The First Madam’s expression had already recovered its calm. Looking this way, she was still the graceful and dignified First Madam. She coldly rebuked Nanny Lin: “I didn’t trust others to do it, so I specifically entrusted it to you! I gave you a thousand instructions and ten thousand reminders to hurry and send the new clothes over! How are you performing your duties? Weiyang is our Li family’s Third Miss, the dignified daughter of the Prime Minister. How can you people be so negligent toward her! Look at her clothes—making her wear such clothes out—what is the meaning of this! You clearly want to sow discord between us mother and daughter, making others condemn me as a mother for being harsh to her!”

Li Weiyang listened, her face very respectful, but sneering coldly in her heart. As expected of the First Madam—every sentence pierced the heart. She could have said these words herself, but if she had, the First Madam would have lost all face before everyone. When the First Madam said them, however, it was equivalent to letting Nanny Lin take the blame.

Nanny Lin immediately caught on, kneeling on the ground crying and admitting her mistake, saying she had been careless for a moment. The clothes had been made long ago, but she had never had them sent over—it was her dereliction of duty and so on. In her heart, she secretly regretted it. Though the First Madam had superficially ordered clothes made for Third Miss, she knew that the First Madam was merely putting on a show. She was still unhappy about Eldest Miss being implicated last time—how could she truly make any clothes for Li Weiyang! She was probably still waiting these past days for Li Weiyang to come beg for mercy. Who knew it would be exposed to Old Madam!

This Third Miss looked soft, but actually was a troublemaker! And she was extremely clever too! If she were a bit stupider and went to the First Madam for justice, she would only lose face. But she deliberately chose when the second branch was here to bring it before Old Madam. This time, the First Madam had no choice but to break her teeth and swallow them!

“Go apologize to Third Miss now!” Li Changle scolded.

Her appearance was beautiful, so even her speech was gentle and amiable. But listening in Li Weiyang’s ears, it was unspeakably hypocritical and detestable. She was different from Li Changxi and the others. They tried every means to please the First Madam to secure a good marriage in the future. But Li Weiyang understood too clearly—the First Madam would only sell them off one by one, turning them into stepping stones for Li Changle!

After the performance, Nanny Lin came forward to kneel and apologize to Li Weiyang: “Third Miss, it was all this servant’s momentary negligence that made you suffer grievance. This servant will immediately have new clothes sent to you. I absolutely guarantee they will suit your taste.”

Li Weiyang seemed startled and quickly stepped back, looking at the First Madam: “Mother, this… actually…” Her words came extremely slowly, as if she wanted to plead for Nanny Lin, but the words never came out.

The First Madam responded very gently: “Weiyang, don’t worry. Mother is here for everything. If the household short-changes you in any way in the future, Mother will naturally deal with these lazy servants for you!”

Li Weiyang curtsied gratefully: “Thank you, Mother. I leave everything to Mother’s judgment.” However, she understood very clearly that after today’s scene, at least on the surface, no one would dare slight her again!

Meng Shi observed Li Weiyang for a while, then beckoned to her: “Come here, child.”

Li Weiyang walked over. Meng Shi waved to Nanny Luo and smiled: “You’ve been here for a month. I have something to give you.”

Nanny Luo understood. Soon she brought out a small carved box. Opening it, it was full of jewelry. Li Changxi glanced and saw that the crabapple flower wealth hairpin she had long begged Meng Shi for was also inside. That hairpin was finely carved, with the crabapple flowers carved on it crystal clear and transparent, worth quite a lot. She had pestered Old Madam about it for who knows how long without any response, yet today it was given to Li Weiyang! Her eyes immediately filled with jealous hatred, glaring at Li Weiyang as if trying to draw blood!

Li Weiyang was also surprised. She hadn’t expected Old Madam to give her this box. Immediately a warm current surged in her heart. By doing this, Grandmother was clearly telling everyone that she held Li Weiyang, this granddaughter, in her heart!

In Li Weiyang’s heart at this moment, she was truly full of gratitude toward Old Madam. Not only had she not blamed her for her actions, she was even covertly backing her up. She said no more, only kneeled down and deeply kowtowed to Old Madam: “Thank you, Old Madam. Your grace—this granddaughter will remember in her heart.”

