The Seventh Chapter: The Woman in the Snake Skin Coat

  Early in the morning, after the rain, the leaves were filled with dew drops, dripping onto the soil, and a faint scent of mud wafted through the air.

  Ye Yuxuan returned last night and didn't wake up Xiaoyu, letting Xiaoyu sleep on the bed while she herself dozed off at the desk until now.

  The morning wind was a bit cool, and she felt the chill. She let out a big sneeze and opened her eyes. She stretched her waist, patted her slightly painful head, and sneezed several times in a row.

  The little fish on the bed turned over and woke up, seeing himself lying on his master's bed, but his master was sitting at the desk sneezing. He quickly got out of bed and went forward: "Master, Master, why aren't you sleeping in bed?"

  "I came back too late last night and saw that you were too tired, so I didn't call you." Ye Yusan stood up and stretched her waist, after all, she was a martial artist, and her body wasn't that delicate, let alone the days she spent in the Prime Minister's mansion which weren't much better than those of the servants.

  Walking to the door, looking at the courtyard washed by the rain, taking a deep breath, the refreshing air from the mud entered her nostrils, making her whole person feel much lighter.

  "Master, I'll help you with your toilette," said the little fish and then retreated.

  After a good sleep, Ye Yusan felt that her brain was much more useful. After carefully sorting out what she saw last night, she was very certain that there was a huge secret hidden in the Hualing Palace, and the concern of the scar-faced woman for Nanmu Yu was really too unusual, that woman must not be an ordinary servant.

  "Master, master, something's wrong, something's wrong......" Just then, the little fish hurriedly ran back from outside the courtyard.

  "What's wrong?" Ye Yusan furrowed her brow and looked at Xiaoyu in confusion.

  The little fish wiped the sweat from his forehead, pointed to the gate of the courtyard with one hand, opened his mouth, and the words got stuck in his throat: "The...the prince brought that...that woman into the palace. The latest chapter of Cold King's Bewitching Queen."

  "Which woman?" Ye Yusan didn't understand for a moment.

  The little fish swallowed hard, trying to calm down her emotions, and after taking a deep breath, she spoke up: "Master, the Crown Prince has brought that woman named Xiao Ruoluan into the palace."

  Hehe......

  Ye Yuxuan smiled indifferently and glanced at Xiaoyu before walking into the pavilion.

  "Master, Master you..." Little fish followed in confusion, what woman wouldn't mind her husband marrying another woman?

  Ye Yuxuan lazily found a place to sit down and admired the scenery after the rain. The residual flowers nearby were piled up with raindrops, and when the clear wind blew, the crystal dew dropped onto the leaves, shaking and sparkling.

  "Master, at this time, only you still have such a hobby." Xiaoyu muttered in her mouth, looking at the master with dissatisfaction.

  Ye Yuxuan glanced at the little fish, and the little fish didn't dare to say more, honestly bowed its head and retreated from the yard. Fortunately, it calmed down, and she continued to appreciate the morning scene after the rain without being disappointed. Suddenly, she had an impulse to plant roses all over the yard.

  She closed her eyes, and the scene of roses filling the entire courtyard after a rain appeared in her mind. The flowers swayed gently in the wind, and the air was filled with the fragrance of roses. She took several deep breaths, savoring the moment.

  Unfortunately, such a fantasy can only float in her mind for the time being, and her elegant interest soon came to an end due to the appearance of two other breaths in the air. Suddenly opening her eyes, Nanmu Yu and a young woman were already standing in the pavilion, standing in front of her.

  "Seeing that Your Highness is not paying respects, the women of the Ye family truly have no manners!" Nan Mu Yu's face was full of displeasure as he scolded, his arm still wrapped around Xiao Ruo Lian's waist.

  Ye Yuzhan inadvertently lowered her head, and her gaze fell on the big hand at Xiao Ruolong's waist. After a brief stay, she moved her line of sight to Xiao Ruolong's face again.

  This is Zhang Qingxiu's face, with willow eyebrows and small eyes, black pupils like ink, making those small eyes more spiritual. The bridge of her nose is slightly hooked, cherry red lips, weak and fragile appearance, just like the described Lin Daiyu, pitifully making people can't help but feel heartache.

  Alas...

  Many men like this type, Ye Yusan thought to herself, thinking of her own casual appearance, a self-deprecating smile floated onto her face.

  "What are you laughing at?" Nan Mu's eyes were filled with hostility, worried that Xiao Ruoluan would be hurt, and he held her even tighter.

  Before Ye Yushuang could speak, the Xiang Ruoluan who looked like Lin Daiyu turned around from Nanmu Yu's arms and looked at Ye Yushuang. Her face was as beautiful as a peach blossom, her voice was as gentle as water, she slightly bowed: "Ruoluan greets the Crown Princess!"

  Hehe......

  Ye Yuxuan smiled again, a sarcastic smile. From top to bottom, she measured Xiao Ruoleng, and finally fixed her gaze on Xiao Ruoleng's eyes. These eyes seemed clear, but the bottom of the eye floated with a gloomy light, as if hiding something?

  "Didn't you hear Yilian wishing you peace?" Nanmu Yu glared at Ye Yuzhan, if it wasn't for Yilian's persistence, he wouldn't have come over to bother this woman so early.

