Ning Shu took down the whip from her waist. She had already whipped the male lead, so what would it feel like to whip the female lead? Oh no, how did she become so violent? This wasn't good, not good at all.
When Duan Xinghui saw the princess reach for her whip, he immediately recalled the stinging pain it caused, as if his veins were breaking. Even now, just the sight of it made his arm ache.
He rushed over, scooped up Er Ya from the ground, and dodged to the side to avoid Ning Shu's strike.
Ning Shu calmly retrieved her whip, having noticed Duan Xinghui among the crowd from the very beginning. Tsk, tsk. Allowing his woman to kneel and plead while he hid away was quite the display of moral character from Duan Xinghui.
Ning Shu couldn't understand what part of Duan Xinghui had been worth the original host's attachment. Perhaps it was the fact that the original host felt unwilling to accept this situation, leading her to cling to him out of anger. People often value things more if others desire them, and the same applied to relationships.
In truth, if one looked closely, they would find that Duan Xinghui wasn't a good person at all.
Er Ya stared at Duan Xinghui in astonishment for a moment, then tears began to spill from her eyes. In front of the onlookers, she clung to him, overwhelmed with relief.
"This common citizen greets Princess Jiahui," Duan Xinghui said, shielding Er Ya as he saluted Ning Shu.
Ning Shu merely responded with a brief nod, remaining poised at the top of the steps, looking down at Duan Xinghui.
This position made Duan Xinghui uncomfortable. He was aware that Princess Jiahui no longer harbored feelings for him, yet her demeanor filled him with vexation. In the past, she would never have treated him with such disdain.
"Princess, this matter has nothing to do with Er Ya, so why must you be so cruel? She's a woman; how could she withstand your whip?" As Duan Xinghui spoke, his tone shifted, tinged with blame.
Ning Shu pressed her lips together for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Audacious! Are you blaming this princess? Duan Xinghui, you'd best take care of your woman, or I'll ensure you both are kicked out of this capital. I promise I will make it impossible for you to stay here. If there's a next time…" She pointed the whip at them, her eyes flashing with determination. "I'll whip your faces until they're unrecognizable!"
"You really think this old lady—uh, this princess's residence is a food market? That you can just come here every day to cause a ruckus?" As Ning Shu spoke, she swung her whip and struck Duan Xinghui on the shoulder.
He let out a muffled groan, his face draining of color. Er Ya was momentarily stunned, witnessing Duan Xinghui stumble before falling to his knees. She screamed, "Dear! Dear!"
Fear flashed in Er Ya's eyes as she looked at Ning Shu, her dark complexion turning pale, making her seem more delicate and beautiful.
Duan Xinghui covered his shoulder, where the new bruise formed. Just as his previous injury had healed, he now faced another. He looked up to see Ning Shu's cold, annoyed expression, and his heart trembled slightly. It struck him then that Princess Jiahui was no longer the gentle, considerate person he once knew; she was now filled with the dignity and pride of her royal lineage.
Her gaze toward him was indifferent and frosty. A pang of discomfort hit him—something once taken for granted, now lost, stirred feelings of regret and anger within him. Why had the princess changed so drastically?