"What you mean, Miss, is..."
"Dongxue, money is not a problem. Just get this done for me. As a former assassin of the First Killing Alliance, this shouldn't be a problem for you. Now you just need to arrange some manpower there and find out about the local forces. I'll have my own way of handling things then."
Dongxue's expression changed. This wasn't a problem? This was a huge problem! Although that place was chaotic, with various factions intertwined, it didn't mean it was so easy to infiltrate. Besides, did Miss treat her like a god? Manpower was also an issue.
Ouyang Yue muttered to herself, "Sigh, it seems that 20,000 taels of silver is really too little. I should have gotten more silver from Ouyang Hua and Ouyang Rou back then."
Dongxue's lips twitched. Twenty thousand taels is too little?! I'm afraid even if we ask for more, they won't be able to come up with it.
"Alright, have Chuncao come over. The Ning family's matriarch's birthday banquet is in two days, and I need to pick out an outfit."
"yes!"
Ningfu
At this moment, the atmosphere in Mingle Hall, where the old lady Huang was, was somewhat solemn.
A woman dressed in a plain white robe with a white flower in her hair knelt on the ground, weeping and wailing, "Old Madam, you must do justice for me! My child died so tragically! He collapsed in my arms, covered in blood. My child, he was the most filial and sensible. Everyone at the clan school praised his learning and said he would have great abilities in the future. And now he's dead. He was only invited by the General's Mansion to teach for a few days, and he died like this. My child, why is your life so bitter?"
The woman kneeling on the ground was none other than Fang, Ning Zhuangxue's biological mother, whom he had run home to when he was being chased.
Fang was quite unlucky. She came from a scholarly family, but they had fallen on hard times. She later married a member of the Ning clan, who became Ning Zhuangxue's father. However, Ning Zhuangxue's father was also short-lived; he died less than five years after Fang married him, leaving behind Fang, Ning Zhuangxue, and their young son, Ning Zhuanghai—a widow and orphan. Fortunately, although Ning Zhuangxue's father was from a collateral branch, his seniority within the clan was not low. With the support of the elder Ning, he was arguably the best off among the collateral branches of the Ning clan and frequently visited the main Ning family.
Huang was exasperated. Looking at Fang, who had been kneeling on the ground crying since morning, she said with a hint of displeasure, "Alright, get up now. Your crying is driving me crazy."
Madam Fang continued to wail, "Old Madam, you must do justice for me! Xue'er was sent to the General's Mansion to teach by the First Madam of our household. It's only been a few days, and he's lying at our doorstep covered in blood. He even threatened that the General's Mansion would kill him to cover it up. I was terrified when I heard that. We are both from the Ning family, and the Old Madam of the General's Mansion is also from the Ning family. We can't just let Xue'er die like this. He had a bright future ahead of him, and now he's dead without a trace. Old Madam, you have to give me an explanation!"
When Ning Zhuangxue died in Fang's arms, Fang was completely stunned. Her first reaction was to settle accounts with Old Ning, but when she thought of Old Ning's remaining power and Ning's influence in the capital, she realized that it would be difficult for them, who relied on Ning, to cause any trouble.
But she couldn't let it go so easily, so she changed her mind and reported the whole story of Ning Zhuangxue's death to the clan. However, several days passed, and the clan only gave her some condolence money and told her to give Ning Zhuangxue a proper burial and that was it. That was her son, whom she had carried for ten months and given birth to. How could Fang Shi let it go like that? She came to see her early this morning. At first, Huang Shi refused to see her, but Fang Shi became even more determined and knelt outside, refusing to get up. "You Ning family can afford to lose face, so you don't care about her."
In the end, Huang invited her in.