  "Get up!" Ye Yuxuan lazily raised her hand, and her gaze shifted to Nanmu Yu's body. She tilted her head and asked in a bland tone: "Does the prince have anything else? If not, please don't disturb my pleasure of admiring flowers."

  "Admiring the flowers?" Nan Mu's tone was sarcastic, sweeping a glance at the withered flowers in the courtyard. He snorted coldly and continued, "Hmph... these flowers are quite suitable for the Crown Prince's consort to appreciate. You may continue, Ruo Lian. Go take a look at the Ruo Courtyard that I've prepared for you."

  "Hmm!" Xiao Ruo Lian softly responded, and then looked at Ye Yu Shan with a fearful expression.

  Seeing the fear in her eyes, Nan Mu couldn't help but pull Ye Yusan into his arms again, giving her a warning glance. Holding his beloved tightly, they walked out of the pavilion, chatting and laughing as they headed towards Lianyuan.

  Ye Yuxuan stood with her hands behind her back, watching the two figures disappear into the distance. A faint smile played on her lips as she muttered to herself: "Southern Mu Yu, what kind of person is he? He had to go and get himself entangled with a woman wrapped in snakes and scorpions, now the palace will be lively indeed."

  ……

  Three days later, at dusk when the sunset was all over the sky, Jinxiu Garden was already full of roses, with green leaves climbing up the walls. Compared to the courtyard that was full of withered flowers and willows a few days ago, it was like heaven and earth apart.

  Looking at the flowers and grass in the garden, Ye Yuxuan's face showed a satisfied smile. She had not left this courtyard for three days, just to create this beautiful rose garden. Living comfortably, her mood also improved, who knows how long she would stay here before it would be over?

  "Master, these flowers are really beautiful." Little fish carried the steaming hot dishes into the pavilion, seeing her master happy made her happy.

  "That's right, I'm afraid that in this palace, only my place can see these roses." Ye Yusan said with a smile, these flowers were brought from the mountains outside the city at great expense, and the people here didn't even know what these thorny flowers were.

  "Roses! So these thorny flowers are called roses, I've never seen them before even in the Marquis's residence, where did Master get them from?" Xiaoyu thought that if only these beautiful flowers didn't have thorns, they would be perfect.

  "In the mountains of the suburbs, it's precisely because these flowers have thorns that they can bloom so beautifully without being picked by people." Yeyu Shan said as she sat down and picked up her chopsticks to take a bite of meat, but her gaze didn't leave the flowers around her.

  "That's right!" The little fish nodded in agreement, suddenly thought of something, and mischievously leaned over: "Master, this flower really looks like you."

  Ye Yuxuan smiled, this metaphor is not wrong. She herself was a rose, and those who didn't have the guts to get close would end up with scars all over. But when would someone with guts appear?

  "Hehe...... Xiao Yu is right this time!" Seeing his master smile, Xiao Yu felt pleased with himself.

  The master and servant were talking, when the third son quickly entered the courtyard. Seeing the courtyard full of flowers, his face showed surprise, and he was curious about these beautiful but nameless flowers. As he approached, he pointed at a peony, stretched out his hand to pick one, and in his haste, his hand was pricked by the thorns on the stem.

  "Ah......" he cried out in surprise and immediately withdrew his hand.

  Xiao Sanzi's voice interrupted the conversation between the master and servant, and they all looked over. Seeing that it was Xiao Sanzi who had arrived, Ye Yushan put down her bowl and quickly walked out of the pavilion to stand beside him.

  "Xiao Linzi greets the Crown Princess!" Xiao Linzi bowed, feeling a bit embarrassed and shrinking his hands due to his earlier loss of composure.

  Yeyu Xiang glanced at Xiaosan's pierced finger, instructing Xiaoyu to fetch medicine powder for her father-in-law, but was stopped by Xiaosan: "No need, Your Ladyship, Ye Gongzi has come to see you and is currently serving tea in the front hall. I came to inform you."

  "Oh..." Ye Yusan wasn't surprised, only startled, and unintentionally glanced at Xiaoyu, seeing the fear that hadn't been well-hidden in his eyes. She took two steps forward to block Xiaoyu's line of sight, so he wouldn't be seen by Sanzi.

  Xiao Sanzi finished speaking, stretched her neck and looked seriously at the thorns on the flower branch, then looked at the thick and gorgeous petals and asked: "Your Majesty, these thorny flowers are really beautiful, I have never seen them in the palace before."

  "These are wild flowers that I had the people from the lower palace go to the outskirts of the city and mountains to dig up, if you like them, Your Highness, I can have someone send some over. However, for now, please lead the way for me." Ye Yushuang smiled, but her heart was already suspended in mid-air, that feeling of unease giving her a sense of foreboding.

  "Yes, yes, yes! Look at my memory, please come this way, Your Highness!" One sentence brought Xiao Sanzi's line of sight back, and he realized that he had almost missed the main event. He quickly walked to the front to lead the way for the Crown Princess.

  Ye Yuxuan glanced back at Xiaoyu, who was biting her lip and lowering her head in a fluster. Seeing this, Ye Yuxuan's expression turned worried as she followed Sanzi into the Junzi Assembly Hall. The Crown Prince is a wolf.

  ———————————————————————————————