Chapter 208: Bearing a Bad Reputation

"Crown Prince!" Ye Qingran stared as Ye Huanhuan charged at her, her face drained of color, looking at Dongfang Qingxuan's eyes full of panic and fear, truly pitiful.

Dongfang Qingxuan instantly felt a surge of protectiveness, stepping in front of Ye Qingran without a second thought.

"Ye Huanhuan, enough!"

Blocked Ye Huanhuan showed an incredulous expression, "Qingxuan brother, you're helping her?! Don't be fooled by this lowly woman, she's a fox spirit, she doesn't like you at all! She's deliberately trying to ruin our relationship!"

Ye Huanhuan pointed at Ye Qingran and hurled vicious insults, her voice sharp and unpleasant.

Used to seeing her usually dignified and graceful side, suddenly witnessing her vicious and coarse side startled Dongfang Qingxuan.

His carefully chosen crown princess, how could she become so unbearable to behold?

"Ye Huanhuan, shut up!"

"No, I won't! Ye Qingran, you fox spirit, your mother snatched my father from my mother's hands, I won't let you take the crown prince from me!"

Ye Yu, whom Yun Sui Feng had snatched from Zhao Shi's hands?

Ye Qingran raised her eyebrows slightly, quite surprised.

How could such a formidable woman as her mother have been blind back then?

Could there be some secret she doesn't know about in between?

Ye Qingran couldn't figure it out.

Actually, she had investigated before, but only Zhao Shi and Ye Yu knew the full story.

"Crown Prince, I didn't expect that upon arriving by invitation I'd be misunderstood by Huanhuan to this extent, I might as well leave…" Ye Qingran's face flushed, making Dongfang Qingxuan feel a slight tightness in his chest while his anger toward Ye Huanhuan for ruining his plans grew stronger.

Originally today could have made Ye Qingran his woman!

It's all Ye Huanhuan's foolish fault!

Pa~

A clear sound rang out, Ye Huanhuan's head tilted to the side and stayed that way for a while before she slowly turned her head back, a trickle of blood tracing the corner of her mouth.

"Qingxuan brother, you hit me? You actually hit me for this lowly woman? Ye Qingran, I'll kill you!"

Her hair was disheveled, emotions agitated, she looked mad. The slight guilt Dongfang Qingxuan felt from hitting Ye Huanhuan vanished instantly.

He gazed with disgust at the madwoman before him, Ye Huanhuan, regretting more than ever. His crown princess should be an unparalleled Heaven's Pride Maiden, how could it be Ye Huanhuan, this crazy woman?

He angrily waved his hand and shouted, "Someone, quickly take Ye Huanhuan away!"

……

Originally the crown prince's secret invitation for Ye Qingran to come to the residence for flower viewing was known to very few, but Zhao Shi's gossip spread it instantly.

When Zhao Shi had just gathered a group of people and rushed to the crown prince's residence, Ling Shaoyang, Xia Zhimeng, Gu Dongliu and others who had heard the news followed closely behind.

A group of guards stepped forward, preparing to escort Ye Huanhuan out, when footsteps sounded outside and Zhao Shi's sharp, venomous voice echoed from outside the Moon Gate: "Everyone come see, Ye Qingran this fox spirit has seduced the crown prince!"

Everyone was stunned.

Then they looked in astonishment as a crowd filed in.

Most of these people were sharp-eyed women who could talk and argue, not to be provoked; among them were even the Thirteenth Princess Dongfang Ling'er and Mu Qingrou!

"Ye Qingran, you shameless slut, dare to seduce the crown prince behind everyone's back! Your mother is lowly, and so are you!"

Zhao Shi's eyes locked onto Ye Qingran, as if poisoned, her words were unbearable to hear!

Dongfang Qingxuan finally came to his senses, seeing Zhao Shi bring so many people, he instinctively thought it was Ye Huanhuan's doing. Originally a very private matter, now with this uproar, wouldn't the whole city know by tomorrow?

Where would the crown prince's dignified face be placed then?

Pa~

A clear slap landed, Ye Huanhuan fell to the ground sitting.

"You lowly woman, must you blow things up like this? If you wanted to cause a scene, you could have done it alone, but you summoned all these people! Ye Huanhuan, do you believe I will now divorce you?"

Dongfang Qingxuan was truly furious.

