"Who does she think she is?!"
Princess Leyang was furious after being publicly slighted by Dowager Princess Lu.
She had invited the old woman with the intention of intimidating Song Tangning, using her authority to solidify the "rescue from drowning" incident and force the "compromised" Song Tangning into marrying into the Fourth Prince household.
Princess Leyang had planned it all out. Once her son pulled Song Tangning from the water, even if he barely touched her, she would use Dowager Princess Lu’s influence to spread the scandal far and wide, pressuring Song Tangning into submission.
But now?
Tangning had indeed fallen into the water yet her son and the other useless men from the household were nowhere to be found.
If she couldn’t secure Song Tangning, ensnaring the Qian family’s daughter would have been a decent consolation prize. But in the end, she got neither.
When the two young women emerged from the water, they were perfectly composed, without a single man in sight. Princess Leyang nearly fumed herself into a rage.
Then, when Song Tangning humiliated her, she had hoped Dowager Princess Lu would step in to discipline the girl, only for the old woman to fail miserably, nearly getting outmaneuvered by two young ladies.
What was the point of inviting her in the first place?!
Princess Leyang kicked a teacup that had fallen to the ground, sending it smashing against the steps with a loud crack.
"That old hag has no sense of propriety, yet she dares blame me for her own blunders! Just because I call her ‘Aunt,’ she thinks she’s someone important!"
The Fourth Prince’s consort nearly got hit by the shards. As her maid shielded her, a flicker of disgust passed through her eyes.
"Your Highness, don’t be angry. The Dowager Princess only lashed out at you because Yiyang County Princess and the others embarrassed her. But speaking of tonight… isn’t it strange? How did they end up falling into the water out of nowhere?"
Princess Leyang stiffened slightly.
The Fourth Prince’s consort continued as if she hadn’t noticed:
"Life is already hard enough for women. With so many people witnessing their fall, the County Princess and Miss Qian must have suffered greatly."
"Your Highness may not know, but not long ago, the daughter of Commandant Mu was stranded outside the city overnight due to a broken carriage. The gossip nearly drove her to become a nun. If County Princess and Miss Qian hadn’t had maids who could swim, and with the chaos tonight, what if some man had ‘accidentally’ rescued them? That would have been a real disaster."
"They must still be shaken from the ordeal. Please don’t hold it against them…"
Princess Leyang clenched her fists, her gaze flickering uncertainly. She couldn’t tell if the Fourth Prince’s consort was speaking deliberately or just making idle conversation.
She was both frustrated by her household’s incompetence and terrified that someone might uncover the truth behind tonight’s events.
Fortunately, the Fourth Prince’s consort seemed to have merely been musing aloud. After speaking, she bowed slightly in apology.
"I only came tonight to relax, but who knew such a mess would happen? I must return now."
As if worried Princess Leyang might misunderstand, she added:
As if she was afraid that Princess Leyang would misunderstand, she explained, "In a few days it will be the Zhongyuan Festival. Lingyun Temple will hold the Yulan Festival. In previous years, my mother would lead the officials and their families to chant sutras and walk around the altar, but this year my father is angry with my mother, so she is afraid that she cannot leave the palace."
"Rituals require sincerity. I also need to light a lantern for my late mother, so I must return to prepare. Forgive me for not accompanying you further, Aunt."
With a half-curtsey, the Fourth Prince’s consort took her leave.
Princess Leyang didn’t stop her, only murmuring thoughtfully:
"The Yulan Festival…"
A servant from the Princess’s household, assuming she was unfamiliar with it, quickly explained:
"The Yulan Festival is held annually. Her Majesty has always led the palace women in sutra recitations, and many noble families visit the temple to honor their deceased."
"The deceased…"
Princess Leyang’s eyes gleamed.
Wasn’t Song Tangning an orphan?
The very reason she had clashed with the Song family before was because of that bastard daughter of a concubine who had knocked over her mother’s memorial lantern at Lingyun Temple!
Lately, Song Tangning had been holed up in Jiyun Alley, refusing all social invitations except for trips to Rongsheng Academy. There had been no chance to get close to her.
Tonight’s plan had failed, but now another opportunity had fallen into her lap!
Lingyun Temple was far easier to manipulate than the capital. Tonight’s scheme had been rushed and poorly executed. But if she could lure Song Tangning to the temple…
This time, she wouldn’t fail.
A scandal of seduction before the Buddha would be far more damning than a mere "compromised" reputation.
At that point, even if she offered Song Tangning nothing more than a concubine’s position, the girl would have no choice but to accept or hang herself with a silken rope.
After being repeatedly humiliated by Tangning, Princess Leyang no longer held her in high regard.
If she could bind Song Tangning as a secondary wife, her son would still be free to marry a more useful match, someone like the Qian family’s daughter, whose connections far outweighed those of a parentless girl.
Princess Leyang frowned.
But how to get Song Tangning to Lingyun Temple?
---
Later That Night
As the group left Yinghu Lake, the surroundings grew quiet.
After thanking the Marquess of Wenxin’s wife for her support, Tangning bid farewell to her and her daughter before returning to Jiyun Alley with Qian Qiyue and the others.
Zhou Yuchang noticed her mother’s troubled expression. "Mother, what’s wrong?"
The Marquess of Wenxin’s wife frowned. "Tonight’s events… there’s something off about them."
Zhou Yuchang blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Don’t you think it’s too coincidental that Tangning and the others fell into the water just as we happened to pass by?"
The marchioness gazed in the direction of Tangning’s departing carriage, her instincts warning her that the "accident" had been staged.
Princess Leyang and the Fourth Prince’s consort had clearly been egging Dowager Princess Lu on, trying to provoke a confrontation. What was supposed to be a simple gathering had spiraled into chaos.
If she had known, she would never have accepted Princess Leyang’s invitation.
Zhou Yuchang’s expression shifted as she grasped her mother’s meaning. "Should we warn Tangning?"
The marchioness shook her head. "She’s likely already realized it. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have retaliated so decisively at Yuelai Tower. I’ll send word to Rong Yue. You stay out of this and keep your distance from Princess Leyang and the Fourth Prince’s consort from now on."
She paused, then added: "And the Lu Prince’s household as well."
Dowager Princess Lu had always been known for her strict but fair adherence to propriety. But tonight had revealed the arrogance festering beneath her noble facade.
She was easily manipulated, her temper harsh and unreasonable.
Such a family was unfit for the Marquis household and unfit for Yuchang.
Any thoughts of a marriage alliance were now out of the question.
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You can read ahead to chapterr 470 (100+ extra chapters) here
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