While Cheng Yunmeng was still quietly sobbing, Jiang Yingcheng had already worked out her entire plan!
First, she would rush up to this palace maid named Zuilan, tug at her and scream, making her instinctively push her away.
She would fall right there, then start bawling, accusing the maid of her crimes between sobs.
With Zuilan so accustomed to throwing her weight around, she would definitely be unable to resist continuing to mock her.
Just as her insults reached their peak, Eunuch Changshun and the others would arrive after hearing the cries. Then they could catch her red-handed!
An excited gleam flashed in Jiang Yingcheng's eyes.
Although she could simply ask Eunuch Changshun to punish this palace maid, she aspired to be the best-behaved little one in the entire palace, and the best-behaved little one couldn't bully people for no reason!
But it was a different story when she had solid grounds~
She was practically a master planner!
Cheng Yunmeng: "..."
Before charging forward, Jiang Yingcheng glanced again at the food scattered across the ground.
Hmm...
It was a little dirty.
And shards of broken porcelain plates were everywhere...
If she accidentally got cut, it would really hurt.
Jiang Yingcheng turned back, darting pitiful little glances at the other two.
[If only Aunties Yunmeng could stage an accident with Chengcheng.]
Then she wouldn't have to fall onto such dirty ground. She could just start bawling!
Cheng Yunmeng: "..."
Zuilan and Jiang Xingran were puzzling over the strange atmosphere that had suddenly fallen silent when Cheng Yunmeng abruptly raised her head. Her tear-reddened eyes brimmed with hatred as she stared straight at Zuilan. "You wretched servant! It's bad enough that you bully my son and me every day, but how could you shove an innocent little child?!"
Zuilan: ???
The shock in Jiang Xingran's eyes outweighed his confusion.
He didn't know why his Imperial Consort mother had suddenly begun crying so bitterly, nor why she had abruptly accused Zuilan of something she hadn't done.
None of that mattered.
What mattered was that his Imperial Consort mother seemed to have become an entirely different person, always doing things she would never have done before.
It had been the same yesterday, when she demanded that the palace maid be punished with a beating in Noble Consort Qing's residence.
And it was the same with everything she had done today.
All of this had happened after Jiang Yingcheng came here.
Jiang Xingran raised his head, his gaze dark as he looked at Jiang Yingcheng, the girl his Imperial Consort mother had specifically told him to get along with.
Jiang Yingcheng needed only a moment to react before she pattered over to a slightly cleaner patch of ground, sat down, and began to cry.
"Boohoo, Chengcheng hurts so much..."
"A palace maid in Aunties' courtyard is bullying a little kid!"
"A palace maid in Aunties' courtyard is bullying such a tiny, pitiful little kid!"
"Boohoo, somebody help!"
Zuilan stared in utter shock.
Th-this little brat was absolutely shameless!
When had she ever shoved this little thing?
Even when the little thing had dumped food onto her just now, she hadn't pushed her!
"You..." Zuilan drew a deep breath, no longer able to restrain her temper. "You little thing, you're spouting nothing but lies! Even if I did push you, I'd only be teaching you a proper lesson on your parents' behalf!"
She was deliberately keeping Consort Lan and her son down in the Fragrant Pavilion on Noble Consort Rou's orders. Noble Consort Rou could surely deal with a little princess whose status was so low that she had to associate with the Seventh Prince!
Noble Consort Rou came from an illustrious family. Which consort in the palace would dare refuse her a little courtesy?
Even if she really did bully her, the little thing would have no choice but to swallow her anger!
Having reassured herself, Zuilan finally unleashed the rage she had been suppressing all this time. "You little bastard! So what if I bully you today? Do you even know whom I work for?"
Jiang Yingcheng kept bawling, but the eyes peeking through the gaps between her fingers were full of mischief.
[Hehehe, you big idiot. Keep talking. Make it nastier. I love hearing it.]
Her wailing gave Zuilan a headache. Unable to stand it, she strode forward and reached out to cover Jiang Yingcheng's mouth, only for Jiang Xingran to suddenly charge in from the side and slam into her. She swayed for a long while before barely regaining her footing.
Zuilan stared in disbelief at Jiang Xingran, who stood protectively in front of Jiang Yingcheng.
Normally, because of Consort Lan's constant admonitions, Jiang Xingran only dared glare at her with venom in his eyes. He never did anything like this.
Today was the first time he had actually dared lay hands on her!
The spot where that little thing had bumped into her earlier was still aching faintly, but Jiang Xingran had struck much harder. That blow had nearly left her unable to straighten her back!
Zuilan's face twisted with fury, and she raised her hand to slap the little brat hard.
"You bastard, I'll-"
"Stop!"
A shrill voice suddenly rang out behind her. Interrupted mid-motion, Zuilan turned with a vicious expression, but one glance was enough to make her legs go weak, and she dropped to her knees-
"E-Eunuch Changshun..."
Although news rarely reached this place, Eunuch Changshun had served His Majesty in the Imperial Presence for years. Even if someone in the palace couldn't recognize all three thousand beauties, they would never mistake Eunuch Changshun's face!
But how could someone like Eunuch Changshun, who followed Emperor Mingze all year round, appear in this tiny Fragrant Pavilion?!
Could it be-
Zuilan's face turned white, and her wavering gaze shifted toward Jiang Yingcheng behind her.
Just who was this little girl?!
Seeing that her backer had finally arrived, Jiang Yingcheng instantly cried even louder!
"Waaah-"
"This bad woman pushed Chengcheng-"
"Boohoo, it hurts so much!"
At her words, Eunuch Changshun had no time to deal with that outrageously brazen palace maid. He hurried toward Jiang Yingcheng.
"Oh, my little princess, you-"
Before he could finish his distressed words, the little girl's thoughts reached him-
[Hehehe, won't this scare that bad woman to death?!]
[Serves her right! How dare she be mean to Aunties Yunmeng and Seventh Brother!]
Eunuch Changshun's steps faltered. It took him a long while to find his voice again. "Where... does it hurt...?"
The little girl was far too experienced at staging accidents. He had to take precautions himself.
Jiang Yingcheng's crying paused. Looking thoroughly aggrieved, she rubbed her forehead, signaling to her Uncle Changshun that this bad woman had pushed her forehead, causing her to fall to the ground!
Yet in her thoughts, she kept sighing like a little grown-up.
[My heart hurts! Chengcheng's heart hurts!]
[Aunties Yunmeng has been bullied by this bad woman for so long. Not only does this bad woman fail to take good care of Aunties and Seventh Brother, she's secretly sold off so many things the palace sent them!]
[She even sprinkles cold water on Aunties Yunmeng's bed, making Aunties sleep wrapped in damp bedding in the dead of winter!]
[And it's not just her. Not one palace maid in this courtyard is a good person!]
[Let me take a look...]
[Whoa! Another palace maid hid someone in this courtyard?!!]
[And the person she hid is an assassin?!!!]
Before you continue