“After entering the palace and studying rules for two days straight, just watching makes one tired. Spending every day in Yangzhi Hall, you probably haven’t had a chance to tour various places in the palace yet, have you?” Shen Zhiyi’s face was full of smiles. Suddenly thinking of something, she turned her head to look at the others nearby and said, “You all as well, right?”

Though everyone had been selected to enter the palace, they hadn’t actually had much contact with Grand Princess Leyang. Hearing her question so suddenly, they all froze momentarily.

Only Xiao Shu was familiar with her and replied with a smile, “They haven’t yet.”

She used “they,” not “we.”

This small detail in her words revealed her familiarity with this imperial palace, her difference from the others, showing she had no intention of grouping herself with everyone else.

Shen Zhiyi clapped her hands and said, “In any case, you’ve all learned the etiquette well enough. Tomorrow Teacher Xie will examine your learning, and who knows how many will pass. Since you’ve come to the palace, it shouldn’t be for nothing. This princess will take you all to tour the Imperial Garden today.”

Everyone’s eyes immediately filled with delighted surprise.

Shen Zhiyi took Jiang Xuening’s hand with one of hers and pulled Xiao Shu with the other, then directly said to Su Shangyi, “Auntie, Ashu and I will take them out for a walk. Let’s not study today!”

Su Shangyi had never been able to do anything about the princess she’d watched grow up and rarely had any principles where she was concerned. She merely said, “You’ve learned most of it anyway. It’s fine for Her Highness to take them out for a walk, just don’t play too late. You may sleep in tomorrow, Your Highness, but these young ladies still have to be examined on their learning tomorrow.”

Shen Zhiyi readily agreed, “I know, I know!”

Then she happily went out the door, surrounded by this large group heading toward the Imperial Garden.

The Imperial Garden was northwest of Yangzhi Hall. Following the palace walls of various palaces northward, then turning west through several corners, one could see it from afar.

The palace courtyard in the afternoon was exceptionally quiet.

Though it was already late autumn and the flower trees in the north were nearly withered, the palace gardeners didn’t dare be the least bit careless. They still planted seasonal roses and potted chrysanthemums in this Imperial Garden, some pruned to perfection without excess branches, others arranged in scattered fashion, possessing a rare aura of the Jiangnan region.

Especially a winter plum tree planted against the palace wall in the eastern corner of the Imperial Garden—though it wasn’t yet flowering season and only sparse branches could be seen, the form already possessed a certain sickly, slanting beauty.

Fan Yilan was quite fond of this and couldn’t help praising, “They say the palace generally doesn’t plant trees to prevent fires from spreading. I didn’t expect there would still be a plum tree.”

Seeing it, Shen Zhiyi laughed and said, “This is a special exception in the palace. Three years ago, Master Yuanji lost a bet to Teacher Xie and planted it, which attracted quite a lot of criticism.”

Planting trees in the palace meant wood within walls, forming the character for “trapped.”

An inauspicious omen.

Even though the one planting the tree was the monk Yuanji, he still encountered considerable resistance. Only Xie Wei, having won the bet, happily watched the drama unfold from the sidelines.

This Master Yuanji was the first monk in this dynasty to serve as an official.

Jiang Xuening had a deep impression of him.

Because when she’d seen this person in her previous life, he had absolutely none of the appearance a monk should have. He was built powerfully, with a pair of upward-slanting triangular eyes. Not only did he lack Buddhism’s compassion and serenity, he actually possessed a somewhat fierce aura. Even when smiling, he gave off a strong sense of calculation.

Outsiders all said he and Xie Wei sat together discussing philosophy and had a good relationship.

But based on fragments from her previous life, Jiang Xuening judged that these two were only harmonious on the surface while harboring discord, secretly guarding against and fighting each other. Up until her suicide, the monk Yuanji was still fleeing in exile—she didn’t know if Xie Wei had ultimately killed him.

At this moment, hearing Shen Zhiyi suddenly mention Yuanji, she followed everyone’s gaze to glance at the plum tree in the corner, pondering this great monk’s fate in her previous life. By coincidence, just as she turned her gaze away, a group of people actually walked over from beyond the palace wall.

