Bai Zhi turned her head and looked at Li Weiyang: “Miss, what is this about?”

Li Weiyang’s answer was extremely brief and concise: “Someone wants to ruin my reputation.”

At this moment, the rain had stopped. Li Weiyang gazed at the rainbow on the horizon, her pupils contracting as she lowered her voice: “If I had just beaten him to death, that would have been satisfying. Unfortunately, keeping him alive still has its uses. Otherwise, such a villain who ruins people’s reputations should be cut into a thousand pieces and it still wouldn’t relieve my hatred.”

Bai Zhi was stunned.

Li Weiyang glanced at her, then smiled again and continued: “Let’s go—”

Having just rained, the wet ground reflected streams of light. When their feet touched the ground, the hem of their skirts inevitably got wet. Bai Zhi hurriedly held up Li Weiyang’s skirt hem, but she showed no reaction, only staring at the gatekeeper nanny and emphasizing her words as she repeated them: “The First Madam said she sealed off the garden?”

The gatekeeper, Nanny Zhang, smiled, her words still icy cold: “Yes, the First Madam just sent someone to give instructions. The young master from the maternal side was injured by villains, so not a single person in this garden is permitted to leave.”

Li Weiyang narrowed her eyes. “I was in the garden for so long just now, but I didn’t see any villains.”

The wrinkles on Nanny Zhang’s face were very deep, and her smile carried a trace of meanness. “I’m sorry, Third Miss, who the villain is will have to wait until the First Madam arrives to say.”

Li Weiyang sneered coldly. She had anticipated that the other party might pull this move—sealing everyone in the garden, then coming to deal with them one by one. She pressed her lips together and said in a deep voice: “Right now I need to go to the Lotus Fragrance Courtyard. Are you trying to prevent me from seeing the Old Madam?”

Nanny Zhang smiled: “Third Miss, the Old Madam is currently… I’m afraid it’s not convenient for her to see you.”

Li Weiyang smiled slightly, concealing a trace of cold gleam in her eyes. Just because they wouldn’t let her see the Old Madam, did that mean she couldn’t? She had already left Ziyan and Mozhu behind—one to go to the study to invite Chancellor Li, and one to go to the Lotus Fragrance Courtyard to see the Old Madam. Did the First Madam think she was a fool, sitting here waiting to be dealt with?

“Third Miss, forgive the offense!” Nanny Zhang waved her hand, and several burly nannies came forward to seize Li Weiyang.

Li Weiyang’s face darkened as she shouted sternly: “Stop! I am the dignified Third Miss of the Chancellor’s residence—how can you lowly servants dare to touch me? Setting aside the fact that the truth of the matter is still unknown, even if I had committed some error, it wouldn’t be your place to interrogate me privately! Go quickly and tell Mother to come and question me herself!”

Bai Zhi was very clever and immediately shouted coldly at the maids and nannies behind her: “If Third Miss suffers any injury, when the Old Madam investigates, you’d better watch your own skin!”

Everyone froze, then couldn’t help but protectively surround Li Weiyang.

Nanny Zhang’s heart sank. Originally, the First Madam had ordered her to bind up Third Miss first, but now it seemed—Third Miss was after all the mistress, and she was just a servant. Overstepping one’s position was very improper. She frowned and thought for a long time before smiling apologetically: “This servant is just following Madam’s instructions—”

Li Weiyang said coolly: “How could Mother be such an unreasonable person who doesn’t distinguish between ranks! It’s clearly you cunning slaves who abuse your power! Now step back!” Her words were harshly worded, causing cold sweat to break out on Nanny Zhang’s forehead: “Third Miss, this servant truly has no choice. Please have mercy on this servant…”

Seeing her like this, Li Weiyang said coldly: “Very well, I’ll wait in the pavilion. Go prepare hot tea, a cloak, and soft cushions. When Mother arrives, I will naturally explain everything clearly to her!”

Third Miss’s expression showed not the slightest panic, not a trace of the fear one would expect from someone about to be accused. Nanny Zhang clicked her tongue for a long time and ultimately felt somewhat uneasy, ordering people to prepare everything. Soon, everything was brought over. Bai Zhi spread the cloak on the cool bench, and Li Weiyang sat down comfortably, cradling hot tea and staring thoughtfully at Nanny Zhang.

Those eyes were eerily cold, as if from an ancient well in the dead of winter, carrying an indescribable bone-chilling aura. Nanny Zhang had originally come to catch a thief, but was unexpectedly intimidated by the presence of a thirteen-year-old girl. Standing there, her complexion shifted between pale and flushed, her mood uncertain.

