"Heh, Lady Hong, what grand airs you put on. Those who don't know better might think you're a princess from some country. Unfortunately, you were born into the wrong life and remain an untitled Commandery Princess to date." Ye Lingyue did not get angry but simply retorted coldly to Hong Yuying.

"Exactly, no matter what, Ling Yue is still a Third-grade Princess conferred by the Empress Dowager, far better than some unrecognized princesses who only know how to criticize others all day long. Such typical inarticulate people." Lan Cai'er sarcastically mocked.

"You two, who are you calling an unrecognized princess? Ye Lingyue, Lan Cai'er, what's so great about you? You are just princesses because you flattered the Empress Dowager. My sister is a princess of today!" Hong Yuying, red-faced and embarrassed by the taunting of the two women, quickly dragged her sister Hong Mingyue into the conversation.

In terms of talent and status, her younger sister is indeed a princess.

"Sister!" Hong Mingyue, unlike Hong Yuying, who is not so smart, didn't wait for Hong Yuying to finish her sentence before she held her back and gave her a reproachful look.

Hong Yuying's face flushed, but she still looked unconvinced.

"Sister Lan, long time no see. My sister has always been straightforward. Please don't take it personally," Hong Mingyue apologized with a smiling face as she walked forward.

Lan Cai'er huffed and did not want to talk more with Hong Mingyue.

"I don't have such an impressive sister like you. I only have Ling Yue."

"This is Sister Ye. I am Hong Mingyue from Hong Residence, and I have always been away from Xia Capital. This is my first meeting with Sister Ye. If there's any lapse in courtesy, please forgive me, Sister Ye." Hong Mingyue spoke as if she hadn't heard Lan Cai'er's words, still smiling.

Her demeanor now was completely different from the arrogant Hong Mingyue Ye Lingyue had seen outside the Taiyi Secret Realm earlier.

Had Ye Lingyue not known her true colors earlier, she might indeed have developed a favorable impression of Princess Ming Yue, who appeared innocent and charmingly beautiful.

The dragon gives birth to a dragon and the phoenix to a phoenix. The daughter born to Hong Fang and Zhuge Rou couldn't possibly be any good.

Ye Lingyue sneered inwardly.

"Princess Ming Yue, you're too polite. The Princess and Lord Grand Protector truly reflect a father-daughter resemblance," Ye Lingyue laughed coldly, her smile not reaching her eyes.

Hypocritical, this Hong Mingyue, much more difficult to handle than the pig-headed siblings, Hong Yuying and Hong Yulang. Her nature, just like Hong Fang's, is duplicitous and disgustingly hypocritical.

Hong Mingyue was no fool. She could hear the sarcastic undertone in Ye Lingyue's words.

This woman, she had seen through her.

From a young age, Hong Mingyue was clever. She handled relationships, whether within the Hong Residence or the sect, extremely well.

Ye Lingyue was the first to bluntly rebuff her.

"Why talk so much with these kinds of notorious women? Talking to her is simply a decrease in our own value," Hong Yuying gave Ye Lingyue and Lan Cai'er a disdainful glance.

"Ling Yue, let's ignore them. They think they are so noble, but they're just a bunch of common hens," Lan Cai'er pulled Ye Lingyue to the side and started selecting Beiqing Cloud Silk.

The selection of Cloud Brocade at Fengming Manor was indeed excellent—soft in texture yet highly durable, suitable for making either robes or martial robes.

"As expected of Beiqing Cloud Silk, both the color and texture are top-notch," Lan Cai'er felt here and compared there, momentarily dazzled and unsure which piece to choose.

She carefully compared and ultimately selected three bolts of fabric. Just as she was about to instruct the shopkeeper to wrap them up, a hand reached out unexpectedly—Hong Yuying snatched the fabric away.

"Sister, come and see. Isn't this ocher-red fabric really flattering for my skin tone?" Holding the fabric against herself, Hong Yuying showcased it.

"Hong Yuying, don't shamelessly push your luck. With so many fabrics here, you don't choose any others and insist on taking the ones I've chosen," Lan Cai'er said, her teeth itching with anger as she swiftly pressed down on the fabrics.

"Oh, Lan Cai'er, you don't even consider your own status. You're just a Commandery Princess, whereas my sister is a princess personally bestowed by Emperor Xia. Status isn't the same, so naturally, my sister gets to choose first and you can pick from what's left," Hong Yuying boasted, her spine stiffening with the backing of Hong Mingyue.

"Bullshit, this is Fengming Manor, not the Hong Residence. What I chose is mine," Lan Cai'er couldn't swallow this affront, as she and Hong Yuying tugged back and forth without yielding the fabric.

"Sister Lan, although you had your eye on these, the money hasn't been paid yet. Whoever gets to buy depends on the shopkeeper's decision," said Hong Mingyue as she laid her hand over the fabric.

Suddenly, Lan Cai'er felt as if the fabric had turned into a hundred-pound stone; she just couldn't pull it over.

"Well, then let the shopkeeper make the decision," Ye Lingyue's eyes grew cold and with a "rip" sound, the fabric in Hong Mingyue's hand tore apart.

Spiritual Power?

Hong Mingyue's expression changed as she faced off with Ye Lingyue.

The shopkeeper of Fengming Manor also heard the commotion and hurried out.

Having heard that the two young ladies from Lan Residence and two from Hong Residence were quarreling over several bolts of fabric, the shopkeeper too faced a dilemma.

"Eldest Miss Lan, Second Miss. Well, these fabrics were initially chosen by the two young ladies from Hong Residence and according to the rules of our shop since you haven't paid yet, the first viewer has the priority to choose," the shopkeeper carefully stated, clearly a crafty figure.

Having heard about the talented young lady from Hong Residence, who was a lady of the Noble Marquis Mansion, and comparing that to the daughters from Lan Residence, especially Ye Lingyue, whose reputation in Xia Capital hadn't been good lately.

If he sold the fabric to her and then Hong Residence united with other reputable ladies in Xia Capital to boycott Fengming Manor, that would be problematic.

Thus, the shopkeeper, against his conscience, sided with the two young ladies from Hong Residence.

"Did you hear that? The shopkeeper said it himself, Beiqing Cloud Silk is ours to choose first, and then you can pick from the leftover scraps," Hong Yuying claimed, snatching the fabric.

Lan Cai'er's face turned sullen, almost icing over. She had never suffered such indignity.

"Ling Yue, let's not buy anymore. Let's go."

"Hold on," Feng Xun walked in with Sword Slave.

Seeing Feng Xun, whose face was previously gleeful, Hong Yuying's expression drastically changed.

Good heavens, was she seeing things? It was Prince Feng.

Ever since she caught a glimpse of Feng Xun outside the Hot Spring Palace that day, Hong Yuying had been dreaming of meeting him again.

Unfortunately, despite the entire winter passing, she had not seen Feng Xun, and unexpectedly, she met Prince Feng today at Fengming Manor; Hong Yuying's face flushed red as she stealthily observed Feng Xun.

"Young master, are you also here to buy Beiqing Cloud Silk? Other than these few bolts here, you can freely choose from the rest." Everyone who entered the private room was an elite from Xia Capital, the shopkeeper thought upon seeing Feng Xun's demeanor and appearance, pondering if he could be a prince from the palace.