The seductive princess is no longer being pursued; the aloof prime minister is facing a crematorium.

Chapter 6 Shredded Pork Noodles

But to everyone's surprise, Xia Wenbin's expression turned even uglier when he heard Jiang Jinshuang say that!
"Your Highness, are you still pretending to be ignorant?!"

Jiang Jinshuang's temper flared up, and her voice unconsciously rose a few decibels: "What does Lord Xia mean by this!?"

Xia Wenbin's voice was louder than Jiang Jinshuang's: "You clearly threatened the Grand Secretary before the court session, forcing him to defend you. Now you're acting innocent after getting the benefit, saying such shameless things!"

The anger that had been rising seemed to take a turn for the worse. A moment of confusion flashed in Jiang Jinshuang's eyes, but she immediately frowned: "What did you say?"

Xia Wenbin thought he had guessed correctly, which calmed Jiang Jinshuang down.

"Hmph! Your Highness dares to do it but not admit it?! You must have somehow threatened the Grand Secretary before court, which is why the Grand Secretary spoke up for you in court!"

"What they're saying is that you've just returned to Beijing and are bound to be exhausted, and that there are things I haven't been able to take care of!"

"She's been haunting Lord Pei like a ghost for three years now. Now that he's risen to prominence, will Her Highness cling to him even more?!"

"It's just that the Grand Secretary is kind-hearted and somehow managed to get some leverage over you. Otherwise, if the Emperor were angry today, he would have sent you straight back to that godforsaken fiefdom!"

Xia Wenbin's voice grew louder and louder as he spoke with increasing enthusiasm.

Anyway, she's just a princess who's fallen out of favor now, and I heard she didn't even get to see His Majesty yesterday.

What kind of place is Chang'an?
The fact that someone skipped a single grain of rice today will become known to all the powerful and influential families and officials tomorrow.

All the wealthy gentry and officials craned their necks, waiting to see how the Emperor would treat Princess Zhaoming!
Look, His Majesty didn't want to see her yesterday, but today someone is taking advantage of the situation and bullying her.

Jiang Jinshuang closed her eyes slightly and laughed out loud.

—This was His Majesty's way of showing her power, and she understood it perfectly well.

If it weren't for His Majesty's tacit approval, Xia Wenbin would only be a third-rank civil official in the capital. How could he dare to come to her princess's residence as if it were his own territory and demand an explanation?
Jiang Jinshuang looked at Xia Wenbin, who was cursing loudly, narrowed her eyes slightly, and tightened her knuckles in her sleeves.

Xia Wenbin recounted all the absurd things she did in pursuit of Pei Du back then without any hesitation.

It was as if they wanted to peel off a layer of her skin, leaving her naked and ridiculed by the world.

Everyone knows that three years ago, it was Princess Zhaoming who forced Pei Du, and now Pei Du has risen through the ranks to become the Grand Secretary, a position above all others.

Everyone is waiting to see her make a fool of herself.

—She has always been unpopular.

"If Your Highness does not give me an explanation today, I will not let this matter rest, even if His Majesty ignores it!"

For the sake of his beloved daughter, Xia Wenbin glared at Jiang Jinshuang, wishing he could kill her as soon as possible!
Jiang Jinshuang sneered: "What explanation does Lord Xia want?"

"Bore your head and admit your mistake to Rong'er, and she will forgive you!"

"What if I refuse?"

"I will go to the Dali Temple and bring His Highness to court!"

His arrogant demeanor seemed to demand that she give in.

Jiang Jinshuang looked at Xia Wenbin with a half-smile and a lazy expression: "Alright, then go ahead and sue."

She refused to believe that the cold-faced Yama of Dali Temple could completely believe Xia Yurong's nonsense.

"You—" Xia Wenbin pointed at Jiang Jinshuang, clearly wanting to say something more!
The next second, a servant from the Xia family rushed up to Xia Wenbin, called out "My lord," and whispered a few words to him anxiously.

Upon hearing this, Xia Wenbin's expression changed drastically. He whispered some instructions and then frowned and glared at Jiang Jinshuang.

