Chapter 75: “Of Course Not!”

As Gan Qiongying approached, the laughter among the young ladies gradually faded, and the lively atmosphere turned cold in the blink of an eye.

Their gazes toward Gan Qiongying varied. In the past, there had been disdain and mockery, but after last night, most of them now felt fear.

Gan Qiongying didn’t mind the awkward silence at all. In fact, she had come to appreciate the foundation Princess Duanrong had laid for her—simply ignoring these noblewomen and treating them as if they were air.

Gan Qiongying walked straight up to Princess Hui’an and performed a proper, respectful bow.

She then began with an apology, though her words carried a coquettish tone: “Aunt, please forgive me. Last night, I tossed and turned, thinking of you and the foolish things I’ve done in the past. I didn’t fall asleep until dawn, and my maids, lacking any sense, didn’t wake me, so I slept until now…”

“Please don’t blame me, Aunt,” Gan Qiongying said with an ingratiating smile. Though her attire wasn’t particularly bright or eye-catching, Princess Duanrong’s striking features made her smile as radiant as spring flowers, her eyes sparkling with charm.

In contrast, the noble ladies who had deliberately dressed in simple, elegant styles seemed to pale in comparison.

Gan Qiongying’s coquettish act sent shivers down Wen Xueling’s spine.

Who would stay up all night thinking about an old woman until they tossed and turned?

Not even a dog would believe that.

But Princess Hui’an believed it.

Because she hadn’t slept well last night either—she had been thinking about Duan Rong all along.

Over the years, Duan Rong had always avoided her, and Princess Hui’an was not unaware of it, nor was she untouched by the heartache.

After the initial joy of reconnecting with family yesterday had faded, Princess Hui’an couldn’t help but wonder why Duan Rong had suddenly decided to reconcile.

Could it be that she was facing some difficulty, or… perhaps trying to use her?

As the head of the imperial clan and now in her fifties, Princess Hui’an had her own sons and daughters to care for. She yearned for familial affection but feared that Duan Rong might ruin this newly restored bond.

Thus, Princess Hui’an was both overjoyed and anxious, tossing and turning throughout the sleepless night.

Her worries, however, did not show on her face.

Hearing Gan Qiongying’s words, she immediately extended a hand forward. “Come here. You just woke up? You haven’t eaten yet, have you? I’ve already asked Wumei to prepare something for you.”

Princess Hui’an smiled gently. “Your Consort has already come to apologize on your behalf, saying you didn’t sleep well last night because you were taking care of him. The two of you seem to have a good relationship, tacitly taking the blame for each other.”

Gan Qiongying seized the opportunity and chuckled.

As Aunt Wumei went to fetch the food, Gan Qiongying chatted with Princess Hui’an about everyday matters. Once the two began talking, the noblewomen around them, including Wen Xueling, all faded into the background.

Each of them felt out of place and soon stopped hovering around Princess Hui’an, excusing themselves to attend to other matters.

Only Wen Xueling stubbornly remained, awkwardly lingering. When Princess Hui’an didn’t engage with her, she turned to chat with the well-behaved granddaughter sitting quietly beside Princess Hui’an the Great.

This young girl was sweet and adorable, in her teens with a fresh, budding appearance that radiated youthful vitality. She was also very well-mannered, maintaining a dignified posture throughout. Even after sitting for quite a while, her posture hardly changed. She wore a gentle smile and responded politely to anyone who spoke to her, clearly well-educated by Princess Hui’an.

Gan Qiongying searched through Princess Duanrong’s memories and recalled that this girl was named Gan Huiyue. True to her name, she was as gentle and bright as moonlight, a delight to behold.

However, as Gan Qiongying ate, she remembered the plot where this gentle and bright girl, due to her infatuation with the son of the Vice Minister of Revenue, suffered damage to her reputation. Her fate could not simply be described as bleak—it was downright tragic.

She hadn’t even looked down on the Vice Minister’s son after he fell from a high platform, ruining his career. The two families had already begun discussing marriage arrangements, but that son of the Vice Minister… what was his name again? Gan Qiongying truly couldn’t remember, and Princess Duanrong’s memories didn’t hold it either.

Anyway, that scoundrel was in love with Wen Xueling and chose to break off the engagement, betraying Gan Huiyue.

That alone was bad enough, but when he broke off the engagement, he had already climbed the ranks by “rescuing the beauty” and taken Wen Xueling’s first time.

Yes, in this book, the first person Wen Xueling slept with wasn’t the popular Zhongli Zhengzhen, nor the all-powerful Regent, but the son of the Vice Minister of Revenue. Outwardly elegant and refined, he was actually rotten to the core—a central air conditioner who became disabled for Wen Xueling.

Gan Qiongying could understand it. After all, in a novel with five male leads, the heroine’s first time had to be gentle, not too brutal.

When Gan Qiongying read it, she hadn’t found anything wrong with it.

But thinking about it now, the Vice Minister’s son had moved Wen Xueling by promising to break off the engagement, making her feel that he was not only willing to risk his life for her but also defy his family’s arrangements.

