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Seeing that Ji Lingchuan had paused at her words, Song Nanxin's face showed panic:
"It's nothing, Baizhi, this girl is always careless, she must have forgotten where she put that hairpin. It's just a hairpin; it's not worth much, Heir, no need to dwell on it."
Baizhi muttered, "Miss is the Princess Consort; that hairpin is worth at least thirty taels of silver, how can it not be worth much? Fourth Miss isn't doing this for the first time. Every time she comes to Miss's place, Miss's room always loses something."
Song Nanxin emphasized her tone: "Alright, I said Yihuan is my sister, you must not make wild speculations about her."
"Miss, it's because you are so good-tempered that you allow that pair of siblings to take whatever they want from you."
Baizhi bit her lip and knelt down towards Ji Lingchuan, saying:
"Heir, it's not that this servant wants to speak ill of her masters, it's just that the Princess Consort is too kind, and Baizhi can't bear to see her wronged, so I'm telling you this."
"Fourth Miss is a legitimate daughter of a concubine, and her birth mother is not favored in the Marquis Manor, so her situation in the manor is very awkward. The Princess Consort, seeing how pitiful the two siblings are, has always taken care of them since childhood, but Fourth Miss is ungrateful. Every time she comes to our Miss's place, things go missing from her room. Sometimes it's a jade pendant, sometimes a sachet, sometimes a handkerchief, and now she's taking increasingly valuable things; she even took Miss's hairpin."
"Miss just said that she always prepares a piece of clothing for Fourth Miss whenever she makes one, but that's wrong, it's Fourth Miss who asks Miss for it. She wants to wear the same clothes as our Miss, deliberately dressing up to look similar to our Miss, as if that would make her the same as our Miss. Also, last night, she..."
Song Nanxin stopped her again: "Baizhi, don't say any more!"
Hearing "last night," Ji Lingchuan's heart skipped a beat for some reason. His gaze fixed on Baizhi: "Let her continue."
"Yesterday was the day the Heir returned victoriously. Our Miss let her enter the banquet to welcome the Heir together, but she was not content. Relying on being the Princess Consort's sister, she flirted with other guests at the banquet, intending to use this to climb the social ladder, losing all the face of the Marquis Manor."
Hearing this, Ji Lingchuan's brows furrowed tightly.
From that quick glance just now, he had only felt that his wife's younger sister was a bit too overly alluring and delicate. He hadn't expected her to have such an unknown side.
However, he knew that everything required evidence; he couldn't jump to conclusions based on just a few words.
"You are only relying on conjecture and speculation; that cannot serve as evidence. Look for the hairpin carefully again, don't rush to a conclusion, and especially don't tell these things to others."
"Reputation is extremely important for a woman. The Princess Consort and her are, after all, sisters; if one prospers, all prosper; if one suffers, all suffer. If her reputation is damaged, the Princess Consort will be affected as well. Do you understand?"
His personality was inherently calm and serious, and he carried the sharpness of someone who had killed. Saying these words with his eyes lowered gave one the sense of being seen through, creating a feeling of pressure.
Baizhi, prostrate on the ground, trembled lightly, and replied, "This, this servant understands."
Ji Lingchuan glanced at Song Nanxin, who was silently shedding tears, then, without saying anything more, turned and left completely.
After confirming that he was far away, Song Nanxin returned to the room and threw the porcelain bottle that Ji Lingchuan had just given her violently against the corner, shattering it into pieces.
"He only glanced at her, and after hearing those words, he instinctively defended her. Why? Why?!"
Song Nanxin had already inquired about this. Ji Lingchuan couldn't tolerate those sly and deceitful servants. Anyone found with unclean hands within the Prince Manor would be driven out. She thought saying these things could make Ji Lingchuan despise that alluring foxy temptress, but he was speaking up for her!
Baizhi stepped forward to support Song Nanxin's elbow, consoling, "Miss, don't be angry. The Heir is just that kind of person. Besides, you two have only met twice today. He doesn't understand you or the Marquis Manor, so naturally he won't completely believe it. In the future, when your relationship with the Heir deepens and you have children, are you still afraid that the Heir's heart won't be with you?"
Song Nanxin gradually calmed down. Thinking about it, she felt that Baizhi was right.
There was no need to rush Ji Lingchuan into immediately developing a dislike for that little slut Song Yihuan. As long as she planted the seeds of doubt, in the future, whatever that little slut Song Yihuan did would seem deliberate to Ji Lingchuan. That would be considered achieving her goal.
Song Yihuan didn't know that after she left, her elder sister had poured a bucket of dark, thick mud on her before Ji Lingchuan. Because just a few steps after leaving Shulan Courtyard, her vision went black, and she fainted on the ground.
Fuling had been assigned by Song Nanxin to take care of Song Yihuan. She felt somewhat reluctant and, upon seeing Song Yihuan falling in front of Ji Lingchuan just now, became even more convinced that this Fourth Miss was a foxy temptress skilled in using tricks. Seeing Song Yihuan faint at this time, she thought Song Yihuan was playing another trick, and stabbed at her without warmth:
"Fourth Miss, don't pretend. The Heir won't take this road. This servant advises you to quickly get up, settle down and recuperate well in your own courtyard, and stop playing tricks."
After saying this, she saw that Song Yihuan was still unmoving. Only then did she realize that Song Yihuan wasn't faking it but had really fainted.
Not good!
Fuling stepped forward to help her up, her hand touching Song Yihuan's cheek, and exclaimed, "So hot!"
So Fourth Miss wasn't acting weak before the Heir but was really sick. What to do? Should she go back to call for someone?
Just as Fuling was at a loss, Song Yihuan opened her eyes, saying weakly, "Don't make a sound, support... me back to Tinglan Courtyard."
In Tinglan Courtyard, Song Xuan'er had already woken up. He was sitting in the courtyard, taking small bites of the fruit in his hand, his clear eyes constantly looking towards the gate, clearly waiting for Song Yihuan.
Seeing the familiar figure appear outside the gate, the small figure immediately put down the half-eaten fruit in his hand and ran forward.
"Fourth Older Sister, why did you go out again? You just said you'd keep Xuan'er company."
Finding Song Yihuan leaning weakly on Fuling, Song Xuan'er widened his eyes: "Fourth Older Sister, what's wrong? Chunxing, Chunxing!"
Hearing the sound, Chunxing came out of the room and was also startled by the sight. She attempted to take Song Yihuan from Fuling's hands.
"Thank you, Sister Fuling, for bringing Fourth Miss back. Let me take over from here."
Who knew that Fuling wouldn't let go, saying, "I'll be serving by Fourth Miss's side from now on. You watch over Fifth Young Master; I'll take care of Fourth Miss here."
What? Fuling was going to serve by Miss's side?
Chunxing was at a loss, and bit her lip: "Th-then I'll go call a doctor."
"Don't go," Song Yihuan spoke out to stop her, "With Fuling taking care of me, no need for a doctor, I'll be fine after a sleep."