Transmigrated as the Villainess, She Made the General Blush - Chapter 33

After Old Lady Gu left, the Xu family clearly had no face to stay any longer.

Just as Xu Geng was about to leave with his wife and daughter, the long-silent Xiao Wangshu finally spoke up again-

“Miss Xu, I don’t know where you heard all these groundless rumors, but remember this: I am the legitimate daughter of the Chancellor’s Mansion, not some brothel courtesan!

“Sheer robes and flimsy gauze, baring chest and breasts-such things, let alone wearing them out, you wouldn’t find a single piece even if you searched the entire Chancellor’s Mansion. In the Xiao Mansion, such things simply do not exist!

“Let me remind you one last time: rumors may spread with wagging tongues, but there’s one thing they got right-when I, Xiao Wangshu, act, I am indeed vicious and ruthless!

“If I push someone into the water, she’ll lose half her life even if she doesn’t drown! If I poison someone, at the very least it’s deadly wine, heartbreak grass, or red arsenic! If I truly wanted to harm you, you wouldn’t be standing here shouting!

“Next time, whether it’s you or anyone else, if you want to frame me, be prepared to pay the price yourself!

“If you’re not ruthless enough to yourself, then don’t claim it was my doing. I, Xiao Wangshu, won’t lose face over such things!”

Fang Qin’er never expected that the little bit of reputation she had just managed to salvage for her daughter would be ruined by her daughter herself in an instant.

With these words from Wangshu, wouldn’t all the young gentlemen and ladies of the Capital avoid her from now on?

“Oh, and one more thing-”

Xiao Wangshu’s tone shifted, her gaze landing on Mu Yunze and Mu Caiqing. Her long, phoenix-shaped eyes were full of mockery as she sneered, “Vulgar words, gossip behind backs, slander and defamation come so easily to you. So much for a family of scholars-this is all you amount to.”

Beside her, Xiao Fuguang thought that if there was ever an example of ultimate sarcasm, it would be his sister.

After more than ten years as siblings, he hadn’t realized just how sharp and venomous his sister’s tongue could be.

Mu Caiqing’s face was flushed, whether from shame or anger was unclear. Her eyes were fixed on Xiao Wangshu, as if she wanted to glare her to death.

Mu Yunze was even more incredulous, unable to imagine such contemptuous words coming from Xiao Wangshu’s mouth-especially when he was the target.

Compared to the eager, cautious Xiao Wangshu who used to follow him around, the current cold and proud Xiao Wangshu was unrecognizable. Mu Yunze simply couldn’t understand how the same person could change so drastically.

If the Xiao Wangshu who once chased after him was a lovesick maiden, then the current Xiao Wangshu was like a lofty Princess.

In fact, the arrogance in her phoenix eyes seemed even more noble than that of a royal Princess.

Mu Yunze was utterly baffled, his gaze lingering on Xiao Wangshu for a long time.

“Enough, Wangshu. As a young lady, what does it look like to speak so freely?”

Once Xiao Wangshu had said her fill, Xiao Hong finally spoke, giving a token reprimand.

Even in his rebuke, he only mentioned Xiao Wangshu’s unrestrained words, not that she was wrong.

On the surface, he was stopping Xiao Wangshu, telling her not to speak further. In reality, he was agreeing with her, as if to say: That’s enough, stop telling the truth.

Xiao Wangshu knew when to stop, and with a hint of regret on her face, she reluctantly replied, “Yes.”

—

The rest of the matter was left to Xiao Hong and Old Master Gu Cheng to handle. As the onlookers saw things coming to an end, they gradually dispersed.

In the end, the Xu family was, of course, all asked to leave the Gu Mansion-none were allowed to stay.

As for the Mu Mansion, Mu Han and Mu Yunze first escorted Mu Chengyang to apologize to the two elders of the Gu Mansion and to Gu Yongjia. Then, as a formality, they had Mu Caiqing apologize to Xiao Wangshu as well.

After putting on a proper show, they sent Mu Chengyang and Mu Caiqing back to the Mu Mansion for house arrest.

