Chapter 322: Don’t You Dare Love and Leave
Chapter 322: Chapter 322: Don’t You Dare Love and Leave
Ouyang Zhenzhu secretly rolled her eyes. "All talk," she muttered. "I don’t believe you."
Princess Chang Le rolled up her sleeves. "Get in the carriage. I’ll prove it to you right now."
"No way!" Ouyang Zhenzhu frantically shook her head.
’She had no desire to fall flat on her face.’
Annoyed at having her abilities questioned, Princess Chang Le grabbed Ouyang Zhenzhu and insisted on getting into the carriage to give her a demonstration.
"Help me!" Ouyang Zhenzhu clung to the carriage shaft, refusing to get in.
Zhi Wan, finding the scene hilarious, stepped forward to break it up.
"Your Highness, we know you’re quite skilled, but Zhenzhu is very heavy. It’s probably best not to risk it."
Ouyang Zhenzhu was speechless.
’Why did that comment make her so uncomfortable?’
’Since when was she "very heavy"?’
Princess Chang Le eyed her rounded figure with a smirk. "You have a point. She’s so plump, certainly not as light as you. Even if I could lift her, I’d probably throw out my back. Never mind, never mind."
Ouyang Zhenzhu was speechless again.
’Why did that sound so insulting?’
"How am I fat? Are you two blind?" she demanded, stomping her foot in frustration.
CRACKLE... POP... BANG...
As the three of them were talking, the Chen Daniu brothers began setting off firecrackers.
The noise instantly drowned out their conversation.
"My Lady, Young Master, Princess Chang Le, Miss Ouyang, please come inside for some tea." Just then, Qiao’e came over and invited them in.
Amidst the crackling of firecrackers, the group entered the Zhi Mansion.
Shuang’er and Nanny Fang then led the servants in carrying the homecoming gifts from the carriages into the Zhi Mansion.
Zhi Wan knew that Princess Chang Le and Ouyang Zhenzhu had come to the Zhi Mansion today to act as her family and show their support. Although they hadn’t told her beforehand, she was deeply moved by their gesture.
So, on the spot, she decided to select some suitable items from the homecoming gifts to give to them.
Neither of them had expected any gifts, but they didn’t refuse and accepted them with pleasure.
To make conversation easier, Zhi Wan had a word with Lu Zhan before leading her two friends to the courtyard she had lived in before her marriage.
As soon as they entered the room, Ouyang Zhenzhu flopped ungracefully onto a soft couch.
"How can you be so lazy?" Princess Chang Le hauled her up, pushed her to one side, and then sat down on the couch herself.
"I could say the same about you! Is your rear end really that big? You need a whole couch to yourself?" Ouyang Zhenzhu retorted, not to be outdone.
"How audacious!" Princess Chang Le’s face fell as she chided her.
Ouyang Zhenzhu used to be quite intimidated by her, but after spending so much time together, she had figured out the princess’s temperament and knew her bark was worse than her bite.
Nevertheless, Ouyang Zhenzhu made a show of bowing. "Your Highness, please calm your anger. I was merely... speaking the truth. Haha—Ugh!"
Princess Chang Le gave the soft flesh of her cheek a hard pinch.
"You’re so crude and shameless. How on earth did that Duan Ling fellow ever take a liking to you?"
"You’re mistaken, Your Highness. *He* should be thanking his lucky stars that I don’t find *him* distasteful. Go on, ask around! In the entire Capital City, who else would be willing to marry him?" Ouyang Zhenzhu said defiantly. "Ow, ow, ow... Wanwan, help me!"
Seeing the two of them roughhousing, Zhi Wan felt the entire courtyard fill with life.
She walked over with a smile, pulled them apart, and sat down between them.
"By the way, Your Highness," Zhi Wan said, changing the subject, "isn’t the autumn examination coming up? How are Mr. Shen’s preparations going?"
"Yes, how are the preparations for your future Prince Consort going?" Ouyang Zhenzhu asked, leaning her head over Zhi Wan’s shoulder to look at Princess Chang Le.
