Chapter 12 - Aren't You Afraid of Losing Your Hand?

As the prime minister who was deeply trusted by the emperor and was good at maintaining relationship, Shen Dong maintained a balanced relationship with several princes in the court, neither too close nor too alienated. Therefore, when Shen Linghan held a banquet, many officials and young ladies came willingly. After all, the first daughter of the Shen family was so talented and beautiful that she was well-known in the capital city. There was no harm in making friends with her.

Today’s party was different from those of the past. Shen Ninghua, the real first daughter of the Shen family, was back. Although people did not talk about it in public, they were all secretly expecting a drama. They wondered how Shen Linghan, the second young lady, would get along with her.

Because of the hot weather, the banquet was held in the pavilion beside the garden. Shen Ninghua came with Qing Que and other maids. From a distance, she could see the exquisite pavilion was surrounded by a curtain of silk that swung under the breeze. Around the curtain, beautiful girls were chattering or silently enjoying the view. The whole scene was like a painting.

Seeing the arrival of Shen Ninghua, a lady in the crowd suddenly said, “I was wondering who it was. It turned out that the eldest daughter of the Shen family is coming. I didn’t recognize her just now. No one would be able to distinguish her because the previous black bird had suddenly turned into a colorful parrot.”

Hearing her words, people focused their eyes on Shen Ninghua. They held their handkerchief to cover their lips as they whispered and laughed mockingly.

Shen Linghan saw the dress Shen Ninghua was wearing. A flash of contempt appeared in her eyes and then quickly disappeared.

Hong Ling’s face became red due to anger and a sharp light flashed in her eyes.

Shen Ninghua walked forward steadily and looked at the lady from head to foot, ignoring her words. She was Shen Linghan’s cousin, Zhao Ruyun from the Zhao family, and she was the empress Zhao Huiying’s niece. She was not as beautiful as Shen Linghan. However, with her gorgeous pearl hairpin and jade ornament, she looked both exquisite and noble.

“Cousin, where is the bird you talked about? I’m also curious.”

Zhao Ruyun looked at Shen Ninghua’s smiling face and sneered, “Don’t you know that there is a saying “What is seemingly far away is actually right under your nose”? Oh, I forgot that you were raised up outside the family and was not well educated. It is natural that you don’t know. ”

Shen Ninghua did not care about her sarcasm. “Dragons beget dragons, and phoenixes beget phoenixes. My father is the Prime Minister and has an upright character. All of the daughters of the Shen family are knowledgeable. Cousin, since you are so knowledgeable, you should understand that, right?”

Zhao Ruyun sneered and looked at Shen Ninghua with disdain. “The daughters of the Shen family are naturally beautiful and knowledgeable. Unfortunately, who knows whether these pearls and jades will not be mixed with a rotten fish eye?” Hum, born with dark skin, she was as low as mud. It was highly questionable whether she was the Prime Minister Shen’s daughter!

Shen Ninghua’s face suddenly sank, and her black eyes looked at Zhao Ruyun with shining coldness. “What do you mean, cousin? Do you think that the Zhao family is so powerful that you can humiliate me and the Shen family? I’d better listen to your explanation. Where is the so-called rotten fish eye? If what you said is reasonable, I would happily tell my father about it. ”

Zhao Ruyun had always looked down upon her. Later, she married Sima Wen, a young general from a powerful family. After that, she used to capitalize on the power of the Sima family and insulted her with implicit satire and freezing irony. In order to help Baili Jinze to earn the support of court officials, Shen Ninghua tried her best to avoid conflicts. Now she had no need to tolerate her any more. Zhao Ruyun was extremely arrogant and impulsive. Given a hint, she would speak without thinking. Even if she had the support of the Zhao family, she was just a negligible nerd.

Zhao Ruyun looked at Shen Ninghua scornfully. “You want to tell my uncle about it? Wow, that’s a big thing. Go and tell him. I also want to go to my uncle and ask him. You didn’t even greet me when you saw me. How educated are you?”

Hearing this, Shen Ninghua immediately made a bow and said, “Greetings, my cousin.”

Zhao Ruyun was pleased and turned to the other ladies who were watching the drama, “Oh, look, she just acted like a country girl, now she knows courtesy.”

Shen Ninghua looked up. Her eyes were cold and quiet. She straightened up and said, “Cousin, I come from the countryside, but you are a well-educated lady. I think you have good manners. Now that I have greeted you, aren’t you going to greet me in return?”

“Greet you? Who do you think you are that you deserve my greeting?”

Shen Ninghua’s face turned cold. “Then please tell me, my cousin, what makes you nobler than me? Do you have an official title, or do you have a royal mandate? We are all first daughters in our own families. How come I am not as noble as you? Or do you mean that the Shen family can’t match the Zhao family?”

Seriously speaking, the Zhao family’s position in the court was indeed much higher than Shen’s. After all, there was Zhao Huiying, the empress of the country. But regarding the official position, the masters of the two families were both first-rank officials of the court, and their positions were equal. No matter how stupid Zhao Ruyun was, she would not use the empress to prove that the Zhao family was nobler than the Shen family.

“You…” Zhao Ruyun’s eyes were burning. As a first daughter of the Zhao family, she was flattered wherever she went. This cheap girl dared to question her so rudely. She raised her hand and was going to slap Shen Ninghua in the face.

Qing Que’s eyes went cold and was about to make a move. But Shen Ninghua had already grabbed Zhao Ruyun by the wrist.

“Shen Ninghua, how dare you!”

“Oh, cousin, don’t forget that this is the Shen family. You have no right to fight with me here, the first daughter of the Shen family!” Shen Ninghua chuckled. Holding one of Zhao Ruyun’s fingers slowly in her hand, she leaned close to Zhao Ruyun’s ear and said with an ice-cold tone, “Cousin, don’t touch me at will. What should you do if your finger gets itchy and rotten?”

Zhao Ruyun’s eyes widened. She felt cold in her back, and even her fingers were tickling slightly. She was shocked and shook Shen Ninghua’s hand away. She looked at Shen Ninghua in disbelief, “You…you….”

Shen Ninghua looked at her with a smile, neither humble nor haughty.

Shen Linghan was depressed to see that Zhao Ruyun failed to humiliate Shen Ninghua. However, she had to say something to ease the atmosphere. “Sister, now that you have come, please sit down quickly. We were thinking about painting with spring as the theme, how about we do this together?”

Shen Ninghua smiled, “Cousin just said that I was not educated. I’d better watch you painting.”

Zhao Ruyun secretly clenched her teeth and glared at Shen Ninghua. She used a handkerchief to wipe her wrist harshly Shen Ninghua had touched. Then, she turned around and strode away. How could she bear to see Shen Ninghua being so proud? Hum, although she couldn’t get the upper hand dealing with Shen Ninghua, there was her aunt, who could definitely tame this bitch!

Zhao Ruyun walked so fast that she almost ran into a man who had just walked out of the corner beside the rockery. She got angry and was about to shout at him, but the moment she looked up, she was stunned.

The man was wearing a silk robe and was very handsome. His eyes were like stars, full of warmness.