Chapter 783 Never Lost a Verbal Battle

Jixiang looked at Haitang, who was staring blankly with a pale face, sneered, and secretly tugged at the horse's mane.

The horse immediately raised its head and neighed, its front legs suddenly lifting high, raising most of the entire carriage behind it.

Caught off guard, Haitang fell off the carriage.

Meng Yunlan, who was sitting in the carriage, was also thrown about and cried out in pain.

"Young Madam!"

Bai Shao exclaimed in surprise and quickly lifted the curtain to help Meng Yunlan up: "Are you alright? That damned wild horse, did it hurt you?"

Shen Wantang, who had just arrived at the stables, nodded to herself upon seeing this scene. Gu Qianhan, the servant, was as reliable as ever.

Gu Qianhan naturally saw this scene as well, and he coldly said, "Meng Yunlan, who told you to get on this carriage? Get off!"

This was a brand-new carriage that he had specially ordered prepared for Shen Wantang. The carriage was new, and everything inside was also new and of the best quality. Even the carpets in the carriage were tribute items from the Western Regions, gold-threaded brocade carpets.

Before Shen Wantang could even use it, Meng Yunlan used it first!

Gu Qianhan couldn't suppress his anger, and for the first time, he realized just how disgusting Meng Yunlan could be.

The servants in the courtyard exchanged bewildered glances when they heard Gu Qianhan address Meng Yunlan by her full name and tell her to get down without any courtesy.

Meng Yunlan himself froze for a moment upon hearing this.

She knew that Gu Qianhan hadn't been giving her much face lately, but she never expected that he would tell her to get down in front of so many people!

She straightened her jade hairpin, which had been knocked askew, and settled herself back into the carriage.

The curtain had been lifted high by Bai Shao. She glanced at Gu Qianhan, then fixed her gaze on Shen Wantang beside him.

In just a short while, Shen Wantang had changed into a new set of clothes!

Since she married into the Duke's mansion, has she ever worn the same clothes twice? Not even once! In fact, she was so extravagant that she wanted to change her clothes and jewelry eight times a day!

On her own, and with her poor family background, she definitely couldn't afford so many clothes and jewelry!

This must all be Gu Qianhan's money!

Gu Qianhan himself wouldn't normally spend money so extravagantly, but this Shen Wantang is different. He doesn't feel bad at all when spending his money, squandering it to the point of extravagance, looking like a country bumpkin who suddenly becomes rich!

Meng Yunlan gripped the handkerchief tightly, her nails digging into her palm through the handkerchief, but she didn't feel any pain. She only felt that Shen Wantang was extremely annoying, and her disgust for her had reached an unprecedented peak!

But on her face, she still had to put on a gentle and magnanimous appearance: "Second brother, who offended you? Why are you speaking so harshly? You used to be so kind and affectionate to me, but after we got married, you've become much more distant from me, your sister-in-law. It's really heartbreaking!"

Shen Wantang turned her head and asked Gu Qianhan in a low voice, "Were you and your sister-in-law very close before? I thought you were cold to everyone except me. Were you lying to me all along?"

Gu Qianhan was sweating profusely. Shen Wantang already disliked his close relationship with Meng Yunlan, but Meng Yunlan publicly said that they had always been affectionate in the past. Wasn't this just adding fuel to the fire?

"That's not true, A-Tang. I'm not close to anyone except you. I treat everyone the same way. You can ask the people in the manor if you don't believe me."

Shen Wantang smiled at him, looking very affectionate: "Husband, there's no need to explain. Of course I believe you. I was just joking! We're family with my sister-in-law, so naturally we should be close!"

Then, she looked at Meng Yunlan with a smile: "Sister-in-law, don't you think so?"

Meng Yunlan forced a smile: "Sister-in-law is absolutely right, we are all family. So, it wouldn't be a problem for me to borrow your carriage for a while, would it?"

"But why are all the servants in the stable so wary, looking like they'd rather die than let me go?"

"Could it be that my sister-in-law is so stingy, saying one thing to my face and another behind my back? She talks about being family, but secretly refuses to let me use the carriage and deliberately sent them to stop me?"

When Shen Wantang heard her turn the tables on her, she was not angry at all; instead, she smiled even more brightly.

Should I start a verbal battle with her?

She has never lost to anyone!

"What are you saying, sister-in-law? How could I refuse to give you a carriage? I've only been married into this household for a few days. I don't have any say in anything, big or small. The stables won't listen to me either!"

Shen Wantang smiled kindly, but her words were sharp as knives: "Sister-in-law is really disheartening. I have never offended you. I even kindly gave my brother an umbrella and bird's nest soup."

“I treated my elder brother and sister-in-law as family, but my sister-in-law was so arrogant. Not only did she steal my carriage, but she also maliciously accused me of being stingy. I can’t believe that a noble Meng family woman could do such a thing.”

"Is this how the Meng family raises their daughters? When you were in the Meng family, did you also take things from your younger siblings? Or are you just targeting me?"

Meng Yunlan's expression changed: "Shut up! The Meng family is not a place for a mere concubine's daughter of a fifth-rank official like you to speak ill of!"

Shen Wantang's expression also turned cold: "What, is the Meng family so domineering that we can't even speak? When did the Great Feng dynasty change? Has the Meng family become emperors?"

Meng Yunlan's pupils suddenly contracted, and she shouted sharply, "Are you tired of living?! How dare you say such treasonous things!"

“Sister-in-law, why are you in such a hurry? I’ve only ever heard of not being allowed to speak ill of the imperial family, not that I can’t talk about other people. Whether an official is good or bad depends on the people’s judgment. No matter what my background is, I have the right to say something. If an official can’t be judged at all, and even the people have to keep quiet, then wouldn’t our Dafeng be finished?”

Seeing that Shen Wantang's words were becoming increasingly dangerous, if they continued to let her continue, Meng Deguang might be impeached tomorrow.

Meng Yunlan immediately stopped her: "Enough! Stop talking nonsense. I'm too lazy to waste my breath on someone like you! This carriage is not comfortable at all. Bai Shao, Hai Tang, help me out of the carriage. Let's find a more comfortable one!"

Gu Qianhan's eyes turned cold: "Wait! Your maid is named Haitang?"

"Yes, second brother, this is a maid sent by my family."

When Meng Yunlan faced him, her expression remained that of a gentle and dignified elder sister-in-law, as if the person who had just told her to get down was not Gu Qianhan at all. She was not angry with Gu Qianhan at all, and even smiled at him: "Could it be that Second Brother has taken a fancy to this girl? Then this is truly a blessing for this girl."

Gu Qianhan sneered: "She doesn't deserve it! Guards!"

Fukuzawa immediately stepped forward: "Young Master."

"This maidservant has offended the Second Young Mistress by using her name; she is disrespectful. Drag her out and beat her!"