The Empress had brought plenty of maids along so while one was busy with something, the other would be available for the service.

So seeing a drop of wine at the back of her hand, one of the maids immediately pulled a kerchief and helped the Empress wipe it clean.

"Do you know how expensive this dress is? Even if you work all your life, you'll not be able to afford it.  But look what you've done!" scolded the maid while emphasizing the worth of the cheongsam after every sentence.

When reminded of it, the other maid started shivering uncontrollably and scrambled on the ground to bang her head on the floor, "T_this servant has made a mistake..but I swear…swear it was not intentional. Please forgive this servant. Please this will not happen again!"

The maid wailed without daring to lift her head. If it was any other house, the Gu house could still save her as her owner but it was the Empress they were talking about. Even if she was killed here right now, no one could say anything against it.

"Okay, that's enough! Bengong is fine so there is no need to make a big deal" ordered the Empress to her maid who had raised her hand to blow another slap and turned to look at Matriarch Gu, being helped by her daughter-in-law to clean the stain, "Matriarch Gu, it seems Bengong had ruined the dress for you. Please let me make it up to you. Although it might not be as good as this, Bengong will instruct the royal tailors to make a copy of this and have it sent to the Gu manor."

"Her Majesty, this one dares not accept any compensation so please don't make this one embarrassed. Moreover, the dress has not been ruined so Her Majesty need not be worried. This material is special jacquard silk, which will not be ruined with a small amount of liquid, unlike the normal silk. After cleaning it, it will be as good as new," assured Matriarch Gu while allowing Madame Gu to clean the splotch of wine on the cheongsam.

Thankfully, the dark emerald colour of the cheongsam prevented the wine from making a visible stain.

However, Madame Gu's mind was not as calm as her mother-in-law. The more she rubbed the stain with the kerchief in her hand, the more she was growing apprehensive with the result. The fabric was soaking the liquid with rapid speed and gradually, it was rising to become bloated on the outside like a thin paper.

Madame Gu tried a few more times but the result was no different. Finally giving up, she clutched the kerchief in her hand and raised her head to glance at Matriarch Gu who was also looking at it. Not knowing what to do, Madame Gu slowly rose to her feet and turned towards Bai Yu Yan.

With Madame Gu retreating to the side, which cleared everyone's views, their eyes fell on the part of the dress where the wine had been spilt to see if it had been restored. Unexpectedly, what they saw was a patch of swollen fabric.

"What is that?" spoke a woman aloud without realizing. She was hurriedly stopped by another woman at the side, "Shhh…dodon't say anything."

No matter what, it was still Matriarch Gu who was associated with this dress. So they could not carelessly talk about it.

"Why does it look bloated? Isn't this jacquard silk? I thought it did not soak liquid easily in such a short amount of time," whispered another.

"Oh my god! Does this mean that Matriarch Gu was deceived by Madame Lu into believing it is original jacquard silk when in reality, it is not? Tsk, one can't be judged by their looks."

"I had never thought this seemingly innocent woman would be so shameless. But to think that she would be daring enough to do this to Matriarch Gu…"

To think they had been praising it all this time, no one saw it coming. The gazes holding admiration immediately changed into one of disgust as the surrounding people looked at Bai Yu Yan who had not spoken a word.

Song Mei Lin took in the sight before her. The comments which were being passed around felt music to her ears. Oh, how she had desired this to happen soon so that Bai Yu Yan would become an outcast in the fashion world. The memories of the humiliation she had been put through in the Silver Closet was still afresh in her mind. At that time, she had mistaken expensive silk with a cheap rag. But this time, it would be Bai Yu Yan in her place and the loss the woman would suffer today would be a hundredfold more than what she did.

After all, Matriarch Gu was not someone to be messed with.

"This is the reason why I didn't want to say anything about this dress," sighed Song Mei Lin with and lowered her head in distress, "I did not think Madame Lu would deceive others and sell fake fabric materials as the real ones. As a designer myself, I cannot ignore such unethical actions taking place before my eyes. But in front of all the guests here, I did not want to let this matter affect Matriarch Gu and the Gu house."

Her words made people think that they had been wrongly accusing Song Mei Lin and praising Bai Yu Yan who was the real culprit.

