Chapter 7: Chapter 002: Act According to Plan

Jun Zichen turned around, blinked, and looked at Bai Qin with a face full of longing.

"Uh! I came to ask why you're still here?" Bai Qin forced a smile and said. Could he please stop looking at her like that? It was so cringey.

"So Fairy Sister didn't come to play with Chenchen." Jun Zichen bit his left index finger, looking aggrieved and heartbroken. This made her panic.

"Uh! It's too late now. I'll come find you tomorrow, okay? Go back first." Bai Qin panicked. How could he be like this? She couldn't take it. Her heart felt stifled.

"Really? Then..."

"Ninth Brother. So you were here." Hearing a voice, Jun Zichen's eyes widened, and he turned around to look. As soon as Bai Qin saw him, she grabbed her maid and hurried to slip away.

"Eleventh Brother. You came to play with me! I'll tell you, I met a Fairy Sister today. Come, I'll tell you." Jun Zichen smiled foolishly, pulling at the youth and looking behind him, but the person was nowhere to be seen. Thus—

"Waaaaah. Fairy Sister is a liar, she doesn't want Chenchen anymore. Waaaaah. Liar." Seeing that the person had vanished, Jun Zichen pursed his lips and immediately sat on the ground wailing, looking utterly devastated, as if he had lost something incredibly important.

"Ninth Brother, be good. Eleventh will take you to find Fairy Sister, okay?" The Eleventh Prince, Jun Huangyu, crouched down to coax Jun Zichen, but in his heart, he was wondering: who was this woman my Imperial Brother spoke of? For the first time in over ten years, he had heard his brother care so much about a woman.

"You're lying. You don't know Fairy Sister."

"Uh!"

"Miss, isn't this a bit too much?" Seeing this situation, the little maid tugged at her mistress. The Ninth Prince was truly pitiful.

"Uh, it's fine. He can handle it. Let's go back. It must be very lively in the manor right now. Let's go back." Bai Qin pulled her thoughts back, glanced once, and led her maid back. She didn't expect that for three consecutive days, everything would be calm and peaceful—but this peace wouldn't last long, because of the concubine-born sister's return to her parental home.

The Murong Manor.

"Miss, just as you expected, since our last parting, the disguise of the Eastern Sea's foolish king has improved once again, and today he even ran into the trash of the Bai family." Qiu Xiang stood beside Murong Tong and spoke indifferently.

"Hehe, everything is understood without words. Continue investigating." Murong Tong gave a faint smile. Jun Zichen, I have already helped you step through this move.

"Yes."

Three days later.

The Bai Manor began preparing things early in the morning. Because the concubine-born daughter of the Bai family, the Crown Princess, was returning home, everything had to be the best. In contrast, the Luohua Pavilion was much more shabby—all show and no substance.

Bai Qin lay on her bed, let out a yawn, and continued to sleep. Last night, she had done quite a lot of "good deeds" just to deal with today.

"Miss, it's time to get up. Otherwise, the Master will come looking for trouble again, and you'll end up getting hurt again." The little maid knocked on the door, speaking worriedly. Although the Miss wasn't like she used to be, the Master was no pushover; he would definitely strike a heavy blow against the Miss.

"Too late. My dear little sister is already heading this way. It seems being the Crown Princess really makes a difference. She's even forgotten that I am the real Crown Princess. However, I should thank her for taking that Crown Princess title off my hands; it means I'll have plenty of opportunities to deal with them in the future." The corners of Bai Qin's mouth curled up as she sat up from the bed. To be honest, she truly hated people who disturbed her sleep.

"Then what should we do?"

"You wench, get out here! The Crown Princess is here, why haven't you come out to greet her?" A sharp voice could be heard clearly from inside. Although it was far from here, to Bai Qin, it was nothing.

"Who is this wench calling a wench?" Bai Qin opened the door, leaned against the side, crossed her arms, and gave an ungraceful yawn. Just by chance, the person walking in saw it clearly, and a flash of disgust crossed their eyes.

"The wench is calling you."

"Oh! So the wench is you. Understood." Bai Qin nodded, quite satisfied with this arrogant maid's answer. She really didn't expect someone to step up to the plate so quickly. It seemed the people around Bai Ting'er were all trash.

"Bold, insolent girl! How dare you not kneel upon seeing this Crown Princess!" Bai Ting'er glared fiercely at the maid beside her. Idiot, couldn't you see through such a simple trick?

"Why should I kneel? Don't forget, this position was originally mine. If I want it back, I'll take it back." Bai Qin's lips curled up, and she sneered inwardly. Truly like mother, like daughter; when it came to being foolish, she was a complete idiot.

"Presumptuous!"

A loud roar rang out. Bai Qin couldn't help but narrow her eyes, while conversely, Bai Ting'er looked high and mighty. It made her curious: who was this person?

"I wondered who it was! So, the father of the Moon-Swapping Illusion has returned. Calling me presumptuous? I'd rather ask, compared to Father's moon-swapping, who is more presumptuous?" The corners of her mouth curled slightly. It was good that he had come. Although she had been suppressed, once word got out, what do you think would happen?

Even if the Imperial Family knew about this, they would be willing to take the blow, but once rumors spread, I think the Imperial Family would surely choose to abandon her for the sake of their reputation—but that doesn't mean they would use me as an excuse...

"You... rebellious daughter! Are you determined to anger me to death? Ah! Someone, use the family rules to punish her!" Prime Minister Bai's eyes widened in rage as he pointed at the daughter before him who showed no fear at all. He should have slapped her to death back then to prevent her from causing trouble everywhere and forcing Ting'er to clean up the mess.

