Li Weiyang’s eyes emitted a faint cold gleam: “Uncle, how will you explain this now?”

Jiang Xu’s face showed immense fury: “Li Weiyang, the old lady was my biological mother. Would I kill her to frame you? Am I insane?!”

Li Weiyang said coolly, “Uncle naturally wouldn’t, but others in the Jiang family might not be so principled.”

The First Madam Jiang had originally followed the principle of not speaking or getting involved, but now her expression also changed: “What do you mean?! What do you mean by ‘others in the Jiang family’?!”

Li Weiyang sighed and said, “Because of my Fifth Sister’s matter, our two families inevitably became enemies. Though Uncle wouldn’t murder his biological mother, Aunt might very well resent me over Fourth Young Master’s affair. Human hearts are always hard to predict—”

The First Madam Jiang had always been a forbearing person. Though in her heart she had imagined cutting Li Weiyang to pieces a thousand times, being called out so bluntly made her entire face flush red: “I would never do such a thing! Don’t make baseless accusations!”

Li Weiyang looked at Lady Li and said, “Grandmother, first Elder Sister was switched with some demon from who knows where, then Grandmother suddenly died from poison, I was falsely accused of being the murderer, and now it’s proven that Grandmother already had a serious illness—yet Uncle and Aunt still adamantly deny everything. Just think, who knows how many more schemes are hidden here. We should hurry back. I truly don’t dare stay here any longer.” With that, she went up to support Lady Li.

Lady Li nearly laughed out loud but maintained a stern expression on her face: “Let’s go, let’s go. Since we’re not welcome here, we need not visit again!”

Jiang Hai impulsively rushed forward, unable to control himself, wanting to teach Li Weiyang a lesson, but was grabbed by his second brother Jiang Yang: “Elder Brother, calm down!”

Jiang Hai had always been the most composed among them, yet now he showed uncharacteristic impulsiveness. This Li Weiyang truly had the ability to drive others mad! Jiang Yang stared at Li Weiyang with a dark expression, his gaze like a venomous snake watching its prey. But faced with so many people, he couldn’t act and could only secretly harbor his venom.

Jiang Hua could be considered the calmest person in the room—if one ignored the bulging veins on his hands. This matter couldn’t possibly be concealed. The version of murdering the Duke’s wife that Li Weiyang had crafted for them was too spectacular—it would soon be known throughout the streets. People’s mouths couldn’t be controlled. They would only embellish the story further. Soon everyone would believe the Duke’s wife’s death was related to the Jiang family. Bearing the crime of murdering a relative, the Jiang family’s century-long reputation would be destroyed by Li Weiyang in one fell swoop! From now on, in the common people’s hearts, the Jiang family would no longer be the inviolable guardian deity of the battlefield but a tree with a noble exterior that had long rotted hollow inside—filthy and disgusting.

Li Weiyang was indeed ruthless. In this world, there existed something that even if you ignored it, would still wax and wane on its own. If you tried to fight it with individual strength, the effort was often futile or even counterproductive. Yet it was so powerful and enduring that it could almost determine an entire family’s social status and relationships—this was the so-called family honor. The Jiang family could turn a blind eye to gossip, but if all of the capital viewed the Jiang family this way, their centuries of effort would be completely ruined. Jiang Hua was the person in this hall who most clearly understood Li Weiyang’s purpose, so he desperately controlled his rage and walked forward with a smile: “Weiyang, we’re all family. Why let outsiders laugh at us?”

This was already a compromise. With Li Weiyang having pushed them to this point, he was begging her to show mercy.

Li Weiyang naturally heard this hint. If it were someone weak, they might accept this overture, but she wouldn’t. Because she understood too well the Jiang family’s bone-deep desire for mad revenge. Since reconciliation was impossible, better to break completely. Li Weiyang said coolly, “Family?” She turned to look at Li Xiaoran. “Father, do you think so too?”

Li Xiaoran’s expression was dark, but he said, “My Li family has no such shameless relatives! Magistrate Yao, please investigate thoroughly who besides that impostor murdered the Duke’s wife. And remember to help us find my daughter—we need to see her alive or see her corpse!”