"I will not let this matter rest!"

After saying that, Xia Wenbin snorted coldly and left.

Jiang Jinshuang's eyes flickered slightly as she watched Xia Wenbin, who had come and gone in a hurry.

"Your Highness, why did Lord Xia leave so suddenly?" Chun Tao asked cautiously.

Jiang Jinshuang chuckled lightly, nonchalantly: "Who knows? Someone died in the family, they're probably rushing home for the funeral."

Once Xia Wenbin left, the entire Princess's residence returned to peace.

Jiang Jinshuang didn't care about Xia Wenbin's "threat". After having breakfast in the dining hall, she left the princess's residence without anyone following her.

In the past, when Jiang Jinshuang left the mansion, she was always carried in a sedan chair with twelve people, a grand procession that attracted everyone's attention.

The people on Chang'an Street avoided her as if she were a plague goddess, and gossip abounded. It was even rumored that Princess Zhaoming's name could cure children's night crying.

If a blond-haired child cries and refuses to sleep at night, his parents will tell him that Princess Zhaoming has come to see him!

The child will immediately stop crying and snuggle into his parents' arms.

Now, Jiang Jinshuang no longer has the formal regalia of her youth, and when she walks down the street, she is still pointed at and feared by the people.

The vast Chang'an Avenue is bustling and noisy with people.

The streets were filled with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, and the noise of vehicles and people blended together, creating a thriving atmosphere.

Jiang Jinshuang wore a snow-blue robe with gold embroidery, and even without her entourage, she remained as flamboyant and unruly as ever.

The streets and alleys are lined with shops, bustling with traffic and crowds.

Jiang Jinshuang hadn't strolled along Chang'an Avenue in a long time.

I spent three years in Baiyujing, which is located at the northernmost tip of Wanjin. It is bitterly cold all year round and is naturally not as prosperous and bustling as the capital.

She really missed the shredded pork noodle shop at the end of the south street in Chang'an.

—She herself could never buy them.

Every time she passed through South Street, all the shopkeepers and vendors would fall silent, and some would even push their carts and run away.

When Jiang Jinshuang stopped at that noodle shop, the owner had already nervously closed the door and stayed there until she left.

This situation was only alleviated after he met Pei Du.

Pei Du was always more likable than her.

Whenever she wanted to eat shredded pork noodles, Pei Du would always be able to get a serving from this shop on South Street and bring it back to the Princess's residence in a food box.

Jiang Jinshuang even had a falling out with him because of this.

"Pei Du, I want freshly made noodles. You brought them back from South Street, and they're already cold!"

Actually, it wasn't cold; the noodles in the food box were well preserved.

I don't know how he walked so fast. From that little shop on South Street to the Princess's Mansion, it was five or six streets away. When he brought it back, the noodles were still separate and steaming hot.

But Jiang Jinshuang was still angry.

She was angry that he could move around freely, be welcomed by everyone, and eat a bowl of freshly cooked shredded pork noodles.

She can't.

She can't eat.

Pei Du has never shown any emotion in the face of Jiang Jinshuang's unreasonable behavior.

He simply put down the food box and sat back down to read and practice calligraphy.

This is the side hall where he sleeps, and Jiang Jinshuang often shamelessly barges in to find him.

She was very noisy, but Pei Du was the only one who paid attention. No matter what she said, he ignored her and turned a deaf ear.

Seeing that Pei Du ignored her, Jiang Jinshuang became even more agitated: "Pei Du! I said, I want to eat fresh food!"

At that moment, Pei Du slowly turned a page of his book, his tone calm and even: "If Your Highness does not wish to eat, I will give it to the servants on duty in a moment."

Jiang Jinshuang, who hadn't eaten, frowned, but finally bit her lip and picked up the steaming noodles from the food box.

With these thoughts in mind, Jiang Jinshuang found herself walking into a small shop on South Street.

However, that noodle shop has long since been replaced by another store.

Jiang Jinshuang chuckled softly and turned to leave.

The next second, a deep voice came from behind.

"I have met Her Highness the Princess."

(End of this chapter)