Wei Changying realized instantly that Wei Changwan and Wei Changjuan had colluded to set her up. Being furious, she said coldly, "My first sister, I'm afraid I don't agree. I was wondering why an unmarried girl came over here to talk about my old family and my husband's family and then started crying even though I hadn't said anything. So it turns out that she was waiting for you, my first sister, to come over to question me! So, what is this crime that I have committed? Please tell me, my first sister."

On hearing what she said, everyone looked awkward. Someone with a quick tongue teased Wei Changjuan, saying, "Is that because you saw the wedding of the first sister of the Su Family and want to get married? So you came to talk to the third sister of the Wei Family, but you didn't know you would be laughed at by her?" The womenfolk of the family all agreed so and started laughing.

Wei Changjuan's face turned red, saying, "No, it's not! I just..."

"You are so ungenerous!" Shen Cangning put her hands on her hips, suddenly cutting in to say loudly, "Yes, I did accidentally bump into you, pushing you into the rose bushes when we were playing hide-and-seek in the imperial garden last time. But afterwards, I pulled you out of them and only that dress of yours was damaged. I said I would compensate you at that time, but you didn't want me to. Now you want to make a fuss about it here?"

Shen Cangning was a lively girl. This was a nice way to describe her. She was a daughter of an army general and the most favored of her siblings to her father Shen Xuan. So once she became fierce and unreasonable, ordinary people couldn't handle her, especially these quiet young ladies. She made Wei Changwan and Wei Changjuan choke on their words even though they tried to speak. She shouted in her lovely voice, "You said to my third sister-in-law how nice her husband's family is. You praised everyone except for me. My third sister-in-law doesn't know what happened in the imperial garden, so she didn't understand what you meant, but I know it very well! You just want to say that everyone in my family is nice, except for me, right?"

The third young madam of the Su Family, Mrs. Gu, was responsible for the area where they were. When she saw people gathering over there, she knew something had gone wrong. She went over there as well. Hearing what they had said, she quickly said, "Oh! My good little sister, I was wondering what you were doing here. You are just quarreling like children... The seventh sister of the Wei Family didn't say anything bad about you. Maybe she just hasn't had the chance to praise you? After all, you have many brothers, sisters, and sisters-in-law. You have a flourishing family. Isn't that right?"

The three cousins from Ruiyu Hall had all frozen when they heard Shen Cangning's words, so they didn't respond at once. Shen Cangning then said, "My third sister-in-law, you don't know that Wei Changjuan just loves to complain and loves to complain in a roundabout way! As I sat on the right of you, she thought I couldn't hear her! It was just a skirt. I'll buy one for her with my monthly allowance. Seriously, she couldn't pick any other day but my first cousin's wedding day to make all this fuss. She is my cousin and she is also her cousin! She really doesn't know when to do what!"

Shen Cangning hadn't yet turned fifteen and so she wasn't old enough to be a young lady, but everyone knew the Grand Preceptor loved this daughter very much, even more than his three lineal sons. This Fourth Miss of the Shen Family always spoke her mind freely so the womenfolk of the family had always been tolerant towards her.

After all, Shen Cangning was very direct. If they offended her, they might be in an awkward situation.

However, although Wei Changjuan and Shen Cangning were about the same age, and she was also lively, she usually appeared to be much more understanding and considerate than Shen Cangning. So the womenfolk of the family spoke well of her. This came at a price, which was that now everyone said, "The seventh sister of the Wei Family, is that true? It was just a skirt. People like us wouldn't mind that, would we?"

Though they said that, a smart girl like Wei Changjuan realized that everyone was starting to believe what Shen Cangning had said. After all, Shen Cangning had always given people the impression of being unreasonable and loving to cause trouble, but no one had said she lied. Now everyone suspecting Wei Changjuan this way was helping her to get off the hook. People around added, "Even so, the fourth sister of the Shen Family, you should stop this nonsense. It was just a skirt. It is nothing. Today is your cousin's good day. Don't ruin the festivities! The seventh sister of the Wei Family, you have always been gentle, so come and apologize to the fourth sister of the Shen Family. Then let's just forget about it. Is that acceptable? Please don't hold up the wedding banquet."