Looking carefully, the person at the front wore a python robe.

Who else could it be but Prince Linzi, Shen Jie?

Several eunuchs followed behind. They seemed to be coming from the direction of the inner palace, preparing to pass through the Imperial Garden to leave the palace.

The moment Shen Zhiyi saw him, her eyes lit up. From afar, she waved at him, “Royal Brother, Royal Brother!”

Shen Jie had just gone to pay respects at the Empress Dowager’s palace and was about to leave when he heard this voice. Looking up and seeing it was Shen Zhiyi, a faint smile appeared on his refined features as he said, “Zhiyi, what are you doing here?”

Shen Zhiyi pointed at the group behind her and said, “Taking my companion readers to tour the Imperial Garden!”

Shen Jie then looked in the direction she was pointing.

Indeed, it was a group of young ladies.

At the front was Miss Xiao Shu from Duke Chengguo’s household—Shen Jie had seen her a few times before. But the one not far beside Xiao Shu…

Having shed her usual men’s clothing and changed into a pale purple dress, standing among everyone, her figure was delicate and slender, her skin fine and white, her neck long and graceful, her cherry lips red and moist. Without the deliberately thickened eyebrows from before, her distant mountain eyebrows were faint, and when her eyes moved, there was truly an indescribable clear and charming air.

Shen Jie only glanced once and felt his heart skip.

At this moment, he thought that if not for Yan Lin’s prior warning, already knowing this Second Miss Jiang was the girl he was protecting to eventually marry, he himself might not be immune to harboring some man’s improper thoughts toward a woman upon seeing her.

Seeing him, Xiao Shu had originally intended to step forward and pay respects.

After all, they’d met before.

But when she raised her eyes, she saw Shen Jie’s gaze easily pass over her body and actually land on Jiang Xuening beside her, lingering there for quite a while. Her heart suddenly trembled slightly.

By the time she wanted to pay respects again, she’d already missed the best opportunity.

Shen Zhiyi hadn’t noticed anything yet. Pulling on Shen Jie’s sleeve, she boasted to him, “How about it? My group of companion readers has quite the presence, no less than when you and Imperial Brother were princes, right?”

Shen Jie laughed, “Yes, yes, who can compare to our Grand Princess Leyang’s grandeur?”

Shen Zhiyi snorted, “Back in your day, you only had one or two companion readers. I have twelve here—hmm, what’s this?”

While speaking just now, she’d only been playing with Shen Jie’s wide sleeves. As a result, she actually flipped out the sleeve opening, and her fingers inadvertently hooked out a pale blue embroidered handkerchief.

Shen Jie immediately froze and reached out to take it back, “Give it to me.”

But Shen Zhiyi’s eyes widened at once. She immediately dodged away and examined it carefully, seeing that on the pale blue surface of the handkerchief was embroidered a stalk of cymbidium orchid, with a small red ginger flower in one corner.

She clicked her tongue twice, becoming mischievous.

“Royal Brother, this doesn’t look like something you smelly men would use. Which young lady’s is it?”

Shen Jie frowned, his handsome face flushing slightly. He stepped forward and snatched the handkerchief back in one motion, carelessly stuffing it back into his sleeve, only saying, “At your young age, what nonsense are you spouting!”

Shen Zhiyi stuck out her tongue, “I’m almost twenty and ready to marry. Someone of Royal Brother’s age of twenty-three or twenty-four still without a princess consort—Imperial Brother is probably worried about you. Just tell me, if you like her but can’t bring yourself to say it, I’ll go help you tell Imperial Brother.”

Shen Jie was someone with very thin face.

Being teased by his sister like this, he became even more embarrassed.

After stuffing away the handkerchief, he forcibly straightened his face and said, “You mustn’t go. They just discovered today that the silk ship capsized on the canal due to collusion between officials and merchants to drive up silk prices. Just now, because of the Three Judicial Offices and the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s dispute, he lashed out at that Supervising Secretary of Justice, nearly throwing him into prison. Even Teacher Xie and several Grand Secretaries couldn’t dissuade him. You’d be bringing such trivial matters to bother Imperial Brother at this time—wouldn’t that be running straight onto a knife’s edge? Give your royal brother some face and don’t make trouble.”

