The First Madam suddenly stood up. “Changle, how can you speak so carelessly!” As she spoke, she quickly shot Li Changle a meaningful glance. Li Changle trembled. A pearl from a golden hairpin on her head pressed cool and icy against her cheek. She almost forgot to breathe. After a moment, she suddenly reacted. “Third Sister, Elder Sister saw incorrectly and wronged you!”

Watching them perform, Li Weiyang couldn’t help but shake her head. This kind of fickleness and duplicity—why had she been so foolish in her previous life? It wasn’t that their acting was too good, but rather that she had been too desperate for familial affection, which allowed them to completely deceive her.

Watching this scene, Tuoba Zhen couldn’t help but frown. What was going on here?

Li Minfeng had always prided himself on his cleverness and had never suffered such a setback. His face immediately flushed red. “The search party hasn’t returned yet—”

At this moment, he clearly still held hope that Ziyan had merely fumbled momentarily, and that the items planted in Li Weiyang’s quarters would soon be discovered!

Just then, Nanny Luo entered with attendants and kowtowed to the Old Madam. “Old Madam, Master, Third Miss’s quarters are completely clean. There’s nothing there.”

Li Minfeng’s complexion became extremely unpleasant. Beside him, the First Madam abruptly stood up, then slowly sat back down. She suddenly realized that her son and daughter had fallen into someone else’s trap!

Li Weiyang smiled. Her smile bloomed brilliantly in that instant like flowers just opening in spring, the radiance emanating from her so dazzling that people couldn’t look directly at her. “Elder Brother, are you wondering why, when you instructed Ziyan to secretly switch the tea I prepared for the Old Madam, the final examination revealed it wasn’t perilla seed? Why, when Ziyan clearly planted red ginseng and gold and silver in my quarters, they’ve disappeared?”

“Li Weiyang, don’t make such slanderous accusations!” Li Minfeng flew into a rage and shouted angrily.

“Elder Brother, you think you’ve done everything flawlessly, but you must know—there are no walls in this world that don’t let wind through,” Li Weiyang said coolly. “It only depends on whether the Old Madam and Father are willing to give Weiyang justice. If Father favors Elder Brother, then Weiyang will pretend nothing happened.”

Pretend nothing happened? Now that the Third Prince and the Imperial Physician were both here, how could they pretend nothing had occurred?! Li Xiaoran’s brows were practically tied in knots.

However, Li Minfeng regretted everything to the extreme. He suddenly realized that this sister before him wasn’t as foolish as he’d thought—that minor tricks would be enough to leave her with no burial place. The people he had specifically invited had now become the greatest obstacle. Precisely because outsiders were present, Father had no choice but to handle things impartially! Originally he had feared the Old Madam would obstruct his punishment of Li Weiyang, but now he had lifted a rock only to drop it on his own foot! Li Minfeng ground his teeth in hatred. “Weiyang, what do you mean by that? When did I wrong you? It’s merely that Changle saw incorrectly for a moment, mistaking red ginseng for perilla seed. I was concerned about the Old Madam’s health, which is why I momentarily misunderstood you. If you’re dissatisfied, I’ll pour tea and apologize—that should suffice. Why must you pressure Father?”

Li Weiyang laughed aloud. “Pour tea and apologize? Just now, Elder Brother repeatedly stated that if Weiyang was proven to have wronged anyone, she should be expelled from the Li Family. Now that it’s proven Elder Brother was wrong, shouldn’t the person expelled from the Li Family be Elder Brother instead?”

Li Xiaoran coughed. “Weiyang, your elder brother and elder sister were also concerned about the Old Madam—”

Li Weiyang looked at Li Xiaoran, her face gradually revealing a trace of coldness. “Father, Weiyang doesn’t wish to threaten anyone. Your daughter simply feels wronged. Why, when I diligently serve the Old Madam, must I still be falsely accused like this? Yes, Weiyang’s status indeed cannot compare to Elder Sister’s and Elder Brother’s distinguished positions, but Weiyang is also filial toward the Old Madam, toward Father and Mother. How can Father, without asking the facts, say he would expel Weiyang from the manor?”

For a moment, Li Xiaoran was rendered speechless by Li Weiyang’s questions.

She continued, “Father, Weiyang didn’t grow up by your side since childhood, but I have longed to see you for many years, because Weiyang believed that no matter what happened, we are father and daughter. You would surely protect Weiyang, stand up for me, and never again allow others to bully me—”

Li Xiaoran’s heart received a tremendous shock. Looking at his daughter with her delicate features yet utterly desolate expression, he suddenly realized his favoritism had gone too far.

The Old Madam had actually already understood everything. She now spoke seriously. “Weiyang, if you have any grievances, tell your grandmother. If what you say is reasonable, I will certainly stand up for you.”

Li Weiyang kowtowed deeply in thanks to the Old Madam, then said, “Elder Brother has witnesses, and Weiyang also has them. Please allow the Old Madam to permit Weiyang’s witness to enter.”

The Old Madam nodded. Li Weiyang instructed Luxin to invite the person waiting outside to come in.

Sure enough, after a short while, Luxin brought in a tall, thin middle-aged man from outside. Upon entering, he bowed to everyone present, his face displaying an ingratiating, flattering expression.

Li Weiyang merely glanced at him and said coolly, “Elder Brother, do you recognize him?”

Li Minfeng sneered coldly. “What sort of thing is he? Why should I recognize him!”

Li Weiyang glanced at Tuoba Zhen, her expression carrying a trace of iciness. “Naturally, Elder Brother only associates with princes and nobles, celestial lords and distinguished aristocrats. He certainly wouldn’t have any impression of a small shopkeeper from Zhang’s Medicine Shop. But while you don’t remember him, he remembers you. Shopkeeper Gao, speak truthfully.”

Though Shopkeeper Gao’s face showed subtle confusion, he spoke. “Two days ago, a person who appeared to be a servant came to our medicine shop, specifically requesting to buy perilla seed. Because this item isn’t commonly used, I found it strange and asked a few more questions, only to be cursed out thoroughly. That person also gave me an ingot of gold and instructed me that if anyone asked, I should say the item was for Third Miss of the Prime Minister’s Manor, and also tell others that Third Miss comes here monthly to regularly sell red ginseng slices.”

Li Minfeng’s heart turned cold in an instant. He had originally thought Li Weiyang was merely a young girl, nothing difficult to deal with, so he had simply instructed a servant to handle matters. He had only kept one extra precaution—to prevent the Second and Third Branches from discovering anything and seizing upon some vulnerability, he had specifically avoided using a medicine shop under his own family’s name, choosing an inconspicuous shop instead. Who knew there would still be a leak? He looked coldly at Shopkeeper Gao. “Spouting complete nonsense! Do you no longer want your tongue?!”

Shopkeeper Gao hadn’t figured out the power struggles within this noble family. He simply stood there stunned, appearing quite at a loss.

Li Xiaoran frowned. “Since you accepted someone’s gold to falsely accuse Third Miss, why are you now testifying for Third Miss?”

Shopkeeper Gao’s face was full of smiles, but he said nothing more.

Li Weiyang smiled slightly. “He runs a business, so naturally money is paramount. Because I gave him two ingots of gold, naturally he spoke truthfully. Elder Brother, what more do you have to say?”