Feng Jingyang straightened his clothes and looked at himself in the bronze mirror with satisfaction. He was dressed in a light purple brocade robe embroidered with golden clouds, and wore a gold hairpin crown on his head. He stood tall and straight, with handsome features.
"Do I look like someone going for a secret tryst?" he asked with a smile, a hint of mockery in it.
"Very much so, Your Highness," replied the gray - clothed man behind him, bowing.
"Are all the arrangements in place?" Feng Jingyang's eyes met the gray - clothed man's through the mirror.
The man said in a low voice, "Your Highness, rest assured. Miss Bai San and her maid have been drugged unconscious. The maid has been moved to Miss Su's wing. Now, only the unconscious Miss Bai San remains in the guest room."
"Are there no traces left in the room?"
"None. The Xiaoyao Incense given by Miss Er is truly excellent. It has a faint smell that's hard to detect, and within moments, everyone in the room fell unconscious."
Feng Jingyang stood up. "Good. Lead the way."
"However..." the gray - clothed man frowned.
Feng Jingyang lifted his chin. "What's the matter?"
The man thought for a moment and bowed again. "Forgive my overstepping, Your Highness, but I think this is just a feud between the Bai sisters. Why involve Your Highness? Why not just find a random man from outside?"
A smile played on Feng Jingyang's face. "This is the inner courtyard of the Marquis Mansion. The guards are always strict. If it weren't for our special status, we wouldn't be able to get in so easily. Where would a random man come from? If we really brought one in, wouldn't it just prove that the girl was wrongly accused?"
The man nodded. "Your Highness is right. But by doing this, won't Your Highness lose the support of the Gaochang Marquis Mansion?"
Feng Jingyang clearly didn't like to hear the words "Gaochang Marquis." He waved his hand impatiently.
"Do you think if I marry Zheng Yan, I'll get the support of that old fool? Hmph! When has he ever taken me seriously? I'm afraid in the future, I won't even be able to make my own decisions in the court and the harem!"
"We can deal with future troubles later. For now, the support of the Gaochang Marquis Mansion is beneficial to Your Highness," the man advised earnestly.
Feng Jingyang smiled faintly, not taking it seriously. "Of course I know. But Zheng Yan is a jealous woman. Her heart is completely set on me. Just watch. Even after this incident, Zheng Yan will still cry and insist on marrying me. This will also teach that old fool to behave in front of me. In this way, I can return the favor of the General's Mansion, take Bai Zheng as a concubine, and deflate that old fool's arrogance. It's a win - win - win situation. Why not do it?"
The gray - clothed man was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized. "Your Highness has far - reaching plans."
Feng Jingyang nodded. Then, as if remembering something, he asked, "Where's the jade orchid hairpin inlaid with purple beads?"
A maid stepped forward, holding the hairpin with both hands and presenting it.
Feng Jingyang took the hairpin, gave a cold smile, and strode out.
In the guest room of the Marquis Mansion, a faint fragrance filled the air. The heat from the charcoal fire made the air in the room seem distorted. Behind the gauze curtain on the bed, a human figure was faintly visible.
Feng Jingyang tiptoed forward and lifted the gauze curtain. He saw a woman lying on the bed, wearing only a white inner garment. Her head was buried in the soft bedding, and her long black hair hung behind her. There was only a small round bun on top of her head.
The woman was half - awake. Her body moved slightly from time to time, and a fair and delicate hand was exposed due to her movement, making people's imaginations run wild.
Feng Jingyang gently inserted the hairpin into the woman's bun. Hearing the approaching footsteps outside the door, he curled his lips into a smile.
"Did you really see with your own eyes that His Highness the Fourth Prince changed his clothes and then entered this guest room?" Zheng Yan asked as she walked in a hurry. Although it was still the cold spring season, there were fine beads of sweat on her forehead.
The maid being asked lowered her head and answered in a small voice, "Yes, Miss. I did see it."
"I specifically arranged a room for him. Why did he suddenly come here?" Zheng Yan frowned and quickened her pace.
"Maybe cousin just wanted to take a walk and relax?" Bai Di's voice became softer and softer. Seeing Zheng Yan's bad complexion, she finally fell silent and just observed Zheng Yan's expression subtly.
"Could it be that he's having a tryst with some slut here!" Zheng Yan snorted. She walked to the door, reached out and pushed it, but found that the door was locked from the inside.
Zheng Yan's anger flared up. She pushed the door more forcefully, shouting as she did so, "Feng Jingyang, come out! What dirty things are you doing in there? Come out right now!" When she couldn't push it open, she kicked the door a few times.
Bai Di hid the smile at the corner of her mouth and pretended to be at a loss. She tried to persuade Zheng Yan, "Miss Zheng, calm down. Maybe cousin has already left. This might be a misunderstanding! It must be that the maid saw wrongly."
"What misunderstanding!" Zheng Yan kicked the door again and shouted sharply, "Do they think the people of the Gaochang Marquis Mansion are blind? Doing such things in my Marquis Mansion in broad daylight!"
With a creak, the door of the next room opened.
Zheng Yan looked in that direction.
She saw Zhuling, the maid beside Bai Zheng, rubbing her still - aching temples. She walked out of the room half - squinting her eyes and mumbled at them, "Who's making all this noise?"
"Why are you here? Where's Bai Zheng!" A bad feeling suddenly welled up in Zheng Yan's heart.
Zhuling came to her senses. Looking around, she found that she was actually outside the guest room.
She remembered the situation before she fainted, then looked at the tightly - closed guest room door. Her heart sank. She rushed to the door and started pounding on it.
"Miss! Are you in there, Miss!"
Zheng Yan's head buzzed.
Previously, the maid only said that she saw Feng Jingyang enter the guest room, but didn't mention that there was any woman inside. Although Zheng Yan had been scolding him for having a tryst with a slut, deep down, she didn't think Feng Jingyang would actually do such a thing in the Marquis Mansion.
But now...
"What are you saying? Zheng'er is in there? Don't talk nonsense! If Zheng'er is in there, why are you outside?" Bai Di had been keeping an eye on Zheng Yan. Seeing Zheng Yan standing there stunned as if struck by lightning, she stepped forward and questioned Zhuling.
Zhuling was only worried about Bai Zheng, who was in the guest room before she fainted. She hadn't heard what Zheng Yan had been shouting before. Now she only thought that Bai Zheng was in danger. She said anxiously, "I don't know either, Miss. I was helping Miss change her clothes properly when suddenly I fainted..."
"Fainted? So, you don't know about their affair either?" Bai Di said, glancing at Zheng Yan.
"Hahaha..." Zheng Yan suddenly burst into laughter. After laughing, she said in a deep voice, "Slut! She dares to publicly seduce my man in my Marquis Mansion. Does she really think there's no one in my Marquis Mansion to stop her!"