The Obsessive Crown Prince Can't Let Me Go-Chapter 475 - 473: Lu Ying Doesn’t Care About Her Petty Schemes

Chapter 475: Chapter 473: Lu Ying Doesn’t Care About Her Petty Schemes

Fresh blood trickled down the corner of Lu Qianqian’s lips.

Shen Yinning let go of her hand.

Lu Qianqian clutched the dagger lodged in her abdomen, stumbling a few steps backward.

She already had a leg ailment, and now heavily injured, her steps were more unsteady and faltering.

Her face was ashen, and she stared at Shen Yinning with a deathly glare before losing her footing and tumbling down the stairs, rolling to the ground below.

Shen Yinning stood beneath the palace corridor, looking down at her from above.

Lu Qianqian lay sprawled on the ground. At first, she still struggled and twitched, but soon after, she became as motionless as a dead dog. Blood gushed from her abdominal wound, slowly spreading across the white jade floor tiles. Trembling, she stretched out a blood-soaked hand toward Shen Yinning—whether in a plea for help or to accuse her, it was unclear.

The palace maids and eunuchs who served Lu Qianqian were dumbfounded, unsure whether they should help her up or run to summon the Imperial Physician.

Haitang and Wei Yu were also stunned.

Haitang whispered, "Has the Commandery Princess planned her retreat ahead of time?"

"Not at all." Shen Yinning sheathed her blade indifferently. "Did Lu Ying not insist on keeping me in the harem? He should have anticipated that my disposition is far from docile. What happened today—he should clean up the mess for me."

The young girl acted willfully and arrogantly.

And yet, it also seemed like she was deliberately provoking Lu Ying.

Wei Yu clapped her hands and said, "Does it even matter? His Majesty surely wouldn’t dare hold our Commandery Princess accountable! If you ask this humble maidservant, the Ninth Princess committed too many vile deeds—she deserved her fate!"

Lu Ying rushed over an hour later.

Fortunately, Hei Ling had sealed off the news in time, confining all the palace maids and eunuchs who served Lu Qianqian within the courtyard, without a single whisper leaking to even Consort Dowager Liu.

Lu Ying looked at Shen Yinning.

In the scorching summer noon, dappled sunlight filtered through the greenery onto the palace corridor. The young girl was dressed in a pale yellow embroidered blouse and skirt tied at the waist, her hair adorned with two crimson Haitang blossoms as large as saucers. Her delicate and charming features held a sharp beauty, striking like a regal and dignified cat, with no trace of guilt or remorse after harming another.

Meeting his gaze, she held her White Jade Fan and gave him a faintly provocative smile.

As if to say: What can you do to me?

Lu Ying could do nothing to her.

He glanced once at the kneeling crowd of palace attendants bowing before them, a dense sea of people.

They were nothing more than vulnerable youths sold into the palace due to hardships at home. Now, realizing they had witnessed something they were better off not seeing, they trembled like leaves, too scared to raise their heads.

To eliminate all witnesses outright—Lu Ying couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Just as he hesitated, Shen Yinning suddenly gathered the hem of her skirt in one hand, raised her White Jade Fan in the other to block the sunlight, and dashed over to his side.

She clutched his sleeve in exaggerated urgency, pleading theatrically, "Today’s mistake lies with me. It has nothing to do with them! Please, Your Majesty, spare them! They’ve endured years of torment and verbal abuse from Lu Qianqian—life hasn’t been kind to them!"

The palace attendants hadn’t expected Shen Yinning to speak up for them.

After all, their princess would insult Shen Yinning in the great hall whenever the notion struck her, berating her as utterly worthless.

But today, it seemed that Commandery Princess Zhaoning, with her peerless beauty and virtuous kindness, was nothing like the cruel descriptions given by the princess—and also far removed from their princess, who treated them like dirt, striking and scolding them without mercy.

Commandery Princess Zhaoning is truly a good person!

And so, they forgot that it was Shen Yinning herself who had initially put them in this precarious position. Instead, one by one, they began to show looks of gratitude toward her.

Lu Ying remained silent.

Shen Zhaozhao knew he had never intended to execute them. Her deliberate action of speaking up first was simply to win their loyalty.

This fox spirit—she had always been like this.

From childhood to now, whenever she wanted to ingratiate herself with someone, she never failed. Let alone servants, she could win over anyone.

But he didn’t care about her small schemes.

Coldly, he spoke to the palace attendants: "What did you all see here today?"

One palace maid was quick to respond: "Your servant witnessed the Ninth Princess drinking heavily in daylight. She stumbled and fell down the stairs, striking her head fatally on a stone lantern!"

"This servant saw the same!"

"So did I!"

All of them echoed the account in unison.

Shen Yinning hid her face behind the White Jade Fan, exposing only her playful, fox-like eyes.

