After staying at the Pingcheng Li family home for half a month, the Li family specially arranged two maids and two nannies to accompany Li Weiyang on the journey from Pingcheng to the capital. The carriage was arranged by the Prime Minister’s residence. The carriage curtains were hung with embroidered ribbons strung with colorful glazed beads. The large red brocade welcoming pillows and cushions were embroidered with exquisite and magnificent peony flowers. The entire interior was decorated elaborately and luxuriously, yet from the outside it appeared to be merely a simple blue-curtained oil carriage for transportation, plain and unadorned, showing not the slightest hint of extravagance.

Li Weiyang didn’t spare it a second glance. She already knew that this was merely something the First Madam used to intimidate her. And this was just the beginning.

Bai Zhi carefully placed a cup of hot tea on the small rosewood tea table in the carriage. Glancing at Li Weiyang, who had kept her eyes closed in meditation the entire time, she couldn’t quite decide whether she should chat with her to relieve the boredom. Looking at the Third Miss’s demeanor, she didn’t seem to feel lonely during the journey. She glanced at Zi Yan across from her and saw the other also showing a strange expression, making her feel even more anxious. They were both maids sent by the Pingcheng Li family to serve the Third Miss, but they hadn’t yet figured out this Third Miss’s temperament, so they dared not rashly speak up…

Li Weiyang gently closed her eyes, her memory returning to that scene when she had returned to the residence years ago. When her cautious self had entered the Prime Minister’s residence, the First Madam had looked her up and down, showing a very gentle smile on her face, lightly saying “Mm” and remarking, “This child looks blessed. Take her to change her clothes.”

At that time, she had been timid and uneasy. Upon hearing these words, her heart was naturally filled with gratitude. A mere concubine-born daughter, born in the second month no less—if not for the First Madam’s benevolence, how would Father have suddenly remembered her? Unfortunately, back then she couldn’t see the contempt and cold mockery in the depths of the First Madam’s eyes.

When she first returned to the residence, Li Weiyang couldn’t even recognize a single character—she was a typical country girl.

A daughter of the Prime Minister’s residence who couldn’t read—if word got out, it would make people laugh their teeth off. Thinking about it now, Li Weiyang realized that back then Tuoba Zhen was just an obscure prince with no possibility of ascending to the throne. How could Father and the First Madam have been willing to marry the heavenly beautiful elder sister Li Changle to him? However, he did have a noble-born adoptive mother, Consort Wu Xian, so they couldn’t easily refuse. They just never expected that Tuoba Zhen would later become emperor, and that she, this country girl who couldn’t even write her own name back then, would actually become empress—

That year, after meeting the First Madam, she followed the maid away. When passing by the study, laughter from reading came from inside the room.

Li Weiyang heard a woman’s voice saying, “The peach tree is young and elegant; brilliant are its flowers. This maiden is going to her future home, and will order well her chamber and house.”

Back then, Li Weiyang couldn’t read. She just felt this person recited particularly beautifully. Just as she wanted to continue listening, she was startled by a sudden shout: “Hey, what are you doing here?”

Li Weiyang looked up in surprise and saw a beautiful young lady glaring at her.

The female teacher who had been reciting also looked over. Li Weiyang heard her ask, “Is this a maid from the residence?”

Just this one sentence made Li Weiyang blush so deeply she couldn’t speak.

That beautiful young lady glanced at her, obviously having guessed her identity, yet still covered her mouth and laughed lightly, then said, “A maid! Our residence has no such vulgar maids!” Her words were full of mockery.

Li Weiyang lowered her head, looking at her own attire. She was indeed worlds apart from the young ladies in the study. She clenched her fists, feeling very indignant inside.

That young lady relentlessly continued, “Why are you still standing there? Don’t you see you’re disturbing us from listening to the teacher’s lecture? Leave now!”

“Third Miss, let’s go,” the maid beside her said softly.

Li Weiyang just wished there was a hole she could crawl into! Just then, a soft and beautiful voice suddenly descended from above—”Changxi, she’s your Third Sister Weiyang! How can you be so rude!”

This voice coming to her rescue seemed like celestial music to her at the time.

