For a subordinate to speak to their employer with such an attitude was already extremely presumptuous.

Qin Yining was displeased, her gaze turning cold.

Qiu Feishan smiled faintly. “It seems Manager Pan’s ambitions have grown quite large recently.”

“I wouldn’t dare. I wouldn’t say my ambitions are large – I’m simply wholeheartedly considering Sitong Company’s future, unable to bear seeing years of hard work destroyed in one fell swoop.”

“If subordinates were willing to follow their employer’s orders, there would naturally be no problems.” Qiu Feishan raised the corner of her mouth mockingly. “What does Manager Pan say?”

The atmosphere between the two immediately became tense.

Pan Keyu looked at Qiu Feishan, then at Qin Yining, and instigated: “It seems Boss Qiu doesn’t respect the Princess much either. In such a grand occasion, you’re still arguing with people over your private affairs. Aren’t you afraid of disrupting the Princess’s banquet? This shows your malicious intentions – you came here deliberately to cause trouble.”

Qin Yining’s face turned cold. “Miss Pan, I’m afraid there’s no place for you to speak here.”

Pan Keyu had been flattered for too long and was feeling triumphant. Moreover, with Pang Xiao interested in her and Old Madam valuing her, she had long considered herself as having one foot through the Pang family’s threshold, so naturally there was a place for her to speak.

Who would have thought that Qin Yining would embarrass her in public!

Pan Keyu’s face flushed red with anger as she bit her teeth and glared at Qin Yining, her beautiful eyes narrowing.

Qin Yining said, “What, you’re not convinced?”

Seeing his daughter questioned, Pan Zhensheng immediately said, “What does the Princess mean by this?”

Qin Yining ignored Pan Zhensheng and only asked Pan Keyu: “Miss Pan, please tell me – what kind of occasion is this, and in what capacity are you speaking on behalf of this Princess?”

The commotion here grew loud enough that the surrounding people couldn’t help but quiet down and gather around.

Even the male guests noticed the disturbance and turned their attention this way.

Pan Keyu’s face turned purple with rage, her eyes red with anger. Having never suffered grievances since childhood, she couldn’t tolerate Qin Yining embarrassing her like this in public.

“Don’t rely on your status to make things difficult for me!” Pan Keyu ground her silver teeth with a grinding sound as she moved closer to Qin Yining.

“Look carefully at what kind of occasion this is! Though you’re a Princess, with His Highness away on business for years, you still have to make a living under your mother-in-law! Old Madam values me and looks down on you, so you need to learn how to keep your tail between your legs. This way, I might even put in a good word for you before His Highness in the future!”

Qin Yining was furious, her face full of grievance as she said excitedly, “What kind of words are these! You’ve only stayed in the Prince’s mansion’s guest courtyard for two days – do you already consider yourself the lady of the house? What right do you have to make me keep my tail between my legs? What face do you have to put in a good word for me before His Highness?”

Seeing Qin Yining trembling with anger, her face pale and appearing fragile, Pan Keyu looked at the plain colors of Qin Yining’s clothing and sneered: “By what right? By the fact that my maternal family can support His Highness, by the fact that with one word from His Highness, you had to obediently host this banquet to let me enter the household legitimately! Don’t tell me you have no idea about your own situation? Do you think you’re still that Minister’s daughter from before!”

“You! Someone, arrest her!” Qin Yining, having been insulted, trembled with her delicate frame like an autumn leaf battered by cold wind.

Yao Shi watched coldly. Seeing the guards behind Qin Yining about to step forward, she immediately raged: “Who dares!”

The Prince’s mansion’s accompanying guards naturally didn’t dare rashly disobey Yao Shi’s wishes and stopped in their tracks.

But the masked agents didn’t care about such things!

Jingzhe and Xiao Xue stepped forward and grabbed Pan Keyu’s arms from left and right.

“Ah!” Pan Keyu screamed.

These two had too much strength, pinching until her entire arms ached. Having never suffered such hardship, she was furious beyond measure. With her parents behind her and Old Madam supporting her, would she fear this woman who had lost her family’s backing?

“Surname Qin, I advise you to restrain yourself! What do you think you are? His Highness will discard you like an old shoe in the future! Release me now and apologize to me. I’m magnanimous and won’t hold grudges against petty people – I’ll even speak well of you before His Highness and leave you a place to stay. Otherwise, just wait to be divorced and sent home!”

Yao Shi also said, “Qin Shi, release her! Are you no longer listening to your mother-in-law?”

Qin Yining remained silent.

The surrounding people also remained silent.

Quite a few matrons disapproved of Pan Keyu’s behavior – someone who wholeheartedly climbed social ladders while disrespecting the original wife – but most people were just watching the spectacle.

Ma Shi was already so angry she didn’t know what to do. She pulled Qin Yining behind her protectively, pointing at Yao Shi and Pan Keyu: “You two, step back immediately! Don’t you see what kind of occasion this is!”

Ma Shi was supremely skilled in martial arts but wasn’t someone with quick wit for verbal sparring.

Qin Yining felt sorry for Ma Shi and consolingly patted her shoulder.

Ma Shi turned back and said with tender concern, “Yi girl, don’t take it to heart. Dafu isn’t that kind of person…”

“Grandmother, don’t worry. I understand everything.”

Qin Yining walked around Ma Shi and stepped forward two paces.