However, Ouyang Zhide had just returned to the capital, and everyone was watching him closely. Madam Huang knew that this matter couldn't be linked to them. Besides, Ning Zhuangxue's last words were just that—a single sentence—and someone even saw him being killed in the street. There were no witnesses or physical evidence; the dead could not testify against them. They couldn't involve the General's Mansion either, so they naturally let it go. Who knew that Madam Fang would still be so persistent? In such a large family, there are always things that can't be said. Madam Huang had already sent people to suppress Ning Zhuangxue's matter, so Madam Fang couldn't cause any trouble even if she wanted to.
How could Madam Fang not understand the reasoning behind this? Making such a fuss now would only cost her some money, since her son was already dead, and she still had a younger son, Ning Zhuanghai.
"Alright, what explanation do you want? People on the street saw Zhuang Xue being slashed by some thugs. They don't even know what he did outside that got him harassed by these thugs. How is it the General's Mansion's fault? But I watched Zhuang Xue grow up. I understand how you feel about him being gone. You only have Zhuang Hai left, and it will be difficult for you to make a living. If you have any difficulties in the future, just tell me. Here are two hundred taels of silver. Take them back first and let Zhuang Hai study hard. The clan will not treat him unfairly in the future." Huang's eyes showed annoyance, but her face was full of compassion.
Fang bit her lip tightly, her heart filled with hatred. Her son, whom she had carried for ten months, was only worth two hundred taels! This was the Ning family, this was the so-called wealthy and powerful family. In their eyes, human life meant nothing!
Great, that's wonderful!
Seeing that Fang remained motionless for a long time, Huang's face flashed with hatred. Her expression turned cold, and she threatened, "Fang, you need to think carefully. Who have you relied on to survive all these years? If it weren't for the Ning family, could you have lived peacefully until now? When you were so helpless, it was the clan that helped you. Now is a time of great turmoil. Your son-in-law has just returned to the capital, and he is enjoying great favor. Where can you go to make trouble as you wish? You should understand that the Ning family could save you back then, and they can destroy you just as easily now!"
Fang's body trembled, her expression changed, and a glint flashed in her eyes. Her hatred deepened, but she lowered her head in the end because she knew that Huang was telling her the truth. She clutched the two hundred taels of silver tightly in her hands, but Fang's eyes flashed with cold light. Finally, she silently withdrew.
Madam Huang waved her hand, summoned Granny Tian, and said coldly, "Keep an eye on Madam Fang these next few days. If she tries to cause trouble, you know what to do."
In truth, Fang had no objection to Huang going to the General's Mansion to cause trouble. She and Old Ning were not actually on good terms, but she had to consider her own daughter's reputation. Ouyang Zhide's return with honor was also a matter of pride for her, so she naturally couldn't cause any more trouble. For the sake of family interests, sometimes sacrificing a few insignificant people was quite normal.
Fang was burning with anger. She held the two hundred taels of silver tightly in her hand, but it felt like it was burning her hand. Although she had come here for the money, she could not accept that her son's life was only worth two hundred taels in the Ning family!
But as she stepped out of the side gate, someone suddenly blocked her way. Fang was startled and took two steps back to get a better look. It turned out to be Ning Xishan, the daughter of Huang's eldest son, Ning Baichuan.
Madam Fang's face darkened. She had just suffered humiliation from the old man, and now this young one wanted to humiliate her too. Therefore, Madam Fang was furious and did not even bother to greet him.
Ning Xishan was dressed in yellow today, looking pretty and lovely. She seemed completely unconcerned about Fang's rudeness, which was quite strange; normally she would have been furious. She sighed and took Fang's hand. Fang trembled, instinctively wanting to pull away, but then heard Ning Xishan say, "Aunt Fang, I was going to pay my respects to Grandmother, but I overheard your conversation. I didn't expect my cousin to die so tragically; it's truly pitiful."
Fang was taken aback, but her eyes reddened: "Yes, Xue'er died so tragically, but I have nowhere to turn for help."
Ning Xishan nodded with a sigh: "Aunt Fang, there's no need for that. In my opinion, you can't blame Grandmother for this."
