The two personal maids, Hua Rong and Hua Jing, who were accompanying Shen Wan, were utterly shocked.
Marriage matters were decided by parental orders and matchmaker arrangements. For the second young miss to speak such words was truly disgraceful.
Shen Wan, however, was not the least bit surprised. She simply hadn’t expected that Shen Lian, in her current situation, would still dare to fight for the position of Crown Princess.
With the birthmark on her face, it was impossible for her to marry into the Eastern Palace as Crown Princess—she wasn’t even qualified to be a concubine to the Crown Prince.
Yet Shen Lian not only lacked self-awareness but even demanded that Shen Wan yield the Crown Prince to her.
Seeing Shen Wan remain silent for a long while, Shen Lian continued, “I know that everyone in the Shen family is preparing to send you, elder sister, into the Eastern Palace as the prospective Crown Princess.”
“Just now, Father introduced you alone to His Highness the Crown Prince. When it was my turn, he belittled me as worthless.”
“He even used the excuse of my weak constitution, deliberately telling His Highness that I am unhealthy to highlight your virtues, so that His Highness would choose you.”
“I was very angry at the time. If not for your sake, elder sister, I would have been prepared to reason with Father properly.”
“They lost me outside, causing me to suffer so much hardship. Now they spread unfavorable rumors about me. Fortunately, His Highness sees through people’s hearts and did not take Father’s words to heart.”
“Of course, there was also your intervention just now, elder sister. I think you are a sensible person, easy to talk to. That’s why I came to you.”
With no one else around, Shen Lian straightened her posture. Using the high collar of her garment, she completely concealed the birthmark on her face.
By chance, she caught a glimpse of her reflection on the lake’s surface and became deeply captivated by her face, now covered in fine powder.
If not for that birthmark, Shen Lian would resemble Jing Miaoyi—a beauty in the making. However, with Shen Wan present, she could never become one.
Watching Shen Lian’s foolishness, Shen Wan let out a low, mocking laugh and said, “Why should I yield to you?”
The smile on Shen Lian’s face stiffened. She had thought Shen Wan was easy to talk to—after all, when introducing her among the noble ladies earlier, Shen Wan had even held her hand affectionately. But now it seemed…
She was not so easy to deal with either.
“Can’t you see, elder sister? His Highness the Crown Prince has been protecting me in front of everyone. He even personally gave me the nine-tailed phoenix hairpin as my birthday gift. Moreover, he told me directly that after returning to the palace, he would discuss with Her Majesty the Empress about bringing me into the palace first to familiarize myself with the environment. He wants to marry me as his Crown Princess.”
“Are you so eager to become the Crown Princess?” Shen Wan sneered.
Shen Lian quickly nodded. “I can see that everyone in the family dislikes me. They only like you, elder sister. Even if you don’t become the Crown Princess, you can still marry a man from an excellent family. I noticed just now that many young masters were looking at you, showing admiration—including that young lord from the Zhen Gong Mansion.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Wan felt two intense gazes from not far away. She instinctively looked up toward the direction of the Plum Viewing Pavilion across the way. Xie Yujin stood on the second floor of the pavilion, looking down at the Nine-Bend Corridor.
The handkerchief in Shen Wan’s hand was crumpled into a ball.
She withdrew her gaze and looked back at Shen Lian, catching a flicker of strange cunning in her eyes.
Shen Wan smiled coldly, her eyes narrowing slightly. “What if I, your elder sister, refuse to yield?”
Shen Lian panicked.
If Shen Wan refused to yield, and with the support of the Shen family, she truly had no chance of winning at all.
“Sister, why must you seek such misery?” Shen Lian tightened her grip on the brocade box. “A melon forced from the vine is never sweet. The Crown Prince does not like you.”
“Who said I like sweet melons?” Shen Wan took Shen Lian’s hand, stroking the rough, dry skin on the back. “How can you be so naive? Once you enter the rear palace, do you still expect the Crown Prince to gaze upon you day and night, treating you with tender affection until death?”
“Look at our aunt, the Empress. How many consorts are under her rule in the rear palace? As the eldest legitimate daughter of the Shen family, I know the duty I carry on my shoulders. I don’t care whether the Crown Prince likes me or not, and neither does the Shen family. They only care that the Crown Princess is me. Since you like the Crown Prince so much, after I marry into the Eastern Palace, I will allow him to take you as a concubine.”
“No! Who wants to be a concubine?” Shen Lianqing’s emotions flared. She tried to yank her hand back but couldn’t free it from Shen Wan’s grasp.
Shen Wan pulled her closer instead, her tone cold and mocking. “You can’t even handle this? What do you have to compare with me? Just a mere nine-tailed phoenix hairpin?”
“Do you know that Aunt the Empress sends phoenix-wing pearl hairpins to my Medical Sect every year? After living in the Shen family for just ten days or half a month, have you forgotten where you crawled back from? Take a look at yourself—what are you? An ugly thing.”
The words “ugly thing” pierced Shen Lian’s heart, tearing away the veil of ugliness she hid in the darkness, leaving her humiliated and furious.
As she stared at Shen Wan’s fair, jade-like delicate face, a wicked thought sprouted in her heart.
If Shen Wan’s face were disfigured, she would be just like her—nothing.
Shen Wan saw through Shen Lian’s intent and continued her cold mockery. “Do you know why Father abandoned you back then? Let me tell you a secret—it was because you… were just too ugly.”
“Ah—!” Shen Lian couldn’t bear Shen Wan’s repeated provocations and shoved her away forcefully.
…
“Old Madam, it’s terrible! The Second Young Miss pushed the Eldest Young Miss into the water!” The servant reporting the news lowered her voice beside Old Madam Shen’s ear.
“What did you say?” Old Madam Shen exclaimed, drawing the attention of everyone at the banquet.
Forcing a smile, Old Madam Shen said, “It’s nothing. Please continue enjoying the feast.”
She quickly stood and walked out. “Where are they now? Who rescued the Eldest Young Miss?”
“She’s already been taken back to her Linlang Pavilion. Young Master Xie was present at the time. After the Second Young Miss pushed the Eldest Young Miss into the water, Young Master Xie was the first to jump into the river and save her.”
Old Madam Shen’s heart trembled.
A woman touched by a man would have her reputation ruined. “Besides Young Master Xie, who else was there?”
“When this servant arrived, only Hua Rong and Hua Jing were nearby. Those two maids also jumped in to rescue the Eldest Young Miss. Young Master Xie was sensible enough to say it should be considered as the two maids who saved her. At the time, this servant looked around—there was no one else, only our Shen family servants.”
“That’s good, that’s good. Quickly go and bring that wretched creature back.”
Upon learning that Shen Lian had pushed Shen Wan into the water, Jing Miaoyi rushed back to Linlang Pavilion at once.
Not long after, Shen Lian was forcibly dragged into Linlang Pavilion by two maids.
But Shen Lian struggled fiercely, thrashing and shouting, “Don’t touch me! I can walk on my own! Let me go, let me go!”
Jing Miaoyi, disturbed by the uncouth screaming, rushed out of Shen Wan’s bedroom and slapped Shen Lian across the face, angrily scolding, “Shut up, you’re making a racket.”
How could she have given birth to such a foolish and ignorant daughter?
Shen Lian was knocked to the ground by the slap.
At that moment, Hua Rong and Hua Jing were brought into the room by Nanny Song. Hua Rong knelt on the floor, crying as she said, “Madam, the second young lady has truly gone mad. She actually spoke shameless words in public to humiliate our eldest young lady.”