Cold-faced Empress

Fu Siying's indifferent and dismissive tone caused Wei Lanling to clench her fists tightly, her hands hidden in her sleeves.

"Thank you for the advice, cousin."

Fu Siying glanced sideways at Wei Lanling, who was keeping her head down, and sneered, "No need to thank me, just don't try to smear me in the future."

Wei Lanling was taken aback, and stammered, "No, I wouldn't dare."

Fu Siying gave a soft snort and said nothing more.

……

Wangyue Lake is the most beautiful and charming lake in the imperial city. In the sweltering summer, when the ladies of various families had nowhere to escape the heat, they would often choose to come here for a boat ride.

Most of those who made appointments with Fu Yunzhi were daughters of the imperial family, with only a few daughters of officials from families with shallow backgrounds.

The lakeside was shaded by green trees and teeming with tourists. As soon as the Fu family's carriage appeared, it attracted everyone's attention and drew a crowd.

The carriage stopped, and before the people inside even appeared, whispers and murmurs began to circulate around them.

"Fu Yunzhi still dares to come? Didn't she almost get ridiculed to tears by Hu Lingjing last time?"

Hearing this, Fu Siying, inside the carriage, glanced sideways at Yunzhi. Yunzhi's face flushed red, her small hands clenched in front of her, looking ashamed and angry.

Someone outside the carriage said, "What else can we do if we don't come? The Fu family's crisis is not over yet. Even the Prime Minister is anxious and keeps visiting various families and households to inquire about the situation. As a daughter, Fu Yunzhi should naturally do her part."

"If even Fu Yunzhi can put aside her pride and socialize everywhere, why haven't we seen Fu Siying?"

"Heh, she's the one who caused the Fu family's troubles. How dare she come out and act arrogantly again? I heard she lost both arms; she's probably crippled now!"

A burst of unrestrained laughter rang out.

Hearing the conversation outside the car, Fu Siying raised her hand and tapped Yunzhi on the forehead: "Look at what you've got! It's only been a few days, and even Tom, Dick, and Harry dare to point at you and laugh at you!"

Yunzhi was filled with shame. Those talking outside the carriage weren't whispering; they knew perfectly well they'd be overheard inside. They were deliberately mocking Fu Yunzhi!

It's like kicking someone when they're down.

"get off!"

The people outside the carriage fell silent as soon as they saw the carriage curtain lifted.

Wei Lanling was the first to step down from the carriage. She only had time to glance around before being startled by the diverse gazes directed at her, leaving her only with a stunning impression of vibrant beauty. Fu Siying hadn't lied to her; this place was indeed filled with noble ladies and gentlemen from the capital, each possessing extraordinary bearing and elegant demeanor!

Seeing Wei Lanling's simple attire and timid demeanor, everyone assumed she was a servant. Someone chuckled maliciously, "How come even Fu Yunzhi's maid is so lowly?"

Wei Lanling, with her sharp ears, heard this and felt extremely embarrassed.

With the help of her maid, Fu Yunzhi slowly stepped down from the carriage. She had a smile on her face and looked radiant. She glanced at the girls standing far away around her and gave a confident hum.

This truly surprised onlookers: "Why does Fu Yunzhi look so smug today? Hey, isn't that girl Fu Siying's maid?"

Someone with sharp eyes noticed Qingyin waiting by the carriage. Suddenly, the scene fell silent. Those nearby who sensed something amiss couldn't help but approach.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Haruno raised her arm and said, "Please get out of the car, Miss."

Fu Siying!

Everyone stared in disbelief, their gazes fixed on the carriage. Fu Siying dared to show herself in public? Wasn't she crippled?

In the blink of an eye, a slender, delicate hand gently rested on Qingyin's arm. The vibrant red nail polish accentuated her smooth, porcelain-like skin. Then, the red gauze sleeves that were revealed fluttered in the breeze, obscuring the view of those around them. Once the red gauze had flown past, it instantly transformed into Fu Siying, her expression as cold and aloof as a celestial maiden.

A beautiful woman, her radiance captivating all.

With just one glance, it overshadowed all the splendor and sounds of the world.

A long road lined with green trees, bustling with pedestrians and vehicles, suddenly becomes quiet.

Fu Siying stepped out of the carriage, but instead of getting off, she stood high above, her eyes glancing at the direction where the people who had been gossiping earlier were.

Several girls of similar age immediately turned pale and slowly moved to leave the crowd.

“Heh,” Fu Siying chuckled softly, and with Qingyin’s help, she gracefully stepped down from the carriage. “There are more and more frogs in Wangyue Lake. You can hear a chorus of frogs even while sitting in the carriage.”

Seeing the faces of those gossipy women turn from white to red, Fu Yunzhi giggled and linked arms with Fu Siying: "Hehehe, that's right, they've been making such a racket lately! Let's see if they'll still be so noisy after summer!"

Fu Siying said casually, "No need to wait until summer is over. If you annoy me, I'll roast them right here on the lake shore and have a good meal."

After saying that, he glanced at them again with a deep look, and the women all lowered their heads and hurriedly fled.

A girl who knew Fu Siying approached her with a forced smile and asked about her injuries, but she didn't dare to get too close, as if she was afraid that others would mistake her for someone like Fu Siying and thus attract the attention of Prince Mu.

Fu Siying ignored all these hypocritical people and asked Yunzhi, "Where is that vixen?"

Fu Yunzhi lifted her foot and looked around: "I don't know. They said we would meet at Qianxue Pavilion and then board the boat together."

