Chapter 45: A Slap

Upon Liu Jingyi’s arrival, seeing Feng Moheng walking alongside Shen Yuling—Shen Yuling, whose attire today was both elegant and alluring—a wave of inexplicable unease washed over her.

Shen Yuling’s appearance suggested that she had not suffered any indignity?

But why was her expression so frigid, as if coated in a layer of frost, sending a chill down one’s spine?

However, Liu Jingyi, having spent considerable time in the Residence of Prince Lingyang, was quick-witted.

Even with her doubts swirling, she maintained a gentle and composed smile.

Approaching Shen Yuling, she made a move to curtsy.

But just as she lowered her body,

“Slap!”

A resounding slap echoed through the hall.

The sound was crisp and unexpected, causing everyone to freeze.

Feng Moheng was stunned, his face filled with astonishment.

Liu Jingyi was even more dumbfounded by the sudden slap.

She lost her balance, stumbled, and fell to the ground.

Instinctively, she covered her face.

Her eyes were wide with shock and disbelief as she stared at Shen Yuling.

Shen Yuling, on the other hand, tilted her chin slightly, looking down at her from a superior position.

Her eyes were cold.

“Princess Consort, I… I did nothing wrong! You… you actually hit me?”

Liu Jingyi was the first to regain her composure, her voice trembling with tears.

After speaking, she quickly looked at Feng Moheng, her eyes filled with grievance and plea.

“Wuwu… Moheng…”

Liu Jingyi cried out Feng Moheng’s name, appearing pitiable.

Feng Moheng finally reacted and quickly walked to Liu Jingyi’s side, helping her up.

With Feng Moheng’s support, Liu Jingyi stood up and pointed her finger at Shen Yuling.

She continued to cry, “Moheng, you… you just watched the Princess Consort hit me?!”

Feng Moheng frowned.

He was truly at a loss for words; this was the several time he had been speechless tonight.

But he couldn’t remain silent now.

Just as he was about to speak, Shen Yuling, who had been silent, finally broke the silence.

“Liu Jingyi, why did I hit you? Don’t you really know why?”

Shen Yuling’s gaze was fixed on Liu Jingyi, her eyes filled with coldness and interrogation.

Although Liu Jingyi usually had some schemes, she had a guilty conscience, and being questioned like this, she felt a surge of panic.

She lost her composure.

However, she possessed a degree of self-control and quickly regained her composure.

“Princess Consort, I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“I have no quarrel with Liu Zhaoyi; why… why would she treat me like that?”

Shen Yuling’s icy face gradually turned to grief and indignation.

Tears glistened in her eyes.

Liu Jingyi was stunned.

Her sister was always meticulous in her actions.

How could…

How could Shen Yuling discover that she was behind it?

Feng Moheng watched Liu Jingyi’s panicked inability to respond.

Coupled with the events of the evening, he understood.

Liu Zhaoyi must have done something unspeakable to Shen Yuling.

Liu Jingyi felt her mind racing.

She couldn’t think of how to answer Shen Yuling’s question.

She didn’t know what had happened in the palace; had her sister truly been discovered?

Liu Jingyi stood there, her lips trembling, unable to utter a complete sentence.

Seeing Liu Jingyi’s panic, Feng Moheng’s suspicions were confirmed.

His eyes darkened, a hint of coldness flashing.

He turned his gaze to Shen Yuling, his expression complex.

He was both confused and worried.

What had happened during the half-hour she was missing from the palace?

Feng Moheng turned, his gaze falling coldly on Liu Jingyi.

“Jingyi, I never thought you were like this. Where did your kindness go?”

“These days, you should reflect on yourself in Sujin Courtyard.”

Feng Moheng’s words were filled with disappointment.

Jingyi had indeed gone too far this time; he could tolerate her childish tantrums, but not such vicious actions.

Liu Jingyi was shocked, staring at Feng Moheng.

Feng Moheng steeled his heart.

He avoided her gaze and turned away.

Even jealousy and tantrums had their limits.

He had to make Jingyi understand that he liked the simple, kind, generous, and considerate her, not the scheming her.

Only this Jingyi could he control.

Feng Moheng turned to Shen Yuling.

“I’ll take you back to Ninglan Courtyard, and we’ll talk about this.”

Shen Yuling nodded.

She couldn’t help but scoff inwardly.

Since Liu Jingyi dared to scheme against her, she shouldn’t expect to escape unscathed.

This slap was just the beginning, far from enough.

Tonight, she would strike while Liu Jingyi was off guard, before she had time to prepare.

The banquet had just ended, and Liu Zhaoyi, knowing that the Emperor had drunk drugged wine, would be preoccupied.

No news from the palace would have arrived yet.

Under these circumstances, as long as she positioned herself as the victim, Liu Jingyi, with her guilty conscience and lack of Shen Yuling’s acting skills, would easily expose herself.

This would make her confess that she and Liu Zhaoyi were plotting against her.

Whether they succeeded or not was unimportant.

Shen Yuling coldly flicked her sleeve and left Sujin Courtyard without looking back.

Feng Moheng quickly followed behind her.

Liu Jingyi stood there dumbfounded, watching them leave.

After a while, she gritted her teeth.

She was furious and resentful.

This was the first time Feng Moheng had spoken to her with such coldness.

Her past kindness?

When had she ever been kind?

She was selfish, always trying to seize the protagonist’s opportunities, aiming to become the protagonist of this world.

What was wrong with her?!

In her view, she had acted before the protagonist’s arrival, so it wasn’t stealing, was it?

Now that the protagonist had arrived, it was the protagonist who had taken her Moheng, wasn’t it?!

“Li Su, send someone to the palace to ask what happened to my sister today!”

Liu Jingyi touched her cheek, calmly giving instructions.

As long as Shen Yuling was successfully manipulated by her sister, this slap would be worth it.