Upon hearing this, Ji Lingxue nodded and said, "Well, that's not bad either. The side courtyard is quiet." After saying that, she turned and walked towards the side courtyard.
Mo Xiang watched Ji Lingxue's back with a look of surprise. After a moment, he picked up the two bags on the ground, put them on his back, and quickly caught up with Ji Lingxue.
Ji Yuqing felt proud and walked more briskly. When she turned a corner, she met Evian who was waiting at the corner of the corridor.
Evian was wearing a white butterfly dress today, with rouge on her sickly pale cheeks, and she looked in good spirits.
Ji Yuqing said: "Sister Yiyun, are you waiting for me?"
Yiyun nodded, covered her lips with the handkerchief and coughed, saying, "I have something to tell you."
Ji Yuqing smiled and nodded, then she withdrew from the purple leaf beside her and said, "Go ahead?"
Yiyun said, "The matter of divorcing the concubine is a little unusual. The night before yesterday, the prince came to me and warned me not to have any bad thoughts about Ji Lingxue, otherwise don't blame him for being ruthless. The prince was extremely protective of her, but only one day later, the prince demoted Ji Lingxue from princess to concubine."
Ji Yuqing smiled and said, "That proves that the prince no longer likes her. He will get tired of looking at the same face all the time. This also proves the saying that fortune will not always favor Ji Lingxue."
Yiyun twitched the corners of her mouth, speechless at Ji Yuqing's decisive statement.
"Sister Yuqing, what would happen if you didn't like someone?"
Ji Yuqing thought for a moment and said, "If she is my friend, then I will cut off ties with her and try not to see her."
Yiyun nodded and smiled, "That's it. If the prince really didn't like Ji Lingxue, he would have divorced her and kicked her out of the palace. But he only demoted her from princess to concubine. Although she has no official status, she is still in the palace."
Ji Yuqing's eyes flashed with jealousy, "So, the prince still has a place for that bitch in his heart... But why did the prince demote her to a concubine? Sister Yiyun, do you know whether he is willing to do this?"
If you love someone so much, why would you suddenly stop giving that person a name
Yiyun smiled and said, "This is what the emperor meant."
"Your Majesty?" Ji Yuqing raised her eyebrows and suddenly smiled. This emperor did not handle state affairs properly. He had nothing to do and just liked to meddle in other people's private affairs. But this time he did a really good job.
In the side courtyard, the house had been renovated and the furniture had been replaced with new ones. It was arranged in the style of where Ji Lingxue had lived before. Mo Xiang looked around with red eyes. After walking around in a circle, they returned here.
"Master... it's all my fault. If you hadn't stood up for me, the prince wouldn't have been so angry that he asked me to move back here..."
Ji Lingxue walked to the coffee table, picked up the quilt and turned it in her palm. The wooden teacup had carvings on the cup body and was exquisitely crafted.
"Mo Xiang, don't say that. This matter has nothing to do with you..." Ji Lingxue's tone was flat, and no emotion could be heard from her. It seemed that she had long been accustomed to being treated so coldly.
Xiao Yimo was resentful of the fact that he and Ruge became sworn brothers and sisters. He didn't like the people of Dayan, so he disliked her as well. Xiao Yichen demoted him to a concubine at this time in order to protect him.
Xiao Yimo has always sent people to keep an eye on Xiao Yichen's every move, so it would be safest for her to return to the side courtyard.
Mo Xiang raised her hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes and continued, "Master, if you are sad, just cry. You will feel better if you cry."
Ji Lingxue smiled and shook her head, "Let's go to the small kitchen. It's getting late, we should prepare lunch."
Seeing that Ji Lingxue looked fine and in a bad mood, Mo Xiang nodded and walked towards the small kitchen. There was a well with a cover at the door of the kitchen for easy access to water.
There were rice and vegetables on the table in the small kitchen. Mo Xiang held a large cabbage and asked Ji Lingxue, "Master, who sent this rice and vegetables, the prince?" They used to live in the side courtyard, and the rice and vegetables sent to them were leftovers. Now the cabbage heads were intact, without a single rotten leaf, which showed that it was the prince who ordered it.
Ji Lingxue nodded and said, "Well, maybe." Xiao Yichen had told her that he would have to put up with her for some time, but he would try his best to compensate her.
Dinner was quickly ready. The lid of the pot was opened, and white mist floated all over the room. Xiao Yichen's laughter came from the door, "What delicious food did you make? It smells so good?"
Mo Xiang turned around and looked at the door in surprise, holding the bamboo tube, "Prince..." She must have seen it right, the prince actually appeared in the side courtyard, which really made the small side courtyard shine.
Hearing this, Ji Lingxue turned around and glanced at Xiao Yichen standing at the door. The prince was wearing royal attire and had obviously just returned from work. She turned her eyes away and said, "Your Highness, are you here to ask if I'm used to living in the side courtyard? Please rest assured, I won't cry or make a fuss, and everything is fine!"
The corner of Xiao Yichen's mouth twitched, and he walked quickly towards Ji Lingxue, holding her right hand and pulling her aside to check, "Is your hand okay?"
"Very good." Ji Lingxue pulled back her hand, "My Lord, is there anything else
Xiao Yichen frowned when he heard the unfamiliar tone. This woman's expression was really changeable. He had told her that this was a temporary solution and would not let her down too much, so why did she still show him such an expression
"It's okay, I just wanted to see if you're okay." From Ji Lingxue's tone, it seemed like she didn't welcome him to stay for dinner.
