Seeing her, Lu Xin panicked. "A-Aunt."
Lady Wei said coolly, "You're just spouting nonsense. Leave now."
Lu Xin's expression changed, and she clenched her fists tightly. 'If I just leave like this, won't it confirm that everything I said was nonsense?'
'But Aunt has already spoken. If I don't back down now, I'm bound to displease her.' 'With Grandmother away, Aunt is the one who calls the shots in this vast Duke Dingguo Mansion.' 'Even my own mother wouldn't dare provoke her, so how could I?'
With this in mind, Lu Xin gave Zhi Wan a resentful look and prepared to withdraw. But then she saw Zhi Wan smile at her.
The smile itself was nothing special; anyone else would have thought nothing of it. But in Lu Xin's eyes, it was a provocation.
She was already unwilling to leave just like that, and Zhi Wan's smile easily ignited the fire of rage in her chest.
'Zhi Wan is just a helpless orphan with no one to rely on, yet Lady Wei treats her with more importance than a proper Miss Lu like me.'
Jealousy and a sense of injustice made Lu Xin lose all reason.
Throwing all caution to the wind, she shouted, "Aunt, I know you've always been partial to her, but she really did push Mr. Wang into the pond! You must punish her severely. Otherwise, the reputation of our Duke Dingguo Mansion will be ruined by her one day!"
Lady Wei's expression changed. Her gaze was filled with utter disappointment.
'A moment ago, I didn't press the issue, first, for the sake of the second branch, and second, because I didn't want to embarrass this niece of mine in public.' 'But this niece of mine simply doesn't understand my intentions.' 'Making such a scene... has she truly no shame?'
"I didn't do it. I don't even know any Mr. Wang, why would I push him? Lu Xin, I know you've never liked me, but you can't just make things up and slander me. You keep insisting I pushed some Mr. Wang, so can you bring him here to confront me?" Zhi Wan, on the verge of tears, took out a handkerchief and gently dabbed the corner of her eye. Her eyes immediately reddened, making her look helpless and pitiful.
Seeing this, Ouyang Zhenzhu and the other young ladies felt even more sympathy for her. 'Poor Zhi Wan.'
"Lu Xin, show us some proof! If you don't have any, then stop spouting nonsense!"
"Just have Mr. Wang come and confront her, wouldn't that solve it?"
"I think she's deliberately slandering Zhi Wan!"
"Duchess Dingguo, you must stand up for Zhi Wan! Lu Xin bullies her all the time!"
Hearing everyone clamoring to defend Zhi Wan, Lu Xin felt a metallic-sweet taste in her throat and nearly coughed up blood.
'What a piece of work, that Zhi Wan!'
'A two-faced bitch!'
"Aunt, I didn't frame Zhi Wan, she..."
"Silence!" Lady Wei was furious.
Zhi Wan's words just now made her suddenly realize that Wan'er's situation in the mansion was probably not as peaceful as she had thought. It seemed she was bullied by Lu Xin quite often.
Realizing this possibility, Lady Wei's heart tightened. She rebuked in a stern voice, "Wan'er has always been well-behaved and kind. Why would she push someone into the water for no reason? Lu Xin, if you're going to sling mud at her, you'd better have proof. If you can't produce any proof, then it means you're deliberately slandering her!"
"I..." Lu Xin was rendered speechless, her mind in a frantic panic, because she had no proof to offer.
Wang Zeren, having been embarrassed, had already left the Duke Dingguo Mansion, and no one else had witnessed the incident.
"Someone, come! Miss Lu has lost her mind. Take her back to the second branch!" Lady Wei, not wanting to hear another word, gave the order directly.
Lu Xin's face went deathly pale. 'If I'm dragged away like this, my reputation will be ruined.'
"Aunt, you have to believe me! I really didn't slander Zhi Wan! Everything I said is... MPH!"
She couldn't finish her sentence. Nanny Fang personally led two matrons over, clamped a hand over Lu Xin's mouth, and hauled her out of the water pavilion.
