Qin Shuying had just reached the main gate and was about to board her carriage when an old woman suddenly rushed out from the side, shouting: “Crown Prince’s Consort, please wait!”

Qin Shuying turned to look, and saw that an old woman had blocked the horse carriage. Madam Liu hurriedly chased after from behind, her tone carrying a hint of flattery: “Shuying ah, you’re going to the Hairpin Flower Banquet, aren’t you?”

Qin Shuying’s expression was indifferent as she asked Ziteng: “Which family’s madam is this?”

Ziteng replied: “Crown Prince’s Consort, this is not any family’s madam, but rather Liu Shi from the Liu family of Huzhou…”

Only madams with official ranks could be called “madam.” Since Liu Gongshan had been stripped of his official position, Madam Liu could no longer be addressed as “madam.” That’s why Ziteng answered this way.

“My maiden name is Hu…”

Ziteng interjected: “Then she is Hu Shi.”

Qin Shuying lifted her foot to board the carriage: “What Hu Shi? I don’t know her.”

Hu Shi couldn’t be bothered to argue about being called “madam” versus “Hu Shi,” and hurriedly reached out to stop Qin Shuying: “Shuying ah, how could you not know me? Let’s just talk for a few words, it won’t delay you long. It’s also because the people at your gate have no sense and wouldn’t let me in, otherwise I wouldn’t be waiting for you here.”

Lu Ye secretly curled her lips. Of course it was because our Crown Prince’s Consort didn’t want to see you that she made the excuse of not being home. Yet you’re still brazenly blocking people at the gate—how completely tactless.

Uh… surely she wasn’t about to witness another reward ceremony?

Indeed, Qin Shuying said: “Our Earl’s manor is still an Earl’s manor after all. How can just any cat or dog casually say they want to enter? Hu Shi, you are now just a commoner, so of course you can’t enter the Earl’s manor so casually. Lu Ye, the gatekeepers did well, reward them!”

“Yes!”

Lu Ye took out a gold ingot, waved it twice, and called to the gatekeepers: “Madam says you guarded the gate well, Madam has a reward!”

The gatekeepers received the reward with faces full of joy, constantly expressing their thanks.

Hu Shi’s face alternated between red and white. She coughed to mask her embarrassment and said: “Shuying, look, your father and our master had a life-and-death friendship. Although your father has passed away, we haven’t failed to care for you over these years. Your uncle has been falsely accused, and you can speak before the Princess. Shuying, your aunt has come today to ask you to plead for your uncle before Princess Yongjia!”

Qin Shuying gave Hui Yun a look, and Hui Yun walked over to pull Hu Shi’s hand back. Qin Shuying then boarded the carriage.

Standing on the spacious carriage, Qin Shuying looked down from above at Hu Shi: “Hu Shi, this is the last time I’ll listen to you say such things. If there’s a next time you speak such nonsense and dare to insinuate about Her Highness the Princess’s reputation, I’ll immediately have you dragged to the authorities!”

Hu Shi was stunned: “You don’t want to help?”

Qin Shuying paid her no attention and ducked into the carriage.

Hu Shi immediately became furious. Did she really think that just because she became a Crown Prince’s Consort she didn’t know her own worth? Did she really think her status was noble? Well, of course, what that lowly woman Long Shi gave birth to would naturally also be a lowly thing.

The cold treatment and mockery she had received these days made Hu Shi, who had been putting on airs and maintaining appearances, suddenly throw away all face and dignity: “Bah! What airs are you putting on? Really, what kind of lowly woman gives birth to what kind of lowly thing! Long Shi, that lowly woman, deserved to die badly back then. They’re all full of male thieves and female prostitutes…”

Without waiting for Qin Shuying to give orders, Hui Yun flicked a pebble toward Hu Shi’s mouth, and it lodged in her throat with a “whoosh.”

“Mmph… mmph…”

The pebble wasn’t large and instantly slid down her throat. But the burning pain made Hu Shi unable to suppress a scream, and tears and snot immediately flowed together.