Shen Zhiyi pursed her lips. Of course she wouldn’t really take this handkerchief to Shen Lang and speak nonsense. She just found it amusing to see Royal Brother so nervous, and merely said, “Fine, whatever Royal Brother says goes. In any case, I don’t understand court matters either—in one ear and out the other. Even if Imperial Brother tried to fool me, I wouldn’t know.”

Shen Jie was exasperated.

Seeing all those companion reader young ladies from prominent families watching nearby, he felt even more embarrassed at this moment and could only hastily drop the phrase “I’m leaving the palace first” before hurrying away.

This demeanor was clearly a hasty retreat.

Shen Zhiyi could barely straighten up from laughing.

But the others’ expressions varied.

Others might not have recognized the handkerchief, but Xiao Shu had stood close enough to clearly see the red ginger flower embroidered in one corner. Recalling Shen Jie’s earlier glance at Jiang Xuening, the fingers holding her delicate fragrant fan slowly tightened.

She turned her eyes to look at Jiang Xuening.

This time, her gaze was different from any previous time.

Jiang Xuening, however, thought to herself that at this time, Shen Jie and Jiang Xuehui had already made contact. This handkerchief was essentially a “token” between the two of them—only in her previous life, she’d gotten the opportunity to impersonate her.

In this life, if she didn’t interfere, who knew what would happen between them?

Judging from Shen Jie’s expression just now, he did seem quite serious about it.

However, this matter only flashed through her mind for a moment. Her thoughts immediately turned to what Shen Jie had just mentioned about the “canal silk ship.”

So the silk ship capsizing was due to someone’s premeditation.

This made sense of You Fangyin’s coincidental purchase of all raw silk with her money just before the incident in her previous life, waiting for prices to rise. Perhaps she’d inadvertently obtained some information.

As for this life…

The face of that wooden You Fangyin passed through her mind again.

Jiang Xuening sighed softly in her heart and couldn’t help shaking her head. She didn’t notice Xiao Shu’s appraising gaze beside her. Instead, she turned her gaze to look at Yao Xi, who stood somewhat further back—

This legitimate young miss from the Minister of Personnel’s household had worn a gloomy, unhappy face for two days straight. Even when Fang Miao and others told jokes that had everyone else doubled over with laughter, she only sat to the side without smiling at all.

When Jiang Xuening looked over, her complexion was even worse than ever.

Her hands were folded in front of her, clutching an embroidered handkerchief.

But one could see her fingers were very tense. Her nails, dyed with balsam flower juice, were pink and delicate, but pulling at the silk handkerchief, they appeared overly sharp, leaving trace after trace of marks.

Jiang Xuening’s brows unconsciously furrowed slowly.

*

Things were fine while touring the Imperial Garden, but as soon as they bid farewell to the Grand Princess and returned to Yangzhi Hall with everyone, Yao Xi went straight into her room and threw herself on the bed, bursting into tears.

Her appearance was extremely sorrowful.

Those who’d accompanied her saw her complexion was already off when she returned, and now they all looked at each other in confusion.

After all, they were under the same roof—it wouldn’t be good not to show concern.

But it also wouldn’t be good to disturb her while she was crying.

So they could only first brew tea in the Flowing Water Pavilion and set out dried fruits and candied treats. When they heard the crying in that room gradually subside, they had someone good at cheering people up—Fang Miao—and someone steady in conduct—Chen Shuyi—go coax her out to sit down.

Yao Xi’s pair of beautiful almond eyes were already red from crying, her makeup considerably smudged. Between her brows was a stagnant, gloomy air, as if she harbored a thousand kinds of resentment and grievance.

Everyone urged her to speak up—if there was anything wrong, everyone could help think of solutions.

She then said, “I cried because I heard what Prince Linzi said about that Supervising Secretary of Justice while we were in the Imperial Garden just now.”

