As enraged as An Yipei was, given An Rushuang's great suffering in the abduction, he intended to forgive her if she apologized in sincerity. However, she was still that stubborn, actually disrespecting him in public!

Lady An exhorted An Rushuang in low voice, “Rushuang, how could you say such words to your father? Apologize at once!”

“Apologize? Since she will never admit that it was her fault, how could she apologize? Take Rushuang to the ancestral hall to meditate on her wrongdoings. She is not allowed to come out until she knows what she has done!” An Yipei ordered coldly.

An Rushuang still insisted, “Since I made no mistake, there is nothing to be meditated on!” She glanced at An Yipei in disappointment.

“Daddy, the ancestral hall is cold and damp, and elder sister has never suffered such a pain before. What's more, princess has invited her to the royal palace the day after tomorrow. Given her bad injury, please revoke your order, daddy.” An Lingshan argued in a hurry before making a curtsy to An Yipei.

Upon hearing her words, Lady An was immediately touched by her affection to An Rushuang, however, she suddenly thought of An Lingshan's words before that the princess seemingly mentioned both of the two girls in the An family on the invitation, but there was only Rushuang who would attend the party. Given the princess' anger at the the flower enjoyment last time, she would be truly enraged if both of the two girls were absent this time.

Lady An started to feel upset.

Unsurprisingly, upon hearing An Lingshan's words, An Yipei was more exasperated who pointed at An Rushuang while howling, “You made no mistakes! Really? You not only kept us waiting here for such a long time, but also hid the princess' invitation from us!” He slammed the desk with his palm forcefully, making the tea cups clang to the violent shake.

“Isn't this a mistake you have made?!”

An Yipei was rarely in such a fury. n.o.body dared to speak a word.

Even Zhao Xiaotao, having no idea what was going on, was thrown in panic. She finally set her mind at ease when catching An Rushuang's calm face.

As long as An Rushuang was here, Zhao Xiaotao would feel safe. Perhaps, because she had vowed solemnly before her mother. Even An Rushuang was merely a weak girl, Zhao Xiaotao still felt warm deep in her heart.

Suddenly, a sigh was resounding in the air, breaking the dead silence.

There came slowly a girl's voice then, as cold as frost. “Is dad angry with me because of the invitation? Since I have already made it public, why did you think I hide it from you?”

An Yipei stared at An Rushuang with a frown, surveying her clear and frank eyes. He couldn't help doubting whether he had misunderstood his eldest daughter, but Lingshan...

Upon seeing her father's hesitation, An Lingshan dragged Madam Zhang's dress in a hurry. Taking her daughter's hint, Madam Zhang nodded before whispering, “I got it.”

She walked to An Yipei before suggesting gently, “Lord... As I see it, Rushuang was just too embarra.s.sed to admit her wrongdoings in public. Since Lingshan has always been softhearted, please don't blame her sister any more. I really feel sympathetic for her bad injury. Why not ask the Rushuang to let her maid bring the invitation here a moment later?”

Since attending princess Mingxi's party was more important to Madam Zhang and An Lingshan, it was a waste of time to offense An Rushuang now. If Lingshan gained the favor in the royal families, An Rushuang, such a humble girl, would no longer be their match.

Thinking of their bright future, Madam Zhang almost leaned on An Yipei's body, her face full of sincere and submissive smile.

An Lingshan came up also in smile before echoing her mother in a hurry, “Perhaps, elder sister made the mistake by accident. Please forgive her, daddy.” It was heard that An Rushuang missed Princess Mingxi's last flower enjoyment feast due to her foolishness in enjoying flowers at Anyang's banquet instead.

This time Princess Mingxi invited both of the two girls in An family, so An Rushuang must follow her order. An Lingshan was just waiting to see her elder sister in trouble!

Exhorted by Madam Zhang and An Lingshan in their soft and gentle voice, An Yipei turned calm gradually. Seeing An Rushuang's unchanging stubbornness, he snorted before ordering, “Zhong Yi, go to Liuxi Pavilion and fetch Princess Mingxi's invitation here! When you go to the royal palace the day after tomorrow, ask me for the invitation, in case Rushuang forget it.”

Obviously, he wanted An Rushuang to admit her mistake.

However, lowering her head, An Rushuang kept silent but snorted in her heart. You want the invitation? What a joke!

Before long, Zhong Yi came back with nothing in his hand.

“Lord, Nanny Liu said there is no invitation at Liuxi Pavilion.”

It was universally known that Nanny Liu, a heavily sick old woman, was guarding at the entrance. No one dared to break into it.

An Yipei glared at An Rushuang. “Rascal, what do you mean by that? Can't I dismiss the servant at Liuxi Pavilion?!”

He still remembered vividly she contradicted him for Nanny Liu, who became her s.h.i.+eld again today. Did she really think he would forgive the evil old woman one more time just because of the little sense of guilty?!

Since Lingshan moved here, Rushuang became more and more weird, totally forgetting the demeanor for a n.o.ble lady. Where did that gentle and kind daughter go?

“Lord, Rushuang didn't do that intentionally...” Lady An, very upset, urged her daughter to explain, “Say something! Why did you do that? Tell your father frankly!”

An Rushuang, her eyes slightly reddening, looked up at An Yipei before murmuring, “I would like to tell you, but would you believe?” She smiled before adding, “Maybe you will think I am arguing for myself!”

An Yipei snorted. “Although I am getting old, I am still able to tell the difference between the lie and truth!”

He would like to hear what she was going to say!

Glancing at An Rushuang, An Lingshan curled her lips slightly. Explain? Holding the trump card in her sleeve, An Lingshan made sure that An Rushuang was doomed to fail!

“The invitation is not at Liuxi Pavilion...”

An Rushuang caught a glimpse of the girl in white behind her father before sighing, “because I have sent it to my little sister earlier.”