Inside the carriage, Qin Shuying’s brows furrowed tightly. So Third Aunt’s death was also related to Hu Shi!

This time, Liu Gongshan wasn’t too deeply involved in the black raw stone case, so he wasn’t greatly implicated. However, having his official position stripped was enough to depress Liu Gongshan, who had devoted his whole life to climbing the ranks, for the rest of his life.

With Princess Fu’an and Yun Jingshu there as well, the Liu family would certainly not lack for excitement. Qin Shuying had no intention of getting further entangled with the Liu family.

But since Hu Shi had delivered herself to the door and let her learn some details about Long Shi’s death, Qin Shuying had no intention of letting Hu Shi and Liu Gongshan off.

Qin Shuying instructed Ziteng a few things, and Ziteng called Hui Yun over to say a few words. After that, the carriage departed.

Hu Shi watched the luxurious carriage recede and spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva hatefully: “Lowly thing!”

After cursing randomly for a while, she was helped by an old woman toward her own shabby carriage—the main Liu family had been confiscated, with their family assets turned over to the public treasury. Although Liu Gongshan’s branch hadn’t been confiscated, they were fined one hundred thousand taels, and the Liu family immediately deflated like a punctured bag.

So Hu Shi now had to ride in a broken-down carriage.

Who would have known that when she reached the carriage, the horse suddenly went mad, neighing and rearing up on its hind legs, frightening Hu Shi into retreating far away. After a while, the coachman said the horse’s hooves were injured and might go mad again later, suggesting that Hu Shi shouldn’t ride it.

Having no choice, Hu Shi had to walk home with the old woman.

All the way home, she walked and cursed, spilling out all sorts of things about Qin Yongzhou and Long Shi.

Hui Yun followed and listened the entire way, only returning after reaching the Liu family’s main gate.

At the Hairpin Flower Banquet.

Because of the Mu family affair, many people were still in a state of panic, so fewer people attended this banquet than last year. However, even so, the young men and women still gathered in groups, taking advantage of the beautiful weather to mingle about with laughter and cheer.

Qin Shuying saw the Fifth Prince’s Consort and Lu Ruyang.

The Fifth Prince’s Consort came from an unremarkable background—her father was merely a fourth-rank civil official.

However, the Fifth Prince’s Consort Dong Zhiruo did not become self-conscious because of her humble status. She was also just at the age of hairpin ceremony, beautiful and delicate, of medium height, wearing luxurious imperial consort robes, graceful and composed in every gesture.

Dong Zhiruo sat in the front row of seats alongside Princess Yongjia and Princess Fuping, showing no signs of discomfort or unease.

Many people whispered privately that this Fifth Prince’s Consort was truly remarkable.

Her name had not been much heard before, but after the imperial marriage decree, many people inquired about who Dong Zhiruo really was. When they learned she was merely the legitimate daughter of a fourth-rank official’s family, everyone was shocked.

But Dong Zhiruo continued to keep a low profile, remaining very mysterious.

Even at the ice sculpture banquet, Dong Zhiruo had claimed illness and didn’t attend.

Only today did everyone finally see the mysterious Fifth Prince’s Consort.

Of course, with Lin Zilan, the Fourth Prince’s Consort, as company, the Fifth Prince’s Consort wasn’t the only conspicuous person. As for Mu Tianxiang, she was confined to the prince’s manor and couldn’t come out.

Lu Ruyang, having become the Fifth Prince’s wife, wasn’t implicated by the Lu family’s affairs. For some unknown reason today, she was actually able to accompany the Fifth Prince’s Consort to the Hairpin Flower Banquet.

Qin Shuying lightly glanced at Lu Ruyang’s face and quickly lowered her eyelids again.

Regardless of why she came to attend the Hairpin Flower Banquet today, she would inevitably face various unfair treatment afterward. Lu Ruyang wouldn’t be in a good mood. Perhaps Lu Ruyang would even make some mistake or offend someone.

This would undoubtedly give the Fifth Prince’s Consort an excellent opportunity to control Lu Ruyang in the future.