Best friends dressed up in ancient times to become mistresses? You run, I run too!

Shen Ningzhu felt a mix of bitterness and complex emotions. She opened her mouth as if to explain, but ultimately remained silent.

Many of the noble ladies and gentlemen who came today knew the original owner's character, and some had even dealt with her many times before.

The original owner was always arrogant and domineering, so she couldn't easily break her persona, lest they become suspicious.

Furthermore...

This was a rare opportunity, and she had to use Princess Qingyi to dissuade the Crown Prince from taking her into his household.

Just then, Shen Ningxue's expression changed to one of impending tears. She timidly stepped forward, gently pinched Shen Ningzhu's sleeve, and said in a soft voice:

“Sister, Xue’er knows you are in love with His Highness the Crown Prince. Every time you see him, you can’t help it… that’s why…”

"But, but you should restrain yourself. Today is, after all, a welcome banquet specially hosted by His Highness the Crown Prince for Princess Qingyi. It's very important. How could you..."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear. She didn't explicitly say what she couldn't help, but everyone present was shrewd enough to understand what she meant.

Shen Ningzhu used to be infatuated with His Highness the Crown Prince, and for this reason she often competed with other noble ladies in the capital for his affections.

If she knew anyone who liked the Crown Prince, she would definitely find a way to deal with them. In order to win the Crown Prince's attention, she would do anything and made quite a few jokes.

Upon hearing Shen Ningxue's words, everyone immediately recalled Shen Ningzhu's past actions and naturally interpreted her behavior today as incorrigible and an attempt to attract the Crown Prince's attention.

"Tsk tsk tsk, such a vixen has appeared in the capital, she's really disgracing our noble ladies."

"I've really learned something new. She's used every trick in the book, from relentless pursuit to feigned indifference. Even the most skilled actors in Peking Opera can't match her performance."

"Luckily, this isn't my daughter, otherwise I would have personally drowned her in a pig cage rather than let her escape and tarnish my family's reputation."

"Poor Minister Shen, both of his sons are outstanding individuals, yet he has such a shameless daughter. What a misfortune for his family!"

"Wait a minute, I heard that Shen Ningzhu isn't the Shen family's biological daughter, but a fake heiress who was switched at birth. By the way, who was that woman who was talking just now?"

"Judging from her standing next to the Minister's wife and being so intimate with her, could she be the real daughter of the Shen family?"

"That face does resemble the Minister's wife quite a bit; perhaps it really is."

"They say dragons beget dragons and phoenixes beget phoenixes. Indeed, you can tell the real phoenix from the fake one at a glance. That woman looks well-educated, gentle and dignified, unlike that peasant girl who is vulgar from head to toe. Even if she was raised in a noble family, she still could not become the crown prince even if she wore the dragon robe."

"Shh, do you want to die? There are too many people around, so you can say whatever you want about her, but don't make random comparisons. His Highness the Crown Prince is still here."

Shen Ningzhu: "..."

What a cunning little green tea! With just a few words of provocation, she managed to incite the noble ladies to despise Shen Ningzhu.

That's really high-level.

But this suited her perfectly.

Shen Ningzhu stood up and stepped forward, slapping Shen Ningxue hard across the face.

"Snapped--"

A loud slap rang out, and the air fell silent instantly. After a long while, Jiang Wanwan, trembling all over, raised her finger and pointed at Shen Ningzhu, "Rebellious daughter, rebellious daughter..."

Shen Ningxue's almond-shaped eyes were brimming with tears, but she stubbornly held them back.

Her pitiful appearance instantly evoked sympathy from many people. The way most people looked at Shen Ningzhu changed; it was no longer just a matter of looking down on her.

Rather, it was a deep-seated aversion.

It's like looking at some disgusting garbage.

Shen Ningxue's voice was tinged with a sob, "Sister, but what did I do wrong? Why do you have to humiliate me like this in front of so many people?"