MCSCPM -Chapter 244 This Princess’s Friend

With her whip already snatched away, what was there left to fight with?

She herself had just said that if someone could evade her whip, she would concede wholeheartedly.
Though willful, she was still a princess who kept her word.

“Alright, I admit defeat. You win,” Chu Fengjiao said. There was no resentment in her voice—rather, she now looked at Yin Qingyue with a hint of admiration.

Yin Qingyue returned the whip and smiled. “Your Highness didn’t lose. You were clearly going easy on me—otherwise, how could I have taken your whip so easily?”

She was deliberately giving Chu Fengjiao face—plenty of it.

Hearing this, Chu Fengjiao admired her even more. She hooked the whip back onto her waist and said boldly, “Fine then. I already said it—since you won, this princess is definitely making you her friend. Whether you like it or not, you’re my friend now.”

“I wouldn’t dare accept such honor,” Yin Qingyue replied.

“Besides you, this princess doesn’t want anyone else,” Chu Fengjiao said cheerfully, as if she had just found a priceless treasure. Then she turned and left, tossing over her shoulder, “When I have time, I’ll come find you.”

She came like a gust of wind—and left just as fast, wild and unrestrained.

Yin Qingyue suddenly felt that this eldest princess was indeed someone worth befriending. No fight, no friendship—that saying really was true.

Lan Rao, however, was still a little shaken. She knew well how willful and sharp Chu Fengjiao was, but seeing her truly storm the palace with a whip was still shocking.

After the shock faded, anger followed. She couldn’t help saying, “With Chu Fengjiao like this, who will be able to tolerate her in the future?”

“I actually think the Eldest Princess is quite nice,” Yin Qingyue said with a smile as she walked toward the inner chamber.

“Nice?” Lan Rao scoffed. “Qingyue, I’m telling you—if you see her again in the future, stay as far away as possible. Girls like her just lack discipline. Empress Shu raising such a daughter—who knows whether that’s a blessing or a curse.”

Lan Rao kept muttering, but Yin Qingyue chose not to respond.

Meanwhile, at Zhaoyi Palace.

Liu Sishui was eating pastries when a eunuch came in and presented a letter. “Your Ladyship, a letter from Prince Ling.”

“Ling’er?” At the mention of her son, her spirits instantly lifted. “Quick, give it to me.”

She took the letter, opened it eagerly, and after reading it, sprang to her feet in delight. “Ling’er is coming back! This is wonderful!”

Clutching the letter tightly, she looked as though she were floating in heaven, her smile impossible to suppress.

“Prepare my carriage. We’re going to Noble Consort Lan’s palace.”

“Yes.”

Holding the letter, she hurried off to Lan Rao’s palace, eager to tell Yin Qingyue the good news.

At this point, it hadn’t even been half an hour since Chu Fengjiao left. After her uproar, everyone in the palace was still dazed.

Yin Qingyue and Noble Consort Lan were chatting idly when a maid came to report, “Your Ladyship, Zhaoyi Liu has arrived.”

“Oh?” Lan Rao said with open disdain. “She still has the nerve to come?”

“Then, Your Ladyship, shall we—?”

“Let her in.”

Yin Qingyue thought quietly that since she had just clashed with Chu Fengjiao, now she would get to see another bout of drama.

But when Liu Sishui entered, she didn’t exchange pleasantries with Lan Rao at all. Instead, she went straight to Yin Qingyue, happily grabbing her hand. “Qingyue, do you know? Ling’er will be back in a couple of days! Keeping you here a few extra days was the right call after all.”

“Is that so?” Yin Qingyue’s expression turned slightly bitter.

“Yes! Ling’er wrote to say so himself. This is wonderful—you’ll be able to meet soon, and my heart can finally rest. I always said, if someone like you could become my daughter, I’d be overjoyed beyond measure.”

“Zhaoyi, Qingyue—”

“As long as you two can meet, I’ll be satisfied. Ling’er may be a bit immature, but he’s kind-hearted. If he says or does anything wrong, you must be more forgiving.”

Liu Sishui kept talking, as if everything were already settled and good fortune were just around the corner.

Completely ignored, Lan Rao finally couldn’t stand it anymore. She stepped forward, pulled Yin Qingyue back behind her, and blocked Liu Sishui.

“Zhaoyi Liu, aren’t you rushing things a bit? Didn’t I already say it? Qingyue is someone Prince Jing values highly. Prince Ling? Such a frivolous fellow—how could he be worthy of Qingyue?”

“What did you say?” Liu Sishui snapped. “My son is frivolous? Unworthy? Noble Consort Lan, that’s not something I like to hear.”

“You don’t like hearing it? Too bad—that’s the truth.”

“What truth? My son is Prince Ling. In what way is he inferior to Prince Jing?”

“In every way.”

The two shot barbs at each other, leaving no face at all.

Furious, Liu Sishui spat out coldly, “Even if my son is inferior, he’s still better than a noble consort who doesn’t even have a son!”

“You—!”

“What, you? That’s also the truth.”

It was like a raging storm—thunder and lightning with no sign of stopping.

