Before Tang Zhuyun could speak, Xiu'er had already rushed out.
Seeing that Tang Zhuyun hadn't moved, Xue Lie whispered, "Sister, aren't you going to go and take a look?"
Although this little girl isn't her biological sister, she's very kind to her.
Tang Zhuyun said, "Don't worry, Yanran can handle it."
She wasn't going to a den of dragons or tigers; she was going to a royal palace.
And Xiu'er was with them too.
Wasn't he "chased" back by the Prince of Jin?
You have to have a stance—if he doesn't invite you, don't go back.
Xue Lie couldn't contain himself and wanted to see what was going on. "Sister, I'll sneak over the wall and take a look."
Tang Zhuyun: "Don't... The walls of the Prince's mansion are hard to climb. If you were allowed to climb in, wouldn't the guards of the Prince's mansion be in trouble?"
The guards of the Prince's mansion, while not impenetrable, were extremely vigilant, making it impossible to sneak in.
Xue Lie was unconvinced. "I'm going to give it a try."
Fine, if you insist on hitting a wall, then go ahead and do it.
Yanran rode Jiaojiao home and immediately asked aggressively as soon as she entered, "Were any outsiders here today?"
The guard reported, "Reporting to Miss, Lord Qiao has arrived with two young ladies."
Oh, so it was them who were touching her things without permission!
Yanran entered the second gate, beckoned someone to ask, and learned that the Qiao Family sisters were in the garden. She then rode Jiaojiao straight there.
Qiao Qiao was directing the maid, "Higher, higher! How can you be so clumsy! Let me do it!"
Qiao Jiao sat on a stone bench nearby, frowning, and said, "Qiaoqiao, don't be like this. The kite isn't yours; it belongs to Yanran."
As luck would have it, the goldfish kite was slightly damaged, but it just so happened to be Yanran's favorite, so the maid in her courtyard took it out to have it repaired.
When they returned it, they happened to run into the Qiao Jiao sisters.
Qiao Qiao then asked for it.
The maidservant naturally refused to give it to her, saying it belonged to Yanran.
Qiao Qiao's eyebrows shot up. "What, am I not a mistress of the Prince's mansion, or a guest? Let me see, is it possible for me to damage it? Give it to me!"
The maid dared not offend the young lady from the Prince's mansion, so she could only present the kite with tears in her eyes.
Qiao Qiao then set up her house in the garden with her maid.
Prince of Jin entertained Qiao Geng in the front courtyard. The sisters said they wanted to visit Nanny Rong, so they only sent someone to lead the way and did not come with them.
Unexpectedly, Qiao Qiao caused trouble here.
Yanran rode in on Jiaojiao, startling the two sisters.
However, Qiao Qiao reacted quickly. Since Yanran could ride it, it meant it was a domesticated tiger, so there was nothing to be afraid of.
"Put down my kite!" Yanran glared angrily.
How could Qiao Qiao be intimidated by a child?
She said lazily, "It's just a kite, isn't it? Didn't your mother teach you to be magnanimous? Besides, I'm your aunt, your elder."
"Pah!" Xiu'er rushed over, "I've seen people eagerly claim kinship, but I've never seen anyone eagerly come looking for a scolding. What kind of relative are you to the Prince's Mansion? If I'm being kind to you, it's because you're Lord Qiao's daughter. If I'm not, aren't you just a lowly child who survived being born in a chamber pot?"
Qiao Qiao flushed with anger. "You all heard it! This maid spoke rudely! Guards, slap her across the face, slap her hard!"
"How dare you!" Yanran roared. "This is the Prince's mansion, not the Qiao Family's! Taking without permission is stealing, and you, you thief, dare to point fingers here! Guards, throw her out!"
Xiu'er was about to speak when Yanran stopped her, "I'll handle this! Don't let her bite you; I want to see if she dares to bite me!"
Xiu'er, hands on her hips, exclaimed, "I'm not afraid! I'm a member of the Tang Family again now, and my indenture isn't in the Prince's mansion anymore. What do I have to be afraid of!"
Seeing this, Qiao Jiao stood up, her brows furrowed, and said, "Say less, everyone. Qiao Qiao shouldn't have taken Yanran's things without permission, but this maid's words are really unpleasant."
"You shouldn't have taken Yanran's things. What were you doing before?" Xiu'er didn't tolerate such behavior at all. "Now you're playing peacemaker. Were you blind or mute before?"
The princess was already seething with anger after being "sent" back to her residence.
So these two sisters, comparing themselves to her here, who else should they criticize if not them?
"I may have spoken harshly, but our Empress spoils me," Xiu'er said, hands on her hips. "What, did I beg you to come here to be insulted?"
Yanran said, "No need to be polite with a petty thief. What you said is exactly what I wanted to say."
Xiu'er someone backing her up, Xiuer became even more arrogant.
"Stop pretending! All that righteous indignation and aggrieved look? Nobody cares! Don't think these women are fools. The moment the Princess Consort is away, you sisters come knocking, plotting all sorts of illicit affairs. Do you think these people don't know? Bah!"
Isn't she just trying to take advantage of the princess's absence to sneak into the prince's life?
"So young, and seemingly respectable, but Zidu thinking about is throwing yourself at men. If you're making men feel left out, I'll recommend you to Zhangtai Road. Stop pretending here. Just because the Princess isn't here, you think you can bully her child?"
"Don't you even look in the mirror before you go out? Are you even worthy of carrying the Princess's shoes?!"
Qiao Jiao retorted angrily, "Shut up! Even if Qiao Qiao is wrong, it's not your place to hurl insults like a shrew."
"If it's not her turn, then what about me?" Yanran sneered as she stood up from Jiaojiao and stepped forward. "When guests come to visit, I welcome them warmly; but if they come to steal, don't blame me for being impolite. Guards, throw them out!"
The servants in the Prince's mansion, especially the maids who had been caught in a dilemma, were waiting for these words. Upon hearing them, they immediately stepped forward, some pulling and some tugging, trying to drag the two of them out.
"What are you doing?" Qiao Geng's voice rang out.
It turned out that, at some point, Prince of Jin had accompanied Qiao Geng to the backyard.
Yanran saw Prince of Jin, her eyes welled up with tears of grievance. She threw herself into his arms, hugged his waist, and cried, "Father, they stole my beloved things and even wanted to become my concubines!"
The already stern-faced Prince of Jin instantly grew even colder.
"I don't want a girl like that," Yanran said. "She's already throwing her weight around before even entering the manor. If she really marries you, I'll have no way to survive."
Xiu'er silently gave Yanran a thumbs up.
The ability to cry on cue is something not everyone possesses, requiring no onion.
Qiao Qiao was trembling with anger, while Qiao Jiao, more composed, stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Cousin, that's not how it is. Qiao Qiao just wanted to fly a kite on a whim and had no intention of offending anyone..."
"Whose kite is it?" the Prince of Jin asked coldly.
Clearly, he had no intention of trying to smooth things over.
"Yes, it's Yanran's," Qiao Jiao said, biting her lip.
From the very beginning, they were indeed in the wrong.
She regretted not firmly stopping Qiao Qiao at the beginning.
"What brings you here?" the Prince of Jin asked again.
"Yes, I've come to visit Nanny Rong."
The Prince of Jin's voice grew increasingly cold. "I never knew that someone visiting a sick person could still be in the mood to fly a kite."
Aren't you here to enjoy the autumn scenery?