You Rong turned around, and standing behind him were the heir of the Marquis of Wu'an, Jiang Wenxun, and several of his close aristocratic friends.
You Rong frowned imperceptibly.
He had never gotten along with these people when he was studying at the Imperial Academy.
You Rong cupped his hands and said, "Your servant greets the Heir Jiang and all the other young masters."
Jiang Wenxun narrowed his eyes, a look of disdain on his face, and his gaze towards You Rong was malicious. A young master beside him, without any politeness, began to mock You Rong.
"Heir Jiang, you think too highly of You Rong. Who is this 'famous general's son'? Nowadays, in the Eastern Li Kingdom, everyone knows that You Jiang colluded with foreign enemies and intended to rebel. It's more accurate to call him the son of a traitor now!"
"Hahaha... Brother Jiang is right. Not only is he the son of a traitor, but he's also a eunuch who can't perform his marital duties. He's just a servant, yet he dares to put on airs as the son of a former great general? Doesn't he know his place!"
You Rong clenched his fists, his thin lips pressed tightly together. He forced himself to suppress the raging anger in his chest.
There was no benefit in arguing with these people; it was not worth his while.
Seeing You Rong remain silent, Jiang Wenxun felt as if his taunts were hitting cotton, achieving nothing, and his anger only grew.
Jiang Wenxun gritted his teeth, extended a foot, and said, "My boots are dirty. You servant, hurry and wipe my boots clean!"
You Rong's clenched fists made the sound of bones creaking. In the end, he still squatted down, intending to wipe Jiang Wenxun's boots with his sleeve.
Before he could touch Jiang Wenxun's boots, Jiang Wenxun suddenly retracted his foot and said, "I've changed my mind. You... lick my boots clean!"
You Rong's eyes were filled with anger. "Heir Jiang, don't go too far!"
"Too far? You, a servant! Dare to talk back to this heir? Are you seeking death! You'd better hurry and lick my boots clean, or you'll regret it!"
Jiang Wenxun's sycophants chimed in, "That's right, hurry up! A mere eunuch dares to talk back to the heir of the Marquis of Wu'an. Who gave you such courage? Hurry up and do as you're told, or you'll be charged with great disrespect!"
You Rong's expression turned grim, and he looked at Jiang Wenxun with cold eyes. He stood up straight, motionless, his meaning clear.
There were some humiliations he could endure, but he was not without his principles!
Seeing this, Jiang Wenxun became furious. "Good! You dog servant, how dare you be so disrespectful to this heir! Let's see how this heir teaches you a lesson!"
Just as Jiang Wenxun and his companions were about to make a move, a voice came from behind them. "Hmph! Heir of the Marquis of Wu'an, is it? I'd like to see who dares to touch You Rong!"
Jiang Wenxun's hand froze. He looked up to see Lin Qinghe walking slowly with a cold expression. He didn't pay much attention and cupped his hands in greeting, "Greetings, Your Highness. To Your Highness, it was You Rong, this servant, who was disrespectful to this heir first. This heir was merely trying to discipline him!"
"You Rong is this princess's person. Is it your place to discipline him!" Lin Qinghe said sternly, "Jiang Wenxun! How dare you!"
Jiang Wenxun's face changed slightly. He had never had much interaction with Lin Qinghe. He thought that given his status as the heir of the Marquis of Wu'an, Lin Qinghe would not make things difficult for him over a mere servant. Now, her outright denunciation left him feeling quite humiliated.
"Your Highness, You Rong is just a servant. Disciplining him is fitting. Why must you be so furious? Moreover... it was You Rong who was disrespectful to this heir first, so he deserves to be disciplined."
Lin Qinghe was almost exploding with anger.
She had been picking lotus seeds in the lotus pond when she heard You Yue's worried voice. Seeing several young masters surrounding You Rong, she had a bad feeling and rushed back immediately. As she got closer, she heard this damn heir demanding that You Rong lick his boots clean.
This was clearly an insult!
Lin Qinghe laughed in her anger. "Heh heh... Oh? So it was his disrespect, and he deserved it, right?"
Jiang Wenxun said righteously, "Precisely!"
Lin Qinghe sat down on a stone stool, extended a foot, and mimicked his actions. "Heir Jiang, I apologize, but this princess was just picking lotus seeds in the lotus pond, and my embroidered shoe got dirty. Please bother to lick it clean for this princess."
Jiang Wenxun's face turned green, then white. He forced out a sentence, "Please, Your Highness, do not joke with this heir!"
"Who told you this princess was joking? This princess is serious! You come and lick this princess's embroidered shoe clean, otherwise, you are gravely disrespecting this princess, and you will receive the punishment you deserve!"
Lin Qinghe's actions were too obvious; it was clear she was standing up for You Rong. Jiang Wenxun was furious but dared not speak out, his face turning black with rage.
Lin Qinghe curled her lips and sneered, "What? Heir Jiang, are you refusing to do it? Do you truly intend to disrespect this princess and have this princess punish you? Hmm?!"
Jiang Wenxun was pushed to the brink of anger, yet he dared not lash out. He stood there stiffly, immobile.
Lin Qinghe's gaze shifted to You Rong. "Jiang Wenxun has disrespected this princess. He is to be punished with twenty slaps. You will carry out the punishment!"
As soon as the words fell, Jiang Wenxun couldn't stand it any longer. "Your Highness! Don't go too far. You actually dare to have You Rong, this servant, hit this heir!"
"Stop calling him a servant. He is from the Yaohua Palace, and it's not your place to say so!" Lin Qinghe said sternly, "You Rong! Strike!"
You Rong's eyes flickered slightly. He took two steps forward, stood in front of Jiang Wenxun, and made a motion as if to strike.
Jiang Wenxun gnashed his teeth in anger. "You Rong! You dare! Believe it or not..."
"Slap!" Before Jiang Wenxun could finish speaking, he was slapped so hard that his face was askew. He stared with disbelief.
The other young masters, seeing this, trembled in fear and dared not say another word.
Lin Qinghe raised her eyebrows with satisfaction. Very good, she had thought You Rong wouldn't dare to act, but now that he had, it was truly satisfying!
Mainly, she found this fellow Jiang Wenxun to be so deserving of a beating!
Just as You Rong was about to deliver the second slap, Jiang Wenxun spotted the emperor walking towards them from a distance. His smug demeanor vanished, and he cried out, "Your Majesty, you must be the judge! The Fifth Princess, for the sake of a mere servant, is unjustly punishing and humiliating me..."
Lin Qinghe's lips twitched a few times.
His change of face was faster than the weather in June!
He had been so smug in front of You Rong just now! Now he was crying his eyes out, his acting truly top-notch.
However, when it came to acting, Lin Qinghe would naturally not admit defeat.
She pinched her thigh hard, and the pain instantly brought tears to her eyes. She ran crying towards the emperor and threw herself at his feet, sobbing, "Father Emperor, you've arrived. The heir of the Marquis of Wu'an disrespected me and verbally insulted me,呜呜... you must be the judge for your daughter..."
The words, which sounded so familiar, made Jiang Wenxun so angry he wanted to spit out blood.
Who exactly was humiliating whom?!
Fortunately, You Rong had seen Lin Qinghe pinch her own thigh with his own eyes. Otherwise, seeing her pathetic, red-eyed, and on-the-verge-of-tears appearance, he would have believed she had suffered some great injustice.