiful, foolish, lowly, and utterly rude.

How could she be willing to do this?

She worked so hard for so many years, becoming proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, only to lose to a woman who was inferior to her in every way except for her beauty.

No, she absolutely could not allow anyone to take Jiang Xuan Yan away from her.

"It was you..." Shen Ningzhu slowly clenched her fist.

"Yes, it's me. Didn't expect that, did you?"

"why?"

"Of course it's because I hate you and want you dead. What else could it be? Shen Ningzhu, blame yourself for being blind and provoking the wrong person."

“If you continue to be a lowly village girl, then I will never meet you in this lifetime, and naturally there is no need for me to lower myself to deal with you, and to dirty my hands for such a lowly person as you.”

"It's all your fault for being too restless."

This time, Shen Ningzhu must die.

Jiang Qingyi spoke slowly and deliberately, her smile gradually twisting into a ferocious grin, her eyes surging with intense madness.

"Oh? Is that so?" Shen Ningzhu smiled slightly and said in a low voice.

"Does the princess really look down on me, Shen Ningzhu? She hasn't done anything yet, but she's already revealed her entire plan. What, are you so sure you'll succeed?"

Jiang Qingyi smiled as well.

"You're nothing but a plaything. Ah Yan and I have been lovers since childhood. I played with green plums by the low wall, and you rode a white horse by the weeping willows. What can you compare to our more than ten years of affection?"

Shen Ningzhu: "So what? I am his rightful woman."

"Eating together during the day and sleeping together at night. What happened to your friendship of over ten years? Have you ever done things that only the closest two people do together?"

Come on, hurt each other!

Even though Jiang Qingyi had been married once, she was still a lady from a respectable family at heart.

Such intimate matters were never to be discussed openly. Moreover, this was something she deliberately ignored and didn't want to face. For a moment, her face flushed red and then purple, making her quite a sight to behold.

"You...you vulgar, promiscuous slut, you're asking for death! Guards, tear that stinking mouth of hers apart!"

"Snapped--"

"Clap--"

"Clap clap-"

Before Jiang Qingyi could finish speaking, a loud slap landed on her fair cheek. Zhi'er, who hadn't done anything, was also hit and stared at Shen Ningzhu in a daze.

Shen Ningzhu blinked.

What are you looking at? This is called striking first.

The maids and servants behind Princess Qingyi looked at each other in bewilderment. They were servants of the Crown Prince's residence, and in this situation, they really didn't know which one to help.

So all I could do was lower my head and try to make myself less noticeable.

"You...you've gone too far! Shen Ningzhu, have you lost your mind? How dare you slap a princess of the court? Guards, seize her and strangle her immediately!"

Shen Ningzhu smiled coldly, and this time she did not resist, letting Zhier hold her arm and push her to the ground.

Jiang Qingyi and Zhier were taken aback.

By the time they realized what was happening, it was too late. A man's cold voice echoed from a corner of the corridor.

"What are you doing?"