Chapter 440: Hurting Others and Hurting Oneself
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
The news of the fifth princess engaging in an intimate encounter with a male escort from Yihong Courtyard inside the rockery cave spread like wildfire.
The Crown Prince’s face darkened as he contemplated sending someone to suppress the news, but it was too late. The situation had already spiraled out of his control. He blamed himself for mistaking the individuals inside the cave for Su Bin and the young lady, which led to his order to expose them.
Once the two naked individuals were dragged out, their disheveled appearances initially concealed their identities. However, the Crown Prince instructed them to reveal their faces, and their lustful expressions became unmistakable.
Many onlookers instantly recognized the fifth princess as the woman in question, and the male companion, Qingsheng, from Yihong Courtyard, confessed that he was the fifth princess’s lover. In his initial ignorance, Qingsheng had not known he was with the princess, but overhearing the discussions around him made him realize her true identity, leading to an embarrassing reaction.
The resulting uproar spread like wildfire, and good or bad news had a way of permeating every corner.
The Crown Prince’s attempts to control the situation proved futile, as the news had already reached all the participants of the garden event. Detaining them was impossible, leaving the Crown Prince utterly bewildered by how things had taken such a disastrous turn.
The Crown Prince and the fifth princess had originally planned to lure Su Bin into the fake cave after their initial scheme succeeded. Their plan was to place a young lady inside and give both Su Bin and the lady a pill. When they brought witnesses to the scene to catch them in the act, they would have solid evidence.
However, things didn’t go as they had intended. The Crown Prince personally witnessed Su Bin entering the room and then heard the fifth princess’s triumphant voice from inside, indicating that Su Bin had fallen for the ruse. Believing that the matter was resolved, the Crown Prince left the scene.
Later, he received word from the fifth princess’s personal maid that everything was proceeding according to plan. The fifth princess had achieved her goal and was resting in her room. Su Bin and another young lady were inside the fake cave, already dosed with the medicine, and the Crown Prince could soon expose them in a compromising position.
Thinking that the moment had arrived, the Crown Prince feigned concern by spreading news of Su Bin’s disappearance and the search for him. He took the advice of some individuals to look around the rockery, as the rest of the courtyard had been thoroughly searched.
When he heard voices emanating from the rockery cave, the Crown Prince was filled with anticipation. He believed that he could finally eliminate Su Bin this time. He acted in a fit of anger and ordered the two individuals caught in the act inside the cave to be brought out. Regrettably, things took an unexpected turn.
The Crown Prince deeply regretted not personally inspecting the situation within the cave. If he had known that the woman involved was his fifth sister, he would never have given the order to have them forcibly removed.
Initially, upon recognizing that the woman was the fifth princess, he had contemplated covering up the incident. However, the effects of the substances they had been administered to had not fully worn off for the fifth princess. She was enthusiastically hugging the young man, celebrating her birthday, and playfully calling him “darling.” She even shamelessly remarked, “Your performance today was outstanding. I’ve decided to keep you!”
It was only when the fifth princess’s personal maid had disappeared that the Crown Prince realized she had Su Bin’s men working for her.
Su Bin was well aware of the fifth princess’s character and their shared plan. In response, he outsmarted her by exposing her disgraceful actions to the public..