Though Yao Changqing was straightforward, facing Prime Minister Li, who had far more seniority than himself and who was also his future father-in-law, he couldn’t help but bow his head: “Yes, this subordinate will thoroughly investigate this matter!”

Li Xiaoran snorted coldly and without even glancing at the grim-faced Jiang family members, said, “Crown Prince, allow this subject to take his leave!”

The Crown Prince glanced at the Jiang family and shook his head with a sigh. A great family’s century-long reputation had been completely destroyed in one fell swoop. He could already imagine what rumors would spread tomorrow. No matter how capable the Jiang family members were, their family honor had been ruined in this generation’s hands. What a pity, truly such a pity… Among the great families of Dali, the Jiang family was one of the most prestigious houses that valued their reputation. To fall to this state was truly most unfortunate.

Li Weiyang merely supported Lady Li and followed Li Xiaoran to leave. As she passed Jiang Hua, she heard him say through gritted teeth, “I’ve already made concessions. Please return Fifth Brother!”

Having Jiang Tian in her hands prevented them from using many tactics. Li Weiyang smiled slightly and said, “Check the back gate.” With that, she supported the bewildered old lady and departed.

Everyone watched this unexpected ending to the drama and couldn’t help but excitedly construct ever more spectacular plots in their minds, preparing to spread them far and wide. At this moment, Jiang Xu had no time to worry about these things, because Yao Changqing was still pursuing relentlessly: “I will report this matter to His Majesty and interrogate that demon to see if she’s connected to those assassins who infiltrated my room last night. If I find any connection to the Jiang family—” He didn’t finish, but Jiang Xu’s brow twitched. Li Weiyang had left, but brought the Jiang family countless troubles that absolutely couldn’t be resolved in a day or two.

He let out a long sigh, almost feeling that what his family had provoked wasn’t a young girl but a vengeful ghost biting them relentlessly.

After leaving the Jiang residence, Li Xiaoran helped Lady Li into the carriage first, then looked back at Li Weiyang with a gaze that held a strange kind of awe. Looking at this soft and weak young girl, she was actually a strategist who thought three steps ahead with each move. This maneuver not only destroyed Li Changle but also ruined the Jiang family’s centuries-old reputation. Reputation wasn’t something insignificant as ordinary people thought—it would bring many lasting consequences, such as the Jiang family’s influence, their prestige in the military, even their standing in His Majesty’s eyes. For Li Weiyang to lay such plans using only herself was truly terrifying in her intentions. Moreover, she was utterly fearless, completely unconcerned about her own life or the Li family’s interests.

“Weiyang, in the future when you act, Father only hopes you can consider your aunt and younger brother,” Li Xiaoran reminded her.

Li Weiyang smiled slightly and said, “Father is the current Prime Minister. That’s your concubine, that’s your son—yet you want me, a daughter, to consider them? Isn’t that excessive?”

Li Xiaoran was startled and couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Li Weiyang was clearly dumping the burden on him. By all rights and reason, Li Minzhi was currently his only son by his side. He would fight to the death to protect him. After the last poisoning incident, he had secretly tripled the people assigned to protect Seventh Concubine and even changed all the people in the courtyard, hiring an experienced old nanny at great expense. But to prevent Li Weiyang from acting more crazily, to give her more burdens, he had been concealing all this. Now it seemed she had seen everything all along. This daughter—he simply didn’t know what to do with her! He couldn’t kill her, couldn’t keep her. Forget it, he’d observe a while longer! Li Xiaoran glanced at the gloomy sky, couldn’t help but sigh softly, and said to the person waiting nearby, “Let’s go back.”

Li Weiyang watched Li Xiaoran also board the carriage, smiled, her expression carrying a trace of mockery: “Always looking ahead and behind. Clearly wants to use me as his vanguard, yet now puts on this act.”

Li Minde smiled silently and said, “He only values his own official position and power. Why should you care?”

Li Weiyang climbed into another carriage using the step stool while saying, “By the way, did you do as I said?”

Li Minde also got into the carriage: “Already dumped the person at the Jiang family’s back gate.”

Li Weiyang nodded. Baizhi on the side quietly said, “Miss, this servant still doesn’t understand—”

Li Weiyang glanced at her and raised an eyebrow: “Don’t understand what?”

