“If you didn’t hit her, then why does she look like this while all of you are still dressed so neatly?”
As Feng Che’s voice fell, everyone hurriedly stepped aside and bowed in greeting.
Zou Hao, still in the mud, looked toward Shi Zhen and Dou Xiang’er, whose clothes remained perfectly neat.
She gradually realized that something was wrong.
Although she was covered in mud and looked utterly miserable, Shi Zhen and Dou Xiang’er were completely clean.
Gao Zhi had deliberately removed her jewelry, loosened her collar, and then lured the two of them over to grapple with her. She had done all of this to frame them…
That wretched woman…
Feng Rong hid the amusement in her eyes and said to Feng Che,
“Brother, you must stand up for Sister-in-law. I saw it all just now. These madwomen pushed Sister-in-law to the ground and even tore at her clothes. Sister-in-law was crying out for help.”
Zou Hao could hardly believe what she was hearing. When she saw Gao Zhi get up and hurry over to throw herself into Feng Che’s wheelchair, crying in his arms, she was stunned.
“Your Highness, you have to give your wife justice.”
Zou Hao’s pupils contracted several times as she pointed at Gao Zhi.
“You… you…”
“Damn…”
Hearing Gao Zhi’s pitiful sobs, Feng Rong silently gave her a thumbs-up beneath her sleeve.
As expected, once a woman got married, her skills really improved.
The man in the wheelchair was even more rigid. A soft, warm body had suddenly appeared in his arms, carrying a delicate fragrance.
He didn’t dare move at all. He could feel the hot tears soaking through his inner garment, making his heart feel as though someone had seized it in their grip.
【How dare they…】
“Your Highness, they said you don’t care for me and even claimed that all those rumors about the Eastern Palace were spread by me. They demanded that I kneel and apologize to them.
“I refused, so they shoved me around and tried to push me into the mud pond. Miss Zou failed to push me in and ended up falling in herself.”
【Kneel? Apologize?】
【They have some nerve.】
A cold light surged through Feng Che’s eyes. Looking at the fluffy head nestled against his chest, he regretted not taking better care of her today. He couldn’t believe he had allowed those bastards to bully her like this.
Everyone gasped upon hearing this, finding it hard to believe that these young ladies could be so bold.
Gao Zhi was the dignified Princess Consort of a prince. They had actually dared to lay hands on her?
“Gao Zhi, you’re lying! You were the one who kicked me into the mud pond.”
Zou Hao, covered in filth, looked toward Feng Che. Seeing Gao Zhi curled up in the man’s arms, bitterness surged through her so fiercely that she wished she could tear Gao Zhi’s skin off.
“Your Highness, you must believe me.”
Feng Che was about to order someone to drag that audacious woman away when the person in his arms lifted her head first.
The beauty’s normally cool and clear eyes were rimmed with red, and the tip of her nose had turned pink. Her pitiful appearance naturally swayed everyone’s sympathies, and Feng Che’s heart ached even more.
“Husband, do you believe her, or do you believe me?”
Gao Zhi leaned against his chest, tears clinging to her lashes before falling onto his trouser leg. Yet they felt as though they had landed directly on his heart, sending a tingling sensation through him.
Other than that time when he was about to leave for war, he had never seen Gao Zhi like this…
If she hadn’t given him a meaningful look while everyone was arguing, he truly would have thought she had suffered some terrible injustice and would have wanted to tear those women limb from limb.
【Since when has A-Zhi… become so delicate?】
【Little troublemaker.】
【Why doesn’t she ever call me Husband normally?】
【Why can’t I be the only one who gets to see her like this?】
【So annoying…】
【Can’t all these people just disappear?】
Gao Zhi was getting into her performance when she suddenly froze. She felt an arm wrap firmly around her lower back.
Without a word, the man draped his outer robe over her, the broad collar covering much of her face.
The male guests’ gazes toward the delicate beauty were blocked. For a moment, they all looked disappointed.
Everyone said Gao Zhi practiced with swords and weapons and was practically a tomboy.
But seeing her today, they found her delicate and captivating.
It seemed the rumors had been wrong.
Gao Zhi stared blankly. Feng Che’s lips were tightly pressed together as he wrapped her securely in his outer robe, covering even most of her face.
Feng Che seemed to have sensed the greedy gazes of those men, and his expression grew increasingly cold.
Even Gao Zhi could tell that he was particularly displeased.
So… Feng Che had a possessive side too…
“Prince Huai’an.”
Shen Zhong kept his eyes firmly away from the delicate woman lying in the man’s arms and stepped forward.
“Would you like to leave this matter to the Shen family to handle?”
Feng Che glanced at him. He felt the person in his arms move, then saw her eyes appear from beneath the oversized outer robe.
The beauty’s shimmering eyes were tinged red, like the softest, juiciest peach hanging from a high branch in summer, making one instinctively want to pluck it.
【She looks so delicate.】
【What will people think if they see her like this?】
Even though Shen Zhong wasn’t looking in their direction, Feng Che still covered the back of Gao Zhi’s head and pressed her against his chest.
Gao Zhi stumbled and once again found herself pressed against that chest as hard as an iron wall.
“?!”
Her heart skipped two beats.
Feng Rong saw the reactions of the two and, from beneath Feng Che’s arm, gave Gao Zhi a roguish look.
She was clearly teasing the newlywed couple for being sweet on each other.
Gao Zhi grabbed Feng Che’s clothes and tugged hard, expressing her displeasure.
The man’s Adam’s apple bobbed. Ignoring Shen Zhong’s question, he lowered his head to her ear.
His slightly hoarse voice carried warm breath.
“Be good. Stop fooling around.”
“Princess Consort, are you all right?”
After hearing what happened, Noble Consort Shen had calmed the remaining guests in the main hall and hurried over. Seeing Feng Che’s grim expression, she said,
“Prince Huai’an, please calm down. Why don’t we have the household physician examine the Princess Consort first and make sure she wasn’t injured?”
“Thank you for your concern, Noble Consort.”
Gao Zhi forcibly poked her head out from the man’s arms. Her sleeve brushed against the corner of her eye, leaving the skin slightly red. The young men whose view had just been blocked once again felt a pang of sympathy toward her.
“I’m fine. It’s my fault for ruining Old Master’s birthday celebration.”
“How could this be the Princess Consort’s fault?”
One of the young men spoke up for Gao Zhi, pointing toward the muddy Zou Hao.
“They were clearly bullying you.”
“You didn’t see anything.”
Zou Hao looked at Jiang Tou.
“Jiang Tou, you were standing right there just now. Tell them. Who made the first move?”
Everyone’s eyes turned toward Jiang Tou.