When the Crown Princess saw Tang Wei, her eyes immediately reddened.

Not to mention the terrifying brand mark on her face, her originally round oval face had actually become a melon-seed shaped face, haggard to an alarming degree.

The Crown Princess embraced Tang Wei and choked out, “Second Sister has suffered so much.”

Tang Wei had lost her former high spirits. Her gaze was unfocused as she looked at the Crown Princess, “Elder Sister, yesterday Imperial Physician Zhao examined my face and said that persistently applying ointment could fade the brand mark. Is it true?”

“Since Imperial Physician Zhao said so, naturally it’s true.” The Crown Princess spoke in a gentle voice.

In truth, Imperial Physician Zhao had received her instructions to give her sister hope no matter how bad her condition was, lest she be unable to bear it.

Was there really miraculous medicine in this world that could eliminate such a deep brand mark? The Crown Princess was not optimistic.

However, Tang Wei believed the Crown Princess’s words without a doubt.

In the Marquis of Wuning’s mansion, the Second Miss was utterly lawless, with only the Eldest Miss able to control her.

In Tang Wei’s eyes, her elder sister was a perfect existence.

“Crown Princess, Selected Attendant Sun heard that the Second Miss has arrived and has come specially to visit.” A palace maid came in to report.

The Crown Princess’s expression grew slightly dark, “Tell her the Second Miss is resting.”

The palace maid withdrew.

Tang Wei’s face showed a fierce look, “Elder Sister, is Selected Attendant Sun Sun Xiuhua?”

The Crown Princess lifted one corner of her mouth in a smile, “It’s her.”

“That wretched woman!”

Seeing Tang Wei’s expression twist, the Crown Princess frowned slightly, “Second Sister, don’t speak that way.”

“She is a wretched woman! When I first met her at Prince Jing’s mansion, I could tell at a glance she was cheap to the bone!”

The Crown Princess gestured for the attending palace maids to withdraw and said softly, “Second Sister, even if you think that way, you can’t just say it out loud, otherwise you’ll only appear aggressive and overbearing.”

Tang Wei refused to accept this, “Elder Sister, with your good temperament, she’ll end up trampling all over you in the future.”

“Second Sister, being softer doesn’t mean suffering a loss.” Seeing Tang Wei’s appearance of not listening at all, the Crown Princess, mindful of her terrible mood, didn’t say more.

Tang Wei stayed in the Eastern Palace for several days. With the Crown Princess’s comfort and guidance, she gradually recovered some spirit.

In the garden, flowers competed in beauty and splendor. Unable to sleep in the afternoon, she strolled about casually, accompanied by palace maids.

A beautiful woman in palace attire approached gracefully, her voice revealing hesitation, “Miss Tang Er?”

Tang Wei looked over and immediately darkened her face, “Sun Xiuhua?”

As soon as Sun Xiuhua entered the palace, she gained the Crown Prince’s favor. Those serving her also gained confidence. A palace maid beside her suppressed her displeasure and reminded, “This is Selected Attendant Sun.”

Tang Wei glanced at the palace maid and said without courtesy, “Who asked you to speak?”

The palace maid froze.

What wild girl was this?

The palace maid following Tang Wei was not to be outdone, “This is Miss Tang Er, our Crown Princess’s younger sister.”

Sun Xiuhua smiled slightly, “Before entering the palace, I already knew Miss Tang Er. That day when I heard Miss Tang Er entered the palace, I went to visit, but unfortunately wasn’t able to see you.”

Tang Wei sneered coldly, “Stop being so hypocritical.”

“Miss Tang Er has misunderstood. Hearing you had an incident, I was truly worried.” Sun Xiuhua appeared very good-tempered and stepped toward the flower beds.

Tang Wei unconsciously followed, watching Sun Xiuhua’s face, calm as a chrysanthemum, feeling it was glaringly offensive.

“What are you worried about? You’re worried I’m not miserable enough, aren’t you?”

Sun Xiuhua’s beautiful eyes widened slightly, “Miss Tang Er, why do you say that? You and I have no grievances or enmity.”

Noticing the palace maids were at some distance, Sun Xiuhua lowered her voice extremely low, “I just didn’t expect retribution to come so quickly.”

Tang Wei froze.

Sun Xiuhua was slightly taller than Tang Wei. She looked down at her with slightly lowered eyelids, concealing a smugness difficult for others to detect.

