Xie Wangze made up his mind. Even though he had already heard Chu Yunge wanted to bring Li Guangi along, he still spoke up. Du Ruo watched and felt it was ‘wife-concubine rivalry’. Chu Yunge, however, thought that he indeed had an agenda.
“You can, of course you can.”
In any case, if she did not agree, he would find ways to go anyway. At that time, he might even scheme against her. It was better to simply agree.
As expected, he was probably plotting how to contact Chen State and return there.
When Xie Wangze heard Chu Yunge agree, he did not deliberately make things difficult. With his goal achieved, he nodded and prepared to take his leave.
But when his gaze shifted to the ledger in front of Li Guangi, it paused. A sharp glint flashed through his eyes.
“Young Master Li, are you looking at the ledgers?”
Li Guangi hurriedly saluted and nodded.
Xie Wangze looked at Chu Yunge. “What is the meaning of this, Princess?”
Chu Yunge: “……Just calculating the ledgers.”
As soon as Chu Yunge finished speaking, she saw the attendants behind Xie Wangze hesitate to speak, their indignant gazes landing on the uneasy Li Guangi nearby.
Chu Yunge said directly, “Young Master Xie, if you have something to say, speak plainly.”
Xie Wangze, however, looked at Li Guangi.
Li Guangi understood. This was him telling Li Guangi to leave.
Chu Yunge did not stop him. There was no need.
“Li Guangi, take these ledgers back and calculate them.”
Upon hearing this, Li Guangi could not help but glance at Xie Wangze. Seeing Xie Wangze say nothing and not look at him, he hesitated before nodding seriously. He would definitely calculate them well.
Li Guangi did not need the palace servants’ help. He tidied and hugged the ledgers himself, full of vigor as he left.
Chu Yunge found it cute, but Xie Wangze’s attendants seemed even angrier.
Chu Yunge glanced at the attendants with interest. “Young Master Xie, your attendants’ expressions are so obvious that even This Princess cannot ignore them.”
Xie Wangze’s two attendants had been named Ju An and Si Wei since arriving in Chu State.
People had changed several times, but the names remained these two. It was unknown whether it was to constantly remind himself or to remind the people of Chu State to dwell in peace while thinking of peril.
The current two who followed him seemed to have been with him for a few years without changing. They had very distinctive looks: Ju An had a round face and looked prosperous and at peace, while Si Wei had a long face and naturally appeared worried and bitter.
The two together made for a wondrous sight.
After hearing this, Si Wei knelt and said respectfully, “Please forgive us, Your Highness. It is just that Si Wei truly cannot tolerate the Prince Consort being humiliated. The Prince Consort is Your husband, yet Your Highness lets another male favorite manage the ledgers. In the eyes of the other servants, it is Your Highness letting the male favorite manage the Princess Mansion.”
“The Prince Consort had already punished those who bullied Young Master Li and set down rules. Yet Your Highness turned around and arranged a courtyard for Young Master Li on your own.”
Every one of these actions slapped the Prince Consort in the face.
“Your Highness, does the Prince Consort not even have the right to manage the household and the male favorites anymore?”
“Ah?”
After Chu Yunge let out an ‘ah’, she let out another ‘ah’.
She truly had not expected that it could be interpreted this way?
In Si Wei’s view, this was probably the gender-swapped version of a concubine managing the household? The main wife arranging the concubines, only for the scummy husband to stick his oar in?
Chu Yunge nearly laughed at herself.
However, since Xie Wangze did not stop it, Chu Yunge knew that Xie Wangze was borrowing his attendant’s mouth.
He did not even hypocritically tell the attendant to shut up, avoiding the dramatics of TV dramas and novels.
Chu Yunge fell silent for a moment. “Young Master Xie, This Princess thought you did not want to manage these matters.”
Xie Wangze also fell silent for a moment. “I truly do not want to manage them, but I must.”
“Your Highness, ever since we married, I did not care if you snatched male favorites or doted on other male favorites. But you cannot touch my authority. I am the Prince Consort.”
In one sentence: Internally, play however you like and he would not interfere, but externally, he was the Prince Consort.
Xie Wangze was a person with clear goals who did not waver easily. He would take the initiative when it benefited him and defend his rights and interests.
Like now.