Both women were livid, their faces turning green, while Yin Qingyue simply watched the spectacle. Suddenly, she stepped forward and said, “Your Ladyship, Zhaoyi Liu—I just remembered that the plum soup I had today was excellent. I was planning to learn how to make it with Lian’er, so I’ll take my leave and not disturb you both.”

“That’s fine. Qingyue, go ahead,” Lan Rao said gently. With Yin Qingyue gone, she could continue her battle with Liu Sishui uninterrupted.

So Yin Qingyue took the excuse and left.

As soon as she was gone, Lan Rao turned coldly to Liu Sishui. “Zhaoyi Liu, now that Qingyue isn’t here, I’ll be blunt. You should know—Qingyue was brought back by Prince Jing. In name she’s the Divine Physician, but anyone with eyes can see that Prince Jing likes her.”

“So what?” Liu Sishui snorted coldly. “Are you sure Qingyue likes Prince Jing? Noble Consort Lan, don’t be so self-righteous.”

“What do you mean self-righteous? If Qingyue didn’t like Prince Jing, why would she follow him to Xize?”

“That proves nothing. You think I don’t know? You’re trying to matchmake them because you have no children, and Consort De died long ago—so you want to win over Prince Jing to pave yourself a future path.”

Liu Sishui had intended not to expose it, but at this point, she said whatever she pleased.

Lan Rao felt as though her clothes had been stripped away, standing bare before Liu Sishui’s gaze.

Turning aside, she suppressed the urge to shout. “Zhaoyi Liu, we are all women in the palace. Some things don’t need to be said aloud—we all understand them. Who isn’t seeking a way out for herself? Yes, I’m aligning myself with Prince Jing as my retreat, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Liu Sishui fell silent for a moment. What she heard most clearly was one key point—

For a woman to survive, she must leave herself a way out.

She understood it deeply.

After a long while, she finally said, “Noble Consort Lan, let’s pretend everything said today never happened. But I won’t back down on this matter either. In the end, the one who decides is Qingyue.”

With that, she left.

The atmosphere froze, heavy and uncomfortable.

Elsewhere.

After returning to her palace, Chu Fengjiao immediately went to find her mother, Consort Shu.

Consort Shu, He Ningxiang, was trimming flowers with scissors. Chu Fengjiao hurried over, not exactly frantic, but still sweating heavily.

He Ningxiang lived a quiet, ascetic life, seemingly detached from worldly affairs. Among the many consorts, she was the most low-key—but also the most calculating.

Without changing her expression, she continued trimming and asked, “What’s wrong with you, girl? Did you go off causing trouble again?”

“Mother Consort, I didn’t cause trouble. I went to see Yin Qingyue.”

At the mention of Yin Qingyue, the scissors in He Ningxiang’s hand stopped abruptly. Her expression darkened as she asked slowly, “That Divine Physician?”

“Yes, her.”

“What did you go looking for her for?”

He Ningxiang had heard the rumors. Although she hadn’t attended the flower-viewing banquet, the palace was full of talk—how the Divine Physician was a beauty, a fairy sent down from heaven, praised to the skies.

Chu Fengjiao laughed brightly. “She really is beautiful. I like her a lot and want to be friends with her.”

He Ningxiang threw the scissors aside and said sharply, “What nonsense are you talking about?”

“I’m not talking nonsense. I admire her and want to be friends with her. I even planned to have her become my brother’s concubine.”

“Stop it, Fengjiao,” He Ningxiang said sternly. “Listen to me—stay as far away from her as possible.”

“Mother Consort, what are you saying?”

“I won’t repeat myself. In short, you cannot associate with her. Staying away from her will do you no harm.”

Her tone was resolute, leaving no room for argument.

But Chu Fengjiao was determined to associate with Yin Qingyue. She liked Yin Qingyue’s character—how could she stay away? Her temper flared immediately.

“No! I won’t listen to you. I have my own rights—who I associate with is my business. You don’t need to worry about it.”

She turned her head away, glaring angrily.

“Say that again.”

“I said I’m going to associate with Yin Qingyue.”

Smack.

A loud slap landed squarely on her face.

He Ningxiang was furious and heartbroken, but anger outweighed everything else. She scolded harshly, “It’s because I’ve lacked discipline with you that you’ve become so reckless. Do you know how many people in the palace are afraid the moment they see you? As your mother, you’ve completely disgraced me!”

That slap didn’t just land on Chu Fengjiao’s face—it struck her heart.

This was the first time in her life her mother had hit her. In the past, whatever she wanted to do, her mother would turn a blind eye. Yet now, over Yin Qingyue, she was slapped.

“Mother… you hit me?” Chu Fengjiao cried, utterly heartbroken.

He Ningxiang already regretted it, but she knew that if she didn’t do this, her daughter would never stop associating with Yin Qingyue.

“From today on, you are confined. You are not allowed to go anywhere. If you dare step out, I will not forgive you.”

And so—

Chu Fengjiao was placed under house arrest.

She still couldn’t understand why her mother had been so furious.