The concubine was charming and alluring, and the ruthless prince coaxed her day and night.

Chapter 85: Was this all an act?

Although Lianye was wearing a veil, Zhao Yunzheng recognized her at a glance.

She was carrying a bundle on her back, looking around, seemingly unsure of what she was going to do.

"Phew..."

Zhao Yunzheng reined in his horse, his deep gaze fixed on Lianye's figure.

When he saw Lianye walk into a pawnshop, Zhao Yunzheng frowned slightly, and his hand holding the reins tightened unconsciously.

He vaguely sensed something, but forced himself not to think about it too much.

Seeing that his expression was strange, Ying, who was accompanying him, immediately asked tentatively, "Master, what happened?"

Following Zhao Yunzheng's gaze, he also saw the lotus leaves and instantly understood why his master's expression had suddenly changed.

Hearing Yingyi's voice, Zhao Yunzheng came back to his senses.

He withdrew his gaze, his expression seemingly normal, but his tone was unusually cold and hard: "Send someone to investigate what Lianye is doing."

After saying that, he did not linger any longer and rode away.

A hint of helplessness flashed across Ying's eyes. She hoped Consort Xu wouldn't do anything foolish…

……

Inside Yuhua Courtyard.

Xu Jiaojiao woke up slowly after a short nap, only to find that Lianye was not in the room to serve her.

She hesitated for a moment, then quickly looked at the water clock.

It's past noon, and the lotus leaves still haven't returned?

A sense of foreboding suddenly filled Xu Jiaojiao's heart.

The room was silent, and she felt very uneasy. She immediately propped herself up on the bed and asked, "Lotus Leaf?"

"Wow..."

The beaded curtain swayed gently, making a subtle rustling sound. Unlike the light and quick steps of the lotus leaves, the steps of the person who came were slow and steady.

Xu Jiaojiao suddenly looked up.

When she met the man's gloomy gaze, Xu Jiaojiao was startled.

"Awake?" The man glanced at Xu Jiaojiao coldly and ruthlessly, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "You opened your eyes and immediately looked for Lianye. What, are you in a hurry because she didn't reply?"

Clearly, the fact that he had taken the reward money to pawn it has been exposed, and Lianye is probably in grave danger.

Thinking of this loyal, kind, and pure girl, Xu Jiaojiao's heart began to ache.

The man in front of me had slightly red eyes and bulging veins on his forehead, showing that he was suppressing his anger. Even though he didn't deliberately show off, the murderous aura surrounding him was already chilling.

Xu Jiaojiao shrank back into the bed in fear, but still gritted her teeth resolutely and pleaded with her eyes full of apology: "It was all my idea, and it has nothing to do with Lianye. I beg Your Highness to spare Lianye. I am willing to bear all the blame and consequences."

If she hadn't wanted to exchange her belongings for more portable silver, Lianye wouldn't have taken the risk for her.

She wanted to live, but she didn't want to implicate innocent people, especially since Lianye had treated her with such sincerity. In her heart, she had long regarded Lianye as a close friend, not a servant.

Both morally and logically, she couldn't let Lianye lose her life for her.

Moreover, during this time together, she had come to understand some of Prince Chen's character.

Prince Chen despises selfish, hypocritical, and ruthless women. Compared to deceiving his feelings, viciousness and treachery are the real, intractable weaknesses.

She couldn't let Prince Chen leave her with such an impression, so she had to save Lianye.

Saving the lotus leaves is also saving yourself!

Prince Chen saw her resolute attitude and couldn't help but laugh in exasperation.

He has already come to Yuhua Courtyard in person, so why doesn't Xu Jiaojiao cry and beg for his forgiveness, desperately trying to please him and plead for mercy? Instead, she is thinking of making excuses for a maid at this time.

It’s simply unreasonable!

It’s simply baffling!

This is not what he wanted to see!

Zhao Yunzheng probably never imagined that he would have such a difficult time controlling himself.

When he learned that Lianye had helped Xu Jiaojiao pawn her things, he vaguely guessed that Xu Jiaojiao was planning to run away with the money.

He was filled with rage and secretly vowed to kill this two-faced and treacherous woman.

But now, seeing that she really wouldn't even explain herself, and even avoided him out of fear, Zhao Yunzheng's rationality could no longer control his heart.

He leaned down slightly, reached out and grabbed the woman who was shrinking back, a hint of barely concealed obsession in his eyes: "Xu Jiaojiao, are you trying to escape?"

Xu Jiaojiao cried out in pain.

She furrowed her brows slightly, raised her reddened eyes, and looked at Prince Chen with a pitiful and weak expression. She sadly shook her head: "I didn't..."

Zhao Yunzheng stared intently into her eyes, as if trying to see into her heart through her misty, watery gaze.

As tears rolled down his cheeks, Zhao Yunzheng abruptly released his grip, took a step back, and frowned in disgust: "Is this all an act?"

"what?"

Xu Jiaojiao's eyes showed surprise, but the moment the words left her mouth, she suddenly understood what Prince Chen was talking about.

Xu Jiaojiao's face turned pale, and she silently lowered her head, looking dejected and frustrated.

"Sorry…"

A faint, mosquito-like sobbing sound came from behind him. Looking at Xu Jiaojiao's slender figure trembling slightly, Zhao Yunzheng felt a surge of subtle pain in his heart.

He instinctively raised his hand, wanting to pull Xu Jiaojiao into his arms, but reason was pulling him back from the depths of his heart.

Suddenly, he lowered his hand, turned and left.

Inside the courtyard, servants knelt on the ground, but when they saw him coming in a fierce manner, they fled in a sorry state.

After everyone had gone far away, Lianye got up and ran into the house with worry.

Seeing Xu Jiaojiao sitting on the bed in a daze, she quickly stepped forward: "Master, are you alright?"

Xu Jiaojiao was startled and suddenly looked up.

Seeing Lianye standing unharmed before her, she was momentarily stunned, then stood up and hugged Lianye tightly: "I'm so glad you're alright..."

Lianye was clever and quickly figured out what had happened.

It seems that Prince Chen already knows about the pawning.

A question arose in her mind: why didn't Prince Chen make trouble for her, but instead came directly to his master?

Lianye couldn't understand it, and felt uneasy.

This matter is like adding fuel to the fire. Not only is he doomed, but the rift between his master and the prince will likely escalate further.

Thinking of the look of relief in her master's eyes just now, Lianye felt a tremor in her heart.

In such a situation, her master still worried about her safety.

She sighed inwardly.

Whether or not the master regains favor in the future doesn't matter. I only hope that the master can get through this matter safely. With the money in the courtyard, even if the master loses favor in the future, he can still be guaranteed a life of comfort and security...

……

Shortly after Prince Chen left, servants came and sealed off the courtyard, and delivered a message that Xu Jiaojiao was to be confined to her quarters.

Lianye asked the person in charge of sealing the courtyard how long the prince had confined the concubine.

The man shook his head: "The prince only said that I am under house arrest and cannot leave unless summoned, but he did not say how long I will be under house arrest."

Lianye's heart sank.

That means being confined to your home until you die...

In the future, Yuhua Courtyard would be no different from the cold palace in the palace.

When the courtyard was sealed off, Xu Jiaojiao was sunbathing in a hanging basket and overheard the entire conversation between Lianye and the servants.

She gave a self-deprecating twitch at the corner of her mouth.

This is Prince Chen's punishment for her, a punishment for trying to escape...

She gently touched her lower abdomen, shifted to a more comfortable position, and continued to close her eyes to rest.

Oh well, at least I'm still alive.

Since we're here, we might as well make the best of it. As long as we're alive, we'll always find a way to survive...