As she spoke, a beauty with sloping shoulders, a slender waist, and a tall, graceful figure emerged. She had handsome eyes and elegant eyebrows, her glances full of spirit. She wore a plain gauze dress revealing a pale green hue, embroidered with crabapple flowers brilliant as sunset clouds. Her waist was bound in a single sash, further accentuating her figure as slender as a willow, greatly resembling a swallow in the wind with a delicate and timid bearing. Her hairstyle was also simple, merely held with a gold-adorned pearl peach blossom hairpin. Long pearl and jade necklaces added to her delicate and lovely beauty, giving her a fresh and elegant natural charm.

Under the azure sky, she slowly walked over with a slight smile. Everyone felt as if spring dawn flowers were blooming, as if the mid-autumn moon was revealing its face. All around, it seemed elegant music played softly and celestial birds flew in circles. In a daze, their souls seemed half-captured.

This was the charm of the Li family’s Eldest Miss Li Changle—no one could escape it.

Li Weiyang looked at her, a trace of sorrow flowing hidden in her eyes. No wonder she had lost to her. With such beauty, such a captivating voice, any man who saw her would feel weak in the knees.

Li Weiyang was a traditional woman. Once she loved someone, she loved him very, very much. During eight years of marriage to Tuoba Zhen, she considered herself wholehearted toward him. Even if everyone under heaven stood in opposition to him, she single-mindedly protected and loved him, willing to give her life. They were together for eight years—a full eight years. Facing someone one didn’t like, even eight days would feel arduous, let alone eight full years. So she had to admire Tuoba Zhen for actually performing for so long, for not revealing until his ascension to the throne that the one he had truly set his sights on from the beginning was Li Changle!

Come to think of it, compared to this Eldest Miss of the Li residence, she herself was truly worlds apart! Li Weiyang had to lament that after living half a lifetime, she was merely a supporting character in this story—truly pitiful and laughable.

“Changxi, how can you speak to Third Sister this way!” Li Changle lightly frowned as she looked at Li Changxi, her expression full of disapproval.

Li Changxi, who had been acting so aggressive, immediately changed her expression. She went over to grasp Li Changle’s arm, shaking it coquettishly, “Elder Sister, I was just joking with Third Sister. Please don’t tell Mother, or I’ll definitely be punished!”

Li Changle’s beautiful eyes rested on Li Weiyang’s face as she smiled and said, “That depends on whether your Third Sister is willing to forgive you! If she says to forget it, I’ll spare you. But if she’s unwilling, then I’ll never acknowledge you again either!”

Li Changxi glared angrily at Li Weiyang. Li Weiyang sneered coldly in her heart but smiled on her face: “Elder Sister needn’t worry. Fifth Sister truly was just joking with me.”

Li Changle nodded and smiled, “That’s good then. Changxi, why don’t you apologize to your Third Sister!”

Li Changle was always Li Changle, forever playing the role of the fair arbiter, appearing dignified, kind, and amiable. This made her previous-life self unconsciously develop favorable feelings toward her from the moment she entered the residence. In the end, the one who stabbed her in the back was precisely this amiable elder sister. She was a thousand times, ten thousand times more hateful than the spoiled, tyrannical, and bullying Li Changxi! A trace of coldness flashed through Li Weiyang’s eyes, but that coldness appeared only for an instant—not a single person present could detect it.

Li Changxi coldly and stiffly said from the side, “I’m sorry, Third Sister!” On the two words “Third Sister,” she vaguely emphasized them, sounding rather like she was speaking through gritted teeth.

Li Weiyang smiled, her face all gentleness: “It’s alright, Fifth Sister.”

Li Changxi said nothing more, glaring viciously at Li Weiyang. Li Changle walked over with a smile, patted Li Weiyang’s hand, and said, “Good, from now on we’re all good sisters. No need to be so formal—be more magnanimous. Fifth Sister, let’s go. The teacher is still waiting for us. Third Sister, you should hurry to see Father too. Don’t delay.” The words she spoke subtly defended Li Changxi. Li Weiyang understood very clearly but pretended not to.

Li Changxi became even more hateful. As she walked past Li Weiyang, she deliberately stuck out her foot to trip her. Li Weiyang clearly saw it but pretended not to notice, walking straight past them. Li Changxi smugly curled the corners of her mouth, waiting for Li Weiyang to make a fool of herself in public. But somehow, they only heard Li Weiyang cry out in alarm, and then Li Changle beside her also tumbled down together with Li Weiyang. The two fell into the pond beside them together. Li Changxi was scared silly!

“Elder Sister! Elder Sister!” Li Changxiao, who had been lagging behind, quickly ran over.

Li Weiyang was covered head and face with muddy water, looking just like a wild duck crawling out of a pond. As soon as she emerged from the water, she immediately reached out to pull Li Changle up as well. The pond water only reached their waists—standing up would be fine. However, Li Changle’s beautiful dress was covered entirely with mud, her hair coil had come loose, and she looked completely stunned, not knowing what had happened.

Li Changxi hadn’t expected that her attempt to embarrass Li Weiyang would inexplicably bring Li Changle down with her. She was so scared on the spot she couldn’t speak. Li Changxiao quickly ordered the completely frozen maids beside them, “What are you looking at! Quickly help the Eldest Miss and Third Miss out!”

Li Changle and Li Weiyang successively climbed out of the pond, still covered head and face with muddy water.

As soon as Li Weiyang emerged, she said full of grievance, “Fifth Sister, I know you don’t like me, but how could you push Elder Sister down as well! You’ve gone too far!”

Everyone’s gaze immediately fell on Li Changxi. Although she usually relied on being raised at the First Madam’s knee and being very close to Li Changle, never taking others seriously, she had never anticipated this kind of situation. She murmured, “No… Elder Sister, I didn’t… I just wanted to push her… I didn’t know it would turn out this way!” She looked toward her own sister Li Changxiao. “Fourth Sister, you saw it, didn’t you? Help me explain. I didn’t mean to push Elder Sister down! It was Li Weiyang! It must be her! She pulled Elder Sister down!”

Li Changxiao had indeed seen Li Changxi stick out her foot to trip Li Weiyang, but hadn’t seen clearly how Weiyang moved or why Elder Sister fell in together. Elder Sister was the First Madam’s precious darling—if anything happened to her, she and her sister would both be severely punished! She realized things had gone badly wrong and her face turned deathly pale, but she still quickly said, “Elder Sister, Changxi definitely didn’t mean to—”

Li Weiyang lowered her head, looking very aggrieved: “Elder Sister, it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t angered Fifth Sister, I wouldn’t have implicated you.” Saying this, she lowered her head and proactively used her own clothes to wipe Li Changle clean, imperceptibly covering over a footprint on Li Changle’s dress hem. Just now when Li Changxi tripped her, she went with the flow, deliberately stepping on Li Changle’s dress and pulling her, making her fall into the pond together.

Li Changle’s gaze hesitated between Li Changxi and Weiyang for a moment. In the chaos, she had only vaguely felt someone pull her, but hadn’t seen clearly who had done it.

Li Changxi flew into a rage from embarrassment, pointing at Li Weiyang and shouting, “You’re still pretending to be pitiful! This is all your fault!” Saying this, she lunged forward to grab Li Weiyang’s arm. The many maids had never seen the young misses lose composure like this and were all scared silly for a moment.

At this moment, everyone heard an authoritative voice: “What are you all making a fuss about!”

Everyone turned to look and discovered it was actually Prime Minister Li standing not far away. They were all instantly stunned…