"They’re going," Princess Chang Le said nonchalantly.
Zhi Wan pressed on. "Mr. Shen is only taking the autumn examination for your sake, isn’t he?"
"Is that true?" Ouyang Zhenzhu’s eyes widened.
Zhi Wan nodded. "I heard from my cousin that Mr. Shen had the chance to take the imperial examinations when he was in the army, but he never did. Yet, after he started seeing you, Your Highness, he suddenly decided to participate. It’s obviously for you. Mr. Shen must want to become a man worthy of you."
Hearing this, Ouyang Zhenzhu immediately began to tease, "Your Highness, you’d better treat Prince Consort Shen well from now on."
Princess Chang Le looked at Zhi Wan and sneered. "What’s your relationship with Shen Longjin that you know so much? How come I’ve never heard him mention any of this?"
"What relationship could I possibly have with him? But I can tell he’s truly devoted to you, Your Highness. Of course, this is all just my own speculation. As for whether I’m right... why don’t you go home and ask him yourself later?" Zhi Wan said with a sweet smile.
Princess Chang Le snorted. She glanced at her, then said suddenly, "Do you know why I ’abducted’ Shen Longjin to my mansion in the first place?"
’Zhi Wan had wondered about this before. It must have something to do with her cousin.’
She blinked, answering in a calm, unhurried tone. "Naturally, it’s because you took a fancy to him, Your Highness. That’s why you brought him home."
"I think so, too. Mr. Shen is so handsome. Your Highness must have been captivated by his good looks," Ouyang Zhenzhu chimed in, nodding seriously.
Princess Chang Le froze, then huffed indignantly, "What nonsense are you two spouting? Am I that kind of person?"
"You are!" the other two replied, nodding in unison.
Princess Chang Le was at a loss for words.
"So, when do you plan to marry Mr. Shen, Your Highness?" Zhi Wan continued. "My cousin told me that back at the hunting ground, Mr. Shen rode out ahead of everyone and killed the rebel leader, resolving the crisis. The Emperor was full of praise for him and wanted to grant him a title, but Mr. Shen refused it. It seems he’s truly set on succeeding in the examinations."
The topic seemed to agitate Princess Chang Le. "We’ll see... in the future."
"You can’t just use him and then toss him aside, Your Highness," Ouyang Zhenzhu couldn’t resist saying.
Princess Chang Le gritted her teeth. "Say one more foolish word, and I’ll have your tongue torn out!"
’Although Shen Longjin was living in the Princess Mansion, their relationship was completely platonic.’
Ouyang Zhenzhu flinched and shrank back, but still couldn’t stop herself from muttering under her breath, "Too scared to admit what you’ve done..."
Princess Chang Le was livid. "Shen Longjin and I haven’t done anything! At most... at most..."
"At most what?" Zhi Wan asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Yes, at most what?" Ouyang Zhenzhu echoed.
"At most... we’ve only kissed," Princess Chang Le finally admitted, her face beet red, her voice full of frustration.
"What?"
"Your Highness, that’s so lame!"
Zhi Wan and Ouyang Zhenzhu exclaimed in unison, staring at her in disbelief.
Princess Chang Le was speechless.
She laughed out of sheer exasperation, looking at them with disdain. "Do you think I’m as shameless as you two?"
"So who kissed who first? Did you kiss Shen Longjin, or did he kiss you?"
"Yeah, who kissed who first?"
The pair completely ignored her, pressing on curiously.
Princess Chang Le was at a loss for words.
She cleared her throat, suddenly turning to Zhi Wan with a smirk. "By the way, were you and your husband satisfied with the wedding night gift I had Yuanbao deliver?"
Ouyang Zhenzhu’s interest was piqued, and she also turned to Zhi Wan curiously. "So, how was it? Is Mr. Lu any good?"
Zhi Wan had been talking a lot and had just raised her teacup to take a sip.
When she heard Ouyang Zhenzhu’s question, she spat out a mouthful of tea.
Ouyang Zhenzhu, who now had a face full of tea, was speechless.