A young master from an unknown family overheard this and smiled warmly at Fu Siying, saying, "I just came from the dock and saw Miss Hu and a group of girls waiting for the boat."

Fu Siying smiled at the young man who answered, then turned to Yunzhi and mocked, "Looks like you've been tricked by that vixen."

Xiao Yunzhi remained silent.

Fu Siying snorted lightly: "Let's go!"

After saying that, he turned and got into the car.

Xiao Yunzhi was startled: "Sister, are we going back now?"

"Go back? Go to the docks!"

Anyone who heard Fu Siying's words could sense her anger. Seeing the Fu family's carriage speeding towards the dock, the onlookers couldn't help but follow closely, all thinking there was a good show to watch.

Wei Lanling sensed the unusually tense atmosphere in the carriage and instinctively shrank back. She dared not look at Fu Siying, for she could almost smell the menacing aura emanating from her. This undoubtedly surprised and frightened Wei Lanling, making her realize that the embarrassment Fu Siying had caused her earlier was indeed a restraint.

Whether others were afraid of or fawned over Fu Siying, Wei Lanling felt envious.

She wanted everything that Fu Siying enjoyed!

The carriage had just approached the dock and hadn't even stopped when Fu Yunzhi, who had been looking out the small window, suddenly exclaimed nervously, "Ah! They've already boarded the ship!"

"What's the rush?" Fu Siying pressed down on her sister. "I can call them back obediently once the boat leaves. Calm down."

After the carriage stopped, all the girls who had arranged to meet Fu Yunzhi had boarded the boat, and the boat gradually rowed away from the dock.

Fu Yunzhi frowned: "How can we call them back? As soon as they see it's us, that vixen will be extremely smug."

Wei Lanling was also very curious about what Fu Siying planned to do. In her opinion, Fu Siying was simply talking big.

At this moment, Fu Siying turned to look at Wei Lanling and said, "Since I brought you here today to broaden your horizons, you can't just follow behind me and Yunzhi like a servant, can you?"

Wei Lanling hurriedly agreed, then asked nervously, "What does my cousin want me to do?"

Fu Siying smiled and said a few words leisurely.

Upon hearing this, Wei Lanling's expression changed, but under Fu Siying's gaze, she could only bite the bullet and agree.

Fu Siying reached out and gently patted Wei Lanling's hand: "It's nothing. If you do it well, the rift between us will be wiped clean, understand?"

"……Um."

So, the crowd following behind the Fu family's carriage waited and waited, but instead of Fu Siying getting off the carriage, they saw the pretty Wei Lanling.

As Wei Lanling walked towards the dock amidst the elegantly dressed young men and women, she looked troubled and forced. She could hear people questioning why Fu Siying had only sent a maid, and she could also hear people saying that she was quite pretty.

Many people followed behind Wei Lanling, waiting to see what she would do.

"Miss Hu's ship has already left the dock. Miss Fu is out of options, isn't she?"

Under everyone's gaze, Wei Lanling walked to the boatman's side at the dock and said nervously, "Boatman, Miss Hu's son has died. Please inform the boatman."

Upon hearing that the son of some wealthy young lady had died, the boatman thought to himself, "This is terrible!" Forgetting all his doubts about which young lady could have a child, he hurriedly shouted at the top of his lungs towards the pleasure boat that had just rowed away, "Old Ninth, come back! Miss Hu's son on board has died, and her family has come to report the death!"

As soon as this statement came out, there was an uproar around him.

"Miss Hu has a son?!"

Upon hearing this, the coachman on the distant boat reported to the cabin. A short while later, the people on the shore saw a wealthy young lady adorned with gold and silver come out angrily. It was none other than Miss Hu Lingjing from the Hu family.

Enraged, Hu Lingjing yelled at the shore, "Which bitch is making this up? Where did I get a son from?!"

Wei Lanling hadn't expected the so-called Miss Hu to be so fierce, and quickly hid behind the boatman. The boatman turned around and asked anxiously, and Wei Lanling, holding her breath, finished telling him what Fu Siying had told her: "It is indeed Miss Hu, and her son is named 'Shuangxi'."

The boatman roared back, "Miss Hu, is your son named 'Shuangxi'? If so, then there's no mistake! Your family has come to announce the death!"

Just when everyone thought Wei Lanling was still talking nonsense, Hu Lingjing exclaimed in shock, "What?! Shuangxi is dead?! Quick, quick, go back and get ashore!"

Amidst the stunned silence of the crowd, the pleasure boat, which had only been rowing for a short while, returned to the dock. Hu Lingjing hurriedly disembarked and went straight to the boatman: "Where are my people!"

The boatman pointed to Wei Lanling behind him: "Here she is."

Hu Lingjing turned her head and saw a completely unfamiliar woman. She immediately raised her eyebrows and asked angrily, "Who are you!" Her fierce gaze seemed as if she would devour Wei Lanling at any moment.

Wei Lanling was so frightened that she took three steps back: "I...I..."

Turning around in a panic, but unable to see Fu Siying and Fu Yunzhi, Wei Lanling forced herself to remain calm in the face of the fierce-looking Miss Hu, and said in a trembling voice, "I am Fu Siying's cousin."

"What?!" Upon hearing Wei Lanling say that she was Fu Siying's cousin, Hu Lingjing immediately realized that she had been deceived and looked up to slap Wei Lanling hard across the face!

"Snapped"!

With one slap, Wei Lanling was knocked to the ground!

"You bitch, how dare you lie to me!?"