Someone didn’t understand, “Supervising Secretary of Justice?”

But Chen Shuyi knew a bit and only asked, “Has the marriage been settled?”

Yao Xi nearly choked up again and said, “Half settled. But with him being merely a seventh-rank Supervising Secretary of Justice, how is he worthy of me? He didn’t even come from the imperial examinations—he was just a commoner clerk who tested into office and only then entered court to become an official. His family has one crude, widowed mother who’s both old and ugly. Originally Father said that though the Supervising Secretary of Justice isn’t high in official rank, he’s close to the emperor. If he once gains His Majesty’s favor, promotion comes quickly, so marrying such a person means looking at his prospects. That’s why I was persuaded and agreed to this match. But what about now? His Majesty nearly threw him into prison! I’ve heard this person always likes dealing with corpses when investigating cases at the yamen. His temperament is extremely strange—absolutely not someone easy to get along with. Now the Embroidered Uniform Guard is powerful, yet he still offended them. What prospects could such a person have? If I marry him, first I’d have to serve his old mother, second endure his strange temper, and third, who knows, I might end up in prison with him! Why should I…”

Only then did everyone understand—she was talking about that Supervising Secretary of Justice who’d recently stirred up quite a storm in court, Zhang Zhe.

Because of him, His Majesty had dismissed an Embroidered Uniform Guard commander surnamed Zhou.

Yao Xi was actually discussing marriage with him.

For a moment, everyone didn’t know what to say.

Xiao Shu frowned slightly and said, “But the marriage has already been discussed.”

Jiang Xuening sat to the side, listening to Yao Xi’s tearful complaint, but her gaze fell on the goldfish swimming beneath lotus leaves in the large fish tank placed before the curio shelf. She lowered her eyes, lost in thought about who knows what.

Yao Xi bit down hard on her teeth. The resentment in her eyes became even more obvious. Under the not-too-bright, flickering candlelight in the room, it actually appeared somewhat sinisterly frightening. She only said, “It’s precisely because it’s being discussed that I’m unwilling! But now the betrothal papers have already been exchanged. If I want to back out, it will inevitably make others say my Yao household is opportunistic. Now it’s awkward—marrying isn’t good, not marrying isn’t good either. Moreover, that Zhang Zhe had previously discussed two other matches—one broke the engagement after privately pledging herself to someone else, another died before even entering the door. This time, having finally managed to attach himself to my Yao household’s threshold, he certainly won’t voluntarily break the engagement. My father is a first-rank official of the current dynasty. I’m the legitimate daughter of a prominent family—how can I marry such a person?”

Jiang Xuening nearly laughed coldly: Zhang Zhe values attaching himself to your Yao household’s threshold? Really thinks highly of yourself!

Hearing the two words “Zhang Zhe,” You Yue instinctively glanced at Jiang Xuening. She couldn’t help covering her mouth with her hand and laughing lightly, then said to Yao Xi, “Why worry over such a small matter? Sister Yao’s thinking is far too rigid. There are so many roads in this world, so many methods—why must that surnamed Zhang be the one to break the engagement? What’s wrong with your noble household breaking it first? As long as you find the right reason, no one can say anything.”

Everyone’s gazes fell upon her.

Yao Xi also looked up at her in surprise. Seeing it was You Yue from Count Qingyuan’s household, she instinctively frowned—normally she looked down on this person. But at this moment, hearing she seemed to have a solution, she asked, “What reason?”

Count Qingyuan’s household had declined. Having finally been selected to enter the palace this time, You Yue was actually more anxious than anyone in her heart. At this moment, she’d even cast aside the earlier conflict with Jiang Xuening over Zhang Zhe. Moreover, Jiang Xuening’s father, Jiang Boyou, was at most a vice minister, while the Yao Xi she wanted to curry favor with was the daughter of the Minister of Rites and Cabinet Scholar. How would she need to fear Jiang Xuening?

So she smiled.

