Perhaps it was because Luo Sheng appeared too composed, but Luo Yue’s anger suddenly subsided, and her voice unconsciously softened: “I accidentally knocked the fruit plate onto Miss Chen and was about to apologize, but before I could even say the words, Miss Chen started scolding me.”

“What did Miss Chen say?” Luo Sheng glanced at Chen Ruoning.

Chen Ruoning, whose face had been slapped, turned iron-blue: “Luo Sheng, you’ve gone too far!”

Luo Sheng withdrew her gaze, treating the other party as if she didn’t exist.

“She said I did it on purpose.” Luo Yue bit her lip. “She also said I was learning bad habits from Third Sister, not knowing my place by coming to the Prince’s manor for the banquet…”

As Luo Yue spoke, she glanced at the pink-clad young lady standing beside Chen Ruoning and said indignantly: “Miss Chen clearly brought Miss Chen Er along, yet she humiliated me like this and humiliated Third Sister too. I was so angry that I didn’t apologize, and Miss Chen slapped me…”

Luo Sheng calmly surveyed Miss Chen Er, understanding that like Luo Yue, she was also born of a concubine.

Speaking of which, the noble young ladies who came today were all the most prestigious and favored daughters from their households—daughters born of concubines were very few.

Luo Yue’s words clearly made Miss Chen Er somewhat uncomfortable. The girl with a heart-shaped face awkwardly lowered her head.

Chen Ruoning recovered from that slap, her eyes practically shooting fire as she looked at Luo Sheng: “Luo Sheng, do you really think you can do whatever you want?”

Luo Sheng’s face was serious: “Miss Chen, please don’t talk nonsense. When have I ever done whatever I wanted?”

“When?” Chen Ruoning’s voice rose sharply as she pointed to her left cheek. “Wasn’t that slap just now from you?”

Among the capital’s noble ladies, Chen Ruoning’s impulsive nature was well-known—otherwise, she wouldn’t have the glorious achievement of fighting with Miss Luo.

At this moment, with Miss Chen facing off against Miss Luo, the noble ladies present were both excited and nervous.

This was truly a good show to watch!

Luo Sheng smiled gently: “What I just gave you wasn’t a slap, but a return of courtesy.”

Her brows and eyes were steady, her tone calm, which only made the other party seem more impulsive and irritable by comparison.

Chen Ruoning trembled with rage: “You’re twisting logic!”

“Twisting logic?” Luo Sheng’s expression suddenly turned cold as she withdrew the smile from her lips. “If Miss Chen wants to reason things out, why don’t we go before the Princess Consort and the various madams to discuss it. I’d like to ask the Princess Consort whether Prince Pingnan’s manor forbids daughters born of concubines from visiting.”

“Miss Luo!” Wei Wen couldn’t help but panic.

Luo Sheng’s gaze turned to Wei Wen as she curved her lips in a smile: “I almost forgot the County Princess is here. Then please, County Princess, tell us.”

Suddenly pushed to the forefront, Wei Wen was furious but couldn’t show it.

Almost all the noble ladies present were legitimate daughters. To speak honestly, few truly regarded concubine-born daughters with any respect, and Wei Wen, with her status as County Princess, was even more so.

However, words about the manor forbidding concubine-born daughters from visiting absolutely could not spread.

Currently, the Emperor’s most favored Noble Consort Xiao was born of a concubine.

Noble Consort Xiao was ruthless. Because she had suffered much torment from her legitimate mother when she was a concubine-born daughter, once she rose to power, she found an excuse to force her legitimate mother to death, and the legitimate mother’s son and daughter also met tragic ends.

Noble Consort Xiao was currently in deep imperial favor—how could Prince Pingnan’s manor let such words spread and offend her?

Wei Wen suddenly discovered that when Miss Luo moved her lips, she was even more troublesome than when she used her fists.

“How could that be? Since they received invitations, they are all honored guests of the manor.” Wei Wen said with a forced smile.

Luo Sheng raised her eyebrows at Chen Ruoning: “Did Miss Chen hear that?”

