Chapter 75: Beauty as a Calamity

Feihong was just about to take action when Zhong Yun hurriedly said, "Wait! Wait!"

She caught her breath, her tone humble yet firm, "If Your Highness is determined that I did something and wants to punish me, then at least you must produce evidence. How, how can you just act so casually? I am still a woman!"

Xiao Youlan acted as if he hadn't heard, merely commanding word by word, "Slap her mouth."

Zhong Yun was stunned and turned to flee, but was grabbed by Feihong.

The slap that the Crown Prince had ordered was, in the end, delivered solidly.

Feihong had actually held back his strength, but he was a man after all; after two consecutive slaps, Zhong Yun was still in intense pain, her head spinning and throbbing.

"Slapping her mouth is merely to let her vent her anger."

Xiao Youlan spoke slowly at this moment.

Zhong Yun's mind was barely clear; her cheeks were pitifully red and swollen, and with tears in her eyes, she looked over pitifully.

"The riding attire I prepared personally would never have such a problem. Looking across the entire Eastern Palace, only you would take such action," Xiao Youlan said coldly. "As for the evidence, I will naturally have people find it. Once it is all found and presented to the Emperor, you will never be able to step foot into the Eastern Palace again."

Zhong Yun was suddenly struck dumb, "Yo, Your Highness... I... I..."

"Feihong, take her away and confine her."

Xiao Youlan was crisp and decisive as he issued the order.

"Yes!"

"Your Highness... Brother Youlan! I only wanted to scare her! I didn't mean to, don't drive me away! I just like you, I... what did I do wrong..."

Zhong Yun was dragged away, her crying voice extremely mournful.

But before she could finish, Feihong tactfully covered her mouth.

Nan Xueyin sat in the room, lowering her eyes to look at her own arms; her special constitution combined with the Ointment Xiao Youlan had applied for her meant her injuries had finally healed completely.

Xiao Youlan returned to the room, lowered his head, and carefully looked over her wounds, "They are better."

Nan Xueyin stared at him for a while.

"What is it?" Xiao Youlan noticed her gaze and lifted his eyelids, "Those two slaps, not enough to vent your anger?"

Nan Xueyin shook her head.

Whether it vented her anger or not was hard to say, but aside from her parents, it seemed she hadn't had anyone to back her up for a long time.

Xiao Youlan smiled and took hold of her wrist, "Get up."

Nan Xueyin asked, "Do what?"

"Wash off these bloodstains and Ointment on your arms."

Nan Xueyin did not resist.

Xiao Youlan led her to the washbasin stand, where there was still water in the basin.

He rolled up his sleeves, then rolled up her cuffs, scooped up water with his palms to pour over her arms, and washed away all the bloodstains and Ointment.

Finally, he took a cloth and wiped dry the remaining moisture on her skin.

"Your Highness, the clothes have arrived."

Linglang reported from outside the door, trembling with fear.

Xiao Youlan finished wiping her arms, put down the cloth, and signaled, "Bring them in."

"Yes."

Linglang held the new clothes and entered with her head bowed.

Nan Xueyin caught a glimpse; both of her hands were shaking.

It stood to reason that Linglang had heard about the issue with the riding attire earlier; after all, she was the one who delivered the clothes yesterday. With such a big incident occurring, perhaps the Crown Prince would blame her, and she was terrified to death.

"Put them down and go out."

Xiao Youlan said calmly.

Linglang gathered her courage to steal a glance at him, saw no sign of anger, let out a slight sigh of relief, replied "Yes," placed the clothes on the table, and turned to walk out quickly.

Perhaps it was a flash of inspiration, but she even closed the door on her way out.

Nan Xueyin looked at the tightly closed door and couldn't help but frown.

Xiao Youlan, however, let out a laugh.

Nan Xueyin looked sideways at him and asked, "Are there thorns in the clothes this time?"

Xiao Youlan was flipping through the riding attire, checking it carefully from top to bottom, inside and out, and replied, "Everything is secure."

"Then you can go out too."

Xiao Youlan asked instead, "If I go out, who will serve you while you change?"

Nan Xueyin said coldly, "I have hands and feet; I can change myself. Get out."

Xiao Youlan gave an 'en' sound, "But what about Wu Zhui?"

Nan Xueyin paused.

"This is also to ensure your safety." Xiao Youlan's voice was low, sounding as if he were coaxing her.

Nan Xueyin gave a cold laugh.

With Wu Zhui brought up, what else could she refuse?

Xiao Youlan moved gently and slowly, helping her change into clean and neat new clothes.

The Ye Dynasty had an open social atmosphere, and it was common for women in both noble and commoner families to wear men's clothing, which gradually became a fashion in the imperial court and among the people; thus, riding attire specifically for women was also derived.

Today, Nan Xueyin was wearing a brand-new set of riding attire: a small lapel, front-opening robe with narrow sleeves in a dark red color, paired with a pair of black pointed boots.

In the past, when she needed to kill or act as a Guard, she basically wore riding attire. She had only been forced to change into women's dresses to impersonate Doukou for a mission. Although she wouldn't show any abnormality on a daily basis, she had indeed always felt very uncomfortable, and only today did she finally feel a bit more at ease.

"This suits you very well." Xiao Youlan's gaze rested on Nan Xueyin for a long time.

Nan Xueyin didn't reply.

She only thought, you are face-blind, what could you possibly tell about what suits someone or not.

"When you were by Prince Duan's side in the past, was this often your attire as well?" Xiao Youlan asked suddenly.

"Mm." Nan Xueyin did not deny it.

"At that time, what kind of hairstyle did you wear?" Xiao Youlan asked again.

"No hairstyle; as long as it was tied up so it wouldn't come loose, that was enough."

Xiao Youlan nodded, walked behind her, gathered all her hair, and picked out a red hair ribbon to tie it.

"Like this?"

"It is like this."

Xiao Youlan was then satisfied, patted her head, and said, "Then let's go."

Between punishing Zhong Yun and changing clothes, they had already wasted too much time.

Having missed the scheduled time to go to the military camp, many other arrangements would change because of this, and many people would also harbor resentment.

Nan Xueyin had served others before and knew this was very troublesome.

However, Xiao Youlan did not seem to care at all; unhurriedly, he led Nan Xueyin to take the carriage.

The interior of the carriage was lined with soft cushions and built from top-quality materials, so it did not feel stuffy even after traveling for a long time.

Swaying and rocking, they were about to arrive at the military camp outside the city.

The soldiers outside the camp had been waiting for a long time; because they were to meet His Highness the Crown Prince, they were all neatly wearing their armor.

It was already summer, and it was the afternoon; the weather was hot and dry, and everyone was sweating profusely all over their faces and bodies. Having not seen anyone arrive for a long time, yet unable to return to rest as they pleased, they held anger in their hearts with nowhere to vent, and could not help but discuss it heatedly.

"I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince is late this time because of a woman."

"Hiss, a femme fatale!"

"In the past, His Highness the Crown Prince was so diligent and never once arrived late! What kind of mischief is this woman up to?"

"I heard she was injured and wanted His Highness the Crown Prince to vent her anger! For her sake, His Highness the Crown Prince locked down the entire Eastern Palace just to find the real culprit."

"To be injured so easily, she must be nothing more than a weak woman. What is His Highness the Crown Prince thinking, actually bringing her to our military camp?"