Granny Li raised her head, her face already beaming with a kind smile. It gave Xiao Bao'er a sense of dissonance. The kind and amiable Granny Li now was like a different person from the strict one who had just scolded Xiao Jingwan.
Xiao Bao'er supported Granny Li's hand to help her up. "Granny Li, you're being too polite. You serve Concubine Hui. It's been hard for you to come all the way to the Xiao Mansion to teach my fourth younger sister manners. You're a guest, so there's no need for such formalities."
Granny Li bowed to express her gratitude and sized up Xiao Bao'er. The more she looked, the more satisfied she became. As an old hand in the palace, she had seen all kinds of people and had a sharp eye. Just one glance was enough for her to guess what was on a person's mind.
At the sight of the Princess of Anyang, Granny Li understood why Princess Sixteen had always missed this eldest Miss Xiao after only one meeting. There was a warm aura around Miss Xiao that made people like her unconsciously.
However, the other daughters of the Xiao Mansion were different. Their calculating looks were written all over their faces.
Moreover, Granny Li had watched Princess Sixteen grow up. Although the princess was young, she knew how to behave herself. Naturally, she wouldn't falsely accuse others without reason. So even though there was no proof that Xiao Jingwan had pushed the princess into the water, Granny Li believed that Xiao Jingwan must have done something to upset the princess.
After receiving Concubine Hui's order, she came to the Xiao Mansion with the intention of avenging the princess. As for Xiao Bao'er, the savior of Princess Sixteen, of course, Granny Li would treat her respectfully.
Xiao Jingwan was extremely dissatisfied with Granny Li's double - standard. So there was a strong hatred in her eyes when she looked at Xiao Bao'er.
As if remembering something, Granny Li turned to Xiao Jingwan and scolded sharply, "Fourth Miss, the eldest miss is your elder sister. Now that she has the title of princess, you should take the initiative to come and pay your respects. Do I have to remind you?"
Under Granny Li's angry glare, Xiao Jingwan reluctantly walked over, bowed to Xiao Bao'er, and said sullenly, "Greetings, elder sister."
"Smack!"
Granny Li's ruler mercilessly hit Xiao Jingwan's calf. The pain made Xiao Jingwan shed tears instantly.
"You!!"
"I'm here by imperial order to teach Fourth Miss manners. I dare not be careless. Please learn well, Fourth Miss," Granny Li said expressionlessly after curtsying to Xiao Jingwan.
Granny Li's impeccable answer made Xiao Jingwan fume with anger. But she couldn't do anything to Granny Li, so she could only clench her teeth and stand aside.
At this time, Xiao Bao'er noticed that Xiao Jinghui and Xiao Jinglan had been standing beside them all the time, but they both kept silent tacitly. Especially Xiao Jinghui, who showed deep fear in her eyes when looking at Granny Li.
When Xiao Jinghui noticed Xiao Bao'er looking at her, she couldn't help but recall what had happened on the day of the flower - viewing banquet. After returning to the mansion, her mother had quickly called the mansion doctor for a diagnosis. Only then did she know that she had broken out in red rashes because of an allergy.
In her plan with the Princess of Lin'an, it was supposed to be Xiao Bao'er whose body was seen. But now it was her. On the contrary, Xiao Bao'er had not only gained a good reputation but also the title of princess.
In an instant, humiliation and unwillingness turned into intense anger that filled Xiao Jinghui's mind.
Her reputation was ruined. The Crown Prince would no longer notice her. Maybe he would even despise her secretly. Then how could she marry the Crown Prince? Could she really only watch helplessly as the Crown Prince married Xiao Bao'er?
Just thinking about it made Xiao Jinghui feel suffocated. The Crown Prince was such a wonderful person. Why did Xiao Bao'er deserve him?
Overwhelmed by anger, Xiao Jinghui lost all her senses. She stepped forward and raised her hand, trying to slap Xiao Bao'er in the face.
"Xiao Bao'er, you slut! Why are you seducing the Crown Prince?"
As soon as Xiao Bao'er noticed Xiao Jinghui approaching angrily, she got ready. She firmly grabbed Xiao Jinghui's wrist and pushed her back, making Xiao Jinghui stagger a few steps.
Ling Chu reacted quickly and immediately stood in front of Xiao Bao'er to protect her.
Unable to hit Xiao Bao'er the first time, Xiao Jinghui rushed forward to try again. But Granny Li kicked her on the knee. Xiao Jinghui couldn't stand steady and knelt directly at Ling Chu's feet, scaring Ling Chu into backing away several steps while protecting Xiao Bao'er.
Granny Li's face darkened, and her eyebrows furrowed. "The girls of your Xiao family are really too presumptuous!"
Miss Xiao was not only the savior of the princess but also a princess personally named by the emperor. The girls of the Xiao family dared to show disrespect in front of her, a person from the palace. One could well imagine how much Xiao Bao'er was excluded behind the scenes.
In Granny Li's mind, Xiao Bao'er was labeled as innocent, kind, and often bullied.
Xiao Bao'er gently patted Ling Chu, signaling her to step aside. Then she walked up to Xiao Jinghui, looking down at her from above, taking in all the unwillingness and humiliation on her face.
So, was this how she had looked after the flower - viewing banquet in her previous life? So ugly, helpless, and despicable.
"Third younger sister, please watch your words. Reputation is extremely important for a young lady. Without any evidence, how can you say that I'm seducing the Crown Prince?"
Xiao Bao'er wore a veil, only showing a pair of bright eyes. But even so, she exuded an irresistible aura that made Xiao Jinghui dazed for a moment.
But recalling the disgusted look in the Princess of Lin'an's eyes and the whispering of the noble ladies that day, all this was unacceptable to Xiao Jinghui's self - esteem. So she glared at Xiao Bao'er fiercely, as if she wanted to pierce holes in her.
If Xiao Bao'er were really the eldest miss of the Xiao family, she might have endured it. But Xiao Bao'er wasn't!
She was just an impostor. As early as when they were children, Xiao Jinghui had known that this eldest sister was not the real one.
The current eldest miss of the Xiao family was just a daughter of a commoner family, with the blood of those lowly people in her veins. If Uncle hadn't thought that she had a good fate and could bring good luck to the Xiao Mansion and adopted her, Xiao Bao'er might still be struggling for a living in some corner.
Xiao Jinghui didn't believe in the so - called fate. On the contrary, it was the Xiao Mansion that had brought good luck to Xiao Bao'er by taking her in and raising her well!
The title of princess that Xiao Bao'er had, the silk and satin she wore, all these were given by the Xiao family. And she, Xiao Jinghui, was the real daughter of the Xiao family. All the things that Xiao Bao'er had should belong to her.
Thinking like this, Xiao Jinghui couldn't help blurting out her thoughts. "Why? Why do you get to be the eldest miss of the Xiao family? You're not..."
Before Xiao Jinghui could finish, Xiao Jingwan quickly covered her mouth.
This stupid girl! Father had repeatedly ordered them not to reveal Xiao Bao'er's true identity, lest something unexpected happened. Although Xiao Jingwan was also half - skeptical about the matter of fate, she didn't dare disobey Father's order.
When Xiao Bao'er heard Xiao Jinghui's half - said words, she raised her eyebrows.
Sure enough, they knew everything. In the whole Xiao Mansion, only she had been kept in the dark.