Chapter 356: Chapter 355: How Long Have You Been Arrogant?
The girl stood straight, her emotions overtly displayed and unabashedly performed for Ji Shimin to see, without the slightest fear of offending anyone thoroughly.
Her almond eyes bright and moist, within which Ji Shimin was seething with anger, darkening her face.
Yet, she still sat there calmly and steadily.
The commotion here drew the attention of many, but the surrounding noise was so loud that it drowned out their voices.
Ji Shimin, holding back her anger, did not forget her manners and lowered her voice to scold: "How long do you think you can act so arrogantly?"
"I really want to ask, who gave you the confidence?"
Her red lips moved cruelly and disdainfully.
"Shen Hua."
"You are just a cousin by marriage, fortunate enough to call the Cui Family’s Matriarch ’auntie.’ Even so, your status is the least considerable in Shengjing."
"How much could the Cui family really care about you? It’s all just superficial. If you offend me, remember that Granny Cui is the most tender-hearted and easiest to manipulate. Do you think she would stand up for you?"
Ji Huo remained silent.
He even feared affecting Ji Shimin’s outcomes fatally and pulled Cui Rong aside to a distant place to watch.
Cui Rong, clutching his chest, sobbed, "It’s starting, it’s starting."
This movement also caught Ji Shimin’s attention, and she looked down at Shen Hua with joy lifting the corners of her lips.
"See that? When real trouble comes, who will stand up for you. What confidence do you have to sit here and confront me, a princess?"
Shen Hua listened quietly to her until the end. She even courteously handed her a cup of water at an opportune moment.
Ji Shimin paused.
Shen Hua’s reaction was very suspicious!
The unwell girl tugged at her now pale and bloodless lips: "Confidence?"
Her confidence was innate, always having the best from a young age, ignorant of the world and always thinking herself superior. Later, this feeling of superiority was crushed entirely, but the proud little peacock will always be proud, unable to change in this lifetime.
Moving forward, as a person on the brink of death, she only cared about the thrill.
Currently—
Yangyang, she would take advantage of her position.
She has people backing her!!
Several of them!!
Her backbone still straight.
She glared at Ji Shimin.
"A princess shouldn’t forget so much. You gave me the invitation."
"If I hadn’t come, it would’ve been a direct affront to your honor. Wanting to deal with me, you should at least give me a chance, right?"
"You—" Ji Shimin choked.
Knowing and still you come, are you courting death?
She declared from her high position: "Then just wait for your utter ruin this time."
She had prepared a big ’gift’ for Shen Hua, presumably already on its way here.
Shen Hua’s eyes sparkled. She straightened her collar.
"I’m so scared."
Yet her tone was very excited.
Ji Shimin felt as if she had punched into cotton.
She had made meticulous preparations, just waiting for the drama to unfold.
Ji Shimin didn’t feel at all that pushing the girl to a deep abyss was something monstrous. Over the years, many were ruined by her hands.
Xie Xun’s footsteps paused as he walked over, not feeling at all that Ji Shimin could do anything to Shen Hua; rather, it would be Shen Hua who could thoroughly outplay her. Quite consciously, he led Xie Yinong to Duke Fu’s Mansion’s seats.
If it were before, Xie Yinong would still be worried about Shen Hua being bullied, but now she was mourning for Ji Shimin.
Xie Xun looked towards Cui Yun, who also dismissed the nearby scholars.
"You really can sit still."
Cui Yun indifferently replied: "Likewise."
————
As time passed, more and more people arrived at the banquet.
Soon, several newly arrived ladies came over to chat with Ji Shimin.
"Princess, why aren’t you sitting at your seat? Although this is a family banquet at the Zou Residence, this is your maternal family’s home, and Granny Zou is busy welcoming guests. Why not have a chat with us?"
"From afar, I saw you laughing and talking with the girl by your side, this... who is this unfamiliar face? Which family’s girl is she?"
Ji Shimin did not want to openly fall out with Shen Hua.
But she would not miss an opportunity to belittle Shen Hua. She immediately smiled.
"From Marquis Yangling Mansion."
"She rarely frequents such gatherings, so naturally, I should help with hosting her."
This statement made the women present ponder its implications.
As Ji Shimin pretends, Shen Hua can only pretend even better.
"Indeed, the Princess always cares deeply for me."
Just as a maid of the Zou Family was passing by offering tea, having just brought in the Princess’s request from outside, she became nervously incompetent. Hearing this remark, she tripped over her skirt, spilling scalding tea directly towards Shen Hua.
Yingwu swiftly grabbed the maid, securely shielding Shen Hua.
The maid who was supposed to spill on Shen Hua ended up spilling on herself, facing her directly.
She let out a painful scream.
Not a single drop hit Shen Hua.
However, Shen Hua suddenly stood up, confronting the situation coldly.
"Insolence!"
Frightened, the maid quickly knelt down: "This servant failed to notice in time, frightening the madam..."
Shen Hua walked over to her, looked at the kneeling maid, and interrupted: "Will the Princess listen to your explanations?"
"If something had happened to me, it truly wouldn’t have mattered much, but after all, I was invited by the Princess. How could an incident occur right under her watch? With the importance the Princess places on me, how could she let you off?"
She said with melancholy: "Even if I wished to plead for you out of kindness, it would be useless."
After finishing speaking, she looked at Ji Shimin as if seeking approval.
"What does the Princess think?"
Ji Shimin: ...
In front of the public, she could only grit her teeth and squeeze out a word.
"...Yes."
"But since you are not injured, I think we should let this matter go."
Shen Hua smiled.
"How could we let it go?"
She scanned the room.
"As guests here, all of high status at the Zou family’s happy occasion. In the end, even the servants who serve tea and water must be chosen for their utmost stability. If a mistake is made, it could mean a few spankings and resting on a couch for a few months to recover, or being thrown out and sold. It all depends on the homeowner’s decision. I know I am of low influence and cannot match others; being startled means nothing, getting hurt means nothing, even if I were to lose my life here today, it wouldn’t be worth mentioning."
As she spoke, she wore an expression as if she was facing death.
Not making anyone feel like she was deliberately causing trouble.
The noble ladies who rushed over upon hearing the commotion were terribly frightened. They genuinely feared someone might die in the Zou Residence.
Ji Shimin, unable to control the situation, was dumbstruck.
"Indeed, that’s not the case."
"Those who come to the mansion are honored guests."
Sure enough, that was a reasonable statement.
The girl held a powerful presence and upon hearing this, her eyes blinked innocently.
"Really? But how come the Princess didn’t even punish before letting the person go? Or does it mean that the Zou Family’s servants are so precious that a simple oversight can lightly dismiss this incident?"
"I might let it go, but what if one of the ladies or girls present was injured? Would the Zou family also resolve it in the same manner?"
Saying this, she placed a handkerchief to her lips, coughing incessantly.
A kind-hearted lady rushed forward: "Good child, sit down and speak, please sit down."
Shen Hua was stubborn.
"No."
She was already deeply involved in her role.
The girl’s body swayed slightly.
"I must take precautions to seek justice for you all."