The concubine was charming and alluring, and the ruthless prince coaxed her day and night.

Chapter 86 Everyone has their own agenda

The news of Xu Jiaojiao being confined to her quarters spread rapidly throughout the entire inner quarters of Prince Chen's residence, even alarming Jia Rong and the Empress in the palace.

"What? Grounded?"

Zhou Yingyue, who was drawing crabapple blossoms at her desk, paused, her pen poised, and looked up in surprise.

Seeing the maid's affirmative look, she put down her pen, a playful smile flashing in her eyes.

"When the prince returned to the manor yesterday, I noticed that his expression was off. I didn't expect that after the prince went to Yuhua Courtyard today, Xu Jiaojiao was confined to her quarters."

After taking a big bite of melon, Zhou Yingyue simply stopped painting and began discussing the matter with her maid.

"I reckon the prince must have had some unpleasant experience in the previous court, and he's holding a grudge, and Xu Jiaojiao just happened to stumble upon it."

In a good mood, she picked up a piece of pastry and ate it: "So you see, excessive favor is like cooking oil over a raging fire; too much of it can easily backfire."

You know, serving a king is like serving a tiger; our prince has never had a good temper.

Xu Jiaojiao was favored; she was the only one in the entire backyard who could see the prince often, but little did she know that she was also the only one who had to face the prince's unpredictable moods.

Look, she's only been in the prince's favor for a short time before he's already turned his back on her!

Seeing Xu Jiaojiao being favored these days, Zhou Yingyue, also a woman of Prince Chen, naturally felt jealous and resentful.

She herself did not realize that her words had become somewhat sarcastic and bitter.

Zhou Yingyue smiled and sighed, "Looking at it this way, although I don't have any favor from the emperor, at least I'm living peacefully in the inner quarters. Isn't that a blessing in disguise?"

The maidservant smiled and replied, "Your Highness is a blessed person; your good fortune is yet to come!"

At that time, in Qingxue Courtyard.

Bai Yiru put down her book, her face also full of surprise: "Xu Jiaojiao is under house arrest?"

How?

Before the prince went to Nanjun, he and Xu Jiaojiao were inseparable. How come he changed his attitude so suddenly after returning?

What happened between Xu Jiaojiao and the prince?

Being confined to the inner quarters, one's words and actions are subject to numerous restrictions, and many things are kept in the dark, preventing one from seeing the truth.

With the autumn hunt approaching, Bai Yiru had some ideas in mind, thinking about her previous plans with Xu Jiaojiao.

She pondered for a moment and looked at the maid: "Go and find out why Xu Jiaojiao has been confined to her quarters."

She needs to find out the truth about Xu Jiaojiao's house arrest as soon as possible.

Based on past experience, this might just be another false alarm, and Xu Jiaojiao will be released safely in a couple of days.

If Xu Jiaojiao has truly angered Prince Chen this time, then the plans for the autumn hunt will have to be reconsidered...

In Shi Nuan Pavilion.

Green Ping stood at the courtyard gate and whispered to a passing maid.

Zheng Antong, who had just stepped out of the house to get some fresh air, saw this and couldn't help but call out from afar.

Upon hearing her master's call, the maid at the door hurriedly left, and Lüping ran back to the courtyard.

"Lvping, what are you and that maid talking about?"

Thinking of the excited expressions on Lüping's and the cleaning maid's faces just now, Zheng Antong casually asked a question.

Green Ping immediately leaned close to Zheng Antong mysteriously and whispered, "Master, Consort Xu has been confined to her quarters!"

Not only that, but in the afternoon someone saw the prince storming out of Yuhua Courtyard!

Upon hearing Xu Jiaojiao's name, Zheng Antong's pupils dilated, and a hint of unnatural ferocity appeared on his face.

Upon hearing that Xu Jiaojiao had been grounded, a crimson glint appeared in her eyes.

After a moment, she gave a strange laugh: "Do you know why you've been confined to your quarters?"