At this moment, Yao Shi was surprised to discover that Qin Yining’s anger when provoked earlier, her grievance when scolded, and that fragile appearance that made people want to bully and trample her had all disappeared.

The corners of her lips slightly raised, her back straight as a pine tree. Her entire aura had become powerful and confident – she was nothing like the weak woman at the banquet’s beginning who had dimmed at Yao Shi’s single mocking comment about her appearance!

Yao Shi frowned, feeling an ominous premonition in her heart, and didn’t speak for the moment.

But Pan Keyu only felt she was being provoked.

“Don’t be so smug! When His Highness returns and learns of the grievances I’ve suffered, you’ll know your fate!”

“Oh?” Qin Yining smiled slightly. Her expression was no longer angry, her voice no longer raised, but soft and gentle as if chatting casually as usual. “Do you think you’ll still have the chance?”

Pan Keyu glared angrily. “What do you mean!”

Qin Yining was too lazy to say more to Pan Keyu and declared loudly: “Miss Pan dares to insult this Princess! Everyone present can bear witness. Someone, slap her mouth for me.”

“Yes!” Ji Yun immediately responded, rolling up her sleeves as she approached. Without caring about anything else, she raised her hand and delivered a vicious slap.

Pan Keyu’s ear rang with a buzzing sound from the blow, completely dazed. Before she could speak, the second slap had already landed.

Ji Yun struck from both sides. Pan Keyu’s cheeks visibly swelled up, the resounding slaps shocking to the heart. All the male and female guests in the entire courtyard – whether noble ladies or young misses with designs on Pang Xiao – were momentarily stunned speechless.

Pan Keyu saw stars from the beating, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth as she cursed with a thick tongue: “Poisonous… whore! When His Highness… returns… he’ll skin you alive!”

Qin Yining said coldly, “Still unrepentant?”

Turning to the iron-faced Pan Zhensheng and Pan Mother, Qin Yining said, “Since you two cannot manage your daughter properly, this Princess must trouble herself to discipline her for you. Ji Yun, continue. Let her know the consequences of daring to seduce my husband while I was away!”

“Yes, Princess!” Ji Yun struck even more mercilessly.

Now everyone finally understood completely.

This was probably the main point, wasn’t it?

The Princess had been deliberately acting earlier! Deliberately showing weakness, deliberately letting Pan Keyu become complacent, deliberately provoking Pan Keyu to insult her, then legitimately punishing her!

What Hundred Flowers Banquet? The main course of this banquet was clearly performing “face-slapping” for the “hundred flowers”! Letting all the unmarried young ladies in the old capital and their families know the consequences of seducing His Highness!

With such a lady of the house who displayed her jealousy openly and was so domineering, who would dare send their daughters to be concubines?

Pan Zhensheng’s eyes were bloodshot, but he gritted his teeth without making a sound. His wife Xu Shi beside him was already crying inconsolably, scolding: “Just because you’re a Princess, you think you’re so great! You can trample on other people’s daughters at will! Stop it, stop it!”

Xu Shi rushed forward to stop Ji Yun.

But before she had taken two steps, she was blocked by Xiao Xue.

“Mrs. Pan should think twice. Miss Pan seduced His Highness – you should reflect on yourselves first.”

Pan Zhensheng pressed his lips together and pulled Xu Shi back, whispering: “Do you still want our family to prosper or not! Don’t say another word!”

Obviously, Pan Zhensheng valued his cooperation with Pang Xiao more. Even if he hated Qin Yining for bullying Pan Keyu, he couldn’t give up the opportunity for cooperation.

This was exactly what Qin Yining had anticipated. Just like children having a messy fight – would the adults abandon life-and-death business dealings because of it?

Qin Yining waited until Ji Yun had delivered a full forty slaps before saying: “Stop now. Hand Miss Pan over to Mrs. Pan to take home for proper instruction.”

Pan Keyu was in so much pain she was about to faint. Even if she wanted to curse now, she couldn’t open her mouth. She was pushed toward Pan Zhensheng and Xu Shi.

Pan Zhensheng left with his wife and daughter, his face ashen.

Yao Shi gritted her teeth: “Qin Shi, look at what you’ve done! I’m going to divorce you! The Pang family cannot afford such a domineering daughter-in-law!”

“My marriage to His Highness was personally bestowed by His Majesty. If you wish to divorce me, please petition His Majesty. As long as His Majesty nods approval, I’ll leave immediately.”

“You!” Yao Shi was so angry she nearly fainted.

His Majesty would love nothing more than to capture Pang Xiao’s family members as hostages – would she dare go?

Qin Yining looked around and, seeing everyone watching her, smiled: “Originally I wanted to invite everyone to admire flowers, hoping to have some fun and get to know everyone well. I even purchased large quantities of fireworks, planning to see what fire trees and silver flowers would look like when night falls.”

Seeing Qin Yining say this, those with quick reactions began echoing her words, trying to liven up the stiff atmosphere.

But everyone’s hearts were thinking the same thing: Who believes that!

This Princess had clearly established her authority in front of all potential concubines for His Highness, letting everyone know how formidable she was.

Pan Keyu’s beating was almost equivalent to slapping the faces of all women who intended to enter the Prince’s mansion! Which family’s good daughter, sent into the Prince’s mansion and encountering such a fierce woman, would probably not live long enough to earn wealth and status for their natal family!