Qin Shuying reacted quickly, immediately using her wide sleeves to shield her face and leaning backward.

However, the tea splashed everywhere, and her new outfit was instantly stained.

“Shuying!”

Liang Zhe quickly stepped forward, embracing Qin Shuying to check if she was injured.

Qin Shuying shook her head, indicating she was fine, then stood up and looked at Luo Meixiang with concern in her eyes, “Madam, are you all right?”

Cheap slut, pretending so well!

Luo Meixiang smiled magnanimously and said, “Child, no wonder Princess Fu’an said you were reckless and careless. Never mind, never mind—we’re all family, so I won’t hold it against you. It’s just that the tea wasn’t drunk, which is rather…”

She sighed heavily and looked toward Liang Yunshan.

Qin Shuying lowered her head, spreading her hands open to examine the blisters earnestly.

So many blisters…

Liang Yunshan’s brow furrowed in annoyance. Why were there so many complications just from drinking tea?

What was wrong with Meixiang? She couldn’t even hold a teacup steady—was it intentional or accidental?

Both times there had been accidents. Would they need to pour a third cup?

This was utterly embarrassing!

If Princess Yongjia found out…

Liang Yunshan grew irritated, “Enough! There’s a cup of tea here—Meixiang, just drink it. Shuying, go pay your respects to your second aunt.”

Luo Meixiang could hardly believe that Liang Yunshan would say such a thing.

Luo Meixiang’s refusal to drink the tea Qin Shuying offered could, to some extent, be interpreted as her not acknowledging this daughter-in-law. But it could also be interpreted in reverse—that Qin Shuying was not acknowledging Luo Meixiang as her mother-in-law.

Whether or not Luo Meixiang acknowledged Qin Shuying as her daughter-in-law, Qin Shuying had already been entered into the family genealogy yesterday. Her status as the eldest legitimate daughter-in-law of the Liang family was set in stone and couldn’t be changed.

But if Qin Shuying didn’t acknowledge her as mother-in-law, how could she use her elder’s authority to suppress others in the future?

Luo Meixiang urgently protested, “My lord, this goes against propriety…”

Qin Shuying stood silently before them, her hands still spread open as she lowered her head to examine the blisters seriously.

Blisters…

Liang Yunshan had a headache and suddenly felt that having a daughter-in-law was somewhat troublesome. Why did she have to have someone like Princess Yongjia as her backer? And he had been specifically summoned for a talk by Princess Yongjia!

Liang Yunshan was annoyed that Luo Meixiang was so unable to read the situation today. Where had her usual cleverness gone?

He raised his voice, “Shuying, pay your respects to your second aunt.”

“Yes, Father.”

Qin Shuying responded sweetly, and Hong Juan had already poured a cup of tea and handed it to her.

Qin Shuying held the tea and slowly walked toward Lady Meng.

Luo Meixiang glanced at Old Madam Liang, but saw that the old lady’s lips were tightly pressed together, saying nothing. Her expression was calm, revealing no emotion.

Seeing the tide had turned against her, Luo Meixiang gritted her teeth and drank the cup of tea on the table in one gulp.

Lady Meng readily drank the tea, spoke a few auspicious words, and gave gifts.

These were all the elders, so the tea ceremony was complete.

Liang Zhe introduced everyone else. Since Qin Shuying was now the eldest sister-in-law, she gave each person including Liang Qiong a red envelope.

As for what these people felt while receiving the red envelopes, Qin Shuying didn’t care.

After distributing the red envelopes, Liang Yunshan spoke, “Time is getting late. You should hurry to the palace to express your gratitude.”

Liang Zhe and Qin Shuying bowed and withdrew.

Once they left, everyone dispersed, and Old Madam Liang also said she wanted to return to rest.

Soon, only the Liang Yunshan couple remained in the vast room.

Liang Yunshan suddenly felt somewhat guilty. Having embarrassed Meixiang like that just now, she must be very upset, right?

He looked at Luo Meixiang, but she appeared normal, standing up and walking toward the bedroom, “My lord, aren’t you going out? Your clothes have been prepared long ago. Let me help you dress.”

Liang Yunshan, seeing her graceful figure and that smile as she looked back, followed her.

In the bedroom, Luo Meixiang brought out a set of brand-new robes, “My lord, take a look—do you like this style? Qiong’er made some, and I made some too. The workmanship is crude—please don’t mind it.”

Liang Yunshan couldn’t help but embrace her, kissing her face several times.

“My lord, don’t do this—it’s broad daylight…”

Liang Yunshan laughed heartily and spread his arms, letting Luo Meixiang undress him.

“Meixiang, I know you think Shuying’s status is too low to match Ziyu. But since she’s already married into the family, you should put some effort into teaching her properly. Given time, she’ll surely become like Qiong’er—learned, reasonable, virtuous, and gentle.”

Luo Meixiang breathed a sigh of relief. So this was how he thought about it—that made things much easier. Fortunately, she had emphasized this point extensively in her previous letters home, laying sufficient groundwork.

“My lord, I understand everything you’re saying. But I just feel sorry for Ziyu. He has such noble status and is such a brave and skilled young general—what kind of noble lady couldn’t he marry? Yet he had to marry Qin Shuying. My lord, you saw today that this child has no manners—she interrupted before I finished speaking. You don’t know how famous her lack of manners is throughout the capital. She’s silver-tongued and eloquent in argument. Sigh, I’m truly worried.”

Liang Yunshan didn’t need to attend court today, but he planned to visit old friends. As Luo Meixiang helped him change clothes, she chattered on about Qin Shuying’s past incidents.

“…Yunshan, tell me, each of these incidents, if they happened in anyone’s household, wouldn’t they deserve punishment? You can easily find out about these things if you ask around.”

Liang Yunshan had finished changing and was adjusting his collar in the mirror, “I heard the Qin family is very strict in teaching their daughters. How could such things happen?”

Luo Meixiang bent down to arrange his long robe, “I’m at a loss for words too. I’m just afraid that her lack of manners might not matter in a small household like the Qin family. But she’s the eldest legitimate daughter-in-law of our family, responsible for managing the household—what are we to do? On a small scale, she’ll frequently embarrass you in front of others, making the entire capital laugh at our mansion’s lack of propriety. On a large scale, if she ruins the marquis’s mansion—this is a hundred-year legacy—how could you and I face our ancestors? I’m so worried I can’t sleep day or night.”

Liang Yunshan looked at himself in the mirror and the bustling Luo Meixiang, saying, “As newlyweds, it’s proper for them to start a family early. As for the household management, Meixiang, you’ll have to work harder.”

Luo Meixiang struggled to suppress her excitement. The heavy stone that had weighed on her heart for days had finally fallen to the ground.

“I’ll follow your wishes entirely.”

Liang Yunshan was very satisfied with this new outfit. Before leaving, he kissed Luo Meixiang several more times.

He truly loved this wife.

Luo Meixiang was different from Zhao Wanniang.

Luo Meixiang was passionate as fire, while Zhao Wanniang was only dignified and virtuous.

One was a vivacious, peerless beauty with various means at her disposal. The other was a military family’s daughter with some straightforward spirit, yet required to maintain dignity and virtue.

Especially after that incident years ago, Liang Yunshan had deeply despised Zhao Wanniang and fallen in love with Luo Meixiang.