Baizhi said in a small voice, “This servant still doesn’t understand who actually killed the Duke’s wife?”

Li Weiyang laughed and said, “Didn’t you see? It was Li Changle who schemed to poison the Duke’s wife to death.”

Baizhi shook her head: “But this servant feels the Duke’s wife clearly knew about this matter too. She seemed more like the person behind the scenes framing Miss.”

Li Weiyang’s eyes rarely showed a hint of praise as she looked at Baizhi and said, “Indeed so. She originally intended to frame me, but she didn’t expect her own granddaughter would have the same idea and act first.”

Baizhi became even more confused and couldn’t help glancing at Zhao Yue, seeing her face also showed bewilderment.

Li Weiyang was rarely in such a good mood and explained for her: “Look at this.” With that, she untied the sachet from her waist and handed it to Baizhi.

Baizhi took it and quickly poured out the contents—just a small box. She opened it and was immediately stunned. It was just ordinary fragrant herbs.

“When Jiang Tian was still at the Li residence, I often had nightmares and couldn’t sleep peacefully. Jiang Tian gave me this, saying it was medicine to calm the spirit, containing cinnabar. But after I began to suspect Jiang Tian, I immediately replaced the contents of the box. However, I kept the medicine box. Everyone would think I still carried spirit-calming medicine, but unfortunately when they searched later, they found nothing.”

Li Weiyang said slowly, “The Duke’s wife should have known about this item I carried and had designed a trap for me to fall into. Unfortunately, she didn’t expect her foolish granddaughter would act first, ordering Hanxiang to hide a poisoned needle containing arsenic in the dress she gave me to change into. But I made an excuse to change clothes and sent Hanxiang away, then carefully examined the dress, found that thing, and gave it to Zhao Yue. When Li Changle heard someone say there was poison in the candied dates and discovered nothing had been found on me during the search, she immediately changed tactics and accused me of poisoning the candied dates. She didn’t know the Duke’s wife’s plan, so naturally left evidence. If they examined the corpse, they would definitely discover the poison in the Duke’s wife’s body differed from the candied dates—so she would be extremely opposed!”

Baizhi nodded: “If the Duke’s wife had coordinated with her from the start—”

But Li Minde smiled faintly and said, “It seems we’re being somewhat presumptuous.” Then he pondered: “Just the cinnabar in the box and the cinnabar in the candied dates couldn’t prove Weiyang did it. To frame Weiyang, the Duke’s wife must have designed a series of follow-up moves, but unfortunately never got to use them. This kind of intricate plan combining truth and deception absolutely couldn’t have been conceived by Li Changle’s brain. Not telling her was originally the safest approach and would also show the most genuine reactions. Unfortunately, the Duke’s wife never imagined Li Changle would do something so stupid!”

“She’s always been that kind of person!” Zhao Yue said dismissively. “However, did First Miss have accomplices?”

“Of course she didn’t act alone.” Li Weiyang said, “There was also Jiang Yuelan, and perhaps the First Madam Jiang—both participated in this matter. Jiang Yuelan clearly participated in Li Changle’s plan. The First Madam Jiang should have known the old Duke’s wife’s plan and was her steadfast executor. Unfortunately, once Li Changle rushed out, the First Madam Jiang was in an awkward position. Now I really want to know what else the Duke’s wife arranged besides those poisoned candied dates. Unfortunately, with her death, the only one who knows is the First Madam Jiang, and she won’t tell me.” A trace of regret appeared on her face.

“But if she wasn’t the mastermind, can we still call this catching the real culprit?” Baizhi asked.

Li Weiyang smiled: “I never intended to catch the real culprit. I was just tired of looking at Li Changle. Since she sought her own death, naturally I had to pave for her the most brilliant, most unforgettable road to death.” Of course, her true purpose still lay with the Jiang family. The aftereffects of this matter would be immeasurable. Of course, the Jiang family hadn’t truly realized it yet.

As Li Weiyang spoke, she lifted the carriage curtain to look outside. Sunlight fell on her hand. Li Minde couldn’t help but notice her hand was very beautiful—skin so white it was translucent, her pinky finger slightly curled with an indescribable lazy quality.

“We could have killed Jiang Tian,” Li Minde suddenly said.

