“Lord Song, when you entered my room to steal, did you ever consider what it means to be a gentleman with integrity? You aided Song Shulan in tarnishing my father’s reputation after his death, forcibly trying to pass off someone who had nothing to do with him as his bloodline, making him restless even in his grave. And when you caused my mother to be mocked and scorned, did you even for a moment remember that you were supposed to be my elder brother?”
The crowd gasped, her words hitting like a bucket of cold water into boiling oil, making the entire flower hall erupt in chaos.
“What do you mean by this, Miss Song?” Madam Qian asked, astonished.
“You should be asking Lord Song,” Tang Ning responded, her eyes fixed on the man in question. “Lord Song, you’ve always been eloquent, strict with others, and preaching about morality. Aren’t you going to explain yourself?”
All eyes turned to Song Jinxiu.
His face drained of all color. Even Madam Song (Zou Shi), who had been complaining about Tang Ning earlier, was now in panic. She stood up in a hurry and exclaimed, “Tang Ning, what nonsense are you spouting?”
Prince Cheng also shot up from his seat. “Tang Ning, stop this nonsense.”
Lu Zhinian, unable to hold back, frowned in displeasure, “Tang Ning, you should watch your words. Jinshu is your elder brother. How could you accuse him of theft?”
This more assertive version of Tang Ning felt foreign to him.
Tang Ning glanced at Lu Zhinian, ignoring his disapproval. Instead, she stared at the pale-faced Song Jinshu and stood up slowly.
“Does Lord Song recognize this jade pendant?”
A jade pendant slipped from her sleeve into her palm, exposing her hand, which was still covered in scars and unhealed wounds.
The young women present gasped at the sight of her raw, scarred fingers, instinctively feeling a sharp pain. Even Lu Zhinian frowned deeply, never expecting Tang Ning’s injuries to be this severe.
Ignoring the reactions around her, Tang Ning held up the jade pendant, its bamboo pattern engraved into its surface, and looked at Prince Cheng. “Uncle, are you sure this jade pendant truly came from Anzhou?”
Prince Cheng’s face paled.
“Tang Ning!” The Old Princess of Prince Cheng’s residence sensed that something was amiss and sternly said, “Is this how you question your elders?”
“Only those with virtue deserve respect. Those without, how could they expect my reverence? I’m merely asking for the truth. Why is the princess in such a hurry?” The Old Princess of Prince Cheng stepped forward to stand in front of Tang Ning.
“You—!”
The Old Princess was trembling with rage, while the Princess Consort turned to Prince Cheng.
“The Song family has always favored Song Shulan excessively, and my sister was deeply in love with Song Xi. I have long suspected Song Shulan's background. Even if Song Xi truly had an affair, he wouldn’t stoop to raising a mistress. So, I asked you to investigate Song Shulan’s lineage. You told me she was indeed Song Xi’s daughter, that he had a brief romance with her mother, and this jade pendant was even the token of their love. However, this item was still within the collection of Song Xi’s relics until just a few days ago, stored in the Song family’s Shian Garden.”
“I'm curious, Your Highness, where did this jade pendant actually come from? Did you deceive both Tang Ning and me, or did the Song family deceive you?”
The prince’s face shifted colors. Cold sweat crept down his spine at the sight of the consort’s sharp gaze.
When had she begun to suspect?
How much did she know about the Song family's affairs?
Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that the princess consort knew of the discrepancies in Song Shulan's lineage. The gentle mask he wore was faltering. But since the princess consort implied that the Song family had deceived him, there was still a chance to escape unscathed.
Seeing everyone’s eyes fixed on him, the prince hesitated only for a moment before decisively cutting ties with the Song family.
“Song Jinshu, didn’t you tell me this jade pendant was Song Shulan’s personal item, left behind by her mother?”
The prince’s voice was harsh and reprimanding. “I trusted your words. I believed you sincerely wanted to mend your relationship with Tang Ning. I went out of my way to persuade her to attend this banquet, but your Song family has shamelessly deceived me, using your uncle’s relics to fabricate evidence of Song Shulan’s lineage. Your actions are utterly despicable!”
As he spoke, he turned urgently to the princess consort. “Yue Niang, I truly didn’t know the Song family would stoop to theft. I, too, was deceived by them, just as you and Tang Ning were.”
Song Jinxiu’s face turned an even paler shade. “Your Highness…”
“Don’t address me as ‘Your Highness.’ I had no idea you could be so shameless!”
Tang Ning watched as Song Jinxiu’s complexion turned ashen, realizing the prince had abandoned him. She said coolly, “So this is the repentance you spoke of, brother?”
The guests exchanged disgusted looks and began whispering among themselves.
“How could he do such a thing?”
“They used to call him a young gentleman of elegance. This behavior is vile.”
“It's more than vile. Stealing from the dead, tarnishing the honor of a respectable elder, and then pretending to repent. What a performance.”
