Time Travel: Pampered by the Aloof Prince
Chapter 278: The Maiden Has an Idea

Chapter 278: Chapter 278: The Maiden Has an Idea

"Bold!" Qi Yu rebuked sharply, her eyes glaring displeasedly at Liu Murou, "Madam Liu and I have no quarrel, so why would you seek to harm me? As a member of the Liu Family, yet you stir up trouble, wishing to destroy the relationship between me and Madam Liu, what is your intention!"

Liu Murou was startled by her reaction, she hadn’t expected her to stand on the side of the Liu family mother and daughter, defending them.

According to the information she had gathered previously, Qi Yu greatly despised Liu Sisi, and certainly had no fondness for Madam Liu either.

Song Yuerou, however, saw clearly that her cousin-in-law was merely acting.

Liu Murou was deeply scheming, if Qi Yu had truly shown complete trust in her from the beginning, letting her lead by the nose, it would have seemed false.

Thinking of this, she also spoke up to support her cousin-in-law, "What my cousin-in-law says makes sense, could Miss Liu have listened to the malicious slander of others?"

Liu Murou, seeing that they did not believe her, couldn’t help feeling a bit agitated.

After all, she was just an unmarried young girl, possessing scheming and tactics, but only able to use them against naives misses like Liu Sisi.

Seeing her words rejected, she immediately looked a bit downcast, and said in a somewhat aggrieved tone, "How would I dare to deceive the Princess? Just now at the banquet, Madam Liu and Liu Sisi inadvertently let slip a few words, which I happened to overhear, and I worried that the Princess might fall into a trap, that’s why I thought to inform you."

Qi Yu was silent for a moment before she spoke faintly, "Then tell me, how does Madam Liu plan to harm me?"

Liu Murou saw that she was beginning to waver and quickly said, "I didn’t hear very clearly, but I heard Madam Liu mention that they had added something to the Princess’s wine."

Qi Yu slightly raised an eyebrow, "Added what?"

Liu Murou bit her lip, displaying a hesitant and somewhat embarrassed demeanor, appearing reluctant to speak.

After a long pause, she lowered her head and bitterly said, "It was an aphrodisiac!"

Qi Yu was not surprised by this answer; she had already figured out what had been added to the wine.

Moreover, the Liu family mother and daughter indeed wanted to get rid of her, but if anything happened to her at the Marquis Residence, the Prince would certainly not let them off.

Therefore, it had to be an aphrodisiac to achieve their desired effect.

All it took was arranging a man beforehand, leading her, affected by the aphrodisiac, to that place, then later bringing people to catch them in the act. Under the public gaze, whatever she said would be useless.

And the Prince naturally would not want a Princess who had lost her honor, and surely he would divorce her.

Then, Liu Sisi could marry into the Prince Qiu Residence with the Empress’s manipulation, rightfully becoming the Princess she long desired to be.

The strategy was ruthlessly cold yet childish.

Not to mention that Song Yuerou was there, even if she mistakenly drank that wine, as long as she communicated in time with Song Yuerou, they could devise a way to get her out.

If all else failed, she could have the Hidden Guard go back to report to the Prince Residence, and Prince Qiu would come himself.

This setup would fail, without her needing to take action personally.

And as the Princess, being drugged at a banquet, the Prince would inevitably investigate the matter.

At that time, the ones truly without an excuse would be the Liu family mother and daughter.

Qi Yu’s eyes shifted, and she broke through this scheme.

However, in front of Liu Murou, she feigned a frightened expression, anxiously saying, "Madam Liu actually took such a cruel step, when have I ever offended her!"

Liu Murou pursed her lips, struggling to find the words, "The Princess, being a person of high status, often forgets; recently, in the palace, Liu Sisi sprained her ankle, and she held a grudge against you since then."

The words fell, and Qi Yu saw a flash of realization in Liu Murou’s eyes, and she continued, "My lady often hears Liu Sisi say in the residence that once she marries into Prince Qiu Residence, she will definitely trample the Princess underfoot."

Qi Yu didn’t wait for her to finish before coldly huffing, "Liu Sisi really has the nerve!"

Seeing her becoming angry, Liu Murou knew she had fanned the flames sufficiently. To continue would only make her seem ulterior.

Although she intended to ingratiate herself with the Princess of Prince Qiu, she did not want the Princess to misunderstand her as a petty gossiper.

Qi Yu saw right through her intentions and, without changing expression, continued the act, "This Princess is going to find Madam Liu and Liu Sisi to settle the account now!"

With that, she actually turned to leave, startling Liu Murou, who quickly stopped her.

Qi Yu looked at her displeasingly, "Why are you stopping me?"

Liu Murou knew if she confronted Madam Liu, she would surely reveal her involvement. In a moment of panic, she quickly said, "Princess, based solely on my family’s words, there is no evidence. If you confront Madam Liu now, they will surely deny everything!"

Qi Yu stopped in her tracks, furrowed her brows in thought for a moment, then reluctantly nodded, "You make some sense."

Having said that, she then turned to Song Yuerou and asked, "Yuerou, what do you think?"

Song Yuerou slightly shook her head, her tone sincere, "I don’t have any good ideas either. Today is also Madam Liu’s birthday celebration. It would be unseemly to create too much of a fuss."

Both of them fell into silence for a moment.

Seeing this, Liu Murou hurriedly shared the plan she had already thought of, "If the Princess trusts me, I have a proposal."

"Oh?" Qi Yu raised an eyebrow and said, "Let’s hear it."

Liu Murou leaned close to her ear and whispered for a while.

After listening, Qi Yu nodded thoughtfully, "Then let’s do as you suggest."

Liu Murou, unable to contain her joy, said, "I will immediately lead Madam Liu and her daughter to the rockery."

Qi Yu waved her hand, "Go ahead, this Princess will prepare in advance."

Liu Murou acknowledged, briskly lifting her skirts and heading into the garden.

As soon as she left, Qi Yu could no longer hold back and let out a laugh.

Song Yuerou had been worried for her, afraid that she was being used by Liu Murou. Suddenly seeing her trying to suppress a laugh, she paused, then shook her head amusedly.

She even complained, "I thought for a moment cousin was really taken in by her talk, but it turns out, cousin was acting all along."

After laughing for a while, Qi Yu said, "Liu Murou may seem clever, but in reality, her scheme to ’use someone else to do one’s dirty work’ is not much better than that of the Liu mother and daughter."

"Using someone else to do one’s dirty work?" Song Yuerou slightly furrowed her brows, not grasping the deeper meaning.

Qi Yu explained, "She must have been planning for days, wanting to use my hand to blunt the sharpness of the Liu mother and daughter, and to embarrass them in public."

Song Yuerou nodded, "It seems she too has been suppressed by the Liu mother and daughter for many years."

Qi Yu suddenly scoffed, a thick irony flashing in her eyes as she coldly said, "She really plays a good game, offending no sides!"

Song Yuerou puzzled, "Since she dared to reveal the Liu mother and daughter’s schemes in front of cousin, surely Madam Liu won’t let her off either. How can she avoid offending both sides?"