Another young girl let out a soft exclamation. "Hey, this looks like a man's hair ribbon. Mingzhu, why do you have something like this on you? You..."
Shu Mingzhu took back the hair ribbon shyly and gave her a coquettish look. "Stop... talking nonsense..."
The young girls started to tease her. "Mingzhu, why are you blushing? Your father is Lord Shu and your aunt is the Princess of Liang. Are you still afraid the young man you fancy will slip away?"
"Come on. He even gave you his personal hair ribbon. It seems the good news is just around the corner. Sister Mingzhu, tell us quickly. Which young master is it?"
A young woman beside them curiously examined the hair ribbon and blurted out, "Hey, I seem to have seen this hair ribbon before. Isn't this the item of the Crown Prince? The Crown Prince always likes to wear this hair ribbon in his daily clothes."
Many people who entered the palace today had titles. For a moment, everyone was confused as to which Crown Prince this young girl was referring to.
Then someone else said, "The embroidery on it seems to be the work of Miss Gu."
All eyes turned to Gu Liyue.
Lu Yunxi was taken aback. She grabbed Gu Liyue and asked, "Is this yours? Is it Lu Jinchen's?"
Gu Liyue calmly stood up and walked in front of Shu Mingzhu. "Yes, it was a gift I gave to the Crown Prince. I didn't expect you to pick it up. Please return it to me."
Shu Mingzhu instinctively hid her hand behind her back and turned her face away. "He gave it to me."
As soon as she said this, everyone gasped.
Nearby, by the flower bed, several royal ladies were chatting. Hearing the commotion here, they all came over.
Seeing this, the Princess of Liang could only sigh helplessly. She walked up to Gu Liyue, took her hand, and comforted her. "Liyue, this kind of thing is quite embarrassing to talk about. But men are all the same. Jinchen is the Crown Prince and will inherit the throne in the future. He can't just be with one woman, right? Actually, in my heart, I've already recognized you as my daughter - in - law. You're a daughter of the Gu family. No matter who else it is, they can't surpass you..."
Although this was not said explicitly, everyone present was smart enough to understand. It meant that Lu Jinchen and Shu Mingzhu had an affair, and the Princess of Liang was here to support her niece.
Lu Yunxi snorted and rolled her eyes. "What the Princess of Liang said is really ridiculous. You're not Jinchen's biological mother. Your daughter - in - law is a daughter of the Qi family. What does it have to do with Liyue?"
The Princess of Liang was taken aback. The smile on her face almost cracked, but this was Lu Yunxi. Even though she was just a princess - county, she lived more gloriously than a real princess. The Princess of Liang couldn't afford to offend her.
Gu Liyue calmly withdrew her hand. Without looking at the Princess of Liang, she only looked at Shu Mingzhu and asked, "You still won't return the thing I embroidered?"
Shu Mingzhu quickly shrank behind the Princess of Liang and called out coquettishly, "Auntie..."
The Princess of Liang smiled again. "You child. I've made myself so clear. Jinchen and Mingzhu have lived under the same roof for so long, and he even gave the hair ribbon you gave him to Mingzhu. Don't you understand?"
Gu Liyue lowered her eyes. "What do I need to understand? The family motto of the Gu family is to be with one person for a lifetime. In the eleven generations of the Gu family, none of the young masters has ever taken a concubine."
The Princess of Liang raised her eyebrows. "But that's the Gu family. A woman should follow her husband after marriage. Being jealous is a big taboo. It's just a concubine. Liyue, there's no need to make such a scene before you even get married, right?"
This was a blatant threat. If Gu Liyue didn't agree, she would be seen as jealous. If this engagement changed, it would be her fault.
But if she agreed, Shu Mingzhu would completely become Lu Jinchen's concubine - after all, the future mistress had given her consent.
Gu Liyue sneered. "I don't agree."
The Princess of Liang was not surprised. She just let out a long sigh. "Fine, fine. Your Gu family has always been so overbearing. Even though Jinchen is the Crown Prince of the palace and the emperor's favorite nephew, your Gu family still shows no mercy..."
Gu Liyue looked at her in confusion. "Your Highness, you can't talk nonsense. Your palace is arranging a concubine for him before I even get married. Is that reasonable? If I don't agree, it's the fault of the Gu family? I think I can argue this even in front of the emperor. Also, my matter has nothing to do with my family. Your Highness, are you trying to put the hat of disrespecting the royal family on the Gu family?"
The Princess of Liang was taken aback. She knew Gu Liyue was smart, but she thought she was just an innocent girl protected well by the Gu family. She didn't expect her to be so sharp - tongued today.
Seeing her aunt at a disadvantage, Shu Mingzhu quickly stepped forward to support her aunt. Frowning, she looked at Gu Liyue and said, "Sister, what do you mean? Originally, my aunt was just saying it casually. But when you say it like this, it seems like my aunt did it on purpose."
But Gu Liyue didn't seem to want to pay attention to her.
Lu Yunxi laughed again. "Hehe, you two, aunt and niece, are really shameless. You've said all the words. Can't others even argue? What, just because you, Shu Mingzhu, are so thick - skinned, you can ignore right and wrong? Sister? You're two years older than Liyue, and you call her sister. Haha, you're making me laugh so hard. Being submissive is not like this!"
Shu Mingzhu stared at her with wide eyes. "You... you..."
Lu Yunxi rolled her eyes. "You what? Stuttering? It's really funny. Which noble girl would be so eager to be a concubine? You just can't be put on the table."
Shu Mingzhu was so angry that her chest heaved. With a flushed face, she looked at Gu Liyue with tears in her eyes. "Cousin Jinchen told me that he doesn't like you and wants to break off the engagement. I was still thinking about you and told him not to ruin your reputation. I don't even ask for the title of the main wife. I'm willing to be a concubine and serve you. But I didn't expect you to..."
Before she could finish, Gu Liyue slapped her.
Caught off guard, Shu Mingzhu's cheek immediately swelled up. She looked at Gu Liyue in disbelief. "You hit me?"
Gu Liyue just sneered. "Let me ask you. Is the engagement between Lu Jinchen and me arranged by the emperor? Since Lu Jinchen is the Crown Prince of the Liang Palace, I will be the Crown Princess, right?"
Shu Mingzhu was forced to take several steps back. "Yes..."
Gu Liyue continued, "Since I'm going to be the Crown Princess in the future, even if he wants to take a concubine, I have the right to choose one for my husband! And you, Shu Mingzhu, are so arrogant even before you get married. If you enter the house in the future, won't you even overpower me, the Crown Princess? It's a big taboo for a man to dote on his concubine and neglect his wife, which will bring chaos to the family. How can we take in a trouble - making girl? If you want to marry Lu Jinchen, it's only possible if Lu Jinchen and I break off our relationship completely!"
The Princess of Liang supported Shu Mingzhu. The venom in her eyes could no longer be hidden. "Gu Liyue, you're so bold! Aren't you just relying on the fact that Jinchen is not at home? I tell you, if you're not happy, just go and plead with the emperor to break off the engagement."
Gu Liyue looked at her contemptuously. "It was Lu Jinchen who asked the emperor for this engagement. If the engagement is to be broken off, it should be Lu Jinchen who pleads with the emperor, not me! Princess of Liang, while Lu Jinchen is not in the capital, you're forcing me to break off the engagement or take a concubine for him. What's your intention?"