The first intimate scene was quite steamy.

But the steamier it had seemed before, the more it now felt like a lump in her throat.

Gan Qiongying couldn’t even eat anymore.

Seeing Wen Xueling and Gan Huiyue leaning their heads together, chatting happily, and then thinking about how Gan Huiyue’s reputation was ruined after the broken engagement, forcing her to marry a superficially charming but abusive man, filled Gan Qiongying with rage.

According to the timeline in the plot, Wen Xueling and the Vice Minister’s son had already been interacting frequently, often exchanging poems at gatherings to convey their feelings. The Vice Minister’s son hadn’t hidden his admiration for her and was one of Wen Xueling’s many suitors.

Wen Xueling should also have known that Princess Hui’an favored the Vice Minister’s son as a grandson-in-law.

So what was she doing cozying up to Princess Hui’an?

Was she shamelessly giggling now, feeling superior while talking to Gan Huiyue, thinking of her as a defeated rival?

Was she filled with pride, treating Gan Huiyue’s affection as a joke?

At this thought, Gan Qiongying slammed the table, her expression darkening.

She said to the still-smiling Wen Xueling, “Did your father not teach you any manners? What are you laughing about while others are eating? Hee-hee-hee, are you showing signs of madness?”

Wen Xueling’s smile froze on her face. She stared wide-eyed at Gan Qiongying, looking utterly innocent.

She was truly afraid of Gan Qiongying, so she didn’t even think to retort at first, nor could she come up with any words to refute her. Liuli, who could both offer bad advice and speak up for her mistress, had already been beaten to death. Wen Xueling now didn’t even have a single trusted maid by her side.

Moreover, even when Gan Qiongying usually opposed her, she at least maintained appearances on the surface.

Unlike now, Gan Qiongying’s face had truly darkened. Her gaze toward Wen Xueling was extremely cold, and the violent aura around her was completely unconcealed, as if she would rush over and beat Wen Xueling if she dared utter a single unpleasant word.

Wen Xueling’s lips trembled as she glanced at Gan Huiyue.

Gan Huiyue still wore the same expression—gentle and composed, as if she hadn’t heard Gan Qiongying suddenly erupt in a fit of cursing.

And Princess Hui’an also acted as though she hadn’t heard anything. Even when Gan Qiongying reprimanded her so harshly, Princess Hui’an hadn’t spoken a single word in her defense.

Wen Xueling felt extremely wronged, her eyes reddening. She stood up, bowed to Princess Hui’an, and hurried away with quick steps.

After Wen Xueling had run far enough, Gan Qiongying turned directly to Gan Huiyue and said, “You should keep your distance from Princess Xue’e. She is scheming and hypocritical, and her specialty is stealing other people’s sweethearts. Be careful she doesn’t steal your future husband.”

Gan Huiyue was also stunned and turned her head to look at Princess Hui’an.

Princess Hui’an shook her head, massaging her temples as she said, “After all, she is the only daughter of Jingxi Wang. Whoever she marries in the future will inevitably be wealthy or noble. Why must you repeatedly clash with her?”

“Duan Rong,” Princess Hui’an hesitated for a moment. She had heard Gan Qiongying say that Princess Xue’e was best at stealing other people’s sweethearts, which led her to speculate and ask, “Do you truly have feelings for Jinchuan Zhizi?”

This was something known to everyone in Yindu, Nánzhào.

Duan Rong chasing after Zhongli Zhengzhen had already become a famous joke throughout the Southern Dynasty.

Princess Hui’an looked at Gan Qiongying with a complex expression, genuinely afraid that her reconciliation was merely a ploy to enlist her help in marrying Jinchuan Zhizi.

That was absolutely impossible.

Jinchuan was ambitious. The court might appear calm on the surface, but dark undercurrents were swirling beneath.

Wen Xueling’s arrival in Yindu had stirred competition among the sons of noble families and even the royal clan, which was clear evidence of Jingxi Wang’s disloyal intentions.

Princess Hui’an had many concerns, but as she grew older, she felt powerless to influence court affairs.

Gan Lin in the palace was a pitiful child, naturally timid and weak-willed, yet he stubbornly endured being a puppet in others’ hands for Duan Rong’s sake.

But if Duan Rong continued to act foolishly and was truly so deluded as to exploit her own family for personal feelings, Princess Hui’an’s heart would truly grow cold.

Thinking of this, Princess Hui’an’s gaze toward Duan Rong even turned sharp.

Years ago, Duan Rong had fallen out with her and even gone mad because of her one-sided affection for the Emperor, after Princess Hui’an had arranged a suitable match for him.

Princess Hui’an feared that, after all these years, Duan Rong was still as obsessed with love and romance as she had been back then.

If Duan Rong said “yes,” Princess Hui’an might not cut ties with her in the future, but she would certainly no longer help her resolve any troubles.

Hearing Princess Hui’an’s question, Gan Qiongying immediately put down her bowl and chopsticks, quickly swallowed the food in her mouth, and took a big gulp of water.

Then she knelt properly facing Princess Hui’an and retorted, “Of course not!”