Princess Yongjia said indifferently, “What if this princess orders you to participate?”

Was she finally unable to restrain herself and resorting to using her authority to pressure her? Actually, that wasn’t quite right—from yesterday when she summoned her for a conversation, she had already been using her authority to pressure her. It had always been this way.

However, Qin Shuying smiled gracefully and said, “Please forgive me, Your Highness, but this subject daughter cannot comply.”

What a joke! Knowing full well that she had set a trap to place her in a dangerous position, and yet still being stubborn and yielding without confidence in her ability to escape—what would that be if not foolishness?

She was merely a young woman, not a great man, and she didn’t care if others called her incompetent or weak. She had never thought of supporting heaven and earth; she only wanted to achieve her goals and protect herself and those she now cared about.

Princess Yongjia showed no anger. Instead, she turned around with great interest, her gaze cold as ice, seeming to smile yet not smile. Her face was turned toward her, but her words were directed at the several madams beside her: “It seems this princess is indeed a useless princess after all, that even Seventh Miss Qin, a mere orphaned girl, doesn’t take this princess seriously.”

Everyone’s expressions changed—these words were far too harsh. Especially Madam Ji, who shifted her body and looked at Qin Shuying with deep concern.

Madam Ma’s expression was also complex.

However, not a single person stepped forward to speak.

Qin Shuying allowed everyone to scrutinize her, standing with a smile, as if what Princess Yongjia had said wasn’t anything particularly serious.

Seeing her standing gracefully, neither servile nor arrogant, neither responding nor taking a stance, Princess Yongjia snorted and threw the jade ornament in her hand to the ground with a “crack.” The crisp sound of shattering could be heard as the exquisite jade ornament broke in two.

“Since it’s useless, even the most beautiful things have no value in existing!”

Princess Yongjia’s voice was flat, but her authority and anger were self-evident.

Yet Qin Shuying still showed no fear. She raised her eyes, still smiling radiantly, her pupils like clear mirrors, and said, “Your Highness Princess, if you would dismiss those around you, this subject daughter could tell you how to avoid participating. This matter is difficult for this subject daughter to speak of openly—I can only tell it to Your Highness alone.”

“Is that so?”

Princess Yongjia glanced at her lazily. She was originally very beautiful, and having taken excellent care of herself over the years, though she was already forty years old, her features were still like a painting, her bearing graceful and elegant. This sideways glance was truly full of charm and allure.

“This princess has changed her mind and no longer wishes to hear it. Someone come! Pass down this princess’s decree: Seventh Miss Qin has been disrespectful to this princess—twenty strokes of the rod as an example to others.”

Ziyuan immediately stepped forward and said respectfully, “Yes!”

She then turned to Qin Shuying: “Seventh Miss Qin, you have been disrespectful to Her Highness Princess. Come with me to receive your punishment.”

Who would have known that Qin Shuying would smile faintly and say, “Your Highness Princess, Yong’an Lane, the great scholar tree—do you still remember?”

Princess Yongjia had originally been leaning against her chair, but upon hearing these words, she quickly sat up straight, looking at Qin Shuying with shock written all over her face, her eyes wide with surprise. “You…”

Qin Shuying smiled and said, “Your Highness Princess, this subject daughter spoke inappropriately. Please forgive me! It’s not that this subject daughter is disrespectful to Your Highness, but rather that this subject daughter just happened to have her monthly courses today, which makes things most inconvenient and truly difficult to speak of.”

Princess Yongjia stared at her intently, but her heart was churning with shock and tumult. How could she know? How could she possibly know? She had been so secretive about it—how could she possibly know?

Indeed, there were people who suspected her. But no one had ever been able to produce evidence.

That was why she had been so confident and fearless.

Qin Shuying was just a young girl—how could she possibly know?

She instinctively looked toward Madam Rong, but Madam Rong was looking at her with a face full of questions and a very unpleasant expression.

Princess Yongjia instinctively wanted to avoid her gaze. Just then, she heard Qin Shuying say again, “Your Highness, the dried fruits at Baixiang Workshop are delicious. Sometimes this subject daughter goes to buy them personally, sometimes I bring my nanny and maidservants to buy them, and sometimes my father has the guards and servants from our household help me buy them.”

Madam Ma and the others were baffled—why was Qin Shuying saying this?

However, Madam Rong’s expression changed repeatedly, and Princess Yongjia’s face became even more ashen as she said abruptly, “Enough! Since you have your monthly courses today, you should have said so earlier. Ziyuan, forget it. Let her go.”

Ziyuan’s face was now deathly pale. Hearing this, she was stunned and instinctively glanced at Madam Rong, whose expression could indeed be described as ashen. Ziyuan shuddered.

Her usual cleverness seemed to have disappeared, and she said in a low voice, “Yes.”

Qin Shuying smiled: “Thank you for Your Highness’s consideration.”

Having said this, she turned and left.

Madam Ma and Madam Luo were still bewildered, but seeing Princess Yongjia’s unpleasant expression, they dared not ask anything. Madam Luo’s eyes rolled, and she said, “The weather today is neither cold nor hot—truly heaven is blessing us.”

Madam Ma, who normally didn’t enjoy idle chat with Madam Luo, now joined the conversation: “Exactly. This morning when I was leaving, I was still thinking about which outfit to wear. After choosing back and forth, this one turned out to be perfect—suitable for both cold and warm weather.”

Madam Ji also joined in: “This weather is most suitable for outings. Just the other day I was telling my daughter about it…”

…

Only Madam Rong sat there without saying a word, her face showing a mixture of anger and confusion, clearly in a very foul mood.

As for Princess Fuping, she sat there quietly throughout, as if she weren’t even present.

Yun Jingshu watched Qin Shuying leave, her gaze never withdrawing.

It wasn’t until Princess Yongjia said, “You may go.”

Yun Jingshu was startled before realizing that Princess Yongjia was speaking to her. She properly performed a curtsy and withdrew.

Walking along the path, Yun Jingshu forcibly suppressed the tumultuous waves in her heart and slowly walked toward her seat.

Her mother, Madam Yun, was anxiously waiting for her. Before she could sit properly, she asked in a low voice, “Jingshu, how did it go?”

Yun Jingshu shook her head. “Mother, I was unable to accomplish this task.”

Though Madam Yun had already guessed from her expression, hearing her say it directly still left her stunned, her face pale. “This… how could this be? I saw her go over just now…”

“She refused Her Highness Princess’s suggestion.”

“This… what can we do now? We finally managed to curry favor with Princess Fu’an, and now this…”

Last night, word had come from the palace that they must teach Qin Shuying a lesson, regardless of life or death. So today they had no choice but to take action.

“Mother, I feel like she’s become a completely different person. When she saw me, it was as if she didn’t recognize me. Moreover, though she was lively before, I heard that her aunt raised her to be quite timid. Now, there probably isn’t a girl in all of Great Zhou who has more courage than her. Mother, do you think a person can change this much?”

Madam Yun clearly wasn’t paying attention to her doubts, but was extremely anxious, fretting: “What can we do now? Your father’s affairs all rest in Lord Mu’s hands, and you haven’t accomplished what Princess Fu’an asked of you. What can we do? What can we do?”

Yun Jingshu had a delicate and beautiful countenance with clear, large eyes that showed the serene composure of a refined young lady from a noble family. However, her hands clenched tightly around her handkerchief betrayed her tension, unwillingness, and resentment.