Qin Shuying merely leaned slightly to one side and dodged the blow, her bright eyes like water, her smile radiant.

“Your Ladyship, for matters like beating Han Dan, there’s no need for Your Ladyship to personally lift a hand. When you go to see Consort De shortly, naturally someone will do it for you. I wonder if it will be thirty strokes of the rod, or forty, or perhaps even more? This sister doesn’t understand palace rules, so naturally I wouldn’t know. Lianpin Your Ladyship naturally knows. Since Your Ladyship is so busy, this sister dares not disturb you further and takes her leave!”

Having said this, she moved with light steps, walked around Lianpin, and departed.

Lianpin was so angry her entire body trembled, but having been a palace consort for many years, she understood the gravity of situations and knew that the most urgent matter at this moment was not competing with Qin Shuying, but going to apologize to Consort De.

However, she needed to understand the matter clearly.

“Stop! What are you doing this for? Don’t you know that the Qin residence is your support? Don’t you know that without this palace, the Liu family would never be willing to form a marriage alliance with you? How could someone of Liu Junqing’s caliber want you?”

Using the marriage arrangement to make her back down again?

This marriage arrangement still had its uses—there was no need to make things clear to Lianpin today.

Qin Shuying stopped in her tracks, slowly turned around, a fierce glint flashing in her eyes. With a smile playing at the corners of her lips, her mockery was fully exposed as she said: “Your Ladyship, the Qin residence is my support—do you believe those words yourself?”

Lianpin was stunned. Yes, she and her daughter had schemed to ruin her marriage prospects and seize the silver in her hands—how could that be considered support? It was more like a death warrant.

“Your Ladyship doesn’t even believe the words yourself, yet you expect this sister to believe them—Your Ladyship truly takes this sister for a fool! How did Second Sister die? Has Your Ladyship forgotten so quickly? Has Your Ladyship never dreamed of Second Sister? Using Second Sister’s money while causing Second Sister’s death—does Your Ladyship feel so at peace with this? Does Your Ladyship really think there’s no one in this world who suspects?”

Lianpin’s pupils contracted sharply. She even forgot to use the formal “this palace” and shouted angrily: “Nonsense! Slanderous accusations! Who said Qin Yaoyao was killed by me?”

Qin Shuying smiled lightly, as if this matter didn’t concern her at all: “Whether it’s true or not, Your Ladyship naturally knows in your heart. In any case, besides me, there are others who believe Second Sister’s death is related to you—that’s enough. Even if Your Ladyship killed me, there would still be people in this world who know. Your Ladyship, you truly are a good mother, letting the Sixth Prince bear such an indelible evil reputation. If the Sixth Prince learns in the future that he has such a good mother, he will surely be most—gratified!”

“You—you stop right there!”

No matter how Lianpin roared in fury, Qin Shuying continued walking away.

Lianpin was so angry her chest heaved violently. She staggered and nearly fell to the ground. Fu Qu hastily supported Lianpin.

Qin Shuying’s parting words had dealt her a severe blow.

Qin Yaoyao’s death—Qin Shuying actually knew there were suspicious circumstances? Not only that, but besides Qin Shuying, others knew as well?

“Your Ladyship…”

Han Dan wanted to help support her but didn’t dare approach.

Qin Shuying’s parting words not only surprised her but also made her feel a trace of fear toward Lianpin.

Someone who dared to harm her own cousin, who had actually harmed her own sister before?

Would such a Lianpin show consideration for a mere palace maid like herself?

What she could think of, Lianpin could naturally think of as well. Her gaze turned cold as she looked toward Han Dan: “Han Dan…”

Han Dan knelt on the ground, so frightened she collapsed, then quickly retreated several steps: “No, Your Ladyship, this servant, this servant heard nothing…”

Lianpin took a deep breath, her gaze becoming somewhat gentler: “Han Dan…”

Fu Qu knew what Han Dan was thinking and quickly said: “Han Dan, Your Ladyship has treated you well. Today’s incident was just Your Ladyship being momentarily careless, allowing Seventh Miss to find an opening. Rest assured, Your Ladyship will certainly plead for you before Consort De.”

