Time Travel: Pampered by the Aloof Prince
Chapter 171: What’s Wrong with the Two Madams?

Chapter 171: Chapter 171: What’s Wrong with the Two Madams?

Upon hearing Qi Yu’s words, Shi Zhou nearly sprayed out the tea in her mouth.

She watched as the maids, who had originally appeared meek and feeble, changed their expressions. With a few swift moves, they had overpowered the two Madams of the Gu Family.

She had not expected that these maids were skilled in martial arts.

Shi Zhou looked at Qi Yu, puzzled, not knowing what she planned to do.

Qi Yu raised her eyebrows at her, and in the next second, her face returned to the frosty expression she had before.

The First Madam and the Second Madam were pressed to kneel on the ground, their faces panicked as they looked at Qi Yu, "Princess, what is the meaning of this?"

Gu Sheng watched the scene in a daze, opened his mouth, and instinctively wanted to burst out crying.

He was cut off by a cold look from Qi Yu who threatened, "Cry again, and I’ll pull out your tongue."

Feeling wronged, Gu Sheng shut his mouth and with a kick of his legs, crawled to a chair to sit by himself.

Qi Yu retracted her gaze, satisfied, and didn’t continue to frighten him.

If Gu Sheng didn’t cry so earth-shatteringly, she wouldn’t have threatened a child.

Her eyes downturned, she looked at the two kneeling people and scoffed coldly, "Do the two Madams know what crime it is to frame me, the Princess?"

Shi Zhou was astounded as she watched from the side.

When she first saw Qi Yu, the latter was lying down, pale-faced, looking like a sick beauty without a hint of aggression.

After they got to know each other, though she knew Qi Yu was a Princess, she didn’t act haughty, which made people forget her status.

Now, with her stern face and luxurious attire, resembling a cool and detached fairy from the high heavens, she certainly looked the part.

The First Madam and the Second Madam were indeed frightened by her demeanor and pleaded for mercy, "We beg the Princess for forgiveness, we know our mistake."

Qi Yu raised an eyebrow, "Is that so? But just now, I saw how earnestly you spoke. Why not continue? I would like to hear what the two Madams’ thoughts about me are."

At this moment, both were filled with regret and no longer dared to speak, having been terrified out of their wits. Other than knocking their heads on the ground and pleading for mercy, they could not utter a word.

How could they have forgotten she was the Prince’s wife?

Even in Gusu City, they had heard of the Prince’s fearsome reputation; to offend him was to court death.

Moreover, it was well known that the Prince was extremely fond of the Princess. If she were to whisper into his ear later, the Gu Family might very well be wiped out by his wrath.

Seeing that they were already shaking with fear, Qi Yu held back her laughter, waved her hand, and had the maids throw them out.

The First Madam and the Second Madam were tossed outside just as Zhou Hong and Gu Jingping were returning from the government office.

The scene was truly pitiable.

Gu Jingping barely managed to suppress his laughter.

His mother had died when he was young, and his father took two new wives who were not the quiet type, causing constant chaos in the Gu Residence.

Since he was a child, he had endured sneers and ridicule from these two women.

Seeing the scene today, he felt a wave of pleasure but pretended to furrow his brows, asking, "What happened to the two Madams?"

The First Madam and the Second Madam, upon seeing him, had expressions of awkward embarrassment.

The Second Madam, holding Gu Sheng, complained tearfully, "It was all because of the Qi Prince’s wife. We heard that the Prince and Princess were attacked and came to visit, but unexpectedly, the Qi Prince’s wife drove us out!"

Gu Jingping was inwardly overjoyed, yet he pretended to be deeply aggrieved, "How could the Qi Princess be so impolite as to drive the two Madams out?"

Zhou Hong looked at him putting on an act without a hint of expression on his face, but thought to himself, if it weren’t for your lack of manners, the Princess would never have driven you out.

Having interacted with Qi Yu for over a month, he knew well that she was not the type to put on airs, nor would she suppress others with her status without good reason.

It must have been that these two said something they shouldn’t have, which led Qi Yu to drive them out.

The senior madam failed to see that Gu Jingping was doing it on purpose and, thinking he genuinely wanted to stand up for them, said, "We had barely said a word when the Princess got angry and drove us out, such behavior is truly lacking in grace."

Gu Jingping nodded, "Madam speaks the truth, I will definitely question the Princess later and seek justice for you ladies."

Only then did the senior madam and the second madam leave satisfied.

Once inside, Gu Jingping couldn’t hold back any longer and burst out laughing, "How satisfying, how satisfying!"

Zhou Hong silently shook his head, paying him no mind.

Li Mingjue and Shen Xiheng were still discussing matters with Gu Songhua at the Gu Residence, so the two of them first relayed the situation they had heard about at the government office to Qi Yu.

After listening, Qi Yu frowned and said, "So you’re saying that this group of bandits are all refugees from the surrounding villages?"

Zhou Hong nodded, "Yes, they claim that their villages had been hit by a locust plague before, causing many deaths from hunger. Without other options, they fell into the sway of a man in black, and took to robbery and burglary."

"A locust plague?" Qi Yu’s brows tightened.

Gu Jingping remembered this and after thinking for a moment said, "Last winter, locusts invaded, and these nearby villages all suffered. Indeed, many people starved to death."

Qi Yu puzzled, "Such a major event, why wasn’t it reported to the Emperor?"

She hadn’t heard anything about a locust plague while she was in the capital city.

Gu Jingping sighed deeply at the mention of this issue, showing a trace of guilt on his face: "Speaking of this, it was my father’s fault."

Everyone’s expressions became stern as Gu Jingping continued, "Last winter, when the locust plague spread, my father, as a regional governor, did not dare to report it to the court, fearing he might be questioned by His Majesty."

Qi Yu closed her eyes, feeling both anxious and angry.

Even Zhou Hong and Shi Zhou couldn’t help but frown; this Governor Gu truly failed in his duties, frightened to such an extent.

To protect his own position, he had abandoned the common people to their fate.

Qi Yu opened her eyes and asked, "Where is the Prince now?"

Zhou Hong answered with a serious tone, "Replying to the Princess, the Prince is currently discussing matters with Doctor Shen and Governor Gu in the residence."

Qi Yu stood up, changed her clothes, and in the guise of a man, went to the Gu Residence with Gu Jingping.

As soon as she entered, she heard a thunderous wailing.

Qi Yu frowned and walked further inside to see the two madams and Gu Sheng all crying loudly. She grabbed the housekeeper and asked, "What happened?"

The housekeeper, too, seemed to be in a daze and responded sluggishly, "The Prince... had the governor taken to jail."

No sooner had these words fallen than the senior madam rushed over, clinging to Qi Yu’s legs, her eyes swollen from crying, she pleaded, "I beg the Princess to show mercy, and ask the Prince to release my husband!"

Qi Yu turned her face away, speaking coldly, "Madam, what are you saying? The Prince acts with his own reason, and it is not for others to intervene."

She didn’t feel that Li Mingjue was in the wrong; officials being cowardly was one thing, but causing so many deaths was another.

Perhaps this was why these bandits had been incited today, seeking their very lives.

An official who does not serve the people deserves to be denounced by heaven and earth.