Chu Zhao had never set foot in the Liang mansion before.

In the past, the young ladies of the Liang family had disdained to invite her, and before long, Liang Siqing had gotten into trouble and been dismissed from office, leaving the capital in disgrace. Later, when she became Empress, she would never have set foot in the Liang mansion.

Only people from the Liang family would enter the palace to pay respects to her, and even then, she might not necessarily receive them.

First Madam Liang had relied on her aunt to arrange an audience and was only then able to enter the palace to see her. She wept and begged, claiming that they had been framed by the Xie family in the past, and now wholeheartedly wished to serve the court. She had also sent a lot of money—

Of course, she hadn’t accepted the money. Having heard from Uncle Zhong about insufficient military supplies, she had the Liang family deliver that money to Uncle Zhong.

Because of this, Liang Siqing’s brothers and nephews had the opportunity to enter the military and be employed by Xiao Xun. Third Master Liang even became a Great General, and Liang Siqing’s youngest daughter entered the palace as a concubine.

In the end, she had replaced her.

Chu Zhao stood outside the Liang mansion, looking at the two servants with their noses in the air, thinking of how First Madam Liang had knelt before her and wept, begging. After Third Master Liang had been granted an official title, he had also specifically entered the palace to see her, respectfully and sincerely treating her as an equal, despite his advanced age, referring to her father as his elder.

So servile, but with such ulterior motives.

She had no desire to see the faces of the Liang family again.

Of course, she wouldn’t recklessly vent the hatred from her previous life. The events of her previous life hadn’t happened yet.

“Where is your young lady?” Chu Zhao asked. “I’ve come to see her.”

The two female servants came to their senses, and their surprise turned back into arrogance: “So you know to come see our young lady. You almost killed our young lady. Even carrying thorns on your back to beg forgiveness wouldn’t be enough to make amends.”

Chu Zhao laughed: “What thorns and forgiveness? What crime have I committed?”

“You injured our young lady,” the two servants frowned. “Why are you playing dumb? Otherwise, why did you run away? Why do your uncle and aunt come to our mansion every day to apologize?”

“I don’t know why my uncle and aunt came to your mansion,” Chu Zhao said coolly. “I left the capital to see my father and report your young lady’s offense.”

The two servants stared wide-eyed.

“Ah Zhao!” came a gentle call, as a girl ran out from inside. “What are you doing?”

She came forward and grabbed Chu Zhao’s hand, her face full of reproach.

Chu Zhao looked at Chu Tang, momentarily unable to recognize her. The Chu Tang before her was still in her girlhood, delicate and pretty. Although her expression showed dissatisfaction with Chu Zhao, it wasn’t filled with the hatred that had marked their last encounter in her previous life.

“Sister, you were there that day. You saw it too. It was she who pushed me off the rockery,” said Chu Zhao.

Chu Tang was startled.

There had indeed been such an incident. Chu Zhao had fallen from the rockery, but fortunately, the rockery wasn’t high. Everyone had laughed, and then they saw Chu Zhao get up from the ground and kick Liang Qin into the water—

“You’re lying!” Liang Qin’s maid, who had followed her out, shouted. “It wasn’t our young lady who pushed you.”

Chu Tang was also somewhat helpless: “Ah Zhao, Ah Qin wasn’t even on the rockery. She was sitting below.”

This cousin was not only stupid, but she also dared to lie?

And what a stupid lie it was.

She didn’t? Chu Zhao didn’t know. How could she remember what had happened when she was thirteen? She couldn’t even remember what Liang’s young lady was called.

She had just spoken off the cuff. If it wasn’t the case, so be it.

“She didn’t push me, but she insulted me,” Chu Zhao continued without the slightest hesitation. “She insulted my father, insulted my mother, mocked me. I was angry and that’s why I slipped and fell. Having been humiliated and suffered such a shock, of course, I had to teach her a lesson.”

She looked at Chu Tang, then at the maid.

“Do you dare say she didn’t do this either?”

Chu Tang was slightly taken aback, and the maid also didn’t know what to say.

