Not only the old woman, but even Cui Yunfeng was stunned by Cui Yunchu's swift actions.
By this time, the surroundings were already crowded with onlookers.
Cui Yunchu hurriedly tugged at Cui Yunfeng's dress, shooting her a meaningful glance.
"..." Cui Yunfeng let out an "Oh" and quickly bent down to help her up.
Cui Yunchu rolled her eyes and muttered through gritted teeth, "Why are you helping me up? Say something!"
Cui Yunfeng looked completely bewildered. "Say... say what?"
She had no experience with this sort of thing.
Cui Yunchu rolled her eyes again. You hapless child, I cannot count on you for anything.
She composed her expression, clutching her waist with one hand and pointing at the old woman with the other. Fortunately, her maid Xing'er was by her side. Knowing her young lady well, Xing'er immediately emboldened herself and spoke up.
"How insolent! Who gave you the nerve to lay a hand on my young lady?"
Cui Yunchu curled her outstretched finger back and gave Xing'er an approving look.
Xing'er put even more effort into her performance. "Even if you are a servant of the County Princess, you should not be so arrogant and bully others with your master's power. If my young lady gets hurt from this fall, how many of your worthless lives would it take to compensate?"
Cui Yunchu nodded secretly.
Ah, this was the right way. Only when someone else played the villain could she play the delicate, bullied little white flower.
She could not help but feel a little regretful in her heart. For this kind of thing, she should have brought along Nanny Zhang, who could sob on cue for no reason at all. She was the absolute best at this.
"Xing'er, forget it," Cui Yunchu said, her eyes brimming with tears. "She is a County Princess, and after today, she will be the Crown Prince's Secondary Consort. A concubine-born daughter like me cannot compare to her nobility."
"Miss," Xing'er said, "you are just too kind-hearted, which is why you are bullied like this. Even a mere servant dares to lay hands on you right in front of the Crown Prince's estate."
"Sigh, let it be, let it be. Do not cause trouble for my cousin."
Despite her words, Cui Yunchu did not move an inch, and Xing'er showed no intention of helping her up.
The old woman watched the master and servant sing their duet, unable to process what was happening for quite a while.
Not to mention her, even Cui Yunfeng, who was standing to the side, looked utterly shocked.
So this was how a fall was supposed to be used! She had broadened her horizons today.
"You... how insolent!" Cui Yunfeng mimicked Xing'er's manner and spoke up. "Who gave you the nerve to push a young lady of the Cui family?"
The old woman found it impossible to defend herself, her face turning green.
She finally realized that she was being framed by the eldest young lady of the Cui family.
She had spent half her life in the inner courtyards. Madam Liu had specifically assigned her to Liu Wanting to lend her a helping hand.
Yet, before they had even entered the estate, she had been outsmarted by a greenhorn girl.
"Eldest Miss Cui," she first gave a slight curtsy before saying, "Everyone in the capital praises the Eldest Miss for having a silver tongue and a quick mind. Seeing it for myself today, this old servant knows the rumors are indeed true."
"This old servant knows that the Eldest Miss shares a deep sisterly bond with the Crown Princess and has some misunderstandings with my young lady. It is understandable that you would make things difficult and frame this old servant. However, today is a big day. I beg the Eldest Miss not to throw a temper tantrum. It would be bad if the auspicious hour is delayed."
Cui Yunchu finally understood why the elders in the family would arrange for an experienced older female servant to accompany a bride. Was it not because they had been steeped in inner courtyard politics for so long that they had become cunning foxes?
First, she brought up her reputation to make others doubt her words, and then she brought up the grudges between the two of them...
Cui Yunchu raised an eyebrow, letting out a cold snort in her heart.
Her skills were learned from a young age. A latecomer wanted to compete with her?
Cui Yunchu pinched her own thigh hard, and tears immediately welled up in her eyes. Her already beautiful small face instantly looked like a pear blossom bathed in rain, exceptionally pitiful.
"I am not..." She seemed eager to explain but did not know what to say, her face turning bright red. "I did not."
She looked as if she had suffered a monumental injustice but was stammering, unsure of how to explain.
At this moment, it was Cui Yunfeng's turn to take the stage.