“Si Wei’s words are my words. Please do not forget, Princess, that you and I married for the alliance between Chu State and Chen State. No matter how much Your Majesty dotes on you, when it concerns the marriage alliance between two nations, he cannot indulge you unconditionally. Please think thrice before acting, Your Highness.”
Due to a twist of fate and scheming by those with ulterior motives, Xie Wangze had become this Prince Consort, and his previous schemes and efforts had come to naught.
But would he just give up? No. No matter how unfavorable the situation, he would turn the disadvantages into advantages.
No matter how wildly Chu Yunge acted or how others mocked and ridiculed him, externally, he was the Prince Consort of the marriage alliance between Chu State and Chen State.
Chu State and Chen State could not fall out and needed to check each other, so he would expand his role as the stabilizer of the alliance between the two nations. In formal occasions, the one standing beside the Princess could only be him.
“So…… You want to manage the household, and only you can go to the Dragon Boat Race? I can dote on any male favorite, but cannot ‘favor the concubine while slighting the wife’?”
When Xie Wangze heard the last four words, he frowned slightly. His voice remained low and steady. “That is the meaning. If Your Highness insists on not changing, friction between husband and wife might end up harming innocent people.”
Chu Yunge: “……” Threatening in the most pleasant voice.
Previously, he had put on the appearance of a good, forbearing Prince Consort. Now, when it concerned his own interests, he revealed his true face.
Chu Yunge suddenly remembered that on the Princess’s wedding night, she had humiliated and beaten people, and afterward even snatched male favorites. But it had not been smooth sailing. First, among the snatched male favorites, someone had contracted venereal disease.
If not for the Emperor always valuing the Princess’s health and having the physician check them in advance, if the Princess had impulsively touched them, she would have been afflicted with venereal disease.
After the physician informed the Princess, she was so disgusted that even though all the male favorites were later checked and confirmed disease-free, let alone serving her, the Princess did not even let them get close.
She just left them in Caifeng Courtyard and ignored their requests for audience.
Although the Princess said she looked down on these male favorites, not letting them serve her up close was not her being pure and chaste—it was that she was so disgusted she had developed a psychological shadow.
After that, when she went to snatch more people, she fell from the building and nearly got injured. If not for Pei Ji suddenly appearing, she might have broken a leg or arm, or suffered severe injuries.
Yet the Princess had so many guards around her, even Shadow Guards……
The more she thought about it, the more chilling it became. All of this was too coincidental.
At that time, the one who hated the Princess the most, hoped for her misfortune, and had the ability and brains to do it was only one person—the Xie Wangze before her eyes.
Behind all of this was the invisible him, who was being mocked by others, quietly plotting revenge. Twice, he had nearly succeeded in making the Princess fall victim.
Because a male favorite having venereal disease or getting injured while snatching one would both cause the Princess’s reputation to plummet, adding insult to injury.
Yet the Princess had never suspected Xie Wangze, showing how deeply he had hidden.
If not for Chu Yunge standing from a God’s perspective, she might never have noticed.
As expected…… People who played mind games had dirty and ruthless hearts, especially a hostage prince aiming for the throne.
At this moment, Chu Yunge even felt a bit fortunate that Xie Wangze had been poisoned by Wish Fulfillment Poison. Otherwise, who knew how he would scheme against her.
He probably would not even notify her about this matter and would just quietly plot and scheme as before.
Chu Yunge glanced at Xie Wangze. He was still so aloof and noble, but in her eyes, he had become a great venomous snake—an insidious black-bellied venomous snake that might bite her and poison her to death at any time.
Chu Yunge took a sip of tea to calm herself.
“I understand your meaning, Xie P…… Young Master Xie.” She had nearly called him Xie Poison Snake by slip of the tongue. Modern people really could not handle such terrifying individuals.
“In the future, This Princess will pay attention. Internally, we each play our own games. Externally, you are the only Prince Consort.”
Xie Poison what? It did not sound like a good thing. Xie Wangze glanced at Chu Yunge. “Each play our own…… Your Highness jests. I have no such intentions or interest.”
Chu Yunge felt mocked, but she did not care.
After getting married, he would not let her touch him, yet would not allow her to find others?
In any case, she already bore the reputation of a Princess who kept male favorites. She might as well do it for real—otherwise, what a waste.