Chapter 79 – She is the princess consort, so she’s the master

Very quickly, Hong Yi came.

When she saw Zi Yi kneeling on the floor, and she saw the cold air given off by her family’s master, without being told, she could guess what had happened. She originally thought that Zi Yi was too proud and arrogant. She was also disdainful of coming to wait upon Chu Qing-Yan, at least she would still scrupulously play her part. But she never expected that she would go this overboard!

“Greeting his Highness and Ninth Miss Chu.” Hong Yi paid her respects to the two people without batting an eyelid.

Xiao Xu used a stern face to look towards Hong Yi. “This king has always been reassured by the way you manage things, but seeing how badly Zi Yi treats Qing-Yan, and you actually weren’t aware? Recently, are you too busy managing the back courtyard that you were negligent?”

Hong Yi’s complexion changed, her dignified, calm expression immediately faded and she hurriedly knelt down. “Master, it is Hong Yi’s negligence, asking that master punish this servant.”

Xiao Xu didn’t ease up on his coldness just because of Hong Yi’s words. “If you feel that there are too many matters to manage in the back courtyard, having more work than you can deal with, then this king can send someone to assist you.”

These words successfully made Hong Yi’s face pale. His Highness’s meaning was to divide her power?

However, very quickly Hong Yi’s complexion was restored to her usual demeanor, as if the person who was at a loss just now was not her. She respectfully bent down and lowered her head to say. “All will be done as Master has instructed. ”

Chu Qing-Yan leaned on the wall by the bed, having watched this on the side all along. When she saw the steadfast Hong Yi bend over, she felt that this matter at this point was enough. As a result, she pulled on the sleeve of the person beside her.

Xiao Xu was just about to speak when he felt someone gently tugging on his sleeve, he looked down and saw a pair of big, round eyes looking at him.

“Your Highness, it has nothing to do with Hong Yi, don’t be angry anymore. It wasn’t that big of a deal, perhaps Zi Yi only likes to play and slacked off, so don’t be angry anymore, ok?” Chu Qing-Yan said reasonably.

Maybe it was because she had recently gotten used to getting along with Xiao Xu that she wasn’t afraid of the strong aura his body emitted anymore. And when he faced Chu Qing-Yan, Xiao Xu would also take the initiative to withdraw his alienating coldness, to the extent that at this moment, Chu Qing-Yan disregarded Hong Yi and Zi Yi’s dumbstruck expressions, becoming familiarly intimate with him.

With regards to Chu Qing-Yan’s words, Xiao Xu was not at all approving. In his eyes, Chu Qing-Yan was still a child and couldn’t see the meaning inside. If it wasn’t for Hong Yi’s unconcern and indulgence, Zi Yi also wouldn’t dare be impudent to this degree. Since she lived in the center-most core of the courtyard, how could any movement by the servant bypass her eyes? Moreover, just now seeing Zi Yi’s manner, it may be assumed that this kind of matter has not only happened once or twice.

However, when he thought about it carefully, he still went along with her words. He turned around and ordered the two people still kneeling on the ground. “Hong Yi, take Zi Yi out and properly train her, if this temperament of hers can’t be changed, then in the future you don’t need to let her out again.”

Zi Yi heard this and her body trembled, she was about to lift her hands to beg Prince Ying for forgiveness, but was stopped by Hong Yi with a look.

“This servant understands.” Hong Yi bowed and accepted the order.

Xiao Xu’s eyes swept across them before suddenly saying in a low tone. “Although Qing-Yan is still young, she is Princess Ying, not only in name but also in reality, the master of the back court. If this prince find out the offense of servants bullying the master matter still occurs in the future, severe punishment will definitely befall them! These words, must be passed down word for word!”

Hong Yi’s whole body shook, she raised her head to look in Chu Qing-Yan’s direction with disbelief, but very quickly, she lowered her head to softly reply. “Hong Yi will restrain the servants properly, Your Highness, please feel reassured.”

“Withdraw then!” Xiao Xu said indifferently.

Hong Yi bowed again while pulling Zi Yi who was unwilling and unreconciled out.

