The door to the pavilion creaked open, and Han Zhi, escorted by several attendants, approached them. After all, since this flower gathering was held at the Jinxiang Marquis Residence, any scandal that arose would reflect poorly not only on a young miss like Han Yueheng but on the entire family's reputation.

  As he came closer, he cast a cold look first at Han Yueheng, who was biting her lip so hard it was nearly bleeding, and then turned to Song Chuyi. "I'm curious as to what offense my sister has caused to make Sixth Miss so angry."

  He had expected that his mere appearance, accompanied by this familiarity, would leave Song Chuyi anxious and unsettled—just as she had been that day at the vil in Tongzhou when she had fled in panic without him saying a word. However, Song Chuyi didn't flinch; her expression of anger didn't shift, though her sneer was now directed at him instead of Han Yueheng.

  "No, it's not about hospitality. I'm simply astonished by the Jinxiang Marquis Residence's standards for hosting guests. Although I'm young, I understand that hosting a flower gathering requires considering each guest's preferences, even down to the refreshments. I don't know if Miss Han achieved that, but merely in terms of hospitality, the Jinxiang Marquis Residence has already made a spectacle of itself. I can overlook Miss Shen's unsavory words, but Miss Han simply stood by and allowed her to insult our Changning Marquis's Residence without intervening. It's hard not to question her character, and what sort of pce produces such a girl? Well, who knows?"

  Behind Han Zhi, Shen Qingrang furrowed his brow, surprised. He had thought Song Chuyi had changed, especially since he hadn't seen this fierce side of her in a long time. Yet, seeing her now brought back vivid memories—she was as haughty and unyielding as ever.

  Han Yueheng, humiliated and panicked, saw the judgmental stares from those around her and bit her lip so hard it bled. She pointed at Song Chuyi and cursed, "What are you even—"

  She couldn't understand why Song Chuyi was fixated on berating her when she hadn't done anything other than watch Shen Huiyi mock Song Chuyi. Why didn't Song Chuyi target Shen Huiyi, and instead focus all her ire on her?

  Even Han Zhi, usually so composed, furrowed his brow at Song Chuyi's words. But his dark expression soon softened. The more that Song Chuyi shed out like this, the more it suggested how deeply affected she had been by that incident at the Tongzhou vil.

  He reached out to stop Han Yueheng, who was seething with rage and looked ready to pounce on Song Chuyi. In a cold voice, he reprimanded her, "Sixth Miss Song is teaching you a lesson in conduct—reflect on it!"

  Han Yueheng had always feared him. Seeing his warning gaze sweeping over the onlookers, she understood it as a caution not to escate matters further. Resentfully, with tears welling in her eyes, she bit back her anger and turned to leave.

  Without so much as a gnce back, Han Zhi ordered someone to call for Lady Fan—after all, it wasn't appropriate for him to intervene in household affairs, and it was clear that Han Yueheng was incapable of handling this mess. Only Lady Fan could resolve it now.

  Song Chuyi typically wasn't one to embarrass people like this. Even during the scandal at the Duke of Ying's residence, she had waited until the adults arrived to act. Today, however, she seemed determined to give Han Yueheng no leeway. Chen Mingyu observed her thoughtfully, finding her behavior somewhat puzzling.

  Shen Huiyi was even angrier than Han Yueheng. Known for her arrogance within the Duke's family, she often looked down on others and was notorious for her cutting remarks. That reputation, however, was something discussed privately within her family and had never been aired in public.

  Now, with Song Chuyi publicly stating that Shen Huiyi's name would one day be synonymous with "malice," and with so many esteemed families present at the flower gathering, it seemed this bel might indeed become her legacy.

  She was trembling with rage. It had taken countless efforts and favors to secure a pce as the Ninth Princess's study companion through her connection to Dowager Consort Zhuang. If this path to success was ruined by Song Chuyi...

  Desperation clouded her thoughts as she gred at Song Chuyi, her resentment spilling over. Finally, unable to hold back, she spat out a bitter retort through clenched teeth, "Just wait until your father loses his title and your Marquis's estate is divided. Let's see where your arrogance takes you then!"

  Holding onto Song Chuyi's arm, Cui Huayi shot back without missing a beat, "Second Miss Shen should worry about herself first. There's a saying, 'Like father, like son,' but another goes, 'Even good bamboo yields bad shoots.' Second Miss Shen is exactly that—a bad shoot!"

  It wasn't long before Lady Fan arrived. Her overly delicate face betrayed no anger; instead, she wore a cheerful smile as she held Shen Huiyi's and Cui Huayi's hands, saying, "They say it's fate when enemies meet. You two little rivals just had to run into each other. Go inside and freshen up now—you both look like little cats from bickering. What would people think if they saw you like this?"

  Meanwhile, she instructed the other girls to move the potted green plums into the flower hall, "These were pnted by an imperial horticulturist himself; they're growing beautifully. If any of you fancy them, feel free to take one home to admire."

  With the Crown Prince's position increasingly secure and his health improving day by day, everyone could see where the winds were blowing. No one dared to offend Lady Fan, favored consort Fan's younger sister.

  Han Zhi watched Lady Fan effortlessly lead everyone away and then turned to Song Chuyi. Hands csped behind his back, he offered her a leisurely smile. "Today's flower gathering isn't about competing in poetry, but I happen to have an interesting one that might help Six Miss Song relieve some of that anger. Care to listen?"

  Before she could reply, he had already begun reciting the so-called "interesting" poem:

  "In the mountains, I see vines entwine the trees,

  Leaving the mountains, I see trees cling to the vines.

  When the vine lives, the tree dies, entwined till the end.

  When the tree lives, the vine dies, bound even in death."

  Finished, he looked at her expression with a smirk. "Quite intriguing, isn't it?"

  Han Zhi shared an oddly simir trait with Song Chuning—likely unbeknownst to himself. He enjoyed giving others just a hint of the truth, a small clue to toy with them, and taking pleasure in their puzzlement. They both relished the thrill of having others at their mercy.

  Growing increasingly certain that Han Zhi knew about her past conflicts with Song Chuning, Song Chuyi cast him a pointed look, her face showing just the right amount of fear and shock—the reaction Han Zhi relished. He harbored sinister intentions and seemed to take satisfaction in revealing them, dispying a shadow of the calcuting person he would one day become.