Upon hearing Fan Jianhui slander Meng Shuping, Meng Shuchun should have been angry, but at that moment, he simply couldn't muster any emotion.
So he feigned anger, glaring at Fan Jianhui. "Master Fan, I thought you were merely ill-mannered and a bit dim-witted, but I never imagined you'd fabricate such a tale to defame my fifth brother! How could my fifth brother possibly have been imprisoned? And falling ill is even more preposterous! These are our family matters—how could you possibly know more than us?"
Fan Jianhui, however, believed Meng Shuchun was trying to conceal the truth. He sneered disdainfully, "Of course you'd cover up such things. Otherwise, who would dare associate with you? What if someone accidentally gets killed? Who would they turn to for justice then?"
Meng Shuping interjected eerily, "Who else? They'd turn to the King of Hell for justice, of course! Heh heh heh!"
Meng Shuchun struggled to ignore Meng Shuping's words, maintaining his angry facade. He questioned Fan Jianhui with displeasure, "Master Fan, do you have proof for your claims? If not, that's slander!"
Fan Jianhui scoffed, "The evidence was obviously destroyed by your noble estate long ago. Such things are not uncommon."
Meng Shuping looked at him, speechless. "So whatever he says goes? If others refute it, it's false? Well, I could say he enjoys sniffing his own stinking socks every night before bed! The stinkier, the more he revels in it!"
Meng Shuchun, who had just composed himself, nearly burst out laughing at Meng Shuping's words. He pinched his thigh hard to suppress his mirth, but the words died on his lips, fearing he would erupt into laughter if he spoke.
"Pfft!" Meng Shuyang had no such reservations. The moment he imagined Fan Jianhui secretly hiding in bed, blissfully sniffing his own stinking socks, he laughed so hard he could barely stand upright.
"You!" Fan Jianhui was livid at Meng Shuping's words but powerless to retaliate, his face turning crimson.
Once Meng Shuyang had had his fill of laughter, he rephrased Meng Shuping's words, saying, "Master Fan, I heard you enjoy sniffing the chamber pot after every change of clothes? The stinkier it is, the more you enjoy it?"
Meng Shuping found it a bit much. "Ew! Does he really have such a habit? Yuck, how disgusting!"
Seeing the astonished looks from those around him, Fan Jianhui felt both embarrassed and enraged. He snapped furiously, "Meng Liu, what nonsense are you spouting? Who likes that? I think it's you who enjoys it, right?"
Meng Shuyang said with a cheeky grin, "You say you don't, so it's not true? How can you prove you don't?"
Meng Shuping joined in the teasing, "Exactly, exactly, how can you prove you don't?"
Seeing they were about to start arguing again, Dou Sen quickly intervened, "Master Fan, Young Master Meng, there's no need for debate. As for Fifth Young Master Meng's health, we can simply have a doctor examine him. Coincidentally, there's a doctor in the estate today who can come quickly."
"Let it be as Young Master Dou says," Fan Jianhui scoffed. "If it turns out Fifth Young Master Meng really has consumption, I'd like to see if some people still have the audacity to stay!"
Meng Shuyang was very confident. "Call the doctor then, I'm not afraid of you! Who will end up embarrassed remains to be seen!"
If it were any other time, he might not be so sure, but right before coming, he had just called a doctor for Meng Shuping—there couldn't possibly be the slightest issue!
Seeing they had reached an agreement, Dou Sen quickly sent someone to fetch the doctor. Before the doctor arrived, others began discussing heatedly.
"Hey, do you think Fifth Young Master Meng really was in prison? Otherwise, why would Master Fan say it so confidently?"
"I don't think so? He looks so shy, how could he do such a thing? Fan Jianhui must be slandering him!"
"Right, right, he even accused him of having a contagious disease. If he were really sick, why wouldn't the Meng family avoid him? Aren't they afraid of getting infected?"
"That makes sense. If he were sick, it would've been diagnosed long ago. Why would it only come up now?"
...
