Chapter 145

The incident of Zhao Shi causing a scene at the Xiao family shop had long been spread far and wide; everyone knew about it.

What everyone heard was nothing more than that the Xiao family's branch's good-for-nothing son, Xiao Ji, had caught Ye Qingran's eye, and Ye Qingran kept insisting on marrying him. But Xiao Ji was very high-minded, looking down on Ye Qingran, who was not chaste and lacked cultivation talent. Left with no choice, for the sake of this stepdaughter, Zhao Shi swallowed her pride and went to the Xiao family shop to beg Xiao Ji to agree to the marriage. Unexpectedly, Xiao Ji gave Zhao Shi no face at all, refusing her in front of countless Xiliang commoners and harshly humiliating Ye Qingran, showing his determination to never yield.

This incident made Zhao Shi's reputation as the "number one stepmother" grow ever brighter. The commoners praised her as a model stepmother, and many even demanded that all stepmothers in Xiliang City should take her as their benchmark.

This incident also greatly affected Ye Qingran's reputation. Many ignorant commoners, who originally knew little about this young lady of the Ye residence, had their eyes blinded by rumors, truly believing that Ye Qingran had sunk so low that even the ugly-looking, penniless Xiao Ji, who possessed no power or influence, looked down on her.

When this scandal was brought up in public, everyone assumed Ye Qingran's expression would be grim. Especially, the Seventh Prince said that after being rejected by Xiao Ji, she immediately married Zhou Hai, with virtually no gap in between—his meaning was nothing more than secretly calling Ye Qingran a fickle woman, available to any man!

Everyone had different thoughts, looking at this general's daughter, who had been in the limelight for just a few months, with complex gazes.

But who would have known, she raised the corner of her mouth and said lightly, 'Fortunately I had previously exchanged blows with the Seventh Prince before Wuji Hall; otherwise I would have thought the one speaking these words was not a prince of a nation, but a long-tongued woman.'

The Seventh Prince's expression changed, a surge of anger rose, veins bulged on his forehead, he slammed the table and stood up, shouting angrily, 'Ye Qingran, who are you scolding?!'

Ye Qingran remained unmoved, ignoring the Seventh Prince's blazing anger, and said with a smile, 'As the saying goes, one should not comment without knowing the full picture. As a member of the imperial clan, the Seventh Prince surely understands this principle, right? Since His Highness the Seventh Prince does not know the truth of the matter yet insists on spouting nonsense here, what is he if not a long-tongued woman?'

She was neither humble nor arrogant, her reasoning clear, her enunciation distinct, and her words carried weight.

Everyone could not help but feel secretly astonished.

After all, among the many people present, not everyone had personally seen Ye Qingran. Her few words displayed such composure and calmness that it was enough to astonish everyone.

Could this really be the legendary beauty who is nothing but a pretty vase, a good-for-nothing young lady?

Even those who had previously met Ye Qingran could not help but be conquered anew by the poise and quick-wittedness she displayed.

Ye Qingran's words drew agreement from many. Given that the truth of the matter was still unknown, speaking ill of others is hardly commendable, especially when the person involved is a high-ranking prince, making it all the more inappropriate and especially sharp-tongued and venomous.

A single sentence left the Seventh Prince choked.

His chest rose and fall repeatedly, then he thought of something and sneered, 'I'm spouting nonsense? Who doesn't know what kind of person you are, Ye Qingran? Back then you could do the shameless deed of getting pregnant out of wedlock, so how could you not now take a liking to Xiao Ji?'

'Your Highness the Seventh Prince, you keep saying I like Xiao Ji, but do you have any evidence?'

'Do we still need evidence?' the Seventh Prince laughed as if hearing a joke, scornful to the extreme. In his view, Ye Qingran's reasoned arguments were nothing more than making excuses to avoid blame.

'Oh, don't argue! It's all my fault—I shouldn't have taken it upon myself to go beg Xiao Ji. Qingran, this mess is all my fault; I'm sorry to you!'

Zhao Shi suddenly stood up, clutching a handkerchief, weeping and lamenting, feeling deeply hurt and guilty.

Wang Yan of the Guanglu Fu also rose, her face full of sorrow, 'Sister, don't say that—everything you've done is for Qingran's sake! What could you have done wrong? Your only fault is being too kind, wholeheartedly caring for these children.'

'Exactly, Auntie, don't blame yourself—I believe that if Sister Qingran understood your painstaking efforts, she wouldn't blame you!' Zhao Yan said softly.

'Sister, Mom was just momentarily muddled—can't you stop blaming her? If you really want to blame someone, blame me instead! It's my fault for not being able to bear seeing you rejected by Young Master Xiao, for not wanting you to suffer, hoping you'd soon find a suitable match, which is why I went to ask the Empress Dowager to arrange a marriage for you; all this is my fault.'

Ye Huanhuan tightly bit her lower lip, on the verge of tears, looking pitiful. She was naturally a beauty, and now her delicate posture, like a willow in the breeze, a hibiscus weeping dew, drew pity from many of the gentlemen present.

The Crown Prince was among them.

'Huanhuan, don't blame yourself—you were also doing it for her good.'

Dongfang Qingxuan took Huanhuan's hand, and a gentle hue appeared on his usually stern face.

'Crown Prince brother, I…' Huanhuan lightly nodded, yet she continued to blame herself.

Dongfang Qingxuan pityingly drew her into his embrace, his gaze seemingly unintentionally falling on Ye Qingran; although he spoke no words of blame, his eyes clearly showed dissatisfaction.

'Sister, don't cry—how could this be your fault?' Ye Sisi said discontentedly.

At this moment, Empress Gu looked at Ye Qingran, sighed, and said, 'Speaking of this, it's actually my fault as the palace. Earlier, after hearing Huanhuan's words, I couldn't bear to see Qingran hurt and upset, and I had the same thought as her, but I didn't consider so many things. Now I think I shouldn't have rushed to grant Qingran a marriage; instead, it led people to misunderstand her.'

Empress Gu's words were sincere and heartfelt, essentially confirming the fact that Ye Qingran had once liked Xiao Ji but could not obtain him!

Those seated with Ye Qingran, like Ling Shaoyang and others, had unpleasant expressions. Knowing Ye Qingran as they do, they believed she could never possibly take a liking to Xiao Ji.

It is quite obvious that all this is a scheme by Zhao Shi and others to frame Ye Qingran. However, they have no evidence, and if they rashly defended Qingran, they would likely only make things worse.

Just as everyone thought the truth—that Ye Qingran liked Xiao Ji but could not have him—was about to be confirmed, a clear, bell-like laugh suddenly rang out from the spacious banquet hall.

'You all are quite interesting—I myself didn't know about this, yet you speak of it as if it were true.'

The Thirteenth Princess, Dongfang Ling'er, rose and retorted, 'One person saying something about you could be slander, but when so many people say it, isn't it your own problem, Ye Qingran? How dare you act but not own up? I usually see you as quite arrogant, so why are you today like a turtle pulling its head in?'

Xia Zhimeng furrowed her brows and, without thinking, shot back, 'Thirteenth Princess, have you never heard of the saying 'echoing others'? Did you see it with your own eyes or hear it with your own ears? If not, then please keep your mouth shut!'

Although ruler and subject are distinct, Xia Zhimeng never felt that members of the imperial clan had the right to spout blood and insult people!