Princess Chunhui didn't lower her voice, and Fu Yunning's expression stiffened. She looked around at the expressions of the people around her. Even though no one was looking at her, she still felt that someone was watching her.
"I'm going to change."
Fu Yunning got up and walked out of the pavilion with her maid. The exit was on both sides of the pavilion where the elders were sitting. Soon they disappeared from sight.
The commotion was not small, after all, some people did hear Princess Chunhui's words, but they pretended not to hear them to save face.
The charcoal brazier burned brightly, making a soft crackling sound. Halfway through the banquet, the ladies who were on good terms naturally went to find their friends, while the gentlemen behind the screen were also talking quietly.
Hearing the man's deep voice, Feng Lanyin, who was standing behind the screen, looked a little smug. But when she looked up and saw Li Shiyue chatting happily with Xu Lingzi, her face immediately darkened.
The woman from the Feng family sitting next to her glanced at her, leaned close to Feng Lanyin's ear and whispered something. Together they stood up, raised their wine glasses, and walked forward.
"I originally wanted to make you a riding crop, but you don't use it often. So I thought I'd sew you a pair of special knee pads. You always feel uncomfortable riding horses, so you can't complain about my embroidery skills."
Xu Lingzi raised an eyebrow slightly: "I had someone send it back to Qingji Hall for you. Don't forget to check it when you get back."
Li Shiyue was slightly surprised and deeply moved. She never expected that her casual remark would be remembered.
Just as she was about to say something, someone suddenly blocked the light in front of her. Looking up, she saw the Feng sisters. Li Shiyue stood up and looked at the wine glasses they were holding. Xu Lingzi, who was beside her, stood up and filled her glass, handing it to her.
"It is the county princess's birthday today. I have not prepared any special gifts. Please forgive me for not offering a toast."
These words didn't sound like they came from Feng Lanyin. Li Shiyue was a little surprised. The words she said when she came and the words she said now sounded like they came from two different mouths.
However, the next second, the words didn't seem abrupt at all, because Feng Lanyin had already turned her wine glass upside down, and the wine inside was poured onto the ground between the two of them. Instantly, a clear and obvious water stain appeared, like a dividing line between the two skirts, facing each other.
"Feng Lanyin!"
Xu Lingzi was furious, staring at the water stain. Such behavior at someone's birthday banquet was infuriating.
As expected, Li Shiyue believed that Feng Lanyin was definitely up to no good. However, the good thing was that Feng Lanyin had successfully angered her.
Feng Lanyin didn't think she had gone too far. With a smug look on her face, she raised her empty wine glass and deliberately waved it in front of Li Shiyue: "This is the gift that I have prepared for the county princess. I wonder if the county princess likes it?"
Li Shiyue suppressed her anger, but the corners of her mouth still turned up as she looked at Feng Lanyin and the Feng family girl beside her who was too surprised to speak. The rules of the Feng family once again opened her eyes, no, they opened everyone's eyes.
Only Princess Chunhui looked casual, even gloating, and showed no intention of stepping forward.
"Smack!"
The wine glass in Li Shiyue's hand fell out and landed in the charcoal brazier. She was dressed thickly in winter, especially her outer jacket, which had warm fleece sewn along the edges.
Suddenly, sparks flew from the charcoal fire that had been doused with alcohol, landing on Feng Lanyin's skirt. Her eyes widened in alarm.
The maid behind her disregarded everything else and tried to extinguish the flames, thankfully preventing them from igniting. Feng Lanyin, calming down but still furious, looked up at Li Shiyue, only to find that she was holding a full cup of wine in her hand.
With a slight smile and a tilt of her head, Li Shiyue's wrist twisted, and the wine in her glass covered the water stains that had been on the ground.
"Since Miss Feng has given me such a generous gift, I will return the favor with this gift as well."
"You—!" Feng Lanyin was furious. Looking at the black mark on her skirt, she was so angry that she could barely speak.
Li Shiyue smiled slightly, the curve of her lips deepening considerably. She glanced back at the matriarchs of various households inside the pavilion, who were conversing and dining, unaware of what was happening over there.
However, she wasn't afraid of Feng Lanyin reporting her; many people witnessed the truth of the matter. Feng Lanyin's actions were merely a way of taking advantage of her quick wit; she hadn't expected Li Shiyue to retaliate in this way.
"What? You're allowed to do what you want, but Yan Yan isn't allowed to do what she wants?" Qin Wanyin pulled Xu Wan over and stood on the other side of Li Shiyue.
Xu Lingzi stepped forward and, under the questioning gazes of Feng Lanyin and the others, picked up a new wine glass and wine pot and refilled them.
Xu Lingzi looked at the wine glass in her hand; she didn't want to spill it on the ground, as that would be very unlucky. Holding the glass, she aimed it at Feng Lanyin, and the wine spilled perfectly onto Feng Lanyin's face.
Li Shiyue was surprised, but Xu Lingzi remained calm and even very rational.
Feng Lanyin's actions at her birthday banquet today show that she doesn't respect the Xu family at all. How is this any different from throwing that wine cup in the face of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion?
If she were to tolerate this today, wouldn't everyone say that Li Shiyue, despite being a member of the Xu family, was not treated as one of their own and was being bullied by outsiders?
"Are you awake now?"
Xu Lingzi glanced at Feng Lanyin indifferently, then beckoned to the maid behind her to step forward: "Huamei, take Miss Feng to the side room to change her clothes. She must have had a bit too much to drink after the delicious wine and drinks. Prepare some tea to help her sober up."
Feng Lanyin's bangs were already wet, sticking to her cheeks along her forehead, with water droplets still dripping from the ends of her hair.
Her face flushed red, and she glared at Xu Lingzi and Li Shiyue. She really didn't dare to make a scene and alarm the matriarchs of the various households. Without even looking, she could feel the pointing fingers and whispers from others. Ignoring her cousin's life or death, she nearly pushed her into the charcoal brazier and stormed off in a huff.
The woman from the Feng family was helped up, and the eyes of the others naturally fell on her. Her face flushed, and she thanked the woman who had helped her in a low voice. She lifted her skirt and ran after Feng Lanyin.
Li Shiyue looked down at the black spots that had jumped onto her skirt, then looked at Xu Lingzi, her tone much softer, her heart filled with a mixture of gratitude and lingering fear.
"Cousin, I..."
"It's alright, she deserved it." Xu Lingzi shook her head, stopping her from continuing. Besides, she didn't think she had done anything wrong, and she shouldn't have allowed outsiders to provoke and disrupt the Xu family's banquet time and time again.
Thinking about it, he looked at the mistresses sitting in the pavilion and immediately spotted Yang Shi. He exchanged a glance with Li Shiyue and decided that he should take the initiative to apologize after the banquet.
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