Ning Huanyi’s arrival in the front hall broke the silence. She and Bai Yingying merely bowed to Ning Yuanxun and Pei Ruan, ignoring the Liu family seated to the side.
Anyone with sense could tell that since Liu Jingming dared to spread rumors so brazenly without restraint, he must have had the tacit approval of the Liu family behind him.
Thus, neither Liu Jingming nor the Liu family deserved any courtesy from Ning Huanyi.
When Ning Yuanxun saw Ning Huanyi, his face instantly lit up with joy. He pulled her to sit beside him. “Huanyi, take a look at these hair ornaments and jewelry. Do you see anything you like?”
As his words fell, servants brought out dazzling pearl-encrusted tasseled hairpins and a complete set of jewelry, quietly displayed on several trays.
With just a glance, Ning Huanyi could see the servants standing beside Liu Jingming also holding boxes of jewelry. At first glance, the quality didn’t seem bad, but once Ning Yuanxun’s pieces were presented, the Liu family’s offerings instantly appeared cheap.
“How thoughtful of Father to remember to gift me some jewelry. When I first walked in, I thought those were meant for me and was secretly upset for a while,” Ning Huanyi said, her fair, delicate fingers pointing at the jewelry in the hands of the Liu family’s servants.
At this, the expressions of the Liu family darkened. Liu Jingming, who had been kneeling on the ground all morning enduring humiliation, couldn’t hold back. “The Liu family naturally cannot aspire to such lofty heights as the young lady!”
“Liu Jingming! Who gave you permission to speak?!” The already displeased Madam Liu seized the opportunity to vent her anger, immediately berating him.
The Yongchang Marquis’s household made no move to intervene, preferring to watch the spectacle. After all, Liu Jingming had been the one to spread the rumors—what harm was there in letting him endure a few more scoldings?
Half an incense stick’s time later, Madam Liu had scolded herself hoarse and could no longer speak. She turned her head away in frustration. Seizing the moment, Ning Huanyi walked up to Liu Jingming.
Liu Jingming, who had been cowed by Madam Liu’s tirade, remained kneeling on the ground in a daze. Hearing Ning Huanyi’s voice, he numbly raised his head.
“How dare you speak to me like this?!” Liu Jingming, like a dog poked in a wound, instantly raised his head, eyes bloodshot as he barked furiously. Ning Huanyi took a few steps back. With her beloved parents of the Yongchang Marquis’s household behind her, why should she fear such a wretched creature?
“Because you’re the one kneeling here to apologize,” Ning Huanyi said calmly, her eyes gleaming with an innocent light, as though unaware of the malice in her words. “Brother Liu… ugh, I must have been blind all these years to have called you ‘brother.’”
With that, she turned and returned to her seat without another glance. The front hall fell into silence once more. The two members of the Liu family had nothing to say, merely staring blankly outside.
Liu Jingming, his arrogance thoroughly deflated, could only mutter repeated apologies under his breath, as if trapped in an endless loop.
Was Ning Huanyi not sad? Of course she was, but more than anything, she grieved that her youthful innocence had been wasted on such a person. Though she had now seen the truth, the pain in her heart remained.
“Forget it…” In the end, Ning Yuanxun couldn’t bring himself to further humiliate the Liu family. He waved his hand and instructed the servants to accept the jewelry and apologies, then promptly gifted half of the jewelry to Qingdai right in front of the three members of the Liu family.
At this point, the Liu family dared not utter a word of protest. Swallowing their anger, they dragged Liu Jingming away and left without another glance.
Ning Huanyi didn’t even spare them a look, calmly sipping her tea and nibbling on pastries as if nothing had happened.
Bai Yingying was the first to voice her indignation: “The Liu family had no sincerity at all! And Liu Jingming still had the nerve to act so stubborn! Poor Huanyi—I’ll find a way to pay them back for this!”
Bai Yingying’s idea of “paying them back” was merely gossiping about Liu Jingming at future banquets. Meanwhile, Ning Yuanxun, seated and watching the Liu family depart, resolved to make things harder for them in official circles.
“Huanyi, you haven’t had breakfast yet, have you? Shall I have the servants bring some food?” Ning Yuanxun snapped out of his thoughts and asked Ning Huanyi, who naturally had no objections. While waiting for the meal to be served, Pei Ruan counted the days and remarked, “Hmm… the wedding is just around the corner. Haven’t we forgotten to visit the temple for blessings and preparations?”
Ning Yuanxun slapped his thigh in realization. He had originally planned to consult the imperial astrologer after court the previous day to secure an auspicious date and handle the arrangements, but the incident at the princess’s estate had delayed him.
“In that case, we should make the arrangements as soon as possible today.” Ning Yuanxun took the matter seriously. Initially, the wedding date hadn’t been urgent, but with the emperor and the empress dowager both issuing decrees, this was now a grand, highly anticipated imperial marriage—far too significant to be simplified.
Ning Huanyi had been feeling downcast, but at the mention of wedding preparations, a faint blush crept onto her cheeks. She thought of the woman she had met only a few times, yet who had treated her with such meticulous care each time, and her heart fluttered. She didn’t know what had earned her the favor of the regent, but she wished these days could last a little longer.
And… Xiao Ning’an was stunningly beautiful, with an elegant figure—a peerless beauty. Though rumors painted her as cold and ruthless, Ning Huanyi felt Xiao Ning’an was nothing like what others said.
Bai Yingying noticed Ning Huanyi had stopped eating, too busy lowering her head in shyness, so she ladled her a bowl of bird’s nest soup, garnished artfully with red dates.
“Ahem, eat up and replenish your energy. Honestly, your face is so red it looks like it’s about to bleed,” Bai Yingying teased in a hushed voice, making Ning Huanyi hastily raise a hand to her cheek, wondering if it really was as flushed as Bai Yingying claimed.
She then playfully swatted at Bai Yingying, and Pei Ruan laughed, urging the two not to fool around during the meal—though inwardly, she was delighted.
Marrying the regent was, indeed, an excellent match.
Breakfast concluded, and Pei Ruan and Ning Yuanxun prepared to visit the temple that day to seek a marriage talisman for the soon-to-be-wed Ning Huanyi, praying for a harmonious union.