Li Weiyang smiled faintly: “Wasn’t he scared enough? Moreover, without him, we wouldn’t have found the tunnels.”

Li Minde just looked at his own hand, after a long while saying, “The way you spoke—you clearly intended to spare his life all along.”

Li Weiyang laughed: “Given that he’s not too bad.”

Li Minde said regretfully, “What about Jiang Xu? If our people entered the Jiang residence and took the opportunity to kill him—”

Li Weiyang shook her head: “It’s not that easy. We only caught them by surprise using the advantage of the tunnels. If it came to open combat, we’d be the ones at a disadvantage. Do you think the Jiang family’s military achievements on the battlefield are made of clay?”

“Then what will you do next—” Baizhi handed a cup of tea to Li Minde. Through the misty tea vapors, Li Minde asked softly.

Li Weiyang turned back to look at him, suddenly smiled, a hint of coldness in her eyes, with a touch of killing intent hidden in her charm: “Just wait and see.”

**Jiang Residence**

When Jiang Hua passed the study, he heard the normally most composed Jiang Hai sternly rebuking, “You败家 wastrel! How dare you still come back!” Though his voice was loud, it was deliberately spoken for those in the study to hear.

Jiang Hua looked at the person kneeling on the ground. A heavy rain had just fallen that evening. Jiang Tian wore thin summer robes, kneeling in the rain. He had clearly been kneeling for some time—the accumulated water had soaked into his knees. Jiang Hua couldn’t help but call out softly, “Elder Brother, this is…”

Jiang Hai didn’t respond. Instead, the Second Young Master Jiang Yang standing nearby said coldly, “Third Brother, Father ordered Fifth Brother to kneel here!”

Jiang Hua sighed. He knew well that Jiang Tian’s health was poor—a condition that had lingered since childhood. How could he endure kneeling in the rain like this? Just as he was sighing, he heard the Second Madam Jiang hurry over and stand at the end of the corridor, not daring to speak. In this household, the one in charge was Jiang Xu. Moreover, this time Jiang Tian had truly committed a grave offense. She didn’t dare plead for her beloved son and could only watch helplessly from here.

Jiang Yang clearly also felt it was unbearable and couldn’t help saying, “I’ll go plead with Father.”

Jiang Hua raised his head and gently shook his finger: “Absolutely cannot speak of it.”

Jiang Yang’s heart sank: “But we can’t let him kneel until dawn.”

Jiang Hua said, “Father’s fury this time is no small matter. The more you plead, the angrier he’ll become. Conversely, if you ignore it, he’ll let him up on his own.” Jiang Tian was Second Uncle’s only son. Jiang Xu naturally wouldn’t go too far. But pleading now would only add fuel to the fire. The few of them spoke outside while quietly waiting. Sure enough, half a shichen later, the study door opened and a voice came from inside: “Still not getting your ass in here!”

Jiang Hua immediately said, “Fifth Brother, quickly get up!”

Jiang Tian had been frail and sickly since childhood—this was also why he disliked weapons and preferred medicine. Moreover, he was naturally averse to cold and had to wear two layers of pants even in summer. Having knelt in the rain for so long, he could barely stand. Jiang Yang lent him a hand before he could get up. Trembling, he followed the three older brothers inside. The Second Madam Jiang watched from afar, extremely worried.

In the study, Jiang Xu’s face was dark as he said coldly, “Now explain clearly how you revealed the tunnels to outsiders. Are you truly betraying the Jiang family?!”

Jiang Tian was silent for a long time before suddenly bursting into tears: “Uncle, I was afraid! I was truly frightened by that girl! She’s not human at all—not a shred of mercy! If I didn’t speak, she had people keep me awake day and night and devised all kinds of methods to torture me—”

“Useless thing!” In his fury, Jiang Xu smashed his ink jade paperweight with a crack. “You can’t even withstand this little thing—what right do you have to claim the Jiang surname!”

Though Jiang Tian was frivolous, he absolutely understood the gravity of matters. Revealing the tunnels to outsiders, especially to their enemy, was tantamount to betraying the family! Jiang Hua raised his eyebrows slightly: “You weren’t this cowardly before.”

