Su Li turned her head to see a young dy dressed in luxurious clothiering the shop, followed by two or three other young women.

  The dy carried herself with an air ance, her lifted high as if looking down on everyone around her.

  Madam Liu quickly stepped forward with a weling smile. "Ladies, are you here to select fabric or ready-made clothing?"

  The young dy poi the Suzhou Silk Brocade. "I want that fabric."

  Madam Liu hesitated and replied apologetically, "This… this fabric has already been cimed by this young Miss. It is the only piece avaible, and she arrived first."

  The dy’s expression darkened. Before she could speak, one of her panions stepped forward and scolded, "Do you even know who you’re talking to? This is the esteemed daughter of the current Right Prime Minister! Hand over the fabric immediately!"

  Ruyi Pavilion's reputation as the rgest tailor shop in the capital stemmed from its adhereo its principles. Madam Liu firmly stated, "This young Miss arrived first. Unless she decides not to take it, I suggest you look at other fabrics."

  Meng Zhiyun g Su Li, lifting her disdainfully. "This fabric is mine. Piething else."

  Su Li studied her for a moment. The rumors in the capital about the Right Prime Minister fav his es over his wife seemed true—this arrogant girl must be one of his illegitimate daughters.

  Without a word, Su Li closed the box taining the fabric. Meng Zhiyun smirked, satisfied that Su Li had backed down, and was about to decre Su Li sensible when Su Li spoke up.

  "Madam Liu, take my measurements. I want this fabric tailored into a dress here."

  Meng Zhiyun’s face darkened. "How dare you! Do you have any idea who I am? You dare to fight me for this?"

  Seeing Su Li’s pin attire, Meng Zhiyun assumed she couldn’t possibly belong to a powerful family.

  Su Li let out a cold ugh. "A mere illegitimate daughter dares to act santly?"

  The words struck like a sp to the face. Meng Zhiyun’s expression twisted in anger as she realized she had just been humiliated in front of her followers.

  Enraged, she stepped forward, raising her hand to strike Su Li, shouting, "You wretched girl! You’re asking for a beating!"

  Zhishu swiftly intercepted her wrist and shouted back, "Our Miss is the legitimate daughter of the Minister! How dare you!"

  Meng Zhiyun shook off Zhishu’s hand and sneered, "Oh, so it’s you—the disfigured ugly monster everyone’s been talking about. What’s this? Too ashamed to stay locked up at home, and now you dare to show your fa public?"

  Su Li looked at her coldly and spoke calmly, "Zhishu."

  Zhishu turned back, "Miss?"

  "Do you hear a dog barking somewhere?"

  Zhishu paused for a moment before replying, "Yes, Miss. I do hear it."

  Meng Zhiyun’s face twisted with rage. Though she didn’t dare y hands on Su Li—knowing Su Li had the bag of the Minister and the Duke Wei’s Manor—she turned her fury on Zhishu. Raising her hand, she aimed to sp Zhishu instead.

  "Stop!"

  A sharp voice rang out, halting Meng Zhiyun iracks. She turned abruptly and immediately paled. Gone was her aggressive demeanor as she posed herself hastily.

  "Greetings to the Fifth Princess!" she said, bowing deeply. Seeing the man standing behind the princess, she quickly added, "Greetings to Prince Jing!"

  Su Li also curtsied. "Greetings, Fifth Princess. Greetings, Yhness Prince Jing."

  The Fifth Princess nodded slightly and asked, "You’re Su Li? Is Su Yue your half-sister?"

  Su Li nodded. "Yes, Yhness."

  In her previous life, Su Li wasn’t familiar with the Fifth Princess, but she knew of her fate. Once celebrated as the most beautiful woman in the capital, the Princess Chaoyang met a tragid. After Jun Hui asded the throne, she was sent far away to marry a fn prin the Westerories as part of a political alliance.

  The Fifth Princess studied Su Li for a moment. Up close, she noticed Su Li’s eyes—visible beyond her veil—were strikingly beautiful, clear, and pure. They reminded her of the Persian cat her mother kept in her pace—soft and i, easily bullied. No wonder Su Li’s half-sisters dared to snder her.

  If Su Li had known what the princess was thinking, she would have found it amusing. While the Su Li of her previous life might have been and meek, the Su Li of this lifetime was a vengeful spirit risen from hell, ready t her enemies down with her.

