Chapter 44

By the riverbank stood a stout nanny, her back to the crowd as she crouched by the water’s edge. Whenever the person in the river tried to come up for air, she would reach out her strong arm and push them back into the water.

That’s why Qiao Jiaojiao and the others only heard the sound of someone falling into the water, but didn’t hear any cries for help.

Meanwhile, the young ladies on the bank were still laughing and joking.

“Look at her smug expression just now, and she’s talking about us bullying and committing a crime. It’s hilarious!”

“At such a young age, she’s already trying to steal the spotlight. She really doesn’t know her own weight.”

“Humph, she writes a sour poem and gets a nod from the Crown Prince, then she’s all high and mighty, forgetting her place!”

“She even dares to challenge Miss Sheng for superiority. Doesn’t she see the difference in status between the two families? Just a gesture from the Duke of Qingguo’s mansion could ruin the Meng family!”

Qiao Jiaojiao had already figured it out. She hadn’t expected the unlucky person being bullied to be the female lead!

“Oh my, the person in the river is Meng Guxue!”

“According to the normal plot development, by this time, Meng Guxue should have already formed a bond with the male lead in the Peach Blossom Forest.”

“Although Sheng Xiuran is very jealous of the female lead, she couldn’t do anything because of the male lead’s protection.”

“Now that the female lead has lost the protection of the male lead and made a big splash at the poetry gathering, she’s attracting trouble. As they say, a tall tree catches the wind, and now she’s in trouble.”

Seeing Meng Guxue struggling to surface again, only to be pushed back into the water by the nanny, Xiao Qianyue couldn’t bear it any longer.

She had a kind heart and was stubbornly righteous.

These people were clearly bullying the weak!

Moreover, from their conversation, it was clear that Miss Meng hadn’t done anything unforgivable. It was just jealousy driving them to harm a living soul!

Qiao Diyi was originally kind-hearted too, otherwise, he wouldn’t have risked his life to save Meng Guxue in the first place.

But he had long known from Qiao Jiaojiao’s inner thoughts that Meng Guxue was one of the main culprits behind their family’s misfortunes. So, he stood there with a stern face, not buying into any notion that Meng Guxue was innocent.

The situation had developed to this point because they had worked tirelessly to change things step by step based on Qiao Jiaojiao’s thoughts.

If they hadn’t followed Qiao Jiaojiao’s guidance, then Meng Guxue would have been thriving by now, ready to turn against their Qiao family!

“Stop it! What are you doing? Playing with people’s lives?” Xiao Qianyue stepped forward, her voice resounding.

Her strong and forceful words startled the young ladies on the bank, making them turn pale and kneel in panic when they saw the Crown Prince behind Xiao Qianyue.

“Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!”

The nanny by the water was startled by the mention of the Crown Prince, slipped, and plopped into the water.

Meng Guxue, finally seeing a glimmer of hope as she surfaced, immediately cried out for help.

“Your Highness! Crown Prince, please save me!”

Xiao Qianyue hurried to the bank and grabbed Meng Guxue’s shoulder, pulling her up with a strong force.

With her considerable martial arts skills, Xiao Qianyue’s strength was no less than that of an average man.

Feeling a strong pull lifting her up, Meng Guxue clung to Xiao Qianyue’s hand like grabbing a lifeline, and with a splash, Xiao Qianyue dragged her onto the bank.

Trembling, Meng Guxue collapsed on the ground, her wet clothes clinging tightly to her slender figure, her complexion pallid against the March weather, devoid of color.

Her wet hair disheveled across her face, she looked like a drenched puppy, utterly bedraggled.

Xiao Qianlan couldn’t bear to watch any longer and walked over, taking off her cloak and draping it over Meng Guxue.

The sudden warmth startled Meng Guxue, and as she lifted her head, she saw Xiao Qianlan looking at her with concern.

“Miss Meng, where is your maid? I’ll ask her to bring you some clean clothes right away.”

In her most desperate and bedraggled moment, hearing such caring words made Meng Guxue burst into tears, unable to speak for a moment.

She couldn’t understand why, as a transmigrated woman, she ended up in such a miserable situation in this ignorant and backward ancient era!

Despite making a stunning debut at the poetry gathering according to her initial plan, why didn’t she receive the expected adulation? Why was she still being bullied by others?

Looking at the gentle and caring Xiao Qianlan before her, although Meng Guxue felt grateful, a sense of resentment surged uncontrollably within her.

If fate had chosen her to transmigrate, why couldn’t she have been reborn into the noble and beautiful status of someone like Xiao Qianlan?

Then, even without effort, she could easily have everything she wanted!

Xiao Qianlan gently adjusted the cloak covering Meng Guxue and inadvertently met her eyes.

At that moment, Xiao Qianlan couldn’t help but feel slightly stunned.

Those were incredibly ambitious eyes, filled with resentment and frustration, which were unsettling to behold.

These were not the eyes expected of a ten-year-old girl…

As Xiao Qianlan thought this, her expression remained unchanged, but the sympathy and tenderness in her eyes gradually receded.

This Miss Meng… seemed far from simple.

Meanwhile, Meng Guxue was still lamenting in her heart, clueless about the whereabouts of her maid!

That wretched Sheng Xiuran deceived her under the guise of the Crown Prince’s appreciation for her poetry, claiming he wanted to have a deep discussion with her.

However, her maid, who was sent by Mrs. Meng to keep an eye on her, had been conveniently sent elsewhere by Meng Guxue for convenience.

Who would have thought that when she arrived at the riverbank with great joy, it would be Sheng Xiuran and a group of girls waiting for her!

Thinking of this, Meng Guxue shook her head in frustration. “I don’t know. I don’t know where my maid is.”

“It’s okay. I’ll have someone fetch my clothes for you to borrow!” Xiao Qianyue, unable to bear seeing the weak being bullied, said, raising her hand to call for someone.

Xiao Qianlan suddenly stood up and discreetly grasped Xiao Qianyue’s hand, signaling to her with a glance.

“It’s better not to get involved with Miss Meng’s family, especially with borrowing clothes. Who knows if it might cause trouble later on.”

Although Xiao Qianyue didn’t understand her sister’s intention, she knew deep down that her sister was the cleverest person. So when her sister shook her head, she knew it wasn’t a good idea.

Feeling embarrassed, she withdrew her hand and muttered, “Oops, I didn’t bring my maid with me either.”

Originally, Qiao Jiaojiao was observing everything with cold eyes. When she heard Xiao Qianyue offering to lend clothes to Meng Guxue, her heart skipped a beat. But before she could refuse, Xiao Qianlan had already stopped Xiao Qianyue.

Seeing this, Qiao Jiaojiao couldn’t help but feel a sense of respect.

“It’s no wonder she can harmonize with the Crown Prince. Miss Xiao is truly insightful!”

Meng Guxue looked down on people from this era, considering them ignorant and foolish ancients. She believed herself superior, coming from a modern era.

But Qiao Jiaojiao had a completely different mindset from Meng Guxue.

Children from modern society were overly protected, often displaying a naive innocence in their eyes. On the other hand, the sons and daughters of prominent families were not only precocious but also experienced in navigating complex social environments. Their thoughts were truly unfathomable.

Maintaining a sense of awe and sometimes pretending to be less capable than they actually were could help them go further in this unfamiliar world.

Unfortunately, Meng Guxue couldn’t grasp this principle at all.