The Li family’s Great Aunt was different from the other Li family members. Back then when the evidence against Cui Shi was irrefutable and laid out before them, Old Master Li, Old Madam Li, and Li Shi were all still resisting desperately to the death, but this Great Aunt of the Li family was different…

Madam Li looked at Madam Cui and Great Aunt, her heart rising and falling without settling—to go to the family temple for cultivation for several years as punishment for an error not yet committed, such punishment could not be called anything but severe. These two girls were both about to be married. If they went to the family temple now, their future in-laws would have many doubts in the future…

If she were facing other meritorious noble families, she might still think of other ways to wrangle and reduce her daughters’ culpability. But it just had to be the Song family, just had to be Song Chuyi.

The Song family already harbored deep resentment toward their Li family because of Li Shi’s matter, and there was Princess Duanhui beside them. She simply had no way to smooth things over.

Once these words were spoken, even Shen Xiaohai and Lady He couldn’t help but show some change in their expressions, turning to look at Great Aunt and Madam Cui.

Who knew that both Madam Cui and Great Aunt would simultaneously lower their heads to look at Song Chuyi, who was a head shorter than them.

Lady He felt somewhat scornful—although Song Chuyi’s handling just now had indeed surprised her somewhat, now that she had recovered, she felt it wasn’t anything remarkable. At most, Song Chuyi was just a bit clever.

But Shen Xiaohai’s heart stirred, and he couldn’t help but develop some other views about this girl of noble status. Being able to immediately identify the maid’s words as false was cleverness. Knowing to first suppress the matter and not let it spread among the surrounding noble ladies was keen insight. Being able to wait until the elders arrived before producing evidence and demanding an explanation was composure. This little girl was indeed quite extraordinary.

Song Chuyi thought for a moment then suddenly smiled. She looked at the Li family’s Great Aunt and shook her head: “No, it may not be necessary to treat the two elder sisters this way. I remember having no grievance or enmity with the two elder sisters. I truly don’t believe that without other reasons, they would do such a thing. I wonder if Madam would find it convenient to let me see them?”

Just when Song Chuyi shook her head, the Li family’s Great Aunt truly felt her heart unconsciously go half cold. Now hearing Song Chuyi say this, she hurriedly nodded.

“Uncle, please don’t beat Seventh Brother anymore either.” Song Chuyi turned to look at Shen Xiaohai: “He can no longer endure it.”

Madam Cui and Great Aunt surprisingly had no objections either. Shen Xiaohai looked at her in astonishment again, his face carrying an extremely gentle and loving smile as he nodded: “Since my niece says so, then naturally there’s nothing more to say. However, we can’t just let him off like this. After a few days when he’s recovered his health, I’ll bring him to your door to apologize.”

Lady He looked at Song Chuyi with both surprise and delight, feeling extremely distressed as she hurriedly called for people to bring a rattan chair to carry Shen Qingrang, who was already covered in sweat and beginning to speak deliriously, back to his room.

This time Shen Xiaohai had become truly furious. Those servants hadn’t dared to show any mercy. Shen Qingrang would probably need to convalesce for ten days to half a month before he could get out of bed. Song Chuyi lowered her eyelashes, concealing the mockery and deep hatred in her eyes. Shen Qingrang, I didn’t come to collect the debts from the previous life, yet you repeatedly provoke me. Since you insist on digging a pit for yourself, then I’ll simply bury you in it!

The two young ladies from the Li family had already been frightened silly. After being scolded by their mother, the two of them were like startled birds. Upon suddenly hearing the door open, they couldn’t help but jump up in alarm.

When they saw that besides their mother, Song Chuyi had also entered, their eyes widened even more in shock, not knowing what to do.

“Yue Jiao, Yue Feng, you two listen to me. Answer whatever is asked!” The Li family’s Great Aunt grabbed one in each hand and gave them a meaningful look, gripping her daughters’ hands forcefully: “Otherwise, even Mother cannot save you!”

Song Chuyi didn’t need to listen to know what the Li family’s Great Aunt had told them. She looked at the Li family sisters who were already half a head taller than herself, and slowly revealed a smile.

That smile looked very sweet, with two dimples beside her cheeks making her appear even more amiable and lovable. But both Li family sisters couldn’t help but shudder.

Back when Li Shi died, after returning home, the Li family’s Great Aunt had repeatedly admonished them about it, specifically mentioning that Miss Song the Sixth was completely different from before, having become clever and quick-witted.

“I won’t ask what you wanted to do by tricking me to Xianyue Garden.” Song Chuyi stared at their ashen expressions for a moment, then turned her head away, her gaze level with the tall plum blossom vase ahead: “I just want to ask, who taught you this method?”

In her previous life, she had contact with the Li family sisters. They simply didn’t have the ability to manipulate Shen Qingrang into being so obedient.

The Li family sisters shrank back, simultaneously casting their gazes toward their mother, wanting to seek help.

The Li family’s Great Aunt was quite frustrated at their failure to meet expectations. Both angry and anxious, she pinched her eldest daughter, almost wanting to scold them on the spot: “Hurry up and speak! You two girls together probably couldn’t come up with this idea. Who exactly taught you?! Tell me properly, otherwise when we return, I’ll send you to the family temple to reflect!”

The Li family sisters still understood what going to the family temple represented. Hearing this, they finally opened their mouths with tears glistening: “It was, it was Elder Sister Chen who gave us this idea…”

Elder Sister Chen? Among those present today, besides the girl from Elder Chen’s household who would be called “Elder Sister Chen” by the Li family sisters this way, who else could it be?

Song Chuyi could almost no longer restrain the fury in her heart—that time in Tongzhou, Miss Chen had nearly caused her death. The second time they met, she had given her such a grand gift.

Her gaze was calm as she glanced at the Li family’s Great Aunt, seeming both self-mocking and disdainful: “Madam Li, you see, fortunately I asked this question, otherwise wouldn’t these two young ladies’ reputations for their entire lives be ruined?”

The Li family’s Great Aunt bit her teeth and reached out to slap each of her two daughters once, so angry she could barely breathe: “She told you to go and you went. Are you stupid or not?!”

But she hadn’t expected that Chen Mingyu would be so underhanded, commanding from the shadows while using her daughters and the Shen family young master as shields to harm others.

If this matter truly got out, that the two Li family girls had colluded with Duke Yingguo’s heir grandson to frame an earl’s young lady, their reputations would truly be, as Song Chuyi said, ruined!

Song Chuyi saw the timing was about right and couldn’t be bothered to say more to them. She stood up and said to the Li family’s Great Aunt: “Since this is the case, Great Aunt and the two young ladies should come with me to serve as witnesses. I cannot suffer this injustice for nothing, and the two young ladies cannot bear this blame for nothing either, right?”

The Li family’s Great Aunt simply had no choice. If she didn’t go, then this matter would still fall on her daughters’ heads. If she went, she would definitely offend Elder Chen…

Choosing the lesser of two evils, the Li family’s Great Aunt bit her teeth, looked at her two beautiful daughters, and said through gritted teeth: “Yes, we naturally should serve as witnesses for Miss Song the Sixth!”