Xiao Yichen clenched his fist and put it to his lips, coughing, "I am here to remind Princess, the capital is in chaos these days, don't run around. I will send people to look after your two restaurants, don't worry."
Ji Lingxue nodded and hummed, which was a disguised form of house arrest.
After seeing Xiao Yichen off, Ji Lingxue lost her appetite and put down her chopsticks after taking a few bites.
Ji Lingxue said, "Mo Xiang, I'm sleepy." Then she turned and went to the bedroom.
Ji Yuqing and Yiyun walked to the gate of the side courtyard and saw from afar two guards standing at the gate like stone statues, motionless.
When Ji Yuqing stepped forward again, she was stopped by the guards, "Concubine Qing, the prince has ordered that no one is allowed to disturb Princess Xue."
Xue Ji is the name for Ji Lingxue. From Princess to Xue Ji, Ji Yuqing felt weird.
Ji Yuqing said: "That's my sister. Why can't I go and visit her?"
The guard lowered his head with a businesslike expression.
Yiyun stepped forward and pulled Ji Yuqing's arm and said, "Sister Yuqing, I think we'd better forget it. They dare not disobey the orders given by the prince. Here are some gifts from us. Please help us deliver them, two guards." Yiyun said, turning to look at Linglan behind her. Linglan was holding the food box and putting it on the ground.
The two guards looked at each other and lowered their heads in silence.
Ji Yuqing turned and left helplessly. Yiyun nodded to the two guards, said "thank you" and turned and left.
The food box left by Yiyun was sent to Xiao Yichen in the study. After Xiao Yichen asked Bai Mo to check that it was not poisonous, Xiao Yichen handed the food box to the guard and said, "I'll give it to you to eat."
The guard took the food box and thanked him and left. Bai Mo crossed his arms and looked at Xiao Yi with amusement, "Your Majesty, don't you think you are a little sensitive?"
Xiao Yichen rubbed his forehead and said, "I am just worried that this cannot guarantee Xue'er's safety."
He has never had a particular favorite thing since he was a child. Once he likes something too much, he will lose it. Danger is always lurking around him.
Bai Mo said: "You have demoted your wife to a concubine, who else would be interested in Ji Lingxue? You are too worried about her."
Xiao Yichen leaned back in his chair with a tired look on his face. He raised his hand and threw a secret report to Bai Mo, saying, "Xiao Yimo has already taken action. Ruge has encountered no less than ten waves of assassinations on her way to Dongqi. They were all sent by him."
Bai Mo twitched his lips. "What if Ruge arrives safely in our Dongqi capital? What will the emperor do? He won't just put her under house arrest, right?"
Xiao Yichen waved his hand, "According to my understanding of Xiao Yimo, if Ruge can reach the capital of Dongqi safely, she will be safe... I know Xiao Yimo's character best. He wants to be a wise ruler and be recorded in history. He may do some tricks behind the scenes."
Bai Mo touched his chin and said, "Do you want to go and lend a hand to Ruge?"
Xiao Yichen shook his head. The emperor is still staring at me. What can I do? Let Ruge fend for herself. "
Bai Mo shook his head. "What if the emperor wants to deal with me someday? Will you save me?"
Xiao Yichen looked at Bai Mo as if he were an idiot. "You are a miracle doctor. Who would offend you if they have nothing better to do? Do you think your life is too long?"
In the side courtyard, Ji Lingxue did not sleep well. When she woke up, she had a layer of cold sweat on her back.
Glancing at the dark window, Ji Lingxue got out of bed, took the clothes that were drying in the yard and put them on inside, then put on makeup in front of a pair of bronze mirrors.
She turned around, climbed out the window and headed towards the courtyard gate. With the help of moonlight, Ji Lingxue imitated Mo Xiang's voice almost exactly, easily deceiving the gatekeeper and getting out easily.
The lights in Ji Yuqing's room were bright. Ji Yuqing sat in front of the bronze mirror, combing her long hair with a comb, and said to herself, "I wonder if the prince will come to my place tonight?"
The door was pushed open, and Ji Yuqing looked at the mirror without turning her head and said, "Zi Ye, why are you taking so long to get some water?"
It was quiet behind her. Ji Yuqing turned her head and saw a sharp dagger pressed against her neck. The cold blade seemed to freeze her blood. Ji Yuqing shivered for no reason.
She didn't dare move, for fear that her beautiful neck would be cut by the blade.
A vague figure appeared in the bronze mirror, wearing a maid's clothes. It was none other than the former princess Ji Lingxue.
"Ji Lingxue... What are you going to do? It wasn't me who caused you to be abandoned by the prince..."
"Shut up!" Ji Lingxue pressed the dagger in her hand, scaring Ji Yuqing so much that she dared not speak anymore.
Ji Lingxue said: "I want to ask you a few questions. You'd better think carefully before answering."
"You...what do you want to ask?" Ji Yuqing's voice trembled, "Can you please move the knife away first?"
"No!" Ji Lingxue said coldly, "Let me ask you, were you the one who bribed the storyteller to spread the rumor that my mother eloped with a man from Dayan?"
Ji Yuqing: “…”
Ji Lingxue continued: "Let me ask you, when you talked to me about the mystery of your life experience, you spread the secret to the people in the palace, right? Your mother doesn't have such a big trick, who helped you?"
"Let me ask you again, now that the prince has demoted me to a concubine, do you want to take the position of princess so that you can suppress me?"
(End of this chapter)