Fan Jianhui held his head high, scanning the crowd with disdain. Hmph, everyone else is drunk, only I am sober; the whole world is muddled, only I am clear! What do you all know? You know nothing!
Even Meng Shuping himself admitted it in his heart—how could it be false? Just wait until the doctor comes and slaps you in the face!
Meng Shuping, however, felt some regret at this point. Before coming, he had intended to keep a low profile, so how had he become the center of everyone's discussion?
He sighed helplessly, "Sigh, I should've known better than to say those things to them."
Fan Jianhui glanced at Meng Shuping. Having regrets now? Too late! Soon, he'll make this kid taste humiliation!
The thought of Meng Shuping being humiliated in front of so many people made Fan Jianhui feel exceptionally proud. But just as he put on a triumphant expression, he heard Meng Shuping's voice say, "Look how badly the kid's been tricked?"
Fan Jianhui suddenly had a foreboding feeling. What did Meng Shuping mean by that? Was he tricking him?
Meng Shuping continued sighing, "But it's not entirely my fault. I really didn't expect him to be that stupid. I was just casually saying it—how did he take it seriously?"
"Sheesh…"
"Could he have a persecution complex? Always thinking everyone is out to harm him? Sigh, I really shouldn't joke around with people casually from now on. Look, the one time I try, it turns out like this."
Fan Jianhui's expression twisted. Was Meng Shuping tricking him? Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Words can deceive, but can inner thoughts deceive too? Didn't this kid just say he'd kill them earlier?
Before he could react, the doctor Dou Sen had called arrived. After taking Meng Shuping's pulse, the doctor said puzzledly, "This young master is in good health, with no illness at all? Young Master Dou, are you sure you asked me to examine him?"
Fan Jianhui's mind went blank with a roar. Although he had felt he might have been fooled earlier, hearing the doctor say it outright was still hard to accept.
How dare he?
Seeing his dazed expression, Meng Shuping looked concerned, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, could he have been tricked into stupidity? That's not on me! Don't you dare pin it on me!"
As soon as Fan Jianhui regained his senses, he heard Meng Shuping's annoying voice. At the same time, others began chiming in, "I told you he was slandering Fifth Young Master Meng, right? Tsk, tsk, tsk, how shameless!"
"Fifth Young Master Meng is the truly wronged one. He came to the banquet perfectly healthy and ended up bullied like this. If no one had spoken up for him, Fan Jianhui might have succeeded!"
"Maybe he's done this kind of thing before but just wasn't caught."
"Exactly, exactly, how can he be so bullying?"
...
Finding that every single person was condemning him, Fan Jianhui felt both furious and wronged. He spluttered indignantly, "I didn't trick you! He really said it himself! If you don't believe me, ask him!"
Then he turned to Meng Shuping, "Tell them, didn't you say those things!"
Meng Shuping widened his eyes in surprise, "No way? Is he really that naive? He doesn't think I'd admit it publicly, does he?"
He lowered his head slightly, turning red with shyness under everyone's gaze, "Y-yes, I said it."
"Hahaha, bet you didn't expect that—I actually admitted it! A real man stands by his words! What's there to not admit!"
Fan Jianhui's heart sank when he heard Meng Shuping say he wouldn't admit it, but then the situation turned around—Meng Shuping actually admitted it! While secretly mocking Meng Shuping for being foolish, he smugly looked at the others, "You heard it, right? Meng Shuping said it himself!"
Unexpectedly, instead of condemning Meng Shuping as he thought they would, everyone started in on him again, "Master Fan, you're crossing the line! How could you threaten Fifth Young Master Meng?"
"Exactly, look how scared Fifth Young Master Meng is because of you!"
"Is bullying him fun?"
"Hmph, even if Fifth Young Master Meng really said it, it must've been because you frightened him into rambling nonsense!"
"Fan Jianhui, don't push people too far! Just because Fifth Young Master Meng is sensitive, you think you can bully him freely?"
"I advise you not to be so vicious!"
