Your Highness, please stop chasing me.

Xiao Shenji looked up at Xiao Yeshangyuan, and Xiao Yeshangyuan looked back at Xiao Shenji. The two stared at each other for a while, and then burst into laughter, leaving the onlookers somewhat bewildered.

At this moment, Ren Yuan also came over. He was a year older than Shen Ji and always went against Shen Ji. The two had fought countless times since they could remember.

Ren Yuan looked at the two grinning fools, snorted coldly, and said to the other two boys beside him, "My cousin doesn't look very smart. The ones who can play with him aren't much smart either!"

The other two boys laughed when they heard what he said.

Upon hearing this, Shen Ji angrily pulled Ye Shangyuan behind him. His still chubby face was full of anger. He snorted and said to Ye Shangyuan, "Let's go. Don't pay attention to your troublesome cousin."

Xiao Ye Shangyuan didn't want to cause trouble. After all, this was Princess Anning's banquet, and he hadn't told anyone he was there.

He didn't want to cause trouble. So, when Shen Ji tried to pull him away, he obediently followed him.

When it was about to pass by Xiao Renyuan, it was blocked by the two teenagers.

Ren Yuan arrogantly said, "What? You think you can just leave because you can't win an argument? If you don't admit you're an idiot today, you're not leaving here!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Shenji became anxious. He turned around, stepped forward, and forcefully pushed aside the two teenagers blocking Xiao Yeshangyuan, saying, "Get out of the way, don't even think about bullying my friend."

One of the boys was caught off guard and was pushed to the ground by Xiao Shenji. His palm was instantly cut by the stones on the ground, and he burst into tears.

Ren Yuan and another boy rushed forward to help him up. Ren Yuan went over to check his injuries and saw that there were many small, fine wounds on the boy's left palm and wrist. He looked up at Shen Ji and said, "Shen Ji, how could you hit someone! I'm going to tell Auntie."

When Xiao Shen heard that he was going to tell on him, although he was scared, he did not back down. He still stood in front of Xiao Yeshangyuan and snorted, deliberately saying loudly, "I'm not afraid of you telling on me. You've always been the one who tells on me. You're the one who always provoked me first."

Xiao Renyuan was not to be outdone. He stepped forward and, taking advantage of being a head taller than Shen Ji, said smugly, "Useless thing. Who told you to act impulsively every time? You deserve it. Who can you blame? You wait, I'm going to tell Auntie right now."

Xiao Shen, with his neck stiffened, shouted loudly at the backs of Xiao Renyuan and the others, "Go ahead and tell on me! I'm not afraid of you!"

Once everyone had gone far away, Xiao Shenji deflated like a punctured balloon.

Xiao Ye Shangyuan gently patted his shoulder and asked, "Are you alright?"

"I'm not okay!" Xiao Shen said, her voice trembling with tears.

He hung his head and said to Xiaoye Shangyuan, "It hurts so much when my mother hits my hand. I hurt Liu Zihao's hand. If my father finds out, he'll punish me too. I'm doomed." He looked like he was about to cry.

Xiao Ye Shangyuan wanted to say something to comfort Xiao Shenji, but then he heard Xiao Renyuan's voice complaining from not far away: "Aunt, my cousin is right ahead. He hurt Liu Zihao and won't admit his mistake. Please handle this matter fairly, Aunt."

Upon hearing Ren Yuan's words, Princess Anning covered her mouth and chuckled. She said softly, "I never expected that Lord Ren's son would be so fair and impartial!"

The ladies accompanying him also chuckled softly.

Only Shen's mother couldn't smile; she was still worried about the safety of the young prince, Ye Shangyuan.

At this moment, she couldn't help but feel a little regretful. Why did she entrust the young prince to Shen Ji to play with? If something had happened to the young prince while he was with her, it would have been a real sin.

Thinking of this, she quickened her pace.

Princess Anning thought she was anxious, so she stepped forward to comfort her, saying, "Yuanyuan, don't be anxious. Although it's just children playing around, we should listen to what our stepson has to say."

Madam Shen was extremely anxious. She looked around and saw that the ladies who had come with her were walking in twos and threes and were not paying much attention to her. So, she leaned close to Princess Anning and whispered, "I'm not worried about that. Although my stepson often causes trouble, he still knows his limits. I'm worried about the young prince."

She deliberately lowered her voice and whispered the last sentence into Princess Anning's ear.

"What? Yuan'er is here too? Why didn't you say so earlier?" Princess Anning was now also flustered.

She is Prince Jing's younger sister, and Ye Shangyuan's aunt. She has always been deeply favored by the emperor, and Ye Shangyuan was able to grow up safely in the palace mostly because of her care.

The two quickened their pace, attracting the attention of the other ladies.

Someone asked in a low voice, "What's wrong? Why is the Princess so anxious?"

"I don't know what Madam Shen and the Princess said just now, but the Princess became anxious as well," another person said.

“Let’s go, let’s follow them and see,” one of the ladies said.

"The two daughters of the Duke of Qi were already causing trouble before they got married, and now their children are fighting again," said a lady who was familiar with the Duke of Qi's household.

“That’s right. If Qi Min hadn’t made such a scene back then, she would be the wife of Lord Shen now,” said a lady who was on good terms with Shen’s mother.

The others covered their mouths and chuckled.

Shen's mother, Qi Yuan, was on good terms with the eldest princess and several others. Ren Yuan's mother, Qi Min, was proud and arrogant and never traveled with them. Therefore, Ren Yuan's mother, Qi Min, was not among the group that came this time.

She therefore did not hear the conversation between the ladies.

Soon, you could see Xiao Shen standing by the roadside with his head drooping, and next to him stood a young boy dressed in a bright purple brocade robe.

Princess Anning recognized the young boy at a glance as Ye Shangyuan; she had personally chosen and delivered the clothes to him.

She walked quickly to Ye Shangyuan, put her hand on his shoulder and looked him up and down. She asked anxiously, "Are you hurt?"

Xiao Ye Shangyuan straightened up, bowed respectfully to Princess Anning, and said, "Nephew greets Imperial Aunt."

Upon hearing this appropriate title, the later ladies all bowed and said, "Greetings, Young Prince."

Princess Anning asked again to confirm, "Are you injured?"

Ren Yuan was dumbfounded. He never expected that the person following Shen Ji was actually Prince Ye Shangyuan.

He and the other two boys exchanged a glance.

The person they just mocked was actually the Emperor's only younger brother, Prince Ye Shangyuan.

Now, with the princess in front of them, the three of them were even more speechless!