Beast World: The Crazy Female Is Chased by Five Beast Husbands - Chapter 47

Moreover, her consort’s health appeared rather frail.

If he were to develop a fever because of this, the eldest princess of the Phoenix Clan would undoubtedly become the subject of gossip.

When the envoys from the Five Clans had departed, she had personally promised them she would take good care of their people.

She couldn’t go back on her word now.

Li Xuanyue’s gentle words took Yaoguang by surprise.

She hadn’t immediately defended Zhaochuan.

This behavior was quite unlike the rumors he had heard about her.

But he quickly regained his composure.

“As you command, Princess.”

Yaoguang lowered his head, the picture of obedience and submission.

It was a stark contrast to his earlier aloof, worldly demeanor.

Meanwhile, Zhaochuan, still kneeling, remained silent throughout.

He had no idea what awaited him next.

But if this Consort Yaoguang dared to spout nonsense in front of Princess Xuanyue, he wouldn’t let him off so easily.

–

Changing clothes didn’t take long.

But for someone as frail as Yaoguang, it still took nearly ten minutes.

In that short span of time, Li Xuanyue had already led Yin Xin and Zhaochuan back from the peach grove to Fenghe Hall.

Even now, Zhaochuan’s heart was in turmoil.

Though guilt gnawed at him, Yaoguang’s absence emboldened him once more.

He stepped forward and threw himself at Li Xuanyue’s feet, weeping dramatically.

“Princess, you must stand up for your humble servant!”

To an outsider, it might have seemed as though Zhaochuan had suffered unspeakable torment at Yaoguang’s hands.

The display was almost too shameless to watch.

“What you saw in the peach grove earlier was all a lie, Princess!”

Zhaochuan desperately continued his defense:

“It was Consort Yaoguang who insulted me first! I only lashed out in anger please, Your Highness, you must see the truth!”

Li Xuanyue arched a brow. Was this not the very definition of the guilty party filing the first complaint?

He had been the one to strike first, sending Yaoguang into the lake. Yet here he was, kneeling before her as if he were the victim, hurling accusations at the other man.

Did he think she would believe whoever put on the more pitiful act?

Had they not all witnessed his arrogance and aggression in the peach grove with their own eyes, Zhaochuan’s words might have been convincing.

Even Yin Xin couldn’t help rolling her eyes at the side.

What kind of man was this?

Clearly in the wrong, yet still putting on such a performance.

She couldn’t fathom what went through Consort Zhaochuan’s mind.

Li Xuanyue tapped the table lightly, waiting in silence until Zhaochuan’s sobs subsided. Then she set down her teacup and leveled a cool gaze at his red, swollen eyes.

“Consort Zhaochuan, do you take me for a fool blind and deaf?”

Her tone was neither warm nor cold, but carried an unprecedented weight.

It sent a shiver down the spines of all who heard it.

Zhaochuan shrank back, fear unmistakable in his posture.

“N-no, of course not, Princess.”

He scrambled to explain, but Li Xuanyue cut him off.

“I saw everything clearly in the peach grove. I heard every word.”

She enunciated each syllable with deliberate precision:

“It was you who first showed disrespect to Lord Yaoshi, and then you pushed him into the lake.”

“These facts cannot be changed by your pitiful crying and twisting of the truth here.”

Li Xuanyue’s piercing gaze sent chills down Zhaochuan’s spine.

He knew he was finished.

All the carefully prepared excuses in his mind now seemed too dangerous to voice.

He could only kowtow repeatedly on the floor.

“I was wrong, Your Highness. Please forgive me.”

The sound of his forehead hitting the floor echoed through the grand hall.

“I’ll go apologize to Lord Yaoshi later. Please spare me, Your Highness!”

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

No sooner had Zhaochuan spoken than Yaoguang, dressed in black robes, entered Fenghe Hall accompanied by Hezhao.

His face remained pale, exhaustion evident between his brows.

Like a battered lily on the verge of withering and breaking, he looked heartbreakingly fragile.

“Sit!”

Before Yaoguang could bow, Li Xuanyue had already ordered a maid to bring him a wooden chair.

Yaoguang paused briefly before raising his hands in salute.

“Thank you, Princess.”

Only after Yaoguang was seated did Zhaochuan turn desperate eyes toward him.

“Lord Yaoshi, I deeply regret my actions in the peach grove. Blinded by jealousy, I harmed you. I beg for your forgiveness I’ll never dare again.”

This groveling figure bore no resemblance to the arrogant bully from the peach grove.

Now he resembled nothing so much as a drowning dog beaten into the water.

When powerful, he looked down on everyone.

Without backing, he immediately transformed into a pitiful wretch.

A perfect demonstration of two faced hypocrisy.

“Hmph! Only scared now? Too late!”

Hezhao said angrily, “My lord, such a person deserves severe punishment from Her Highness.”

“Otherwise, won’t your suffering in the peach grove have been for nothing?”

His noble master, suffering such indignity.

in Hezhao’s view, this scoundrel deserved flaying before being fed to dogs.

Zhaochuan turned deathly pale, wishing he could sew Hezhao’s mouth shut.

This servant kept interrupting in the peach grove too.

Before their masters could speak, he repeatedly interjected.

Why didn’t Lord Yaoshi discipline him?

Didn’t he fear this attendant would eventually climb over his head?

Li Xuanyue lowered her eyes.

“Lord Yaoshi, what do you think?”

Her deep voice passed judgment to Yaoguang.

A consort meant little to her.

She trusted Yaoguang wouldn’t punish Zhaochuan too harshly.

As if reading her thoughts, Yaoguang pondered before speaking slowly.

“What if we drive him out?”

Yaoguang’s “drive out” didn’t mean merely expelling him from the hall.

He meant expelling Zhaochuan from the Phoenix Clan entirely.

Zhaochuan’s pupils contracted in alarm. Fearing Li Xuanyue might agree, he hurriedly looked to her.

“Your Highness.”

Li Xuanyue’s eyes brightened.

“Excellent!”

Yaoguang’s suggestion perfectly aligned with her own intentions.

She had been worrying about not having an excuse to drive away her consorts one by one.

Yao Guang’s suggestion now gave her a reason to expel them in the future.

So before Zhao Chuan could finish his words, she had already interrupted him.

“Guards, expel Consort Zhao from the Phoenix Clan!”

“No, I refuse!”

Zhao Chuan snapped back to reality in horror, shouting, “Princess, I was wrong! I don’t want to leave the Phoenix Clan, Princess.”