With the words falling, everyone in the hall showed different expressions.

Li Pin’s face turned blue and purple in patches, feeling utterly humiliated, yet she couldn’t handle Yu Tingwan.

"Enough."

The Empress Dowager spoke.

"It’s done after seeing each other, no need for further pleasantries."

She beckoned Yu Tingwan to sit beside her, then defended her warmly.

"Excuse us for the laughter."

"This child doesn’t speak much, but she is very affectionate when she meets someone."

The Empress Dowager looked towards the Fifth Prince Consort: "Don’t be upset, the Holy Emperor chose you for Old Five because he thought you were blessed in appearance."

She pretended not to notice Yu Tingwan’s nonsense just now.

Even adding fuel to the fire.

"The girl from the Minister’s Mansion will become your sister-in-law in the future, and you have to call her Imperial Sister-in-law. You see each other often, and the Aijia (Empress Dowager) fears the most about gaps between you children."

"Old Five’s wife, you’re always generous, bear it if you can, let it go if you can, don’t bother with her."

The petty Fifth Prince Consort???

Why should I?

Imperial Sister-in-law?

She didn’t even want to call Yao Ru.

Does that Yang Jingshu want to climb over her?

But since the Empress Dowager said it, and she always puts on a good face, she bowed: "What Grandmother said, this granddaughter-in-law will remember."

The Empress Dowager looked at Li Pin again.

"Aijia heard you cried all night yesterday?"

Li Pin followed suit, forcing a stiff smile: "The Holy Emperor’s incident worried this concubine."

"You’ve been in the palace for some years, why are you still so flustered? Those with child should avoid emotional fluctuations."

"The Emperor is recuperating, if something happens to you, he will worry, not to mention how would you want Aijia to explain to him?"

Li Pin was in awe: "This concubine dares not."

"Aijia is not trying to scare you."

The Empress Dowager: "It’s just hoping you’ll take care of your body, the Imperial Family’s lineage is thin, if you could add a prince."

"They say the youngest is the most favored, how many are looking forward to your child? Not to mention..."

The Empress Dowager seemingly going through the motions, expressed her opinion: "Old Five’s children are already running around everywhere. The Dun from the second household has also been born for a few months, and by the time yours comes out, Aijia imagines the liveliness."

Not a word was what the Fifth Prince Consort wanted to hear.

What’s meant by the youngest being most favored.

Is the throne for him to sit on?

But Li Pin was happy about it.

She didn’t understand it was flattery.

But the shadow Yu Tingwan cast previously had faded away.

She was about to respond with a smile when she noticed out of the corner of her eye that the Fifth Princess Consort beside her suddenly froze, her gaze directed at one spot.

Then her expression changed.

Li Pin followed her line of sight.

Only to see Yu Tingwan’s fingers, slender as onion roots, fiddling with the long-neglected silver fox fur cloak on the tea table.

Li Pin: "This..."

She had just made a sound.

Yu Tingwan: "How about it? The color’s not bad, right?"

"Though it’s not as pure black as Xuan Fox Fur, it’s rare on the market."

"Back then, someone offered four thousand taels for it."

The four thousand taels Fifth Princess Consort: ...

Yu Tingwan: "Later, someone else offered three thousand taels."

After speaking, she looked at Gu Wu beside her.

"If it were you, who would you sell it to?"

Gu Wu, suddenly called out, stuttered slightly: "Of... course, whoever offers the highest price, sells it to them."

This is business, not charity.

Yu Tingwan: "That’s what the shopkeeper thought too."

She chuckled softly.

"But the servant sent to buy at three thousand taels directly revealed their identity; though not aggressive, they showed their might. Our small business just wants to get by, how dare we offend anyone?"

Li Pin was dull-witted, but at this point, being figuratively pointed at and scolded, she couldn’t react otherwise.

Yu Tingwan, however, didn’t give them a chance to speak.

"So these two nobles got into a standoff. Neither yielded, and neither was willing to step back."

She was, however, very daring.

Yu Tingwan straightforwardly clarified: "But this fur only arrived from Jiangnan last night. Neither of you had seen it before. Why fight secretly over something external?"

