Chapter 119: The Fake Young Lady Who Was Mocked Is a Liar

Pei Nanjia immediately responded enthusiastically: "Great! I haven't gone horseback riding in a while; just thinking about it makes me feel warm."

Li Qingluo: "Even if I would spoil your fun, I don't know how to ride a horse."

She said so, but her face showed little embarrassment.

After all, everyone knows she comes from a different background than these noble ladies of Jinling City.

Moreover, even among noble ladies, only a few out of a hundred know horsemanship.

Nanping, however, was extremely excited: "I'll teach you, Sister Luoluo! I've known how to ride horses since I was three; I'll definitely be a good teacher!"

Pei Nanjia also patted her chest and said: "Leave this to us!"

Li Qingluo let out a "puchi" laugh and agreed: "Alright, two teachers. I'll trouble you with this."

Princess Nanping laughed with "heehee hahaha".

Someone nearby shouted: "Princess, can we join the horseback riding?"

"And us..."

"I also want to go, Princess."

What was originally a gathering of three instantly attracted countless people wanting to join.

But when asked, almost none of them knew how to ride a horse.

Princess Nanping immediately pouted: "I can't teach that many people. Forget it; you'll have another chance to come together later!"

"I can ride a horse! I don't know, Princess, would you allow me to join? Your Highness can't favor one over the other, only inviting my sister alone."

Li Qingzhu smiled and walked out amidst a crowd of noble ladies.

She used to be the bright moon among Jinling City's noble ladies; even after disappearing for months, upon her return people still flocked to her.

Although rumors about her spread everywhere, after a few sentences of explanation, most of those who were once on good terms with her still wanted to believe her.

So when she appeared today, although the venue buzzed with discussion, she still stole the spotlight.

Li Qingzhu was adorned in pearl-like radiance, just as before, dressed very splendidly and charmingly.

Her face was glowing with red light, as beautiful as the rosy clouds reflecting the sun.

Many more people followed and gathered around.

"Miss Li, the eldest."

"Eldest Miss, you've finally come out. I heard you were ill a few days ago; are you better now?"

"What exactly happened with that fire? How did you, Eldest Miss, come back from the dead?"

"Yes, Eldest Miss, didn't your family hold a funeral for you?"

"Eldest Miss, I hear you're not of the Jiangjun Fu bloodline, yet your entire demeanor is something no lowborn person could match; you were born to be a noble lady!"

By comparison, Li Qingluo's attire today is too plain and elegant.

Although her appearance is growing more splendid, and hardly anyone present can rival her beauty, what does that matter?

It's just plain broth; how could it compare to Li Qingzhu's radiant beauty?

Li Qingzhu replied with a smile: "Really sorry to have worried everyone. Our Jiangjun Fu indeed had a fire, and I truly fell seriously ill. To ward off the calamity of ke bing as the Taoist priest said, my parents therefore staged my false death to avoid disaster."

"Now my health has improved considerably; naturally, I should come out and move about, to see everyone again."

Que'er sneered: "She's truly a born liar."

Such lies can be spun out, and although not a single word implicates Li Qingluo, the implications in every sentence really leave no room for imagination.

Li Qingya also whispered from the side: "But how did she come here?"

Que'er also looked at Li Qingluo.

The young ladies certainly didn't intend to bring Li Qingzhu, so Li Qingzhu must have come on her own!

Pei Nanjia came over and said: "That's Pan Li, the niece of Nanping's father; Nanping calls her cousin. She was also Li Qingzhu's closest confidante in the past."

Therefore, it must have been Pan Li who gave Li Qingzhu the invitation.

This is not hard to imagine.

Li Qingluo remembered this Pan Li; at the Zhongyi Hou Fu last time, she was the one who led the verbal attacks against her.

Pei Nanjia said: "You need to be careful; when those few gather, they love to bully and mock others."

Li Qingluo: "I'm not afraid of her."

She's barefoot; would she still be afraid of someone wearing shoes?

It's Li Qingzhu who should be afraid of me.