Ye Huanhuan's cheeks were both slapped, now finally symmetrical. She had no time to attend to the physical pain, hastily explaining, "I, I, not…"

She really didn't know her mother would come!

"You still dare to make excuses! You hypocritical, vicious lowly woman!"

"I have no…" Ye Huanhuan was unable to defend herself, nearly spitting blood from her mouth.

Seeing her in such a sorry state, everyone was startled. When had Ye Huanhuan ever not been high and mighty, dignified and graceful, when had she ever looked so disheveled?

"Crown Prince, you've got it wrong, not…" Zhao Shi stared blankly, then hurried to explain, but Dongfang Qingxuan cut her off, "Shut up! It's all because of you! You long-tongued woman!" Looking at the group of women behind Zhao Shi, mouths agape and trembling, Dongfang Qingxuan's anger flared everywhere.

"Crown Prince brother, it's all Ye Qingran's fault, why do you still protect her?" Dongfang Ling'er, seeing Zhao Shi's group in a miserable state while Ye Qingran, the instigator, remained unharmed, couldn't help but mutter discontentedly.

Dongfang Qingxuan's gaze shot over coldly, he scolded, "You still have the nerve to speak? Leaving the palace properly to come here and stir up trouble? Do you think this place isn't chaotic enough?" Dongfang Ling'er was reprimanded, wanting to retort but seeing Dongfang Qingxuan's grim expression, she swallowed her words.

"Sister Ran! Sister Ran!" At that moment, a shout came from outside. After two calls, the person appeared before everyone—it was Xia Zhimeng.

Xia Zhimeng rushed over upon hearing the news. She knew Dongfang Qingxuan's thoughts about her Sister Ran all too well, fearing that her Sister Ran would be defiled by this scoundrel.

"Sister Ran, are you alright?"

Xia Zhimeng didn't even bother to greet the crown prince, she hurried to Ye Qingran's side, seeing her attire neat, she let out a relieved breath.

"Thank goodness, thank goodness!" Xia Zhimeng patted her chest, her tense nerves finally relaxing.

Xia Zhimeng's action made Dongfang Qingxuan's face turn blue with anger.

"Master!"

"Eldest Brother Ye!"

Two people entered one after another, namely Ling Shaoyang and Gu Dongliu.

Dongfang Qingxuan looked at these two, his face already as black as a pot bottom.

He had originally only wanted to hold a small banquet in his residence, invite a few close friends, enjoy the moon and drink, and then naturally proceed to share clouds and rain with Ye Qingran.

Now it's come to this—Ye Qingran's hand hasn't even touched him, yet the matter has become known to everyone!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, he wished he could violently beat Ye Huanhuan, the culprit, to a pulp!

"Crown Prince, may I have a word?" Mu Qingrou stepped forward, her voice calm and steady.

Dongfang Qingxuan was looking at the people in the courtyard, feeling annoyed; hearing Mu Qingrou say that, he replied in a displeased tone: "What do you want to say now?"

Mu Qingrou gave Dongfang Qingxuan a calming look; although Dongfang Qingxuan was still angry, he hadn't lost his reason, fell silent for a moment, nodded, and walked to a less crowded place.

Mu Qingrou followed closely behind.

"Speak." Stopping behind an artificial rockery, Dongfang Qingxuan's tone had lost its earlier anger.

"Crown Prince, since this matter can no longer be concealed, for the sake of your reputation, I can only push the blame onto Ye Qingran."

Mu Qingrou got straight to the point.

Dongfang Qingxuan's eyes flickered.

He had thought of this. But if he did that, he would inevitably hurt Ye Qingran again, and by then it would be hard to win her back.

Mu Qingrou saw Dongfang Qingxuan's hesitation and sneered: "Crown Prince, between the realm and the beauty, which is more important—you should know better than I. In just a few days will be your grand wedding with Ye Huanhuan; at such a critical moment, if today's matter gets out, what will the people of Donglin Country say of you? Of course, if you're worried about losing Ye Qingran because of this, you need not be."

Mu Qingrou paused, then continued: "As long as Donglin Country's realm will be yours in the future, how could Ye Qingran escape your grasp? Therefore, I think you should avoid suspicion as much as possible today and let Ye Qingran bear the blame."

"But..."

"Rest assured, before I came, I had already notified the Empress; with the Empress backing you, what further worries do you have?"