Chapter 20

Chapter 20: How Could She Humiliate Her Like This

Everyone knew the Princess admired Qi Shi, but no one expected she could go this far for Qi Shi.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes glimmered as Sheng Zhi Wan asked, “What’s the rush? Isn’t there still the second volume?”

There was a saying: the higher you lifted someone, the harder they fell. Since Meng Yang wanted fame, Sheng Zhi Wan would give Meng Yang a push. Sheng Zhi Wan only feared that if Meng Yang flew too high, Meng Yang would not be able to catch herself when she fell.

“Oh, and one more thing.” Sheng Zhi Wan nearly forgot. “Go to Imperial Physician Song’s residence and pass along a message. Tell him Qing Ning’s request ends here.”

In the past, Sheng Zhi Wan had given far too much for Qi Shu Xian. Now that Sheng Zhi Wan was preparing to divorce, Sheng Zhi Wan would take back every single thing she had paid out.

Money, favors, connections – whatever it was, Duke Qi Residence had taken from her, and Sheng Zhi Wan would not go easy on them.

After they left Wan Bao Pavilion, Ting Lan’s eyes shone. Sheng Zhi Wan had not hidden her plans anymore, so Ting Lan could tell that the Princess truly meant to draw a clear line between herself and Duke Qi Residence.

“Princess, are you really going to divorce the Heir Apparent?” Ting Lan asked.

Sheng Zhi Wan smiled at Ting Lan. “What, you still don’t believe me?”

“No.” Ting Lan’s eyes suddenly reddened. “This servant believed you. This servant was just happy for Princess.”

Ting Lan sniffled and kept going. “An Zhi’s life and Ting Lan’s life were both saved by Princess. When Princess married into the Duke Residence, Princess was never happy, and this servant saw it all, but this servant couldn’t do anything.”

Ting Lan’s voice shook. “But now it’s good. Princess finally understood. No one will be able to hurt Princess again…”

Sheng Zhi Wan nodded. “Mm. You were right. Before, I personally handed him the sword that could hurt me.”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s smile faded. From now on, that would not happen again.

Since they had finally come out, Sheng Zhi Wan took Ting Lan to wander around the capital city. She had not seen crowds this lively for far too long.

Street Vendor after Street Vendor shouted, and commoner hurried past. Some faces looked tired, some looked bright, but everyone still had something to work toward.

It was nothing like ten years later, when Sheng Kingdom had been on the verge of collapse. From the Imperial Court down to the commoner, all that had been left in people’s eyes was numbness.

They walked until dusk before returning to the residence. Sheng Zhi Wan felt worn out and was about to rest when a figure suddenly rushed out from the side.

Ting Lan had been about to stop the person, but after seeing who it was, Ting Lan frowned and stepped back to the side.

“Princess!” Huan Zhu stretched an arm out to block the way. “This servant begs Princess to stop throwing a tantrum and fighting with the Heir Apparent!”

“The Heir Apparent barely made it back from Cang Nan, but Princess turned a tiny matter into this huge mess. Princess even dragged it all the way to His Majesty!”

“This servant truly meant well, so this servant had to persuade Princess. Princess was angry right now, but once there was no way to fix it, it would be too late for Princess to regret anything.”

Huan Zhu leaned forward, desperate. “Princess should go beg His Majesty to take back the Imperial Edict and grant the Heir Apparent the rewards he deserved. That way, Princess can make peace with the Heir Apparent again!”

Ever since Huan Zhu heard the news yesterday, Huan Zhu had been unable to focus for an entire day. Huan Zhu could not understand how the Princess had changed into this.

The Heir Apparent had risked life and death to earn those battle merits, yet the Princess had gone to His Majesty over a moment of jealousy and pettiness. In the end, the Heir Apparent even lost the title of Ping Yan General.

The Princess had not been like this before. The Princess had always put the Heir Apparent first. During the two years the Heir Apparent was away, no one even knew how many portraits of him had been stacked in the study.

But ever since the day before yesterday, after the Princess woke up, the Princess seemed like a different person.

Sheng Zhi Wan raised an eyebrow. “So I should be thanking you for being so considerate of me.”

Sheng Zhi Wan had not planned to deal with Huan Zhu so soon. Keeping Huan Zhu around would still be useful later. Unfortunately, Huan Zhu just kept leaping around in front of Sheng Zhi Wan.

“This servant wouldn’t dare!” Huan Zhu did not catch the meaning behind Sheng Zhi Wan’s words. Huan Zhu even thought Sheng Zhi Wan regretted it, so Huan Zhu repeated everything she had said earlier.

“This servant was only a servant,” Huan Zhu insisted.

Sheng Zhi Wan smiled faintly. “But you said one thing wrong. I don’t know whether I’ll regret it or not. But you will definitely regret it.”

“What?” Huan Zhu looked blank.

Sheng Zhi Wan spoke calmly. “Since you were so idle that you even tried to manage your master’s affairs, then starting tomorrow, for the next half month, every chamber pot in Ping Lan Residence will be scrubbed by you.”

“Scrub… chamber pots?” Huan Zhu froze.

It took a moment for Huan Zhu to understand. Then Huan Zhu’s expression cracked apart.

Scrubbing chamber pots was the filthiest, most humiliating job, something even the lowest, roughest Maid found disgusting. Now the Princess was making her do it.

How could the Princess – how could the Princess humiliate her like this?

Huan Zhu burned with shame and rage.

“Someone,” Sheng Zhi Wan said, not even bothering to look at Huan Zhu’s face. “Take her away.”

Ting Lan still felt dazed. “Princess, did Princess really plan to make Sister Huan Zhu scrub… chamber pots?”

Ting Lan did not like Huan Zhu at all, especially when Huan Zhu kept talking about putting the Heir Apparent first. Even so, this punishment felt terrifying.

Sheng Zhi Wan looked at Ting Lan. “What, do you think I punished her too harshly?”

“This servant wouldn’t dare…” Ting Lan lowered her head, embarrassed. “But yes. Just a little.”

Ting Lan was also afraid that one day Ting Lan would be punished the same way.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s voice stayed even. “Did you not notice? Compared to me, her master, she paid more attention to Qi Shu Xian.”

“The Heir Apparent?” Ting Lan started to speak, then stopped mid-sentence.