Chapter 191: Repaying Her With His Life
Consort Ru looked somewhat puzzled. "What rumors? Your Highness, I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean."
Princess Qingyang raised an eyebrow. She scanned the hall, her gaze landing in a specific direction as she said pointedly, "Ever since Chutang returned from Wulan Mountain, rumors have been swirling around the Capital City. They say her intentions for going up the mountain that day were impure, that she had ulterior motives. At first, I thought it was just baseless gossip and paid it no mind. But who knew that when I stepped out for some air just now, I would happen to overhear the beloved daughter of Lord Luo from the Honglu Temple discussing this very matter with a few of her close friends. From her tone, she seemed to find the whole affair utterly shameful."
Shen Yanchuan froze. He looked up, a frosty chill coloring his refined features.
Seated at his table, Luo Yingqi was instantly dumbfounded.
Once he realized what Princess Qingyang was saying, Luo Yingqi’s face went pale, and he scrambled to his feet.
"Your Highness! It’s a misunderstanding! How could my daughter possibly have the nerve... to be so presumptuous!?"
Princess Qingyang raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Are you implying, Lord Luo, that I am blind and deaf? That I can’t recognize a person or hear a simple conversation clearly?"
Luo Yingqi broke out in a cold sweat. Even if he had ten times the nerve, he wouldn’t dare publicly refute Princess Qingyang.
He frantically turned to look at his daughter. Seeing her face deathly pale and stricken with panic, his heart sank.
Meanwhile, Luo Wanwan’s limbs had gone cold, and her mind was a complete blank.
After returning to her seat, she had been on pins and needles. She only started to relax when she saw Princess Qingyang return to her own seat, seemingly with no intention of pursuing the matter. For a moment, she thought she had escaped disaster.
Who could have imagined that she would bring it up at a time like this!
Emperor Muwu’s expression soured further, and his brows furrowed. "What rumors? How is it that We have not heard of them?"
"They would never dare sully the Holy Emperor’s ears with such talk," Princess Qingyang said with a shrug. "It’s nothing more than talk that Chutang saving my brother that day was no coincidence, but a meticulously planned scheme. I never imagined it! She nearly lost her life for my brother, and in return, someone has the audacity to slander her like this! It must be because she accomplished something great and made people jealous, right? In fact, when she saved the Eldest Princess, there were already people secretly consumed with jealousy and resentment. I just didn’t expect them to stoop so low as to spread a rumor like this!"
A mocking smile touched Princess Qingyang’s lips. "I suppose it makes sense. She’s an orphan with no one to rely on. Not long ago, her own uncle nearly pushed her into a pit of fire. With her situation, anyone feels they can just walk all over her, don’t they?"
Luo Wanwan opened her mouth, wanting to defend herself, but every word from Princess Qingyang was the truth. ’How could she possibly refute any of it?’
Unable to think about anything else, Luo Yingqi frantically dropped to his knees with a THUD, begging for forgiveness.
"This humble servant has failed to raise his daughter properly! I beg for Your Highness’s forgiveness!"
Princess Qingyang shot him a look. "You’re an interesting one, Lord Luo. Why are you apologizing to me?"
Luo Yingqi was in an absolute panic, his shoulders trembling. A torrent of words was stuck in his throat, but he didn’t know how to begin.
"This humble servant... This humble servant..."
The Eldest Princess, who had remained silent throughout the entire exchange, had been watching with a cold gaze. At last, she spoke.
"Chutang has saved Yanchuan on two separate occasions. Our debt to her is immense. I, for one, fail to see where these vicious rumors could have possibly come from. Whoever started them has a heart so wicked, they deserve death!"
The crowd fell silent, and the air in the vast hall seemed to freeze.
Everyone knew how fiercely protective the Eldest Princess was of Ye Chutang. After today’s events, the Luo family was facing a disaster they could not hope to contain.
A deep and crisp male voice shattered the dead silence.
"That day, Prince Qi and I had arranged to play chess and drink tea at a pavilion on Wulan Mountain. Our meeting with Second Miss Ye was pure coincidence. She had gone to the mountain that day to offer incense for her deceased parents and brother, which is why she made a pious ascent, one step at a time, to kneel and pray."
A distinct chill emanated from his elegant and gentle features.
"As for the debt I owe Second Miss Ye... I fear even my life would not be enough to repay it."