But it was her first time encountering such a situation, and she did not know what to do. Xing'er slowly approached Cui Yunfeng and said in a voice only the four of them could hear, "Second Miss, hit her."
"..." Cui Yunfeng turned her head to look at Xing'er, her face blank.
The old woman's expression changed, and she immediately stepped back. "You..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Cui Yunfeng slapped the old woman fiercely across the face with all her might. "You... you wicked servant! You pushed my eldest sister, and yet you dare to wag your tongue and falsely accuse her!"
The old woman was slapped silly, her head turned to the side, motionless for a long while.
On the ground, Cui Yunchu was still sobbing softly. Xing'er looked indignant, while Cui Yunfeng's eyes were dazed and her face dark, the hand she used to strike slightly curled up.
"Xing'er, did I act that right?"
From an angle only the four of them could see, Xing'er gave a thumbs up, and Cui Yunfeng curved her lips into a smile.
Beside them, the old woman's lips trembled so much she could not even bite them still.
The old woman thought to herself that she had lived half her life and never seen such shameless people.
Two fists were no match for four hands, and one mouth certainly could not out-argue three.
She rushed over to the bridal sedan chair in a few quick steps, lifted the curtain, and said something to the person inside.
Cui Yunchu narrowed her eyes and raised her voice. "Secondary Consort, although we have had many misunderstandings in the past, today is your great day of joy. Why must you ruin your own wedding ceremony just to vent your anger?"
Hearing Cui Yunchu's voice, Liu Wanting subconsciously imagined her arrogant demeanor. She glared fiercely at the old woman. "You useless good-for-nothing, what use do I have for you?"
Unable to swallow her anger, she flung the sedan curtain open. Cui Yunfeng's voice hurriedly rang out, "Secondary Consort, His Highness the Crown Prince has not returned yet. You cannot step out of the bridal sedan; it is bad luck."
Liu Wanting immediately pulled back the foot she had stepped out with.
But her voice was filled with fury. "Cui Yunchu, do not push things too far! When did I ever make things difficult for you?"
It was clearly her blocking the doorway and refusing to let them in.
Cui Yunchu curled her lips. "Whatever the Secondary Consort says is right. Whatever you say goes, since you are a Consort now."
Supported by Xing'er, she struggled quite a bit to get up from the ground.
Liu Wanting was almost exploding with rage, and the memory of the slap Cui Yunfeng had given her last night flashed into her mind.
"You people from the Cui family are all sick in the head!" Her voice cracked a little, losing its dignified composure and sounding more like a roar.
"You—" Cui Yunchu pointed at Liu Wanting, looking utterly infuriated, her face turning pale.
A tall, slender figure suddenly stepped onto the stairs and strolled over. "Who was Miss Liu talking about just now? This Prince has been suffering from ringing in the ears lately and did not hear clearly. Why don't you repeat it?"
Xiao Yi was dressed in a dark red brocade robe, his hair tied high in a jade crown. Paired with his wickedly charming face, he possessed an androgynous beauty.
Liu Wanting's fear of Xiao Yi came from the bottom of her heart. Seeing Xiao Yi standing next to Cui Yunfeng now, she immediately lost her voice.
He had said that if she ever did anything to Cui Yunfeng again, he would kill her.
Liu Wanting did not doubt those words in the slightest.
Seeing the situation escalating, the old woman beside her could not help but say, "Miss, it is getting late. It is best to enter the Crown Prince's estate first."
Liu Wanting thought to herself: As if I do not know that!
But with so many people blocking the main entrance, it was not like she could fly over them. And with Cui Yunchu acting crazy like that, even if she did fly, Cui Yunchu would probably grab her leg and pull her back down.
Furious, Liu Wanting delivered a heavy slap across the old woman's face. "All you do is cause trouble for me."
She could have dealt with the Cui sisters any other time, so why did it have to be today?
The old servant's cheeks rapidly swelled up on both sides. Her eyes reddened with grievance as she cried, "Miss, this old servant really didn't do it."
Her denial only made Liu Wanting even angrier. "You useless thing! I have no idea why my mother ever assigned you to me."
She forced herself to calm down and raised her eyes to look at the Cui sisters and Prince An. "What happened just now was all a misunderstanding, and I have already disciplined my servant. First Miss Cui, Second Miss Cui, will you step aside now?"