Han Dan’s mind instantly became much clearer. Could she really learn from Qin Shuying and oppose Lianpin?

Han Dan came to her senses—Fu Qu was guiding her on what to do. She hastily kowtowed to Lianpin: “Your Ladyship, thank you, Your Ladyship! What Seventh Miss said just now was all baseless slander and false accusations against Your Ladyship!”

With Fu Qu’s words, Lianpin’s mind became much clearer. She took a deep breath and forced herself to say: “It’s good that you can see through her malicious intentions. Get up.”

This useless thing! She couldn’t even handle such a small matter properly! But now was not the time to vent on Han Dan, and with Fu Qu beside her, she couldn’t let Fu Qu lose heart.

Han Dan had knelt on the ground for a long time. Gritting her teeth, she slowly got up, not daring to rub her knees.

Lianpin stood for a moment with cold hands and feet. Qin Shuying’s expression—half-smiling, dismissive—floated in her mind, and Lianpin involuntarily shuddered.

Ordinary women, especially those from aristocratic families and official households, all understood the importance of family and the principle of shared glory and shame. Without a wealthy natal family as backing, women naturally couldn’t live affluent lives; without family support, women couldn’t fare well in their husband’s household either.

Therefore, family honor was a woman’s support; family prosperity was a woman’s reliance.

In Qin Shuying’s ice-cold eyes, there was surprisingly no attachment to the Qin residence. When mentioning the Qin residence, her mockery was completely undisguised. She just…

But there was still the Liu family marriage arrangement—she refused to believe she couldn’t control her!

A weak woman who had earned the dislike of her uncle and aunt and was rejected by the Liu family—let’s see how she would struggle! Even if grandmother wanted to protect her, it wouldn’t work! If rejected by the Liu family, mother naturally wouldn’t let her choose a “good” match—that would truly be revenge for today’s humiliation…

Lianpin took a deep breath, driving Qin Shuying’s mocking and cold eyes from her mind. Her voice remained as melodious as an oriole: “Follow me to Delin Palace!”

…

Qin Shuying walked out of the greenhouse, looked up at the brilliant sunlight, and took a deep breath. Only then did the surging emotions in her chest gradually calm down.

She stood in place for a moment, then headed toward Shuangyun Hall.

Why would Lianpin act so brazenly without restraint? How could she not understand? Wasn’t it because she was certain that she couldn’t possibly resist? Under imperial power, who dared disobey?

Imperial power? A mere palace consort dared invoke imperial power? As a palace consort, she faced more restrictions and surveillance than commoners, constrained at every turn, surrounded by traps—there was no need to fear her at all.

What she feared was violence.

Only if someone intended to beat her to death with force would she be truly powerless to resist.

Unfortunately, these people schemed and calculated, all wanting to display their cleverness, but they simply couldn’t calculate her true weaknesses accurately.

After Qin Shuying disappeared for a moment, from a tree adjacent to the greenhouse, in the dense pine canopy, a dead insect fell down.

Upon closer inspection, one could see a young man lying in the tree canopy, pine needles in his mouth, having been watching the direction Qin Shuying had departed.

“Qin Shuying? Ruthless enough! Smart enough!”

This person was none other than Liang Zhe. At this moment, he wore guard’s clothing. Only after Qin Shuying’s figure disappeared from sight did he close his eyes.

In his mind appeared the gentle smile and warm hands of a young girl: “Little brother, why have you been naughty again? Come, sister will help you take off your clothes and wash them.”

…

If his sister had possessed Qin Shuying’s ruthless determination back then, would she not have been framed by others?

No, it wasn’t sister’s fault. Of course, he had never blamed his sister—sister was the person who treated him best in this world.

If that wretched woman hadn’t used him as a threat, how could his sister have been so easily harmed?