Another Confrontation

Upon being led to the entrance of the banquet hall, the family was announced by the eunuch.

To keep the announcement simple since the entire family came, the eunuch announced in a loud voice, "Entering, Duke Fan and his family!"

The previous night, Zhang Xiu had told Fan Ling, "Don't worry about where you'll be sitting. Although the palace assigns seating arrangements, as long as you have someone you are familiar with, you can move to sit with them."

Fan Ling had also asked, "Will they separate us into a separate hall from the males?"

Zhang Xiu answered, "Maybe a hundred years ago they did, but ever since the emperor took up his seat, he has removed such traditions. Men and women can dine in the same hall."

Zhang Xiu explained that the emperor found dining in different halls very wasteful, so he removed such traditions. Not only that, although the capital was rich in food, wealth, and pretty much anything they could ask for – the commoners lived a life of struggle.

Although the palace was still wasteful according to the opinion of the emperor, the emperor said that "At least the palace has become one rice grain less wasteful."

Fan Ling made no comment out loud, but her internal thoughts were, 'That makes no difference then… but whatever.'

Thus, as soon as the Fan family entered the banquet hall they broke up into different groups. Fan De joined the same table as another minister. Zhang Xiu went to be with her long-time friend as wives usually could not go out without the company of their husbands, and the three brothers went to find their friends.

In the end, Fan Ling was left alone. Of course, this was not because the family did not care for her.

Zhang Xiu knew that this was her first outing in the noble circle since her accident, so she had asked her if she wanted to join any of them.

However, Fan Ling rejected her and said, "I will be fine by myself, Mother. Please go enjoy yourselves, Mother, Father, Da-ge, Er-ge, San-ge."

Fan Ling was more than used to being alone, so she did not wish for her family to be in an awkward situation by sitting next to her. Not only that, she was a boring person in a social function, so they were better off being with people they could interact with.

Though, who knew that the moment Fan Ling sat down in her arranged seat, Cheng Meili would also join her?

Not only her, but even her three little supporters were also standing behind her.

"Is there something I can do for Young Miss Cheng?" Fan Ling addressed in a flat tone.

In a low voice, Cheng Meili said, "Fan Ling, don't act all high and mighty just because your father is a duke of the first rank. Just wait, one day my father will become a duke, and your father will become demoted. Once that day comes, you'll be bowing down to me."

Although Fan Ling identified herself as a boring person, she also identified herself as a "mean" and "sarcastic" person.

Thus, she replied, "I heard that Miss Cheng may be marrying Young Master Chen. Miss Cheng may be holding a grudge against me for our past emotions, but once Miss Cheng gets married, just know that you will be committing adultery. I hope Miss Cheng will be ready to accept your punishment when the time comes."

However, the moment that Fan Ling finished speaking, she suddenly spoke, "Oh, but I forgot. There is no need to worry about you being punished. Maybe Prime Minister Chen might even feel bad for you and forgive you because 'Chen'er is just still young and playing around.'"

The sentence at the end simply made Cheng Meili pale.

Yes, being a prime minister was a high rank. At the same time, being the son of a prime minister was also really good. However…

The son of Prime Minister Chen was incredibly famous for his hedonistic ways! Who knows how many girls he has gotten pregnant and abandoned!?

"Miss Cheng, if I were you, I would just kill myself than marry," Fan Ling said in a straightforward way without putting too much emotion in her voice. "Ah, but then my father would not be a duke anymore. Then, I will be unable to talk to General Cao anymore… Ah… What should I do?"

At this point, Fan Ling was just making fun of Cheng Meili for having high expectations to experience a relationship with Cao Guo, the son of Chief General Cao.

'Yes, you want to him, but you can't have him. Your own father is stopping you. What can you do?' Fan Ling stared her down.

Just when Cheng Meili was going to make a negative remark towards Fan Ling, someone else pitched in, "Miss Cheng, haven't you always wanted to marry higher than your own ranking? Young Master Chen is quite fitting is he not?"

"Y-you!" Cheng Meili almost shouted in anger. 'Who said that I want to marry that trash!? So what if he's the son of the prime minister?! He's still trash who relies on his father!'

Cheng Meili wanted to curse very much, but she knew that she could not. The other person was her fiancee whom her father gained after much hard work. Not only that, she would get heavily punished by her father if she ruined his hard work.

Beside her, Young Miss Zheng quietly spoke in a small squirrel voice, "Li Li, I've already told you that we shouldn't have disturbed Miss Fan… Look, you're being attacked now…"

"Fine, fine, I've heard you!" Cheng Meili said in a voice full of annoyance. "You're supposed to be my best friend, but you can't even support me like these two over here!"

"Li Li… I'm just… worried for you," Young Miss Zheng said in a voice that almost could not be heard.

However, even if Cheng Meili could not hear, Fan Ling could hear her words after being trained in the military.

Such a warm person, but she was simply giving her kindness to someone undeserving of kindness. Though, Fan Ling would not intercept the feelings of the little girl. Either way, this did not have anything to do with her.

Everyone made choices at their own expense – only an overly kind person would sacrifice their own well-being for someone else.

Naturally, after being attacked verbally by two people, Cheng Meili left in defeat. After coming here to gain a victory, she left with a slackened back from her loss.

"Hello, I'm Yao Xiaodan!" the girl who made a sarcastic comment earlier introduced herself. "Are you the infamous Young Miss Fan?"

Such a straightforward way of asking someone about their identity… this was the first that Fan Ling has ever experienced such a thing.

Though, Fan Ling was not insulted in the least. She merely found the experience – intriguing…

"I suppose so…" Fan Ling nodded and answered in a low voice while pouring herself a cup of wine.

"Eh? You're drinking wine?" Yao Xiaodan seemed surprised.

"Do you not?" Fan Ling asked in the same tone as the previous.

"Ah, my father won't let me drink," Yao Xiaodan told her with a saddened tone. "Father says that drinking at a young age is bad for you. But, I'm already fourteen! So many of my friends have already been drinking since they were eleven!"

"Mm, listen to your father," Fan Ling told her without a change in her expression.

Yao Xiaodan looked at her unstopping hands holding the wine bottle and the wine cup.

"You… you're not allowed to tell me what to do when you're drinking!" Yao Xiaodan exclaimed with a bitter face. "Even you're allowed to drink… but I can't… What can I do with this poor life of mine?!"

"Earn money," Fan Ling quietly answered in a whisper that could not be heard.

Yao Xiaodan sighed at seeing her drinking posture and said, "I thought that a cute person like you would act like a cute person… but you're completely the opposite of what I thought."

"Apologies for disappointing you," Fan Ling gave an insincere apology.

Hearing that though, seemed to bring back a past memory from long ago. Although, the memory only came for a quick second before she personally dispersed the memory and threw it to the very back of her head.

"You're even more different than what the rumors say!" Yao Xiaodan seemed to feel even more bitter with that statement.

"Hm, rumors cannot be believed," Fan Ling quietly said in a whisper voice, but in one that could actually be heard by the person sitting right next to her.

"Well, no matter how you've disappointed me, let's be friends!" Yao Xiao happily extended an invitation to Fan Ling. "You don't have any friends, right? If you did, you wouldn't be sitting here by yourself."

"I do not really care," Fan Ling commented and gave a shrug before getting back to her drinking.

At this moment, in her head, she was only thinking one thing, 'This wine is quite good. I really want to know what was used to make this wine.'