Chapter 4: Aquitaine Fragrance

Mingzhu hastily put on her outer garment and took a few steps forward before remembering to ask Yuwen Chu for her shoes, "Your Highness, please return my shoes to me."

Yuwen Chu glanced indifferently at her and casually threw the satin shoes over the railing.

Mingzhu rushed over in a flash, but she couldn't grab them. She only managed to see the pearls on the tip of the shoes reflecting a cold and bright light before they quickly disappeared into the morning mist below the cliff.

A surge of anger rose in her chest, but she managed to suppress it, though her tone couldn't help but sound unfriendly, "Why did Your Highness throw my shoes?"

It was several hundred steps back to her residence. How could she walk back with only one foot bare?

It was clear that this person was even more malicious than she was.

Yuwen Chu remained unperturbed, "You have shown disrespect to me, this is just a small punishment."

After speaking, he ignored her and lightly clapped his hands. Several guards immediately emerged and extinguished the fire, then advised Yuwen Chu, "Your Highness, as the precious daughter of the Fu family, you should not take risks. It's better to leave first."

Mingzhu did not have a penchant for exposing her bare feet in front of unfamiliar men, so she quickly hid one bare foot in her skirt.

Fortunately, those people did not glance sideways, passing by her and her servant as if they were invisible.

Sulan came over to support her and whispered, "Let's go back first."

Mingzhu looked down at her bare feet and saw Sulan shaking out her cloak to cover them. She whispered, "If you don't mind, you can wear my shoes for now."

Mingzhu was no longer the carefree daughter of the Fu family she used to be, and had learned to be considerate. She asked, "If you give them to me, what will you do?"

Sulan smiled, "I'm wearing socks, and they have thick soles, better than you walking barefoot. Besides, your status is noble, and you can't let these smelly men see your feet casually."

"Then let's find a safe place to wait for someone from home."

Mingzhu put on Sulan's shoes, took a few steps, and then remembered the petty English prince. She couldn't help but turn around and glare at him.

Coincidentally, Yuwen Chu happened to look up and saw her glaring at him. He said indifferently, "Miss Fu, please stay. This Lingkong Corridor has been standing for over a hundred years, it's a good place for stargazing and moon watching. Even the Imperial Observatory comes here to observe the stars. When people mention the Jade Emperor Pavilion, they will think of the Lingkong Corridor. Now it has been casually damaged by you, do you have anything to say?"

Seeing him being unfriendly to Mingzhu, all the attendants who had previously treated Mingzhu and her servant as invisible turned to look at her with disdain and coldness in their eyes.

Mingzhu was no stranger to such disdainful and cold looks.

In her previous life, she had seen enough of them. She wasn't afraid then, and she wouldn't be afraid now. She immediately grabbed Sulan, who wanted to defend her, and said indifferently, "It wasn't intentional. I will compensate for the damage."

Yuwen Chu couldn't help but show a hint of surprise. He had witnessed the entire incident from the shadows of the corridor, from Mingzhu standing there in a daze to her mischief, to her dancing in the air and talking about breaking off the engagement, and then Sulan inadvertently causing the fire. He had thought that by pushing everything onto Mingzhu, this spoiled person would be even more furious, but he didn't expect her to just accept it.

"It really wasn't intentional. Please put out the fire first, and I will compensate for the damage."

Mingzhu declared loudly, as everyone stared at her.

Even if she had been ignorant before, she still understood the principle of compensating for damage. She had never intentionally taken advantage of anyone, but she did have some pride.

Yuwen Chu remained silent, just looking at Mingzhu with a probing gaze.

Sulan was afraid of causing a deadlock and hurriedly said, "It wasn't our Miss, it was the negligence of this servant..."

The one in a difficult position was the English prince, or perhaps it was the Fu family behind her, and not Sulan?

Mingzhu stopped Sulan and said loudly, "You talk too much! You are my person, what you do is what I do."

Seeing Sulan about to speak again, she gave her an impatient glare and said harshly, "Do you want to sell yourself to compensate?"

Sulan shrank back and fell silent, but she was not ungrateful.

Yuwen Chu said indifferently, "That's fine, should we just put out this fire for you for free?"

How could there be such an unyielding person? Was he even a man?

Mingzhu forced a smile and squeezed out from between her teeth, "I'll treat everyone to a feast to make up for it another day."

Yuwen Chu added, "Do you think the people of my English prince's residence have never seen alcohol? I wonder what kind of alcohol can persuade my personal guards to do such menial tasks?"

It was clear that they were trying to extort money. Mingzhu wanted to give Yuwen Chu a look of disdain, but he didn't even look at her, and walked past her with an air of arrogance, leaving behind a faint scent of water lily.

His arrogance made her feel like she was just a worthless weed on the roadside.

Mingzhu had to pat her chest a few times to calm her anger. It was nothing. She had seen worse people and things, and she had been able to endure it then, and she could endure it now.

But then Yuwen Chu dropped another sentence: "In addition to all the expenses, double the penalty, consider it as a compensation for the Jade Emperor's anxiety."

Mingzhu finally couldn't control her fierce expression. Back then, she had to endure, but now, why should she still endure?

Why should she?

Her father's reputation as a corrupt official was well established, and her extravagance was also well known. Why should she live so miserably?

Without hesitation, she bent down to pick up another satin shoe and fiercely aimed it at the back of Yuwen Chu's head.

Yuwen Chu didn't even turn his head, and someone had already snatched the shoe and sent it flying. Then he glared at Mingzhu.

Mingzhu's sneak attack failed, and she was extremely unwilling. She pointed her slender finger at the simple-looking guard and provocatively said, "You owe me for my shoe! That shoe was touched by your lord, enough to support an average family for a year! It was ruined by you, how are you going to compensate me? Hurry up and pay me back!"

The guard had never seen such an unreasonable and arrogant person, and he was so angry that his face turned red and his neck thickened. "Are you still not being reasonable? Clearly, you threw the shoe to attack our lord, and I..."

Mingzhu coldly interrupted him, "I don't know, can throwing your own shoe be considered an attack? And stealing? Have you ever heard of using an embroidered shoe to attack someone? What grudge do I have with him that I would use an embroidered shoe to attack him?"