Wu Baozhang was both anxious and angry, nearly choking with rage.

Zhou Shaojin’s few words had made even her crying seem wrong!

She had worked so hard to recover some of the disadvantage caused by Pan Qing, only to have Zhou Shaojin destroy it again.

Which family would dare hire a daughter-in-law with such a strong-willed temperament?

Quick-witted in her desperation, she pressed her forehead, let her body soften, and decided to simply “faint.”

First cry, then make a scene, then threaten suicide.

Though Pan Zhi had no concubines, he had plenty of romantic debts.

Pan Qing, who had been watching Wu Baozhang closely, immediately understood her intention.

If the person standing beside Wu Baozhang weren’t Jiang Shi, she might have turned a blind eye and let Wu Baozhang get away with it. But the person standing beside Wu Baozhang was her own aunt by blood. If Wu Baozhang fainted now, wouldn’t it appear to others that her aunt had bullied Wu Baozhang by using her superior position?

Pan Qing rushed to Wu Baozhang’s side in two quick steps. Before Wu Baozhang could collapse, she had already grasped Wu Baozhang’s arm and shot a meaningful glance at Jiang Shi, urgently calling to Jiang Shi’s personal maid “Guo’er”: “Why don’t you quickly fetch a basin of water for Miss Wu? Can’t you see Miss Wu has cried her makeup off?”

Jiang Shi was also born a young lady of an official family, with seven or eight half-siblings. She had witnessed such scenes since childhood, though she hadn’t encountered them again after marrying into the Cheng family.

Seeing Pan Qing signal her, she paused before reacting, then immediately half-embraced, half-supported Wu Baozhang.

Pan Qing breathed a sigh of relief.

She didn’t have the strength to hold Wu Baozhang up!

Wu Baozhang, exhausted of all tricks, could neither advance nor retreat. A breath caught in her chest, her eyes rolled back, and she truly was about to faint.

Jiang Shi snorted coldly in her heart and pinched Wu Baozhang’s palm hard, forcibly pinching that breath out of her.

Now Wu Baozhang couldn’t faint even if she wanted to.

Her eyes brimming with tears, she looked weakly and helplessly toward the woman who had tried to console her earlier.

That woman hesitated slightly and was about to step forward when Old Madam Tang of the second branch’s voice came from the hall, carrying a smile: “Oh my, what’s happening here? Why is everyone standing here instead of taking their seats?”

Everyone turned to look.

They saw Second Branch’s Great Madam Hong Shi supporting her mother-in-law Old Madam Tang as they walked in with smiles.

The female guests in the hall all came forward to pay their respects to Old Madam Tang.

Old Madam Tang nodded to each one, then said to Jiang Shi: “Niece-in-law Jin, you’re not in the main hall helping me receive guests—why have you run over here?” Then, with curiosity: “Miss Wu, Girl Pan, Second Miss Zhou—what are you three doing?”

Pan Qing didn’t speak.

With Jiang Shi present, it wasn’t her turn to speak.

Zhou Shaojin didn’t speak either.

She had never been one who liked being in the spotlight, and besides, the more said the more mistakes—better to assess the situation first.

Only Wu Baozhang’s face turned alternately pale and flushed.

If no one had tipped her off, given Old Madam Tang’s status and position, how would she have recognized her at a glance?

Why would Old Madam Tang, who should have been in the main hall receiving guests, personally come here with her daughter-in-law Hong Shi?

Since she already knew what had happened here, yet didn’t blame Zhou Shaojin for causing trouble or Pan Qing for offending a guest, but instead pretended to know nothing—wasn’t this just giving Zhou Shaojin and Pan Qing a chance to explain?

With both Pan Qing and Zhou Shaojin remaining silent, weren’t they relying on having elders to speak up for them?

Who was she trying to fool with this pretense?

Having been mocked by Zhou Shaojin and Pan Qing again and again, Old Madam Tang’s words were like the last straw that broke her back, making Wu Baozhang furious. She was about to jump up and argue with Zhou Shaojin and Pan Qing, but when she saw her half-sister Wu Baohua behind Old Madam Tang, she broke out in a cold sweat.

To help Wu Baohua make an impression before the madams and ladies of Jinling City, Wu Baohua always attended to their stepmother at such occasions—she couldn’t possibly appear here without reason.

It seemed not only Old Madam Tang knew what had happened here, but Stepmother knew as well.

Stepmother was adept at putting on shows—she certainly wouldn’t say anything in front of the Cheng family, but who knew what trouble she would make after returning home?

She couldn’t lose her temper.

Losing her temper wouldn’t solve anything.

She had miscalculated in this matter!

She shouldn’t have let her guard down.

She never expected that the seemingly gentle and harmless Zhou Shaojin would be so difficult to deal with—even apologizing to her wasn’t enough; she had to vent her anger before she would let it go.

Wu Baozhang calmed down and immediately formed a plan.

Her eyes reddening, she stepped forward and grasped Old Madam Tang’s sleeve: “It’s all my fault. I misunderstood Second Miss Zhou earlier and said things I shouldn’t have. Your timing is perfect—you must help this junior plead for mercy and ask Second Miss Zhou not to be angry with me anymore…”

This way, Zhou Shaojin surely couldn’t hold it against her anymore, right?

Old Madam Tang was quite upset.

She shot a subtle glance at her personal maid Nanny Tang.