Wei Changjuan could tell people didn't totally believe what Shen Cangning had said but they had no patience to focus on the details, so they just wanted her to admit to it to please Shen Cangning and to end it. She was filled with fury. But as she had always given people the impression of being thoughtful, she couldn't show it. So she just glanced at Wei Changwan out of the corner of her eye.

Unfortunately, Wei Changwan was just being decent. Wei Changying then spoke, trying to persuade Shen Cangning without much enthusiasm, "That's right. My fourth sister-in-law, please let it go for my sake. I'm really silly. The seventh sister had been talking to me a lot but I didn't get her meaning. So, it's just about a skirt? My fourth sister-in-law, you don't need to buy a replacement for it later. I'll send a box of skirts to the seventh sister for you. I will make sure they are all of the best materials and in fashion. In terms of the size, since you are both standing in front of me, I now know your sizes. Based on the fourth sister-in-law's size, I will just make the size of the bodice smaller!"

Observant people among the womenfolk of the family could tell what she meant. Wei Changying said she would make the size of the bodice smaller, seeming to be talking about the size of the clothes, but actually making an insinuation about Wei Changjuan's narrow-mindedness.

Those who understood it looked at each other, smiling. But they didn't think Wei Changying showed partiality towards her sister-in-law. They all thought that it was so troublesome of Wei Changjuan, a daughter of gentlefolks, to complain to her cousin about what her peer had done to her skirt on her other cousin's wedding day. She usually seemed to be a sensible person but suddenly she didn't care about anything else but herself today. Had she been faking all of that reasonableness?

It wasn't difficult to understand that Wei Changying was displeased now. How many months had Wei Changying been married into the Shen Family for? Now that her husband had gone to Western Liang to fulfill his duty and her mother-in-law and two sisters-in-law were more senior than her, even if she managed the household temporarily, she wasn't in charge of the Shen Family!

Wei Changjuan had tried to get Wei Changying to take revenge on her sister-in-law for something trivial, but she hadn't considered Wei Changying's current situation. Actually, she should be pleasant to Sheng Cangning now, least of all be mistreating her!

Besides, it was hard to tell whether Wei Changjuan had acted deliberately or not. Shen Cangning, sitting on the right-hand side, had heard it. This was sowing discord between Wei Changying and her sister-in-law and making Wei Changying's life in her husband's family difficult!

Everybody knew about the dispute between the uncle and the nephew from Ruiyu Hall, but no one talked about it in public.

At this moment, they all thought, "Yes. Although Wei Changwan, Wei Changying and Wei Changjuan are cousins, it's not strange that they have been making trouble for each other since Wei Shengyi and Wei Changfeng have not yet settled their fight for the position of Family Head."

Mrs. Gu agreed. Since Wei Changjuan had stirred the things up, Mrs. Gu was displeased with Wei Changjuan and Wei Changwan, thinking to herself, "After all, they are daughters of concubines. They are people with humble origins! Everyone in the capital knows what happened in Ruiyu Hall. Even if she wants to fight or makes a fuss, she shouldn't do it when she has been invited here to the wedding by our family! No matter where they fight and who wins the argument, all of them will make people from Ruiyu Hall lose face! The Family Head of the Wei Family can't leave Fengzhou and Old Madam Song has gone back there. Even if that wasn't the case and Old Madam Song was still in the capital, Old Madam would beat up the granddaughters who dared to disgrace Ruiyu Hall! But look at them now, they are causing trouble on our celebration day!"

Wei Changjuan was so angry that her face turned pale. Being about to tell them the truth, suddenly someone pinched her on her back, saying in a sweet voice and smiling, "Oh, why are there so many people here? The seventh sister of the Wei Family, I asked you to do something and...?"