Later she learned that this young lady who had rescued her was Li Changle. For a very long time, Li Weiyang was almost in a daze. She had never seen such an outstanding young lady, never heard such a beautiful voice. At the time, she secretly thought that even an immortal fairy would be nothing more than this…

“Third Miss! Third Miss!” Zi Yan softly called her name.

Li Weiyang slowly opened her eyes, sat up straight, and smiled. This smile made her face suddenly become lively and lovely. “What is it?”

Zi Yan smiled and said, “Third Miss, we’re almost there.”

Li Weiyang looked outside through the carriage curtain. The carriage had long since passed through Zheng’an Gate, and in the blink of an eye they had arrived at Changmen Street where the Prime Minister’s residence was located. The Prime Minister’s residence wasn’t located in the busy commercial district and didn’t adjoin other noble residences either. When the residence was first built, a prince had taken a liking to it and specially requested it from the emperor. But later, finding its location somewhat remote, it was left vacant. Later, that prince committed suicide by poison after his involvement in a treason case failed, his family assets were confiscated, and this separate residence was taken back by the Imperial Household Department. Finally, it was bestowed upon the Li family. Speaking of it, it had already been passed down for several generations. This residence was built by that disgraced prince for his retirement years. The garden had layered peaks and wisteria vines providing shade—very elegant. In terms of residence size, it wasn’t much among the high officials in the capital, but in terms of scenery, it was second to none.

The short distance, accompanied by the monotonous and cold sound of horse hooves, suddenly made time stretch long.

After who knows how long, the carriage finally stopped.

The woman accompanying the carriage said in a gentle voice through the curtain of the carriage window, “Third Miss, we’ve arrived!” Then she placed the footstool properly. Bai Zhi and Zi Yan successively stepped on the footstool to get out of the carriage, then turned around to serve Li Weiyang as she got out.

Entering the residence, they passed through countless corridors. Outside the corridors hung rows of birdcages suspended from thin bamboo copper hooks, containing thrushes, larks, rosefinches, yellow sparrows, as well as red-necked birds, blue-necked birds, budgerigars, waxwings, and red-crested cardinals from thousands of miles away—truly a hundred birds singing together, pleasant to the ear. Li Weiyang glanced at the fierce-looking hawk perched on a leather glove, then calmly turned her gaze away.

All along the way, there were maids everywhere wearing bright blue short jackets and official green vests, standing with hands lowered in silent respect. Seeing Li Weiyang, the maids all bent their knees in unison and curtsied. Exactly the same scene as in her previous life.

Back then, seeing them, she had been completely at a loss. Thinking about it now, the First Madam could have sent someone to teach her etiquette, or the Pingcheng Li family should have had someone tell her, but no one did. They allowed her to lose all face in front of the servants, being gossiped about as a country girl who was just a country girl, not understanding even half a rule of propriety! Thinking of the past, Li Weiyang smiled slightly. Without stopping to look at the maids bowing to her around her, she directly followed the leading maid forward. Seeing this situation, Bai Zhi and Zi Yan both quickly followed.

“Did you see! That’s the Third Miss!”

“She’s quite pretty, and her bearing is very good! Wasn’t she said to have grown up in the countryside?”

“Yes, a young miss is a young miss. She’s not timid and cowering despite growing up in the countryside!”

Li Weiyang wasn’t interested in these discussions. She walked all the way to the entrance of the main house at Hexiang Courtyard. The little maid standing to one side had already eagerly lifted the curtain. Seeing them approach, she called out “Third Miss” with a face full of smiles.

Li Weiyang smiled and nodded at the little maid, then entered the main house.

Bai Zhi and Zi Yan followed all the way in, only to see that the floor was paved with smooth mirror-like golden bricks. Beautiful octagonal palace lanterns hung from the ceiling. In the room were rosewood partitions inlaid with ivory flowers and glass panels. All the other furniture was made of rosewood and blackwood, extremely luxurious to the utmost ability, with elaborate carvings that were breathtaking.

The two maids from Pingcheng couldn’t help but hold their breath.

It was truly too… luxurious!

However, Li Weiyang, who should have been most intimidated by these wealthy sights, didn’t even glance at these beautiful furnishings. She simply walked up gently and said with a beaming smile to the old woman in the main seat, “Weiyang greets Grandmother, Mother, and both Aunts.”