The evil woman is arrogant and the cold emperor can't sleep at night

"You are of low status, and you won't let this princess speak?"

Mingyue was unhappy when she heard this. She was just telling the truth, but how could it be considered an insult to her? Who was she pretending to be so pitiful for?

There is no one in the Yong'an Marquis Mansion who is easy to deal with, and Shen Tang'an's sister looks even more annoying than her!

"Sister, if you want to teach me a lesson, you can punish me as you like when we get back to the mansion, but this is outside, so please save some face for me."

Shen Qingwan did not argue too much with Mingyue. Instead, she looked at Shen Tangan who was standing aside and had nothing to do with the matter. She pouting her brows and crying silently made anyone feel pity for her.

There were already many people in the pavilion in the middle of the lake, and Mingyue's voice was loud, so they gathered here and had already attracted many stares.

As soon as Shen Qingwan pleaded, the people around her looked at Shen Tangan with unfriendly eyes.

"This eldest daughter of the Marquis's family is really as arrogant and domineering as the rumors say. Look at what she has done to her own sister. She is so ruthless outside, who knows how she will bully her in the mansion!"

"That's right, you're not afraid of being laughed at by others!"

Shen Tangan blinked with an innocent look on her face. She didn't say a word, so how could these people blame her?

This trick of diverting trouble away is really well used!

Knowing that he couldn't afford to offend Mingyue, he deliberately directed the rumors toward her.

These people love excitement and can criticize her to pieces with just a few words.

"Sister, what are you talking about? Even if you hid my visiting card, I wouldn't blame you."

She stood still and raised her voice slightly, deliberately letting everyone hear clearly.

Sure enough, the voices that were discussing her just now stopped instantly and everyone turned to Shen Qingwan.

"Sister, I didn't..."

Shen Qingwan was startled. She didn't expect that she would reveal the family secrets in front of so many people.

After all, it was a conflict between sisters. How could she embarrass herself like this in front of outsiders?

In that case, don't blame her!

She immediately put on an expression of a victim, bit her lower lip, and spoke pitifully.

"If my mother hadn't forbidden me to go out, how could I..."

"younger sister!"

Shen Tangan suddenly raised his voice and interrupted her.

She may not care about Shen Qingwan slandering her reputation, but she can never allow her to frame her mother.

He lowered his eyes and looked at her with a squinting expression, his eyes narrowed coldly.

"Although you are not registered under my mother's name, and you are not considered a daughter of the Marquis's mansion, my mother is broad-minded and has always treated you as her own daughter. She provides you with the same food, clothing and other expenses as I do. If you want to come to the Spring Banquet, you only need to send someone to tell me. Why do you have to hide my invitation?

If my aunt hadn't sent someone to ask me if I wanted to go to the Spring Banquet with her, I wouldn't have known about it. If the Queen asked me why I didn't come, wouldn't I be accused of being arrogant and disrespectful to the Queen?"

The fact that she was not the "daughter of the Marquis's Mansion" and was not the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's Mansion inevitably gave rise to people's imaginations.

All those present were noble ladies from prominent families; even those kneeling behind Shen Qingwan were at least legitimate daughters of fifth-rank officials.

She was taught by her stepmother since she was young and had to learn to manage the household at the age of seven or eight. She was not a young lady who knew nothing.

Whose backyard is not full of troublesome concubines and half-sisters? They have all seen the secrets of the inner house to some extent.

Now the looks towards Shen Qingwan had changed, mostly disgust and hatred, especially those young ladies who had just been fooled by her, all of them had angry expressions on their faces, but they could not lose their composure in front of outsiders.

It's not that they look down on illegitimate children, but people like this who are full of schemes and tricks are looked down upon wherever they go.

"It turns out that this second young lady of the Marquis's Mansion is not even the daughter of the Marquis's Mansion. Could she be a concubine's daughter?"

"That's not right, but she is very scheming. We can't play tricks on her. We should be careful not to fall into her trap. It's better to stay away from her!"

"I think she must have deliberately stolen the eldest lady's invitation card in order to have the young lady held accountable by the Queen, right? You can't judge a person by appearance. She looks harmless, but who would have known that she has such a vicious mind."

"Madam Yong'an is really magnanimous. She can tolerate such a person. I think she must have suffered a lot of grievances in her daily life."

Everyone's words were like knives, piercing Shen Qingwan's heart. She lowered her head, feeling ashamed and angry, but she had no way to refute it.

I had obviously been careful enough and made so much effort. I was about to shine at the palace banquet, but in the end it was all ruined by that bitch Shen Tangan!

Did she discover that the visiting card had been stolen a long time ago, and deliberately wait until the Spring Banquet to expose her and make her lose face?

He must be jealous that she snatched the prince away, so he wanted to take revenge on her in this way, for he was afraid that she would stand out at the banquet and be appreciated by the Queen.

"Sister, please have mercy on me. I just want to attend the Spring Banquet and have no other thoughts. You misunderstood me."

Shen Qingwan looked up at her and suddenly cried out in a trembling voice.

A powerful force knocked Shen Tangan away from behind. The prince, who appeared out of nowhere, strode up to Shen Qingwan, pulled her up from the ground, and said angrily.

"Shen Tangan, you are really going too far! How dare you make Wan'er kneel down and beg you in front of so many people? You are really cunning and vicious!"

"Your Highness, please speak with evidence. I have never been so harsh on her. The ladies from the noble families around me are all witnesses. I hope Your Highness will not accuse me casually."

Shen Tangan stood where he was, not at all flustered by his rebuke. He had a calm smile on his face and his back was straight, neither humble nor arrogant.

Shen Qingwan wouldn't think that she can get away with it just because she has the prince's support, right?

Everyone standing here recognized her true face, only the foolish prince was willing to be deceived by her.

"I know your vicious nature very well. You deliberately pushed Wan'er into trouble in the Marquis' Mansion, and now you humiliate her in front of so many people. I think you are jealous of her, so you keep making things difficult for her!"

Mu Jun didn't listen to her explanation at all, he just pointed at her and cursed her mercilessly.

"Your Highness, according to the rules you should call her Miss Shen."

Shen Tangan didn't care at all. He looked at the angry prince with a smile. His gaze passed over him and fell on the extremely weak Shen Qingwan who was hiding beside him. A smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

"Although Your Highness dislikes me, I am the Crown Princess appointed by Your Majesty to be engaged to you. I wonder if Your Highness is disobeying His Majesty's will by openly defending my concubine sister in front of so many people and disregarding my dignity?"

"How dare you use my father to threaten this prince!"

Mu Jun had already been scolded by his father for breaking off the engagement with her, so he became furious when he saw her.

Now she was threatening him with a marriage contract in public, and anger immediately took over his mind.

"Shen Tang'an! This prince has already said that he will cancel the engagement with you and marry Wan'er instead. Don't try to use this to blackmail me!"

"Oh? Your Majesty agrees?"