Lu Xin's eyes widened and she tried to struggle, but it was futile against the two strong, burly matrons.
Soon, Lu Xin was taken away.
Lady Wei suppressed her anger and said to the crowd with an apologetic expression, "My niece is ill-mannered. I apologize for the scene. Please, everyone, sit down. We've been delayed for so long, the food must be getting cold."
The farce was over, and everyone returned to their seats.
They had certainly had their eyes opened today. Lu Xin's outburst at the flower-viewing banquet was so foolish, a true disgrace to the bearing of a noble lady. Now she was even labeled as having "lost her mind." Her reputation was truly ruined.
Everyone shook their heads secretly, but no one pitied Lu Xin.
On the other side, the young men from the noble families couldn't see what was happening, but the commotion had not been small, and they had naturally heard it all.
Any of those young men who had been considering a marriage alliance with the second branch of the Duke Dingguo Mansion now completely dismissed the idea.
A man should marry a virtuous wife. With a temperament like Miss Lu's, so utterly regardless of the occasion, marrying her would surely lead to endless strife in the household.
Lady Wei didn't care what others thought of Lu Xin; her heart was now filled with guilt toward Zhi Wan.
But with outsiders still present, she said nothing more, only telling her, "Wan'er, I'll leave things here to you."
"Of course, Aunt." Zhi Wan nodded obediently.
After watching Lady Wei leave the water pavilion, she returned to her seat, raised her cup, and said gratefully to the few young ladies at her table, "Thank you all for speaking up for me today. I toast you all!"
The young ladies all raised their cups and drank with her.
For a time, the atmosphere at the banquet table was very lively, not in the least affected by the recent incident.
It was Zhi Wan's first time drinking alcohol, and in her happiness, she accidentally drank too much. By the time the banquet ended, she was already a little tipsy.
As they were leaving, Ouyang Zhenzhu took Zhi Wan's hand and warned, "Zhi Wan, I don't think that Lu Xin will let this go. You should be careful."
Zhi Wan paused.
'Lu Xin?'
'Although Aunt didn't punish Lu Xin just now because of the guests, she would never let Lu Xin off lightly in private.' 'Besides, after that scene, Lu Xin's reputation is ruined.' 'For the near future, Lu Xin will have her own hands full. She won't be able to cause any more trouble for me.' 'Perhaps, for the sake of her reputation, Lady Lou will marry Lu Xin off as soon as possible.'
In the face of Ouyang Zhenzhu's goodwill, Zhi Wan didn't explain much, only nodding obediently. "Okay."
Seeing her like this, Ouyang Zhenzhu's heart ached with pity.
'Zhi Wan is so obedient and kind. In the mansion, I bet even the servants can bully her, right?'
"Zhi Wan, you have to be fiercer, then no one will dare bully you." As Ouyang Zhenzhu spoke, she made a ferocious expression. "Like this!"
Seeing this, Zhi Wan felt an urge to laugh.
But Ouyang Zhenzhu was truly a warm-hearted person.
"I know." Zhi Wan suppressed her laughter and nodded seriously.
Ouyang Zhenzhu scratched her head. "I'll come find you to hang out again tomorrow."
"Okay," Zhi Wan agreed with a nod.
Only then did Ouyang Zhenzhu leave reluctantly.
"Miss, Miss Ouyang is so nice," Shuang'er couldn't help but say on the way back to Yaoguang Pavilion.
"Yes, she is," Zhi Wan agreed with a nod.
Shuang'er was about to say more when she suddenly curtsied and said, "This servant greets the Princely Heir."
The alcohol was starting to get to Zhi Wan, and her head felt groggy. Hearing Shuang'er, she looked up.
She saw a tall, slender figure approaching in the distance.
Only when the person drew closer did Zhi Wan recognize him.
"Cousin," she called out softly.
Lu Zhan stopped in his tracks. His gaze fell on her flushed face, and his sharp brows furrowed slightly. "You've been drinking?"