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Looking at the situation before her, Yang Mengchen's brows were slightly furrowed, yet a hint of a smile flickered in her eyes.

She had been considering finding some trouble for Madam Zhang Liao, but unexpectedly, the mother and daughters blundered into Long Xuanmo's hands. Given Long Xuanmo's temperament, they would not escape without a harsh lesson – a predicament that saved her the trouble of intervening.

Noticing Yang Mengchen's frown, Long Xuanmo felt a nervous thump in his heart, then caught the fleeting amusement in her eyes, which instantly pleased him. He was about to order the punishment of those three unsightly women when Feng Gong, along with everyone else, rushed out upon hearing Zhang Meiju's pleas for mercy.

"Ms. Yang, what's wrong?" Seeing Long Xuanmo standing not far away, his expression changed, and he hurriedly knelt down and said respectfully, "This humble one greets the Prince, long live the Prince, may you live for thousands of years!" The craftsmen brought by Feng Gong also knelt down and paid their respects.

Madam Yang Zhou and the other villagers instinctively knelt down, each with expressions of shock and excitement. My goodness, the exalted Prince had actually come to their village – something that had never happened before!

Yang Mengchen bowed her head and knelt beside Madam Yang Zhou, and Yang Chengrong and the others followed suit.

"Rise!" Long Xuanmo said coldly.

Clothed lightly for the peak of summer, Yang Mengchen helped Madam Yang Zhou to her feet and noticed her slightly sweat-dampened collar, casting an unhappy glance at Long Xuanmo.

With a flicker in his eyes, Long Xuanmo then turned to Feng Lin, his regal aura undisguised, "Feng Lin, you must devote yourself fully to constructing a proper new house for Ms. Yang. Should there be any flaw, I will hold you solely responsible!"

"Your servant obeys!" Feng Lin was inwardly shaken, but his face remained respectfully compliant.

Everyone heard and was happy for the Yang family.

Zhang Meiju and her sister Zhang Meixing were filled with envy, convinced that Ninth Sister Yang must have used some foxlike charm for the Prince to protect her so.

Until now, Madam Zhang Liao had harbored some hope that Yang Chengrong and Master Wu were just deceiving her, but at this moment, only fear and despair remained – after all, Feng Gong was here under the Prince's command to build a new house for the Yang family. If Feng Gong said this man was the Prince, then he must indeed be the Prince

To offend the Prince was a capital offense – could her daughters really end up dead?

No! That can't be! She was about to enjoy a life of riches because of her daughters, and she would not allow their futures to be snuffed out just like that!

With this thought, Madam Zhang Liao's gaze turned venomously towards Yang Mengchen, her eyes filled with schemes and malice.

Sensing a hostile gaze on her, Yang Mengchen casually swept her eyes to the side, noticing it was Madam Zhang Liao. She slightly raised the corners of her mouth, her smile tinged with a chill of disdain, "Big brother, what's going on?"

"They have offended the Prince," Yang Chengrong explained the situation again straightforwardly, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

The crowd smirked and looked down upon what they heard.

The Zhang family sisters, not old in years but convinced of their beauty and backed by the prosperity of Zhang Heizi the butcher, often deliberately charmed the village lads into confusion. And now, they had the audacity to use those means to climb up to the Prince – utterly shameless!

Seeing the disgusted looks from everyone, Zhang Meiju and Zhang Meixing's eyes flared with anger, and they gazed pleadingly at Long Xuanmo through their tears.

Unfortunately, Long Xuanmo's gaze was deeply fixed on Yang Mengchen, and he didn't see the sisters' tearful, alluring looks or their eyes begging for help.

"Ninth Sister Yang, this happened right at your doorstep; you can't just ignore it!" Madam Zhang Liao shouted loudly.