The crowd made a path. Wearing a water-colored summer blouse with a crossed collar and wide sleeves, decorated with devil's snare flower scrollwork and a silver skirt with a light pink waistband, silky as lotus sap, Liu Ruoye came over gracefully, holding a round silk fan. Today, she wore a Fei Xian bun with two jewelry hair clasps and step shake hairpins in it. The crystals dangling at the side of her hair reflected the sunlight. The beautiful color shining on her snow-like cheeks made her skin look bright and wonderful.

Seeing her coming, Wei Changjuan calmed herself a little and nodded to her, saying, "Sister Liu, you're back?"

"My tenth sister has had a cough recently. I went over to suggest her to drink fewer cold things." Liu Ruoye looked around in surprise, saying, "I just got back and now see a group of people here, so why?"

It sounded like both of them had sat in the same area earlier. Wei Changjuan held back her anger and told her what had happened, saying, "Shen Cangning talked nonsense. What I wanted to say to my third sister was actually..."

Shen Cangning put her hands on her hips, looking at her. She pursed her lips and was about to say something, but Liu Ruoye raised her round silk fan gently, covered her chin, and interrupted her in surprise, "So... My seventh sister of the Wei Family, what you talked about with the third sister of the Wei Family is not what I have asked you to do?"

Wei Changjuan was stunned. Wei Changwan knew Liu Ruoye was a clever person, quickly saying, "My tenth sister of the Liu Family, what did you ask Changjuan to say to Changying? We don't know anything. Each one is speaking of her own things. We have no idea about what's going on at all!"

Wei Changying frowned. Seeing that Wei Changjuan was stunned by hearing Liu Ruoye's words, she knew for sure that Liu Ruoye's so-called request was all nonsense. Although she couldn't believe all that her sister-in-law, Mrs. Liu, had said about her own reputation in the capital being damaged before her marriage due to Liu Ruoye's coveting Shen Cangfeng and a dispute between Liu Ruowo and Liu Xixun from Ranli Hall, she knew that Liu Ruoye was neither her enemy nor her friend. As her cousin, Song Zaishui, had said Liu Ruoye was lacking in sincerity. So now if she spoke, she would definitely twist the truth a lot!

She was about to say something to interrupt Liu Ruoye, but her hand was pinched by someone. She turned around and saw Mrs. Gu.

Mrs. Gu raised her sleeve to cover her mouth, moved closer to her ear, and said gently, "My good sister, please help me. I know that you are wronged today, but today is a special day. So let the cousin of the Liu Family have her say and finish it off, so as not to spoil the fun and ruin the festivities!"

"Certainly, my sister-in-law." Wei Changying heard her and knew that Liu Ruoye's coming over was probably because Mrs. Gu had secretly asked someone to tell her to quieten things down. She certainly didn't want to cause trouble on Su Yuli's wedding day. Immediately giving up the idea of interrupting Liu Ruoye, she nodded slightly, saying gently as well, "It's me who has impeded you today."

On hearing her promise, Mrs. Gu was relieved. Compared with Wei Changjuan who stirred things up and let them get out of control, Wei Changying was really considerate because she was willing to quieten things down. Mrs. Gu thought she needed to say something nice to her, "How could I blame you? The seventh sister of the Wei Family is a bit capricious. She made a scene over such a small matter today. If the third aunt and the first sister should hear about it later, that would hurt everyone's feelings!"

Her words implied that she would tell Wei Zhengyin and Su Yuli about it later. Wei Changying didn't mind, so she just focused on seeing how Liu Ruoye would ease the situation.