Jiang Tian cried tears and snot everywhere: “This terrifying woman—she… she had someone use a short knife to cut a four-fen-long opening in my medicine boy’s skull, poured mercury inside, and out jumped a bare, living mass of white flesh—so horrible, truly horrible!”

Everyone in the room felt a chill run down their spines. Mercury was far heavier than blood and could separate skin from flesh. Under extreme pain, the body would shoot upward forcefully, drilling out through the knife opening. They had never heard of such a method—just hearing about it made cold sweat pour down. It was truly terrifying to the extreme. Jiang Hua blurted out, “You saw this with your own eyes?!”

Jiang Tian paused, then stammered, “I… I saw them drag the medicine boy away, then heard them say they would pour mercury on him. Soon I heard screaming, and later they even showed me that mass of pale flesh. I was too afraid and didn’t dare look closely…”

Jiang Hua sneered, “Nothing but a trick to deceive the eye. If they truly killed someone that way, why not do it in front of you? Wouldn’t that be more intimidating? It was clearly just to frighten you! Gutless thing!”

Frightening? Even if it was just frightening, it was the world’s cruelest form of intimidation. Jiang Tian couldn’t help but shiver slightly. Yet seeing Jiang Hua’s expression remain calm and indifferent, only the mole between his brows appeared even more vivid and bright red, dripping with color. He forced a laugh: “I… I am indeed cowardly. But you had already arranged countless hidden guards—even if they entered through the tunnels, they absolutely couldn’t harm you. Why should I lose my life! If I hadn’t been certain those people couldn’t kill you, even if struck by lightning, I would never have uttered a word.”

Jiang Yang couldn’t help shaking his head: “That scene was truly terrifying. Don’t blame Fifth Brother. He was scared enough. Otherwise he wouldn’t have told everything. This is human nature.”

Jiang Hua sighed and lowered his eyelids slightly: “Such a fool. From the beginning, Li Weiyang never intended to kill you.”

Jiang Tian quickly said, “That’s not true! They showed no mercy at all! Look, my back is all bruised from caning!”

Jiang Hua looked at him with disappointment: “Li Weiyang is someone who repays grudges—not only repays them but repays them a hundredfold or thousandfold. This kind of person has another characteristic: she absolutely won’t forget those who have shown her kindness. You saved her younger brother. Even just for that reason, she wouldn’t kill you! If you had held firm then, no matter how they tried to trick or deceive you, you refused to speak, in the end you would still have been perfectly safe. But you, this fool, actually confessed without even being tortured!”

Jiang Xu’s expression also became ugly as he stared at Jiang Tian with wide eyes.

Jiang Tian looked at Jiang Hua in shock: “How do you know? What if—”

Jiang Hua sneered: “There is no ‘what if’! On this point, I’m certain! How laughable that you’ve fought with her for so long yet still haven’t seen through her character! You can’t even grasp her personality—no wonder you failed!”

Jiang Tian was stunned: “Didn’t you fail this time too?”

Jiang Hua was momentarily choked, then smiled and said, “There are plenty of ways to eliminate her. Just wait and see.”

When Li Weiyang returned to the residence, it was nearly evening. She had just changed into clean clothes when a maid came to report that Seventh Prince Tuoba Yu had been waiting in the great hall for quite some time.

Li Weiyang then said, “Please have him wait in the flower hall.”

Tuoba Yu waited for the time of half a cup of tea before Li Weiyang finally turned through the great courtyard into the flower hall, smiling: “Apologies for keeping Your Highness waiting.”

Tuoba Yu wore luxurious robes that made him appear even more elegant and handsome in the candlelight: “Weiyang, I went to the palace and personally reported the course of events to Father Emperor. He was extremely furious about the Duke’s wife’s death and very surprised that the Jiang family harbored the murderer and falsely accused you. He said if there’s evidence, he will definitely punish the Jiang family severely.”

Li Weiyang smiled faintly: “Whether or not evidence is found, His Majesty won’t punish the Jiang family now.”

Tuoba Yu was startled: “After such a reputation-destroying incident, would Father Emperor still keep them?”

“Your Highness,” Li Weiyang sat down, lowered her eyelids, her thick lashes fluttering. After a long while she said, “You must understand one point: as long as Duke Jiang is still alive and vigorously guarding the borders for His Majesty, he won’t easily move against the Jiang family.”