Half an hour later, there came the tinkling of jewelry and ornaments, and a delicate fragrance. The First Madam entered the back garden together with a magnificently adorned woman. Along the way, because of the water, someone had specially laid out sandalwood carpets. That person walked all the way over, and Li Weiyang watched from afar, only to see the other had a broad forehead and a pair of phoenix eyes that slightly flew upward, expressing an indescribable charm and sharpness. Her body was furthermore adorned with pearls and jade, her clothing and accessories extremely luxurious. Beside her stood a young maiden in her prime whose features were extremely similar to hers—broad forehead and high nose bridge. Li Changle walked at the rear, the corners of her mouth smiling.

The First Madam walked up close and suddenly discovered Li Weiyang sitting calmly. Her face immediately darkened: “Weiyang, why haven’t you paid respects to the Duchess of Weiguo!”

The Duchess of Weiguo’s noble status was correct, but as family relatives, this protocol could be dispensed with. However, everyone stood there coldly watching Li Weiyang, as if forgetting she was also a member of the Li family.

Li Weiyang smiled slightly, stood up, and gracefully curtsied, saying softly: “I pay my respects to Aunt.”

The Duchess of Weiguo said “Mm” but did not say “you may rise,” nor did she speak. She only sat down coolly, lifted her eyelids to look at Li Weiyang for a while, then smiled and said to the First Madam: “This girl’s face is not ordinarily thick-skinned.”

The First Madam smiled faintly and only said: “Raised in the countryside since childhood, lacking in discipline. I’ve made younger sister laugh.”

Only then did the Duchess of Weiguo say: “Rise.”

Li Weiyang sneered inwardly: What imposing authority. It seems the First Madam intends to use this matter to destroy me completely.

She heard a richly dressed young maiden speak with provocation in her voice: “Was it you who had someone beat my second brother?”

This young maiden was Gao Min, the youngest daughter of the Duchess of Weiguo, and the most arrogant and domineering. Li Weiyang said coolly: “Weiyang only beat a petty thief who sneaked into the garden today. I never saw Cousin Min’s second brother. You’ve misunderstood!”

“What petty thief! You dare insult my second brother!” Gao Min’s willow-leaf eyebrows stood on end, pressing aggressively.

“Weiyang is dull-witted and doesn’t understand what Cousin Min means. Could it be that the villain who intruded into the garden today was Cousin Gao Jin?” Li Weiyang remained neither angry nor annoyed, still maintaining a proper smile, speaking neither humbly nor arrogantly.

She had clearly said Li Weiyang beat her own second brother—when did she say her second brother was the petty thief! Gao Min hadn’t expected Li Weiyang to have such a sharp tongue. Immediately unable to back down gracefully, she stood there awkwardly, her face flushed red with anger.

The Duchess of Weiguo had wanted to let Gao Min show her might, but hadn’t expected her to be defeated upon opening her mouth. Just as she was about to become angry, Li Changle suddenly spoke: “What exactly happened today!” Her gaze swept toward the nearby maids and nannies.

Bai Zhi said softly: “Reporting to all the madams and misses, today Third Miss brought us all to the back garden because Miss said this afternoon she saw a famous breed of cuckoo bird perched in the back garden. She intended to catch it and send it to the Old Madam for her enjoyment. Who knew a person would suddenly appear, not only startling that cuckoo bird but also acting sneakily—”

Gao Min sternly interrupted: “What do you mean sneaky! That was my second brother!”

Bai Zhi’s heart was anxious, but seeing Li Weiyang’s expression unchanged nearby, she forced herself to calm down: “Young mistress from the maternal side, all the servants saw this with their own eyes. It’s not just this servant lying.”

Gao Min immediately showed great anger and extended her palm to slap Bai Zhi’s face. Li Weiyang’s eyes were sharp and her hands quick. She stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. Gao Min had originally wanted to show her authority, but hadn’t expected her hand to be firmly grabbed by Li Weiyang in midair, unable to move further. She couldn’t help but become furiously enraged: “Li Weiyang, what is my status! How dare a mere concubine-born daughter like you be so rude!”

Though Li Weiyang was young, her strength was surprisingly great. She smiled warmly: “What words are Cousin Min saying? Weiyang is precisely worried that you would quarrel with a maid and lose your dignity!”

The Duchess of Weiguo could no longer restrain herself. She heavily struck the stone table: “Full of nonsense and wild talk, truly audacious! Still not kneeling down!”