With just one sentence, Meng Shi knew that Li Weiyang had understood her meaning, and couldn’t help but reveal a faint smile.

The First Madam’s expression in that instant became impossibly rigid. Wen Shi at the side saw it with her eyes and laughed in her heart. At any time, she was happy to do things that caused trouble for the First Madam. So she immediately pulled out a pure gold phoenix hairpin from her own hair and stuffed it into Weiyang’s hand: “Here, this is from Second Aunt. Good child, take it.”

Li Weiyang accepted it with an embarrassed expression on her face. Turning to look at the First Madam, she saw her face had turned green with anger. This time, however, it wasn’t directed at Li Weiyang but at Wen Shi. Wen Shi didn’t care at all and laughed even more heartily.

Li Changle had already recovered her composure and coughed lightly. The First Madam immediately reacted, looking directly at Li Weiyang. She put on an air of complete indifference and magnanimity, smiling lovingly: “Good daughter, come here! Mother has long prepared a gift for you. Since it’s today, let me give it to you together.”

Previously, the First Madam had also bestowed some seemingly valuable furnishings on Li Weiyang that were actually completely useless. Now seeing Old Madam set this precedent, and with Wen Shi pressing her, she had no choice but to put on a show.

With so many eyes watching, the First Madam had to suppress her anger. She pulled off the pair of mutton-fat white jade bracelets from her own wrist and painfully placed them on Li Weiyang’s wrist: “These are good items from the palace of the previous dynasty. Keep them well.”

Li Weiyang had been an empress before. She could recognize these gold and jade objects at a glance. Jiang Shi hadn’t lied—this gift was indeed quite valuable. She smiled slightly: “Thank you, Mother.”

The First Madam’s mouth was almost twisted with anger, but she still forced a smile: “What are you thanking me for? You silly child!”

Li Changxi looked at her almost with venomous resentment, a trace of sarcasm at the corner of her lips: “Weiyang, you’ve really struck it rich! Mother was saving these bracelets for Elder Sister, and today she’s given them all to you!”

Hearing this, Li Weiyang immediately tried to remove them embarrassedly: “Is that so? Then Weiyang cannot accept them!”

How could the First Madam let her take them off? She immediately glared fiercely at Li Changxi, then turned her head and put on a warm smile again, patting Li Weiyang’s hand: “Silly child, you are equally my heart’s treasure. What’s wrong with giving them to you! Accept them quickly, or you’ll seem petty!”

Seeing the First Madam’s appearance of saying one thing but meaning another, Li Weiyang felt very pleased inside, but kept saying: “Then I thank Mother!”

Li Changxi was so angry her eyes went straight. Li Changle, however, lightly turned her eyes away, looking at the bronze censer with lotus petal and pearl patterns inlaid with silver on the windowsill. In her heart she thought that Fifth Sister was after all an illegitimate daughter. Mother had raised her for so long, yet she still couldn’t appear in refined company. What did a pair of bracelets amount to? Today Old Madam clearly gave Li Weiyang face. Could Mother actually oppose her? Wouldn’t that just give the second branch an opportunity to laugh at them!

When Li Weiyang left, Nanny Luo chased after her to the corridor, smiling: “Third Miss, Old Madam said from now on, she requests you to come here every day to prepare tea for her. Do you have the time?”

Li Weiyang quickly said: “What is Nanny Luo saying? Showing filial piety to Old Madam is only proper.”

Seeing her obedience, Nanny Luo smiled slightly. It wasn’t in vain that Old Madam elevated her—she was a sensible one.

When Li Weiyang returned to her room and opened the box Old Madam had given her, she discovered there was another layer at the bottom. Lifting the red silk, she saw ten ingots of shining white silver.

Ziyan exclaimed, almost unable to speak.

Li Weiyang’s hand paused. All the other rewards were false—they couldn’t be sold or given to servants as rewards. Only silver was most important. Old Madam clearly knew she had performed a scene today, yet still quietly gave her silver… Why?