Chapter 142: Tearing Away the Veil of Tenderness

The incident happened so suddenly that no one could react in time. Qin Wanru instinctively tried to grab onto something; her wrist caught on a piece of fabric, and she pulled hard. Someone reached out and helped her, and after staggering a couple of steps, she finally regained her footing.

“What do you mean by this, Di Fenglian?” The girl standing beside Qin Wanru, who had just pulled her back, was strikingly beautiful. Dressed in red that made her face even more radiant, she exuded a sharp, decisive aura despite the somewhat gaudy color.

Though the bright red was a bit loud, on her it felt crisp and clear. She held Qin Wanru’s hand firmly while glaring unfavorably at a woman standing next to Qin Yuru. This woman was dressed in brocade of woven gold paired with a multicolored peacock-blue skirt, catching the eye instantly, yet her expression bore an air of arrogance and disdain.

Glancing coldly between Qin Wanru and the girl in red, she lifted her sleeve, patted it lightly, then arrogantly raised her eyes and said sharply, “Yan Xulan, I only accidentally tripped. What does that have to do with you? What’s so terrible about you getting angry? What, you just don’t like me?”

It was she who had collided with Qin Wanru earlier.

Looking at the railing behind her, a flicker of hostility crossed Qin Wanru’s brow. There was a gap between two sections of the railing—if Yan Xulan hadn’t grabbed her, she would have fallen right through.

“Di Fenglian, this is not your Yongkang Marquis’s residence. Don’t think just because you’re from there, no one else dares to stand up to you!” Yan Xulan said coldly.

“Yan Xulan, what do you want now? You don’t have to act like this just because you don’t like me. Qin Wanru hasn’t said a word, but you’re defending her and confronting me instead? What exactly is your deal?” Di Fenglian said disdainfully, casting a proud glance at Qin Wanru.

Yan Xulan’s face flushed with anger, but she hadn’t clearly seen what happened earlier. Moreover, she and Qin Wanru were strangers. Since Qin Wanru said nothing, Yan Xulan had no grounds to speak up. Turning to Qin Wanru, she said, “Miss Qin, tell us—did she push you on purpose? Don’t be afraid. Speak up; we all can be witnesses!”

Her words drew everyone’s attention to Qin Wanru.

The proud Lady Yongkang withdrew her gaze from Shui Ruolan and fixed it on Qin Wanru. She was only a half-grown child from some rural backwater. Although she said nothing, her eyes were filled with contempt, mirroring Di Fenglian’s disdain.

She simply did not believe Qin Wanru would dare to say anything. Even if she were bullied, so what?

Qin Yuru remained silent, a trace of smugness flickering in her eyes, though she feigned momentary confusion. She just stood there, unsure how to handle the situation.

The crowd’s gazes varied—some sympathized, some reveled in schadenfreude, and others merely watched for amusement. Just because Di Zhaoyi and Yan Zhaoyi, the emperor’s favored consorts, could quarrel in Princess Rui’an’s mansion did not mean others had the same privilege.

Princess Rui’an must regard them highly, given their status, which gave them the confidence to argue here openly.

But what right did Qin Wanru have?

Everyone expected her to put on a submissive or magnanimous front.

“It was she who pushed me deliberately!” Qin Wanru lifted her head, her gaze burning as it landed on Di Fenglian. Then, noticing the slight change in Lady Yongkang’s expression, she looked defiantly at Di Fenglian and added, her eyes drifting toward the gap in the railing—a fall from there would lead to a slope covered with small stones, and the injury would be severe.

“Miss Di, you’re your eldest sister’s cousin, the niece of the lady’s family, right? This is our first meeting, isn’t it? I don’t know what I’ve done to offend you. Did I quarrel with you as a child so you’ve held this grudge all these years?” Qin Wanru tilted her head slightly, her tone a blend of childlike innocence and plaintive confusion as she sized Di Fenglian up.

The sharpness in her words was softened at the end by the plaintive tone of a child’s grievance. Her big, clear eyes brimmed with genuine puzzlement, perfectly capturing her mood—as if she truly believed Di Fenglian’s grudge stemmed from some petty childhood dispute.

If that were true, what a long memory that would be!

But if not, then it must be because of Qin Yuru, and then everyone would understand without further explanation.

The crowd fell silent for a moment before bursting into laughter. Yan Xulan bent double with mirth. Though Qin Wanru’s words lacked harshness, the meaning was clear. The looks cast at Qin Yuru and Di Fenglian were full of contempt.

Di Fenglian’s face flickered between pale and dark. Her expression hardened as she shouted fiercely at Qin Wanru, “You’re lying!”

“Then, Miss Di, can you tell me why you harbor such hostility toward me?” Qin Wanru asked calmly, her eyes not showing an ounce of humility.

Di Fenglian was speechless, unable to respond.

“Alright, Fenglian, if you don’t move along, the Princess will get upset.” Lady Yongkang shot a cold glance at Qin Wanru, stepping in to shield her daughter.

