“Hmph, you really are a bold little girl. I, the Celestial Ascendancy, initially gave you a chance out of respect for your father, the Marquis, and your elder sister. I never expected you to be so obstinate. It seems I must impose some punishment to establish discipline. Guards, drag her down! I’d like to see just how capable you really are.”
Mu Wanxia’s measured words and composed demeanor naturally drew even more sidelong glances from some, and her subsequent remarks succinctly awakened Wu Qingyang.
Wu Qingyang, snapping back to attention, immediately assumed an air of righteous indignation, as if the offense were unforgivable. She turned and coldly issued orders.
At her command, several guards from the Grand Princess’s residence promptly arrived, surrounding Wanqing and her attendants.
Taking in the scene before her, Honglian and the others instinctively placed their hands on their waists, poised to act the moment the other side made a move.
“Don’t act rashly. Just follow my orders. The Celestial Ascendancy is a noble lady—she shouldn’t be manipulated without realizing it. Eldest Sister, if you have any personal grievances with me, you’re welcome to direct them at me. But inciting the Celestial Ascendancy like this is hardly appropriate.”
Wanqing glanced calmly at her maids’ reactions. The guards from the Grand Princess’s residence were indeed skilled, but she wasn’t the least bit intimidated. Though outnumbered—six against them—she turned back with a faint smile, whispering instructions to her attendants. Then, with a light chuckle, she lowered her gaze to her fingers, idly playing with a ring, and addressed Mu Wanxia in a voice loud enough for all present to hear.
“You—”
Wu Qingyang, taken aback by Wanqing’s unflinching composure in the face of the guards, instinctively shot a reproachful glance at Mu Wanxia beside her.
“Celestial Ascendancy, don’t listen to her nonsense. She’s trying to drive a wedge between us to save herself…”
Mu Wanxia, seething at the doubtful and hesitant looks from the men around her, pretended not to notice and whispered to Wu Qingyang.
“Do you think anyone would believe you just because you say so? You were the one who offended me first. Given your lowly status as a mere concubine’s daughter, I could have you executed without a second thought. But today is my royal grandmother’s birthday banquet, so I’ll refrain from further punishment. Though the death penalty is waived, you won’t escape unscathed. Why aren’t you moving? Do you want me to have you thrown out?”
With this explanation, Wu Qingyang’s expression steadied. She sneered at Wanqing and barked orders at the servants surrounding her.
“Stop! Don’t act rashly! Celestial Ascendancy, I beg your pardon. I can testify that there is indeed a misunderstanding between Mu Wanxia and Qing’er. She’s merely using this as an opportunity for personal vengeance.”
Just as the servants lunged toward Wanqing and her group, and she hesitated over how to retaliate without revealing her skills, a voice rang out. A figure pushed through the crowd, halting the guards’ advance. The newcomer, Sun Fengyu, approached Wu Qingyang with a respectful bow and an earnest plea.
“Sun Fengyu, you—” Mu Wanxia’s face turned livid at his appearance and his words. She clearly hadn’t expected him to publicly defend “that wretched girl.”
“Lord Sun, what evidence do you have to claim there’s a misunderstanding between the sisters?”
Wu Qingyang, too, was surprised by Sun Fengyu’s sudden appearance. Many in noble circles, including her, knew of the mutual affection between him and Mu Wanxia—though the Empress had betrothed him to her younger sister instead.
The intricacies of the matter were unclear to them, but Mu Wanqing had previously been a nobody—timid, weak, and overlooked as a concubine’s daughter. The only thing notable about her was her engagement to Sun Fengyu. Had Wu Qingyang not met her once before, she wouldn’t even have known what the Marquis’s second daughter looked like.
Though annoyed that Sun Fengyu was openly opposing Mu Wanxia, Wu Qingyang couldn’t help but watch with amusement, eager to see them turn on each other. She fixed him with a expectant gaze, waiting for his response.
“Well… It’s all because of me. Wanxia and I once shared feelings, but I was unaware of whom my aunt had arranged for me to marry. Only recently did I learn it was Wanqing. So… Celestial Ascendancy, I beg you to overlook Qing’er’s offense this once, for my sake.”
Sun Fengyu, caught in a dilemma, hesitated before answering. He had been observing from the sidelines, torn between his lingering affection for Mu Wanxia and his duty to the Empress. Seeing Wanqing about to be struck, he seized the opportunity to ingratiate himself with her, stepping forward to intervene.
“Oh, so that’s how it is. Wanxia, you’re in the wrong here. He mistook his betrothed, yet you’re taking it out on someone else. How petty. Very well, I’ll grant Lord Sun this favor. Mu Wanqing, I’ll let you off this time. But in the future, mind your manners—lest you disgrace your father and the entire Marquis’s household. Let’s go.”
Sun Fengyu, as a representative of the Empress’s family, carried enough weight for Wu Qingyang to relent. With a nod, she chastised Mu Wanxia, whose face darkened with humiliation. Feigning magnanimity, she issued a final warning to Wanqing before departing with her entourage.
“You… Sun Fengyu, I never thought you’d… Just wait. You’ll regret this.”
As Wu Qingyang left, the women following her closed ranks. Meanwhile, the men who had once admired Mu Wanxia now whispered among themselves, their gazes no longer adoring but filled with shock and disbelief.
Humiliated by Wu Qingyang’s public rebuke and abandoned by the man she loved—who had rejected her advances just days prior—Mu Wanxia glared at Sun Fengyu with tearful resentment before storming off in a fury.
*Heh. I’ve never felt more exhilarated than today. Mu Wanxia thought she could use me? Well, I turned the tables on her. Given her attitude toward Sun Fengyu, I’m curious how she’ll deal with Mu Wanqing next.*
Wu Qingyang, walking away, reveled in her quick thinking. Spotting Mu Wanxia trailing behind, she smirked and led her group toward Leng Mingye, who was conversing with several young men nearby.
“What are you all staring at? Go find someone else to admire. Qing’er, come sit with me. I’ve just publicly declared my favor for you…”
With only Sun Fengyu and Wanqing’s group remaining, he scowled at the lingering onlookers until they dispersed. Then, with an ingratiating smile, he approached Wanqing and reached for her hand.
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