Li Guangwen was quite conflicted.

To go back now and teach her a lesson would be rather unseemly. They had just been playing chess, and how could someone as upright as he do something as underhanded as settling scores after autumn?

But if he didn’t go back and teach her a lesson, wouldn’t that girl become even more reckless in the future?

He hesitated again and again, then reached out and pushed open the study door.

Forget it, he’d wait for the next opportunity. He could take the chance to ask that girl how her chess skills had become so superb.

Li Guangwen’s second wife, Lady He, had plenty of silver in her hands. Because she was always mocked for her humble origins and felt she was dragging down her daughter, she scattered silver like rain to hire tutors to give Li Zhao private lessons, hoping her daughter could surpass the young ladies of both the East and West residences in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and archery.

Unfortunately, Li Zhao had always performed mediocrely, especially in archery, where she was a complete disaster. As the household servants privately said, Third Miss was born with an arrogant and domineering temperament, but lacked the strong constitution needed to be truly arrogant and domineering.

In Li Guangwen’s impression, this daughter had always been quite ordinary, so today was truly shocking.

Li Hui chased after his sister to the East Side Courtyard to comfort her: “Big sister, don’t take it to heart. Li Zhao is just like that—when has she ever said anything pleasant?”

Li Jiǎo personally poured a cup of tea and handed it to her brother, saying gently, “I won’t mind. If I minded, I wouldn’t have been able to get through the days long ago.”

Li Hui felt pained hearing this and reached out to grasp Li Jiǎo’s hand: “Big sister, you’ve been wronged. I’m at the Imperial Academy studying all day now, and when you’re bullied, I can’t help you in time.”

Li Jiǎo withdrew her hand and said seriously, “Third brother, your studies are the most important thing right now. Don’t keep worrying about me. Remember, only if you work hard at your studies can I avoid being wronged in the future.”

Li Hui felt both heartache and surging passion as he solemnly promised: “Big sister, rest assured, I will pass the imperial examination and become a jinshi even earlier than father. In the future, no one will be able to bully you!”

Li Jiǎo smiled, reaching up to straighten Li Hui’s collar, saying meaningfully: “Why compare with father? If you’re going to compare, compare with our eldest uncle.”

The eldest uncle was the master of the East Residence, the son of County Lady Jiang, the old madam. At around forty, he had already climbed to the position of Assistant Minister, a third-rank high official. In Great Liang’s civil service system that emphasized seniority, this was considered young and promising.

Meanwhile, the siblings’ father Li Guangwen, after achieving fame on the imperial examination roll, entered the Hanlin Academy and became a prestigious Hanlin scholar with the reputation of being potential prime minister material. More than ten years had passed, and, ahem, he was still at the Hanlin Academy compiling historical records.

Li Jiǎo felt annoyed thinking about this.

Her father had ranked third in the imperial examination and married a noble lady, but he had a blockhead personality. He had played a good hand terribly, not even as successfully as their second uncle, who had been appointed as a prefectural governor.

“Alright, go back to your studies quickly. If you linger here too long, people will gossip.” Li Jiǎo pushed Li Hui.

Li Hui was quite displeased: “We’re siblings from the same mother—what would people gossip about?”

Though he said this, he still obediently stood up and took his leave.

Only after Li Hui left did Li Jiǎo completely relax, leaning against the bed frame with a faint smile.

No matter what, Li Zhao had caused her engagement to be broken off, making her even more detestable in the household. Though she now had the reputation of a broken engagement, since it wasn’t due to her fault, with patient scheming, she might still find a good match in the future.

Taking the worst-case scenario, even if she remained a spinster for life, it would still be better than marrying such a scoundrel.

It was just that Li Zhao seemed somewhat different since returning this time—

While Li Jiǎo was pondering, a maid tiptoed in to report: “Miss, the master has come out from the West Side Courtyard and returned to his study.”

“Oh, what was father’s reaction?” Li Jiǎo asked with a smile.

The maid looked conflicted, hesitating to speak.

