One Lifetime Is Never Enough

1.46 Sound of Silence (2)

SunChen was also about to speak his mind, but the Princess' continuously higher pitched voice drown his yet unspoken thought,

"A lowly person who wants to climb higher branches," the Princess hissed, now remembering how everyone seemed to think highly of this very unassuming person in front of her. She only grew more irritated,

"All you can do is seduce men!"

YuLan did not even want to waste her energy battling in words with the Princess. For her, it was just a rambling of an anxious rich teenager. It was nothing to be angry about. She just shrugged her shoulders inwardly and was about to ask the servants to lock the gates.

If they had to also reject the carriage containing gifts from the Emperor to drive away the Princess and Chao MeiHua, then so be it. It was up to those two young women to explain themselves to the Emperor and it was not YuLan's problem.

A crisp sound was heard, and when everyone realized what had just happened, the Princess was already holding her reddening cheek.

Ji LanBai - who just had slapped her - still had her right hand in the air before slowly lowering it.

Princess Zhang XiuYa glared at her, still holding her cheek, but her eyes widened in anger.

"You!!!"

"If you think YuLan is lowly," Ji LanBai lifted her chin at the taller Princess, looking at her square in her eyes, "Then I should be more than enough to put you in your place!"

The Princess gaped her mouth feeling the injustice,

"How...- How dare you!" 

"Oh you don't think so?," LanBai sneered. Her usual childish expression was replaced by undiluted fierceness. There was authority in her haughty expression and straight bearing.

She was the smallest of everyone present, but her aura was currently the most majestic. She put herself in front of YuLan,

"I am the Yong Prince's future wangfei. You will have to address me appropriately as I will be higher in rank than you in the future," she spoke slowly with a cold small smile on her face, 

"You tell me, my dear future cousin-in-law..., Am I not worthy enough to discipline you? Am I also... 'lowly?'" 

Princess Zhang XiuYa now had tears forming in her eyes, still clutching her throbbing left cheek,

"You are not even married to GuoFu-ge yet! How dare y-..."

"XiuYa!!!" a booming voice was heard from behind her. Zhang XiuYa turned on her heels to see the owner of the voice - whom she knew very well.

Third Prince GuoFu already dismounted from his horse, having handed the reign to the servants for their care.

Behind him, the Crown Prince and Second Prince JunLi walked closely.

Even if they did not hear or see the full event, they clearly had heard how their younger cousin had disrespected LanBai. 

"GuoFu-ge... ," Princess XiuYa bowed quickly along with Chao MeiHua. 

HeShan and SunChen also bowed in their greetings. But LanBai suddenly hold YuLan's hand, not allowing the latter to also bow her body.

Prince GuoFu was taken aback, seeing his expressionless fiancee who was now glaring daggers at him. He did not even know what his fault was. It was the first time Ji LanBai had ever exuded the might of a general's daughter.

When he was closer to LanBai and YuLan, LanBai coldy spoke,

"Royal Princess Zhang XiuYa was impolite towards YuLan and me. As her future older cousin-in-law, it is my responsibility to put her in order."