Xuanyang Lake.

At this time, there was still about half an hour before the main banquet of the lake tour began. A group of young men and women dressed in brocade robes gathered on the long corridor, discussing with great interest what had just happened in the lotus pavilion.

"Have you heard? The Seventh Princess tried to frame Song Zhiyu but failed and was humiliated on the spot. She was forcibly sent back to the palace by His Highness the Crown Prince."

"I never expected the Seventh Princess to be this kind of person. She has no grudge against Song Zhiyu, so why would she plot against her?" Some people wondered, since the two had absolutely no connection.

"It's true that Song Zhiyu has no grudge against the Seventh Princess, but it's hard to say about her relationship with Miss Shen." The insider smiled mysteriously, having seen through the relationship between the three.

Song Zhiyu is the true daughter of the Marquis of Chengen, while Shen Jinshu, being an adopted daughter, has gained favor with everyone in the Marquis's household. Rumors of their discord have long been circulating.

The Seventh Princess has always been on good terms with Shen Jinshu, not to mention that Shen Jinshu is very likely to become the Princess Consort of Li.

Given this relationship, it's not impossible that the Seventh Princess would stand up for Shen Jinshu and avenge her.

Upon hearing this, many people understood perfectly.

They glanced furtively at Song Zhiyu in the corner, their expressions varied, but they all seemed to be watching a good show.

Although Song Zhiyu was looking at the lake, the gaze falling on her was so intense that it was hard for her to ignore it.

She raised an eyebrow nonchalantly, neither confirming nor denying the speculations of the crowd.

They were right; her relationship with Shen Jinshu destined them to be unable to get along peacefully.

The Seventh Princess's plot to frame her was not only for Shen Jinshu, but also for the sake of Prince Li.

It's just that outsiders are unaware of these details. She was too lazy to refute it; after all, it was an undeniable fact that the Seventh Princess had maliciously slandered her to avenge Shen Jinshu.

"Cough cough cough~"

Just as everyone was talking enthusiastically, a loud cough interrupted their conversation.

The heir of the Prince walked slowly, surrounded by a group of young men in brocade robes, with Shen Yanxi following closely behind.

"Who is Song Zhiyu?" The prince's gaze swept over the group with a fierce look, pausing for a moment when it passed over Song Zhiyu.

Upon hearing this, everyone present was taken aback, and their eyes involuntarily turned in the same direction.

Even Shen Yanxi, who had been standing silently in the crowd, was stunned for a moment upon hearing this.

The prince looked at Song Zhiyu, and the moment he saw her face clearly, his lips parted slightly, as if in disbelief.

He raised his hand and stroked his chin, his expression complicated. He hadn't expected the country bumpkin to be so good-looking, even Shen Jinshu paled in comparison.

"I am Song Zhiyu." Song Zhiyu frowned slightly, feeling a little uncomfortable with the Prince's scrutinizing gaze. She quickly caught the fleeting malice in the man's eyes.

It wasn't until Lu Bai whispered the man's identity in her ear that she realized the source of this unwarranted malice.

So he was one of Shen Jinshu's admirers.

Once one knife is ruined, she simply turns around and gets another. When it comes to using someone else to do her dirty work, she's no match for Shen Jinshu.

The Prince's heir, his face long, immediately questioned, "It was you who bullied Shu'er, causing her heartache and sadness. It was also you who prevented Yu'er from attending the lake excursion banquet, forcing her to return to the palace by the Crown Prince. You vicious woman, you are truly hateful!"

Song Zhiyu looked confused, and the corner of her mouth twitched involuntarily.

“I have medicine for ear ailments here. If the Prince’s son needs it, I can sell it to you at a discount.” She took out a small porcelain bottle from her purse and shook it casually.

For a moment, the Prince's mind went blank, and he was somewhat confused by Song Zhiyu's words.

When did he develop an ear problem?

Those who understood were struggling to suppress their laughter, trying hard to keep their lips from turning up in a smile.

Shen Yanxi couldn't help but burst out laughing. He hadn't expected that watching Song Zhiyu fool others would be so amusing.

"How dare you fool me?" The prince's son, having discerned the unspoken meaning in Song Zhiyu's words from the lackey beside him, flew into a rage.

"Doesn't the Prince of the County know why the Seventh Princess was sent back to the palace? And what you said about me bullying Shen Jinshu is utter nonsense. Everyone in the Marquis's mansion is biased towards her; I don't have that kind of power," Song Zhiyu said casually, playing with the small porcelain bottle in her hand.

What she said wasn't wrong; in the Marquis's mansion, she and Shen Jinshu were two extremes.

One who is loved and respected by everyone is the pride of the Marquis's mansion.

The other one, despite being a true heiress, lived a life worse than the servants in the household, and was even regarded as an unspeakable disgrace by her blood relatives.

With so many people protecting her, how could she possibly bully Shen Jinshu?

"You agree, right, Fourth Young Master Shen?" Song Zhiyu's cold gaze shot straight at Shen Yanxi in the crowd.

Shen Yanxi's smile froze. Facing the curious and confused gazes of the crowd, he stammered, "Shu'er is kind, but that's not enough to justify her being bullied."

He knew that Song Zhiyu was being targeted by the Prince's heir and that things wouldn't be easy for him in the future, but he still said those words that would lead to misunderstandings.

The prince's son glared at her, his arrogant tone truly irritating, "Song Zhiyu, you must kneel down and apologize to Shu'er, and promise not to do it again, otherwise I will not spare you."

Song Zhiyu chuckled, her face full of mockery. The words of the Prince's heir were exactly the same as those of Shen Yanxi, and even the expression on his face, which seemed to be bestowing a favor upon her, were identical.

She had done nothing wrong, yet because Shen Jinshu shed a single tear, she was forced to kneel down and apologize to Shen Jinshu, and even be grateful to them. How ridiculous!

"I wonder what relationship the young master has with Shen Jinshu, that he's standing up for her like this? It's a pity, no matter how much you do, it's useless, since the young master's status is inferior to that of the Prince of Li." Song Zhiyu smiled instead of being angry, her gaze sweeping over the prince's son with a hint of mockery.

The prince's face turned pale and then flushed, a truly fascinating sight, yet he remained defiant, saying, "Shu'er is kind-hearted, and I cannot bear to see her being bullied. It has nothing to do with anything else."

"It's truly touching, but if you want to selflessly dedicate yourself to Shen Jinshu, then go ahead, whether you kneel down or apologize, just don't drag me into it." Song Zhiyu clapped her hands, but they couldn't see a trace of emotion on her face, only indifference.

"You..." The prince's son was furious, his cheeks twitching, his emotions in turmoil.

"Enough!"

Just then, a dignified voice came from not far away, and the eldest princess and the duchess arrived late.

"I have already heard about Yu'er's matter. It was her own evil intentions that led her to harm others. She deserves this lesson."

"You can't tell good from bad, and you've been blinded by a woman. Is this the kind of upbringing the Prince's mansion has to offer?" The Princess glared at the Prince's heir, rubbing her temples in exasperation.

These younger generation members are all causing her a lot of trouble.