Jin Ning saw this and gently adjusted the phoenix hairpin.
This phoenix hairpin was a token representing the Crown Princess's identity, bestowed by the Empress when the Old Marquis Yong'an sought the imperial decree of marriage for Jin Ning.
It was also the item she used for suicide in her previous life.
Xiao Chen saw Jin Ning and was momentarily at a loss.
For so many years, everyone had said Jin Ning was his Crown Princess, and he had long regarded Jin Ning as his Imperial Concubine.
Now, seeing Jin Ning witness him being intimate with another woman, he also felt a strange sense of unease.
But he was, after all, someone who would be Emperor; after a brief moment of helplessness, he spoke in a calm tone, "Eldest Miss Pei, why have you come? Are you looking for me?"
Speaking of this, Xiao Chen slightly frowned, explaining with a hint of impatience, "Mingyue injured her hand, so I came to see her. You don't need to overthink it."
Jin Ning replied, "Your Highness worries too much. Jin Ning isn't thinking anything."
"As for why Jin Ning is here, it's because Second Brother insisted on bringing me," Jin Ning continued.
She had to make things clear, lest people think she came to pester him because the Crown Prince was here.
Reminded by Jin Ning like this.
Pei Jingchuan came back to his senses, remembering his purpose in bringing Jin Ning here, and urged, "Apologize to Mingyue at once!"
Jin Ning looked at Pei Jingchuan, her voice icy, "I said I did nothing wrong, and I will not apologize."
"You still dare to say you did nothing wrong! If it weren't for you, how could Mingyue have been injured so badly?" Pei Jingchuan questioned impatiently.
"Pei Mingyue saw the Crown Prince was punished, and Pei Mingyue herself knocked over the candle stand, yet she blames me?" Jin Ning was so angry she laughed.
"If not you, then who? If you hadn't said anything, would Father have known?" Pei Jingchuan said coldly.
"Second Brother, please don't get angry with Eldest Sister because of me and damage our sibling bond... that would be Mingyue's fault," Pei Mingyue said softly, looking at Pei Jingchuan with concern.
"All the mistakes, all the faults, are mine. I didn't know Crown Prince Brother wanted to accompany Eldest Sister to admire the snow, so I invited the Crown Prince to tour Golden Wind Terrace with me. Mingyue did poorly and made Eldest Sister unhappy. Mingyue here apologizes to Eldest Sister and asks Eldest Sister not to hold it against me."
Saying this, Pei Mingyue suddenly bowed to Jin Ning, apologizing sincerely.
Jin Ning was startled to see this scene.
When had she ever said that Pei Mingyue should apologize to her?
As Pei Mingyue bent her slender willow waist, both people in the room looked at Pei Mingyue with heartache.
Especially Pei Jingchuan, his gaze towards her grew increasingly displeased.
"Pei Jin Ning! You truly disappoint me, your elder brother!" Pei Jingchuan said angrily.
Xiao Chen helped Pei Mingyue up and stood in front of her, looking at Jin Ning and saying, "The fault is not Mingyue's. If anyone truly made a mistake, it was me for breaking my promise and causing you unhappiness."
"If you have any dissatisfaction, you can vent it directly at me. You really shouldn't be making things difficult for Mingyue," Xiao Chen continued.
Jin Ning looked coldly at these two men whom she had respected and loved in her previous life.
One was her brother, connected by blood, who had grown up with her since childhood; the other was her childhood sweetheart, to whom she had been betrothed long ago.
Now, for Pei Mingyue, they had both turned their spears on her.
She was wrong; she shouldn't have had even a shred of expectation for these people.
Jin Ning looked at the two of them and said coldly, "Have you said enough?"
Then, Jin Ning continued, "If not enough, I don't want to hear it anymore."
After speaking, Jin Ning walked out.
"Stop right there! Who gave you permission to leave?" Pei Jingchuan scolded.
Jin Ning looked at Pei Jingchuan with a cold laugh, "My legs are on me. What? Am I not allowed to walk?"
Pei Jingchuan said with a stern face, "If you don't apologize to Mingyue, you won't leave here today!"
Jin Ning said, "Then let me make myself clear. If you continue to make things difficult for me now... soon, the news of Sister Mingyue's secret meeting with the Crown Prince today will reach Father's ears!"
"You!" Pei Jingchuan was angered.
"What about me? Didn't Second Brother say I like to tattle? Since Second Brother said so, what if I do it?" Jin Ning retorted.
After saying this.
Jin Ning left without looking back.
She could still argue a couple of sentences with Pei Jingchuan, but she didn't want to say a single word to Xiao Chen.
As Jin Ning left, Pei Mingyue's eyes reddened slightly, "Second Brother, Eldest Sister wouldn't... really go to Father to complain again, would she?"
"She dares!" Pei Jingchuan raised an eyebrow.
Pei Mingyue then looked at Xiao Chen, who said gently, "Alright, Mingyue, don't worry. Jin Ning just has a sharp tongue but a soft heart; she won't really do that..."
Although he said this, Xiao Chen also felt a bit uncertain in his heart.
It had been a year and a half since they last met.
Jin Ning's temperament had become much stranger than before, making her even more unfathomable.
However, if Jin Ning was truly jealous because he and Mingyue were a bit close, and then targeted Mingyue, that would truly be unacceptable!
She was destined to be the Crown Princess; how could she be so petty? She couldn't even tolerate her own sister? Moreover, he and Mingyue were innocent; he merely pitied Mingyue for having suffered so much in her early years.
After Jin Ning left Pei Mingyue's residence.
Walking in the wind and snow, she didn't know if the wind and snow were colder, or her heart was colder.
...
Qifeng Palace.
Empress Xu was stern-faced, listening to the head palace maid, Huanxi, report.
"Your Ladyship, last night, His Majesty sent Wei Mang to order the Imperial Household Department to prepare Mianxue Courtyard. He said... His Majesty favored a woman yesterday and left it for her to use," Huanxi continued.
Empress Xu asked, "Do you know who it was?"
Huanxi shook her head, "I don't know."
"Do you know when and where His Majesty favored this person?" Empress Xu asked again.
Huanxi was a little nervous and replied in a low voice, "I don't know."
Empress Xu was extremely enraged and slammed the table forcefully, "You don't know this, you don't know that. What use are you useless people!"
As an Emperor, Xiao Yi did not favor women. The women in the harem were all selected through the imperial selection. Xiao Yi had never done anything foolish like favoring a concubine outside of the established order.
Empress Xu had held the Phoenix Seal for many years, and all major and minor matters in the harem were under her watchful eye.
A situation like Xiao Yi suddenly favoring someone outside of her control had never happened before.
Her intuition told Empress Xu that this matter was not simple.
A woman who could make the Emperor act outside of the rules was truly extraordinary!
Thinking of this, Empress Xu's expression became even more displeased.
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