Liu Sujiang secretly clenched her fingers inside her sleeves, feeling quite pleased with herself.

This Qin Shuying—she didn’t know what had changed, but when they were young, she had seemed fine. However, after coming to the capital this time and hearing from her mother about all those incidents involving her, she had developed an intense disgust for her.

How could she possibly be worthy of her older brother?

Hmph!

Fortunately, she had been clever. Last time at Guangbin Tower, she hadn’t torn off the facade with her, so when she sent her the invitation, she had eagerly rushed over.

With so many people saying such things, let’s see how she could still have the face to continue monopolizing this marriage arrangement.

Liu Sujiang spoke with righteous indignation: “Everyone, although Sister Shuying has shown such lack of self-respect, our Liu family will not kick someone when they’re down, nor will we break off the engagement. Sister Shuying, now that you’ve done such things, what other respectable family would want you? Although you cannot be my brother’s wife, our Liu family will reluctantly allow you to become my brother’s concubine! This way we won’t be breaking our promise either.”

Lu Ye’s face flushed red with anger as she raged: “Miss Liu, you’re going too far! Our young miss is a proper official’s daughter—how could she possibly become a concubine?”

Seeing Lu Ye’s fury and Ziteng’s gloomy expression, Liu Sujiang felt secretly delighted.

She snorted and raised her eyebrows, saying: “With her lacking such propriety and her reputation completely ruined, the Liu family is already showing extraordinary mercy by allowing her through our doors. How dare she claim she won’t be a concubine?”

Lu Ye was so enraged that her expression became twisted, and although she knew Liu Sujiang wouldn’t achieve her goal, seeing such a despicable attitude truly made her furious beyond measure.

“Everyone, although our Liu family is magnanimous, Sister Shuying has already reached this state. No matter how magnanimous our Liu family is, we still have our reputation to consider. There’s really nothing else we can do. Sister Shuying, rest assured—even if you’re my brother’s concubine, we’ll still treat you well.”

Ziteng’s expression darkened as she suddenly looked toward Madam Liu: “So Miss Liu’s meaning is also Madam Liu’s meaning?”

Madam Liu’s heart bloomed with joy—finally she could resolve this burden of Qin Shuying!

Originally she had waited and watched, expecting Xu Shi to deal with Qin Shuying, but who knew that Xu Shi would prove so useless, forcing her to take action herself.

Twice in succession, she still hadn’t managed to eliminate this eyesore Qin Shuying. Even her son seemed to have grown more attentive to Qin Shuying recently—when she had tested his feelings, it couldn’t have been clearer.

How could this be allowed?

She had to resolve this quickly!

Now finally her wish was granted.

Madam Liu sighed deeply and said with difficulty: “Shuying, this really puts me in an impossible position. With so many people watching, news of your affairs will spread throughout the capital within half a day. What am I supposed to do?”

From under the veil came Qin Shuying’s sobbing sounds, and she shook her head desperately.

However, she simply wouldn’t speak.

Everyone assumed she was frightened and too ashamed to open her mouth.

“Your uncle has always treated you like his own daughter. Rest assured, when you come to the Liu family, we’ll continue treating you like our own daughter. Whether you’re the primary wife or not doesn’t make much difference.”

Ziteng said coldly: “Madam’s meaning is that our young miss can only serve as Young Master Liu’s concubine?”

Madam Liu wiped away tears and sighed: “This is all fate, all fate!”

Liu Sujiang looked smugly at the constantly trembling Qin Shuying.

Suddenly, Liu Sujiang felt someone tugging at her sleeve. When she turned to look, she was immediately stunned—

Qin Shuying?

Qin Shuying looked surprised and asked: “Sister Liu, what’s happening here? Didn’t you arrange to meet me over there to watch the opera? Why is there such commotion here?”

Liu Sujiang pointed at Qin Shuying: “You, you, you…”

After saying “you” for quite a while, she finally turned her finger around to point at the veiled woman: “Then who is that?”

Lu Ye called out loudly: “Miss, we just came over when this scoundrel started randomly identifying people. Miss Liu and Madam Liu also misidentified people. Despite our repeated explanations, not one person believed us. In just a few words they wanted to slander you, with so many people gathered here ruining your reputation. I don’t know what Madam Liu and Miss Liu’s intentions are!”

Madam Liu stared at Qin Shuying with complete shock, involuntarily stepping back two paces.

Lu Ye stood with hands on her hips triumphantly: “Look carefully, everyone—this is our Qin family’s Seventh Miss! Our miss simply went to wash her hands just now, and Miss Liu mistook someone else for our young miss. Miss Liu, how can you not even recognize our miss? Just now I explained repeatedly, but you wouldn’t listen. Could it be you were hoping she really was our young miss? Everyone judge for yourselves—is there anyone who deliberately slanders others’ reputations like this?”

The onlookers indeed began discussing among themselves, and their expressions toward Madam Liu and Liu Sujiang changed.

Hearing this, the man quickly released the veiled woman and, taking advantage of everyone’s attention being elsewhere, slowly edged toward the crowd.

Qin Shuying seemed not to notice the man’s movements and gently scolded: “Lu Ye, don’t be rude.”

Lu Ye snorted: “Miss, you don’t know how terrible their words were just now. Even though I clearly explained that the scoundrel had mistaken the person, Miss Liu just wouldn’t listen and deliberately misidentified people. If I were Miss Liu, I’d be too busy covering things up to have time for anything else—who would deliberately make a fuss, afraid the whole world wouldn’t know! Hmph! Sima Zhao’s intentions are obvious to all!”

“Enough. Sister Liu was just concerned and confused.” Qin Shuying scolded Lu Ye, then bowed to Madam Liu: “Madam, this maid just says whatever comes to mind and speaks bluntly. Please don’t take offense with her.”

Madam Liu felt a mouthful of old blood stuck in her throat and forced a smile: “I knew it—Shuying, you’ve always been proper and well-mannered. How could you possibly be pulling and tugging with a strange man? So it was a case of mistaken identity.”

Qin Shuying responded: “Thank you for having such faith in Shuying, Madam.”

As they were speaking, they heard Lan Chou running over breathlessly, saying to Qin Shuying: “Miss, you, you must go quickly and see—Young Master Liu has actually ruined some young lady’s virtue! How, how could he do such a thing?”

“What? Who are you talking about?”

Madam Liu was instantly thunderstruck, not comprehending at first—who was she talking about? Junqing?

She simply didn’t believe it, but somehow, meeting Qin Shuying’s half-smiling expression, she was possessed as if by ghosts and actually believed it!

Liu Sujiang reacted more quickly, and with the anger from Lu Ye’s earlier taunts still unabated, when Lan Chou happened to present herself, how could she not retaliate?

She immediately bristled with anger and scolded sharply: “Nonsense! My brother has always been proper and well-mannered—how could he possibly come to an opera house to cause trouble? Even if you’re angry with me, you shouldn’t slander my brother! He’s the top scholar of the Great Zhou Dynasty, appearing only once in fifty years. You’re spouting complete lies—I’ll definitely have your tongue cut out!”

Lan Chou paid no attention to Liu Sujiang’s fury and just stamped her foot, saying: “Young Master Liu actually ruined the virtue of Minister Yun’s eldest daughter… Alas… And he’s supposed to be the top scholar—with such moral character, it’s truly…”

The onlookers hadn’t dispersed yet, and hearing of such an incident, they were even less willing to leave. Someone urgently asked: “Where?”

Lan Chou pointed behind her, and the crowd immediately surged in that direction.

A spectacle involving Scholar Liu—how could they not watch?