The Bamboo Forest Garden was hosting a poetry gathering today, and since there were already people nearby, the young lady’s angry, high-pitched scolding immediately drew many gazes.
Su Huajin turned her head and saw that it was the Fifth Princess, Zhao Xiyao, and Xiao Lingxin, the second daughter of Duke Xiao’s household, walking over from the opposite side.
It was Xiao Lingxin whose face was filled with fury as she scolded Su Wantang.
Recently, there had been rumors that the Emperor intended to act as a matchmaker for Xie Yan and Xiao Changle, the eldest daughter of Duke Xiao. Xiao Lingxin had always been her sister’s shadow, and among her close friends, she already spoke of Xie Yan as if he were her future brother-in-law.
Therefore, when she saw a gaudily dressed woman throwing herself at Xie Yan from a distance earlier, she was instantly enraged and shouted a reprimand.
Xie Yan frowned slightly.
Su Wantang, however, wore a look of utter panic and quickly explained, “This young lady has misunderstood. I… I just lost my footing and tripped.”
Xiao Lingxin sneered, “Ha, what a coincidence that you ‘tripped.’ Do you really think I’m a fool? You just clearly…”
Before Xiao Lingxin could finish, a calm, emotionless voice interrupted: “Second Miss Xiao.”
Xie Yan’s gaze was cold and detached.
Xiao Lingxin’s unsaid words came to an abrupt halt. She bit her lip in chagrin, forcing herself to offer a defense, “Brother Xie, your character is noble, so naturally, you are unaware of the underhanded methods of dark and filthy people. I was only worried that you were being plotted against.”
Su Wantang inwardly went, Whoa.
That fear is actually quite accurate.
Xie Yan’s tone was distant, “Thank you for your concern, Second Miss Xiao. The poetry gathering ahead has already begun. If you are here to attend, it would be best not to waste any more time.”
With that, Xie Yan nodded politely, turned around, and walked away slowly with Wen Jian.
Su Huajin did not want to cause trouble either. After nodding to Zhao Xiyao, who was watching the scene with interest, she took Su Wantang to find Su Changling.
Watching Su Wantang’s retreating figure, Xiao Lingxin ground her teeth and spat, “Base thing.”
Zhao Xiyao, however, knew the true situation of the extraordinarily beautiful Second Miss Su. She had promised Su Huajin she would not spread the word, but she still hinted to Xiao Lingxin cryptically, “That concubine-born daughter of the Su family, Su Wantang, is aiming for my cousin Zhao Xuanzhen. You can put your mind entirely at ease; she wouldn’t dare have designs on your brother-in-law.”
After all, that was Xie Yan.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Lingxin became even more furious, “She actually wants to serve the same husband as her legitimate sister? Truly shameless.”
Thinking back to how Su Wantang had been acting weak and acting coquettish while clinging to Xie Yan earlier, Xiao Lingxin sneered.
Since she was shameless, she might as well be completely humiliated.
On the other side, Su Wantang followed Su Huajin toward the poetry gathering.
Many people had gathered in the pavilion by the lake, reciting poems and painting in a refined atmosphere… Just then, Su Wantang saw a figure walking toward them.
It was Xu Jinnian.
It was not strange for Xu Jinnian, who was currently at the Imperial Academy, to attend a poetry gathering. However, his condition was clearly wrong—his face was deathly pale with flushed cheeks, his walk was unsteady, and he seemed to be floating.
He looked like he was ill, and likely quite seriously.
Xu Jinnian also saw Su Wantang at this moment. His previously drifting footsteps suddenly gained a bit of strength; he tried hard to maintain his dignity, coldly moving his gaze away from Su Wantang, looking as if he did not want to spare her a second glance.
Su Wantang felt helpless in her heart.
In truth, she had liked Xu Jinnian… his scholarly air, his simple, clean, and direct passion—it was something she could never possess.
In the days when she first arrived in the capital, Xu Jinnian did not mind that she had to pretend to be rustic and stupid. He gently defended the self-esteem of a “country bumpkin.” When she was laughed at, he always stood in front of her to protect her, carefully comforting her that she wasn’t stupid, just pure and kind.
The Xu family’s life was not wealthy, but he lived frugally. When he went out with her, he would always buy her snacks and trinkets… The clay figurine that had broken into two pieces last time was something he had bought only after days of copying books for others, simply because she had lingered at the stall for a moment.
He had comforted her, saying it didn’t matter if she was unloved, and it didn’t matter if she had no dowry. At that time, his eyes were full of youthful spirit as he promised her, “I will achieve success in the imperial examinations. Wantang, your family does not love you, but in the future, I will love you…”
But later, when the Xu family faced a sudden, massive disaster and he fell into the mire, it was the same “pure and kind” Su Wantang who had dealt him a fatal blow.
If not for his teacher’s strenuous efforts to defend him, Xu Jinnian would have even lost his existing official status. Now, he was solely focused on making something of himself and taking care of his mother… Naturally, he sneered at this treacherous, sycophantic former fiancée.
But he truly did not look well.
Su Wantang could not hold back after all and tentatively spoke up, “Young Master Xu, are you feeling unwell?”
Su Huajin arched an eyebrow and looked back with a half-smile.
Opposite them, Xu Jinnian let out a cold snort, “No need for Second Miss Su to worry… Men and women must keep their distance. Even if Second Miss Su does not know etiquette, she should at least understand shame.”
Su Wantang: …
Fine, she was meddling.
“Then… please go ahead, Young Master Xu.”
