Chapter 9 Flower Appreciation Banquet

"Your Highness, it is indeed Wuyou."

Xie Wuyou made a crooked curtsy, his mouth grinning so wide it reached his ears.

The princess herself pulled Xie Wuyou over, took the gold hairpin from her hair, and placed it in Xie Wuyou's hair.

"I found you gentle and polite today, and I liked you very much, so I will give you this hairpin. But with such a good nature, have you ever been bullied? If you have been wronged, just tell me, and I will stand up for you."

After he finished speaking, Xie Wuyou felt the princess pinch his hand and instantly realized what was happening.

Xie Wuyou was overjoyed, but his face instantly showed seven parts grievance and three parts restraint. His eyes reddened in an instant, and his voice choked with just the right amount of emotion.

"Your Highness...Your Highness has shown mercy, have no worries..."

She seemed hesitant to speak, biting her lower lip before saying with tears welling up, "Wuyou dares not deceive Your Highness. Ever since my cousin returned to the manor, there has been... no peace in the manor."

She sobbed, pointed at Xie Sangning in the distance, and accused, "As soon as my cousin came back, without asking any questions, she kicked Wuyou out of the room where she had lived for ten years! That was the place where Wuyou had lived since she was a child!"

"The furnishings and objects inside are all the result of Wuyou's hard work... Her cousin... she took advantage of her status and forcibly took them, and even threw out all of Wuyou's things, some of which... were even burned!"

Everyone was shocked to hear this; it was far too domineering!

It really doesn't match Xie Sangning's delicate and pretty appearance.

"What? Is that really true?"

Upon hearing the princess's question, Xie Wuyou nodded, sobbing, and cried even more sincerely.

"And another thing," Wuyou thought, "my cousin has just returned to the capital from the remote Xihan, and there must be many rules she doesn't know. I'm afraid she might be impolite in front of important people and embarrass the General's Mansion, so I thought...I thought I'd remind her a couple of things."

She raised her tearful eyes and looked at Pei Mingyue.

"Who would have thought that my cousin would not only be ungrateful, but also say that Wuyou... is not qualified to teach her manners! Your Highness, tell me, Wuyou... Wuyou meant well, how could she..."

Xie Wuyou's accusations successfully aroused the sympathy and anger of the vast majority of people present.

"My God! How could this happen? Taking over my cousin's room? And even throwing her things out and burning them? That's outrageous!"

"You've taken my kindness for granted! Miss Xie is truly... ungrateful!"

"So arrogant right after returning to Beijing!"

"No wonder the Second Princess dislikes it..."

"Exactly! Miss Xie is so pitiful..."

"Your Highness, you must do justice for Miss Xie!"

The calls for condemnation were deafening, with all the criticism directed at Xie Sangning in the corner.

As Pei Mingyue listened to Xie Wuyou's lament and the discussions of the crowd, she appropriately revealed just the right amount of anger on her face.

"Is this really true?" Her voice turned cold. "Xie Sangning, step forward and answer!"

All eyes were instantly drawn to them.

Xie Sangning stood up under Ru Chun's worried gaze.

"Your humble servant Xie Sangning greets Your Highness the Second Princess."

The voice was clear and calm, without a trace of emotion.

Seeing her calm demeanor, Pei Mingyue felt a surge of anger rising within her.

What she detests most is people who are not under her control and who do not bow down to her!

"Xie Sangning, is what Miss Xie said true? You've only been back in the manor for a few days, yet you've already usurped her place, bullied your cousin, and driven her out of her home? You're even more arrogant and disrespectful to your elders?"

Cuckoo taking over the nest?

Hearing this, Xie Sangning wanted to burst out laughing.

Xie Sangning raised her head slightly to meet Pei Mingyue's scrutinizing gaze: "Your Highness, I did not seize Ruixue Tower, but rather took it back."

As she said this, her eyes welled up with tears. "It's just acting, anyone can do that."

"Ruixue Tower was originally the residence of my parents, and also the place where I was born. It holds memories of my mother and me..."

"Now that I have returned home, it is only right and proper for me to reclaim what is rightfully mine and return it to its rightful owner. It is also reasonable to get rid of items that do not belong to me. How can this be considered bullying?"

“Those things that were cleared away were all bought with my daughter’s father’s salary. The entire second branch of the family depends on my daughter’s father for survival. How can we not throw them away?”

Her voice was trembling with tears, as if she had suffered a great injustice, which was heartbreaking to see.

In addition, her beautiful appearance made many ladies present secretly sway their hearts.

Just imagine, the house filled with memories of her mother was occupied by her cousin for ten years, and after moving back in, she was even complained about. How unfair is that!

Pei Mingyue was speechless for a moment, and her face darkened even more.

She didn't expect Xie Sangning to dare to directly refute her!

"That's sophistry!"

Pei Mingyue sneered, "Even if that courtyard was once yours, it's a fact that your cousin lived there for ten years! When you came back, you were aggressive and kicked her out. Do you have any sisterly affection? Do you have any tolerance?"

"Your father guarded the border, protecting our country and our home. What a noble spirit he had! How could he have such a narrow-minded and petty daughter like you!"

This rebuke was truly unreasonable, but no one could reason with the princess.

Inside the warm pavilion, everyone held their breath, their gazes toward Xie Sangning becoming even more complex.

Xie Wuyou lowered his head, but from an angle where no one could see, a smug smile appeared on his lips.

Pei Mingyue didn't give Xie Sangning a chance to defend herself, and changed the subject: "Furthermore, I heard that you've only been back in the capital for a few days, yet you've already spent money like water, making lavish purchases at Jinxiu Pavilion, buying up shimmering brocade and tribute soft gauze without batting an eye!"

"He even spent a fortune to buy new clothes for the maids in your room, and the materials used were even more exquisite than those of many daughters of officials!"

"Xie Sangning, do you know the meaning of the word 'low-key'? Have you ever heard anyone say that you are more extravagant than a princess?"

This is the second princess's true purpose.

A collective gasp filled the room.

Xie Wuyou was overjoyed and almost couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Pei Mingyue stared at Xie Sangning and said, word by word, "The most important thing in being a person is to have self-awareness! The most important thing is to know how to restrain yourself! Especially in Jinling City, under the Emperor's nose! This flower-viewing banquet that I am holding today is supposed to be an elegant event, but it has been ruined by vulgar people like you! Xie Sangning, do you know your mistake!"

This is absolutely an undeserved disaster!

Ru Chun was extremely worried for her mistress.

Despite the barrage of accusations and the stigma leveled against her, Xie Sangning remained steadfast.

She looked at Pei Mingyue's arrogant face and Xie Wuyou's undisguised smugness, and she smiled.

This laugh infuriated Pei Mingyue even more and shocked everyone around her.

Is this Miss Xie an idiot? The princess is so angry, and she still dares to laugh!

Just when everyone thought Xie Sangning would either admit her mistake in fear or argue fiercely, she did something that surprised everyone.

She tilted her head slightly, a look of confusion appearing on her exquisite face. Her clear eyes looked at Pei Mingyue, and she asked softly in an extremely sincere, harmless, and even slightly aggrieved tone:

“Your Highness is right, I am foolish, but…” she paused, “Is it very expensive?”

"......"

Dead silence!

Absolute silence!

The huge, warm room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop!

Everyone was stunned by Xie Sangning's question!