Chapter 29

Xiao Xixi was startled awake, her almond eyes wide as she looked at her: "What's going on?"

Chen Liangyuan was so angry that her whole body was trembling: "You have to give me an explanation today!"

Xiao Xixi looked bewildered: "What explanation?"

Chen Liangyuan: "You lied to me, saying that His Highness the Crown Prince would come to the Qingge Hall today, but he never showed up. You lied to me, don't you think you should give me an explanation?!"

Xiao Xixi: "I didn't lie to you..."

Chen Liangyuan: "You're still saying you didn't lie? If you didn't lie, why didn't His Highness the Crown Prince show up?!"

Xiao Xixi: "How would I know?"

"At this point, you're still pretending to be innocent? Xiao Liangdi, I never thought that your seemingly foolish appearance was all an act. You and Lady Bai are both cunning and deceitful, pretending to be more innocent and pitiful than anyone, but in reality, you are more vicious and cruel than anyone!"

"Who are you calling vicious and cruel?"

"I'm saying you are vicious and cruel..." Before she could finish, Chen Liangyuan suddenly came to her senses.

The voice that had just asked the question belonged to the Crown Prince!

She immediately turned around and looked in the direction of the voice, only to see the Crown Prince standing at the door, with Eunuch Chang behind him.

She had no idea how long they had been standing there or how much of the conversation they had overheard.

Chen Liangyuan's heart sank, and she knew it was bad.

She hurriedly stood up, but because she had been kneeling for too long, her legs had lost sensation. She struggled to get up, but due to her unsteadiness, she fell to the ground in a sorry state.

At this moment, Xiao Xixi, with Baoqin's help, had already gotten out of bed, and the two of them knelt to pay their respects to the Crown Prince.

Luo Qinghan had been busy investigating the poisoned wine all day and had only just finished.

Seeing that it was already late, he thought Xiao Liangdi should be asleep and didn't want to come over, but after hesitating for a moment, he still decided to come, fearing that Xiao Liangdi might be waiting for him.

He didn't expect to hear Chen Liangyuan scolding someone as soon as he entered the Qingge Hall.

Eunuch Chang made a gesture, and two palace maids immediately came forward to help Chen Liangyuan up.

Chen Liangyuan met the Crown Prince's cold gaze and couldn't help but shiver.

Luo Qinghan: "Why are you scolding someone?"

Chen Liangyuan didn't know how to explain, and she was both anxious and afraid, her eyes red and her voice trembling: "Just now... just now, I was speaking nonsense. I know I was wrong, please, Your Highness, don't take those words to heart."

Luo Qinghan's gaze shifted past her and landed on Xiao Xixi.

"Xiao Liangdi, tell me why Chen Liangyuan is scolding you."

Xiao Xixi recounted the events in detail.

After listening, Luo Qinghan's gaze towards Chen Liangyuan was filled with disgust.

"Bring Chen Liangyuan back to Yulu Tower, reduce her monthly allowance by half for the next three months, and do not allow her to enter Qingge Hall again."

Chen Liangyuan's face changed dramatically.

Reducing her allowance by half wasn't a big deal; it just meant she would have less to eat, wear, and use. But if this news spread, everyone in the Eastern Palace would know she had angered the Crown Prince.

The people in the palace were accustomed to flattering the high and belittling the low. If everyone knew she was abandoned by the Crown Prince, they would surely trample her into the mud.

She didn't want to live that kind of life!

She struggled to break free from the palace maids' hands, knelt at Luo Qinghan's feet, and took out a sachet from her sleeve.

It was a light purple sachet embroidered with white orchids.

"Your Highness, do you remember what you said the first time we met? You praised my name and gave me a pot of orchids, which I still keep. I made this sachet based on that pot of orchids, and the orchids on it were embroidered by me, stitch by stitch. The sachet is filled with orchid petals. Please, in the name of my unwavering devotion to you, accept this sachet."