Fang's expression immediately changed: "What do you mean by this, Miss!"
Ning Xishan's face was filled with sorrow: "Aunt Fang, you don't know, but cousin shouldn't have gone to the General's Mansion in the first place. I often visit my aunt and great-aunt at the General's Mansion. You have no idea what kind of person the Third Miss of the General's Mansion is. She's always been arrogant and domineering. Before, she drove away countless teachers from the General's Mansion. I've also heard that not long after those teachers went back, either they moved away with their families or died suddenly. There's something very strange about this! Aunt Fang, Xishan is only doing this for your own good. Grandmother and the others haven't done anything wrong in this matter. If you keep bothering them like this, they'll naturally feel uncomfortable. I think you should find the person in charge to get justice for your cousin."
“The Third Miss of the General’s Mansion, that Ouyang Yue!” Madam Fang’s expression changed.
"That's her, isn't it? Her infamy is known throughout the entire capital. She's shameless enough to bring people to her sister's door to force them to break off the engagement, just to ruin it. How could she not be capable of murder to silence her? Aunt Fang, have you ever thought about why Ouyang Yue would want to kill someone to silence her?" Ning Xishan said coldly.
Fang Shi's spirits jolted, and for some unknown reason, Ning Xishan's eyes flashed with malice: "Aunt Fang, you have no idea, Ouyang Yue is the most promiscuous and shameless woman. Her behavior in private is incredibly wanton, but because my uncle dotes on her, all her filthy deeds have been suppressed. In my opinion, this time it must be that she seduced my cousin, and he, being dutiful, refused, which enraged her and made her want to kill him. So if you want to make trouble, you have to find the real culprit. Otherwise, my cousin will die unjustly, and the real culprit will still be at large, harming even more people. If I were my cousin, I would haunt Ouyang Yue even as a ghost!"
"What! How dare she be so bold! How could such a lowly woman be worthy of our Zhuangxue? She actually harbored evil thoughts because of this, it's simply despicable!" Fang was so angry that her face turned pale, and she didn't even notice that Ning Xishan's expression was becoming more and more vicious.
“Oh, Aunt Fang, I won’t say much more. She’s favored by my uncle, and he’s always keeping her in check. My uncle just returned to the capital and is currently enjoying the Emperor’s favor. Who dares to say anything? Oh… If you have anything to say, just tell me. I’ll definitely help if I can. Take care of yourself.” Ning Xishan patted Fang’s hand and then took out a bulging purse, handing it to Fang. “Aunt Fang, this is a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it. After all, you and your cousin still need to live. Please accept my condolences…” With that, Ning Xishan left with a sorrowful expression.
Fang opened her purse and found two round gold ingots, totaling two hundred taels. Ning Xishan had certainly gone all out, which made Fang's eyes redden and her face contort with rage. She had come today for money, hoping for a better life, but this four hundred taels of silver was a slap in the face. Her son had died in vain, and the culprit was still at large. She was determined to make Ouyang Yue pay!
By the way, isn't Mrs. Huang's birthday banquet coming up soon? It'll be just the right time!
Fang gritted her teeth, gave a final cold snort, and left with the silver.
No sooner had she left than Ning Xishan emerged from the shadows, a cold smile playing on her lips. She would never forget the humiliation Ouyang Yue had inflicted upon her in the palace that day. She couldn't afford to offend the Second Princess, but she would absolutely not let that vile woman, Ouyang Yue, get away with it!
Two days later, the General's Mansion, led by Old Madam Ning and Ouyang Zhide, dressed in their finest attire, went to the Ning family's ancestral home on Chenggan Street.
As one of the five great families of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Ning family was a prosperous family that had flourished for a hundred years. Naturally, the birthday banquet of the matriarch of the family was to be held in a grand manner, and all the high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital would bring gifts to show their importance and respect.
On the carriage.
Ouyang Hua, Ouyang Rou, Ouyang Yue, and now there's Rui Yuhuan too.
Originally, Rui Yuhuan was merely a guest in the General's Mansion and had no right to attend the Ning Mansion. However, she was adept at acting, and after shedding a few tears, no one would dare spoil the mood on such a day; after all, bringing one more person along wouldn't hurt. Not only her, but also Old Madam Ning, Madam Ning, and even the four concubines in the mansion, with Concubine Ming as their head, went. Concubines from other mansions were not normally entitled to attend such a grand banquet. But because of the General's Mansion's relationship with Madam Ning, no one dared to object. If it weren't for this, Rui Yuhuan wouldn't have been able to attend at all.
Rui Yuhuan kept asking Ouyang Yue about the Ning family's situation along the way. Ouyang Yue just listened with "uh-huh" and rarely spoke. In the end, she realized she was being rude and shut up, and the carriage finally quieted down.
Ouyang Yue kept glancing at Ouyang Rou with a cold smile on her lips. Ouyang Rou seemed to have something on her mind today, keeping her head down since getting into the carriage, and her mood was not very warm.
The carriage slowly came to a stop after traveling for about half an hour. Even inside the carriage, everyone could hear shouts and greetings from outside.
"Miss, we've arrived at the Ning residence," Chuncao announced from outside. Then, Ouyang Hua and the others disembarked from the carriage one by one. As Rui Yuhuan stepped off the carriage, she couldn't help but gasp.
Having grown up on the frontier, she aspired to return to the capital and become one of those pampered young ladies described in books, but her worldly experience was ultimately limited. She had assumed the General's Mansion was incredibly luxurious, but she was surprised to find that there were always people more capable than herself.
The Ning family mansion had a very high gate, at least three meters tall, with two imposing lions at the entrance, their eyes blazing and their expressions fierce. Because it was Huang's birthday banquet, they wore two red embroidered headbands, and the lacquered red gate was adorned with lanterns and decorations. Servants, dressed better than most masters, greeted guests with smiles at the gate. Many wealthy and powerful people, dressed in luxurious attire, entered and exited with extraordinary bearing. Even a small pearl on their head might be incredibly valuable; their entire attire was more expensive than all of Rui Yuhuan's belongings. She stared, her eyes wide, her face flushing.
"Miss, today is the old lady of the Ning family's birthday banquet. We can't be impolite," Pink Butterfly reminded Rui Yuhuan immediately when she noticed her expression was off.
Rui Yuhuan finally snapped out of her daze, took a deep breath, and thought to herself, "There are so many noble people in the capital. That's why I want to live this kind of life. How could the impoverished life on the border suit someone as naturally noble as me?" That person was right. Once she came to the capital, what kind of luxurious life couldn't she enjoy? With her charm, sooner or later she would make Ouyang Zhide fall at her feet—definitely!
At this time, the servants of the General's Mansion had already presented their visiting cards. However, given the familiarity between the two mansions, even without visiting cards, the servants of the Ning Mansion, including Old Madam Ning and Madam Ning, would still bow and scrape as they invited the people in.
As one of the five great families of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Ning family has always been highly regarded by the court, and the Ning family has also cultivated many talented and righteous people, the most famous of whom is the Ning family ancestor.
Legend has it that he was a truly upright and incorruptible scholar, unmoved by wealth or power, and once held the high-ranking position of Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, with the entire court following his lead. However, this ancestor possessed remarkable foresight, understanding the principle that rigidity leads to breakage. He suddenly decided to retire and return to his hometown, surprising the emperor who had initially planned to suppress the Ning family. Instead, to commend the Ning family ancestor for his lifelong service to the court, the emperor bestowed upon him this grand mansion, allowing the Ning family to use their main residence in the capital as their clan residence.
However, the Ning family did not decline because of their ancestor's sudden resignation. Several outstanding younger members of the family then entered officialdom, and with the influence of the Ning family's ancestors in the court, these family members all held important positions in the court, and the Ning family developed in this way.
Over the years, the Ning family has always kept to themselves and never interfered with the power of any of the princes, so they have lived in peace.
Ning Baichuan, the eldest son of the Ning family, currently holds only the position of Imperial Censor, a third-rank official in the court. Although his position is not the highest, he has the responsibility to impeach and supervise officials, and should not be underestimated. Whether it is because of the Ning family's long history, the Ning family's profound heritage, or Ning Baichuan's position as Imperial Censor, on the occasion of Madam Huang's birthday, who in the capital wouldn't come to the mansion to offer their congratulations?
When Old Madam Ning and her entourage entered the mansion, they first went to Mingle Hall, where the birthday celebrant, Madam Huang, was located. There were servants there who had been waiting for them for a long time. They had already informed everyone from the General's Mansion that the guests had arrived. So when Old Madam Ning led her people in, they saw that everyone in the main hall of Mingle Hall turned to look at them.
Today, Madam Huang was dressed in a dark brown longevity robe embroidered with gold peaches, and her hair was adorned with a hairpin of the Eight Immortals bringing good news and holding peaches. She looked both rich and auspicious. At this moment, Madam Huang was all smiles. When she saw Old Madam Ning and the others enter, her smile deepened: "Peach Blossom, you are late today. You made us old sisters wait for you. You deserve to be punished."
Old Lady Ning's maiden name was Ning Taohua. Before her marriage, she was the legitimate daughter of the Ning family and was also related to Lady Huang as aunt and sister-in-law. Lady Huang calling her by her maiden name made it seem more intimate.
Old Ning smiled and, supported by happy Mama, came to the front. She gave a slight bow to Huang and sat down, saying, "Oh, sister-in-law, you've wronged me. This year is your sixtieth birthday, so the birthday gift can't be taken lightly. As your younger sister, I naturally have to prepare the best gift before I come. Quickly, take it and let your sister-in-law take a look."
Madam Xi smiled and presented a box: "Madam Huang, our old lady has been searching for novelties for your birthday gift for half a year now. We recently found this; please take a look and see if it suits your taste." She then slowly opened the brocade box, revealing a giant golden peach, about one to two feet long. The moment the box was opened, the room was immediately filled with a dazzling golden light, stunning everyone present. This peach, gleaming with gold, was entirely crafted from gold, its lifelike shape quite charming. Moreover, this peach shared a similar aesthetic with the golden peaches embroidered on Madam Huang's clothes, making it even more appealing.
However, when Huang saw the gift, her eyes flickered slightly, and she pursed her lips before smiling and saying, "Oh my, Peach Blossom really went all out! This gift is very valuable. Thank you for your generous gift, sister-in-law."
Old Madam Ning's smile deepened: "Not at all, as long as you like it, sister-in-law, there's no such thing as expensive or not. It's just that I've always known that you like these kinds of things. It seems that we sisters are really on the same wavelength, hehehe."
Standing behind her, Ouyang Yue raised an eyebrow, sensing a tension between the two old women. Old Madam Ning's given name was Ning Taohua, yet she was wearing a burial robe embroidered with golden peaches for Madam Huang's birthday. While burial robes could have many designs, the peach design on the front, though pleasing to the eye, looked somewhat incongruous. It did, however, match Old Madam Ning's given name—was this a veiled insult?
Moreover, Old Madam Ning also sent a golden longevity peach, saying that Madam Huang liked it. Madam Huang's surname is Huang. In the traditional Chinese social hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, merchants are considered the lowest of the low. Although it's true that no one can save money in any era, in ancient times, it was the most despicable profession. For Madam Huang, whose surname is Huang, to like these gold and silver things makes her seem vulgar and lowly! The irony is quite profound!
The two women were locked in a fierce confrontation. Ouyang Yue glanced at the reactions of the other elderly ladies in the hall. These ladies were all noblewomen from the capital, and they had met Old Madam Ning and Madam Huang before. They looked slightly embarrassed, but their eyes held a hint of anticipation, clearly indicating that the two women were used to their underhanded rivalry. How interesting! No wonder Old Madam Ning and Madam Ning had always been at odds in the General's Mansion; it turned out that this underhanded rivalry had existed since the ancestral family!
Seeing the somewhat tense atmosphere, Madam Ning stepped forward. Today, she was dressed in a bright red and gold formal suit, with five gold peonies adorning her hair in a flower shape. The red and gold combination made her look even more luxurious. With a perfectly measured smile, she gave a proper curtsy and said, "Mother, I also have a gift for you, but it's just a screen I embroidered. It's nothing special, just a token of my affection. Please don't find it offensive, and please forgive my imperfections, ladies." As she spoke, Madam Ning bowed to the ladies present, which immediately drew smiles and a few words of praise from them. Ouyang Zhide was currently enjoying great popularity, and even if they didn't really care, they still had to curry favor with him.
At this moment, Lin's mother had a screen brought in, covered with a red cloth in a deliberately mysterious manner, which only aroused curiosity. Seeing that everyone's eyes were focused on it, Ning Shi raised her hand, and the cloth was immediately lifted. Then everyone looked closely, and someone immediately said, "Oh, so it's just an embroidered birthday screen." There was clearly a hint of disdain on that face. Anyone could make a birthday screen; why make such a fuss? Even Huang Shi would not look good. Old Ning Shi's lips curled up slightly; seeing Huang Shi unhappy made her feel good.
But before Old Madam Ning could be happy for long, someone else exclaimed, "No, this is not just a simple longevity screen. Look, it's a large longevity character made up of various characters, with smaller longevity characters nested within the larger one. What a wonderful meaning!"
The man spoke, and everyone's eyes immediately fell on him. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed composed of various shapes of the character "寿" (longevity). Judging by the density, there were at least three hundred of them. What was most remarkable was that one had to pay attention to the overall shape of the character. These three small "寿" characters were arranged together so that one would only notice the whole "寿" character at first glance, which showed how superb the embroidery was.
Immediately, someone exclaimed, "Madam Huang is so blessed! Your daughter is truly beautiful and intelligent. Back when she was still unmarried, countless young men from the capital thronged to propose to her, but she finally chose General Ouyang. Now look at her, married to such a fine husband as General Ouyang. What a blessing!"
"Yeah yeah."
Upon seeing this, Huang immediately burst into laughter, her smile deepening as she looked at Ning. She even glanced at the slightly somber-faced old Ning before engaging in casual conversation with someone.
Ning Shi also wore a smug smile, her eyes flashing with a divine light, which made Aunt Ming and the others behind her purse their lips in dissatisfaction.
Most of the old ladies praised Huang for raising such a good daughter, and also praised Ning for her inner and outer beauty. They were indeed from a prominent family. On the contrary, they left Old Ning aside. Old Ning looked displeased and coughed lightly, saying, "Caiyue has indeed put in a lot of effort. However, the three children in the manor have also prepared many fine gifts when they heard that it was their maternal grandmother's birthday. Why don't we all take a look?"
Madam Huang smiled and said, "I don't think it's necessary. I've seen the child's good intentions. Just accept the gifts. This place is just for us old sisters to chat and talk. The young people can't stay here. Shan'er, why don't you take the young ladies to the back garden for a stroll? All the young ladies from various families are there. Let them get to know each other."
"Yes, Madam." Shan'er immediately led Ouyang Hua, Ouyang Rou, and Rui Yuhuan away from Mingle Hall. Old Madam Ning looked displeased, but this time Huang managed to turn the tables. Madam Ning looked at Old Madam Ning's gloomy face and gave a cold laugh.
