Luo Meixiang’s current impression of Qin Shuying was that she was slyly malicious. Her words and actions always contained traps, so one had to be extra careful when listening to Qin Shuying speak.
Luo Meixiang suppressed her curiosity and didn’t ask, fearing that asking would lead to another trap.
Liang Yunshan also didn’t ask—he couldn’t ask.
Ever since Liang Yuan and Liang Jie had suffered a loss in the pine and cypress grove, they had maintained a respectful distance from Qin Shuying, not daring to get too close, so naturally they didn’t ask now either.
Only Liang Qiong couldn’t suppress the doubt in her heart and said coldly, “Sister-in-law, speaking in half-sentences like this, those who know would say you’re just a junior who realized it was improper to discuss elders in such a public setting, so you stopped mid-sentence. Those who don’t know might say you’re deliberately using words the Empress may not have even said to create some pretext against Old Madam, intentionally not finishing so everyone would speculate and thus ruin Old Madam’s reputation.”
Qin Shuying didn’t even look at Liang Qiong, much less respond to her words. She treated Liang Qiong like air and instead leisurely sipped her tea.
After finishing her tea, she showed no intention of engaging.
First Liang Zhen behaved this way, now Qin Shuying too. Liang Qiong’s face flushed red as she turned toward Liang Yunshan, tears glistening in her beautiful eyes: “Father, your daughter is truly useless. Sister-in-law doesn’t regard me at all.”
Qin Shuying continued drinking her tea unhurriedly, paying no attention whatsoever.
Liang Yunshan said sternly, “Eldest daughter-in-law, what kind of attitude is this?”
Only then did Qin Shuying set down her teacup and say indifferently, “Father, Second Sister has said everything there is to say. What more is there for me to add?”
Liang Qiong demanded sharply, “So you’re admitting to what I said?”
Qin Shuying raised an eyebrow and countered, “Why should I admit to anything? Second Sister, we are now an Earl’s mansion, no longer a Marquis’s mansion. Do you still think you’re truly a golden branch and jade leaf? That others must flatter you no matter what you say?”
She wasn’t even afraid of real princesses—why would she fear this princess who had been granted her title halfway through life?
Even Princess Yongjia hadn’t gained any advantage from her initially, so how could she fear a mere Liang Qiong?
Since Liang Yunshan could repeatedly be provoked to anger by Old Madam Liang’s few words, why should she, Qin Shuying, continue giving Liang Yunshan face? If his mind wasn’t clear, her patience was worn thin, and she was too lazy to humor him anymore.
Direct and straightforward—this was Qin Shuying’s true style.
After all, he wasn’t her real father-in-law. Crushing Liang Yunshan caused Qin Shuying absolutely no psychological burden.
Qin Shuying’s gaze turned fierce. “Princess Fuqing, if you truly consider yourself a princess, why won’t even Princess Fuping agree to see you now? As a princess, you know nothing about court affairs, understand nothing, and only create endless entanglements and confusion in the inner residence. How the Marquis’s mansion was demoted to an Earl’s mansion—don’t you understand at all? Yet you still dare to sow discord here, spread gossip, and play petty tricks! A legitimate daughter of a Marquis’s household with such shallow understanding that she can’t even compare to me, a mere official’s daughter—truly laughable! It’s fortunate that His Highness the Fifth Prince was unwilling to marry you. Marrying you would have been a disaster for him, a burden holding him back. How could he possibly be willing!”
Qin Shuying spoke extremely rapidly, finishing this barrage without giving anyone a chance to interrupt.
After receiving such a vicious tongue-lashing, Liang Qiong stood there stunned for a moment, then rose to her feet. Looking at Qin Shuying’s merely pleasant face, she almost rushed over to scratch it.
The Fifth Prince—she really knew which pot not to stir!
The servants present immediately changed their expressions when they looked at Liang Qiong. The Second Miss fancied the Fifth Prince? But His Highness the Fifth Prince was unwilling to marry her?
This, this, this…
Luo Meixiang was greatly alarmed: “Eldest daughter-in-law, what nonsense are you spouting?! A young lady’s reputation is supremely important—how can you speak so carelessly?”
Liang Yunshan also stood up, his anger evident. “Eldest daughter-in-law, quickly apologize to Qiong’er!”
Qin Shuying was fearless, meeting Liang Yunshan’s fury directly. “Why should I?”
Liang Yunshan was first stunned, then flew into a rage. In front of so many people, Qin Shuying dared to disregard him so completely, dared to speak to him this way?
“Without any evidence, you place such a label on your second sister. How can your second sister face others in the future? How can she endure people’s pointing and whispering? Truly outrageous! Have all your lessons in feminine virtues and conduct gone to waste?! Quickly, apologize!”
Qin Shuying smiled coldly. “I should apologize to her? Who will apologize to Eldest Sister? Regarding what happened back then, how much does the Earl actually know? Today I merely spoke casually, and you demand I apologize to Second Sister. But when what happened back then occurred, others also spoke casually—did you demand they apologize to Eldest Sister? Apologize to Mother? Nanny Peng and Qiao’er saw with their own eyes that Lu Ye and the other two killed Zao’er. Everyone saw clearly just now whether it really was Lu Ye and the other two who caused the death. Everyone has it clear in their hearts. Nanny Peng and Qiao’er also have it clear in their hearts. So, was what happened back then really Eldest Sister’s fault? Really Mother’s fault? Then who will apologize to them? Mother has been dead for so many years—who made her bear that injustice all along! Could it be that the rule in Prince Pingxi’s mansion is that Mother and Eldest Sister can only take the blame while certain people can cover the sky with one hand! No wonder—”
She spoke these words extremely quickly, and at this point, Qin Shuying paused, then slowly uttered one sentence: “No wonder His Majesty demoted the Marquis’s mansion to an Earl’s mansion! Who exactly is the one who is ‘unrefined in feminine virtue, instigating trouble, the root of household chaos, disaster comes from within’—with so many eyes watching, everyone knows perfectly well!”
Over a hundred servants’ eyes nearly fell to the ground. This was just short of naming names in saying that the root of the household’s chaos was Old Madam Liang!
This, this, this…
This was utterly treasonous!
Even if they divorced Qin Shuying for this, no one would dare say it was wrong!
But the First Madam’s words seemed to have some merit. They were all servants of a great household, and regarding the incident when Liang Zhen was caught in adultery, some had been indirectly involved, while others, though not involved, had been swept up in it. Regardless, their most basic instinct was disbelief—an intuitive disbelief.
Now, seeing the First Miss’s grace like plum and orchid blossoms, and witnessing her intelligence, they believed even less in what had happened back then. Since they didn’t believe it, they couldn’t help but wonder who had actually harmed the First Miss so grievously back then.
Jinxiu had originally delivered the message to see how Liang Yunshan would punish Liang Zhen, but the script wasn’t following her expectations at all. Instead, Qin Shuying had made a large circle, causing all the servants in the courtyard to exchange flickering glances.
Jinxiu was greatly alarmed and quickly said, “First Madam, this servant oversteps, but speaking unpleasantly, your words are most unfilial…”
Before she could finish, Qin Shuying shouted sternly, “Lu Ye, slap her!”
Lu Ye crisply acknowledged and quickly stepped forward two paces, raising her hand to deliver two resounding slaps to Jinxiu!