They could all imagine the scene: Fan Jianhui and his group must have backed Fifth Young Master Meng into a corner, trying to put him in his place. With no way out, Fifth Young Master Meng had to resort to such methods to drive them away.
Tch, Fifth Young Master Meng is so pitiful—bullied and still slandered.
Fan Jianhui's eyes blazed with fury, dying to tear Meng Shuping to shreds right then and there. That little bastard must have known this would happen! How dare he take pleasure in his embarrassment! So hypocritical! So sneaky! What a complete jerk!
He charged toward Meng Shuping in a rage, shouting, "Meng Shuping! You're dead meat!"
Meng Shuping swiftly dodged behind the others, thinking this was totally unfair. "What does this have to do with me? It's not like I made them think that way. Maybe it's because he just has a shady look about him?"
Hearing this, Fan Jianhui's expression turned even fiercer. He wanted nothing more than to grab Meng Shuping and give him a sound beating right then and there. But Meng Shuping was slippery as an eel, darting wherever the crowd was thickest. With others blocking his way, Fan Jianhui found his movements severely restricted.
After chasing for a long time without catching Meng Shuping, Fan Jianhui was red in the face with rage.
Watching the chaotic scene, Dou Sen felt completely frustrated. He had tried his best to avoid conflict, so why had things still ended up like this?
Fortunately, Fifth Young Master Meng hadn't fought back and had kept dodging, or the situation would have spiraled even further out of control.
Just then, Meng Shuping spotted Meng Shuyi approaching and hurried over to hide behind him. "Eldest Brother, help me!"
Meng Shuyi had just arrived and was puzzled by the disorderly scene. Before he could figure out what was happening, Meng Shuping rushed to him for help, while Fan Jianhui charged over with a menacing glare.
He immediately said sharply to stop him. "Fan Jianhui, what are you doing?"
Shouted at by Meng Shuyi, Fan Jianhui abruptly calmed down. He struggled to suppress his anger, trying to keep his cool as he said, "Eldest Young Master Meng, perhaps you should ask your younger brother what he's done first."
Meng Shuyi truly didn't believe that the seemingly innocent-looking Meng Shuping would provoke trouble on his own. He turned to Meng Shuping with a questioning look. "Fifth brother?"
Under everyone's gaze, Meng Shuping grew so nervous his toes curled. "Ahhh, I really need someone to speak for me right now! Can someone please explain what happened?"
"Oh right, my two servants were there at the time. They can speak on my behalf!"
Meng Shuchun couldn't help but chuckle at Meng Shuping's antics and stepped forward. "Big brother, here's what happened…"
At the end of his account, he added, "Of course, we don't know how it started, but Fifth Brother's servants were there the whole time. You can ask them."
Seeing Meng Shuchun mention him, Xing Lai quickly spoke up. "Fifth Young Master was resting there when Master Fan and the others arrived. They didn't see Fifth Young Master and started speaking ill of him. After Fifth Young Master was spotted, they pressed him, and that's why he said what he did."
Meng Shuping chimed in eagerly, "Exactly! Talking behind someone's back and still acting so arrogant—what low-class behavior! I was just defending myself. What did I do wrong? If anyone's to blame, it's his own foolishness. Why blame others?"
Fan Jianhui glared at Meng Shuping, flames of anger blazing in his eyes. So, it was justified for him to trick others and play the victim?
After hearing the whole story, Meng Shuyi asked Fan Jianhui and Meng Shuping, "Is that how it happened?"
Meng Shuping nodded without speaking, but Fan Jianhui retorted, "He's the one sneaking around eavesdropping! Of course, we thought he'd sneaked in!"
What angered him most wasn't being tricked by Meng Shuping but how infuriating Meng Shuping's attitude was!
Meng Shuyi pondered briefly before saying, "Since both sides are at fault, let's leave it at that. Fifth Brother, apologize to Master Fan."
Hearing this, Fan Jianhui couldn't help but smirk triumphantly. See, the Meng family still had reasonable people. This Eldest Young Master Meng was far better than the others—he knew how to read the situation.
