After bidding farewell to Lady Sang, Wen Yuan'ai whispered to Wen Qiao, "Ever since Brother Yu was born, Mother's heart and eyes have been only on him. Don't listen to her foolish words. She herself is a pushover who doesn't compete and likes to please others. She wants us to be like her, turtles hiding in our shells."
Wen Qiao remained silent.
Wen Yuan'ai tugged at his sleeve, "Your sister is speaking from the heart. Did you take it to heart?"
Wen Qiao didn't answer directly.
But Wen Yuan'ai saw the answer in this polo match.
Before this, she had no idea A Qiao was so skilled at polo, even better than Xiao Lin.
Though four people were playing, all the goals were scored by A Qiao.
Xie Nongyu was furious. Every time she and Jiang Xuesui competed on the field, Wen Qiao would help his little cousin, nearly startling her horse several times, almost causing her to fall.
After Jiang Xuesui thanked Wen Yuan'ai, He Lanlin, and Wen Qiao, she went to claim the glazed revolving lantern.
Xie Nongyu was waiting there early. Seeing Jiang Xuesui approach, she pretended to drop it.
"Crack."
The lamp fell to the ground.
Glazed was fragile. Only the frame remained; everywhere else were shards of glass.
Earlier, Lady Sang had explained to her that Wen Qiao insisted on winning the lamp because it was a relic of Jiang Xuesui's deceased mother.
Her face and pride had been damaged because of Jiang Xuesui.
This lamp was a small debt she wanted to collect from Jiang Xuesui.
Seeing the lamp destroyed, Jiang Xuesui lost all composure. With reddened eyes, she scuffled with Xie Nongyu.
"It's just a lamp. If you want such an ugly lamp, I can compensate you with a thousand or ten thousand," Xie Nongyu said smugly. Though Jiang Xuesui pinched her several times, seeing Jiang Xuesui's rare tears gave her immense satisfaction.
"You ugly monster! How dare you say my mother's lamp is ugly!"
Jiang Xuesui showed no mercy, grabbing Xie Nongyu's slender neck.
The Grand Princess of Chu and the three Wen ladies rushed over upon hearing the commotion.
The Grand Princess of Chu and Lady Sang pulled Xie Nongyu away.
Lady Zhu and Lady Yu pulled Jiang Xuesui away.
Hearing that the lamp destroyed was a relic of Jiang Xuesui's mother, the Grand Princess of Chu, who had never hit her daughter before, slapped Xie Nongyu.
"Nongyu, you've gone too far. Apologize to Yuanyuan immediately."
"Mother, I didn't do anything wrong. I dropped the lamp accidentally. I said I would compensate her with thousands of such lamps. It was Jiang Xuesui who attacked me without reason," Xie Nongyu defended.
Lady Sang also sided with Xie Nongyu.
"I had already explained to Princess Shanyang that this lamp is very meaningful to Yuanyuan. Since she knew it was Yuanyuan's mother's relic, she certainly didn't drop it deliberately. Yuanyuan is a generous child. Since she has already hit Princess Shanyang, she won't hold a grudge anymore."
The Grand Princess of Chu knew her daughter's temper well. Precisely because she knew the lamp's importance, Xie Nongyu had to break it. But Lady Sang had provided her with a way out, so she had to go along.
"Girls fight, but Nongyu and Yuanyuan were the only ones bold enough to do it in public. Still, Nongyu was wrong. I just received ten thousand bolts of silk from the Emperor. I'll give them all to Yuanyuan as an apology."
Lady Zhu couldn't swallow her anger.
"Your Highness, even ten thousand or a million bolts of silk cannot compare to the value of this lamp. I've watched Yuanyuan grow up. She wouldn't fight without reason. Regardless of whether Princess Shanyang dropped the lamp intentionally, she must apologize to Yuanyuan."
Lady Yu was smoothing Jiang Xuesui's hair, messed up by Xie Nongyu. Holding her niece in comfort, she said to the Grand Princess of Chu, "Even if our Yuanyuan is generous, she still has to settle this matter of the lamp. If Empress Jingwen's relic were destroyed, would Your Highness simply let it go with a casual remark?"
Lady Sang didn't want the two families to become so strained, so she tried to say some pleasantries.
Lady Zhu and Lady Yu both glared at her, eyes burning with anger.
Lady Sang wisely shut up.
Xie Nongyu ran away with her head held high, refusing to apologize to Jiang Xuesui.
The Grand Princess of Chu had no choice. This was her only precious daughter; no matter how outrageous, she had to dote on her.
"Fetch the eight-treasure necklace of Empress Jingwen. This is also a relic of my deceased mother. Give it to Yuanyuan as an apology."
"Your Highness, I only want an apology from Princess Shanyang. Nothing else," Jiang Xuesui said, bowing to the Grand Princess before turning to leave.
Lady Zhu and Lady Yu followed her.
Lady Sang stayed behind to talk with the Grand Princess.
"Today, you've ended up in a difficult position. I understand your intentions for Nongyu," the Grand Princess said, taking Lady Sang's hand. "But when will A Qiao understand Nongyu's feelings for him?"
"In the end, today's fight between Yuanyuan and Princess Shanyang is all A Qiao's fault. If he hadn't won, the lamp would have belonged to Princess Shanyang, and there wouldn't have been all this trouble," Lady Sang said earnestly.
Grand Princess of Chu: "..."
The rumor that the Duchess of Xiangguo was a muddlehead was indeed true.
Thank goodness.
Thank goodness A Qiao didn't inherit his mother's terrible temperament.