Tuoba Yu’s face showed disappointment: “So we still can’t shake them?”

Li Weiyang smiled faintly: “Not entirely. Your Highness has seen trees cut down, yes? If you try to fell a tree when it’s flourishing with lush branches and leaves, you’ll waste tremendous effort. But if its interior has already been hollowed out by insects, the situation is completely different. Eliminating the Jiang family cannot be accomplished in a day or two. I’m not anxious—why should Your Highness be?”

Tuoba Yu nodded: “You’re right.” The cold youth from their first meeting now obeyed Li Weiyang’s every word. Baizhi and Zhao Yue, watching, couldn’t help but feel incredibly surprised.

Li Weiyang lowered her head to drink tea. Some things, even if he didn’t say them, she knew—for instance, during this affair, he had made many efforts behind the scenes. But since they were allies, there was no need for thanks.

Tuoba Yu looked at Li Weiyang. Knowing she was safe and sound, he should take his leave. But there was one important matter. He said slowly, “I must leave the capital for a time.”

Li Weiyang raised her eyes. Tuoba Yu said, “Father Emperor has ordered me to inspect the southern frontier.”

Li Weiyang was startled. The southern frontier? That was where Duke Jiang was stationed. That old general was still the pillar of the southern frontier. Now the emperor was ordering Tuoba Yu to go there—what did this mean? She considered briefly before smiling slightly: “The journey to the southern frontier is long and fraught with perils. Your Highness must be very careful on this trip.”

Tuoba Yu felt warmth in his heart, thinking she was very concerned about him. But after understanding these words, his heart jolted: “You’re saying Father Emperor suspects me?”

Li Weiyang said lightly, “No, I’m not speaking of His Majesty. These past years, you’ve eliminated quite a few people under the Crown Prince and Tuoba Zhen. From my observation, His Majesty is increasingly dissatisfied with the Crown Prince and may even have thoughts of changing the heir. However, he’s still hesitating. As long as the Empress lives, he won’t easily depose the Crown Prince. This time is an opportunity His Majesty is giving you. The other princes watching will certainly become even more jealous. If you suddenly fall ill or die suddenly on the road, who do you think would be most pleased?”

Tuoba Yu stared at her seriously, but saw Li Weiyang’s lips curve slightly upward, printing a trace of smile between her brows and eyes. For a moment, he felt as if a hidden warmth was sweeping toward him, even making his thoughts somewhat dazed: “You mean Tuoba Zhen?”

Li Weiyang’s smile was serene: “I’m afraid not just Tuoba Zhen. I suspect the Jiang family has already allied with him.”

Tuoba Yu was shocked with alarm. But Li Weiyang said, “Why should Your Highness be alarmed? Isn’t this perfectly obvious? The Jiang family will ally with Tuoba Zhen sooner or later—it’s only a matter of timing. Such an illustrious family could have avoided depending on anyone, but the recent series of blows has forced them to make a decision. The Crown Prince is mediocre, the Fifth Prince is foolish. Between Tuoba Zhen and you, they’d rather support a prince with no power, no influence, and no maternal clan background. That way they can restore the Jiang family’s prestige. Conversely, if they stood on your side, they’d definitely gain no more than the Duke Luo’s residence.”

Tuoba Yu’s face darkened slightly: “You’re right.”

But Li Weiyang’s expression was very leisurely: “Many things are perfectly clear. Since the Jiang family has allied with Tuoba Zhen, they’ll naturally help him eliminate competitors. If you go to the southern frontier and are impeached for consorting with border officials with intent to rebel, what do you think the result would be?”

Tuoba Yu’s brows knitted tightly. During this time, he had also vaguely suspected, but the Jiang family had always maintained a low profile and never shown support for Tuoba Zhen in court… Everything seemed both real and fake, virtual and solid, completely impossible to grasp or understand.

Seeing his hesitation, Li Weiyang’s expression was half-smiling, her voice cool and clear: “This trip to the southern frontier is indeed fraught with danger, but if handled properly, it’s an extremely profitable transaction.”

Tuoba Yu frowned: “What do you mean?”

Li Weiyang smiled and raised her jade-carved hand before him. After a brief pause, she decisively brought it down: “Your Highness, four words for you: permanently eliminate future troubles!”