She clearly had no intention of listening for a response and continued on her own.

"The Fifth Princess Consort offered a high price. Simply because the material is worth that much, and wanting to befriend the Wei Family, but not willing to let Lady Li Pin, who thinks the world should yield to her because she’s pregnant, get one over her."

"But I don’t want to do business with you."

"Now the Wei Family is under my management, I’m inexperienced and easily fearful. I know the Fifth Prince is formidable, many eagerly fawn over him. The Fifth Princess Consort is willing to give me face, theoretically, I should be grateful. There’s a lot of talk about Dragon Energy outside, but even though Yangxin Hall burned to the ground, the Holy Emperor is alive. The ancestral teachings of the Duke Shun Mansion hang in the shrine, and I can read; it says only loyalty to the Emperor."

Yu Tingwan took a sip of tea to moisten her throat.

"If no one was competing with you, there would be no issue with this fur."

"The Wei Family is not what it used to be. If we end up labeled as supporting the Fifth Prince, and my husband inexplicably becomes known as part of the Fifth Prince Faction, what would the Holy Emperor think?"

"I don’t want too many connections with the Fifth Prince Mansion at this critical juncture."

Gu Wu: ??

The teacup in the Empress Dowager’s hand trembled slightly.

Fifth Princess Consort: ??

Even the not-so-bright Li Pin was stunned.

The Crown Prince is dead, and the other Princes all aspire to become the Crown Prince, each with their own factions.

This is something everyone knows.

But who dares to point it out so blatantly!

Offending people is one thing, but it’s dangerous too!

What’s meant by Fifth Prince Faction?

It’s like saying the Fifth Prince is plotting rebellion tomorrow!

The Fifth Princess Consort shuddered: "Yu Tingwan! You mustn’t speak nonsense!"

Yu Tingwan, saddened: "Why not call me good sister anymore?"

"Doesn’t the Fifth Prince want to be the Crown Prince?"

Indeed, she’s from the countryside!!!

Speaking without thinking!

But what could the Fifth Princess Consort say?

Could she say she wanted to!

"My Lord is filial, he currently just wants to fulfill his duties, the matter of establishing a Crown Prince is for the Holy Father to decide. It’s not something for people like us to discuss. You’ve overstepped."

Yu Tingwan showed no intention of getting up, clearly sitting, but with a smiling face, yet her aura was not low.

"Don’t try to intimidate people with ambiguity in front of me. In our countryside, brothers often get into fierce arguments over a few acres of fields. Let alone a position above ten thousand."

Yu Tingwan clarified.

"Of course, I don’t want to sell to Lady Li Pin."

Li Pin watching the scene: ...

Why is she involved again!

Yu Tingwan complained: "Someone else could offer four thousand taels, why couldn’t you?"

"Be generous!"

Li Pin: ...

Yu Tingwan: "Even revealing your identity, what good is it? Not to mention being the palace’s Favorite Concubine, even real brothers have to keep accounts clear."

"With no relation or cause, I can’t lose a thousand to win a smile from you."

"The child in your belly isn’t mine either."

She had worked hard to manage the household, having earned so little!

But one is the Fifth Princess Consort, the other a Favorite Concubine, both vying for this cloak, others who wanted to buy it also abandoned the thought.

A perfectly fine piece of merchandise.

No one dared to want it anymore.

The incense in the hall wafted gently, with an indescribable tense atmosphere.

The servants observed the decorum, not daring to breathe heavily.

Yet the words from Yu Tingwan’s mouth, few felt offended by her.

The Empress Dowager’s eyes even lit up a bit.

The words ’no relation or cause’ evidently moved her.

"I really had no other option. Thus, I present this cloak as a token of respect to the Empress Dowager."

Yu Tingwan: "However you bicker in private, I’m not getting involved."

"Of course, if you feel uncomfortable, let the Empress Dowager give it to you. You’re juniors; being a bit impulsive with youth is nothing big."

The Fifth Princess Consort was infuriated by her counter-accusation.

Who is more impulsive than you!!!

If it weren’t for the Empress Dowager watching, she’d have pointed at Yu Tingwan, rebuking her insolence!