The door at the covered walkway creaked open, and soon Han Zhi was accompanied by several people heading their direction.
After all, this was a flower festival held by Marquis Jinxiang’s manor. If anything went wrong at the banquet, people wouldn’t blame a small figure like Han Yueheng afterward, but would directly point fingers at the house training of Marquis Jinxiang’s manor.
When he arrived nearby, his face was cold as he first glanced at Han Yueheng, who had nearly bitten through her lip, then looked at Song Chuyi. “I wonder where my sister’s hospitality was lacking to provoke such great anger from Sixth Miss?”
He had originally thought that once he, bringing along that old acquaintance, showed his face, Song Chuyi would be thrown into panic—just like that day at the Tongzhou villa, when he hadn’t even said a word before Song Chuyi was frightened into complete disarray and fled in defeat.
But Song Chuyi didn’t move. She didn’t even change her angry expression, only the object of her cold laughter shifted from Han Yueheng to him. “No, it’s not a problem of inadequate hospitality. Rather, Marquis Jinxiang manor’s way of receiving guests has truly astonished me. Although I’m young, I know that when hosting a flower festival, one should accommodate the temperaments of the young ladies from various manors. Even the food should be inquired about beforehand to separately cater to the preferences of the attending young ladies. But as for Miss Han, I don’t know if she’s done other things properly, but just in the matter of receiving guests alone, she’s brought great embarrassment to Marquis Jinxiang’s manor. I don’t blame Second Miss Shen for her foul mouth that can’t produce ivory, but as the host, Miss Han stood by from beginning to end watching Second Miss Shen berate our Earl of Changning’s manor without taking action—it’s truly hard to believe in Miss Han’s character. And what kind of place is Marquis Jinxiang’s manor that could raise a girl like Miss Han? Who knows?”
Behind Han Zhi, Shen Qingrang kept frowning. He had originally thought Song Chuyi had changed—truthfully, it had indeed been quite some time since he’d seen Song Chuyi’s ferocious appearance.
Now upon seeing it, past memories flashed through his mind one by one, still vivid.
She had always looked this arrogant and annoying.
Han Yueheng was so agitated by her reproach that she became desperate. Seeing the strange looks from those around her made her even more furious to death. She literally bit through her lip. Pointing at Song Chuyi, she cursed angrily, “What kind of thing are you…”
She didn’t understand. She had only stood to the side coldly watching Song Chuyi being humiliated by Shen Huiyi. How was it that Song Chuyi didn’t seize upon Shen Huiyi to bite, but instead bit onto her and wouldn’t let go?
Even someone as well-cultivated as Han Zhi couldn’t help frowning at Song Chuyi’s words. But his somewhat gloomy expression quickly relaxed again—the more Song Chuyi spoke without choosing her words and confronted him sharply, the more it proved how greatly that incident at the Tongzhou estate had affected her.
He reached out to stop the indignant Han Yueheng who wanted to pounce on Song Chuyi and bite her to death, coldly scolding, “Sixth Miss Song is teaching you how to behave. You should reflect upon yourself!”
Han Yueheng had always feared him. Seeing him sweep his eyes across everyone present, she knew he was warning her not to escalate the matter until it became uncontrollable. She had no choice but to angrily and with difficulty swallow this grievance. With reddened eyes and full of grievance, she turned and ran away.
Han Zhi didn’t even turn his head back, immediately ordering someone to invite Madam Fan—he wasn’t in a position to interfere in inner courtyard matters. Han Yueheng clearly didn’t have the ability to clean up this mess. They could only invite Madam Fan to come out.
Song Chuyi wasn’t someone who would make others lose face like this. Back then at Duke Yingguo’s manor when such a big incident occurred, she had still been able to endure until all the relevant officials arrived before erupting. Yet today she gave Han Yueheng no face at all. Chen Mingyu looked at her deeply, with some bewilderment.
Shen Huiyi was even more furious than Han Yueheng. She was already famously spoiled at Duke Yingguo’s manor, constantly complaining this wasn’t good and that wasn’t good. Privately, everyone would call her harsh.
But that was after all what family said privately—there was absolutely no reason for it to spread outside.
Now Song Chuyi said she would probably become famous for being harsh in the future. Everyone who came to the flower festival was from prominent and respectable families. In the future, she truly would become famous for the word “harsh.”
She trembled all over with rage—originally, she had obtained a spot as the Ninth Princess’s companion-reader because she had curried favor with Imperial Noble Consort Zhuang. It was a good future prospect she’d begged for a thousand times over. If Song Chuyi ruined it for her like this…
She wanted to do something, but looking at Song Chuyi, she knew she couldn’t do anything. Unable to help feeling aggrieved with tears filling her eyes, she ultimately refused to give up. Biting her lip, she let out a mocking laugh and fiercely threw down a harsh statement. “When your father loses his official hat and your Earl’s manor divides the family property, I’ll see what you have left to be arrogant about!”
Cui Huayi held Song Chuyi’s hand. Hearing this, she immediately retorted sarcastically, “Second Miss Shen had better take care of yourself first. It’s true that dragons beget dragons and phoenixes beget phoenixes, but there’s also a common saying that good bamboo produces bad shoots. Isn’t Second Miss Shen exactly that bad shoot right now?”
Young Madam Fan quickly arrived. Her excessively exquisite face showed no anger. Instead, she smiled broadly as she took the hands of Shen Huiyi and Cui Huayi and laughed. “They say enemies are bound to meet. You two little enemies happen to have run into each other. Why don’t you hurry inside to wash up? Fighting until you look like two spotted cats—how would it do if people saw you?”
At the same time, she called the other young ladies to go to the flower hall to move the green plum trees. “They were personally planted by the flower master from the palace, growing gratifyingly well. For those who don’t mind, taking them home to enjoy would be good.”
The Crown Prince’s position was becoming increasingly stable day by day, and his health was improving daily. Naturally, those below knew which way the wind blew. No one could afford to offend the younger sister of Liangdi Fan, who was currently so favored.
Han Zhi watched as Madam Fan led everyone away in just a few moves. With his hands behind his back, he looked at Song Chuyi, unhurried and at ease, smiling at her. “Today’s flower festival said we wouldn’t compete in poetry, but I happen to have an interesting poem here. Why don’t I recite it for you to hear, Sixth Miss Song? It might help you calm your anger a bit. How about it?”
But where was he truly asking Song Chuyi’s opinion? As soon as his mouth opened, that so-called interesting poem had already slipped out. “Entering the mountain, see vines entangling trees. Leaving the mountain, see trees entangling vines. When vines live and trees die, entangled until death. When trees live and vines die, entangled even in death.”
After finishing his recitation, he looked at the expression on Song Chuyi’s face and asked with a smile, “Quite interesting, isn’t it?”
Han Zhi and Song Chuning had an identical flaw that he himself might not even be aware of.
They both very much enjoyed giving people opportunities when they were being foolish, revealing bits and pieces for them to guess. They were the same kind of people, both enjoying the pleasure of toying with others in the palm of their hands.
Song Chuyi’s heart became increasingly certain that Han Zhi knew about her past entanglement with Song Chuning. She glanced deeply at Han Zhi and appropriately revealed on her face the fear and shock that Han Zhi loved to see.
He harbored hidden schemes yet worried that others wouldn’t know, already showing some signs of his future sinister nature.