The Cold King Demands Love and Pleasure

Xia Tongsheng wasn't afraid of walking, but she was afraid of the cold. She sighed, "Since there's no other way, let's walk back. It's not far anyway. Dad, I'm going back now. I'll come see you another day!"

Braving the north wind, Xia Tongsheng embarked on her journey without hesitation, her bangs blown out of shape. Looking at Xia Tongsheng now, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she looked like a chicken with its feathers all ruffled.

Halfway there, she encountered a yellow carriage. Xia Tongsheng stepped aside to let it pass, but unexpectedly, the carriage followed her to her side.

Xia Tongsheng was already suffering from the wind, and now she had to deal with a driver who wasn't driving properly. Just as she was about to express her dissatisfaction, the person in the car happened to lift the curtain and ask, "Sister-in-law, where are you going?"

Xia Tongsheng was so glad that the person sitting inside was the Crown Prince that she was so cold that her tongue got tied when she was cursing earlier. "Crown Prince!"

"Come on up, I'll take you back!"

Xia Tongsheng didn't have a good impression of Min Zhifu. She would avoid getting involved with such a person if possible. Besides, the Crown Prince had paid for her last time, and Min Youan had almost killed her. So, she valued her life and stayed away from the Crown Prince.

"No need for Your Highness, it's not far. Yingling and I were just about to go shopping!"

"shop?"

“Yes,” Xia Tongsheng said with a smile, raising the box in her hand. “Look, I just bought an inkstone for the Prince. I’m planning to buy some other things too. Your Highness, you should go ahead and do your work!”

Min Zhifu lowered his eyes, "Alright! I'll be going now!"

Seeing how well Xia Tongsheng and Min Youan got along, Min Zhifu couldn't hold back any longer. "Notify Lüping and tell them to speed up the process!"

"Yes! Your Highness!"

Having fooled Min Zhifu away, Xia Tongsheng no longer felt cold and just wanted to get back quickly. She didn't want anything to go wrong. Xia Tongsheng was starting to resent her father; she had just recovered from her illness and went to see him, but he had given her a huge problem!

Upon arriving at the Prince's residence, Xia Tongsheng didn't waste a moment and quickly went to Min You'an's courtyard. "Your Highness! This is what my father asked me to give you!"

Min Youan glanced at Xia Tongsheng and couldn't help but laugh, "Did the princess go to escape famine today?"

"No!" Xia Tongsheng stared wide-eyed, not understanding why he said that.

"How did it end up like this?" he said, reaching out to brush his bangs aside.

This intimate gesture made Xia Tongsheng a little uncomfortable, and she quickly smoothed her bangs with her hand. "Um, the carriage broke down on the way back, so I walked here myself. Here, take this. I'll take my leave now!" she said, taking several steps back.

Min Youan watched Xia Tongsheng leave before opening the box, taking out the inkstone inside, shattering it with his internal force, and opening the note inside.

Unexpectedly, Xia Xiuyong had done it for him because he hadn't had time to contact those ministers these past few days due to Xia Tongsheng's illness.

At that time, Gu Xue was pregnant and was suffering from severe morning sickness. When there were other people around, she could only try her best to endure it, and she only dared to vomit when no one was around.

Seeing Xue's gradually protruding belly, Lü Ping said coldly, "Consort Xue, you're almost two months along now. I'm afraid if you wait any longer, you won't be able to hide your belly anymore! When do you plan to make it public?"

Gu Xue remembered that it had only been half a month since Min You'an and she had shared a room. "Let's wait a little longer!"

Green Lotus's eyes suddenly lit up, "By the way, Bai Lian sent word today that Master wants us to get rid of the Princess Consort as soon as possible!"

Gu Xue nodded and asked, "You don't know about the time you drugged Xia Tongsheng, do you?"

"Are you worried that the master will find out we acted without permission?"

Gu Xue lowered her eyes. "That's not what I'm afraid of. What I'm worried about is Xia Tongsheng. She knows we poisoned her, and I'm afraid she might tell the Prince about it, which would arouse his suspicion!"

"Then what do you mean?"

"Get rid of her!" A woman's intuition told her that Min Youan had fallen in love with Xia Tongsheng, and if she didn't kill Xia Tongsheng, Min Youan would never belong to her.

Green was a little worried, "Didn't Master say that all we needed to do was kick her out of the Prince's mansion? He never said he wanted her dead!"

Gu Xue sneered, "But the master never said he wouldn't take her life!"

“Consort Xue, if you do this, what if the master investigates…” When Min Zhifu was mentioned, Lüping couldn’t help but feel a little scared.

"Don't worry, my master only wants me to become a princess. He doesn't care what methods he uses!"

Now that Gu Xue had made up her mind, Lü Ping stopped trying to stop her. "Alright, in that case, what do you plan to do?"

"Find an opportunity to set it on fire!"

Lüping mentally rehearsed the fire prevention process in the East Garden, thinking, "If we set fire to it, the target would be too big!"

"Don't they keep a few stray cats in the Prince's mansion? Just say the cat knocked over the candlestick and caused the fire. If they get evidence, frame Li Fuqi. Anyway, the Prince won't touch her!"

Lvping warned her again, "If problems arise, you know what to do, right?"

"I understand!" Even knowing the consequences, Gu Xue still wanted to give it a try.

"However, let's put this matter aside for a couple of days, and wait for a suitable opportunity!"

"Okay, let me know when you find the right opportunity!" With that, Lvping opened the door and went out.

It seemed as if even fate was on Gu Xue's side; a few days later, the right opportunity presented itself.

That afternoon, Xia Tongsheng finished lunch and was just about to take a nice nap when Bu Yao rushed in, "Your Highness, the Princess is here!"

Xia Tongsheng's first thought was that one of the emperor's daughters had arrived. "Which princess?"

“Consort Fu’s mother, the Emperor’s own sister!” Bu Yao explained, “You must go and see her!”

Xia Tongsheng felt like a million grass mud horses were galloping through her mind. Li Fuqi's mother, it seemed like another big battle was about to begin. "Okay, help me pack up, let's go!"

Xia Tongsheng didn't want to go out with social obligations and social interactions, but as the mistress of the Prince's Mansion, it would be very embarrassing if she didn't go to greet the Princess.

She could disregard her own reputation, but she couldn't disregard the reputation of the General's Mansion. She didn't want others to say that Xia Xiuyong's daughter was ill-mannered!

After everything was settled, Xia Tongsheng took Bu Yao to Li Fuqi's courtyard. By this time, the Princess had already arrived, and Gu Xue had also arrived early. Seeing that Xia Tongsheng had arrived so late, she was very unhappy, "Your Highness is really late!"

Xia Tongsheng could tell from the princess's expression that she was targeting him.

However, Xia Tongsheng was not surprised by this situation. She and her daughter were fighting over the same man, so it would be strange for her mother to be so kind to her!

"Xia Tongsheng pays respects to the Princess!"

The eldest princess glanced at her sideways. "No need, please sit down!"

Xia Tongsheng found an empty seat and sat down, unaware that Bu Yao next to her was constantly giving her meaningful glances.

The eldest princess cleared her throat and spoke, "Your Highness, as the mistress of the manor, what does it mean to sit at the bottom of the table? If word gets out, people will think that I, as your aunt, am being mean to you!"