As for Mu Han and Mu Yunze, in order to avoid a complete fallout with the Gu Family, they forced themselves to stay at the Gu Mansion for quite a while, sincerely apologizing at Old Master Gu’s side.
Old Master Gu was also a man who valued propriety. Seeing the Mu Family father and son bowing and yielding so humbly, and with Mu Furen and Mu Xiaoxiao, two women, standing beside them, he could not press them too hard. So he allowed the four members of the Mu Family to stay for now.

The incident passed, and the birthday banquet continued.

As it was time for the meal, the Gu Mansion’s birthday banquet began.

—

At the banquet, Fang Qiluo sat beside Xiao Wangshu, surrounded by many noble ladies from prominent families.

Xiao Wangshu sat among them like the tallest peak in a mountain range, intimidating all around her.

Only Fang Qiluo dared to sit close, chatting quietly: “Just now, when I saw you press Xu Tian into the water to threaten her, I thought you were desperate, using the only method left to you. I didn’t expect you to have an even better way to prove your innocence.”

Xiao Wangshu smiled and said, “Her little tricks are hardly worth mentioning. Since she was so intent on framing me, I simply made the accusation real. I kicked her straight into the water, so I wouldn’t have to suffer her slander for nothing.”

So, even without pressing Xu Tian into the water or threatening her Maid to tell the truth, Xiao Wangshu could have proven her innocence through the later method of separate questioning.

The reason she pressed Xu Tian into the water and tormented her was simply to vent her anger.

This was the willful temperament of the Xiao Family’s legitimate daughter; this was the double-edged method of the Xiao Family’s legitimate daughter!

Only today did everyone present truly come to understand the Chancellor’s Mansion’s legitimate daughter.

Cruel-hearted, reckless, and meticulous in thought.

She was, in every way, a second Xiao Hong!

The noble ladies around her subtly shifted their seats, trying to keep their distance from Xiao Wangshu, as if that would make them a little safer.

Xiao Wangshu paid no mind to their small gestures and continued chatting with Fang Qiluo.

Fang Qiluo changed the subject quickly. After discussing Xu Tian’s false accusation for a while, Fang Qiluo suddenly pointed to a man on the other side of the screen, leaned in close to Xiao Wangshu, and asked in a low voice:

“I heard that Han Gongzi, like General Chen and General Lu, used to be a personal Guard for Uncle Prime Minister. Have you looked at him closely?”

Xiao Wangshu followed her gaze to the men’s seats across the screen, her eyes locking precisely onto the man pouring himself a drink.

Han Feiyu, grandson of Minister of Justice Li Gu’s sister, the young master of Li Mansion.

Li Gu had a younger sister, who, along with her son and daughter-in-law, passed away from illness, leaving the young Han Feiyu behind. Li Gu, moved by compassion for the orphaned Han Feiyu, brought him to his side to care for and raise him.

It is worth mentioning that Minister of Justice Li Gu is the maternal grandfather of Xiao Caiyi, the eldest daughter of the Xiao Family.

In his early years, Han Feiyu was not a playboy, but a proper military officer, just like Chen Chu and Lu Xuyang, personally protecting Xiao Hong and frequently visiting the Xiao Mansion.

Cousin and cousin, childhood friends, their story was considered a beautiful tale.

Unfortunately, good times did not last. As Xiao Hong’s military power expanded, he became busy with military affairs and urgently needed a trusted confidant in the palace to keep the emperor in check and monitor his every move.

For Xiao Hong, who could be more trustworthy than his own daughter?

Coincidentally, at that time, Xiao Caiyi had come of age and was ready for marriage. Among Xiao Hong’s daughters, she was the only one of age, so neither Xiao Hong nor Xiao Caiyi had a choice.

Thus, Xiao Caiyi entered the palace and became the Empress.

Han Feiyu no longer personally protected Xiao Hong, but was transferred to the Capital Prefecture to train troops and safeguard the Capital’s peace.

“Cousin? Why aren’t you saying anything? Can’t you see him clearly?”

Fang Qiluo leaned her head closer, looking at Han Feiyu from Xiao Wangshu’s angle, and said, “Of the two most dashing young men in the Capital, I think Han Gongzi is the better one.”

Xiao Wangshu came back to herself, nodded at her words, and replied, “He certainly is.”

Han Feiyu, wild and unrestrained by nature.

Compared to Mu Yunze, the gentle young master from a noble family, Han Feiyu was clearly more masculine and free-spirited, and even more likely to attract the attention of women.