  The Fifth Priurned her gaze to Meng Zhiyun and scolded, "I heard yument from outside. The fabric belongs to the person who arrived first. How dare you try to take it by force? Is this what the Right Prime Mieaches his daughters?"

  Meng Zhiyun quickly apologized, "Yhness, I was wrong!"

  The princess snorted. "Abusing your status to bully others—how bold of you! Why aren’t you tinuing now?"

  Meng Zhiyun stammered, "I—I was wrong, Yhness. Please excuse me. I’ll leave right away." She hurriedly gathered her panions and fled in embarrassment.

  Jun Mo chuckled softly at his elder sister’s righteous scolding. Whe on that stern act, she could indeed be intimidating.

  Jun Mo then spoke with a gentle voice, tinged with humor. "Elder Sister, hurry up and choose your fabric so we return to the pace."

  The princess, who had been maintaining a dignified air, suddenly rolled her eyes at him. "Alright, alright! You hate shopping, don’t you? It’s such a chore for you to apany me."

  Notig Su Li’s curious gaze, the princess quickly straightened her posture, coughed lightly, and said, "Pardon me. Please, go ahead and choose first."

  Su Li curved her lips in a polite smile. "I wouldn’t dare, Yhness. Please, you go first."

  The princess held her head high. "Very well."

  While Madam Liu assisted the princess iing fabric, Su Li stepped aside. Occasionally, she overheard words like " Prince" and "wedding date" from their versation.

  After a while, the Fifth Princess g Su Li and said, "You may choose now. I didn’t find anything I liked."

  As expected, the padoubtedly had access to the fi fabrics from across the nd. Despite Ruyi Pavilion’s reputation, it couldn’t pare to the imperial tribute.

  When the princess and Jun Mo left, Su Li bowed respectfully.

  Jun Mo gnced back briefly at Su Li’s retreating figure.

  The princess sighed, "That Miss Su is quite pitiful. I vaguely remember seei a pace ba a few years ago. She left an impression because she was so adorable back then. Now, she’s disfigured—such a shame."

  Jun Mo’s tone was indifferent. "It’s just fate."

  The princess snorted. "Why are you so detached? You sound like a monk who has abandoned all worldly attats. Find yourself a wife already. Mother keeps pestering my mother about it."

  Jun Mo’s expression remained calm, as always, with a faint smile. "Wheime is right."

  The princess rolled her eyes. At this point, she wouldn’t be surprised if her younger brother ended up being a monk. He had ied their mother’s unfppable demeanor—calm and posed no matter what happened.

  By the time Su Li returo the manor, it was lunchtime.

  "Mother, I’m here to join you for lunch," Su Li said as she ehe dining hall.

  Madam Su teased her affeately, "You used to never leave the house, but now you go out and only return at mealtime. You’re being so wild!"

  She ordered the servants t out the dishes.

  After having lunch with her mother and chatting for a while, Su Li excused herself when Madam Su went for her afternoon nap.

  As Su Li walked back toward her courtyard with her maids, a greasy voice called out from behind her.

  "Dear cousin!"

  Su Li turo see a man in fine clothing approag, fanning himself in what he thought was a manner.

  Zhishu immediately stepped in front of Su Li and demanded, "Stht there! Who are you?"

  The man g Zhishu, his eyes lighting up with i.

  Although Su Li was known as a disfigured "ugly monster," her maid was quite pretty. If he could marry Su Li, these maids would naturally bee his as well.

  His dissatisfa with his father’s arra lightened somewhat at the thought.

  "I’m your cousin, Xia Wencai," the man said smugly.

  Su Li frowned. Xia Wencai? Wasn’t that Xia Jiang’s son?

  It seemed Xia Jiang, uo leave the Western Garden, had sent his son to deal with her instead.

  Su Li’s voice turned cold. "I have only one cousin, ahe young master of the Duke Wei’s Manor."

  With that, she turned and walked away.

  "Hey, don’t go, cousin! Wait!" Xia Wencai hurried after her, reag out to grab her arm.

  Zhishu shouted angrily, "How dare you!"

  Su Li stopped and turned, her voice icy. "If you tihering me, I’ll have you thrown into the pond."

  Xia Wencai froze under Su Li’s cold gaze, not daring to take aep forward.

  As Su Li walked away, Xia Wencai’s expression turned venomous.

  "You little b**. Once I get my hands on you, let’s see if you still act so high and mighty!"

  [--------------------------------------------]

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