Hong Yi had always been the popular person in the back courtyard. Since Prince Ying’s parents both lived in the imperial palace, and there were no womenfolk inside the prince’s manor, she had naturally become the person in charge of the back courtyard. Before, Xiao Xu had always left her some face, but who would’ve thought His Highness would deal with her just because of Chu Qing-Yan who hadn’t been in the manor for long.

Not only was Hong Yi caught unprepared, even all the servants in the manor felt it was inconceivable.

Moreover, ever since Chu Qing-Yan entered the manor, their family’s Highness had never introduced Chu Qing-Yan’s identity clearly. That was to say he didn’t make definite her status in the manor. It was also for this reason that all the servants were able to drill into the loophole. Because their family’s Highness didn’t seem to care for this marriage, they would often make her life difficult. Now with this order by His Highness, everyone’s livers and hearts immediately shivered, and they begin to examine whether their usual behavior had offended this little consort.

There were also some servants standing and watching by the side. From analyzing the meaning in this order, they knew that in the future, in the prince’s manor the person who holds the highest position was still His Highness. And Chu Qing-Yan had already vaulted to second place. Although the little consort’s age was still young, the trusted aides by the prince’s side were all astute. Therefore, in the future, when they saw the little consort, they could only be respectful.

Chu Qing-Yan didn’t know that from this day forward, she had already become someone that could not be touched in the manor.

Even the position of Xi Ning who was by her side rose along with the tide, and people who wanted to curry favor advanced in waves.

After Hong Yi and Zi Yi left, Chu Qing-Yan kept staring at the person beside her without budging.

Xiao Xu was a strict person who wouldn’t tolerate servants not abiding by the rules, so Zi Yi being punished was not outside of Chu Qing-Yan’s expectations.

However, she hadn’t expected that there were suspicions that Hong Yi had deliberately let this go on. Still, it wasn’t worth Xiao Xu offending this popular, conscientious person-in-charge of prince’s manor for many years on her behalf! She couldn’t help but be somewhat surprised.

Xiao Xu tilted his head and encountered her puzzled expression and he immediately knew what she was thinking. He stretched his hand and caressed her jet-black graceful hair. His tone was not the righteous, cold one that he used for Zi Yi and Hong Yi as he faintly said. “This is called establishing your power.”

“Establishing power?” Chu Qing-Yan for a second couldn’t think and blurted this out in a question.

Xiao Xu said. “You’re young, your foundation is shallow, your family’s properties aren’t much, your personality is soft and you’re also stupid…”

Eh, a large X appeared above Chu Qing-Yan’s forehead, was she really as bad as he said? Although some were true, after all her age and family background were displayed there. However was it necessary for him to say it so bluntly?

Xiao Xu didn’t know the unspoken dissatisfaction in Chu Qing-Yan’s heart, he continued saying. “Therefore the servants would be respectful in front of you but speak ill of you behind your back. If you want people to respect you, you must have the ability to make people respect you. Sadly, you don’t have any of these.”

Eh, It really seems like this. Chu Qing-Yan couldn’t help but lower her head to look at her fingers. “I can’t do anything about objective factors!”

If she wasn’t occupying this small body, if her parents weren’t currently under Chu family’s control, based on her temperament from previous life, she certainly wouldn’t let herself suffer any hardship. But the her right now could only suffer in silence, not for herself, but to protect the people she cared about. So, it wasn’t that she was weak, rather the situation required her to endure it silently.

Endurance, was an art and also a form of protection.

This was her essential camouflage currently.

Hearing Chu Qing-Yan’s disappointed tone, Xiao Xu’s mouth hooked up slightly. “However, there’s still a way to remedy it.”

“What?” Chu Qing-Yan’s interest was now stirred by him, so she couldn’t help but curiously widen her eyes.

“A formidable pillar to rely on.”

A formidable pillar, to rely on?

Xiao Xu lowered his head to make eye-level contact with her. His eyes were bright like an ocean of stars, and his tone was low and pleasant to the ear.

“That’s right, this king, is your pillar to rely on!”

“As long as this king acknowledges it, you are Princess Ying.”

“You are the princess consort, the master, so who would dare bully you?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep