Chapter 68: The Flower-Viewing Gathering (4)

Fu Rong clutched her face, listening as Xiao Ziyu continued to berate her. “Fu Rong, after all these years of friendship and trust between us, you dare deceive me like this? How brazen you are! But let me ask—do you even have the audacity to compete with me for my future husband? Do you truly believe you’re worthy?”

The onlookers absorbed every word of Xiao Ziyu’s tirade, their faces calm but their minds racing with astonishment: Good heavens! What a shocking spectacle! Fu Rong had also set her sights on Qi Ying, daring to secretly vie for him behind Sixth Princess Xiao Ziyu’s back—and now she’d been caught red-handed, publicly slapped by the princess herself!

Oh my! Oh my!

All eyes turned to Fu Rong, making her the center of attention—far more so than Shen Xiqing had been during that infamous scene at the Qi family’s Rongrui Hall. To suffer such public humiliation was unbearable. Even someone as poised and composed as Fu Rong struggled to suppress her fury.

Xiao Ziyu had asked if she was worthy? Hmph! And what of Xiao Ziyu herself? So what if she was a princess, a jewel in the Emperor’s crown? She wasn’t any better—always trailing after Qi Ying, head over heels for him. Yet they weren’t married, not even engaged. Qi Ying hadn’t shown her the slightest bit of special treatment. Where did Xiao Ziyu get the audacity to act so high and mighty?

Shameless! Delusional!

Anger surged within Fu Rong. In her indignation, she fantasized about stabbing Xiao Ziyu in the heart. Just as she was struggling to think of a retort, her gaze fell upon two familiar maidservants in the crowd.

Taking a closer look, she recognized them—they were the attendants of Fang Yun, whom she had seen at the Qi estate before. Fu Rong knew that Fang Yun had been expelled from the main house by the matriarch but assumed she had already left Jiankang. Seeing these two maids here now made her suspect that Qi Ying might have secretly brought her back to Fenghe Garden.

Qi Ying had kept Shen Xiqing’s presence quiet, instructing his family not to mention it to outsiders. Knowing that keeping her in Jiankang went against the matriarch’s wishes, the Qis had complied, leaving outsiders like Fu Rong completely unaware.

Spotting Zi Jun and Feng Chang sneaking around the flower-viewing gathering, Fu Rong quickly pieced things together. An idea formed in her mind. Slowly rising to her feet, she brushed off the grass stains from her dress, appearing calm and composed.

Stepping closer to Xiao Ziyu, she leaned in and whispered venomously, “You call me presumptuous? Aren’t you just as delusional? He doesn’t care for you—not one bit. In fact, he’s currently harboring a young girl at his private residence. She’s breathtakingly beautiful, and the whole arrangement with the academy was originally meant for her. Did you know that?”

“Xiao Ziyu,” she added coldly, “you know nothing.”

“You’re nothing but a joke.”

As her words sank in, Fu Rong watched Xiao Ziyu’s face turn deathly pale. Her body swayed slightly, visibly shaken. A wave of vindictive satisfaction surged through Fu Rong. She wanted to say more, to twist the knife further, but just then, the noble sons arrived. Fu Zhuo, Han Feiyu, and Han Feichi stepped forward, followed shortly by Third Prince Xiao Zihuan and Fourth Prince Xiao Ziheng. Strangely, none of the Qi brothers were present—perhaps occupied elsewhere.

Seeing the commotion, Fu Zhuo immediately went to his sister’s side, steadying her. Noticing the red mark on her cheek, he frowned and shot a glance at Xiao Ziyu before asking, “Rong’er, what happened?”

Fourth Prince Xiao Ziheng also assessed the situation, approaching Xiao Ziyu. After confirming she wasn’t injured, he questioned her as well. “What’s going on? Why are you causing trouble again?”

Xiao Ziyu, her face ashen, bit her lip and remained silent, tears welling up in her eyes.

Everyone present was stunned. Then Fu Rong, still clutching her cheek and bowing her head, murmured softly, “…Brother, perhaps you should ask Sixth Princess and Qi Er Gege about it.”

A fight between two women, implicating a man—connecting the dots wasn’t difficult. Such a scandal involving a princess and a noblewoman vying for attention was rare entertainment indeed. The guests momentarily forgot about the qu shui liu shang or any pretense of refined elegance, fully engrossed in the unfolding drama.

However, Fourth Prince Xiao Ziheng didn’t want his sister’s humiliation to be witnessed. He attempted to pull Xiao Ziyu away, but the stubborn princess refused his help, standing rooted to the spot. After a moment, she suddenly spun around and stormed off in another direction.

Her attendants hurriedly followed, disappearing from sight within moments.

Seeing his sister’s dramatic exit, Xiao Ziheng instinctively sensed trouble brewing. Glancing around, he noticed Fu Rong and her brother staring at him expectantly, clearly seeking an explanation. His head throbbed with frustration.

Meanwhile, Zi Jun and Feng Chang realized they had caused a disaster.

They knew of Sixth Princess Xiao Ziyu’s connection to their master. When Fu Rong spotted them earlier, their eyes had met—she had recognized them. Though they hadn’t heard what Fu Rong said to the princess, Xiao Ziyu’s furious demeanor and her departure toward Fenghe Garden spoke volumes. It wasn’t hard to guess where the princess was headed.

