Chapter 634 The Arrogant Moon Hee
Li Jingyue listened to the crowd's discussion and looked at Wenxi expressionlessly.
She knew these people were adept at changing their tune depending on the situation, and that they were saying these things to curry favor with Wenxi.
“Princess Liyang, you see, no one in this world is completely free from gossip. Even you, as a princess, are no exception.”
Wenxi looked at Li Jingyue with a smile.
"Oh, really? Then let me hear what everyone has to say about me."
Just then, a woman pushed through the crowd and walked in.
The visitor was Yu Huanzhen, the fourth young lady of the Yongning Marquis's mansion.
Following behind her were Qiao Yuanyao and Qiao Ning.
After they recounted the entire process of Qiao Ning's disappearance in the side hall, although they knew that it was Madam Wen's scheme behind the scenes, they were still unsure of what Madam Wen intended to do to Qiao Ning because of Wen Jue's involvement.
Fortunately, Qiao Ning is safe and sound.
Because everything started strong but ended weakly, Qiao Qinghe couldn't do anything to Madam Wen for the time being.
Since today was Li Sanqi's first official business, everyone had to suppress their anger and doubts for the time being, and pretend to continue attending the banquet as if nothing had happened, out of respect for Li Sanqi.
Qiao Qinghe, along with Madam Zheng and Lady Yongning, quietly returned to Tingzhuxuan.
Yu Huanzhen then led Qiao Yuanyao and the other person back to the waterside pavilion.
However, to their surprise, while still outside the door, they overheard the discussions among the people in the hall.
What's even more unexpected is that these people even dared to belittle Li Jingyue.
The three men walked into the crowd with grim faces.
"Greetings, Princess Liyang." The three of them bowed respectfully to Li Jingyue.
Li Jingyue's expression softened slightly, and she said calmly, "No need for formalities."
After saying that, he looked at Qiao Ning and asked, "This must be Madam Qinghe's grandniece, right?"
Qiao Ning quickly curtsied and greeted her, "This humble woman is indeed you."
Li Jingyue asked, "Everyone was saying you were lost just now? Is that true?"
Qiao Ning hesitated for a moment before saying, "Qiao Ning is ashamed to have made everyone worry."
"The Yongchang Marquis's Mansion truly lives up to its reputation as a century-old mansion. Its back garden is vast and the scenery is delightful. While strolling through the garden just now, I unknowingly wandered a bit too far. I got lost on the way back, which led to the misunderstanding."
Li Jingyue smiled and said, "Oh, you got lost. It's good that you found your way back."
He then said no more and returned to his original seat.
Qiao Ning gave Li Jingyue a grateful look.
She knew that Li Jingyue had asked her specifically to give her a chance to explain in public.
And that's what they're preparing to do when they return to the banquet.
The original plan was to explain the matter during a conversation with someone, and then have the matter spread through their mouth.
But it's clear that Li Jingyue's public questioning was more direct and efficient.
However, some people do not believe it.
"Lost? Ha, whether he's really lost or using being lost as an excuse to do something else, who knows?"
"Exactly. Everyone was staying peacefully in the pavilion, but she went off to wander around the garden by herself and got lost. Haha, who would believe that?"
Yu Huanzhen looked at the two people who were speaking, and the two of them shrank back in the face of Yu Huanzhen's sharp gaze.
Wenxi stood calmly in front of the two, looking at Yu Huanzhen with unfriendly eyes, "Miss Yu, you are the future Princess Consort of Chu, are you sure you want to get involved with these people from the Qiao family?"
Wenxi's words were full of warnings.
Qiao Ning looked at Yu Huanzhen with concern, then at Qiao Yuanyao.
Qiao Yuanyao gave her a reassuring look, took two steps forward, and said to Yu Huanzhen, "Thank you for helping me find my niece earlier, Miss Yu. We will handle the rest ourselves."
Yu Huanzhen glanced at Qiao Yuanyao, but unlike Li Jingyue, he didn't intend to stay out of it. Instead, he looked at Wen Xi with a firm attitude: "Get out of the way."
Wenxi was taken aback, and then heard Yu Huanzhen say in a cold and stern voice: "You two dare to talk nonsense in front of me. Either stand up and apologize to Qiao Ning, or I will help you."
These words were spoken to the two people behind Wenxi.
"Yu Huanzhen, what do you mean?" Wenxi was enraged by her disregard. "They are my friends, young ladies from noble families. How can you make them apologize to Qiao Ning, that merchant's daughter?"
Yu Huanzhen looked at Wenxi coldly, "They are your friends, but Qiao Ning is also my friend."
"What, are your friends superior to my friends?"
"Or is it that your Yongchang Marquis's Mansion is more noble than our Yongning Marquis's Mansion?"
Wenxi looked at Yu Huanzhen in disbelief, "You're actually going to oppose me for their sake? I'm the King of Chu's cousin!"
"Don't you want your position as the future Princess Consort of Chu anymore?"
Wenxi's face was filled with shock, but her eyes were full of calculation.
Just then, a young lady from the Zhao family, who had changed her clothes and freshened up, spoke up coldly from the side: "Miss Wen probably doesn't know, but Miss Yu doesn't take His Highness Prince Chu seriously."
"Just now in the bamboo forest, she even threatened His Highness the Prince of Chu to apologize to her in public, making His Highness lose face."
Yu Huanzhen looked at the two of them and scoffed, "Miss Zhao, ever since I got engaged to the Prince of Chu, you've been deliberately getting close to me. You even deliberately led me to the bamboo forest before."
"He even deliberately pretended to be bullied by me in front of the King of Chu."
"What, do you want the King of Chu to despise me and break off the engagement so you can take the opportunity to become the King's consort?"
Yu Huanzhen sized up Miss Zhao, then clicked his tongue twice. "It's a pity your father is only a fifth-rank official; you're not qualified to be the Princess Consort of Chu. Perhaps you'd like to become a concubine for the Prince of Chu?"
“You…” Miss Zhao was speechless with anger after her secret was exposed, but her eyes involuntarily drifted toward Wen Xi beside her.
Wenxi was furious at her action. What was she doing looking at her at a time like this?
Sure enough, Yu Zhenhuan guessed everything as soon as he saw Miss Zhao's reaction.
It's likely that Miss Zhao initially approached her with the intention of getting close to the King of Chu through her. She might even have hoped for her help.
Unfortunately, she had no affection for the King of Chu and had no intention of associating with him before her marriage. Of course, she had no intention of recommending Miss Zhao to the King of Chu as a concubine.
That's why Miss Zhao changed her mind and turned to Wenxi, the cousin of the King of Chu.
If it's true that Miss Zhao lured her to the bamboo grove, then attacked her, and broke off relations with her, all of which was Wenxi's scheme behind the scenes, then it explains why the King of Chu and his entourage were able to run into them so coincidentally.
As the host of the flower banquet, it would be extremely easy for her to find out the route the male guests took to Wei Rui Xuan and when they would likely pass by.
But what good would it do for Miss Wen to do this?
Yu Huanzhen raised the corners of his mouth and looked at Wen Xi with a mocking smile, "Miss Wen went to great lengths to bribe Miss Zhao and scheme against me. Could it be that you, like Miss Zhao, are in love with His Highness Prince Chu?"
"Shut up! Yu Huanzhen, what nonsense are you spouting?!" Wenxi roared in panic, "How dare you ruin my reputation in public?!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com