Chen Ruoning pressed her lips together in silence.

With the County Princess saying that, what else could she say?

Her feud with Luo Sheng truly stemmed from this wretch being too arrogant to tolerate, but there was no need to offend Prince Pingnan’s manor’s little County Princess.

Luo Sheng’s face turned cold: “Since the manor treats all guests equally, then I must ask—on what grounds does Miss Chen seize upon my Fourth Sister’s birth to insult people? Is it because you’re a daughter of the Prime Minister’s household, or because you’re unreasonable?”

“You—” Chen Ruoning was questioned to the point of fury, yet she didn’t know how to refute.

Luo Sheng gracefully tucked a strand of fallen hair behind her ear and spoke unhurriedly: “Miss Chen slapped my Fourth Sister, and I returned a slap to you, so that cancels out. My Fourth Sister accidentally knocked the fruit plate onto you without apologizing, and you verbally insulted my Fourth Sister without apologizing, so that also cancels out. As guests in the manor, we shouldn’t make things difficult for our hosts. Let’s end this matter here—what does Miss Chen think?”

Chen Ruoning was somewhat dazed listening to this.

It seemed to make some sense. If she insisted on not agreeing, it would seem like she was being unreasonable.

Seeing Chen Ruoning say nothing, Wei Wen quickly said: “We’re all sisters who see each other regularly. It would be best if Miss Luo and Miss Chen could shake hands and make peace. Today’s poor arrangements are my fault—I should be the one apologizing to you both.”

With the little County Princess saying this, the anger stuck in Chen Ruoning’s belly became even harder to release. She kept her face tense and said nothing.

Things hadn’t developed according to plan as she’d hoped to see, but what she hadn’t wanted to see had occurred. Wei Wen silently sighed and smiled: “Sisters, if you’ve eaten your fill, why not stroll through the garden? There’s a patch of peony flowers blooming beautifully in the southeast corner.”

Seeing there was no more excitement to watch, the noble ladies felt regretful while skillfully displaying considerate and gentle smiles, leaving the pavilion in twos and threes.

Chen Ruoning walked forward with a tense face, feeling more and more that something was wrong.

She had slapped someone and been slapped back, but she’d also been hit with a fruit plate for no reason—how did that just cancel out?

That wretch Luo Sheng had tricked her!

But the matter was already over. Going back now to fight would only make her seem relentless.

Chen Ruoning felt so stifled her face turned pale, and she suddenly stopped.

Miss Chen Er was walking behind with downcast eyes and, not paying attention for a moment, bumped her arm.

The fire Chen Ruoning had been holding in suddenly flared up. She raised her hand and slapped Miss Chen Er, shouting: “Don’t you have eyes?”

“Elder Sister, I didn’t notice for a moment—”

There were still noble ladies strolling nearby. Chen Ruoning didn’t want to attract attention, so she glared fiercely at Miss Chen Er and strode forward.

Miss Chen Er followed step by step.

“Get lost! Don’t follow me!” Chen Ruoning pushed Miss Chen Er and walked quickly toward a flower cluster.

Miss Chen Er remained where she was, lowering her eyes with a bitter smile.

Luo Sheng was still in the pavilion.

Luo Yue bit her lip and curtsied to Luo Sheng: “Third Sister, thank you for helping me out of that situation…”

Luo Sheng’s face was calm: “No need for thanks.”

Such brevity left Luo Yue unsure how to express her gratitude.

At this moment, Luo Qing spoke up to remind her: “Fourth Sister, your clothes are dirty.”

Luo Yue looked down and only then noticed that her sleeves were splattered with quite a bit of brown-colored sauce. Because she was wearing light-colored clothing today, it was very obvious.

She remembered—this happened when protecting Second Sister, when one hand had inadvertently pressed onto a bowl and dish on the table.

“Lead Miss Luo Si to change clothes.” Wei Wen casually pointed to a maid and instructed.

“I’m troubling the County Princess.” Luo Yue bowed slightly.

Wei Wen’s face bore an appropriately polite smile: “As it should be.”