Chapter 3: Transmigration 3

This slap was delivered with great force; blood trickled from the corner of Liu Qingcheng's mouth. She lay half-prone on the ground, weeping uncontrollably from the humiliation she had endured.

"Did Sister not hear the rules just now clearly?" Lu Xin grabbed her black hair ruthlessly, leaning close to her ear, her tone bone-chillingly cold.

Liu Qingcheng begged in pain for her to let go, but her cowardly appearance only brought Lu Xin greater pleasure, causing her grip to tighten even more.

Feeling as though her scalp was about to be torn off, Liu Qingcheng could only stand up following the direction of the force, pleading incessantly, "Please let go, I promise I won't threaten your position, I beg you!"

Seeing her begging for mercy, Lu Xin felt a surge of triumph in her heart; how could she possibly let go easily?

Just as the two were in a deadlock, the gatekeeping maid who had quietly rushed off to report the news hurriedly led Ouyang Jing into the hall.

Seeing the two women entangled together without a shred of ladylike decorum, a flash of helplessness crossed the eyes behind the black gold mask. He barked sternly, "What are you doing?"

Hearing his voice, Lu Xin immediately released her grip, switching to a charming and lovely expression. She turned to bow to him and smiled, "Why have you come, Prince? Xin'er was just explaining the household rules to the newly arrived Princess Consort!"

As she spoke, she cast her gaze toward the red and swollen Liu Qingcheng and gave a dry laugh, "Isn't that right, Sister?"

Liu Qingcheng covered her face and nodded, forcing back her tears.

Ouyang Jing stepped forward and gripped her chin with one hand to force her head up. He discovered her hair bun was disheveled, clear handprints marked her cheeks, and a trace of blood remained at the corner of her cherry-red lips.

Without even asking, he had a general idea of what had transpired in the hall just now.

He turned to look at Lu Xin beside him, but he did not voice any reproach, merely saying indifferently, "Know when to stop."

Liu Qingcheng stared at Ouyang Jing's profile in disbelief. Although his face was covered by the cold black gold mask, one could still discern the beautiful and resolute contours of his features.

When she used to read the *Classic of Poetry*, she had harbored infinite longings for love, imagining that her future husband would have a handsome face and a charming voice—most importantly, that he could protect her from being humiliated by others.

But today's bleak reality told her a heartless truth: it was all nothing more than a distant dream.

Liu Qingcheng wiped the tears from her face and turned to pick up the red bridal veil from the ground, only for Lu Xin to suddenly step forward and stomp heavily on her hand.

The nerves of the fingers are connected to the heart; as her fingers were ruthlessly crushed under the sole of the shoe, Liu Qingcheng let out a muffled groan of pain.

Only then did Lu Xin feign surprise, lifting her foot and saying, "Oh my! I intended to pick it up, but I didn't expect to accidentally step on Sister's hand. I hope Sister won't take offense!"

Feeling wronged, Liu Qingcheng habitually bit her lip to endure the pain, only to find the salty, metallic taste of blood spreading across her tongue.

She hated her own cowardice, yet she did not know how to fight back; she could only cast a pleading gaze toward Ouyang Jing.

But this Prince, with whom she had performed the marriage rites before Heaven and Earth, merely stood aside with an indifferent gaze behind a mask that hid his expressions, showing no intention of intervening.

He was tacitly permitting her unreasonable behavior!

Liu Qingcheng gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand up, saying, "I am tired and wish to rest. Please, both of you, leave first."

Her words were cold and hard. Upon hearing them, the fury in Lu Xin's heart, which had subsided halfway, flared up once more.

Ouyang Jing's attitude of standing by as a bystander left her with nothing to fear. She stepped forward and raised her hand, preparing to deliver another slap to Liu Qingcheng to teach her a lesson.

In the end, feeling a flicker of reluctance, Ouyang Jing stepped out and grasped Lu Xin's wrist, advising, "Even if my beloved consort is jealous, she must know when to stop. She is, after all, this Prince's primary consort; do not act recklessly."

Seeing the Prince intervene, Lu Xin found it difficult to continue the scene. Seeing that Liu Qingcheng's cheeks were already red and swollen, she nodded with satisfaction and withdrew, smiling sweetly, "The Prince is right to admonish me. Although Xin'er entered the household earlier, Sister is, after all, the primary consort. It is just that Xin'er has managed the household for a long time and has made disciplining others a habit; I hope the Prince will forgive me."