Seeing Liu Xiangning remain silent, Zhou Miaoyin became even more furious. "Even if you think I, the young mistress, can lose, is that your reason for starting a fight? What do you think this place is, a filthy place like your 'Skinny Horse Brothel'? Ha, you're too cowardly to admit your own crudeness, yet you try to drag me down with you?"

Liu Xiangning hurriedly explained, "Young Madam, please calm down, sir, please calm down! This servant... this servant really meant it! This servant was afraid that the young madam would lose the competition and lose face, so I deliberately hit Chen Mianmian. Young Madam, please understand!"

"Shut up!"

This time, the shout wasn't directed at Zhou Miaoyin, but at Huo Rang. "Listen up! I know you came from a 'skinny horse' background, and I never expected you to have any dignified manners, but I certainly never imagined you could fight so rudely in public. I can't keep you here."

Liu Xiangning's eyes widened suddenly, and without caring about anything else, she shouted, "My lord, please understand! I have been doing everything according to your instructions! The person who bought me said that everything should be modeled after Chen Mianmian, and my every move is imitating Chen Mianmian!"

Huo Rang was taken aback, "Imitating Chen Mianmian?"

Zhou Miaoyin felt a surge of anger upon hearing this—she had been wondering before that although the two of them bickered, her husband still respected her and hadn't even taken a concubine, so why did he suddenly buy a slender woman?

After all that fuss, it's still because of that bitch Chen Mianmian!

Liu Xiangning was terrified, tears streaming down her face, her voice trembling as she said, "The official who came to select people said that he wanted to find a woman whose appearance, talent, and temperament were just like Shen Mianmian's, so he chose me. Before I left Yaotaifang, the governess even went to Yanyufang to inquire about Shen Mianmian's behavior and asked me to imitate her. That's why I was able to act with clear likes and dislikes, and be so bold and... unique."

Huo Rang froze on the spot, staring in astonishment at the stunningly beautiful woman.

She's...imitating Shen Mianmian? Is the real Shen Mianmian like this? How is that possible?

"Before falling into slumber... did you fight?" I asked tentatively.

Liu Xiangning nodded and said affirmatively, "Fight! There's a saying in Yanyufang: 'If you can fight, don't argue.' That's what Chen Mianmian said. In order to imitate her well, I specially learned how to fight before leaving the brothel. Heaven is my witness, I had never fought before!"

There's another thing Liu Xiangning thinks—after learning how to fight, she finds it quite fun, much more enjoyable than before.

Huo Rang was astonished again, even opening his mouth and forgetting to close it, as Pan Bin's words to him came to mind: Just like Bai Qingzhou's skinny horse, buy another skinny horse that is exactly the same.

So... he's the root cause of today's farce?

Is Liu Xiangning innocent?

Liu Xiangning covered her face with a handkerchief and sobbed.

Seeing her husband get the short end of the stick, Zhou Miaoyin was overjoyed and couldn't help but press her advantage, "A skinny horse is a skinny horse, what good upbringing can she have? Husband, you only met that Shen woman once, you didn't know her background, now you know, right?"

Huo Rang's mind was in a mess, and he didn't bother to deal with Liu Xiangning. He turned around and strode away.

Zhou Miaoyin glared coldly at Liu Xiangning, who was curled up in a ball, and said fiercely, "Just because you have an adult backing you up, you think you can be arrogant? Let me tell you, you are just a plaything, and you will always be a plaything."

Afterwards, he left with a cold laugh.

Soon, both of them left, leaving only Liu Xiangning in the room.

The beautiful woman, who was crying just a moment ago, let out a long sigh the next moment, wiped the tears off her face with a handkerchief, and then her handsome face was full of impatience. "Tsk, what's going on? Didn't you say you liked Chen Mianmian? Why don't you like her anymore? Have I been acting for nothing these past few days? The old ladies were right after all. The powerful and wealthy are unreliable, and men are unreliable. When you're out in the world, you can only rely on yourself."

Then, despite the pain in her body, she got up. "Didn't they say Chen Mianmian was a great fighter? I haven't even practiced much, and she can't beat me? Do I have a talent for martial arts?"

"Ouch, my leg hurts so much, it must be bruised..."

...

As it turns out, the fight between Shen Mianmian and Liu Xiangning really had an effect!

The news of the two "skinny horses" fighting quickly spread throughout the capital. The ladies and young women not only expressed their disdain, but also reached a consensus: they would not invite any women from "skinny horse" backgrounds to banquets in the future, and even if they had to invite them, they would never allow them to perform any talents.

The ladies made this decision because they were afraid their gathering would be ruined.

The young ladies were delighted to hear this. Firstly, they disdained to perform alongside the "skinny girls," and secondly, those "skinny girls" had been forced by life to practice their talents desperately since childhood. If they were truly better than them, wouldn't the young ladies be ashamed?

at the same time,

This farce not only spread throughout the capital but also reached the military camps on the outskirts of Beijing.

When Marquis Anning heard that something had happened to his family, he was so angry that he rushed back to the capital the very next morning, as soon as the city gates opened.

Main courtyard.

When the servants brought news of the Marquis's sudden return to the manor, Madam Ding was startled, because according to custom, it was still early before the Marquis was due to return home for his day off.

His sudden return is most likely due to the gathering at the Minister's residence.

Ms. Ding was extremely flustered and even lost her composure, not knowing what to do.

Granny Li hurriedly comforted her, "Madam, don't panic. You must stay calm. The Marquis will definitely return to the main courtyard first. Tell the Marquis the news that the young master has won the county's top scholar award. The Marquis will be so happy that he might calm down."

Upon hearing this, Ding felt much calmer and said, "You're right...you're right."

Granny Li said, "At least we can protect the heir. If the Marquis really wants to punish Madam Shen, you can say... say that they are trying to conceive. Nobody knows if they have succeeded yet. It would be unwise to use family law against them."

“Yes, yes, you’re right,” Ding said, her eyes reddening as she grasped Li Mama’s hand. “A-Yuan, it’s all thanks to you that I had you here, otherwise… otherwise I wouldn’t know what to do.”

Granny Li comforted her, "Madam, please don't blame yourself. Madam is pure and kind, a quality that is rare among other ladies. Isn't it also Madam's pure kindness that the Marquis likes?"

Ding was gradually appeased in this way.

but,

Despite everyone's meticulous planning, no one anticipated that after entering the Marquis's residence, the Marquis of Anning would not go directly to the main courtyard, but instead go to the Bright Moon Courtyard first and directly seize the heir.

When they arrived at Mingyue Courtyard, they found it empty.

I heard from the servants that the young master and Consort Shen went to the martial arts training ground.

Marquis Anning was taken aback—the training ground? The heir apparent would actually go to the training ground on his own initiative? Back then, even when they beat and chased him away, he still refused to go.

The servants also said that when the Marquis was not around, the young master and Consort Shen often went for a run and exercise.

Marquis Anning was even more shocked. Without asking any further questions, he went straight to the training ground.

But then,

The sun rose higher and higher.

In the center of the spacious and flat training ground, a man and a woman stood not far apart, wielding long sticks.

It was the crown prince and his concubine.

Clearly, the Crown Prince was teaching Consort Shen martial arts, striking her with seriousness and force, one blow at a time.