Then, in an unhurried manner, she said, “If it’s truly as Sister Yao just said—this Zhang Zhe has discussed marriage twice before without success—it shows he’s fated to have no wife. Moreover, the second match failed and the person died. What does this mean? Doesn’t this mean he has a hard fate that brings death to wives?”

Yao Xi froze momentarily and murmured, “But his fiancée had been weak and sickly since childhood. She died because she caught a cold at the time…”

You Yue scoffed, “Why is Sister Yao’s mind so rigid? Regardless, the person died, didn’t she? If you want to break the engagement, you need only say that Zhang Zhe’s fate brings death to wives, that he has a solitary star destiny—whoever marries him won’t die well. In that case, who would dare say your Yao household did wrong? Moreover, the current situation is clear. Even if your honored father values talent and thinks well of this person, if he hears such talk repeatedly, how could he not cherish his own daughter? Lord Yao is decisive in court—even His Majesty must give him some face. If that Zhang Zhe doesn’t know what’s good for him, he’d be opposing Lord Yao. Could he not be dealt with?”

That’s right.

Zhang Zhe came from the clerical examination. Though he’d been promoted exceptionally for his skill in criminal judgment and employed until now, he had no imperial examination credentials and was already struggling in the court and society. As long as she could produce a passable reason and properly persuade Father, with Father’s affection for her, what was so difficult about breaking off this marriage?

Yao Xi clutched her brocade handkerchief, her eyes flickering.

Jiang Xuening quietly glanced at Yao Xi, then at You Yue beside her, who, after offering her advice, cast her a challenging glance. She quietly clenched her palm.

She still remembered the first time she met Zhang Zhe—it was at the Summer Resort.

She’d brought palace maids to tour the lake and admire lotus flowers.

Unexpectedly, July weather was like a child’s face—afternoon’s pouring rain came without warning. She could only hurriedly seek shelter in the nearby Qingliang Pavilion. Upon arrival, she discovered someone was already sitting inside, with a young eunuch standing in attendance, as if waiting for someone.

That person wore a third-rank civil official’s robes, sitting on a stone stool by the round table in the pavilion. One hand rested on the table, the other hung down on his right knee, quietly watching the heavy rain outside the pavilion.

Tea was brewed on the table, steam rising with the tea’s fragrance.

Outside the pavilion, the rain was clamorous.

Inside the pavilion, this corner seemed abandoned by heaven and earth, possessing an inexplicable peaceful tranquility.

Jiang Xuening paused before walking in.

She wore palace attire, her skirt decorated with dancing phoenixes and clustered peonies.

The young eunuch saw her first and hurriedly bowed in salute, saying, “Greetings to Your Majesty.”

Only then did that person see her. He immediately stood up, quickly lowered his head, and bowed, “Your humble servant Zhang Zhe pays respects to Her Majesty the Empress.”

Zhang Zhe.

At this name, she immediately raised an eyebrow: During that period, Zhou Yinzhi had been handling matters for her, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard was争权 with the Three Judicial Offices. Zhang Zhe, as the newly appointed Vice Minister of Justice, constantly opposed Zhou Yinzhi, causing even someone as meticulous as Zhou Yinzhi to lose his composure, overturning tables in the Pacification Office and flying into a rage.

So, though she hadn’t seen this person, she’d long heard his great name.

Her gaze flowed as she looked him up and down, then said with a half-smile, “Rise, Lord Zhang need not be overly courteous.”

She’d been prepared to exchange a few words with this person.

But unexpectedly, this person remained expressionless. After rising, he directly said, “Zhang Zhe is an outer court minister and dares not disturb Your Majesty’s phoenix carriage.”

Then he withdrew from the pavilion, actually standing on the steps outside.

Rain was still pouring from the sky. As soon as he went out, in mere moments he was soaked through by the rain.

The young eunuch was startled.

The reason Zhang Zhe was waiting in the pavilion with a eunuch present was that Shen Jie was to summon him, only the person hadn’t arrived yet.

The young eunuch didn’t dare let a court official stand in the rain like this. He grabbed the nearby umbrella and was about to open it to go outside and hold it for him.

