Soon, Xie Qingran was all dressed up. It had to be said that even though Liu Gugu usually gave Xie Qingran no pleasantries, her skill at hairstyling was still top-notch.
Looking at the dignified and noble reflection of herself in the mirror, the corners of Xie Qingran’s lips lifted slightly.
In her past life, she had rarely worn such colorful clothes. Now, it created a refreshingly striking effect. The light purple long dress, paired with her cold aura reminiscent of a lofty mountain peak, was a perfect match.
Even though Liu Gugu harbored a deep loathing for Xie Qingran, she had to admit that this Eldest Miss of the Xie Family was excessively beautiful. Setting aside everything else, just this aloof temperament was one of a kind in the capital, like an ice lotus blooming on a snowy peak—awe-inspiring, yet tempting one to reach out and pluck it.
Walking out of Ying Xing Pavilion and all the way to the main gate, Xie Qingran’s eyes flashed with an imperceptible trace of irony when she saw the apricot-yellow dress Xie Hanyue was wearing.
This was Xie Hanyue’s usual style. On the surface, she would claim she wouldn’t compete with her for anything, but in reality, the smugness in her eyes right now was impossible to hide.
If this were her previous life, Xie Qingran would have been heartbroken, sad, and would have even thrown a tantrum upon seeing this scene.
But now, Xie Qingran merely shot a detached glance before getting into the horse-drawn carriage.
Xie Hanyue had originally thought Xie Qingran would surely pick a fight with her. She had even been looking forward to Xie Qingran making a scene, which would make the Xie Family despise her even more. But she never expected that Xie Qingran would just give her a cold look and get into the carriage.
Even Wang Shi felt a sense of relief. She had been worried that Xie Qingran would act up on such an important day, but unexpectedly, she was being so sensible.
Turning her head, she came face to face with Liu Gugu’s grotesquely swollen cheek. Wang Shi frowned slightly. “How did you get that?”
“It was a slap bestowed by the Eldest Miss.”
Liu Gugu lowered her head, her reply faint but tinged with grievance.
This was her own dowry maid. This girl was going too far!
Wang Shi felt that Xie Qingran hadn’t slapped Liu Gugu at all; she had deliberately slapped her own face!
Her expression changed instantly. She yanked open the carriage door and met Xie Qingran’s frosty eyes.
“Mother, we are about to enter the palace. Are you going to fall out with your daughter at a time like this, all for a servant?”
Xie Qingran’s tone was icy and devoid of any fluctuation, yet it carried an aggressive edge.
“You!”
Wang Shi gritted her teeth. Just as she was about to say something, Xie Yankang’s voice came from behind her.
“Why aren’t we leaving yet?”
Xie Yankang frowned and looked at Wang Shi. They were about to enter the palace, so why were they still causing trouble?
No matter how furious Wang Shi was, she could only swallow her anger for the time being and get into the carriage, clenching her back teeth.
“Xie Qingran, is this your upbringing?”
“How could you be so disrespectful to an old servant? That is my personal attendant, yet you hit her just like that. Where does that put me? Do you even have me, your mother, in your eyes!” Wang Shi demanded in a low voice, grinding her teeth.
“That’s right, Elder Sister, you’ve gone too far.”
“Even if you’re angry that Mother gave the fabric to me, you can’t slap Mother’s face like this. Liu Gugu is Mother’s personal attendant and has watched me grow up since I was little.”
Xie Hanyue sighed with a helpless air, tugging on Xie Qingran’s sleeve and looking at her with a mix of complaint and pity.
“Forget it, forget it. Elder Sister, you should just apologize to Liu Gugu.”
“She watched you grow up, not me. It is a grave offense for a servant to bully her master. My giving her one slap was already showing her considerable face.”
Xie Qingran brusquely pulled her arm back and looked at Xie Hanyue coolly. These words were also meant for Wang Shi to hear.
“You rebel! Do you think I can’t do anything to you just because you’re marrying into the Zhen Guo Duke Manor?”
“Xie Qingran, don’t you forget, this marriage has not been finalized yet!”
Wang Shi clenched her back teeth. When she looked at Xie Qingran, her eyes were filled with rage. It was not the look one gave their own daughter, but rather their mortal enemy.
Such a gaze could no longer hurt Xie Qingran in the slightest.
She just gave a faint smile. “Mother, whether this marriage happens or not, Liu Gugu is a servant, and I am the Eldest Miss. If she deliberately bullies me, I will not tolerate it. I am also doing this for your own good, Mother. If word of this gets out, people will only say that you don’t know how to manage your servants.”
In her previous life, no matter what grievances Xie Qingran suffered, her first instinct was always to endure, silently digesting the malice coming from all directions. But in this life, she would absolutely not back down one bit.
She would rather be a shattered piece of jade than an intact clay tile. At worst, they could all go down together. In any case, her miserable end in her past life was proof enough that forbearance was utterly meaningless.
Wang Shi never imagined that this daughter of hers, who had just returned, would now dare to speak to her like this.
The child was clearly not like this before. What on earth was going on?
She felt as if something was slipping away from her grasp, bit by bit. This feeling filled Wang Shi’s heart with great panic.
Yet, Wang Shi couldn’t figure out where this feeling was coming from at all.
Soon, the carriage arrived at the palace. The Empress’s head palace maid, Huan Qiu, was standing right at the gate. Upon seeing the Xie Family’s carriage, she immediately came forward to greet them with perfect etiquette. “Her Majesty the Empress said she wishes to see the Eldest Miss of the Xie Family.”
“Yes,” Wang Shi immediately agreed, then glanced at Xie Qingran. “Hurry up and go inside with Attendant Huan Qiu.”
Xie Qingran stepped forward and performed a proper curtsy. “My apologies for troubling Attendant Huan Qiu.”
Her movements were standard, her tone was cool, and her eyes were devoid of any ripples.
Even though Huan Qiu had met so many noble ladies of the capital, this was the first one with such a cold temperament. After all, most young ladies from prominent families were gentle, virtuous, well-behaved, and endearing.
This young lady was very different.
Huan Qiu even felt that Xiao Jue might actually take a liking to this Eldest Miss of the Xie Family.
She smiled and said politely, “Eldest Miss is too kind. This way, please.”
Xie Qingran followed silently behind Huan Qiu, not looking around or asking questions. She was incredibly well-behaved, not overstepping her bounds in the slightest.
Huan Yun felt even more strongly that not only was Xie Qingran’s temperament unique, but her sense of propriety was also one of a kind. A person like this, who understood the bigger picture and acted with decorum, would surely make the right choices in the future, no matter what happened.
They soon arrived at the Empress’s Chunqiu Palace.
Huan Yun led Xie Qingran through the door.
Looking at the graceful and magnificent woman seated in the main hall, Xie Qingran immediately stepped forward, knelt on the ground, and performed a grand, formal salute.