Even if Meng Shuping apologized, Fan Jianhui had no intention of letting him off so easily. Did he think an apology would suffice after making such a fool of him?
He looked down arrogantly at Meng Shuping, waiting for him to show humiliation.
Meng Shuping pursed his lips and said under his breath, "Master Fan, I'm sorry."
"Who would've thought he'd be so naive? I almost feel like I'm bullying a fool. Ah, I almost feel bad about it."
Fan Jianhui's anger, which had just subsided, flared up again at these words. But before he could react, Meng Shuyi said, "Master Fan, my fifth brother has already apologized. Do what you want."
Fan Jianhui was taken aback. What did Meng Shuyi mean by that?
"Wow!" Meng Shuping couldn't help but praise. "Big brother is truly the best! Look, what he's saying is: We know you, Fan Jianhui, have no class, and we never expected you to admit your mistake."
"But we, the Meng family, have far more class than you. Compared to us, you're like dirt under our feet! We apologized because we have manners. Did you really think it was because of you? Who do you think you are?"
"Anyway, we've given you a way out. Be sensible and stop making a scene. Don't push your luck!"
Meng Shuchun glanced at Meng Shuping with relief. Thank goodness this fifth brother wasn't usually so talkative, or he'd have been beaten up countless times.
Fan Jianhui, who had only been mildly irritated before, trembled with rage upon hearing this. "Meng Shuyi! You brothers are going too far!"
Meng Shuyi felt he had already given Fan Jianhui enough face and was annoyed by his ingratitude. His expression darkened. "Master Fan, are you determined to wreck this birthday party today?"
"Exactly, Master Fan, he's already apologized. What more do you want? Weren't you at fault too?"
"Even if you don't care about the Meng family's reputation, you should at least show some respect for Marquis Cheng'en! Or do you not even care about him?"
"I never expected Master Fan to be like this! How can you be so hung up on this?"
"Master Fan, why can't you see the bigger picture? Even if he were completely in the wrong, this isn't the time to make a scene! Young Master Dou is still here!"
"Ah, the one who's really wronged is Fifth Young Master Meng. Look, Eldest Young Master Meng told him to apologize, and he did so without hesitation. Compared to Fifth Young Master Meng, it's night and day."
Fan Jianhui felt so aggrieved he wanted to scream at the others: You fools! You've all been deceived by this hypocrite!
But he knew the situation was against him, so he suppressed his anger and gritted his teeth. "My apologies, I acted impulsively just now."
Dou Sen seized the opportunity to smooth things over. "It's fine, it's fine. Now that everything's cleared up, everyone, please take your seats."
Thus, everyone took their assigned seats. At the table where Meng Shuping sat, aside from Meng Shuchun and Meng Shuyang, he didn't know anyone else. As soon as he sat down, Meng Shuchun introduced them. "Fifth Brother, this is the Second Young Master Tang, son of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, and this is the Fourth Young Master Chang, from the Left Minister's family…"
Meng Shuping gave them a stiff smile, so nervous he was fidgeting nervously. The others, however, were quite friendly, greeting him warmly. "Fifth Young Master Meng, don't be shy. We're all friends here."
"Come, come, it's our first time meeting Fifth Young Master Meng. Let's toast first."
"Sixth Young Master Meng, hurry and pour a drink for your fifth brother."
…
Surrounded by so many enthusiastic people, Meng Shuping felt like he could hardly breathe. He screamed internally, "Ahhh, why are they all such social butterflies? It makes me stick out like a sore thumb!"
Meng Shuyang, taking advantage of the moment, quickly added some powder to a wine cup. A smirk tugged at his lips, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Fifth Brother, here you go."
Hmph, he still had a score to settle with Meng Shuping. Soon, he'd make sure Meng Shuping made a complete fool of himself.
Meng Shuping instinctively took the cup and took a sip. Just then, Second Young Master Tang said, "Come, come, let's toast!"
So Meng Shuping raised his cup again and drank with the others.