County Mistress Jiarou was nearly furious to death, unable to understand why Liu Zhurong insisted on protecting such a stinking beggar.
“So that’s how it is.”
The Second Prince looked at Chu Mo and said with a smile, “This must be the daughter the Princess Consort adopted. She seems quite clever.”
“Jiarou insulted you, which was wrong of her, but you insulted her back, so neither side suffered a loss.”
“Since neither side suffered a loss, then…”
He looked toward the Princess Royal and the Princess Consort Yong, his voice gentle, “Aunt, Princess Consort, in honor of the Old Madam’s birthday today, how about we let this matter rest?”
County Mistress Jiarou was unconvinced and wanted to say more, but the Princess Royal grabbed her.
“The Second Prince speaks sensibly. In honor of the Old Madam, I won’t pursue the matter. Let it rest.”
The Second Prince looked at Liu Zhurong.
Liu Zhurong’s expression was indifferent, “Everything will follow the Second Prince’s wishes.”
Hearing this, the Second Prince finally smiled, the corners of his mouth lifting widely.
“Excellent.”
Seeing the matter resolved, Duke Qi immediately spoke up, “The banquet is about to begin. Everyone, please follow me.”
County Mistress Jiarou gave Chu Mo a cold snort.
“Just you wait. Today is the Old Madam’s birthday, so I won’t bother with you.”
Chu Mo picked at her ear, “What’s that? You want to perform a song and dance for me? Fine, I’ll wait.”
County Mistress Jiarou: “…”
County Mistress Jiarou was once again half-dead with anger.
She was actually being compared to those lowly dancing girls.
Hateful, hateful!
The Princess Royal, her face dark, pulled County Mistress Jiarou’s arm, gave Chu Mo a cold glance, said nothing, and turned to leave.
Chu Mo rubbed her nose.
She was done for.
It seemed she had completely and utterly offended the Princess Royal.
But freely cursing people out really felt great.
Even if she did it again, she wouldn’t regret it.
Liu Zhurong stroked Chu Mo’s head and said gently, “Don’t worry. With Prince Yong’s Manor behind you, she can’t touch you.”
Chu Mo naturally trusted Liu Zhurong and affectionately took her arm.
“Hee hee, Mother, was I fierce when I cursed her out?”
Liu Zhurong nodded seriously, “Mm, fiercer than I imagined.”
“Of course. Back in the day, I was famous in Cliff City’s Beggars’ Gang,” Chu Mo said, quite smug.
Those little punks in Cliff City couldn’t beat her in a fight or in a cursing match.
Liu Zhurong smiled, “Let’s go, to the banquet hall.”
“Okay.”
By coincidence, Prince Yong’s Manor’s seats were directly across from the Princess Royal’s.
The moment Chu Mo looked up, she caught the vicious glare County Mistress Roujia was sending her way.
She wasn’t even eating, just kept staring at her—if one didn’t know better, one would think she had a crush on her.
Chu Mo couldn’t be bothered to pay her any attention and buried herself in her food.
Ah, this is delicious, and this is delicious too.
Chu Congning sat beside Chu Mo, leaning slightly toward her, and asked quietly.
“Chu Mo, I heard you just cursed County Mistress Roujia to tears?”
“Yep.”
Chu Congning was astonished, “How are you so bold? The Princess Royal has only this one daughter and has spoiled her into someone utterly pampered and arrogant, with no sense of her place. You actually dared to curse her? She didn’t hit you, did she?”
“Nope,” Chu Mo said while chewing, “With Mother there, how could she possibly hit me?”
“That’s true,” Chu Congning said, then added, “But Mother can’t stay by your side forever. If one day you’re alone and run into her, she definitely won’t let you off.”
Chu Mo swallowed the food in her mouth, “Is she that terrifying? She’d just hit someone without even asking why?”
Chu Congning glanced at County Mistress Roujia across the table, shielding his mouth with his hand as he lowered his voice.
“Don’t doubt me—her temper is absolutely vicious. Two years ago, she beat a beggar to death right in the street, all because he accidentally stumbled and brushed against her foot. She had her people beat him to death on the spot.”
“And there’s more, more! Her personal maids are replaced every few months. You know why? Because she beats them all to death. The Princess Royal suppresses all these incidents, but those of us who ought to know still found out.”
Chu Mo was dumbstruck. She had known County Mistress Roujia surely wasn’t good-tempered.
But she hadn’t expected her to be this brutal—beating someone to death in broad daylight, treating human life like grass.
Chu Congning seemed to think of something else. “Oh, right—she’s also in love with the Second Prince. Any woman who gets close to him becomes her target.”
“A while ago on the street, the daughter of a minor official happened to run into the Second Prince and exchanged a couple of words with him. Not long after, she drowned. That family was demoted and driven out of the Capital City.”
“Guess who did it?”
Faced with the table full of delicacies, Chu Mo completely lost her appetite.
She glared at Chu Congning in exasperation. “Fourth Brother, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”
Chu Congning’s lips curved. “Today the Second Prince didn’t speak up for you, but he didn’t speak up for her either. Given her petty, vindictive, and vicious nature, I’m afraid she’ll fight you to the death.”
“Hehe~ You’re done for, Chu Mo.”
Looking at Chu Congning gloating over her misfortune, Chu Mo gritted her teeth, raised her hand, and pinched him hard in the waist.
“Ow—!”
Caught off guard by the sneak attack, Chu Congning cried out in pain.
Hearing the noise, Liu Zhurong asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?” enduring the pain, Chu Congning forced a smile. “Nothing, nothing.”
Liu Zhurong gave him an odd look, and seeing that he really was fine, withdrew her gaze.
Chu Congning lowered his head, covering his face, his cheeks twitching painfully out of everyone’s sight.
“Chu Mo, it hurts—let go, let go already!”
Chu Mo smiled slightly. “Fourth Brother, my dear brother, you’ll protect me, won’t you?”
Chu Congning said, “Of course. You’re part of Prince Yong’s Manor now, so naturally I’ll protect you.”
Hearing this, Chu Mo finally let go.
Chu Congning let out a long breath, rubbing his waist, and muttered under his own breath, “Wretched girl, where does she get all that strength?”
After a moment, he added, “Actually, you don’t need to be too afraid of County Mistress Roujia. You’re a daughter of Prince Yong’s Manor now—she wouldn’t dare do anything to you.”
Chu Mo sighed. “Just an adopted daughter.”
“Even an adopted daughter is one recognized by Prince Yong’s Manor—not just anybody,” Chu Congning said.
“Worst case, I’ll just stay by your side at all times.”
Chu Mo was deeply moved. “Really, Fourth Brother?”
“Mm-hm.” Chu Congning nodded with proud affectation.
“Thank you, Fourth Brother. I’m so touched. You really are the best brother in the whole world.”
Flattery came pouring out of Chu Mo’s mouth without a hitch. “My Fourth Brother is handsome and dashing, elegant as a jade tree, valiant and mighty, invincible under heaven, suave and debonair—simply the number one handsome man in the Capital City!”
Chu Congning’s lips curved upward uncontrollably, though he tried hard to suppress it, managing only the faintest hint of a smile.
“It’s not that exaggerated.”
Chu Mo said in all seriousness, “It is, it is! Fourth Brother is the number one handsome man in the Capital City. Anyone who disagrees, I’ll go beat them up!”
“Heh, and what if I refuse to accept that?”