Wen Xueling was already extremely unlucky, having been hit and rolled several times in the ditch, her calves still aching.
She had no idea why the horse, which was walking along peacefully, suddenly spooked. Her maid, Liuli, had just whispered in her ear that Princess Duanrong's carriage had arrived before them, and that their horses had been inspected earlier, with a nail clearly visible on the hoof of the broken-legged horse.
Given Princess Duanrong's long history of persecution, this incident might also be a premeditated attempt by Princess Duanrong to harm her.
Wen Xueling had come with a fierce attitude, intending to cause trouble, but before she could speak, she was questioned by Gan Qiongying.
This is blatant false accusation!
"Everyone should go their own way on the road. Why aren't you driving properly? What are you doing wandering around on the road?"
Gan Qiongying said, "You just had a car accident and hit my husband's head so hard it was bleeding. Tell me, what are your intentions?"
Wen Xueling stared wide-eyed like a dead fish, as if she wanted to see for herself how there could be such a shameless person in the world.
She opened her mouth to defend herself, but before she could utter a single word, Gan Qiongying had already slapped another heavy label on her.
"You...you're still holding a grudge about the time after the banquet when my horse got spooked and accidentally knocked you into the river?"
“That was truly an accident!” Gan Qiongying said. “I sincerely apologized at the time and even offered you some dry clothes, but you refused them and left in a huff. I thought you were a magnanimous person, but I never expected you to be here waiting to harm me!”
"You...you're spouting nonsense!"
Wen Xueling's face flushed red, and she took a limp step forward. Her originally beautiful and dignified face was contorted with anger. She had always believed what the maid said, after all, Princess Duanrong had harmed her more than once or twice. However, she hadn't come to directly accuse her, but only to test her. Provoked by Gan Qiongying, she immediately spoke recklessly.
"Your carriage was ahead of mine. We were walking just fine when the horse suddenly spooked because it stepped on a nail. Who knows if it wasn't someone you had put it down!"
Upon hearing this, Manyue was about to step forward. She was a master of verbal sparring, and Gan Qiongying had never seen anyone who could turn black into white.
Even if Duanrong really did throw some nails, she could still twist the truth and make things up.
But it's not time for her to make her appearance yet.
In this kind of small-scale situation, as long as Gan Qiongying doesn't have to worry about her public image, she can easily defeat them.
Therefore, she grabbed Manyue by the back of her collar, pulled her back, and stepped forward to ask Wen Xueling:
"Did you see me throw it away?"
"Which eye of yours saw how I threw it? And how did it happen to land right under your horse's hoof?"
“Your carriage was startled and crashed into me, injuring my son-in-law. Instead of apologizing, you blame my carriage for being in front and causing your injury.”
"Princess Xue'e, based on just these words, I can punish you for the serious crime of slandering a member of the royal family!"
Gan Qiongying directly changed Xue'e's statement "you had someone throw it" to "you threw it," and then falsely accused her of a serious crime.
After a barrage of questions that left Wen Xueling dazed, she asked again, "Again, you say I threw nails? Who told you that?"
Wen Xueling subconsciously glanced at Liuli beside her. Liuli had been by Wen Xueling's side for many years and had grown up with her. The two were like sisters. In Jingxi, a place far from the emperor's reach, they had developed a wild nature and were very protective of their master.
Seeing that his princess could not defend herself, he immediately stepped forward and said, "Princess Duanrong, you are mistaken. The princess's carriage is ahead, indeed..."
"Where did this ill-mannered pheasant come from, making such a racket!" Gan Qiongying pointed at Wen Xueling's maid and said, "Manyue, teach her some manners."
The Tibetan mastiff, whose leash had been loosened by its owner, rushed forward and slapped Wen Xueling's maid four times, knocking her to the ground.
"How dare you, you lowly servant! How dare you interrupt your masters!"
Full Moon swung her arm and slapped Liuli hard, and Liuli's cheeks quickly became red and swollen. Liuli covered her face, stunned by the blow, and tears welled up uncontrollably. When she met Full Moon's lingering gaze, she kicked her leg in terror and cried out, "Princess!"
Upon seeing this, Wen Xueling immediately disregarded her image and shrieked, "Princess Duanrong, don't push your luck!"
Gan Qiongying watched as Wen Xueling rushed forward, only to be blocked by her maid. Wen Xueling's attendants also stepped forward, and the two sides were instantly on the verge of exchanging blows.
Gan Qiongying pushed through the crowd, looked at Wen Xueling, and her voice suddenly softened, even carrying a hint of a smile, as she said, "How did I bully anyone?"
“Princess Xue’e, please be reasonable.”
"Your own horse spooked, crashed into my carriage, and injured my people, yet you listened to this wretched maid's instigation and stepped forward to slander my innocence without distinguishing right from wrong."
"I haven't pursued the matter with you yet; I'm just trying to defend myself."
Gan Qiongying said, "As a result, this lowly maid rushed up and offended me. What, am I, a princess, not allowed to deal with a servant?"
"Full Moon, how are servants who offend the princess usually dealt with?" Gan Qiongying asked softly.
From the very beginning, Gan Qiongying never intended to take a cautious approach.
She's Princess Duanrong, the arrogant and infamous villainous supporting character. Who would believe she's suddenly becoming a vegetarian and chanting Buddhist scriptures?
The plot obviously doesn't allow it.
Otherwise, how come she didn't hit anyone, and the plot managed to twist the tables and smear her?
However, she would never be as strong-willed and straightforward as the real Duanrong, allowing herself to be controlled by others and lose control of her own destiny.
She's going to act crazy and avoid internal conflict, because no matter what happens, it can't possibly be her fault.
"Your Highness," Manyue, having been brainwashed and trained by Gan Qiongying, spoke in a high-pitched voice, echoing her words in a chilling manner: "Offending a member of the royal family naturally warrants death by beating!"
Full Moon stared intently at the maid as she spoke, and the maid trembled at her malice, crying even harder.
In the story, Duanrong was reprimanded by the Grand Princess Huian. The one who caused the trouble was the maid who "risked her life to complain about the repeated persecution of Princess Xue'e." As soon as the maid rushed out, Gan Qiongying guessed that it was her.
Since that's the case, then we should give them, mistress and servant, a good scare and make sure this maid can't say a word in front of the Grand Princess.
So Gan Qiongying said lightly, "There's no suitable iron-coated sand-filled staff here, it's too much trouble to kill him, let's drag him away and strangle him."
Seeing Wen Xueling's expression grow paler and paler, she immediately reached out to grab Liuli's arm, but was forcibly dragged away by the maidservant beside Gan Qiongying.
As Liuli was pulled up by the arms, she let out a heart-wrenching squeal: "Princess, save me! Princess, save me—"
"Ah—have mercy!"
Gan Qiongying thought to herself, "Serves you right, I'll scare you two little black devils to death!"
Of course, she couldn't actually strangle the maid; she wasn't some kind of devil.
But a higher-ranking official can have absolute power over a person.
She was simply experiencing the benefits of this identity.
She's a princess, after all; with that status, she has so much room to maneuver.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com