Green Lotus shook her head: "That servant does not know."

Zheng Antong's eyes were dark and his voice sharp: "Investigate immediately!"

With Shi Nuan Pavilion sealed off, not only was Zheng Antong confined to her quarters, but the servants were also unable to leave.

Lu Ping looked troubled, but dared not resist, so she had no choice but to agree and try to climb the wall.

Watching Lüping successfully climb over the courtyard wall, Zheng Antong turned around and went back into the house with a dazed look in his eyes.

She then took out her unfinished embroidery and began to embroider it stitch by stitch.

As she embroidered, she muttered to herself, "Go to hell... all of you go to hell..."

……

Inside Mingkun Courtyard.

The princess was trimming the flowers in the vase again: "Immediately send someone to investigate why Xu Jiaojiao has been confined to her quarters."

Granny Wang nodded slightly: "This old servant understands."

"Crack!"

She accidentally cut the flower crookedly, and the blooming flowers in the vase were cut off. Wang Mama, who had just finished arranging the servants, came into the room and saw it. She immediately stepped forward to clean it up: "What a pity. This old servant will go to the garden to pick some more blooming flowers later."

The princess put down the scissors, walked to the desk and sat down, gazing thoughtfully at the winter plum blossoms outside the window, her eyes deep and thoughtful.

While tidying up the fallen flowers, Granny Wang said, "That Xu is really useless. It's a wonder that Her Highness the Princess planned for her and Su to compete against each other. Su hasn't even entered the mansion yet, and she has already lost."

The princess's eyelashes fluttered, and she chuckled, "The Xu family may not necessarily be defeated."

Granny Wang stopped what she was doing, looked up at the princess in surprise, and listened quietly as the princess continued to speak.

“In the past, when the Xu family was in dire straits several times, she was able to find a way to come back to life. This time, she might be able to do the same.”

Hearing the princess say this, Wang Mama shook her head in disagreement: "But this time is different. In the past, when Xu Shi was in dire straits, it was because someone deliberately framed her. This time, no one framed her; she brought it on herself!"

The princess raised an eyebrow and smiled meaningfully: "You old fool, you've hit the nail on the head."

Having served the princess for many years, Wang Mama knew that whenever the princess showed such a smile, it meant that the princess had already made up her mind.

She was still somewhat confused: "What does Your Majesty mean by that?"

The princess spoke calmly, with a faint smile: "You should know that our Prince Chen has always hated evil as if it were his enemy, and he will never be merciful to those he despises."

Although it's unclear how Xu Shi offended the Prince, the fact that he didn't kill her outright but merely confined her to her quarters shows that the Prince still harbored feelings for her.

Granny Wang suddenly realized: "So as long as this affection remains, the Prince will not be willing to kill Madam Xu!"

The princess gave a noncommittal smirk, her hands tucked into her sleeves tightening slightly.

Ah, love…

This is really a great product...

……

Unlike the women in the inner quarters of the Prince's mansion, each harboring their own secrets, Jia Rong in the Imperial Palace was frantic upon hearing the news, hopping around in the Qiyun Hall.

Did Second Brother have a fight with Sister Jiaojiao?

He's grounded Jiaojiao, so won't she be able to eat the pastries and tea that Jiaojiao makes?

Also, all those shops were run and managed by Sister Jiao Jiao with her advice and strategies. She couldn't have done it all by herself without Sister Jiao Jiao!

No, we have to find out what exactly happened between the two of them!

Jiaojiao is such a gentle and kind person, she would never do anything outrageous. It must be that her second brother's stubbornness has relapsed!

After much deliberation, Jia Rong felt it was essential for him to personally leave the palace to investigate the situation!

Perhaps if she mediates, the two can make up!

She didn't want to lose such delicious pastries and tea, nor did she want this lucrative shop to be left unmanaged in the future!

With this in mind, Jia Rong quickly put it into action…