Tuoba Yu shuddered, but his expression didn’t change: “I don’t know what you mean by permanently eliminating future troubles?”

Li Weiyang smiled slightly and beckoned to him. He walked over in confusion. Li Weiyang then spread open his palm. In the tingling sensation where fingertip touched skin, he clearly felt Li Weiyang lightly write a few characters. Tuoba Yu was shocked, the color draining completely from his face in an instant. However, after hesitating for a long while, he finally nodded to Li Weiyang.

Three days later, news came that Li Changle had been sentenced to death by a thousand cuts. Lady Li’s face showed reluctance: “Truly karmic retribution from a past life.”

Li Weiyang smiled slightly: “Since she’s not a member of my Li family, why should the old lady feel sad?”

Lady Li sighed: “I don’t wish to see her suffer such extreme punishment before everyone. Go see her for me.”

Li Weiyang’s expression was half-smiling: “You mean—”

Lady Li looked at her: “Whatever you think I mean, that’s what I mean.”

Li Weiyang lowered her eyes lightly: “Weiyang understands.”

That afternoon, Li Weiyang had Baizhi prepare a food box. Baizhi asked curiously, “Miss, where are you going?”

Li Weiyang glanced at the food box and said slowly, “To the Capital Prison.” The Capital Prison was no different from ordinary jails, just larger. Li Changle was a major criminal—Li Weiyang would normally have great difficulty seeing her. But since Li Changle’s imprisonment wasn’t directly ordered by the emperor, and she was after all the future wife’s elder sister of the Capital Magistrate, after greeting Yao Changqing, Li Weiyang walked inside.

In the deepest cell for important criminals, Li Changle was held alone. The current Li Changle had completely lost her former beauty and instead looked like a female ghost—disheveled hair, and because there was no medicine, her ulceration had intensified. Now she was simply repulsive to look at. Yet she still thought herself a beauty and showed a haughty expression.

The jailer passed her cell and smelled a heavy fishy odor.

This prison had all kinds of foul smells, but no smell could suppress this terrible fishy stench—not the stink of body odor but a rotting smell emanating from who knew where.

Seeing Li Weiyang enter, the jailer showed a nauseated expression: “Miss, you absolutely must not get close. This crazy woman stinks to death!”

Li Weiyang smiled: “It’s fine.” She stood quietly at the door, looking at the person imprisoned inside. Upon seeing Li Weiyang appear, Li Changle rushed to the bars, reaching out forcefully, as if wanting to drag her in and tear her to pieces: “Bitch! Bitch!” She kept shrieking, her outstretched hands already rotting.

“Was she tortured?” Li Weiyang asked those nearby.

The jailer quickly replied, “For this kind of major criminal, without the lord’s orders, we subordinates don’t dare act rashly. These wounds were all self-inflicted—truly disgusting!”

Li Changle said fiercely, “Li Weiyang, may you die a horrible death!”

Li Weiyang smiled faintly: “Wasn’t it always you who provoked us first? I merely retaliated. Must I bare my neck for slaughter to have a good death?”

Li Changle was full of hatred: “Uncle and the others will definitely get me out!”

“Get you out?” Li Weiyang’s pale face showed no expression, her pitch-black eyes carrying a trace of mockery.

“What do you mean?” Li Changle glared at her warily.

Li Weiyang laughed again.

“What are you laughing at?” Li Changle exploded in fury.

“I’m laughing—you truly are a foolish woman. Moreover, I must say, the most foolish I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“What did you say?” Li Changle desperately tried to reach out and grab Li Weiyang, but in vain.

“Jiang Tian is still imprisoned. Will the Jiang family come save you?”

Hearing this, something deep in Li Changle’s heart split open and began dripping blood. She was almost mad with rage: “Then why did you come! Just to mock me?!”

Baizhi gave the jailer an ingot of silver, and he quickly withdrew, leaving space for them. Li Weiyang smiled slightly: “Give her the food box.”

“You want to poison me?” Li Changle spoke, each word as if soaked in blood, full of hatred.

Li Weiyang stood motionless. After a long silence, she slowly sneered: “Kill you? The one who wants you dead isn’t me but your biological grandmother. You killed your maternal grandmother, and now your grandmother wants you dead. Look, isn’t that interesting?” Once Li Weiyang’s expression turned somber, it showed an indescribable coldness.

