Luo Meixiang had been in a perpetual state of anger recently, frequently provoked by Yue Yaoniang. The two had long been engaged in countless open and covert battles. Seeing her crouched on the ground, Luo Meixiang paid no attention and spat, “You’re just putting on an act!”

Then she went into her room.

With Qin Shuying backing her up, Yue Yaoniang deliberately picked fights and made sarcastic remarks every day. Luo Meixiang had long wanted to slap her twice, but had held back considering Liang Yunshan and the child in Yue Yaoniang’s belly.

The slap she’d just delivered was thrown without thinking, and surprisingly, rather than feeling fearful afterward, she felt an indescribable satisfaction. These shameless women truly needed to be put in their place!

Luo Meixiang completely ignored Yue Yaoniang, but all the maids and servants in the courtyard belonged to Qin Shuying. Having already received Qin Shuying’s instructions, they naturally wouldn’t turn a blind eye. Someone immediately went to report to Qin Shuying.

Others carried Yue Yaoniang back to Concubine Yue’s room and immediately sent for a physician to examine her pulse. Fortunately, there was nothing seriously wrong, though the physician said she couldn’t withstand shock and needed to rest well.

Qin Shuying went to check on Yue Yaoniang once, then went to Luo Meixiang’s courtyard. Sitting down in a round-backed chair, she said, “Old Madam, regardless of what happened, you shouldn’t have struck Concubine Yue. After all, she’s carrying Father’s child – this is the Liang family’s bloodline. Before Father left, he instructed me to take good care of Concubine Yue and ensure the child is born safely. Your actions put me in a very difficult position. I’ll have to write to Father to let him know of my predicament.”

After Yue Yaoniang’s scene earlier, Luo Meixiang had returned to her room and thought carefully. She had actually come to her senses – Yuan’er’s incident was undoubtedly connected to the Liang Zhe couple.

Remembering what Old Madam Liang had said in prison, Luo Meixiang felt both angry and resentful. She was angry that the Liang Zhe couple didn’t take her seriously at all, and resentful that although she clearly knew they were manipulating them, she was powerless to do anything about it.

As for Old Madam Liang’s suggestion that she should bring down the Liang Zhe couple, she felt even more helpless.

The people in her courtyard were basically all Qin Shuying’s people. Whatever she wanted to do couldn’t escape Qin Shuying’s surveillance – she had absolutely no privacy.

Not only herself, but her two sons were in the same situation, practically becoming puppets of the Liang Zhe couple.

Now, hearing Qin Shuying’s words, Luo Meixiang’s anger flared while she also felt somewhat desolate. Liang Yunshan had indeed grown distant from her now – wasn’t this all caused by the Liang Zhe couple?!

“Eldest daughter-in-law, don’t try to use a feather as an arrow. Your father doesn’t lack children. He doesn’t even care about Yue Yaoniang’s pregnancy, so stop trying to intimidate me here!”

“Old Madam, Father is over forty and only now getting such a child – how could he not value it? Father had little contact with Ziyu, Second Brother, and Third Brother, so their relationship is hard to describe, but he’s quite affectionate with A’yuan, as you’ve seen. The child in Concubine Yue’s belly will be the same – just wait and see.”

Luo Meixiang’s heart skipped a beat, then her eyebrows shot up in anger. “What nonsense are you spouting! How could your father possibly treat A’yuan better than Yuan’er and Jie’er?!”

Qin Shuying’s bright eyes sparkled like water. “Old Madam, why not admit it? If you don’t believe me, you can write to Father about Second Brother’s incident and see how he responds.”

Luo Meixiang’s vision darkened. This shameless woman, this shameless woman…

“Tell me, was this incident actually orchestrated by you and your husband? Do you dare swear an oath that this matter has anything to do with you two?”

Qin Shuying smiled leisurely. “Old Madam, you really seem to have become confused from illness. Not only did you go mad and strike Concubine Yue, nearly causing her to miscarry, but you’re also spouting nonsense. It seems I need to write to Father and have you confined. Also, I’ll take over arranging Second Brother and Third Brother’s marriages as their sister-in-law – you needn’t worry about it anymore.”

Luo Meixiang stood up, her trembling hand pointing at Qin Shuying. “You wouldn’t dare!”

Qin Shuying smiled sweetly. “I’m the mistress of the household – these matters are naturally my responsibility. It’s been my fault to trouble Old Madam with them all along. I’ll correct this starting today.”

Having said this, she ignored Luo Meixiang’s hysterical cursing behind her and walked out.

Luo Meixiang was held down by two sturdy maids and couldn’t break free no matter how she struggled. She watched helplessly as Qin Shuying walked away.

Thinking that her two sons’ marriages would fall into the hands of this venomous woman, she was so angry her eyes filled with tears. She kicked and struck out, but the two maids weren’t afraid of her at all. They tied her up tightly and locked her in her bedroom.

Luo Meixiang struggled for a day and night until she was exhausted and collapsed in despair.

Before losing consciousness, she finally understood – Qin Shuying had long wanted to confine her but just hadn’t had a good opportunity.

Now, with so many people witnessing her striking that shameless Yue Yaoniang, Qin Shuying had a way to make Liang Yunshan believe that Luo Meixiang was no longer suitable to appear before others.

Shameless woman, shameless woman…

Yuan’er, Jie’er, you must rescue Mother…

At this moment, her sons were in the outer courtyard. Entering the inner courtyard wasn’t as easy as it had been at the Western Expedition General’s mansion, and with information being blocked, they didn’t know that Luo Meixiang had been confined.

After causing the morning’s incident, Liang Yuan had returned to his courtyard with his head hung low, kicked open the door, and collapsed onto his bed. Not a single maid or servant dared approach him.

Liang Jie stormed in furiously, his face ashen as he demanded, “Second Brother, what were you thinking?!”

Liang Yuan played dead.

“How could you let yourself be caught in such a compromising position! You clearly knew Liang Zhe’s intentions, you clearly knew Fifth Prince’s instructions to us – how could you be so stupid!”

Liang Yuan roared, “Shut up! I’m your older brother!”

Liang Jie angrily swept his robes aside and sat down. “Precisely because you’re my brother, I’m so frustrated with your failure to live up to expectations! You clearly knew Liang Zhe was watching us every day, waiting to catch us in compromising situations! You knew Fifth Prince’s grand plan is at a critical moment now – how could you… Cough, if I were you, I’d dash my head against a wall and die!”

Liang Yuan threw off his blanket and pointed at Liang Jie, equally agitated. “Stop saying ‘Liang Zhe this, Liang Zhe that’ all the time. Aren’t you supposed to be so clever? Why can’t you deal with him at all? You know this was a trap he set – do you have a way to break it?”

Liang Jie was silent for a moment, then said, “There is a way.”

Liang Yuan was stunned. “What did you say?”

“There is a way to break this situation.”

Liang Yuan looked at Liang Jie’s serious expression as Liang Jie added, “At the very least, we need to strike back. We can’t just swallow our anger like this!”

Liang Yuan’s eyes immediately lit up. “Tell me, how do we strike back?”

Liang Jie explained his plan. Liang Yuan’s initially excited expression immediately dimmed. “This would be very difficult to accomplish. Fifth Prince wouldn’t be willing.”

A hint of viciousness appeared on Liang Jie’s face. “Second Brother, we’ve been investigating who injured us brothers back then, but unfortunately we never found the culprit. However, I know who it was now.”