Li Qingluo stared at Li Qingzhu; after just a few more glances, Li Qingzhu indeed dared not meet her gaze.

Li Qingzhu feared that Li Qingluo would spread the story of her having wet her pants as a child.

Although she could deny it, she couldn't stop such rumors from spreading again.

Nanping, hearing this from the side, let out a "hng": "This is my home; could they possibly climb over my head?"

Princess Nanping is the beloved heart and soul of Xiyue***; in this princess's mansion, she naturally is the one who walks sideways.

She stood with hands on hips, pointing at Li Qingzhu and said: "You're Li Qingzhu? Just because you can ride a horse, does that mean I have to fancy every girl who can ride?"

"No matter what you say with that mouth, I still look down on you; as Princess, I simply won't bring you along!"

"Besides, today is the winter banquet my mother is hosting for me; you lot are making a big scene here—what do you want? Don't forget, this is my home!"

Although Nanping is somewhat unreasonable and domineering, she is also innocent and endearing.

She's not very old, so when she says these things, aside from making Li Qingzhu and her group embarrassed, everyone else finds her rather cute.

Especially those noble ladies who usually dislike Li Qingzhu and her group covered their mouths and chuckled "heehee".

"Who would believe the nonsense she spouts? Those few are just deceiving themselves!"

"Pan Li's father is the deputy general of the Li army; naturally they're cut from the same cloth!"

"But I think the Second Miss is fine too; why does she insist on hanging out with Li Qingzhu?"

Li Qingzhu is not her biological child, but she is still more favored……

The Princess of South Screen's words, together with those noble ladies who take her as their leader, are snickering and whispering, which makes Li Qingzhu and Pan Li and several others completely lose face.

How dazzling they were when they just entered, now they are that much slapped in the face.

Every face was written with embarrassment; Pan Li also had to step forward and say a couple of sentences: "South Screen, how are you speaking? After all, everyone who comes today is a guest—how can you so disgrace everyone's face? If this gets out, everyone will say your aunt never taught you well—you are not just losing your aunt's face——

South Screen shot out like an arrow, fiercely splashing a cup of tea onto Pan Li's face.

"What are you even?! You dare say my mother and I are wrong? You really think that just because I usually call you 'cousin sister', you can discipline me?!"

"How my mother disciplines me—do you want me to summon her so she can judge again?"

Pan Li had tea splashed all over her face, and she nearly exploded with anger on the spot.

But upon hearing that they wanted to invite ***, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and swallow her anger.

"You, you're too bullying! Wah wah wah wah……

Pan Li covered her face and crouched down to cry; South Screen, arms crossed, couldn't be bothered to glance at her again.

"All you do is act pitiful! How boring, Luo er sister, Nan Jia sister, let's go!"

South Screen linked arms with Pei Nan Jia and Li Qingluo as they left the reception hall, chatting and laughing all the way, and the three arrived at the lakeside.

"Your Highness, Princess, thank you for standing up for me just now, but having offended them, how will you continue to enjoy yourself? Aren't you usually the one who loves liveliness the most?"

South Screen picked up a stone and threw it into the lake: "I've had enough of the liveliness in Jinling City; it's boring."

"Those noble ladies are all fake, making me unable to muster interest in associating with them, let alone liking them. Now that I've become honest, my mother would be delighted if she could, and she wouldn't force me to go out and play with them."

"Nan Jia sister, Luo er sister, I like you two—take me out to play with you two!"

Pei Nan Jia smiled, covering her mouth, and said: "I'm not much fun either—I spend all day embroidering, drawing, illustrating. Do you like that?"

South Screen pursed her lips.

"I don't like it."

"But I like Luo er sister—Luo er sister knows archery!"

Pei Nan Jia was quite surprised upon hearing that: "You really know archery? That's not a subject a noble lady should study."

"However, since you were brought up by your great-aunt, it's not so strange."

Li Qingluo's heart gave a slight jump, and she involuntarily asked: "Nan Jia, could you tell me whether you all, in your daily life at the manor, ever talk about my grandmother?"