However, Jiang Xuening suddenly laughed coldly and actually said, “Give it to me.”

At that time, as empress, who didn’t hold her, indulge her, pamper her when they saw her?

Yet this Zhang Zhe avoided her as if she were a snake or scorpion.

Moreover, there was also the previous court’s enmity and conflict—how could she let this person have it easy?

So she simply took the umbrella from the young eunuch’s hands and leisurely walked to the pavilion’s edge. Being still inside the pavilion, higher than the steps, she was actually somewhat taller than Zhang Zhe. But she didn’t open the umbrella for Zhang Zhe.

She only toyed with the umbrella handle, watching the rain flow down his cold, hard features.

Zhang Zhe’s face was naturally devoid of any smile. His lips were extremely thin, his eyelids also extremely thin. So when he slightly raised his eyes to look at her, that gaze was actually like a thin blade, lightly carving traces in one’s heart with just a glance.

Jiang Xuening smiled, “Why does Lord Zhang flee upon seeing this palace? Are you afraid this palace will eat you?”

Zhang Zhe pressed his lips together and said nothing.

Jiang Xuening felt even more that he was being unreasonable: “I’ve heard people say that Lord Zhang is quite capable in the former court—even the current Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander suffers under your hand. This palace has known of Lord Zhang for quite a while, but never imagined I’d only meet you today…”

Her voice was pleasant to hear, but the words she spoke carried mockery that anyone could detect.

The rain was clamorous, water mist hazy.

Zhang Zhe looked at her, withdrew his gaze, still not saying a word, and actually turned to leave.

Only when he was about to take a step, he discovered he couldn’t move.

He turned his head and only then saw—

Because he’d been standing on the steps earlier, one corner of his official robe lay on the step above, soaked through by rain. At this moment, it was being stepped on by an upturned shoe embroidered with cloud patterns in silver thread.

Jiang Xuening deliberately toyed with him, acting as if completely unaware she was stepping on it, even asking him, “Why has Lord Zhang stopped walking?”

Zhang Zhe stared at her for a moment, then bent down in the rain and actually gripped that corner of his official robe and pulled hard.

“Riiip!”

The sound of tearing fabric seemed somewhat jarring and startling in the rain.

He directly tore open the corner being stepped on by Jiang Xuening, then rose again and said to her neither humbly nor arrogantly, “I dare not trouble Your Majesty to move your foot. However, this humble servant also has words to present to Your Majesty: Know that when people covet profit and plot with tigers, they don’t realize that tigers are tigers precisely because of their naturally fierce nature, which doesn’t change due to circumstances. Today you plot with the tiger; another day you will surely be devoured by the tiger. Your Majesty, take care of yourself.”

Having spoken, Zhang Zhe turned and left.

Jiang Xuening was extremely furious and immediately threw down the umbrella in her hand. The opened umbrella surface spun twice in the rain, beaten by raindrops making sound after sound.

The young eunuch in the pavilion was already frightened colorless.

At that time, she thought, how could there be such an ungrateful person in the world?

Later she learned that Zhang Zhe’s nature was precisely that of someone who couldn’t recognize good intentions.

His temper was foul and stubborn—whoever scolded him, he wouldn’t change.

Those words from that day—she truly felt she hadn’t taken them to heart. But afterward, how many times during sleepless nights did these words surface from the depths of memory? Because those around her either sought things from her, had designs on her, or were controlled by her—none would ever speak such words to her…

How could she know whether she herself wasn’t plotting with a tiger?

People each have their aspirations.

In her previous life, all for the sake of being that empress, when others offered loyal but unpleasant advice, she couldn’t listen. Even knowing it was wrong, she insisted on being wrong to the very end.

She never imagined that ultimately, she would implicate him as well.

Reborn until now, she hadn’t seen Zhang Zhe, but had first encountered his “fiancée”…

The night was dark and heavy, candlelight flickering.

Having offered her advice, You Yue smiled smugly to the side.

Yao Xi slowly clenched her fingers, her face full of gloomy frost, seemingly about to make a decision.