Old Madame Lu was also taken back by it. She looked sideways at her daughter-in-law who had still not spoken anything about this matter. Instead of panic, there was a strange calmness on her face as if she was seriously thinking about something. She did not want to believe that the girl would do something like this but from the looks of it, the matter in hand was tricky.

If anything were to happen here today, the relationship between the Lu family and the Gu family would be at the line. And Old Madame Lu definitely did not want that. But on the other hand, her heart would not allow her to have the girl fend for herself. She was in an absolute dilemma at this moment.

Noticing her mother-in-law's troubled expression, Bai Yu Yan stretched her arm to hold her hand and gently squeezed it, silently telling her to not do anything.

"What's happening here?" suddenly a low but authoritative voice came from the door.

Everyone turned their back towards the door to look at the owner of the voice. It was Lu Tong Xiao. Beside him stood Gu Jin and Gu Sheng, and one more person, the First Princess.

Looking at the man whose eyes were silently inspecting her wellbeing, Bai Yu Yan felt a sense of déjà vu course through her veins. It was at the time of spring banquet in the Palace when this man had come to her rescue when she was accused of breaking the Empress's jade bracelet.

Now today, when she was standing in a similar position, Lu Tong Xiao appeared again. Her erratically beating heart suddenly calmed down as if he was the one who held the switch to it.

Lu Tong Xiao had heard about the matter from Gu Sheng when he had stepped outside to discuss some official matters with the Gu brothers. To think that someone would think of harming her even after knowing that she was his wife, his eyes had turned frosty cold.

It seems the people in the capital had started to forget who he really is. He did not mind reminding them who they could not afford to mess with until it is permanently etched into their mind.

He was about to stride towards Bai Yu Yan when suddenly his forearm was held back by someone. Without bothering to hide the displeasure in his eyes, Lu Tong Xiao turned to look at the person.

"Your Excellency! This is a matter between women. Considering your position, this princess thinks that it will be better if you do not get involved in it," An Ruo had a serious face as she looked at the man whose anger was apparent on his beyond alluring face. The aura around him was so dominating that people couldn't easily look him in the eyes. However, unlike the others, it did not scare her but she seemed to be unconsciously searching for ways to look at those phoenix eyes that were cold and emotionless.

"Did the Princess not take etiquette class after coming to the Xin or are you not aware that an unmarried woman cannot casually touch a man?" asked Lu Tong Xiao without a change in his expression.

An Ruo's perfect brows slightly furrowed, still, she did not let go of his hand. Her pink lips pursed together, "Those restricting conventions do not matter to this princess. If one starts to follow them, there would be no end to it and this princess will not let myself to be bound by it," she challenged him with expressive eyes that held stubbornness.

When Lu Tong Xiao heard it, his thin lips let out a dry humorless chuckle, "This lord will not concern myself with what Princess believes as it is not my business. And I would also suggest for the Princess to not meddle in my business because right now, the hand Your Highness is holding belongs to this lord."

An Ruo thought that she was only reminding him for his own sake. But his words were firm without a need for a further argument that made An Rou loosen her grip on his hand, after which, with a curt nod, his footsteps made a turn and he left in the direction of his wife.

Standing behind, Gu Jin looked at Lu Tong Xiao and then the Princess who was still standing on the same position while staring at his retreating back. Any other woman would have felt awkward and flustered when they were in such a situation, but what surprised Gu Jin was that An Ruo did not appear even a least bit uncomfortable, in fact, there was even a clear brightness in her eyes that he had not noticed before.

She had the beauty and charm that could drop any man to their knees but seeing how his friend was unaffected by it and was even treating her with coldness, Gu Jin could not help clicking his tongue.

Then without saying anything, the Gu brothers followed behind Lu Tong Xiao inside the hall.

Meanwhile, Bai Yu Yan stood up from her seat and walked towards the front where Matriarch Gu was seated alongside the Empress and Madame Gu. The tinkling of the small golden bell attached to her waist was the only sound heard in the silence of the hundred people’s gathering.

Her face held no anxiety or nervousness given her current predicament.

When she was just a few steps away from the people at the front, she stopped, lowered her body to the ground and sat on her knees. Both her hands were folded horizontally in front of her chest and her head slightly lowered to make a bow.

"This one has committed an unforgivable offence. I implore Matriarch Gu to punish me!"