She was indeed smug.

Not long ago, she was still a cousin living under someone else’s roof at Prince Jing’s mansion, able only to endure Tang Wei’s bullying and cruel treatment in silent resentment. But now, she had become the Crown Prince’s Selected Attendant. In this Eastern Palace, as long as she didn’t openly oppose the Crown Princess, who could do anything to her?

And the arrogant and domineering Miss Tang Er had become a pitiful little thing with a ruined face.

Truly, fortune turns in cycles.

“Miss Tang Er, please continue admiring the flowers. I’ll take my leave first.” Sun Xiuhua smiled softly and turned around.

Sun Xiuhua’s smugness was like a long needle, ruthlessly piercing into Tang Wei’s heart, stabbing until she lost all reason.

She rushed forward and, amid the palace maids’ shocked cries, grabbed Sun Xiuhua’s hair from behind.

Sun Xiuhua let out a painful shriek. She instinctively turned to resist and took another blow to the face.

“Wretched woman, wretched woman, wretched woman!” Tang Wei’s eyes were bloodshot as she desperately clawed at Sun Xiuhua’s face.

Sun Xiuhua protected her face with both hands out of instinct. By the time the palace maids rushed over and pulled Tang Wei away, her slender jade-like hands had already been scratched into watermelon pulp.

One of the palace maids accompanying Tang Wei on her walk rushed off to report to the Crown Princess.

One of the palace maids accompanying Sun Xiuhua on her walk rushed off to report to the Crown Prince.

When the Crown Princess heard the palace maid’s report, she even spilled her tea, “The Second Miss and Selected Attendant Sun got into a fight?”

The palace maid nodded frantically, “They fought terribly! She pulled Selected Attendant Sun’s hair and scratched Selected Attendant Sun’s face and hands…”

The Crown Princess’s eyelid twitched.

This was a one-sided beating, wasn’t it?

It did sound like something Second Sister could do.

The Crown Princess hurried toward the garden.

When Selected Attendant Sun’s palace maid complained to the Crown Prince, she burst into tears directly, “Your Highness, our Selected Attendant was beaten by Miss Tang Er in the flower garden…”

“What?” The Crown Prince thought he had heard wrong, “A fight?”

Two women?

The palace maid cried, “Not a fight—a beating. Miss Tang Er suddenly rushed over and pulled the Selected Attendant’s hair, and scratched the Selected Attendant’s face…”

The Crown Prince felt his scalp tighten as he listened, “I’ll go take a look.”

When the Crown Prince arrived, the Crown Princess had just arrived as well.

Seeing Sun Xiuhua being supported by palace maids, the Crown Prince’s eyes went completely round.

This disheveled woman was Selected Attendant Sun?

Sun Xiuhua raised her sleeve to cover half her scratched face and chokingly called out “Your Highness.”

Seeing Sun Xiuhua’s hands covered in bloody marks, the Crown Prince withdrew the hand he had been about to extend.

Too frightening!

Unable to overcome his somewhat nauseated feeling to comfort his beloved concubine, the Crown Prince vented his fury on the Crown Princess instead, “Crown Princess, how did you discipline your sister!”

The Crown Princess looked utterly ashamed, “I truly didn’t expect such a thing to happen. I’ve already instructed palace attendants to summon an Imperial Physician. If the Crown Prince wants to blame someone, blame me. It’s true I didn’t counsel my sister well enough—”

Tang Wei covered her face and cried, “Elder Sister, she laughed at me for having my face ruined as retribution, so I struck her.”

The Crown Princess’s expression darkened, “Second Sister, say less.”

The Crown Prince looked at Tang Wei covering her face and crying, then looked at Sun Xiuhua covering her face and sobbing.

Seeing the Crown Prince look over, Sun Xiuhua’s teardrops fell like pearls, “Miss Tang Er, how can you open your mouth and slander people? I’ve only been in the capital for a few months and have had almost no interaction with you. You haven’t done anything to wrong me, so why would I laugh at you for suffering retribution?”

Tang Wei naturally couldn’t admit to pushing Sun Xiuhua into the water. Seeing her cry so pitifully, she instantly exploded with rage, “You’re just a wretched woman who only knows how to put on an act!”

The Crown Prince could listen no more. His face darkened, “Crown Princess, quickly send your sister out of the palace.”