Nanny Luo carried the crane cloak all the way back to Hexiang Courtyard. After dismissing the maids, she said to Meng Shi, “Old Madam, this servant has something to report.”

Seeing her solemn expression, Meng Shi nodded and said, “What is it?”

Nanny Luo carefully explained the matter: “Although this matter shouldn’t really be managed by this servant, the Third Miss is truly pitiful. She doesn’t know anything and still touched it over and over like a treasure. After all, she’s just a child and doesn’t know to guard against people.”

Hearing her say this, Meng Shi took the crane cloak from her hands. Puzzled, she kneaded it twice and suddenly felt something odd. She quickly looked down: “Eh, what is this?”

Within the soft, smooth fur, there was a small section turned to the side with some pricks protruding. Looking carefully, they weren’t pricks but several fine needles, as thin as hairs, completely invisible without careful inspection.

“Why are these things in the clothes?” Meng Shi’s brows furrowed.

“The Third Miss is just a young girl after all. How would she understand these things? These fine needles are extremely short and not very severe. With that piece of fur blocking them, the wearer wouldn’t feel anything. But if one moves around, these fine needles will pierce the skin.”

“These black-hearted slaves, so careless and negligent!” Meng Shi said angrily.

Although Li Weiyang hadn’t been raised under her watch, she was still her granddaughter, and a sensible child with clear features. How could someone scheme against her as soon as she entered the residence? But Meng Shi thought again—aside from First Madam Jiang Shi, who else would have such audacity! Her expression became even more unpleasant: “This crane cloak was given right in front of me. Is this meant to embarrass me?”

Nanny Luo rarely saw Meng Shi angry and quickly lowered her head: “Old Madam, this matter may not necessarily have been done by the First Madam. Look how well she treats the Third Miss—”

“Well? If she didn’t crawl out of her own belly, what’s there to be good or not good about?! Originally, I thought that since she also came from a prominent family background, she would know proper limits and wouldn’t do anything improper. Looking at the current situation, she’s also confused. In a family like ours, we absolutely cannot have rumors spread about mistreating concubine-born daughters. Nanny Luo, send Mozhu from my side to the Third Miss.”

“Yes.” Nanny Luo quickly agreed. Although the Old Madam rarely concerned herself with residence affairs, she was someone cold on the outside but warm on the inside. She always had to manage things she couldn’t stand by and watch. If it were just a few fine needles, removing them would be enough. The Old Madam feared the First Madam would pull other tricks that, if spread, would damage the Li family’s century-old reputation. However, this time the Third Miss could be considered fortunate. With the Old Madam’s person watching there, the First Madam would definitely have to be cautious and wouldn’t dare truly do anything to her.

Meng Shi thought for a moment and said, “Since you’ve already brought it back, remove the fine needles and send it back unchanged. Don’t say much to the Third Miss.”

“Yes, this servant understands.” Nanny Luo responded.

At this moment, Li Weiyang had already reached the garden. Although a little maid was leading the way in front, she was obviously absent-minded, wondering how much effect those few fine needles would have. Those fine needles naturally weren’t placed by the First Madam. She wouldn’t make a move without first feeling out her true nature. The fine needles were placed by Li Weiyang herself when no one was paying attention, borrowing the opportunity to tell Meng Shi that the First Madam was two-faced, tearing off her hypocritical mask. Just then, clear reading voices came from the study across the way. The voice was extremely pleasant, making Li Weiyang suddenly startled.

“Third Miss, that’s the Eldest Miss leading the other young misses in reading!” Huamei said with a smile.

Li Weiyang glanced at her without speaking. Huamei, thinking she still wanted to listen, continued, “The Eldest Miss in our residence is like a fairy—kind-hearted, talented in learning, outstanding in every way. Originally, the young misses in the residence didn’t study, but the Eldest Miss personally went to the Master and said that women should also have learning and understand principles. So the Master personally went to Yuanshan County to invite the most famous female teacher. This kind of generous treatment is a first in our Great Li Dynasty!”

Li Weiyang’s fingers rested on the railing, secretly clenching tightly, her face showing a faint smile: “Is that so? Elder Sister is truly impressive.”

Just then, a young girl’s laughter suddenly came from the distance: “Who is that person? I’ve never seen her before?”

Li Weiyang looked over from afar and saw two beautifully dressed young ladies walking out from the study across the way. One of them pointed at her from a distance. She hadn’t planned to meet these people immediately, but the other party still came looking for her—she smiled slightly. It seemed history was about to repeat itself.

“Third Miss, the one speaking is the Fifth Miss, and the one beside her is the Fourth Miss.” Huamei reminded in a low voice. In the blink of an eye, Fifth Miss Li Changxi had already arrived. She wore a pink-blue embroidered jacket and gauze skirt, with a pair of delicate small gold hairpins in her hair coil, and a red gold necklace longevity lock around her neck. With an oval face, phoenix eyes, a red mole at the center of her brows, slightly flushed cheeks, she smiled showing small white teeth, looking very endearing. Beside Fifth Miss stood another girl, equally tender and fair, wearing a pink gauze skirt. Her features somewhat resembled Li Changxi but were gentler—this was Fourth Miss Li Changxiao.

“So it’s Fourth Sister and Fifth Sister.” Li Weiyang showed an innocent yet slightly shy smile. Sunlight shone on her face, radiant and brilliant.

Hearing Li Weiyang speak, Fourth Miss Li Changxiao smiled amiably and nodded at her. But beside her, Li Changxi showed a spoiled, mocking laugh: “Calling us sisters right away—who gave you permission to call us that?!”

Li Weiyang blinked and said, “I can’t call you sisters? Should I call you elder sisters then?”

Li Changxi was stunned, then her willow-leaf eyebrows stood on end. She looked Li Weiyang up and down and discovered her appearance was also extremely striking—fair and tender skin, black hair like ink and eyebrows like dark mountains. She was completely different from the country bumpkin she had imagined, worlds apart. Her heart immediately filled with dissatisfaction: “What do you mean by that? Are you deliberately picking a fight?”

The one deliberately picking a fight is clearly you! A cold flash passed through Li Weiyang’s dark eyes, too fast for anyone to see through. However, she only smiled and said, “Fourth Sister, I still need to go pay my respects to Father. Don’t block my way.”

Li Changxi had originally thought Li Weiyang was a soft persimmon. Upon hearing this, she became even more furious: “You, a disaster star born in the second month, dare speak to me this way?!”

The Fourth Miss, Fifth Miss, and Li Weiyang were all concubine-born daughters. In her previous life, Li Weiyang never understood why Li Changxi always spoke sarcastically to her when she had never provoked her. Now she understood—some people just liked to stir up trouble. Even when there was nothing, they still had to meddle. Moreover, as a newcomer, if the other party didn’t suppress her to the ground, how could she act tyrannically in the future? Li Weiyang’s face showed not a trace of anger. She only smiled lightly: “Yes, I was born in the second month. Does Fifth Sister have an objection to my birth date?”

Li Changxi saw that her expression didn’t move and she clearly didn’t take her seriously. She became even more furious. Just as she was about to say something, she heard a gentle voice say, “Changxi, Third Sister just returned. How can you be so rude!”

Hearing this voice, Li Weiyang felt as if a cold current swept across her spine. This voice—even after a hundred years, she would never forget it. Li Changle! She slowly turned her head, her gaze falling on the peerless beauty walking gracefully over from the railing—