Chapter 372

Chapter 372 – Who Imitated Whom?

Chapter 372 Who Imitated Whom?

“Me and Fourth Lady Qu?” Liu Jingyu seemed to have heard something hilarious. She was stunned at first, but then she chuckled.

She was obviously asking. Although she did not point out anything clearly, it could be seen from her reaction that she thought what Chen Hailan said was a joke.

A young lady beside Liu Jingyu also chuckled. She was dressed in a pink satin dress, and there were many hanging ornaments on the corner of her clothes, which made her look gorgeous and extraordinary. Although she smiled later than Liu Jingyu, her laughter was quite loud. She raised her head and sneered, “How could County Lady Jingyu make such an agreement with Fourth Lady Qu? This is the funniest joke I have ever heard.”

After she finished speaking, she looked at Qu Moying and gently covered her mouth with the round silk fan in her hand. “Fourth Lady Qu, I’m sorry. I’m not saying that you don’t deserve to be friends with County Lady Jingyu. You won’t blame me, will you?”

Her words were said pompously. After she finished speaking, she even deliberately bowed to Qu Moying. She was putting on an act.

Her words and actions were obviously provocative, and she was on purpose.

All of a sudden, everyone looked at Qu Moying with ridicule. Did Qu Moying know that Liu Jingyu was going to wear a jade fan, so she wore the same type of accessory as Liu Jingyu on purpose to lick the shoes of Liu Jingyu by imitating her?

Qu Moying’s eyes fell on the young lady who just spoke. After looking her up and down, Qu Moying found that she really did not know who this young lady was, which was strange because she had basically seen every notable noble lady in the capital. Qu Moying thought she should have at least heard of this young lady, but she really could not recognize her.

However, Qu Moying did not panic. She had long known that today’s gathering would be challenging, and she was well-prepared. Just as she was about to speak, another lady standing beside Prefectural Princess Xiangrong spoke up, “Fourth Lady He, you haven’t been in the capital for long, but it seems that you have already been on good terms with County Lady Jingyu. However, you are wrong.”

The lady who spoke wore a light green dress made of five-color brocade. Qu Moying smiled slightly. She knew this lady, who was the niece of Lord Wei’s Mother Consort.

“What’s wrong with me?” Fourth Lady He sneered and looked at Zhu Yanrui with a hostile gaze. “Miss Zhu, are you going to pick on me again? Am I an eyesore to you? Why do you keep picking on me?”

It seemed that the two of them had been at loggerheads for a long time.

Qu Moying pursed her lips slightly, looked at the two of them, and knew something.

There were always battles for the top position, which was why Liu Jingyu and Ji Hanyue barely met each other. It seemed that it was also the situation between Prefectural Princess Xiangrong and Liu Jingyu.

“Fourth Lady He, how dare I pick on you? I heard that you are the cousin sister that Lord Jing appreciates the most, so how dare I pick on you? I just don’t want to see someone bullying others. Fourth Lady Qu and County Lady Jingyu are not familiar with each other, so it’s natural that they didn’t often see each other. But why did you say it is a joke?”

Zhu Yanrui looked at Fourth Lady He and said mockingly.

“So, Fourth Lady He is Lord Jing’s cousin sister, and also Third Young Master He’s younger sister. No wonder she said those words when she saw me.”

Qu Moying had already figured out the situation.

Fourth Lady He was Noble Consort He’s relative, and Zhu Yanrui was Consort Zhu’s relative. Both of their families had a relationship with a prince. Although Lord Wei was inferior to Lord Jing and couldn’t possibly ascend to the throne due to his poor health, he had a good reputation among the commoners.

Moreover, Lord Wei wasn’t competitive, so whoever ascended to the throne in the future would not deal with him.

It was a pleasant surprise.

At this time, the Crown Prince treated Lord Wei even better. It was said that he sent gifts to Lord Wei Mansion from time to time. Lord Jing was also very good to Lord Wei and went to Lord Wei Mansion to visit him from time to time. In this case, Lord Wei was actually not as weak as he appeared to be!

“Zhu Yanrui, what do you mean? I didn’t say that! I just said that County Lady Jingyu and Fourth Lady Qu must not have agreed on the accessory. Why do you say I am bullying others? Besides, Fourth Lady Qu didn’t say anything. Don’t you think you have gone too far?”

Fourth Lady He sneered.

Then, she looked at Qu Moying. “Fourth Lady Qu, I was just stating the facts. You won’t blame me, will you?”

She sounded polite, but there was a fierce and contemptuous look on her face. Her words were threatening, which made people feel uncomfortable.

It seemed that she was not going to stop making things difficult for Qu Moying.

The surrounding ladies did not speak, nor did Prefectural Princess Xiangrong. Liu Jingyu stood beside Fourth Lady He with a smile as if she did not realize that Fourth Lady He was threatening Qu Moying.

They were watching the show. Some were contemptuous, and some did not show any attitude, only waiting for Qu Moying to speak.

Although it wasn’t sure if Liu Jingyu initiated the matter, it was obvious that Fourth Lady He was hostile to Qu Moying. It seemed that Fourth Lady He blamed Qu Moying for what happened to Third Young Master He.