Yang Mengchen couldn't help but find it amusing, yet her pretty face showed perplexity and difficulty, "You came uninvited and have already left my household. Whatever happened, you cannot just pin it on my family, can you? Besides, you've offended the Prince, and I, a mere peasant girl, surely have no right to intervene, right?"

```

The crowd also began to accuse Madam Zhang Liao one after another.

As the little girl made such a clear distinction, Long Xuanmo furrowed his brow, feeling very uneasy.

"You?" Madam Zhang Liao said arrogantly, "I don't care whether you have the authority or not, but you must persuade the Prince to spare my two daughters!"

Yang Mengchen shook her head gently, indicating she was powerless to help.

"Ninth Sister Yang, you forced my hand, so don't blame me for turning heartless!" Madam Zhang Liao glared at Yang Mengchen with eyes fierce as a wild wolf and then turned to Long Xuanmo, "Prince, this humble woman has an important matter to report!"

Long Xuanmo lifted an eyebrow and said coldly, "Let's hear it."

"This humble woman wishes to expose that Ninth Sister Yang not only beat the Lan family members to severe injury but also poisoned them, causing the Lan family members to suffer terribly. Please, Prince, uphold justice for the Lan family members!"

A glint of cold light flashed in the depths of Yang Mengchen's profound eyes: Madam Zhang Liao indeed knew about this.

"Nonsense!" With two cries of anger erupting simultaneously, Madam Chen Yang and Madam Liu Zhou rushed over with a group of people.

After kneeling and paying respects to Long Xuanmo, Madam Chen Yang said, "Your Highness, the Lan family members were the ones who started the violence and evil against the Yang siblings. They then falsely accused Ninth Sister of injuring them and poisoning them, attempting to extort silver.

Ninth Sister, not holding grudges, only demanded that the Lan family members compensate for the repairs of the ancestral hall and apologize to those they had previously bullied. Many people in the village can testify, and Madam Zhang Liao is clearly lying. Your Highness, please see through this!"

The crowd unanimously testified that the situation was indeed as described.

"I didn't lie!" Madam Zhang Liao panicked upon seeing so many people testifying for Ninth Sister Yang, "Your Highness, they have been favored by Ninth Sister Yang, of course they would speak for her. Your Highness must not be deceived by them."

Long Xuanmo's expression turned ice-cold, his authoritative presence spreading instantly, "Are you suggesting that I cannot distinguish right from wrong?"

"The humble woman did not mean that, I... I..." Madam Zhang Liao's complexion turned white with fear, her whole body trembling uncontrollably.

The onlookers were silent as a chill fell over them.

Even he wouldn't hesitate to act against the young girl, let alone others; but whom the young girl chose to punish was not for outsiders to question. Long Xuanmo's eyes filled with hostility, "What is your relation to the Lan family? Why do they not come forward themselves, and have you speak on their behalf?"

"This humble woman is a neighbor living next to the Lan family. It was out of sympathy for the daily unbearable torment the Lan family members endure that I spoke out."

"Is that so?" Long Xuanmo's icy tone carried a dangerous edge, "Where is the evidence?"

Madam Zhang Liao's lips trembled as she stammered, "This humble woman has... has no evidence. It was unintentionally overheard from the... the sleep-talking of my elder daughter, Lianhua. Your Highness, everything this humble woman says is true. You must believe me!"

Yang Mengchen's eyebrows lifted slightly, so that was it.

"On the sole basis of your daughter's sleep-talking, you dare to slander Ms. Yang. How reckless and presumptuous!" Long Xuanmo's already cold demeanor became even more frosty, his beautiful lips curving into a mocking smile. His enigmatic eyes were bottomless, "To falsely accuse someone without any proof is a gravely serious crime! Guards, take her away and execute her!"

"Spare me, Your Highness!" A terrified Madam Zhang Liao kept begging for mercy.

The Zhang Family Sisters had thought that once the Prince knew of Ninth Sister Yang's ruthlessness, he would surely erupt in anger and no longer protect Yang as he had before. They did not expect this outcome, naturally feeling both envious and aggrieved. The words that Long Xuanmo would say next only served to infuriate them to the point of spitting blood.

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