Their actions had brought trouble to their mistress.

The two maids exchanged panicked glances, their faces pale. They dreaded how their young miss would handle the situation if the princess came to Woyu Courtyard.

Zi Jun steadied herself and whispered urgently to Feng Chang, “Let’s find Master Qi, quick! If this escalates…”

Feng Chang was already overwhelmed with regret, wishing she had listened to Shui Pei’s advice and avoided sneaking into the gathering. Hearing Zi Jun’s suggestion, she nodded frantically. The pair quietly slipped away from the crowd.

Fenghe Garden, nestled in Qingji Mountain, was separated from the rear garden by only a wall. To prevent accidental disturbances during the gathering, the back gate had been locked early that morning, guarded by Qi family servants.

While the loyal guards could deter drunken intruders, they were no match for an enraged princess. Xiao Ziyu’s reputation for arrogance preceded her, and her arrival in a towering rage was especially intimidating. The Qi servants, aware of her relationship with Second Master Qi, dared not stop her. A few stern words from her attendants were enough to open the gate.

Meanwhile, Shen Xiqing was still reading in her courtyard.

Shui Pei, half-dozing beside her mistress, was startled awake by loud noises outside. Irritated, she stood and walked to the entrance, pulling back the curtain and snapping, “Who’s making all that racket? Can’t you see our young miss is trying to…”

Before she could finish, Shen Xiqing, seated inside, heard her voice trail off, followed by a sharp cry. Rising from her desk, she stepped out to investigate. To her shock, a group of people dressed in palace attire barged into the courtyard. Shui Pei lay on the ground, clutching her face—she had been slapped!

Shen Xiqing rushed to her side, kneeling to examine her injury.

Shui Pei held a position of respect among Fenghe Garden’s staff, and even in the main house, she wasn’t someone who could be casually struck. Shen Xiqing looked up to see an older palace maid glaring down at them, coldly declaring, “Noise? With the Sixth Princess arriving, failing to kneel and greet her is disrespectful. This is your lesson in decorum!”

Sixth Princess?

Shen Xiqing was still reeling when the palace maids parted, revealing a young woman of sixteen or seventeen. Her peach-blossom eyes bore a striking resemblance to Fourth Prince Xiao Ziheng’s, exuding charm even in her icy demeanor.

Shen Xiqing realized this was the Sixth Princess, Xiao Ziyu.

She had heard of her briefly from Fourth Prince Xiao Ziheng during the Lantern Festival, though his vague explanation left much unclear. Later, she pieced together more details from the servants’ gossip and her own inquiries. The princess’s connection to Qi Ying was complex, intertwined with court politics—something Shen Xiqing didn’t fully grasp.

But now, confusion gripped her. Why had this golden princess abandoned the flower-viewing gathering to storm into her quarters and strike Shui Pei?

Before she could ponder further, the same palace maid barked, “How dare you ignore the princess? Kneel and pay your respects!”

Shen Xiqing had never learned such formalities. Though she had met Fourth Prince Xiao Ziheng twice, he had waived the formalities both times, leaving her unsure of the proper protocol. For a moment, she hesitated.

Fortunately, Shui Pei, despite being unjustly slapped, quickly pulled Shen Xiqing into a kneeling position before Xiao Ziyu. Shen Xiqing mimicked her movements, bowing low at the princess’s feet.

The princess’s gilded shoes drew nearer. Shen Xiqing and Shui Pei knelt silently, waiting for permission to rise. Instead, Xiao Ziyu lifted her foot, using its tip to tilt Shen Xiqing’s chin upward.

It was a deeply humiliating gesture.

Forced to crane her neck painfully, Shen Xiqing gazed up at the princess, who scrutinized her before letting out a mocking laugh. “This is the so-called beauty everyone praises? You? A mere slip of a girl?”

Though Shen Xiqing prided herself on patience, this insult stung deeply. As a child, she had endured harsh words from Lady Fang. More recently, she had faced public scrutiny at the Qi household. Yet neither experience compared to the anger boiling within her now.

Rarely did she feel such rage or resentment toward others. But under Xiao Ziyu’s condescending gaze, a fire ignited within her—a sense of profound humiliation and injustice. Subtle defiance flickered in her eyes, barely noticeable yet unmistakably present.

Without flinching, she gently moved her head away from the princess’s foot, lowering her gaze again. Calmly, she replied, “Your Highness is a paragon of beauty, while I am but a humble weed. I am deeply humbled.”

Her tone was deferential, seemingly sincere, but her striking features—her bright, defiant eyes—spoke otherwise. Anyone could see that Xiao Ziyu paled in comparison, making Shen Xiqing’s humility seem almost mocking.

That single sentence reignited the fury smoldering within Xiao Ziyu!

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Author’s Note: Even Shen Xiqing gets angry, showing just how formidable the princess is. Next chapter: the male lead comes to rescue his wife-to-be!

Thank you to all the little angels who left reviews, voted, and supported me. Last time I opened the comments section and saw some praise, I got so excited that I stayed up until 2 AM writing passionately. Sending love and best wishes for the double holiday!