“What’s with that expression? Speak if you have something to say—are you trying to keep me in suspense?” Li Jiǎo sat up straight, her face darkening as an ominous premonition arose in her heart.

“This servant wouldn’t dare! The master… the master came out smiling…”

“Smiling? Did you see clearly? Was it a cold smile, bitter smile, or—”

“No, the master had a foolish grin, like a hungry person seeing a chicken leg, or someone freezing seeing cotton clothes.” The maid thought for a moment and finally came up with an appropriate comparison.

“Really?” Li Jiǎo’s smile completely faded as she couldn’t help but turn to look out the window.

Outside the window, peach blossoms were budding, full of spring vitality.

She knew it—ever since that wretched girl returned, everything had been eerily strange!

“Miss—”

Li Jiǎo came back to her senses, released the handkerchief she’d been gripping tightly, and said expressionlessly: “You may go.”

The maid had barely left when she returned: “Miss, Second Miss and Fifth Miss from the East Residence have come.”

Li Jiǎo hurriedly sat up straight. Before she could rise, a young lady in a water-red shirt walked in, followed by a girl in yellow who kept her eyes lowered submissively.

The girl in water-red was Second Miss Li Jiāo, with willow eyebrows and phoenix eyes, full of spirit.

“Big sister, I’ve come to see you.” Li Jiāo spoke, the corners of her mouth curved to just the right degree.

Li Jiǎo couldn’t help but feel envious.

This cousin of hers was naturally arrogant and willful, but she was blessed with good fortune, having a grandmother who held the title of County Lady. From the time she could walk, her posture and behavior had been under her grandmother’s strict instruction. The young ladies of the West Residence could at most benefit by attending the women’s school at the East Residence—anything else was beyond their hopes.

Thinking of this, Li Jiǎo felt somewhat sad.

Her mother had been a noble lady from a count’s household. If she were still alive, she might have found ways to seek out court etiquette instructresses who had been released from the palace to teach her these things…

“Big sister, I’ve heard everything. Li Zhao caused your engagement to be broken off. Just wait—I’m going to give her a piece of my mind right now!”

Li Jiāo dropped these words and headed straight for the West Side Courtyard.

Li Jiǎo was happy to see this happen, but her expression showed urgent concern: “Second sister, you don’t need to do this—”

Her maid Chun Fang, following beside Li Jiǎo, smiled: “Second Miss cares about you, Miss.”

Among all the young ladies in both residences, for their miss to be on good terms with the most precious young lady of the East Residence was an honor for a maid as well.

But these words displeased Li Jiǎo.

She couldn’t help but sneer inwardly. Good terms? If she hadn’t performed just slightly worse than Li Jiāo in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and archery, would Li Jiāo be on good terms with her?

“Don’t follow. Watch over the courtyard!” Li Jiǎo coldly gave instructions and walked out.

In the West Side Courtyard, Li Zhao had finished putting away the chess set and was holding a teacup while instructing A’Zhu: “Since you’re new here, deliberately befriending the household servants will only seem natural to others—they won’t be suspicious. Take this hundred taels of silver and exchange them for smaller denominations later. Don’t be stingy with the money—quickly establish good relationships with people in well-informed places like the gatehouse and kitchen. In the future, when things happen outside, I hope to know about them as soon as possible.”

She didn’t care about which young lady got good fabric today or which madam lost her temper tomorrow, but she couldn’t remain deaf to outside affairs.

If nothing unexpected happened, her brother should be at their maternal grandfather’s residence right now. Shao Mingyuan had returned victorious yesterday, and today would be the perfect opportunity for the grandfather to reveal the truth about the Qiao family fire. If there was no movement in the capital today, she would have to worry whether her brother had safely reached the capital.

Qiao Zhao worried about her brother, her thoughts churning as she finished a full cup of tea without realizing it, still holding the cup to her lips to drink.

Outside came Binglu’s voice: “Second Miss, please don’t force your way in—this servant will go inform our miss.”