“Miss, what exactly happened between you and His Highness?” the maid Lianxiang asked anxiously.
Just now, Zhou Li’s expression had been completely off when he left. Even using common sense, it was obvious that her young mistress had angered His Highness again.
Nangong Yan’er shook her head, looking aggrieved. “I didn’t do anything.”
“He just said my tone toward him was bad…”
“But I’ve always spoken to him like that.”
Hearing this, Lianxiang forced a bitter smile. “Miss, times are different now. In the past, His Highness was pursuing you. Now the marriage was granted by His Majesty. You were carried into the Prince of Han’s Mansion in an eight-sedan bridal procession as his lawful wife. You cannot treat him the same way as before.”
To be honest, Nangong Yan’er and Lianxiang had grown up together. The young mistress had always treated her like a sister. And how well the Prince of Han treated her young mistress was something she had personally witnessed. Fangju had also received many benefits from His Highness because of this.
Lianxiang had genuinely been happy that her young mistress could marry the Prince of Han. But it seemed her young mistress could not distinguish between good and bad.
“Then how am I supposed to get along with him?” Nangong Yan’er fiddled with her fingers in embarrassment.
She had never approved of this marriage to begin with. It was Zhou Li who had personally petitioned His Majesty to grant the marriage.
Lianxiang sighed softly. “Miss, are you still thinking about that man?”
The moment Lianxiang finished speaking, spiritual energy burst violently from Nangong Yan’er’s body, sending Lianxiang flying straight out the door.
Lianxiang hurriedly knelt outside. “Miss, please calm down! Miss, please calm down!”
Nangong Yan’er raised her eyes and looked coldly at Lianxiang outside the door. “Lianxiang, you have become too talkative.”
“You should learn from Fangju in this regard.”
“If I hear you speak about Brother Yun again, it will not end so lightly.”
Lianxiang knelt with her head nearly touching the ground, her voice trembling. “Miss, this servant spoke out of turn. I will never dare to do so again.”
Nangong Yan’er took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in her heart. Her tone softened slightly. “Get up. Do not mention this matter again in the future.”
Lianxiang quickly stood up and reentered the room cautiously, lowering her head and not daring to breathe too loudly.
Nangong Yan’er leaned back against the chair. The image of Brother Yun surfaced in her mind again, and her heart felt sour.
I am married today, but the groom is not you.
…
Meanwhile, Zhou Li returned to his room, shut the door tightly, and threw himself onto the bed in a spread-eagle position.
“Damn it…”
“Other people transmigrate into overpowered protagonists. Why did I end up transmigrating into a simp cannon-fodder villain?”
He stood up and walked to the mirror, carefully examining this body.
“Hmm… quite handsome.”
“Original host, with looks like this, why were you being a simp?”
At that moment, however, the Zhou Li in the mirror suddenly revealed a smile.
Zhou Li was startled and stepped back.
The smile was strange and unfamiliar. It did not feel like his own. Just as he was feeling uncertain, the figure in the mirror transformed into a streak of golden light, shot out from the mirror, and drilled directly into Zhou Li’s forehead.
Zhou Li stood there in a daze for several seconds. Suddenly, his pupils flashed brightly.
“This is… the original host’s hidden method?”
Within that hidden memory, the original host had sealed part of his memories inside this mirror.
And by sheer luck, among the many side chambers in the Prince of Han’s Mansion, Zhou Li had chosen the one containing this mirror.
Originally, Zhou Li had assumed the original host was at most at the same level as Nangong Yan’er, in the Condensed Star Realm. Now it seemed he had severely underestimated him. The original host was actually at the 3rd level of the Yuan Gathering Realm.
Compared to Nangong Yan’er—no, it could be said he surpassed almost all geniuses of the same age at Dragon Martial Academy by more than an entire major realm.
This talent could only be described as monstrous.
In addition, the original host had nearly maxed out his skills in the four auxiliary arts—alchemy, artifact refinement, formations, and talismans.
“9th-grade alchemist, 9th-rank artifact refiner, 9-star formation master, 9th-tier talisman master…”
“Holy hell, original host, were you some supreme expert from a higher realm who was reborn?” Zhou Li muttered to the mirror.
He paced excitedly around the room. With the original host’s powerful hidden strength and skills, he finally had real confidence in surviving in this world.
Heh. Originally, I was thinking of avoiding the male lead whenever possible. Now things are different, buddy.
If you dare mess with me, I’ll beat the crap out of you.
But why did the original host seal his memories and pretend to be a simp?
With such talent and strength, why didn’t he show it?
Zhou Li thought and thought, but could not figure it out.
“Hmm…”
“Forget it. Being a prince who hides his strength and plays the pig to eat the tiger isn’t bad either.”
With that, Zhou Li lay down and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
…
The next morning, Zhou Li was still sound asleep when loud quarrels erupted outside the door.
“If you’re told to do something, then do it! Why so much nonsense?” one voice snapped.
“Why won’t you do it?” a maid retorted.
“Why? Because I am our Miss’s personal maid.”
“We are personal maids of our Prince as well!” another maid shot back irritably.
“Lianxiang, stop arguing,” Fangju interjected.
“No. Since we followed Miss into the Prince of Han’s Mansion, we must make these lowly people understand their place and ours.”
“Fangju, are you crazy? If the Prince of Han hears you, you’re finished.”
“What’s there to be afraid of? Even if the Prince of Han knows, won’t he still listen to Miss? At most, Miss will plead for me.”
“But…”
Before Lianxiang could finish, a loud bang echoed as the door of one room was kicked open, the wooden panel flying outward.
Immediately afterward, Zhou Li stormed out, filled with anger.
I just wanted to sleep peacefully. Why the hell are you all shouting nonstop?
Seeing that it was Zhou Li, everyone hurriedly bowed. “Good morning, Your Highness!”
Zhou Li said coldly, “What’s going on?”
The maids of the Prince of Han’s Mansion hesitated and dared not answer. They all knew how well their prince had treated the Princess Consort. It was uncertain whether he would support them.
Fangju glanced around and revealed a smug smile.
That expression did not escape Zhou Li’s notice. He walked straight toward her and asked icily, “What are you smiling about?”
“Ah… ah?” Fangju looked up at Zhou Li’s darkened face, feeling as if she could not breathe.
Before she could say anything, Zhou Li swung his arm and slapped her across the face.
With a loud smack, Fangju was sent sprawling to the ground.
“I asked you one question. What are you smiling about?”