Jiang Xuening then suddenly thought: When living in this world, if one wanted to be a good person, it would certainly be extremely exhausting. One must endure, yield, restrain oneself, be humble, avoid conflicts with others. Compared to being a bad person, it was truly far too unpleasant. Though being a bad person would ultimately result in paying the price of being bad, based on her experience from her previous life, regardless of the final outcome, at least in that moment of being bad, it was extremely satisfying, even exhilarating…

“Second Miss You.”

Jiang Xuening stood up. Acting as if she hadn’t heard their scheming about Zhang Zhe’s matter today, she walked to the fish tank she’d been staring at, watching several goldfish slowly swimming in this waist-high tank, then called out.

“Please step over here. I suddenly have a few words I’d like to say to you.”

Her face wore a peaceful smile, her entire person showing no abnormality.

But You Yue guessed she was probably somewhat annoyed by the advice she’d just given. However, since they were in the palace with so many people watching, she really wasn’t afraid of what she could do. Instead, she wanted to closely appreciate what her ugly expression would look like in a moment.

So she laughed and walked toward her.

The room quieted for a moment, everyone’s gazes falling on the two of them.

As soon as You Yue approached, she said, “Whatever you have to say, just say it.”

However, she never imagined that just as she walked before the large fish tank containing goldfish, Jiang Xuening, who’d been standing beside it, would suddenly reach out without warning, press down hard on her head, grab her and shove her straight into that white porcelain fish tank!

You Yue immediately screamed.

But Jiang Xuening’s sudden strike, with such vicious force—how could she possibly break free in her moment of panic?

In an instant, her entire head was submerged in water!

Everyone in the room was startled and cried out in alarm.

Zhou Baoying had been holding candied fruits earlier and scattered them all over the table. Fang Miao even directly covered her own mouth.

Even Xiao Shu’s expression changed as she suddenly stood up!

At this moment, where was any trace of Jiang Xuening’s earlier kindness on her face?

Not a hint of smile remained on her entire person. Hostility grew throughout her body, her expression frozen as if sealed in ice and snow. She simply pressed the person into the water expressionlessly, and no matter how You Yue struggled, she didn’t move even slightly.

Water splashed up and stained her clothing, yet she didn’t even glance at it.

Only when everyone recovered from their panic and rushed forward to intervene did she coldly lift the waterlogged, strengthless You Yue and throw her to the ground.

You Yue, still in shock, was already colorless.

Trembling, she stretched out her hand to point at Jiang Xuening, “You, you, you—”

Jiang Xuening lowered her brows and took a brocade handkerchief from the side to wipe her hands, only saying, “What about me?”

Everyone’s gazes fell upon her.

She merely laughed flatly and looked down at You Yue from her superior position, saying, “I’m bullying you. Are you going to complain? But I have the Grand Princess, a father with real power in the Ministry of Revenue. What do you have?”

Not to mention the now universally known Yan Lin.

You Yue simply couldn’t believe what she’d just experienced, much less believe that Jiang Xuening had actually spoken such outrageously arrogant words.

She wanted to refute.

But meeting her eyes overflowing with hostility, her whole body trembled with cold.

Only then did Jiang Xuening unhurriedly turn her gaze to Yao Xi, who was similarly frightened to the side. Deep in her profound eyes settled shallow glimmers of light. Her tone was actually quite peaceful and friendly: “Daughters of boudoir families, not yet married, already conspiring to ruin someone’s clean reputation, destroy someone’s lifelong prospects. At such a young age, already so vicious—what will you become when you grow up? If word gets out, I fear no one would dare marry you. Miss Yao, wouldn’t you say so?”

Only then did Yao Xi realize she’d erupted because of Zhang Zhe’s matter.

For a moment, her heart panicked—she was both afraid and resentful.

But she also didn’t dare meet her gaze directly, only dodging and evading.

Jiang Xuening had thought she dared use such vicious tactics because she had great courage. Unexpectedly, she was a complete coward. So she laughed coldly, slowly folded the handkerchief and set it down, then said to everyone, “You all chat slowly. I’m somewhat tired and will go sleep first.”