Qu Moying sneered in her heart. “Only a person like her will act as soon as Liu Jingyu initiated the matter. If I am suppressed by Fourth Lady He today, I will be laughed at wherever I go. If I don’t fight back after being bullied like this, others will not pity me, but they will think that I am useless.”

Zhu Yanrui stood on Qu Moying’s side and encouraged her, “Fourth Lady Qu, answer her! Don’t be afraid of her!”

She was the only one at the scene who truly stood on Qu Moying’s side.

No matter for whom or for what reason Zhu Yanrui was on her side, Qu Moying had a good impression of her and smiled at her. Then, she turned to Fourth Lady He calmly.

Everyone followed her gaze and waited to see the situation quietly.

Fourth Lady He was Noble Consort He’s niece, and Zhu Yanrui was Consort Zhu’s niece. They each had their own advantages, and their biggest advantage was that their aunts were in the palace, so ordinary people did not dare to offend the two of them.

Qu Moying couldn’t afford to offend either of them. What’s worse, she was involved in their argument, so she had to make a stand. If she made a stand, she would definitely offend one of them. But if she didn’t make a stand, she would offend both of them. She was really unlucky!

It would be tricky no matter what she said.

Many people were gloating over Qu Moying’s misfortune. If Qu Moying handled it improperly, she would offend the ladies and would become a joke.

Qu Moying had known that there would be ladies making things difficult for her today before coming here. Even if it was not Fourth Lady He, it would be other ladies. Even if there was no Liu Jingyu, these arrogant ladies might not accept her, not to mention that Liu Jingyu wanted to deal with her.

As the hostess, Prefectural Princess Xiangrong should have been kind to her, but she seemed to have forgotten it.

Qu Moying raised her eyes and looked at Fourth Lady He calmly. She then said with a gentle voice and a faint smile, “Two ladies, please stop arguing. It is actually a matter between County Lady Jingyu and me. Sorry to ruin you two ladies’ mood. I have an idea. Why don’t we take a look at County Lady Jingyu’s jade fan and my jade fan? The one with the inferior jade fan deliberately imitated the one with the better jade fan. Is it okay?”

She said with a smile. She sounded to be joking, but her words also showed weakness.

Vice Minister Qu’s Mansion was far inferior to Liu Jingyu’s family in terms of wealth. There was barely anyone who believed that Qu Moying’s jade fan would be better than Liu Jingyu’s jade fan, so they thought Qu Moying was raising a white flag and that she was such a coward.

Many ladies shook their heads. They thought that the rumors about Qu Moying were not false. She was really a coward, so she deserved to be bullied.

Zhu Yanrui had already stood up for her, so it was really useless for her to shrink.

Someone couldn’t help but let out a mocking laugh.

Liu Jingyu looked at Qu Moying with a smile. Her eyes were full of ridicule. She clearly knew the value of her jade fan. It was a costly item. It was from her mother’s dowry and was Duke Qi’s Mansion’s treasure item. It was said to be the dowry of her maternal grandmother. How could the jade fan of Qu Moying, a mere Vice Minister’s daughter, compare with it?

Almost everyone present thought that Qu Moying was showing weakness. Prefectural Princess Xiangrong’s gaze swept across Qu Moying’s face. Only she knew where the fan hanging at Qu Moying’s waist came from, and it really was not something that Liu Jingyu’s jade fan could compare with.

Zhu Yanrui also thought that Qu Moying was showing weakness to curry favor with Liu Jingyu and Fourth Lady He. She stomped her feet in anger. “Fourth Lady Qu, what are you afraid of? I will stand on your side.”

“Thank you, Miss Zhu. Can you help me take a look at my jade fan and County Lady Jingyu’s jade fan?” Qu Moying calmly took off the jade fan and handed it over.

Others could not see Qu Moying’s jade fan clearly because she hung it on her waist. It could be seen clearly only after one took a closer look at it.

At this time, Liu Jingyu also took off her jade fan with a smile and handed it to Zhu Yanrui, silently agreeing with Qu Moying’s idea, or it could be said that she silently expressed contempt for Qu Moying.

Qu Moying said with a faint smile, “County Lady Jingyu, you seem to be confident.”

Liu Jingyu’s face froze and slightly darkened. Qu Moying’s words meant that although Liu Jingyu didn’t say anything, she initiated the matter together with Fourth Lady He. Did she instigate Fourth Lady He to make trouble? After all, Fourth Lady He came in with her just now.

Many ladies turned to look at Liu Jingyu, who had always been gentle, and a few of them began to doubt her.

If this was really the case, Liu Jingyu’s personality was not good! In the past, Liu Jingyu always appeared to be gentle and decent, and her reputation among noble ladies was very good.

Did what happened now mean that she was just pretending in the past?

“I’m not confident. I just take it as a little game. Fourth Lady Qu, since you want to make a comparison, I naturally cooperate.” Liu Jingyu smiled and looked indifferent. “It’s no big deal if the price difference is big. Everyone could just laugh it off!”

Her words, manners, and expression all showed that she seemed to think she would be the victor and she had a generous mind. She did not even ask Qu Moying to apologize to her or anything.

But in fact, her vague attitude would give others the room to judge Qu Moying, making it impossible for Qu Moying to argue.

In fact, it was normal for Liu Jingyu to say so. Not only she but most of the ladies present thought that Qu Moying would undoubtedly lose…