Li Changle’s body trembled. She suddenly became frightened. The previous hatred and loathing completely disappeared: “Weiyang, Weiyang! Please spare me! I beg you to spare me! I’ve already admitted defeat. I’ll never dare provoke you again! Please beg them to spare me! I don’t want to die! I really don’t want to die! Weiyang, I’m your blood sister—we share the same blood. Let me go! Let me go!” Her voice became increasingly miserable, sentence after sentence full of pleading.

“Blood sister…” Li Weiyang sighed. “Every time I hear you call me so intimately, I feel disgusted! I’ve been disgusted by you for a long time, Li Changle.”

Li Changle looked at her in terror and suddenly realized: “Since you returned, you came to take revenge on us? You’re retaliating because we abandoned you in the countryside—”

With this thought, many hazy events instantly became clear, arranging themselves in orderly rows. Li Changle was suddenly shocked.

Too terrifying, too terrifying—truly too terrifying! Li Changle’s body began trembling with hatred and fury.

Li Weiyang smiled and said, “Though I haven’t wanted you to live well since returning, falling to this state today is entirely your own doing. Remember the fire in the mountain retreat? Remember Ziyan who betrayed me? Remember how Fourth Brother was poisoned? One incident after another—which wasn’t started by you?! What right do you have to blame me now?!” The memories of her past life had long blurred in her mind. Back then, she had truly believed that once she returned to the Jiang family, sisters could live harmoniously, truly believed from then on the clouds would part and the sun would shine with no more grievances… How naive. True, from her rebirth and return to the Li family, she had sincerely intended to oppose this mother-daughter pair… But if in this life the First Madam hadn’t forced her down the same path, hadn’t tried to kill her, she might have still spared their lives.

Li Weiyang looked at her, smiled, and said, “Now, I’m merely returning in full what you did.”

Li Changle could no longer maintain her pretense and screamed, “You bitch! You’re just a concubine-born daughter—what right do you have to stand equal with me? You should have died long ago, should have died from birth! We treated you that way entirely because you deserved to die!”

Li Weiyang looked at her steadily, then shook her head: “So you still don’t know what you did wrong… Oh no, I should say—you’re forever so innocent, forever so noble. It’s always others who wrong you, never you who wrong others… Since you persist in your delusion, then let them cut you to pieces! This food box—forget it!”

With that, she waved her hand and knocked over the entire food box.

Li Changle looked at the shattered pieces on the ground in shock. Li Weiyang just looked down at her condescendingly, her indifferent expression holding more power to wound than any contempt or mockery. Staring at her eyes without blinking, she said coldly, “I want to see if when the flesh is cut from your body piece by piece, whether they can truly reach three hundred sixty cuts. I imagine that scene will be very interesting.”

Death by a thousand cuts—lingchi—was mainly designed for those who committed serious crimes like treason or violating human ethics. Though Li Changle’s identity was questionable, her crime of murdering the Duke’s wife was ironclad. Yao Changqing’s final judgment sentenced her under the crime of murdering close kin, hence the extremely severe punishment.

“Shut up!” Li Changle screamed and rushed forward again, but what awaited her was the jailer who had hurried over, his whip lashing through the bars directly across her face. Li Changle stared straight at Li Weiyang and said viciously, “Li Weiyang, when I become a ghost, I’ll come find you!”

“Keep talking and I’ll beat you to death!” The whip fell like rain. But Li Changle didn’t move, taking the beating without flinching. She didn’t cry out in pain, only continuously cursed Li Weiyang. Li Weiyang didn’t look at her again and turned away: “Baizhi, let’s go.”

Baizhi had long been frightened by this strange scene and immediately hurried to follow behind her as they left.

Behind them, Li Changle was still shrieking curses: “Li Weiyang! Come back! Come back here!”

Walking out of the Capital Prison into the brilliant sunshine outside, Li Weiyang took a deep breath and turned to board her carriage. After the Li family carriage departed, a figure emerged from the side, staring at her carriage with a cold sneer.

Li Weiyang, you must be very pleased with yourself. But this smugness won’t last much longer…