Upon seeing the copper coins, the children immediately became happy and joyfully went to catch them.

Just then, a passerby who had been shivering from the cold suddenly sprang up, drew a long knife hidden in the snow or a pile of firewood by the roadside, and rushed over.

"An assassin!"

"Protect the Crown Prince!"

Yin Quan shouted, grabbed the sword beside him, and stabbed the nearest assassin to death. The guards around him rushed over and drew their swords to surround Pei Yanzhi's carriage.

The guards were well-trained, and the assassins were not afraid. They raised their knives and charged in, while a few real passersby screamed and ran away when they saw them.

In the midst of the battle, no one noticed a seven or eight-year-old boy who, taking advantage of a moment when no one was looking, suddenly darted into the carriage with a dagger in hand.

*****

Pei Yanzhi's carriage went first, followed by Jiang Shuwan's carriage, which carried three people.

When Pei Yanzhi was assassinated, they were drinking tea in an eerie atmosphere of "If you don't like me, I don't want to give you a friendly look either."

Of course, Liu Yunyan and Jiang Yao are the ones who won't give me a friendly look if I don't like them.

Both of them wanted to make a name for themselves at Li Yuyan's banquet. Although they hadn't arrived at the banquet venue yet, they were already secretly comparing themselves to each other, scrutinizing each other's clothes and jewelry.

Then, Jiang Yao felt that she had won.

Jiang Yao was dressed in a deep purple gown, the brocade fabric embroidered with intricate and exquisite floral and bird patterns, the silk threads shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight.

Her hair was piled high in a bun, with gold hairpins and jade hairpins inserted in a neat and orderly fashion. One of the gold hairpins, inlaid with a large gemstone, was particularly eye-catching. As the carriage swayed, the hairpin swayed gently and shone brightly.

She was dressed in extremely rich clothes, but not too extravagantly, clearly having learned from past mistakes and not dressing up excessively.

Let's take a look at Liu Yunyan.

Liu Yunyan was also very skilled at dressing up. She was thin and frail, and gold did not suit her, so she only wore two jade hairpins.

Because she had previously applied eye drops to Jiang Shuwan and was punished by the old lady, she had no more clothes to wear, and was left with a light blue silk skirt half-embroidered with lotus blossoms.

In Jiang Yao's opinion, Liu Yunyan's clothes were no different from tattered clothes, and all her accessories combined were not even as good as the jeweled hairpin in her hair.

Thus, they were at a disadvantage.

Liu Yunyan looked at Jiang Yao with disdain.

Although she wasn't as wealthy as Jiang Yao, her superior demeanor perfectly suited her status as a daughter of a prominent family and the most talented woman in the capital.

On the contrary, Jiang Yao likes to wear gold and jade ornaments on her head every day, reeking of money without even realizing it.

"How on earth could someone write a poem like 'Spring Dawn' out of such vulgarity..."

Liu Yunyan racked her brains trying to figure it out, but she just couldn't understand it.

She and Jiang Yao used to be like "two heads in one direction, but two heads in another."

When she rose to fame, Jiang Yao didn't even have the qualifications to mingle in high society.

After she left, Jiang Yao gradually rose to become the most talented woman in the capital. Her poem "Spring Dawn" was so famous that it even reached Luoyang and was seen by her.

She had always thought that the woman who could write such a poem must be a transcendent woman who had seen through the illusions of the world and whose realm of thought far surpassed that of ordinary people. However, she never expected that when she met Jiang Yao at the Marquis's mansion, Jiang Yao would be so vulgar and unbearable.

They treated her with condescension and were quite hostile towards her.

After settling into the Marquis's residence, she made a point of inquiring about Jiang Yao. Upon learning about the ridiculous things Jiang Yao had done in the past, she felt even more absurd, as if God was playing a joke on her.

The more time I spend with her, the more I realize that Jiang Yao couldn't write "Spring Dawn".

Many people in the capital were speculating whether Jiang Yao had hired a ghostwriter.

However, "Chunxiao" has been around for several years. If there were a ghostwriter, seeing this immense wealth, they would probably have come out to clarify the truth long ago.

After all, it's one thing for a woman to write such a masterpiece—at most, she'll gain fame—but for a man, there's far too much room for manipulation.

It can be said that ever since she met Jiang Yao, she has been waiting for the ghostwriter to appear.

But it still hasn't arrived.

"Could it really have been written by her?"

"No, she doesn't look like it at all..."

Glancing sideways at Jiang Yao, Liu Yunyan simply couldn't reconcile the arrogant Jiang Yao with the poem "Spring Dawn".

Her intuition told her that the poem was definitely not written by Jiang Yao.

"A mere imposter dares to compete with me for the title of the most talented woman? Today I will make sure your reputation is completely ruined and you lose all face..."

With these plans in mind, Liu Yunyan's gaze towards Jiang Yao became increasingly tender and pitiful, brimming with what seemed like a pool of clear autumn water, making one's heart ache.

This is why she was so popular in the capital.

If she were to soften her gaze, both men and women would feel affection for her and lower their guard; I imagine Jiang Yao would feel the same way.

"What are you looking at? Never seen such a valuable hairpin before, you bumpkin!"

Jiang Yao spoke the last two words softly, almost to herself, but Liu Yunyan still heard them.

"..."

Suppressing her trembling hands with anger, Liu Yunyan awkwardly forced a smile, then turned around and gazed at the snow scene by the window.

She's so stupid.

Jiang Yao, that blockhead, has no idea how to cherish such high-class things.

While she was internally criticizing Jiang Yao, Jiang Yao was also grumbling and complaining about her.

"A fallen phoenix is ​​no better than a chicken. Look at how destitute your family has become, yet you still dare to covet the jeweled hairpin in my hair. You're overestimating yourself and daydreaming..."

As she spoke, she touched the hairpin in her hair, looking as if she was afraid Liu Yunyan would come up and snatch it away.

"..."

I'm being lenient with you and not arguing with you, and you're getting all cocky, aren't you?

Liu Yunyan clenched her fist even tighter and couldn't help but turn around, saying with a sarcastic tone.

"What are you saying, Sister Jiang Yao? If you have any opinions about Yunyan, you can just say so. Why gossip behind people's backs?"

"Heh, Miss Liu, you overestimate yourself. I am the wife of the youngest daughter-in-law, the future wife of the youngest daughter-in-law, while you are an orphan. We are not on the same level, we are not related by blood, we are not related at all. I don't know you, nor do I want to know you, so why would I have a problem with you?"

"In fact, and I'll say something that might offend you: if it weren't for my elder sister's kindness, you wouldn't even have the right to ride in the same carriage as us. How dare you make such a fuss here?"

"They claim to be from a prestigious family, but in my opinion, the rules of those families aren't all that great!"

Jiang Yao glanced at Liu Yunyan and said with a sarcastic expression.

These words struck a nerve with Liu Yunyan.

What does it mean to not be on the same level?

She was a woman from the Liu family of Luoyang, and her maternal family was also a famous family in the past.

Even if she falls on hard times, she won't be looked down upon by the daughter of a minor official of the fifth rank.

Furthermore.

She didn't make any noise.

It was clearly Jiang Yao who was yelling and bullying her all along!

This is truly a case of the guilty party accusing the innocent first!

Staring at Jiang Yao, Liu Yunyan was almost in tears, feeling wronged.