Mocking Chu Zhao was something everyone had always done and had become accustomed to. Of course, Liang Qin had done the same.

“You—” the maid was about to speak.

More servants emerged from inside the door, surrounding a lady. It was Yan Shi, the wife of Liang Siqing. Her round, plump face bore traces of displeasure: “What’s going on? Young Lady Ah Zhao has come, and you don’t invite her in, but instead talk at the door.”

Chu Zhao looked at her—she couldn’t clearly remember Yan Shi’s appearance, but she could still see the eyes and mannerisms of Concubine Liang in Yan Shi’s face.

“No need. My father is a disgraced official, and I have no mother. Someone like me wouldn’t dare set foot in your Liang mansion,” Chu Zhao said coldly. “Lest I hear more unpleasant words, hit someone again, and cause more trouble.”

Yan Shi naturally knew about this Chu Zhao. Her daughter had told her how this country girl imitated them, how she spoke with an accent yet still tried to pose as if she were a young lady of the capital. She had also found it amusing.

“That child’s background is poor,” she had admonished her daughter. “Don’t play with her. It would degrade your status.”

Now it seemed this country girl not only had a poor background but also a violent temper. What nonsense was she speaking?!

“You, you are truly audacious,” Yan Shi reprimanded.

The servants were also angered. “How dare you!”

“Chu Zhao,” Chu Tang was also anxious, “have you gone mad? Quickly apologize to the Madam.”

Apologize to Madam Liang?

It was already the height of mercy that she hadn’t gone up to physically attack Madam Liang.

The events of her previous life hadn’t happened yet; she couldn’t take revenge, but there was no need to maintain face.

She would have no dealings with the Liang family in this life.

“Your daughter is the audacious one,” she said coldly. “My father is the Imperial Guard General of the court. Although his position is not as high as Lord Liang Siqing’s, he is not a disgraced official. Your daughter repeatedly said my father is guilty, as if pronouncing judgment on behalf of His Majesty. This time, I merely disciplined her in the name of filial piety. Next time she does this, I will report her for high treason.”

With that, she shook off Chu Tang’s hand and turned to mount her horse.

Yan Shi was dumbfounded, watching as the girl mounted her horse. The girl looked down at her from horseback. Her clothes were simple, with few accessories. Her small face was still somewhat immature with traces of childishness, but her expression was haughty, her bearing dignified. When their gazes met, Yan Shi unconsciously lowered her eyes and looked away.

Chu Zhao withdrew her gaze, glanced at the main gate of the Liang mansion, cracked her whip, and galloped away with her maid A-Le.

Chu Tang was at a loss, but she also knew that at this point, she absolutely could not go back into the Liang mansion. She stamped her foot. “Chu Zhao, wait till I tell Father how to punish you!” She also gave chase.

In the blink of an eye, both young ladies of the Chu family were gone. Yan Shi exhaled, her face turning blue.

“Fine,” she snapped. “Fine, fine, Young Lady Chu!”

“Madam, Madam,” the servants supported her, hastily advising, “please don’t be angry.”

Yan Shi shook off the servants: “She wants to report me for high treason? Quickly summon the master back!”

……

……

Not far from the street corner in front of the Liang mansion, a group of young girls watched this scene with astonished expressions.

When they had arrived, Chu Zhao hadn’t gone inside, and they didn’t feel comfortable approaching. After all, if they entered, they could say they had come to visit Liang Qin, but now that Chu Zhao was blocking the door, should they enter or not? Moreover, Chu Zhao was arguing with Liang Qin’s maid, and if they approached, they might also be entangled by her, which would be embarrassing.

Later, Madam Liang had also come out, making it even more impossible to approach.

Now the excitement was over, and it was completely different from what they had imagined. There was no scene of Chu Zhao admitting guilt, kowtowing, or crying bitterly.

Had Chu Zhao gone insane? Everyone had this thought.

Standing at the front, Qi Leyun thought of something else.

“Chu Zhao said she hit Ah Qin because she mocked her father,” she turned to ask everyone. “We’ve all mocked her too. Will she come to hit us as well?”