The Dandy's Duchess

Chapter 45: Women Are Not to Be Provoked (1)

Concubine Feng's expression turned increasingly twisted as she observed Yun Qianyue speaking and glancing at her. How could this little girl, who seemed so defiant, act so pitifully? The truth was that she felt no grievance at all. From yesterday until today, she hadn't suffered even a bit; instead, she had injured Xianghe and even thrown her into the lake. What right did she have to feel wronged?

"Oh? Is that so?" Ye Qingran raised an eyebrow, then sneered. "You look tough on the outside, but you're actually soft-hearted. If others don't bully you, that's already fortunate. How could you possibly bully someone else?"

What a kindred spirit! Yun Qianyue felt tears welling up. She looked at Ye Qingran, sniffled, and said softly, "Only you understand me. Others don't think so." After a pause, she glanced at the prince beside her and continued, "Even my father believes I bullied someone else. He's my own flesh and blood and is ready to punish me without understanding the situation. If even he thinks that way, where can I go to explain? Now that you're here, I'm just waiting for my punishment! How can I accompany you outside?"

Ye Qingran suddenly turned to look at the prince.

The prince's face immediately flushed with embarrassment and guilt. He had been out for the past few days and had just returned today. Upon hearing that his troublesome daughter had burned down the Wangchun Building and caused the deaths of hundreds, he was furious. When he later learned that the young prince and the talented young master had intervened to save her, he breathed a sigh of relief. However, this morning, he had just returned home to hear that she had harmed Xianghe, rendering her unable to play the zither ever again, and that Concubine Feng had to be fished out of the lake. He was so enraged that he rushed here with Concubine Feng to seek justice without bothering to inquire further. In his mind, he had already decided that Yun Qianyue was at fault. He didn't expect that when he arrived, he would discover his daughter had truly changed.

"Uncle , how can you punish Sister Yue without understanding the reason? I think you're getting senile! Sister Yue is actually very soft-hearted. Yesterday, in the palace, she was bullied and hid alone by the mandarin duck pool, crying like a pitiful person. When the Crown Prince wanted to interrogate her, she didn't even utter a word, just waiting to be captured. With such a gentle temperament, how could she bully anyone? If others don't bully her, she should be thankful! I really don't understand how those rumors spread out there, claiming that Sister Yue bullies others. It looks to me like others are bullying her!" Ye Qingran glared at the prince.

Hearing this, the prince's guilt deepened. He turned to Yun Qianyue and said, "I truly made a mistake in this matter. I shouldn't have..."

"Concubine, I... I..." Concubine Feng suddenly began to wail loudly, interrupting the prince.

"Auntie, please don't be sad! Take care of your health. You must tell us what happened! Why was Cousin Xianghe's hand injured so severely yesterday? She has studied zither for ten years and plays beautifully! It's such a pity to waste her talent. Who on earth was so cruel to hurt her like this?" The Crown Prince's Concubine spoke, her voice laced with indignation.

"It's all because of..." Concubine Feng seized the opportunity to speak.

"Ha, it seems I arrived just in time today! Good! I'll also accompany you to see who claimed you bullied her and how you did it. The horse race can be postponed to another day. Such matters are indeed rare!" Ye Qingran interrupted Concubine Feng, suddenly waving his hand lightly. A chair floated down next to Yun Qianyue, and he casually sat down right next to her.

Yun Qianyue was amazed; just with a light wave of his hand, the chair came over! This was comparable to the magical techniques seen on TV! She wondered if she could do it too. Thinking of this, she subconsciously reached out toward an empty chair at a distance, but it didn't budge an inch. Disheartened, she realized that she couldn't. What a waste of the so-called Phoenix Sutra! The old man had made it sound so impressive.

"Sister Yue? What are you doing with your hand?" Ye Qingran looked at her, puzzled, as she seemed to be trying to summon something.

Yun Qianyue felt disappointed and lowered her head, shaking it. She lied without blushing or panting, "Nothing! I just sat for too long, and my arms and legs went numb, so I wanted to stretch a bit."

"I see!" Ye Qingran nodded, completely believing her.

Old Prince Yun snorted softly; he knew well what the little girl was thinking. What was so special about summoning things from afar? If she mastered the Phoenix Sutra he passed to her, she could do far more than just that—she could even move mountains if she wanted. Such poor insight! He couldn't help but scold, "You little brat!"

Yun Qianyue stuck out her tongue at the old prince discreetly.

Seeing her playful demeanor, Ye Qingran couldn't help but smile. He had never encountered a girl like her—calm, composed, resolute, insightful, and exceptionally clever. Just like yesterday, when she willingly went to the criminal department's prison, she knew that if they really fought, it would end badly for her. And then there was her confidence and playfulness during the horse race yesterday. These many facets of her personality, all displayed so vividly, captivated him. He realized that out of all the women he had met over the years, it was this one who truly won his heart. For a moment, he couldn't take his eyes off her.

Yun Qianyue turned her head to see Ye Qingran smiling, and she couldn't help but sigh. It was fine for someone to be handsome, but did he have to smile like that? Just smiling was enough! And why was he sitting so close to her? Didn't he know her resistance to beautiful men wasn't that strong?

Just as she was about to speak and ask him to back off, the Crown Prince's Concubine suddenly laughed and said, "I've heard that the young prince is not close to any women, but it seems that's not the case. Sister Yue, you've truly captured the young prince's heart! The young prince has been away for seven years and returns to find himself so close to you. Did you and the young prince correspond during these seven years?"

Yun Qianyue slowly raised her head at this, her first glance toward the Crown Prince and his Concubine since they entered.

She noticed that Ye Tianqing was not wearing the Crown Prince's official robe today; instead, he wore a dark silk robe, having shed the Crown Prince's crown and the aura of authority that came with it. He looked like an ordinary young gentleman. Apart from his slightly darker and more complex gaze when looking at her, he appeared no different from yesterday. Next to him stood a remarkably beautiful woman, dressed in fine silks and adorned with jewels. Her hair was styled high in a Yun bun, exposing her fair neck. Her wrists bore several gold and jade bracelets, exuding luxury. At that moment, she held Concubine Feng's hand and looked at Yun Qianyue and Ye Qingran with a warm smile, her intentions clear to anyone present.