Most of the people present were of noble status. To prevent anyone else from falling into the water again, Wen Moyu quickly invited all the young ladies out of the lake pavilion and they waited by the shore.
Chu Qingge wondered, "Sister Xiao, why did she fall in?"
Xiao Man glanced at the crowd and said softly, "Who knows, perhaps her foot slipped."
Only after Xiao Xiang was rescued ashore did Xiao Man realize that it was Xue Kun who had jumped into the water to save her.
Xue Kun, who had always been at odds with her, had actually jumped in to save someone. After a moment of thought, she immediately went to greet him. However, before she could get close, she heard Xiao Xiang trembling and asking, "Eldest Sister, why did you push me into the water?"
Xiao Man stopped in her tracks. So that's what she was waiting for. Her gaze suddenly turned cold, "You say I pushed you into the water?"
"If not you, then who? I was standing right beside you, who else would push me?" Xiao Xiang cried, "I know Eldest Sister dislikes me for always overshadowing you, but I am your sister. Madam Sheng has already praised your elegance like an orchid and your talent like a celestial being, so why would you be so cruel as to want my life? I wouldn't say anything out of line."
From Xiao Xiang's words, the crowd drew many conclusions. Xiao Man had obtained Madam Sheng's praise through some underhanded means, and Xiao Xiang knew about it. This eldest daughter intended to silence her!
"I thought Miss Xiao was merely arrogant, but I didn't expect her to be so vicious. Pushing her own sister into the water with the intent to drown her. Although it's not cold in April, falling into the water can easily lead to a chill. Miss Wen, quickly have someone take the Second Miss Xiao to change her clothes."
Wen Moyu nodded and called for a maid to take Xiao Xiang to change. Just then, Xiao Man said softly, "Ying Xue, throw her in."
Xiao Xiang had just regained her footing and hadn't recovered when Ying Xue was already in front of her. She grabbed Xiao Xiang and threw her into the lake. By the time everyone reacted, Xiao Xiang was already struggling in the water.
"Help me..."
"Heavens." The young ladies present were all pale with fright, having never expected Xiao Man to commit violence in public!
"Xiao Man, you are truly lawless!"
"This is a family matter of my Huguo General's mansion; it's not for outsiders to interfere." Xiao Man took the cloak from Qiu Tong and threw it to Xue Kun. She walked slowly onto the corridor bridge, looking at Xiao Xiang flailing in the lake, and said gently.
"As the legitimate eldest daughter of this mansion, if I wanted to deal with a lowly concubine's daughter, why would I resort to such vulgar tactics? I would simply kill her. Since you say I pushed you into the lake, I cannot bear this false accusation. Let everyone know that it was indeed I who had you thrown into the lake."
"Eldest Sister, do you think you can escape punishment by killing me?" Xiao Xiang bobbed in the water, looking pitiable. Of course, she knew Xiao Man hadn't pushed her, but she wanted to bring Xiao Man down, to stain Xiao Man with the reputation of being vicious, and to make all the noble disciples of the capital scorn her!
Xiao Man sneered, her voice becoming even gentler and more pleasant, "You think killing you would matter to anyone? Would Father care? Or would Grandmother care?"
Xiao Xiang frantically splashed the water, trying to keep herself from sinking. She looked up at Xiao Man standing on the corridor bridge. Xiao Man's expression was cold and merciless, as if she intended to kill her.
She was close to her limit. Fear gripped her heart. Water kept pouring into her ears, nose, and throat. She felt her strength draining away, unable to maintain her pitiful facade any longer.
"Eldest Sister, please let Second Sister go. Second Sister was just speaking nonsense in her panic," Xiao Ling quickly stepped forward, "Eldest Sister, we are sisters, why be so heartless?"
"Slandering the legitimate daughter and tarnishing her reputation is a grave offense. According to the laws of our Yusheng, one should be stripped and whipped thirty times in full view of everyone." Xiao Man looked coldly at Xiao Ling, "Third Sister has been learning etiquette from Madam Yan. If you don't even know this, wouldn't it be embarrassing for Minister Yan and Madam Yan?"
Xiao Ling's face turned pale. Looking at the overbearing Xiao Man, she didn't know how to retort. She looked at Xiao Xiang struggling in the lake with a sorrowful expression, tears falling, which only made the surrounding people dislike Xiao Man even more.
Xiao Man turned around and looked at Xiao Xiang in the lake. "Normally, in the mansion, you twist right and wrong and act unreasonably. I indulged you because you were young and ignorant. But now you bring those unspeakable tactics out in the open, disgracing my General's mansion. This is absolutely intolerable. Xiao Xiang, do you know your mistake?"
Xiao Xiang kept splashing. She had thought Xiao Man wouldn't dare to kill her, but seeing Xiao Man's cold demeanor, she wasn't sure. Moreover, Xiao Man was right; even if she drowned in the lake today, no one would do anything to Xiao Man.
She was wrong. She shouldn't have been so foolish as to trouble Xiao Man!
"I was wrong... Eldest Sister, I was wrong... Save me..."
"This is the only time. It won't happen again, or the punishment will be severe." Xiao Man said slowly, "Pull her up."
Ying Xue nodded, leaped onto the lake surface, grabbed Xiao Xiang, and with a light step on the water, flew back to the shore, throwing Xiao Xiang onto the ground.
Xiao Xiang kept vomiting, her face indistinguishable between tears and water. She was in a sorry state. All the young ladies looked at Xiao Man with disbelief.
Which household didn't have concubine's daughters? But only Xiao Man dared to say in front of everyone that she could deal with a concubine's daughter and no one would hold her accountable!
Xiao Ling fiercely pinched her palm, trying to suppress the hatred in her heart.
Xiao Man's words were not just directed at Xiao Xiang, but clearly alluded to the other young ladies of the Huguo General's mansion, who twisted right and wrong, slandered Xiao Man, and even she was included. She clearly saw several noble young ladies distancing themselves from her!
"What happened?" The Crown Prince and Prince Qin arrived upon hearing the news. Everyone bowed, their gazes falling on Xiao Man, their meaning self-evident.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, Your Highness Prince Qin, my sister was naughty and accidentally fell into the lake. She has been rescued. I apologize for disturbing everyone's enjoyment of the flowers." Xiao Man said neither servile nor overbearing.
The Crown Prince heard this and quickly said, "Is she alright?"
"She's fine, just a little frightened."
"Someone, quickly escort the Second Miss to change her clothes," Wen Moyu finally recovered and quickly ordered.
"Thank you for your kindness, Miss Wen. My Second Sister fell into the water and was frightened and terrified. Her body cannot bear it, and she likely cannot continue to participate in the flower viewing banquet." Xiao Man said gently to Xiao Xiang's maid, "Why haven't you sent Second Miss back to the mansion?"
"Yes, Eldest Miss."
Xiao Xiang's maid was new, named Yuanyang. She quickly went to help Xiao Xiang.
Xiao Xiang didn't want to leave. She had finally managed to attend the banquet.
If she left like this, wouldn't it have been a wasted trip?
But when Xiao Man's cold, emotionless gaze fell upon her, Xiao Xiang shivered, and her steps involuntarily followed Yuanyang away.