Hua Hong was already wrong to speak ill of someone behind their back, especially when that someone was Song Chaoyu, and now Song Chaoyu had overheard her!
This terrified Hua Hong, her face draining of color. She shot to her feet, looking at Song Chaoyu in a fluster, "Your... Your Highness, the Princess? You're here, why didn't you announce yourself? If you need anything, you could have sent a servant to inform me!"
Beside her, Liu Lu, being younger, also looked frightened.
Having just spoken ill of Song Chaoyu, both women lowered their heads, daring not to meet Song Chaoyu's eyes.
Song Chaoyu walked slowly forward, letting out a sneer at Hua Hong, "Why are you saying such things now? It doesn't really matter. I'm just a daughter of an outside concubine, how could I compare to you, the most capable maidservant by Madam Han's side?"
She sat down in front of Hua Hong, "What else do you have to say? Say it to my face now. I can see you're unhappy that I am the Princess of Chang, and you are merely a maid. It's fine, I'm giving you this chance today."
"No— This servant dares not!"
Anyone could understand Song Chaoyu's meaning, and Hua Hong was not foolish.
Her legs began to tremble from fear, "This servant meant no such thing, I beg Your Highness, the Princess, to forgive me!"
Song Chaoyu let out a cold laugh, "I haven't come today to argue with you about this. There is something I wish to ask you."
Seeing that Song Chaoyu seemed to have no intention of holding a grudge, Hua Hong breathed a sigh of relief and nodded repeatedly, "Your Highness, the Princess, please speak, this servant will surely tell you everything she knows."
Song Chaoyu stared at her, "Last night, you went to see Madam Han, didn't you? That's why this morning, the entire Yuezhou city is abuzz with rumors that I am jealous of you, that I won't let you near the Prince of Chang, and that I bullied you."
Hua Hong had indeed gone to see Madam Han yesterday, but how could she dare tell Song Chaoyu?
She quickly shook her head, but her voice was already tinged with a tremor, "No... No. Although this servant was sent by Madam Han, I would never dare to betray or be ungrateful. This servant—"
"Enough, that's enough."
Song Chaoyu waved her hand, a hint of annoyance surfacing in her eyes, "I'm not a fool, I don't believe everything you say. I've come today to settle this matter with you. I don't really care what others say about me. Words like 'daughter of an outside concubine' and 'unworthy of the table' are things I've heard many times since I was in the capital. However, there is one thing I absolutely cannot tolerate."
Song Chaoyu's gaze suddenly turned ice-cold, "I don't like being wrongly accused. So if you say I bullied you, then I will certainly do so. Otherwise, if outsiders say I bullied you, I will feel uneasy in my heart!"
With that, without giving Hua Hong any chance to explain, she called out, "Tiaohong, slap her! Today, I want to show her what bullying is. Otherwise, wouldn't it be too unfair to me if people outside say I bullied you?"
"Yes!"
Tiaohong had long disliked Hua Hong and Liu Lu and was fully prepared.
Qiu Qing, who also had some martial arts skills, stepped forward and restrained Hua Hong.
"Slap—"
Tiaohong didn't say another word and delivered a fierce slap to Hua Hong's face.
In an instant, Hua Hong's cheek began to swell.
Song Chaoyu leaned back against the chair and said to Liu Lu, "Pour me a cup of tea. I'll be sitting here for a while longer, and I've spoken so much, I'm thirsty."
In truth, Liu Lu was a little more thoughtful than Hua Hong.
But seeing Song Chaoyu's demeanor, she dared not provoke her, fearing the next slap would land on her own face.
Tiaohong's slaps did not stop.
Sometimes, when she grew tired, she even switched hands.
Song Chaoyu couldn't recall how many times she had slapped Hua Hong.
She only saw Hua Hong's two cheeks gradually swell, and blood began to appear at the corners of her mouth.
At first, Hua Hong could still struggle a bit.
Later, it turned into begging for mercy, and then she was beaten until she was dizzy and unable to utter a single extra word.
Only when Song Chaoyu saw that Hua Hong was beaten beyond recognition did she wave to Tiaohong, "Are you tired? Take a break! It doesn't matter if her face is ruined, but it would be problematic if your hand got hurt."
Tiaohong stopped then, but still looked at Song Chaoyu excitedly, "This servant is not tired! This servant is not like some delicate little women who do nothing all day and only know how to dress up in gaudy clothes to seduce others!"
These words were clearly aimed at Hua Hong and Liu Lu.
Hua Hong was already dazed from the beating and had no idea what Tiaohong was saying.
Liu Lu, however, was clever. Even though she knew Song Chaoyu was doing this to Hua Hong as a "warning to the chickens to scare the monkeys," she was truly starting to fear Song Chaoyu.
With a "thump," she knelt before Song Chaoyu, repeatedly kowtowing, "This servant dares not, this servant absolutely dares not! I beg Your Highness, the Princess, to see clearly!"
Song Chaoyu ignored Liu Lu. Instead, she stepped forward and gently hooked Hua Hong's cheek with her finger, "Can you hear what I'm saying?"
At this moment, Hua Hong harbored no defiance, only fear. She nodded frantically.
Song Chaoyu said softly, "Go back and tell Madam Han. From today onwards, whatever rumors she spreads about me outside, I will do. I detest being wrongly accused. Since I cannot stop others' mouths, I can only do as they say, and then I will feel better."
With that, she roughly flung Hua Hong's head aside.
Hua Hong, already dizzy, was thrown again and promptly vomited.
Liu Lu, who was kneeling beside them, also flinched at Hua Hong's state and dared not say another word to Song Chaoyu.
Song Chaoyu then stood up, "If you think this kind of bullying is still not enough, then I will listen to what others say about me tomorrow."
She looked coldly at Hua Hong, "Also, although I am a daughter of an outside concubine, I am still your mistress. It's not a big deal if you let me hear this today, but if it reaches the Prince's ears, you will all suffer. If you don't believe me, just try it!"
After speaking, Song Chaoyu flicked her sleeves and left.
She left Hua Hong and Liu Lu in the room, weeping into each other's arms, both regretting having come to serve Mu Changxi and Song Chaoyu.
—
As Song Chaoyu exited, she asked Tiaohong with a still-cold gaze, "Why are there still so many people outside discussing my background as a daughter of an outside concubine?"