Liu Ruoye smiled, saying, "So this is what happened. The last time I went to the seventh sister's home, and I heard from her that the third sister of the Wei Family organized her courtyard neatly. A few days ago, my tenth sister said that her house was too small and she wanted a bigger one, so mother changed both her house and mine together. My new courtyard is empty, and there is nothing there. Remembering that my seventh sister complimented the courtyard of the third sister of the Wei Family, I thought it would be helpful if I could get the floor plan to consult. However, I've only met the third sister of the Wei Family twice before, and I was worried it might be too presumptuous to ask for it. So I just chanced to mention it to the seventh sister of the Wei Family, and she said she would come to ask the third sister of the Wei Family about it for me... Isn't that right?"

Shen Cangning continued with what they had been talking about earlier, "But Wei Changjuan came over, started praising my parents, and then she praised everyone in my family but didn't mention me. When did she mention anything about the floor plan or the courtyard?"

People became suspicious, realizing what they had said was so different. Someone nosy added, "The third sister of the Wei Family said that the seventh sister of the Wei Family came to talk about her husband's family and her old family, and then somehow she started to cry."

Liu Ruoye fanned her round silk fan surprisedly, saying, "Did she?" Then she asked Wei Changjuan, "The seventh sister of the Wei Family, what is this...?"

Wei Changjuan had been pinched by her earlier, knowing that it would be inappropriate to carry on her nonsense at this moment. Having been thinking about what to say, she grabbed the chance, saying, "I was thinking, although sister Liu just wants a copy of the plan, it would be better to see the courtyard with your own eyes. But I also know that my third sister is usually very busy, and nobody would deliberately say they want to visit a person's house, so I thought... Emm, but I haven't started to mention it and then..."

She wanted to visit Wei Changying's Jintong Courtyard, but Wei Changying hadn't invited them. So Wei Changjuan could only talk about the Shen Family to hint it to her. This explanation didn't all make sense but could be used to fit the story.

Most of the people said "Oh", meaning they understood. But someone else still wondered, "Then why did you cry? Because the third sister of the Wei Family refused to invite you?"

Wei Changying said without much enthusiasm, "If you think that way, you have wronged me. Although I am helping my sister-in-law according to my mother's order, I'm not too busy to set aside time for my cousins from my old family. Why would I do that to my seventh sister?"

Wei Changjuan had said that, suggesting the idea. But Wei Changying refused to go along with it, so Liu Ruoye hit her again secretly. She then had to say, "Actually, when speaking of how kind the elders of the Shen Family are, I start to remember my grandfather and grandmother... When my grandparents, eldest uncle, eldest aunt, third uncle, third sister and other relatives from Ruiyu Hall went back to Fengzhou, I wasn't yet born. I have never met them, and Fengzhou is so far away. I can't even serve tea to my elders... I feel..."

Talking about this, people couldn't tell whether she felt she was wronged, depressed or she was just acting. As her eyes were red again, she whimpered, "I miss my grandparents, all the elders, siblings, and cousins in Fengzhou so much!"

Witnessing this scene, everybody could feel her true feelings. All were moved, saying, "The seventh sister of the Wei Family shows true filial obedience to her elders!"

Mrs. Gu, stepping forward, took the chance to say, "I wondered what was going on here? It is just a misunderstanding. The seventh sister of the Wei Family, you are too shy. If you want to visit Changying's Jintong Courtyard, you should just say so. Now that my third cousin of the Shen Family has gone to Western Liang, it would be the right time for you to go and visit Changying's courtyard."

Liu Ruoye also smiled, saying, "Mrs. Gu, you are right. It's my fault for overthinking it..."

Wei Changying had to continue, "The tenth sister of the Liu Family, you are too polite. Although we have only met twice, you are my first sister-in-law's lineal cousin, so you are not a stranger. It is not a big deal that you want a copy of the floor plan or a visit to Jintong Courtyard. You… You and the seventh sister are too polite with me! I'm really angry about that!"

"The third sister of the Wei Family, don't be angry. It's all our fault..."

One pretended to be angry and the other kept apologizing. They talked and laughed. Finally, they made the atmosphere at the banquet lively again...