“To think I felt Tang Ning was being harsh before, and that Song Jinxiu had suffered enough. But now…ugh, the whole Song family is rotten to the core, bullying a poor girl with no parents…”
Though the murmurs were soft, the flower hall was small, and each word fell squarely into Song Jinxiu’s ears.
Seeing her son’s reputation in ruins, Madam Song was both furious and anxious. She stood abruptly and shouted, “How can all the blame be placed on my son? It was the prince who told us to use one of Song Xi’s old belongings to convince Tang Ning of Song Shulan’s lineage…”
“Mother!!”
Song Jinxiu tried to stop her, but it was too late. Lady Song’s words had already drawn everyone’s attention.
Realizing her blunder, Lady Song met the prince’s cold stare and instinctively took a step back in fear.
The princess consort slowly turned to her husband, her gaze icy. “So this is how you show your love for Tang Ning?”
“Yue Niang…”
Shua!
The Cheng Wangfei abruptly pushed away the Cheng Wang who tried to grab her.
“Yue Niang, let me explain!” Cheng Wang's voice was full of urgency.
“Explain what? Explain how you conspired with the Song family and used those items to deceive me?” Her eyes were red, brimming with anger.
“No, I didn’t! I never lied to you—it’s all the Song family’s slander…”
Before Cheng Wang could finish, a cold, sarcastic voice echoed from outside.
“The Song family is truly wronged. It was clearly a mutually beneficial scheme, yet now you’re pushing all the blame onto them.”
Everyone turned to look toward the entrance.
Seeing who it was, Cheng Wang erupted with fury. “Gu Helian, what are you doing here?!” His eyes were fierce. “Who let him in?!”
“I did.”
“Yue Niang?” Cheng Wang's expression was filled with disbelief. “Why…?”
The Wangfei's face was icy. “Since I’m hosting this banquet, I can invite whomever I please.”
“But he’s Gu Helian!” Cheng Wang roared in anger.
Hearing this, Gu Helian sneered, “So what if I’m Gu Helian? Is my Gu family unworthy of entering your Cheng Wang Manor, or is it that you have a guilty conscience and can’t bear to face me?”
Seeing Cheng Wang glaring daggers at him, he clicked his tongue.
“Oh, please don’t put on that face. If not for Yue Niang’s invitation, I wouldn't have set foot here. Your banquet is crude and cheap, this rundown house and shabby feast—can you even call this a proper event? It doesn't even compare to an ordinary family dinner in Zuozhou. The audacity to invite noble guests from the capital is downright laughable.”
The guests went silent.
Cheng Wang Manor was far from ‘shabby.’ While not the most luxurious estate in the capital, it was certainly elegant and well-regarded.
If anyone else had made such a comment, they’d be dismissed as ignorant. But looking at Gu Helian, everyone fell into an uncomfortable silence.
Standing at the entrance bathed in spring sunlight, Gu Helian’s crimson robe, embroidered with cloud patterns and lined with golden threads, shimmered brilliantly. His sash was adorned with precious stones, and his hair was bound with a golden crown, the large red jade on top gleaming vividly. He epitomized opulence and grandeur.
On anyone else, such attire would appear garish, but on him, the red and gold only enhanced his magnetic presence.
Seeing Cheng Wang’s livid expression, Gu Helian’s taunts intensified. “What are you glaring at? Trying to show off your big eyes?”
“You—”
“You what? Can’t form a sentence?”
“Gu Helian!!!”
“Why are you shouting? Such bad manners.” He rubbed his ear in mock annoyance. “Claiming to be a royal manor, yet unable to accommodate even one more guest? If you're really that destitute, I’ll just leave.”
Cheng Wang was seething, his face pale with rage, chest heaving as if he were on the verge of cursing aloud.
Others present wore varied expressions, and even Song Tangning seemed stunned—never had she imagined that the legendary Gu Helian would be like this.
“Gu Helian, enough with the antics,” the Wangfei frowned at him.
Gu Helian’s flamboyance faded, and he glanced at her with a hint of bitterness. “Ah, it's always ‘Gu Helian’ when you need me, but when you don’t, I’m just a troublemaker.”
The Wangfei’s brow furrowed slightly.
Gu Helian gave a soft, disdainful laugh, his playful demeanor vanishing. “I’ve stayed away from the capital for a long time. If it weren’t for Xie Tianyu’s underhanded tricks, I wouldn't have bothered with this wretched place.”
“The dignified Cheng Wang, conspiring with the Song family, using the investigation of Song's illegitimate daughter's background in Anzhou as a pretext to instruct the local authorities to falsify her registration, helping the Song family perpetuate lies. Not only that, but you even fabricated a story about Song Xi’s supposed past affair with Song Shulan's mother, framing a child born from Song Hong’s infidelity as part of the Song family’s second branch.”
“Speaking with someone so despicable makes me feel like I've sullied my mouth!”
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[You can read ahead to chapterr 100 here]
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Gu Helian totally wanted to marry Rong Yue
ReplyDeleteyou clocked him lol
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