Chapter 457: The Strange Second Prince

Chapter 457

The stories of the Dou, Qi, and Yao ladies were most remembered for the three women vying for the same top scholar.

It was expected they would compete and oppose each other, but unexpectedly, they were willing to help one another at the critical moment, even offending the extremely capable Noble Consort Ju.

"Ah!" Qi Yue waved her hands with a flushed face. "Girls should help each other."

"Everyone appreciates Sir Zhu's top scholar talents, but appreciation doesn't mean becoming competitors," Dou Jingyi also spoke softly. "Appreciation is appreciation, helping is helping."

"Right," Qi Yue nodded in agreement. "Help first, then continue competing."

Dou Jingyi could no longer remain serious and turned her head to chuckle.

The two had completely opposite personalities, yet now standing together, there was an inexplicable harmony.

Even Yao Siqing couldn't help teasing, "We can be considered comrades in adversity now."

The spring breeze flowed in the side hall. The five girls each had their own beauty, blossoming radiantly while spreading kindness, finally attracting those of similar or opposite qualities.

When Jiang Chengyu finally searched her entire body but couldn't find a single jade pendant or hairpin, she knew where the problem was. "It must have been the palace maid who secretly took the jade pendant when we bumped into each other."

They were too nervous changing clothes and didn't notice anything amiss, which allowed Noble Consort Ju to discover their weakness.

"It's all my fault, I almost harmed Sister Dou's family." Jiang Chengyu hit her own forehead again, regretting endlessly.

"Don't blame yourself." Dou Jingyi was still so quietly gentle. "Others plotted against us, we couldn't have avoided it no matter what."

It was the courageous and resourceful Jiang sisters who saved them from fire and water in the quickest time.

"In my opinion, none of this is important," Yao Siqing said smiling. "What's most important is what to do with this prince."

The girls' chattering quieted down.

The Eldest Prince on the ground had a bruised nose and swollen face. Fortunately, he was still unconscious without any signs of waking.

If they just left him there, Noble Consort Ju would surely investigate once she discovered him.

But they had no reason to explain if they carried him out.

What to do was truly a dilemma.

After another half hour, almost everyone who was outside playing had returned, but there was still no sign of the Eldest and Second Princes.

Noble Consort Ju used a smile to conceal her anxiety, sweeping over Dou Jingyi several times but forcing herself to restrain.

Until a palace maid hurriedly reported, "Your Majesty, Noble Consort, the Eldest Prince and Second Prince started fighting..."

The entire banquet hall quieted down. Everyone silently set down their bowls and chopsticks, their gazes moving to the center.

Noble Consort Ju's face alternated between green and purple. The Imperial Court also frowned, hesitatingly asking, "Is there a specific reason?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, the Second Prince happened to come across the Eldest Prince lying in the grass. After kindly waking up the Eldest Prince, he was accused of being the attacker by the Eldest Prince, and they started fighting." The palace maid's words were meaningful.

On the surface she was reporting the princes fighting, but in reality she was proclaiming the Second Prince's innocence.

Now who could remain seated? With the Imperial Court and Noble Consort Ju taking the lead, everyone hurriedly went outside to stop the two princes rolling in the grass fighting.

Calling it mutual harming, it was actually more like the Second Prince unilaterally taking a beating.

On the contrary, the Eldest Prince looked more battered, making people click their tongues in wonder.

"My son," Noble Consort Ju cried mournfully when she saw the Eldest Prince's appearance, "Who dares harm my son, who!"

The crowd was silent. Jiang Chengyu subconsciously hid behind Jiang Sheng.

"Mother Noble Consort, it was this bastard who beat me. I opened my eyes to see him pretending to be a victim." The Eldest Prince gritted his teeth, becoming even more vicious as he recalled his foiled scheme.

Seeing the Second Prince's mouth leak blood, the Imperial Court finally couldn't hold back. He angrily shouted, "Zhu Changhong, stop!"

The Eldest Prince froze. Realizing this was in public, he awkwardly stood up and pleaded at his mother with his eyes.

"Your Majesty," Noble Consort Ju immediately responded. "Who bullied our Hong'er into this state? Not taking the imperial family seriously or not taking Your Majesty seriously?"

"Father, I'm in pain," the Eldest Prince choked back sobs holding his face.

It's said a child doted on will act coquettishly. Jiang Sheng saw with her own eyes how the mother and son's duet caused the Imperial Court's expression to change from anger to appeasement, and he hesitated more.

On the contrary, the blood-stained Second Prince crawled up without a word and stood in the corner.

His figure was so frail, his scheming so puzzling.