“Yes, Mother!” Though unwilling, Di Fenglian knew better than to continue the fight now. She clenched her teeth and followed Lady Yongkang forward.

“You’re sharp-tongued for such a young age.” Lady Yongkang slowed as she passed Qin Wanru, casting her a sideways glance and speaking coldly.

“Thank you, madam, for the compliment. Still, I’m no match for Lady Ling’s daughter!” Qin Wanru bowed slightly, then spoke with a calm confidence that struck Lady Yongkang silent.

Her voice was neither loud nor soft—just right so that everyone nearby could hear.

Though no one responded, the meaning behind her words was less than flattering. Lady Yongkang, notorious for her arrogance in noble circles, suddenly found herself unable to maintain her composure.

She stopped abruptly, her gaze shifting from Qin Wanru to Shui Ruolan. With a cold snort, she said, “Like mother, like daughter.”

Not wanting to pick a fight with Qin Wanru directly, she targeted Shui Ruolan instead.

Her words stirred a commotion. Many around began scrutinizing Shui Ruolan, forming unspoken suspicions. Lady Yongkang’s remark strongly implied that Shui Ruolan’s character was questionable.

Shui Ruolan had wanted to speak up for Qin Wanru earlier but was stopped. Hearing Lady Yongkang’s words now, she looked at her politely, slightly bowed, then lifted her head to meet Lady Yongkang’s gaze without flinching.

“Madam, is there something about me that displeases you?”

“Madam, what does my mother have to do with you? Do you know my mother? Or that she endured hardship to marry my father for my sake? Do you think I’m not as enduring as my mother, and thus she failed to raise me properly?”

Qin Wanru also looked up at Lady Yongkang, her face filled with confusion, as if she genuinely did not understand what Lady Yongkang was trying to stir up.

Her childish demeanor combined with her adult-like boldness made her appear almost impertinent.

The crowd burst into laughter once again, no longer showing the respect they had for Lady Yongkang before.

Lady Yongkang’s face lost its composure. Her gaze flicked from Shui Ruolan back to Qin Wanru as she snorted coldly, about to retort. Given her status, even if she wanted to suppress Qin Wanru, no one could say a word.

Among the crowd, some onlookers sighed for Qin Wanru’s plight. After all, she was but a child, naive and unaware. She had angered Lady Yongkang, and things would likely go poorly for her—and not just for her, but also for her mother.

Suddenly, an elderly woman pushed through the crowd, panting as she approached Qin Wanru. She bowed and said, “Second Miss, you suddenly disappeared. I searched everywhere but couldn’t find you. Please come with me quickly; the Princess is still waiting for you.”

She then gestured to the side, signaling for Qin Wanru to leave.

“Thank you, nanny,” Qin Wanru smiled slightly, her eyes flickering. She stepped beside Shui Ruolan and spoke softly, “Mother, let’s go quickly.”

She had long known that the woman guiding her would not truly abandon her, which was why she had spoken so sharply to Lady Yongkang earlier.

On the way here, she had seen clearly that only she had a guide. It was obvious that Princess Rui’an truly valued her.

The incident had just occurred, and the nanny couldn’t step in to help at the moment, but enough time had passed that failure to respond now would be foolish.

The timing was perfect.

She wanted to let people know that Lady Yongkang and Shui Ruolan were not on good terms, and subtly imply that Shui Ruolan’s marriage into the Qin family was because of her, not because of any secret affair with Qin Huaiyong. There was no secret that could remain hidden forever. If any rumors about Shui Ruolan ever surfaced, the Di family and the Yongkang Marquis’s household would make a big fuss. It was better to reveal a little now.

She did not wish for the Qin family and the Yongkang Marquis’s household to grow too close.

She would use the earlier incident with Di Fenglian to tear away the veneer of warmth between the two families, letting people know that Qin Yuru, the Di family, and even the Yongkang Marquis’s household behind them, all harbored hostility toward her mother. This would prevent Lady Yongkang from scheming against her at future events hosted by the Marquis of Fengyang.

If Lady Yongkang’s daughter was someone who refused to back down and could stir trouble, would she really let this go today? The next move was already waiting.

Hearing Qin Wanru’s call, Shui Ruolan nodded and turned to leave with her.

Though she appeared gentle and fragile, Shui Ruolan was neither frivolous nor impertinent. Her dignified and proper demeanor dispelled any suspicion raised by Lady Yongkang’s words.

As for Qin Wanru, her remaining childlike innocence showed she was without guile.

Originally, no one knew which family the Qin household belonged to. Now, seeing Qin Yuru and Lady Yongkang, many had already inquired and learned that this was the residence of General Ningyuan of Jiangzhou—the very family into which the Di clan had married. Some women who knew the past events looked at Qin Yuru with faintly amused expressions.

They had an inkling of the past but were unsure of its truth. After the Di family’s distant marriage, the matter had mostly faded from memory.

But the recent commotion brought those memories back to many.

Some, however, focused on Princess Rui’an herself, wondering why she had summoned Qin Wanru specially. Exchanging glances, they fell silent, thinking that this young girl was not as simple as she appeared.