171 Untitled (2/2)
Fortunately, there was still Ya Lanzhu. The adorable, little Ya Lanzhu fluttered her eyelashes as she asked, ”Just that what?”
Meeting her cue, Meng Fuyao gleefully replied, ”Just that why did I hear that the engagement between Crown Prince Wuji and Princess Lotus had already been annulled 10 years ago?”
”Is that true!” On behalf of the crowd, Ya Lanzhu exclaimed in shock, ”Why haven't we heard about it?”
The eyes of everyone in the palace had turned to look at Meng Fuyao in shock, and even Zhan Nancheng, who had been watching everything casually stopped moving.
Zhangsun Wuji and Feng Jingfan had already broken off their engagement? This piece of news was too shocking to be true, and everyone refused to believe it. Firstly, it was something that they had not heard even a rumor of, and secondly, it was because of Princess Lotus' behavior. If the engagement was really annulled, how could Princess Lotus bring it up again in front of the distinguished guests of the seven nations? Did she honestly not care about her status and pride anymore?
It was most likely some nonsensical lie fabricated by this General Meng when he was stumped by Princess Lotus.
Everyone's eyes were glinting, and Fourth Phoenix Prince couldn't stand it any longer. Suddenly standing up, with his pale face swollen and red, he shouted, ”How dare you! This is too impudent! Your Majesty, first this Meng Fuyao slanders my nation's princess, and now he's coming up with nonsensical and flagrant lies, please teach this mad and disrespectful dog a lesson and throw him out of this place of royalty and nobility!”
Zhan Nancheng scrounged his eyebrows and looked at Meng Fuyao. He did feel that Meng Fuyao had gone overboard. Even if he had a personal grudge against Princess Lotus, he shouldn't publicly attack her in such a scene. However, he had gotten along very well with Meng Fuyao earlier, and knowing that Meng Fuyao was actually not Wuji's man, he had gotten rid of a huge burden and wanted to control him. Hesitantly, he said, ”General Meng, you've probably had too much to drink, you should return to your lodging earlier.”
”Is Your Majesty just going to let him off so lightly?” Meng Fuyao had yet to reply when Princess Lotus spoke first, her posture straight, as usual, a peaceful smile playing on her lips. However, her smile carried a clear hostility as she said softly, ”Princess Lotus is half a monk, I am not sure how I managed to offend General Meng. It's fine to just receive his humiliation, but today, in front of all the guests of the seven nations, he hinted at me being a shameless liar—this, I cannot accept. Even the Buddha has moments of anger, Princess Lotus may be amicable usually but the matter today concerns my reputation and the integrity of the Xuanji nation, I cannot help but demand an explanation! General Meng, you said that the two nations had broken off the engagement, so where's the evidence?”
”That's right, where's the evidence?” Fourth Prince Feng repeated loudly, rage evident in his expression. ”If you can't provide evidence, then for humiliating my princess, for humiliating Xuanji, the entire nation will not forgive you for this!”
”Aiya, I am but an insignificant individual with the strength of an ant. For you to raise the nation's war flag to subdue me, wouldn't it be like killing a chicken with a bull's knife?” Meng Fuyao smiled and shook her head. ”I'm so terrified, Xuanji, a whole nation!”
”Does General Meng only have this mouth of yours to accuse someone?” Princess Lotus pulled back her sleeve and pulled over the raging Fourth Prince, smiling faintly as she said, ”Actually, just answer the original question, where's the evidence? Show us if you have any.”
”The princess is indeed the shrewd one, never steering from the topic, not letting anger get the better of your mind.” Meng Fuyao smiled back, spreading her hands in front of her, under the fixed stares of everyone as she said nonchalantly, ”There's no evidence.”
”What? No evidence?”
”Is this something you can flagrantly spin lies about?”
”You're really looking for death! How dare you publicly humiliate Princess Lotus in front of the distinguished guests of the seven nations!”
”The princess's reputation is known by everyone and today, it's been tarnished by your evil scheming and pettiness!”
Suddenly, terrible insults began to thunder throughout the hall and smothered Meng Fuyao. Princess Lotus' reputation in the seven nations was much better than the newly-known Meng Fuyao. She had often engaged in charitable acts, often roamed the world on pilgrimage and visited various nations' temples. Today, she received such humiliation and even when she was wronged she maintained her exemplary behavior. Upon seeing such a scene, even the disinterested or uninvolved felt bad for her and increased their respect for her, standing against Meng Fuyao, a newly-known general of commoner descent, the object of the crown prince's homosexual rumor, who without good reason began making things difficult for their beloved princess. For him to continue his ceaseless verbal attack and even attempting to slander the princess and put her in a disreputable situation, he was going way too far!
”You humiliated my princess' good name without reason, Xuanji will not let you off!” Fourth Prince Feng slapped his armrest, the veins jumping on his neck. Even Zhan Nancheng frowned at Meng Fuyao, wondering if he should first send this tyrant out; this rascal really knew how to create a scene.
Everyone was in disarray, yet the two who were involved in this remained extremely calm, with Meng Fuyao leaning against a table picking her teeth and Princess Lotus sitting upright, tugging lightly at her older brother's sleeve as she giggled. ”Big Brother, there's no need to get angry, justice is known in everyone's hearts. Today, the leaders of the seven nations and the great martial artists from the five regions are present, with so many pairs of eyes watching how some petty individual deliberately slandered others, they will remember this in their hearts and seek justice for their nephews and nieces, so why are you in a hurry.”
”That's right, why are you in a hurry.” Meng Fuyao clapped loudly. ”Look at how shrewd your little sister is, so daintily wrapping the entire seven nations on her war carriage. In the future, I, Meng Fuyao, would be just like a rat in the streets, who could accept me within the seven nations? You slap the table and hit your armrest and kick up a fuss, but all your little sister has to do is move her lips. Fourth Prince Feng, oh Fourth Prince Feng, no wonder you can't become the crown prince, in terms of emotional manipulation, you still have much to learn from your little sister!”