Li Changle lay listlessly on the beauty couch with a handkerchief covering her face.

The First Madam strode over and said sternly: “Get up!”

Li Changle was startled and instinctively sat up. The First Madam raised her hand and slapped her across the face.

Clear fingerprints immediately appeared on Li Changle’s face. She stared wide-eyed, looking at the First Madam in disbelief.

“If you lose, you must be able to accept defeat! Don’t put on this kind of display!” The First Madam’s voice was as cold as ice.

Li Changle only felt a burning pain on her face as tears immediately welled up: “Mother! That wretched girl framed me! She framed me! Not only do you refuse to stand up for me, you even hit me!”

“You still don’t understand!” the First Madam shouted. “Kneel down!”

Li Changle was shocked and instinctively knelt down.

“Since you were small, I’ve held you in the palm of my hand, wishing I could pluck the moon from the sky for you. I only hoped you could become a dragon or phoenix, and my expectations for you were even higher than for your brother!” The First Madam grew angrier as she spoke. “Who would have thought you’d be so foolish, seeing a trap others dug and jumping straight into it. Even so I wouldn’t blame you—if you fall, just get back up. But instead you lie in the pit and give up on yourself, not knowing how to strive for improvement at all… All my painstaking efforts have been completely wasted on you!”

Hearing this, Li Changle wanted to cry but dared not, staring blankly at the First Madam with tears in her eyes.

The First Madam was furious: “Changle, what did Mother tell you at the beginning? I had already arranged a way for you to shine, but you refused to listen and fell for that wretch’s trick!”

Li Changle was nearly speechless: “This was Elder Brother—” At first, it was indeed Elder Brother who said the idea was hers. Of course, later she had gone along with it.

“Your elder brother is also lacking in sense. Sending him out to study—who knows what he actually learned! Always meddling with the women of the inner quarters! This time you two have foolishly made wedding clothes for someone else!”

When her fame had spread throughout the realm back then, Mother had never mentioned these things—she had been quite pleased at the time… Li Changle only dared to argue in her heart.

“Do you know that little wretch is now County Princess Anping, with a status far more noble than yours? Just now the Old Madam specially selected ten maids and matrons to send to her.”

Li Changle immediately lost her composure and said harshly: “That wretch!”

“Since one step has already been taken wrong, we cannot make another mistake. Tonight’s banquet will have many high-ranking officials and nobles attending—all coming to celebrate Li Weiyang becoming a County Princess. If you don’t go, won’t you let her alone be triumphant from now on?” The First Madam’s voice carried some coldness.

“Mother!” She immediately crawled on her knees to the First Madam’s side. “Mother, your daughter was wrong!”

The First Madam looked at Li Changle with tears brimming in her eyes and sighed. She personally bent down to wipe the tears from her face: “I know you feel humiliated, but whether in the inner quarters or outside, you must remain steady and swallow your grievances! I believe that no matter how clever Li Weiyang is, as long as you stand there, absolutely no one will see her!”

Though Li Changle’s tear stains had not yet dried, her expression had gradually calmed down.

She suddenly understood the First Madam’s meaning.

What did it matter if those commoners outside cursed and reviled her? As long as she had beauty that could topple kingdoms and her father’s support, one day she would obtain everything she wanted! Li Weiyang was destined to be nothing more than a stepping stone! Today, she would use Li Weiyang’s banquet to steal away all her glory!

When entering the main hall, it was already filled with guests who had come to offer congratulations—on one side were female guests with close ties to the Prime Minister’s household, on the other side were Prime Minister Li’s colleagues and students.

Li Changle walked softly into the great hall like a brilliant colored cloud drifting in, instantly attracting everyone’s gaze.

People raised their heads one after another to look at Li Changle before them. Her forehead was full and smooth, her chin delicately rounded and slightly prominent. Her cherry-red lips were slightly pursed, her phoenix eyes clear as autumn water and brilliant as bright stars, yet faintly containing a trace of melancholy that evoked infinite charm.

Among the crowd, the Fifth Prince Tuoba Rui sat in the most honored position. With his handsome features and splendid robes, he was particularly conspicuous among the crowd. As Li Changle walked past, she met his gaze directly. His eyes brightened as he looked at her. Li Changle’s face grew warm under that gaze, and she smiled faintly.

In the past, Li Changle never attended such occasions. The First Madam’s thinking was easy to understand—the more mysterious, the more precious. Outsiders only knew that Prime Minister Li’s eldest daughter possessed beauty that could topple kingdoms, but did not know exactly how beautiful she was. Seeing her now, the Fifth Prince’s gaze remained fixed upon her without blinking, actually becoming entranced.

Li Changru had long since dressed in her finest and sat at the female guests’ seats. Originally her striking appearance had drawn considerable praise, but now who still remembered her? Her beautiful face slowly contorted as she silently cursed Li Changle through gritted teeth.

In the entire great hall, the only person sitting calmly was the First Madam. Looking at her beautiful daughter, she showed a faint smile. This was right—without relying on intelligence, this incomparable beauty alone could completely overshadow Li Weiyang.

Li Changle gracefully accepted everyone’s gazes that bloomed brilliantly like fireworks in an instant, calmly bearing the amazement, jealousy, covetousness and all kinds of other looks, charmingly reaching up to brush back the stray hair by her ear.

Someone exclaimed in amazement: “The Li family’s eldest daughter is truly so beautiful.”

“Indeed, truly like a person from a painting—it’s hard to believe!”

“The Li family kept her so well hidden. This beautiful—she’s no different from a celestial maiden!”

At this time, everyone had forgotten that this was a banquet held to celebrate Prime Minister’s third daughter Li Weiyang being granted the title of County Princess Anping. No one remembered that this disaster had been resolved through the Third Young Miss’s schemes. No one even thought to ask where the Third Young Miss was now.

Li Weiyang had not appeared. The banquet was about to begin, yet she remained nowhere to be seen.

The Third Madam, seeing this scene, deeply furrowed her brow.

Li Minde quietly came before her: “Mother, I’ll go look for Third Sister.”

The Third Madam nodded, wanting to instruct something but still held back from speaking. Whether Li Weiyang came or not, it no longer mattered now. With such a beautiful elder sister, no one would think of her.

Everything had been ruined by Li Changle. And clearly, she had done it deliberately.

Li Minde nodded and quickly left.

The Garden

The Third Prince Tuoba Zhen, arriving fashionably late, passed through the corridor and happened to see Bai Zhi hurrying past. Following that line of sight, he actually saw Li Weiyang in an inconspicuous corner of the garden.

Under the plum blossom tree, a woman reclined on her side on a large swing, her skirt gracefully spread out, her jet-black hair hanging down. She gazed at the moon in the sky, eyes half-closed, not knowing what she was thinking.

Tuoba Zhen suddenly broke into a smile and was about to walk over when a serving maid from the Prime Minister’s household who was guiding guests quickly stopped him: “Third Highness, the banquet is about to begin.”

“I know!” Tuoba Zhen smiled. “This isn’t my first time here. I’ll go by myself in a moment!”

The maid was stunned, somewhat at a loss. Tuoba Zhen waved his hand at her: “You may go first.”

The maid dared not disobey. Hearing this, she curtsied to him and quietly withdrew.

Li Weiyang had originally been staring at the moon in the sky. Seemingly hearing the commotion from this direction, she turned her head to look over.

Tuoba Zhen stopped in his tracks. He clearly saw that the moment Li Weiyang’s eyes saw him, they mixed mockery with amusement and cold, well-like rippling water light, making one feel as if suddenly plunged into icy water.