’Princess Chang Le?’

Xuanyuan Jing’s expression changed. She thought she’d misheard. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

But in the next moment, Princess Chang Le walked in, surrounded by a throng of attendants.

"Y-Young... Young Aunt?" Xuanyuan Jing stammered, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"What? Has it been so long that you no longer recognize me?" Princess Chang Le asked, displeased.

"Your niece... greets you, Aunt." Xuanyuan Jing snapped back to reality and hurriedly curtsied.

The other noble ladies, as if waking from a dream, quickly knelt and paid their respects. "We greet Princess Chang Le."

"This humble servant greets Princess Chang Le," the guards chimed in, also kneeling to pay their respects.

Just as Zhi Wan was about to curtsy, Princess Chang Le caught her by the hand.

Her gaze swept across the hall, finally settling on Xuanyuan Jing. "My dear niece, when I entered just now, I thought I heard you yelling about beatings and death. Did something happen?"

Xuanyuan Jing’s heart leaped with joy at her words. ’Young Aunt’s timing is perfect!’ she thought. She immediately held out the waist card. "Young Aunt, this wretch Zhi Wan dared to forge your waist card and use it to bluff her way around. Your niece was just about to teach her a lesson."

She refused to believe her Young Aunt would give her personal waist card to a mere orphan like Zhi Wan.

As far as she was concerned, Zhi Wan must have forged the waist card.

’Zhi Wan is dead meat now. I don’t even have to lift a finger. Young Aunt will punish her severely!’

The more Xuanyuan Jing thought about it, the more excited she grew, eagerly waiting to see Zhi Wan’s downfall.

Princess Chang Le took the waist card, examined it, and then turned to Zhi Wan. "Isn’t this the one I gave you this morning? Why does my niece claim you forged it?"

Zhi Wan shook her head, looking bewildered. "I don’t know. The Commandery Princess was adamant that I forged it. She even called her guards to seize me, saying it wouldn’t matter if they beat me to death."

At these words, Xuanyuan Jing’s heart skipped a beat, and her excited expression froze on her face.

’Young Aunt really gave Zhi Wan the waist card?’

"Xuanyuan Jing, you aren’t old, so how have your eyes grown so dim that you can’t even recognize my own waist card?" Princess Chang Le stared at her in disbelief. "This waist card was commissioned by your own imperial grandfather and created by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Do you truly think my waist card is so easily forged?"

Xuanyuan Jing’s face flushed red and pale with shame. "I... Your niece’s eyes have failed her. I... I didn’t recognize it."

Princess Chang Le snorted, her gaze heavy with pressure. "Did your eyes truly fail you, or was this intentional?"

"I... I truly didn’t recognize it," Xuanyuan Jing said hastily.

"I doubt that!" Princess Chang Le cut her off, her voice grave. "If I hadn’t arrived in time, Zhi Wan would have met with disaster."

"It was all... a misunderstanding." Xuanyuan Jing was seething with indignation, yet she had to force a smile.

"You think you can dismiss this with a single ’misunderstanding’?" Princess Chang Le’s expression darkened. "Zhi Wan was holding my waist card, yet you still dared to treat her with such disrespect. It’s clear you hold no regard for me whatsoever!"

Seeing the princess’s fury, Xuanyuan Jing’s heart went cold. She quickly shuffled forward on her knees, grabbing her aunt’s hand. "Young Aunt, please calm your anger! Your niece’s eyes truly failed her. I didn’t recognize it. I didn’t mean to slight her, and I certainly hold no disregard for you! Please, Young Aunt, see the truth of it!"

Princess Chang Le shoved her hand away in disgust. "Xuanyuan Jing," she said with contempt, "I don’t think your eyes failed you at all. I think you recognized my waist card perfectly well, pretended you didn’t, and deliberately concocted an excuse to punish Zhi Wan!"

"I didn’t! I really didn’t recognize it..." Xuanyuan Jing was so frantic that sweat beaded on her forehead.

