With her delicate face and slender waist, the royal uncle lost control.

"oops!"

As she dodged, she bumped into a maidservant who was preparing to serve tea to a distinguished guest.

Caught off guard, the maid tilted the tray in her hand, and a whole pot of freshly brewed, scalding hot tea, along with several porcelain cups, spilled out with a "splash".

Most of the scalding hot water splashed onto Yun Nian's raised arm and the front of her clothes as she tried to block.

Instantly, a sharp burning pain shot through me.

"hiss."

Yun Nian gasped in pain, her face paling.

However, at the same instant, a figure lunged forward uncontrollably.

Without any deviation, it was the sandalwood table where the white jade Guanyin statue was placed.

"Bang!"

A dull thud was followed by the crisp sound of jade shattering.

Time froze for a moment.

All eyes were fixed in horror on the table.

The exquisite white jade Guanyin statue, depicting a child, fell from the table and shattered into pieces.

The person who collapsed in front of the desk, looking utterly disheveled, was none other than Yun Wei.

"what!"

A sharp scream shattered the silence, and the smile on the elegant princess's face was completely destroyed.

She pointed to the mess on the ground and Yunwei lying limply there, trembling all over.

"This Empress...this Empress's White Jade Guanyin!"

The hall was completely silent, save for the occasional gasp.

Yunwei was terrified and collapsed onto the cold, broken jade shards, her face drained of all color.

She had clearly been standing right behind Yun Nian, waiting for the right moment to push her forward in the crowd so that she would bump into the table.

But to everyone's surprise, Yun Nian seemed to have eyes in the back of her head and suddenly dodged away.

She herself, due to using too much force, couldn't stop in time and fell straight forward...

No, she couldn't have broken it!

"It wasn't me! It really wasn't me!"

Yunwei screamed in panic, shaking her head frantically. The gold hairpin in her hair swayed wildly. "Your Highness, please understand! Someone is trying to frame me!"

Princess Duanli was not going to listen to any explanations at this moment.

Looking at the shattered pieces scattered on the ground, which could never be pieced back together, she felt a sharp pain in her chest and her eyes seemed to spit fire.

That was not only a cherished treasure, but also her only hope for having children!

"Still trying to argue!"

Princess Duanli trembled with rage. "Guards! Arrest her!"

Two guards immediately stepped forward and, without saying a word, lifted the limp Yunwei off the ground, one on each side.

"Mother! Mother, save me!"

Yunwei was terrified, tears streaming down her face, and she screamed in despair towards the direction of Xie Shi.

As the wife of a prime minister, Madam Xie steadied herself, walked over steadily, and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Highness, please calm your anger. My daughter, Wei'er, is the legitimate daughter of the prime minister's family. She had no intention of doing this. Someone must have framed her."

Her panicked gaze swept around before finally settling on Yun Nian. A venomous glint flashed in her eyes as she raised her hand and pointed directly at Yun Nian.

"It was her. Wei'er was standing right behind her just now. I saw with my own eyes that she pushed Wei'er. Yun Nian, how cruel you are to frame your own sister."

Upon hearing this, Yun Wei immediately chimed in shrill voice, "Yes, yes, yes! It was her! Princess, she pushed me. Yun Nian, you can't even stand properly yourself, why did you drag me down with you?"

Everyone's attention immediately focused on Yun Nian again.

She stood there all alone, her pale white dress soaked through, clinging to her skin, revealing glimpses of her scalded, reddened skin underneath.

She lowered her head slightly, revealing a pale, paper-white half of her face.

She bit her lower lip tightly, instinctively protecting her other scalded arm with one hand, looking as fragile as a reed in the wind.

The elegant princess frowned, her sharp gaze scrutinizing Yun Nian: "And who are you?"

Yun Nian seemed to have just recovered from the shock and pain. She moved her feet with difficulty and respectfully performed a standard curtsy in the direction of the princess.

"Your humble servant, Yun Nian, greets Your Highness, the Eldest Princess. I am also the daughter of Prime Minister Yun."

"The daughter of the Prime Minister of Yun?"

The elegant princess raised an eyebrow, her gaze sweeping back and forth between Yun Wei and Yun Nian. "I heard that Prime Minister Yun only has one daughter. When did you gain another one?"

The question was sharp, and although no one dared to speak openly, their gazes toward Xie Shi and Yun Wei were filled with inquiry.

The Xie family's stance in protecting Yunwei was so obvious that Yunwei was probably the true legitimate daughter of the Yun family.

Then this cloud thought...

Madam Xie's face turned pale, but she dared not discuss the matter of her adopted daughter at this moment. She simply replied, "Your Highness, Wei'er is the most obedient girl. She would never intentionally damage Your Highness's treasures. She must have been harmed by someone."

Princess Duanli waved her hand impatiently. At this moment, all she cared about was who would bear the brunt of her anger now that her Guanyin statue was shattered.

"Hmph, I don't care what's going on inside your Yun family. If you cause trouble at my banquet and damage the imperial gifts, it's a great disrespect."

She coldly ordered, "Guards, take Yun Nian away with you."

Yun Nian looked up, her eyes brimming with tears, hesitant to speak, "This subject...this subject did not..."

Her frail and helpless demeanor, in the eyes of the enraged Princess Duanli, seemed more like a guilty excuse.

"Still dare to be stubborn!"

Princess Duanli's anger intensified.

Her gaze fell on Qin Jiaxue standing not far away, and her tone softened slightly, "Xue'er, you were right next to them just now, did you see clearly? Was it Yun Nian who pushed Yun Wei?"

Qin Jiaxue timidly raised her eyes, bit her lip, and then spoke softly, "Your Highness, I... was indeed standing next to Sister Nian'er. It happened so suddenly, I didn't see clearly, but..."

She paused, as if trying to recall, "Before Yunwei fell, I do think I glimpsed a hand reaching out from the side and pushing Yunwei's back. Judging from the sleeve and the position, that hand seemed to belong to Nian'er."

"it is good."

Princess Duanli laughed in fury, her eyes flashing with cold light. "You, Yun Nian! You look so delicate, yet your heart is so vicious. It's one thing to fight for favor in your own household, but to dare to use those underhanded and sordid methods of your inner quarters at my banquet! And you even ruined my white jade Guanyin!"

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She shouted angrily, "Guards! Bring me my riding whip! Today, I'm going to teach you a lesson you ignorant, vicious, and despicable wretch!"

The eunuch immediately presented a long whip.

"Both of you, kneel down before me."

Princess Duanli held a long whip and pointed it at Yun Nian and Yun Wei.

Yunwei was so frightened that her legs went weak, and she was forced to kneel down by the guards.

Yun Nian swayed slightly, a cold, resolute glint flashing deep in her eyes.

"Your Highness! Your Highness, please have mercy!"

Madam Xie stood in front of Yun Wei, saying, "Wei'er is innocent. She was framed. It is Yun Nian who should be punished. Your Highness, please see the truth."

These words reveal an undisguised bias.

Those present shook their heads inwardly upon hearing this, and their gazes toward Yun Nian couldn't help but carry a hint of sympathy.

The waters of this Prime Minister Yun's residence seem to run very deep.