With just a few casual moves and a handful of words, she elevated a private grudge to the level of national diplomacy—only she could pull something like that off. An incident originally about a so-called apology instantly skyrocketed several ranks, hurtling straight toward becoming a diplomatic crisis.
In her own words, it was no big deal. Framing and entrapment were old hat to her, embellishing the truth was her forte, and underhanded scheming was practically her ultimate pursuit.
"Bullshit! This Crown Prince has never thought any such thing! Don't you dare sling that filth at me!"
Bei Wuxuan was so enraged that Buddhas would ascend to heaven and be reborn; the ever image-conscious man finally lost control and swore, glaring at Xiao Qianyin with venom.
"Oh my, could it be that he truly loves you too much and wants to remove this thorn in his side?" Xiao Qianyin put on an innocent face, tilting her head in thought. "Big Brother, you've got the wrong person. You should go find the most beautiful woman under heaven! If it weren't for her, the title of Crown Princess might very well have fallen on your head."
Slinging mud and splashing dirty water was what she enjoyed most. What she savored was that instant of rich expressions on her target's face. Look—this good fellow's face truly cycled through a rapid succession of colors: bright red, deep red, dark red, and pale red, before finally settling on a livid hue.
"What? Did I say something wrong? No worries, if your technique isn't up to par, the Eighteen Longyang Styles can make up for it. Any position works, right? Old Man Pushing the Cart? Leaping over Eaves and Walking Walls? Guanyin Sitting on the Lotus? There's always one that suits you two!"
Rogue, absolute rogue! Wicked, utterly wicked! This was the unanimous sentiment of the bystanders. Qin Xiaoran and Ji Ce both clicked their tongues. How could a young lady be so... uninhibited? They'd bet their lives that even they had never discussed such matters in public!
"Y-you..." Bei Wuxuan exploded. His eyes bloodshot, he roared, "Xiao Qianyin, don't go too far!"
"Oh dear, Your Highness the Crown Prince, could it be that you're shy? It's fine. If you have problems, feel free to speak up. If everyone can help, they'll certainly teach you frankly and conceal nothing."
She raised an eyebrow, her tone suddenly turning utterly strange. "But before solving that problem, this young lady must settle some personal business!"
A white silk ribbon had somehow swept past Liu Suinan's body. In an instant, the man collapsed to his knees. His hands and feet were covered in blood—she had actually severed all the tendons in his wrists and ankles!
The bloody scene caused many aristocratic young ladies to retch continuously. They had always been well-protected and had never witnessed such a spectacle; those with weaker constitutions fainted directly to the ground.
"Xiao Qianyin, you simply don't take this Crown Prince seriously at all!"
"Bei Wuxuan, what do you think you are! You're merely taking advantage of your good birth and exalted status. If you have the ability, live like those commoners. I dare say you absolutely can't compare to them. So what qualification do you have to stand here and rant? Destined to be the Crown Prince of Southern Tang from the moment of your birth—have you ever experienced the life of ordinary people? Are the commoner students at Lushan Academy fated to be oppressed by nobles? Is it all merely because of their birth?"
At least the original owner of this body had never done such things. She had been willful, spoiled, ignorant, and incompetent, yet she had never bullied commoner students. Though the original owner had merely felt they weren't worth the effort of bullying, it was enough for Xiao Qianyin to stand her ground now.
"All people are born equal, without distinction between noble and base. Strip away your titles, and you are nothing."
She spoke softly, yet every word struck with the force of a thrown weight, each sentence imbued with justice. Qin Xiaoran's body trembled. It was the first time he had heard such words; for a noble to advocate equality, to claim no distinction between high and low—it was truly rare.
Ji Ce smiled faintly. That hoodlum talk from last time, this egalitarian speech today—this Xiao Qianyin truly had her ways!
"Bei Wuxuan, let me tell you, this young lady is not interested in you, and I'm not joking. Please keep your people under control in the future, and don't come looking for trouble with me again. Otherwise, I'll make her end up exactly like him!"
She gave Nangong Wei a deep look, her sharp gaze striking straight at the soul. Nangong Wei shrank back slightly—clearly, these words were meant for her.