’This Young Aunt of mine has always been difficult. I usually keep a respectful distance. Who would have thought that wretched Zhi Wan actually managed to get on her good side and even have her as a backer?’

’And given Young Aunt’s temper, if she isn’t satisfied with how this ends today, she will never let it rest.’

At that thought, she swallowed her humiliation and turned to Zhi Wan. "Miss Zhi, what just happened was a misunderstanding. If I have caused you any displeasure, I, the Commandery Princess, apologize. Please... please explain things to my Young Aunt."

Seeing Xuanyuan Jing still kneeling, not having been told to rise by Princess Chang Le, looking anxious and pathetic—a far cry from her earlier arrogance—Zhi Wan felt a surge of satisfaction. Hearing her words, she feigned surprise. "Oh, so it was all just a misunderstanding? The Commandery Princess has a servant lead me the long way around under the hot sun, then she throws a cup at me, then she orders guards to pin me to the floor and teach me a lesson, and then she orders guards to seize me, even threatening to have me beaten to death without consequence... I was scared to death! I thought my life was going to end here today. I never would have guessed the Commandery Princess was just... joking with me?

"If so, then the Commandery Princess’s joke was a little... extreme."

With that, she clutched her chest, an expression of terror on her face.

Xuanyuan Jing froze, her words caught in her throat. She had to dig her fingernails into her palm to suppress the rage boiling inside her.

’That wretch Zhi Wan! I’ve already humbled myself, and she still won’t back down. How dare she be so relentless!’

"Xuanyuan Jing, is this what you call a ’misunderstanding’?" Princess Chang Le asked, her face grim.

"It really was... just a misunderstanding," Xuanyuan Jing replied, sweating profusely under her aunt’s questioning, forcing the words out.

Princess Chang Le nodded and walked directly to the main seat at the head of the room.

She smoothed her skirts and said in a slow, deliberate voice, "Since my dear niece is so fond of jokes, why don’t we play a little game, too?"

"What?" Xuanyuan Jing’s heart sank. She had a terrible premonition.

"The rest of you, leave us," Princess Chang Le suddenly ordered the other noble ladies and the Prince Mansion’s guards.

Not daring to linger, they all withdrew at once.

This made Xuanyuan Jing even more anxious.

Just as she feared, the next moment she heard Princess Chang Le’s imperious voice command, "Attendants! Princess Gao Yang holds me in contempt. Teach her a harsh lesson for me!"

"Yes, Your Highness." Her attendants responded respectfully and advanced on Xuanyuan Jing.

Xuanyuan Jing’s face fell. ’So Young Aunt dismissed everyone else to preserve the Royal Family’s dignity, all the better to punish me?’

Terrified, she scrambled towards Princess Chang Le. "Young Aunt, I was wrong! Please don’t hold this against me, just spare me this once..."

"If I spare you, you will only be more vicious toward Zhi Wan next time. Zhi Wan is under my protection. Harming her is a slap in my face. You’ve made me lose credibility with her. How could I possibly let you off lightly?" Princess Chang Le looked down at her, her face devoid of any warmth.

Her attendants had already rushed forward, dragging Xuanyuan Jing off the steps and pinning her to the floor.

A eunuch raised his palm, preparing to strike her across the face.

Xuanyuan Jing shrieked, tears streaming down her face. "Young Aunt, I know I was wrong! I’ll never do it again! Please spare me! I promise I’ll never bother Zhi Wan again!"

"Is that so?" Princess Chang Le shot her a sidelong glance.

"Yes, truly," Xuanyuan Jing nodded emphatically.

Princess Chang Le waved her sleeve, and only then did the attendants release Xuanyuan Jing.

Xuanyuan Jing let out a sigh of relief, her entire body going limp.

Zhi Wan watched, dumbfounded.

She never imagined Princess Chang Le would actually move to punish Xuanyuan Jing.

But seeing the once arrogant and vicious Xuanyuan Jing now slumped on the floor in terror, she felt a deep sense of vindication.

’It seems only Princess Chang Le can keep Xuanyuan Jing in line!’