Su Wantang continued forward with Su Huajin. Behind them, Xu Jinnian gritted his teeth and forced himself to walk away quickly, refusing to show any signs of weakness in front of Su Wantang.
Su Wantang settled down with Su Huajin in a pavilion not far from the poetry gathering. The servants in the garden brought tea and snacks, and not long after, Su Changling arrived.
Seeing Su Huajin, Su Changling was full of joy and affection, running to Su Huajin’s side to act spoiled, appearing as if he didn’t even see Su Wantang.
Su Huajin reminded him, “Why don’t you greet your Second Sister?”
Su Changling gave a light snort, “Oh… I didn’t see her.”
“You child.”
Su Huajin asked with a smile how he had been lately and whether he had enough money. Su Changling answered everything. Just then, Su Huajin’s younger brother, Su Changqing, arrived as well.
Seeing Su Wantang, Su Changqing did not give her a pleasant look at all, telling her directly that he had something to say to his sister and asking Su Wantang to step aside.
Su Wantang had not come for the sake of that fool Su Changling anyway, and she had no interest in watching the idiot being led around by Su Huajin and her brother. She took the opportunity to step aside, but to her surprise, she was called out before she had walked many steps.
It was Xiao Lingxin, the second daughter of the Xiao family who had scolded her earlier for throwing herself at Xie Yan.
Xiao Lingxin had deliberately sent Zhao Xiyao away. Standing in a small pavilion by the bank, she beckoned to Su Wantang, “Second Miss Su, it was my fault earlier. Come here, let me pour you tea as an apology.”
Su Wantang clearly saw the malice in her eyes but did not show it on her face. Acting like a timid person who dared not refuse, she hesitantly walked into the pavilion, “Miss Xiao, I…”
Before she finished speaking, she saw Xiao Lingxin grinning with a triumphant expression, throwing the water from the teapot directly at her.
The water, which had been sitting outside, was ice-cold and splashed all over Su Wantang’s face. Xiao Lingxin was satisfied, set down the teapot, and clapped her hands, “You base concubine-born daughter, you had better remember clearly: in the future, stay away from people you shouldn’t touch. Some people are not for you to…”
Xiao Lingxin had not finished speaking when she suddenly felt something was wrong.
Opposite her, the concubine-born daughter of the Su family, who had just been splashed in the face, was not panicked, humiliated, or embarrassed; instead, she smiled at her… and then walked directly toward her.
It wasn’t until she was grabbed by the collar by Su Wantang that Xiao Lingxin realized something was wrong. She shouted urgently, “Su Er, what are you doing? You…”
Before she could finish her words, she saw Su Wantang, who was holding her collar, suddenly begin to shout loudly.
“Miss Xiao, Miss Xiao, please don’t…”
While pinching her voice to plead for mercy, Su Wantang grabbed Xiao Lingxin, hooked the corners of her lips, and threw her into the lake behind her.
With a “splash,” Xiao Lingxin fell into the water and struggled and screamed with all her might, “Someone, help! Someone!”
But as she shouted, she saw Su Wantang, who had thrown her into the water, land on her bottom on the ground, looking genuinely panicked and pitiful.
The other side of the corridor was where the poetry gathering was being held. When Su Wantang had called for help earlier, it had already startled the people there. Within moments, people were rushing over.
“Ah, someone fell into the water!”
“Save them quickly!”
Soon, Xiao Lingxin was rescued. A noble lady who had arrived wrapped a cloak around her to save her from further embarrassment.
Xiao Lingxin climbed up and was about to charge at Su Wantang, but in the next instant, seeing the group of people walking into the pavilion, her body suddenly froze, “His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”
Su Wantang sat on the ground with her arms hugged around herself, looking up as she saw Xie Yan and the Great Xia Crown Prince, Zhao Xuanyin, walk in… Behind them, a delicate and elegant noblewoman hurried forward to support Xiao Lingxin, “Lingxin, what happened?”
It was the eldest daughter of the Xiao family, Xiao Changle.
By then, Su Huajin had also arrived.
Xiao Lingxin pointed at Su Wantang, gritting her teeth, “It’s this cheap girl, Su Wantang. She deliberately pushed me into the water just now…”
Everyone looked at Su Wantang on the ground, but they saw the Second Miss Su, whom Xiao Lingxin was pointing at, shivering and curled up. Her face was still stained with wet tea, her hair was damp, and her eyes were full of shock and panic, trembling as if she were on the verge of tears.
“I… I didn’t. Second Miss Xiao called me over, saying she wanted to apologize for the misunderstanding earlier and her public insults… I wanted to tell her it was okay, but she splashed me with the teapot and then jumped into the lake herself…”
Su Wantang’s voice trembled, “Second Miss Xiao, I didn’t even dare to talk back when you scolded me earlier; how could I dare to push you into the lake? Why would you say such a thing… How did I offend you?”
Xiao Lingxin was beside herself with rage, “Lies!”
She pointed at Su Wantang and shouted to the people opposite, “She’s lying!”
Just then, a student from the Imperial Academy in the crowd spoke up hesitatingly and softly, “I… I don’t think this Miss Su looks like a spoiled or malicious person.”
Someone echoed, “Exactly, she looks so pitiful; she clearly looks like someone who has been bullied.”
“Looking so timid and weak, how could she push someone into the water?”
Xiao Lingxin was almost choked with anger. She glared viciously at them, only to see Su Wantang—who had just smiled at her with such malice—pursing her lips, curled up pitifully, blinking her eyes, and looking at the crowd around her with a face full of panic and confusion… Pitiful, weak, and helpless!
Xiao Lingxin: …?