Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Could They All Be Rumors?

Even if she was a Princess, it was far too much!

“You think I can’t find out the truth, so you dare to spin such ridiculous lies!” The disdain in his eyes deepened with every word.

Ting Lan immediately argued, “Ridiculous? On the day our Princess married, her dowry stretched for ten miles around the city! Had she not needed to support Duke Qi’s household with tens of thousands of taels these past two years, she could have donated even more!”

Ting Lan’s words left the surrounding crowd stunned. What did she mean, supporting Duke Qi’s household? Could the proud Duke Qi Mansion really be so impoverished that it required the Princess’s dowry?

Sheng Zhi Wan glanced at Ting Lan, unable to stop a small smile. [This maidservant truly never misses a chance to speak of the grievances I’ve endured at Duke Qi Mansion.]

“A dowry?” Wang Huai Zhi grew even more skeptical.

A dowry was a woman’s pride. Every woman he knew only tried to add more treasures into their dowries, never willingly giving away anything.

Donations?

How could she bear it!

“Princess, don’t speak of such unverifiable matters just to evade me.”

“You’re utterly ridiculous!” Ting Lan flushed red with anger. “You boast loudly about your loyalty to family and country without lifting a finger yourself, yet you belittle others by your own low standards. Do you think our Princess is like you?!”

“It’s not impossible to verify,” Sheng Zhi Wan said, turning toward Shang Xiu Yuan.

“I recall Eldest Young Master Shang’s father, General Shang, regularly corresponds with several marshals on the border. If you doubt me, you can ask General Shang to inquire. Each donation I made used the name ‘Prosperous Hall,’ symbolizing my wish for a peaceful and flourishing era.”

“I’ll certainly verify!” Wang Huai Zhi retorted coldly. “But I’ll have to trouble Xiu Yuan to seek General Shang’s confirmation.”

He simply couldn’t believe that a woman would willingly part with her dowry. All women coveted wealth and were short-sighted, weren’t they? Once the truth emerged, this Princess Qing Ning would surely be humiliated!

Shang Xiu Yuan nodded, though his thoughts differed entirely from Wang Huai Zhi’s. He already believed Sheng Zhi Wan’s words, as it would only take one curious soul among the crowd to expose her lies if she were lying. Moreover, she had openly provided the donation name, clearly unafraid of verification.

“If my words prove true, how will you respond?” Sheng Zhi Wan smiled faintly.

Wang Huai Zhi was momentarily dazed by her smile. “…Naturally, I will apologize to the Princess!”

“An apology won’t be necessary. As the eldest son of the Wang family, surely you have some private funds?”

Wang Huai Zhi hesitated.

Sheng Zhi Wan continued, “Then you’ll use two thousand taels of silver to distribute porridge in the slums of the capital. Remember to clearly display my name at the porridge stalls.”

Wang Huai Zhi stared speechlessly.

[Such a petty woman!]

“Very well, I accept,” he finally replied. “But if your donation proves false or the amount inaccurate, Princess, you must treat all the guests of Gathering Worthies Teahouse to tea for three consecutive days. Additionally, a clear account of today’s events must be displayed at the entrance!”

“Agreed.” Sheng Zhi Wan naturally had no fear.

Having accepted this sure-win bet, she finally turned toward another person, formally facing Prince Qin Yu, whose fame had haunted her from her past life.

His appearance was truly stunning.

Yet what caught Sheng Zhi Wan’s attention first were his daringly bold eyes, which met hers at that very instant. His gaze curved in a mischievous smile, and in that fleeting moment, Sheng Zhi Wan glimpsed a dazzling brilliance mixed with profound coldness.

Only afterward could she notice his finely sculpted features.

His chiseled face was striking, his brows arched upward with reckless charm. His peach-blossom eyes held a seductive arrogance, and his straight nose perfected a face that could only be described as breathtaking.

“Shang Hang Yu greets Princess Qing Ning!” His gaze never wavered.

A strange ache suddenly pierced Sheng Zhi Wan’s heart.

“Hang Yu! Don’t be rude!” Shang Xiu Yuan hurriedly stepped forward to block his brother. “Princess, my younger brother has always been impulsive and disrespectful. Please don’t hold it against him.”

“Eldest Young Master Shang jests,” Sheng Zhi Wan glanced at him calmly. “I rather think Second Young Master Shang speaks candidly and sincerely. Such directness is far more genuine than those who gossip behind others’ backs. Eldest Young Master Shang, don’t you agree?”

Shang Xiu Yuan’s expression turned strained, feeling her words indirectly rebuking him. After all, he hadn’t stopped the others from slandering her earlier, and had even forced Shang Hang Yu to apologize…

Now, if he admitted her words were true, he’d humiliate himself. But could he deny it?

Shang Xiu Yuan laughed bitterly, “Princess’s lesson is apt. I shall remember it well.”

“Good.” Sheng Zhi Wan nodded lightly.

Just as Shang Xiu Yuan thought the awkward scene had finally concluded, Sheng Zhi Wan suddenly smiled again.

“In that case, Eldest Young Master Shang, why don’t you apologize to Second Young Master Shang?”

Shang Xiu Yuan stood frozen.

Apologize to Shang Hang Yu?

Impossible! Shang Hang Yu was a worthless troublemaker without a single talent—how could he apologize to someone like him?

His lips moved silently, unable to speak.

“What’s wrong, Eldest Young Master Shang? Unwilling? Everyone praises you as a gentleman, modest and graceful as jade, particularly protective toward your half-brother. Could it be these are all merely rumors?”