"Family rules? Hahahaha! This is your true nature. The legitimate daughter is suppressed, while the concubine's daughter holds a higher status than the legitimate one. If this matter were to spread, I imagine it would be hard to explain yourself in the imperial court, wouldn't it, my dear Father?" Bai Qin rolled her eyes, sneering inwardly. This was the paternal love you had always looked forward to. One had to admit, you are pathetic. However, now that I am here, things will be different.

"You're turning the world upside down! Someone, restrain her! Even if you beat her to death, no one will know!" Prime Minister Bai clenched his fists. Since when did this daughter become so sharp-tongued? She was a completely different person from before.

"Even if I turned the world upside down, I wouldn't be as formidable as Father. To deceive the heavens and cross the seas—what impressive skill. Those who don't know would think you were a great philanthropist." Bai Qin couldn't help but clap her hands in applause. This was the contrast being spread outside. It seemed things were becoming interesting. However, she had to do something first, just in case.

"Truly a rebellious daughter! Bring me the whip! If I don't teach you a proper lesson, you won't know the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth!" Prime Minister Bai was so angry he nearly coughed up blood. He grabbed a spiked whip that had been soaked in chili water and began striking toward Bai Qin.

*I am truly angry to death! I raised you for so many years, yet you can't bring me even a little benefit and instead cause trouble everywhere. How could I have a daughter like you?*

Just as Bai Qin was about to dodge, a figure suddenly lunged in from outside, shouting: "Fairy Sister, Chenchen has come to play with you!"

"Don't come over!"

"Ow! It hurts, it hurts! Waaaaah! It hurts, hurts, hurts!" Before the figure could even reach Bai Qin, they began wailing from a sudden burst of pain.

The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned. What was going on? Who was this person? Why did they appear here?

Seeing this, the Second Madam gave a sinister smile. Bai Qin, I'm not afraid of you not dying; I'm afraid of you not being able to die. Thus, she stepped forward and said, "Master, could it be that this person is here to find the Eldest Miss? Looking at his clothes, he should be a young master from some household, but what is this young master doing here to find the Eldest Miss?"

Bai Qin smiled knowingly. *Playing this card? Hmph, you're destined to play yourself to death.* Before she could even recover her thoughts, a aggrieved voice rang out: "Fairy Sister, it hurts so much!"

"Be good. I'll apply medicine for you in a moment, okay? The bad person is right there, trying to hurt me, so you wait obediently, okay?" Bai Qin walked down and helped Jun Zichen up, a flash of murderous intent crossing her eyes.

"Rebellious daughter, you actually dare to have an affair with a man! You..."

"I wonder which man Prime Minister Bai is calling an adulterer? Let this Prince get to know him as well." A clear voice drifted in from outside the courtyard. This caused Prime Minister Bai's heart to jump and his brows to furrow. No matter how he looked at it, today's matter felt wrong, as if it had been orchestrated by someone.

A hint of a smile flashed in the eyes of Jun Zichen, who was holding Bai Qin. It seemed he had disrupted her arrangement. He wondered what kind of expression she would make if she knew he was the one who did it!

Hearing this voice, Prime Minister Bai subconsciously let go of his hand, and the whip fell to the ground, instantly startling him back to reality. Heavens, it was the Eleventh Prince of the Eastern Sea! Why had this god of plague come to the Bai Manor?

"This subject pays respects to the Eleventh Prince. Long live the Prince!" As this voice rang out, the people behind him immediately reacted.

"Long live the Eleventh Prince!" Everyone in the courtyard immediately knelt. Everyone knew that the Eleventh Prince was deeply loved by the Eastern Sea Emperor, but what wind had blown him here?

"Waaaaah! Eleventh Brother, it hurts so much, it hurts so much. The bad person is bullying me."

Suddenly, Jun Zichen's aggrieved crying came from Bai Qin's arms, immediately sending everyone into a state of shock.

Prime Minister Bai raised his head in shock and turned his head stiffly to look at the person in Bai Qin's arms, trembling instinctively. That... that person... could it be the Ninth Prince of the Eastern Sea!

A certain person who had been strolling leisurely heard this voice and immediately sped up, running into the courtyard. Upon seeing the scene, his face immediately turned cold. What was going on?

A heavy atmosphere slowly spread out. On the large tree in the courtyard, a single leaf slowly drifted down with the wind, adding a sense of eeriness to the heavy atmosphere. At this moment, no one dared to move or say a word; there was only the sound of that aggrieved crying. It was so abrupt and piercing.

"Speak, what is going on?" Jun Huangyu raised an eyebrow, then questioned sternly. *Ninth Brother, you wouldn't have become addicted to taking advantage of people, would you? Look at those injuries; he's certainly being quite generous.*

"This... this... at this moment, this subject cannot explain it clearly, please..."

"Do you take this Prince for a fool? Where did the injuries on my Ninth Brother come from? Did he do it to himself? Or was it Bai Qin who did it?" Jun Huangyu gave a cold snort and flicked his long sleeve. In his heart, he was complaining: *Why do I always have to play the villain? When will it not be me?* He couldn't help but glare at Jun Zichen.

This glare was not a big deal, but for Jun Zichen, it was excellent. Why? Because he could take advantage. Thus, our Ninth Prince took a little sneak peek.

"Waaaaah, Eleventh Brother is so scary."