The legitimate daughter returns to the capital and embarks on a splendid life, tearing apart the fak

The servants in the First Prince's courtyard had been alerted. Two guards rushed in upon hearing the commotion, about to issue a warning, but upon seeing that it was Consort Zheng, they quickly bowed and greeted her: "Your Highness, Consort Zheng!"

Looking down again, she saw a disheveled woman lying on the ground. Her heart pounded with fear. She immediately turned to look at the bed, but didn't see the eldest prince. She cried out in alarm, "Your Highness!"

Consort Zheng turned her head sharply and snapped, "Shut up! Go find His Highness immediately, without alerting anyone!"

The two dared not utter a sound and hurriedly went out to search.

A moment later, the two found the eldest prince unconscious in the next room and hurriedly returned to report: "Your Highness, we found him. His Highness is next door."

Consort Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and asked in a low voice, "How is Your Highness?"

One of the guards replied in a low voice, "Your Highness, His Highness is fully clothed and nothing should have happened. Furthermore, His Highness is likely under the influence of a sleeping potion and is still unconscious. As for how His Highness got to the next room, I do not know. Your Highness, should we wake the Prince?"

Consort Zheng glanced back at Zheng Jie, who was sprawled on the ground, feeling both angry and resentful.

She knew that this matter couldn't be blown out of proportion; if it were, she would lose face, and it would also implicate the entire Zheng family.

She gritted her teeth and ordered the guards, "After I leave, bring His Highness back. If he asks, just say... say His Highness was sleepwalking. Anyone who utters a single word about tonight's events will have their life taken by me."

The two men exchanged a glance, then looked at the woman on the ground, nodded, and turned to leave.

After the door closed, the maidservant beside Consort Zheng asked cautiously, "Your Highness, should we wake the Second Miss?"

Consort Zheng ignored her, walked to the table, poured a glass of water, went to Zheng Jie's side, and splashed it on her face.

Zheng Jie groggily opened her eyes, wiped the water off her face, and muttered, "Who splashed me...?"

Before she could finish speaking, she met Consort Zheng's fiery eyes and instantly snapped back to reality.

She sat up abruptly, only to find herself on the floor. Looking at the bed, she saw no sign of the eldest prince.

Her face turned deathly pale. Knowing she had failed, she wanted to explain, but meeting Consort Zheng's icy gaze, only a few words escaped her lips: "Sister... Sister..."

Consort Zheng looked down at her, her eyes filled with disappointment and disgust, and said coldly, "You told me you wanted to stay and have some peace and quiet, and I believed you. But you came here trying to seduce His Highness? What a clever idea!"

Zheng Jie shook her head repeatedly, tears streaming down her face: "Sister, I didn't... I just..."

Consort Zheng's voice suddenly rose: "But what? You didn't want to marry the Prince of Zhennan, and I could have helped you find a way, but you took off your clothes and climbed into His Highness's bed? Is this how you repay me?"

She grew angrier as she spoke, took two steps forward, and slapped Zheng Jie across the face.

The sharp "snap" was particularly jarring in the quiet night.

Zheng Jie covered her face and cried, "Sister, I know I was wrong... I really know I was wrong..."

Consort Zheng closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and after a long while, managed to suppress her surging emotions before coldly saying, "Put your clothes on. Come back with me."

Zheng Jie dared not say more. She quickly picked up her outer garment from the ground, put it on, and followed Consort Zheng back to Consort Zheng's courtyard with her head down.

Neither of them spoke a word the entire way; only the night breeze caused the lanterns under the eaves to sway gently, making a soft creaking sound.

Back in the courtyard and inside the house, Consort Zheng sat down in a chair and remained silent for a long time.

After a long while, she finally gritted her teeth and said, "Go back to sleep first. I'll personally escort you home tomorrow morning."

Zheng Jie knelt down with a thud, crawled to Consort Zheng, grabbed her sleeve, and choked out, "Sister, I was really just confused for a moment... I don't want to marry the Prince of Zhennan, I really don't want to..."

Consort Zheng didn't look at her, waved her hand, and said to the maid, "Send the Second Miss back to her room to rest. You can stay with the Second Miss tonight."

"Sister..." Zheng Jie called out again, but Consort Zheng had already closed her eyes and was no longer looking at her.

She had no choice but to stand up, lower her head, and leave.

The curtain fell, and the footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

The room quieted down, and Consort Zheng leaned back in her chair, feeling utterly exhausted.

Her own sister was actually eyeing her man; although there were extenuating circumstances, she couldn't forgive her.

……

Now let's talk about the eldest prince.

He woke up just as the two guards carried him back to his room.

The eldest prince was a martial artist after all. He grew up in the palace from a young age and had received training in resisting sedatives. The effects of the drugs wore off on him faster than on ordinary people.

He opened his eyes, propped himself up to sit, and saw two guards standing by the bed. He frowned and asked, "What's going on?"

The two guards exchanged a glance, somewhat hesitant.

They were acting on Consort Zheng's orders, but as the Crown Prince's personal guards who had served him for many years, they dared not conceal anything when their master asked them questions.

The two hesitated for a moment, then one of them gritted his teeth, knelt on one knee, and whispered, "Your Highness, just now... the Consort found Miss Zheng the Second in your room. She was lying on the ground, her clothes disheveled."

The eldest prince was startled and jumped out of bed: "What did you say? She's in my room?"

The guard quickly explained, "Your Highness, you weren't in the room at the time, but... in the next room. Miss Zheng was taken away by the concubine, and before she left, she ordered me to carry you back."

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your Highness, the Consort instructed me to say... to pretend that today's events never happened."

The eldest prince remained silent for a moment before speaking calmly, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger: "I understand. You may all leave."

The two guards breathed a sigh of relief and quickly acknowledged and withdrew.

The door closed, and the room became quiet.

The eldest prince leaned against the headboard, gazing at the top of the canopy with a deep look in his eyes. Having grown up in the palace, he naturally knew what Zheng Jie wanted to do by appearing in his room in such disheveled attire.

He could understand that Zheng Jie didn't want to marry the Prince of Zhennan, but that didn't mean she could take advantage of him.

He shook his head with a wry smile. Zheng Jie overestimated him. The eldest princess was the matchmaker; how dare he interfere?

He didn't know who had moved him to the next room, but whoever it was, he was grateful for their help.

He looked out at the dark night and thought of Shen Qingyun. If it were her family, they probably wouldn't do such a thing.

……

Consort Zheng, on the other hand, barely slept all night.

She lay in bed, tossing and turning, her mind filled with the image of Zheng Jie lying on the floor, her clothes disheveled.

She hated Zheng Jie for being so useless, hated her for being shameless, and hated herself even more for believing her words.

She said she wanted some peace and quiet, so I let her stay. How come I didn't realize she had those kinds of thoughts?

Even your own sister wants to betray you. Is there anyone in this world you can trust?