"Does Miss Fu mean that, in terms of ruthlessness, Second Miss Fan is an unmarried woman, but Tenth Miss is not?"
Xu Yunci's voice was cold and emotionless. Xu Lingqing was by his side, along with Madam Yang, Madam Feng who now managed the Zhou residence, Madam Changping, and Madam Fan.
He walked with Yang, his gaze never lingering on anyone else. When he reached the middle of Li Shiyue and Xu Lingzi, he looked coldly at Fu Yunning.
"Yan Yan protecting her cousin is what you call taking sides, but how come it becomes ruining the future for Miss Fu?"
"Miss Fu's way of doing things is truly unique."
This was always his style, and sure enough, everyone's eyes instantly fell on Fu Yunning. The joy in Fu Yunning's eyes froze, and she looked at Xu Yunci in disbelief.
Before she could speak, the wife of the Minister of Revenue, as the hostess, naturally couldn't let the Xu and Fan families cause a scene here. She quickly persuaded them to go to the side room together, and the rest of the people did not follow.
Before the residence of the First-Class Duke, the Crown Princess also came along. As the wife of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Madam Fan could only show utmost respect.
It wasn't that Madam Yang was unwilling to let it go, but Madam Liu, upon hearing that her daughter had been wronged, followed her over without a second thought. As soon as she saw Xu Lingwan, she pulled her over and looked her up and down, without even noticing that she had pushed Li Shiyue.
"My dear child, are you hurt? Oh dear, what's this big pool of blood? Let me see where you're hurt!"
Liu has always been concerned about her reputation, but she devotes the most attention to her children, and when faced with problems, she is no longer as composed as usual.
Her voice seemed to pierce through every corner of the room; it was loud and clear, yet it carried the worry and anxiety of a mother. After speaking, she glanced up at Madam Fan, then looked away with a complex expression.
Fu Yunning stood beside Miss Fan. She shouldn't have come in, but Xu Yunci's words just now seemed to have hit her hard. She didn't seem to care about the sarcasm of the Marquis of Changping, as if she hadn't heard it.
Her expression was hesitant, unwilling, and resentful... She looked at Xu Yunci with a very complicated expression. However, the man was sitting upright at the Crown Princess's side without raising his head. Just as Liu Shi pushed Li Shiyue away, he actually got up and, under everyone's gaze, helped Li Shiyue sit down next to him.
Afterwards, they said something to Xu Lingzi, but no one could tell what the brother and sister were saying. Even their lips were completely covered by Xu Yunci's hand.
Fu Yunning felt her palms being squeezed so hard she could no longer feel them. Her pride, which she had once been so proud of, was easily shattered by that person.
Liu's crying continued, but there wasn't a single tear on her face. Yang was exasperated and said sternly, "Alright, let's hear what Shi Niang has to say first. That bloodstain may not be hers."
After saying that, Madam Yang looked at Li Shiyue and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that she was alright. Knowing Madam Liu's temperament, it was only because Li Shiyue protected Shi Niang that Jiu Niang was able to go and inform them. Otherwise, if her child had been wronged in this matter, not only would she not agree, but even the Duke of Rongguo would not have agreed.
But Liu showed no consideration for feelings and even pushed Li Shiyue in front of outsiders. I really don't know what to say.
Madam Yang was the matriarch of the Xu family. Although she was unaware of the full details of the matter, she smiled but her eyes held an unwavering determination, and her tone was gentle as she spoke.
"According to the rules, my Xu family is here as guests at the Minister's residence today. Regardless of who was at fault first, we almost disrupted the old lady's birthday banquet. It was our fault, and we will come to apologize another day."
Madam Feng knew that this was just saving face. Compared to a first-class duke's mansion, a vice minister of the Ministry of Justice would naturally have to give the duke's mansion more face. Moreover, the Feng family originally wanted to use today to get closer to Chonghua Palace. If they lost more than they gained because of the Fan family, wouldn't that ruin the master's important plans?
"You're too kind, Madam. It was our family's poor hospitality that caused the children to suffer."
Madam Feng looked at the Crown Princess, who smiled and spoke dignifiedly: "I came here because I care about my younger sister. I want to hear why Miss Fan is making things so difficult for my young cousin and refusing to give up on her."
"Don't talk about how my cousin is. Although Shi Niang is young and ignorant, I am not unaware of her temperament. For her to make such a scene in public, Miss Fan Er is not necessarily the one who can stay out of it."
The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, isn't he one of the officials who was recently found to have sided with the Prince of Yan? I never expected the opportunity to come so quickly today.
Xu Lingyu's gaze fell on Fu Yunning, who sat beside the Second Miss Fan, her eyes lowered so that her expression was unclear. Xu Lingyu's gaze deepened, wondering what role Pixiang Palace was playing here.
She sneered inwardly, wondering if Consort Fu of Pixiang Palace, who had been trying to curry favor with Chonghua Palace through Princess Chunhui, knew that her niece was entangled with the Prince of Yan's men.
If we knew this, wouldn't it be reasonable to assume that Pixiang Palace harbored ulterior motives towards Chonghua Palace and wanted to help the Prince of Yan?
Although Madam Fan was the wife of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, she didn't know much about the affairs of the previous dynasty. All she knew was that her lord had been in more contact with the Prince of Yan recently.
Today, I can only assume that my daughter did something wrong. Perhaps the Crown Princess and the Xu family will seek justice for Xu Lingwan.
"If my daughter has done something wrong, I will accept the punishment. I only beg Your Majesty to show mercy, as my second daughter is still in her boudoir."
Holding Xu Lingwan, Madam Liu had been holding back her words, but upon hearing Madam Fan's words, it was as if the sky had exploded: "Ha! Your daughter isn't married yet, but my daughter isn't? She's still two years away from her coming-of-age ceremony. What did she do wrong to deserve this bullying!"
"Shi Niang, just tell me boldly, whose bloodstains are these? Who bullied you? Tell me everything, and let's see who dares to deny it."
Li Shiyue remained seated between Xu Lingzi and Xu Yunci, smoothing out the wrinkles in her clothes that Xu Lingwan had just pulled out.
Despite how tough she usually is, she can actually be quite scared when things get tough. This is more like a gentle, demure woman than the domineering and unreasonable Xu Lingwan I remember.
She didn't speak, after all, with her aunts and Xu Yunci and her siblings present, she figured there was no need for her to say anything. She only glanced up and met Xu Lingwan's enigmatic gaze, feeling a little puzzled.
She only heard half of what Xu Lingwan said in the garden, and she didn't understand it clearly. She was also curious about what Miss Fan or Miss Fu had done to make Xu Lingwan so angry.
And then there's what she said about herself, how she slandered herself, and how she framed the Xu family. Aside from the enviable title of county princess, she doesn't have anything else particularly remarkable about her.
She turned her head and saw that Miss Fan was glaring at Xu Lingwan, and Xu Lingwan glared back without backing down.
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