Jiaojiao is getting married, and the male leads fall for her and fight over her.

Chapter 150: I seduced my cousin.
Pei Xuexuan, however, did not take it to heart: "With my brother's character, status, and appearance, even if he is engaged, there are plenty of women who would like to marry him, and I believe each of them is more outstanding than Cousin Shen, right?"

Shen Shuyi didn't want to respond at first, but when she heard Pei Xuexuan say this, she couldn't help but laugh: "Second cousin, tell me, what's wrong with me?"

Pei Xuexuan didn't expect Shen Shuyi to dare to humiliate herself: "Cousin Shen, what aspect of you is lacking?"

"Why don't you tell me, second cousin, where do you excel compared to me?" Shen Shuyi really got into a debate with Pei Xuexuan.

She used to dislike dealing with Pei Xuexuan, and Pei Xuexuan disdained to speak to her, but at least they kept to themselves. However, she really disliked Pei Xuexuan's condescending tone.

Pei Xuexuan replied proudly, "I'm better than Cousin Shen in every way!"

"Is that so? Why don't you explain things clearly, Second Cousin? Otherwise, I really won't know how outstanding you are," Shen Shuyi said with a half-smile.

Pei Xuexuan thought to herself that Shen Shuyi was a good-for-nothing who liked to humiliate herself. What did this woman have that could compare to her?
"I'm skilled in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Can Cousin Shen do the same?!" Pei Xuexuan curled her lips in disdain.

Li Yi laughed when he heard this: "Putting aside everything else, just take Cousin Shen's piano skills as an example. I have heard them with my own ears and I have never forgotten them since."

If anyone else had said this, no one in the Marquis's mansion would have believed it, but this was a prince, a member of the imperial family. He had no conflict of interest with anyone present, so naturally there was no need for him to lie.

Pei Xuexuan frowned slightly: "Even if Cousin Shen can play the zither, what about chess, calligraphy, and painting?"

Don't say that Shen Shuyi can do all of these things, but is this the standard for judging whether a person is excellent?

"My second cousin has fundamentally misunderstood. Judging a person's excellence isn't about their skills in music, chess, calligraphy, or painting, but about their character and wisdom. In my opinion, I have excellent character and am not lacking in wisdom; otherwise, I wouldn't be engaged to my cousin, the heir apparent. My second cousin always thinks she's superior to me, simply because she considers herself the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's mansion, while my mother died young. Because of this, in her eyes, I'm nothing." Shen Shuyi scoffed, "How utterly ridiculous! Once we leave the Marquis's mansion, what is there about my second cousin that's worthy of praise?"

Pei Xuexuan's expression changed slightly; she hadn't expected Shen Shuyi to dare say such a thing to her.

As the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Pingyang, she has an older sister who is the Crown Princess. How many people would try to curry favor with her? How dare Shen Shuyi look down on her like this?

Shen Shuyi didn't want to say much, but seeing the disdainful looks these people gave her, she couldn't hold back: "In my opinion, all beings in the world are equal, and there is no such thing as one being more noble than another! It is my blessing to be with my cousin, the Crown Prince, but isn't it also his good fortune that he is engaged to me?!"

Her words caused an uproar.

"My cousin is absolutely right. The standard for judging whether someone is excellent is not just their family background. In my opinion, my cousin is intelligent, beautiful, optimistic, and always brings me unexpected surprises. In my cousin Shen's eyes, I am not some nobleman's son, but just her ordinary cousin. Besides, it was my idea to get engaged to my cousin. She didn't even know I would invite so many guests today. You all think that my cousin is seducing me, but you are all wrong. It was I who seduced my cousin, and she had no choice but to submit to me. You only point fingers at her, but you don't question me, the one who started it all. Isn't that putting the cart before the horse?" Pei Dongzhou said calmly.

For a moment, everyone present fell silent.

When they learned that Prince Pei and Shen Shuyi were engaged, their first instinct was that Shen Shuyi was seducing Prince Pei, but they never thought that it was Prince Pei's idea.

Everyone knows what kind of person Prince Pei is. He appears humble, but he is actually cold-blooded at heart. No one in this world can force him to do anything, let alone something that concerns his lifelong happiness.

"You all just think that our cousin is helpless and vulnerable in the Marquis's mansion, and that she's easy to bully, right?" Pei Dongzhou smirked sarcastically. He then looked at Pei Xuexuan: "I used to think my second sister was well-educated and polite, but today I realize she's short-sighted, narrow-minded, and a bully who preys on the weak..."

"Dong-ge'er, that's enough! How could you say such things about Xue-jie'er?" Madam Zhang, protective of her daughter, quickly scolded.

Pei Dongzhou's smile was slightly cold: "If I say anything bad about my second sister, Mother will start to protect her. When all of you are criticizing Cousin Shen, have you ever thought about how she feels? However, from now on, my cousin still has me, and I will never let any of you bully her again!"

For a moment, Li Yi forgot his own position and applauded Pei Shizi, saying, "Well done, Dongzhou! This is how a man should be!"

After the applause ended, he remembered that he had come to watch the spectacle.

Wait a minute, wasn't Prince Pei supposed to be engaged to Cousin Shen? Judging from this, it seems like it's a real engagement. Has he misunderstood?

Seeing this scene just now, he suddenly felt that if his cousin Shen could really marry Prince Pei, it would be a blessing. A woman's greatest fear is marrying the wrong man; she'll regret it for the rest of her life.

If Cousin Shen can really marry Prince Pei, he will definitely treat her well.

Shen Shuyi herself was also taken aback by Pei Shizi's remarks.

Originally, this was just a quarrel between her and Pei Xuexuan. She just couldn't stand Pei Xuexuan's superior attitude, so she argued back a few times. But as soon as Pei Shizi stepped onto the stage, the atmosphere immediately changed.

She felt a little lost, suddenly unsure how this would end.

She felt that even if Prince Pei was acting, he was going too far, making it sound like he really would marry her.

At this moment, Marquis Pingyang finally spoke: "Dongge'er has always been opinionated. I will not interfere in his marriage. If he likes Yijie'er and insists on marrying no one but Yijie'er, I will let him have his way."

He stood with his mother, who liked Yi-jie, and he liked her too. Of course, he hoped that Yi-jie could marry well. His son wasn't as promiscuous as him; if Yi-jie married Dong-ge, her happiness for the rest of her life would be guaranteed.

"I disagree!" Zhang said impatiently.

No matter what she said, she was just not satisfied with Yi-jie, feeling that she was not good enough for her best child in any way.

The old lady looked at the two children with loving eyes, and liked them more and more as she looked at them: "Dong-ge'er has taken a liking to Yi-jie, which shows that Dong-ge'er has good taste. I, this old woman, approve of this marriage."

Seeing this, the other members of the eldest branch of the family also expressed their opinions. In the end, only the old lady and the Marquis of Pingyang and his mother supported the marriage; the others disagreed with it.

Seeing this, Li, the second wife, also expressed her opinion: "I think this marriage is quite good. They are a handsome man and a beautiful woman, a perfect match."

Normally, Madam Zhang would boast to her about how outstanding her children were, but the most outstanding of them all, Prince Pei, was going to marry an orphan girl who had nothing. Wouldn't that be perfect for her to laugh at?
(End of this chapter)