"Of course you can. There's no harm in dreaming.
We've been out too long. We should head back."
"Right, we should head back.
Oh, you serve in the main courtyard, don't you? There's more juicy gossip there. If you hear anything else, make sure you share it with me next time!"
"All right."
When the two maids emerged from behind the rockery, they saw Wan Rong and dropped to their knees in fright.
"Princess Consort."
Wan Rong's personal maid rebuked them:
"You loose-tongued maids truly need to be taught a lesson. Someone, give them twenty strokes each!"
"Princess Consort, spare us!"
"Princess Consort, spare us!"
Several attendants behind Wan Rong ignored the two maids' pleas and dragged them away for their punishment.
Before long, the two maids were dragged back, drenched in blood.
Wan Rong sat in the seat of honor and looked at them as she asked:
"Are you satisfied with the punishment this White-Haired Monster gave you?"
At those words, the two maids began to tremble.
They knew the Princess Consort had heard everything.
Ignoring the pain in their bodies, they begged for mercy without stopping.
"Princess Consort, we'll never do it again. Please spare us this once!"
"Princess Consort, we truly won't dare do it again. Please spare us this once, since it's our first offense!"
"You wanted to climb into the Prince's bed and bear his children? You certainly dared to dream big!"
"Princess Consort, our tongues ran away with us. It was only talk. We truly have no improper designs on the Prince."
"Princess Consort, someone like the Prince is far beyond our reach. Our tongues truly just ran away with us.
Please spare us this once, Princess Consort. We'll never dare do it again!"
Wan Rong lifted her tea, took a small sip,