Before coming, she had already given instructions that as soon as she inquired about the dispute between the three young ladies, Nanny Tang would come forward and whisper in her ear, and then she could use the excuse that “young ladies don’t know better” to quickly cut through this mess and settle the matter. But now it was all ruined—Miss Wu had seized the initiative…

That Second Miss Zhou was the same—Fourth Branch’s Guan Shi was such a shrewd person, yet after being raised in the fourth branch for several years, she hadn’t learned a thing. Hearing Miss Wu say this, she didn’t take the initiative to come forward and apologize, just stood there foolishly like a wooden post.

Old Madam Tang grumbled inwardly while laughing several times: “Second Miss Zhou, since Miss Wu says it was a misunderstanding, perhaps you could…”

If she didn’t take this opportunity to teach Wu Baozhang a lesson, she would probably continue treating her as a soft persimmon to squeeze in the future.

Zhou Shaojin’s mind raced, though her face showed a bewildered expression. She called out “Old Madam Tang” but looked toward Pan Qing.

The people in the hall hadn’t noticed what had happened between Zhou Shaojin and Wu Baozhang earlier. They only saw Zhou Shaojin and Wu Baozhang come to confront Pan Qing, Pan Qing sharply criticize Wu Baozhang, and though Zhou Shaojin was subsequently impolite to Wu Baozhang, given Wu Baozhang’s inappropriate crying regardless of the occasion, it was understandable that she, as a relative of the Cheng family and still young, would lose her composure and make a few mocking remarks. On the contrary, Wu Baozhang had clearly come to confront Pan Qing but ended up shifting the matter onto Zhou Shaojin—no wonder Zhou Shaojin was impolite to her.

Moreover, Zhou Shaojin’s demeanor was gentle and delicate, so someone couldn’t help but quietly criticize Wu Baozhang: “Miss Wu, this was clearly a matter between you and Miss Pan—why drag in Second Miss Zhou? If you have something to say, you might as well say it directly. Implicating one family after another like this—despite being a young lady of a great family, how can you speak and act so unreliably?”

Where did this person come from?

Wu Baozhang trembled with rage.

She didn’t know this person was a relative of Jinling Vice Prefect Shen Qingyun, and Shen Qingyun didn’t get along well with her father, Prefect Wu.

Old Madam Tang didn’t recognize this person either.

She shot a very subtle glance at Pan Qing, feeling that everyone in the third branch was a troublemaker—not one proper, well-behaved person. Even after marrying out, they still couldn’t change their bad habits. Her heart felt as if she had swallowed a fly, extremely uncomfortable. She stopped looking at Zhou Shaojin and said with a smile: “So it was Girl Qing who caused the trouble! How could you let Second Miss Zhou take the blame for you? Quickly apologize to Miss Wu!”

Jiang Shi’s expression changed slightly upon hearing this. She was about to stop Pan Qing, but Pan Qing stepped forward a few paces and curtsied to Miss Wu, then stood to the side with pursed lips, clearly conveying “I’m not wrong, but since the elder has spoken, I’ll apologize to you.”

Wu Baozhang’s expression changed slightly, feeling she had made another mistake!

They’re all a bunch of foxes.

Old Madam Tang cursed inwardly while saying aloud: “Alright, alright, young ladies quarrel today and make up tomorrow. We elders shouldn’t get involved, lest we make things worse.” She then instructed Hong Shi, “You stay here to receive the guests. Be sure to treat them well and ensure everyone eats and drinks well.” Then pulling Jiang Shi, “You should help me receive guests in the main hall. Let the young ladies handle their own affairs.” She then addressed the female guests in the hall: “Please forgive any inadequacies in our hospitality!”

“Not at all, not at all!” Everyone smiled and exchanged pleasantries with Old Madam Tang.

Old Madam Guan’s personal senior maid Si’er appeared from somewhere.

She smiled at Zhou Shaojin: “Second Miss, Old Madam has been looking everywhere for you. Please come with me quickly.”

Zhou Shaojin, wanting to extricate herself, smiled and preceded Jiang Shi and Old Madam Tang to the main hall.

Pan Qing was then pulled away by Jiang Shi.

Only Wu Baozhang remained, with Wu Baohua simply watching her quietly until embarrassment showed in her expression. Only when she slowly walked over did Wu Baohua say softly: “Mother says that since Father and Brother will have been drinking and no one will be there to care for them when they return home, she asks Sister to go back first and instruct the maids and servants at home to prepare some sobering soup.”

So she was being sent home!

Wu Baozhang’s mouth felt as if it contained a burst bitter gall.

She looked toward the main hall, feeling as if there were an insurmountable chasm before her.

This was the difference between a child with a mother and one without, wasn’t it?

Her own sister spoke to her this way, and she couldn’t even lose her temper!

Wu Baozhang slowly nodded.

She didn’t want to return to the main hall anyway.

What would she do there? Watch how Zhou Shaojin’s and Pan Qing’s families cherished them?

Wu Baozhang, “accompanied” by Wu Baohua, left the hall and departed from the Cheng residence.

In the main hall, Old Madam Guan acted as if nothing had happened, saying to Zhou Shaojin: “After the evening meal, there will be fireworks. In the dark with smoke swirling everywhere, trouble can easily arise. You sisters must not go anywhere—stay by my side.” She then had a steward from the second branch seat Zhou Shaojin at Zhou Chujin’s table.

Zhou Shaojin had no intention of paying attention to Wu Baozhang or Pan Qing anyway.

She smiled and replied “Yes,” obediently following the steward.

But Old Madam Guo called out to Zhou Shaojin and said to the steward: “Set up another table! Better to have extra seats than to have several young ladies crowded together.”

The steward smiled obsequiously and went to arrange the table.

Old Madam Guan thanked Old Madam Guo.

But Old Madam Guo sighed: “This was originally my lack of consideration. I’m just glad you don’t blame me.”