That’s the way it was—those who wielded power couldn’t afford to be too arrogant. Just look at Lu Qianqian: beating servants and treating lives like weeds. In the end, no one stepped forward to speak up for her.

Lu Ying lowered his voice, saying, "What happened today—should even half a word of it get out, be sure your heads will roll."

In other words, no one was to entertain the idea of secretly reporting the matter. If the secret were to leak, everyone would die.

The palace servants understood that silence equaled survival and hurriedly affirmed their obedience with fervor.

Lu Qianqian’s death caused barely a stir within the palace.

Without a family to rely on and no friends in the Capital, apart from Consort Dowager Liu mourning her with all her heart, no one else paid her passing much mind.

Lu Ying did not pursue Consort Dowager Liu to the bitter end; instead, he allowed her to remain in the palace, living out her days in confusion and despair.

Kunning Palace.

Huo Mingyan, having seen to the rites of Lu Qianqian’s funeral, reclined on a small couch by the window to rest.

Han Sang brought over a cooled tea, lowering her voice: "Come to think of it, this servant finds the Ninth Princess’s death rather suspicious. Others might not know, but on the day she died, this servant happened to pass through a nearby alleyway in the palace and saw Commandery Princess Zhaoning walking that way with two maids. Your Majesty, do you think it’s possible that Commandery Princess Zhaoning..."

She trailed off, leaving her words unfinished.

Huo Mingyan wasn’t surprised. "Lu Qianqian harmed Xue Mianmian. Shen Yinning seeking retribution is to be expected. I just hadn’t imagined that this girl could be so ruthless."

"Indeed!" Han Sang knelt to massage her legs. "This servant had thought women in the Central Plains were all gentle and virtuous. Who would have guessed she would dare to murder a princess! I really don’t know what His Majesty finds so captivating about her!"

Huo Mingyan sipped a mouthful of the cooled tea.

The sweet and refreshing flavor lingered on her lips and teeth.

Grazing her lips lightly, her face suddenly flushed with a hint of redness, as if some thought had crossed her mind.

A young palace maid scurried in: "To report, Your Majesty, Lord Guan has requested to meet you at the usual place!"

The so-called usual place was a secluded stone tower in the Imperial Garden.

It was here that Huo Mingyan and Guan Songyuan had once resolved the effects of a mutual intoxication by passion.

Huo Mingyan took Han Sang with her. "Lord Guan seeks an audience with me—what is the matter?"

Guan Songyuan smiled. "This humble minister heard from Miss Han Sang that Your Majesty has been unwell following the Ninth Princess’s funeral preparations. I specially brought some snacks and fruits from outside the palace. Not knowing which might suit Your Majesty’s taste, I bought a variety."

True enough, the table was laden with several boxes of delicacies.

Huo Mingyan sat down, her gaze softening. "Lord Guan is so considerate of me. Are all women treated with such thoughtfulness and care by Lord Guan?"

"How could that be? There is only one Your Majesty in this world."

"Truly?" Huo Mingyan propped her chin playfully. "I don’t believe you. Surely you treat Xue Mianmian better than you treat me—she is your wife, after all."

"A mere woman of low morals who betrayed me—how could she ever compare with Your Majesty? The bond I share with Your Majesty... though not romantic, surpasses even the love between a man and a woman."

"Indeed," Huo Mingyan nodded. "We’re not brothers, yet closer than brothers."

Guan Songyuan sat beside her, examining her face closely. With a sigh, he remarked, "It’s only been a few days, but Your Majesty has grown thinner."

As he spoke, he suddenly took her hand.

He stroked her palm for a moment, then confirmed solemnly, "Yes, thinner."

"This servant thought Her Majesty looked plumper!" Han Sang poured tea. "Yesterday during Your Majesty’s bath, this servant noticed you seemed more full-figured."

Guan Songyuan laughed. "Let me hold Her Majesty and see—then we’ll know for sure if she has grown thinner or not."

Huo Mingyan chuckled twice and, with a casual ease, settled into his embrace. "Then go ahead, see for yourself."

Guan Songyuan wrapped his arms around her, his hand lightly running along her waist. After a moment, he smiled and said, "Miss Han Sang isn’t wrong—you’ve grown thinner."

Han Sang stood to the side. "Her Majesty has been deeply worried about Commandery Princess Zhaoning and His Majesty in recent days. All the overthinking has taken its toll."

Guan Songyuan was puzzled. "Why?"

Han Sang replied crisply, "Doesn’t Lord Guan know? His Majesty and Commandery Princess Zhaoning often engage in secret trysts! Her Majesty fears the princess may tarnish His Majesty’s reputation and worries herself sleepless over it! Lord Guan, is there any way you can help Her Majesty? Ideally, something that could make His Majesty utterly loathe the princess!"