Rui Yuhuan twisted her handkerchief slightly. She had prepared generous gifts for the Ning family's visit today, but Huang Shi was so rude that she dismissed them without even looking at them. She had hoped to make a grand entrance today.
Hmph, what a pity, what a waste of the money she spent!
Before long, Shan'er led the four of them to the back garden of the Ning residence. Because it was Huang's birthday banquet today, many people from the capital had come to offer their congratulations. Naturally, not everyone could be invited to Mingle Hall to talk with Huang. So Huang had tables and chairs, tea, fruit and snacks set up in the gardens of the residence for the young masters and ladies of the various residences to enjoy themselves and stroll around.
However, as soon as the four approached, they heard a commotion coming from the garden.
"Mu Cuiwei, you did this on purpose!" A furious voice suddenly rang out. "Oh, it's you, Li Rushuang. I'm so sorry, I really didn't see you. It was just a slip of the hand. Please don't take offense. I apologize." The voice sounded like it was apologizing, but there was no sincerity in it at all.
"Quick, let's go in and see what they're saying!" Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rou immediately became interested and went in. Ouyang Hua, Ouyang Yue, and Rui Yuhuan naturally followed with their maids.
Upon entering the back garden, I discovered that there were quite a few young ladies there, but they were all scattered, forming small circles in twos and threes, whispering among themselves.
Standing among the flowers in the garden was a girl in a yellow shirt with dark skin. Her eyes were wide open, and her face was flushed with anger. However, because of her skin color, her face looked somewhat purplish-red, and she looked rather strange, not pretty at all.
Opposite the girl in yellow stood four beautifully dressed girls. The first was a girl in a deep purple floral dress, her hair adorned with exquisite jewels. Her appearance was above average, with delicate features, but the sharp, sarcastic expression on her face detracted from her otherwise stunning beauty. The three women beside her chuckled softly, looking at the girl in yellow with mockery in their eyes; clearly, the argument had originated from these two.
The woman in yellow clenched her fists in anger, her lips trembling slightly: "Can't you see me? I'm standing right here, a living person. You can't see me? You're clearly doing this on purpose. Mu Cuiwei, I have no grudge against you, so why do you always like to cause me trouble?"
Dressed in crimson sleeves, it was Mu Cuiwei, her eyes flashing with disgust: "Li Rushuang, don't make false accusations. So many young ladies are watching here. I really didn't mean to. You know how dark-skinned you are. Standing in the garden, your dark complexion is almost the color of mud. I just didn't notice you and poured out the tea I didn't want to drink. How can you say I did it on purpose? Are you trying to deceive me by saying I'm weak and easily bullied!"
Li Rushuang was trembling with anger. She had been standing quietly by the garden, not saying a word to anyone, when Mu Cuiwei suddenly spilled tea on her clothes. She had only said a few words in anger, but Mu Cuiwei had dared to accuse her first. Li Rushuang's face turned even uglier with anger, but she was just furious and didn't know how to refute her.
Seeing this, Na Mu Cuiwei smiled with a hint of disdain: "What, did I hit the nail on the head? I said, Li Rushuang, it's one thing for you to be in the wrong, but to try to frame others is really not the behavior of a lady from a respectable family."
Someone nearby immediately laughed and said, "Miss Mu, how could you forget that Miss Li's father is the Minister of War? She learned martial arts from her father since she was a child, and she's as rough as a man. How can you expect her to be compared to us, the daughters of noble families who have been well-versed in poetry and literature since childhood? If you want to compare, we won't allow it."
"That's right, hehehe."
As soon as the young lady spoke, it immediately caused the other young ladies in the garden to burst into laughter. Li Rushuang was so angry that she trembled all over, her lips tightly pursed: "Mu Cuiwei, you have always liked to cause me trouble over the years. I have tolerated you time and time again, but you have become more and more outrageous. If I don't beat you down today, you will never know why the flowers are so red!"