My stepsister tried to steal the prince's hand in marriage, but little did she know I had been

Wen Shuyao walked in slowly, with Granny Qi and Magpie flanking her on either side.

"Your Highness, please watch your step."

Granny Qi supported Wen Shuyao, constantly reminding her.

Although Magpie was young, she was not as capable as Granny Qi in these matters.

Many of these officials' wives and noblewomen recognized Granny Qi.

Xie Jinghan held a high position and was the emperor's favorite. Anyone important to him, such as Si Qing and Granny Qi, would be thoroughly investigated by those who wanted to curry favor with him.

Qi Mama's status in Prince Jing's mansion is well known to many.

When there was no mistress in the Prince Jing's mansion, Granny Qi's influence was second only to Xie Jinghan's.

This person, who served Wen Shuyao so carefully, made people reconsider Wen Shuyao's importance.

"Thank you, mama."

Wen Shuyao was very clever. When she saw that Granny Qi was deliberately lowering her posture in front of everyone, she immediately understood her intention.

Granny Qi helped her up and said in a low voice, "This is what this old servant should do. With the prince not in the capital, it's inevitable that some people will misunderstand and bully you."

“This old servant has watched the prince grow up, so naturally I cannot let the person he cherishes be bullied. Moreover, you are the mistress of our Prince Jing’s mansion, and you represent the face of our Prince Jing’s mansion.”

As she spoke, her gaze swept over those with ulterior motives.

She recognized many of the officials' wives and noblewomen present.

You can tell at a glance who is genuinely here to offer their congratulations and who is just trying to find out what's going on.

Granny Qi's eyes were sharp, and some guilty people lowered their heads.

Madam Wen was the first to be targeted, but she was very good at maintaining her composure. When she met Granny Qi's sharp eyes, she used the act of drinking tea to conceal her thoughts.

Where did Wen Shuyao get her good luck from?

She thought to herself that even someone as difficult as Granny Qi listened to her every word.

The thought that this marriage was originally meant for Wen Yitong filled her with another wave of heartache.

Unfortunately, many people present had fallen out with her, and she couldn't reveal even a hint of her regret to others, otherwise, she would become the subject of further gossip for these people.

Madam Wen swallowed her anger and sat down below the head of the table.

Firstly, because Wen Shuyao has a noble status, if she, as a stepmother, were to take the seat of honor, it would likely attract controversy.

Secondly, she was afraid that if the Duchess of Li and the Old Madam Chu appeared again, she would lose face in front of so many people.

Rather than being forced to step down, it's better to adopt a graceful and dignified attitude from the start.

If anyone asks, I simply brush it off with a sentence like, "She is my stepmother after all; I can't expect the princess to kneel and bow to me."

It can show one's carefree attitude, but also leave people with the impression that Wen Shuyao is a bully who relies on power.

As she thought of this, a faint, mocking smile appeared beneath her heavy makeup.

"See Princess."

As Wen Shuyao entered, everyone stood up and bowed in unison.

Regardless of his true feelings for Wen Shuyao, given her status, he couldn't be too lenient with the Princess Consort of Jing.

Wen Shuyao smiled warmly and gently raised her slender wrist: "No need for such formalities, everyone."

“Since this is a homecoming banquet, all the ladies and young women present are considered family members,” she said softly. “There’s no need for excessive formalities among family members.”

She spoke beautifully, making everyone feel comfortable after hearing her speak.

Some of the noble ladies who had dealings with her were more or less surprised to hear her speak such eloquent and polite words.

"Is this still Wen Shuyao? I remember her used to cower in a corner, and whenever someone tried to talk to her, she would just stare at them with her eyes wide open like a frightened rabbit?"

"Shh! She's Princess Jing now! Watch your words!"

The outspoken Miss Ding Shishi was pulled away forcefully by her friend Fang Jing.

Seeing the puzzled look on her face, Fang Jing cautioned, "Things are different now. Didn't you see that Wen Yitong is too scared to come out?"

When these noble ladies were playing together, the one who targeted Wen Shuyao the most wasn't them, but her younger sister Wen Yitong.

Upon hearing this, Ding Shishi immediately fell silent.

But seeing that no one was paying attention to her, she couldn't help but say, "But I feel that she has changed so much... she doesn't even seem like a human being anymore."

Fang Jing quickly waved her hand, and Ding Shishi covered her mouth and shook her head.

The two women thought they were unnoticed, but Madam Wen had seen them all.

"Doesn't look like a person?"

As Madam Wen muttered those words, a glint suddenly flashed in her eyes.

She gripped the armrest tightly, her excitement frightening even Lin Mama, who was standing nearby.

"Madam, what's wrong...?"

"I'm fine." Madam Wen closed her eyes and pondered for a moment, then made up her mind.

At this moment, she was radiant, all the gloom from before gone.

The more she acted this way, the more uneasy Lin Mama felt.

She knew her own wife's temper best, and what troubled Madam Wen was the big tumble she suffered at the hands of Wen Shuyao.

What could excite her so much must be that she has come up with another way to deal with Wen Shuyao.

As a result, Lin Mama was filled with unease.

Every battle he had fought with Wen Shuyao these days ended in a crushing defeat.

Will things really go as Mrs. Wen wishes this time?

Just then, Wen Yitong walked in.

On the surface, she was still the younger sister of Princess Jing. Those who knew the inside story looked down on her title, but those who didn't know the inside story treated her with great courtesy.

Wen Yitong strode in, her only thought was to see Wen Shuyao make a fool of herself, her eyes brimming with barely suppressed excitement.

However, after seeing what Granny Qi would do next, her gaze became fixed on Granny Qi.

What did she see?

Granny Qi was respectfully testing the temperature of the tea for Wen Shuyao.

Is this still the Granny Qi she knows?

If she hadn't clearly realized Qi Mama's respect for Wen Shuyao that night at Jinhua Temple, she saw it clearly today.

"Your Highness, be careful, it's hot."

Granny Qi handed the tea to Wen Shuyao, giving her some instructions as she spoke.

She is the kind of person who repays kindness with kindness and evil with evil.

If someone respects her, she will respect them in return.

If someone offends her, she will offend them a hundredfold.

When she first met Wen Shuyao at Jinhua Temple, she had a very good impression of her.

When Wen Shuyao finally became Princess Jing, she was still a little uneasy.

Having lived in the inner palace for many years, she had seen many people who completely changed their tune after gaining power.

Unexpectedly, Wen Shuyao remained as generous as ever. She valued her dowry but did not covet the other assets of the Prince Jing's mansion.

Such a good princess was naturally highly respected by Granny Qi.

But as soon as she poured Wen Shuyao a cup of tea, she noticed a gaze that could not be ignored.

As soon as he turned around, he met Wen Yitong's gaze.