“Is that so? Who? Who dares to cause trouble in my Princess Mansion? Cuier, come, get up quickly.”
The voice of Princess Qingyang followed, haughty and arrogant, accompanied by the sound of her helping the woman to her feet.
“You three in front—a girl in red and blue, and a young lady in light purple—stop right there for this princess!”
The pretentiousness and empty words exchanged among the women behind them made it clear that they had not intentionally bumped into anyone. If anyone was to blame, it was the woman herself for not watching where she was going. Wanqing didn’t even turn her head, simply continuing forward with Honglian and Chunlan.
But they had only taken a few steps when the domineering, arrogant voice of Wu Qingyang rang out.
“Miss…” The scolding from the women behind them made Honglian and Chunlan uneasy. Though they had walked some distance, they could still hear every word clearly. Hearing the call, they didn’t turn around but glanced helplessly at Wanqing beside them, whispering,
“Just ignore her.”
Wu Qingyang’s arrival and her concerned questioning of the woman made it clear to Wanqing, even if she didn’t want to engage, that this was deliberate—likely a coordinated scheme.
Since they had provoked her, how could she not play along?
With a calm reminder to Honglian and Chunlan behind her, Wanqing continued forward.
“Damn it! You three in front, stop! I said stop! Did you not hear this princess’s words?”
Wanqing’s complete disregard only enraged Wu Qingyang further. In truth, she had noticed Wanqing the moment she appeared in the garden.
Though dressed simply, Wanqing’s complexion was flawless, her beauty like that of a delicate porcelain doll. The thought of Leng Mingye’s special regard for her, combined with her striking appearance—rivaling even Mu Wanxia—stoked Wu Qingyang’s jealousy.
Even Wanqing’s maids were exceptionally pretty. The trio had drawn the attention of many young noblemen the moment they entered.
Frustrated, Wu Qingyang had sent Liu Cuier to provoke her, only for the plan to backfire spectacularly.
She had intended to confront Wanqing directly, but just then, her cousin, the prince, arrived. Overjoyed, she rushed to greet him—only for Leng Mingye to turn away at the sight of her. The humiliation fueled her rage, which she now directed entirely at Wanqing.
Yet even after her warning, Wanqing ignored her completely, further infuriating Wu Qingyang. With Mu Wanxia in tow, she stormed forward, ordering her maids to block Wanqing’s path as she coldly snapped,
“Oh, so it’s the princess. Wanqing pays her respects. I wonder who has offended you? You look quite upset…”
Wu Qingyang’s obstruction and the smug look in Mu Wanxia’s eyes as she stood beside her made Wanqing smile faintly. So, this woman was using the princess to target her?
But Mu Wanqing was no pushover. With an innocent smile, she feigned surprise at seeing Wu Qingyang and greeted her warmly, even appearing concerned. Her sweet, guileless expression radiated pure innocence.
Yet to Wu Qingyang, that smile was nothing but infuriating.
“Stop pretending! You dare lay hands on this princess’s friend? It seems your so-called ‘congratulations’ are just a cover to disrupt the Grand Princess’s birthday banquet. What are you really plotting?”
Wu Qingyang glared coldly, slapping her with a damning accusation.
“Princess, please calm down. Your ‘friend’—do you mean her? Just now, she ran straight into me. I thought she was causing trouble, so I gave her a little lesson on your behalf. If that was wrong of me, I apologize. As for disrupting the Grand Princess’s banquet… this doesn’t seem to be the banquet, just a gathering you’ve arranged for young nobles, no?”
Wanqing remained composed, her apology light and dismissive. She glanced at the woman still clutching her face behind Wu Qingyang and chuckled, brushing off the accusation with a few careless words. As for the banquet, she smirked mockingly.
Was this gathering truly for her grandmother’s birthday, or just another display of her privileged status?
“You—!” Wu Qingyang hadn’t expected such a retort. She was never quick-witted, and now she was at a loss.
“Princess, please don’t be angry. My younger sister has never attended such events and may lack proper decorum. Qing’er, hurry and apologize to the princess!”
Mu Wanxia, standing beside Wu Qingyang, couldn’t hide her frustration at the princess’s incompetence. Still, she forced a gracious smile, stepping forward to bow apologetically before turning to scold Wanqing with an air of authority.
“Are you talking to me… ‘Eldest Miss Mu’?”
Wanqing nearly laughed aloud at Mu Wanxia’s attempt to play the elder sister. Whether it was her knowledge of Mu Wanxia’s true identity or the absurdity of trying to intimidate her with the judgment of the gathered onlookers, the act was utterly futile.
With a faint smile, she regarded Mu Wanxia as if watching a monkey perform.
“Qing’er, is that any way to speak to your elder sister? As the legitimate daughter of the Mu family, your disrespect risks bringing shame upon yourself—and casting doubt on your upbringing!”
Mu Wanxia’s patience wore thin at Wanqing’s indifference. The girl seemed either oblivious or utterly unafraid of public opinion. Though furious at being humiliated in front of so many, she maintained a composed facade, her words laced with veiled anger as she subtly invoked the Mu family’s reputation.
“If the princess accuses me of disrespect, I’ll gladly apologize. But you? What right do you have? As for my ‘upbringing’—I grew up without a mother, ignored by you and your mother. No one ever taught me how to behave or interact with others. So…”
Wanqing’s response was blunt. The Mu family’s reputation, her own standing—none of it mattered. If provoked, she wouldn’t hesitate to tear it all down. The only ones she owed anything to were Mu Zhenfeng and perhaps Su Xiang, who had once saved her. Everyone else was beneath her notice.
With a mocking smile, she met Mu Wanxia’s gaze, her tone deliberately provocative.
“You—! In front of the princess, you refuse to apologize and even dare to argue? Princess, this girl has always been unruly in our household, and now she shows the same disrespect here. Since she’s ruining the atmosphere, I wash my hands of her. Princess, please deal with her as you see fit. You…!”
Mu Wanxia was stunned by Wanqing’s defiance. She hadn’t expected her to disregard the Mu family’s welfare so completely. Trembling with feigned distress, she gestured helplessly at Wanqing before turning back to Wu Qingyang with a graceful bow.
As she walked away, she sighed, shaking her head as if lamenting a lost cause.
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