The ladies and misses from each branch left contentedly carrying their beautiful brocades. Li Weiyang remained behind. Every afternoon, she would brew a pot of tea for the Old Madam.

The Old Madam was very interested in her past life and would often casually ask how she had lived before.

Li Weiyang spoke in a very relaxed tone about interesting incidents from living with the Li family, but the Old Madam shook her head and said, “Third Girl, you’re not telling the truth.”

Li Weiyang stared at the Old Madam with her clear, bright eyes. After a moment she said, “Does the Old Madam truly want to hear the truth?”

The Old Madam nodded and said, “What I want to hear is the truth.”

Li Weiyang took a deep breath. If the other party wanted to investigate those matters, they could always find out anyway—there was no need to hide it: “I stayed with the Li family until I was seven. When the Prime Minister’s residence delayed sending anyone to bring me back, they sent me to the Zhou family in the countryside. The Zhou family’s matron, Liu Shi, was harsh and often didn’t give me food. At first, being young and ignorant, I would secretly run to the kitchen to steal food, but Liu Shi caught me and beat me viciously.” Li Weiyang rolled up her sleeve, revealing scars on her elbow. “Here, on my back, on my thighs—all have them.”

The Old Madam looked at her in shock, completely unable to imagine: “Didn’t you tell her your birth father was the Prime Minister?”

Li Weiyang smiled slightly. She knew the Old Madam wouldn’t believe it, but it was all true: “I told Liu Shi while crying that my father was a high official in the capital, but she just spat in my face. Living at the Zhou family for six years—in summer I was bitten by mosquitoes and couldn’t sleep; in winter the room was like an ice cellar. The Zhou family’s young daughter rode me like a horse, scraping both my hands and knees raw. From sewing and mending and doing rough work, my fingers are full of needle marks, and my feet are covered in chilblains.” Li Weiyang’s voice wasn’t loud, and her expression wasn’t pitiful either. She didn’t mention the several times she nearly got beaten to death, but in her light tone, a sense of pain, desolation, and helplessness clearly flowed out. The Old Madam and Nanny Luo beside her were completely stunned listening.

The Old Madam instinctively looked at Weiyang’s small hands, pulling them over to examine carefully. Only then did she discover that these fair hands indeed had some scars, just not very obvious, so she hadn’t noticed them before.

Nanny Luo shook her head. Which of the Prime Minister residence’s young ladies didn’t wear fine silks and eat fine food, protected and pampered in every way? Yet Third Miss had lived such a life. After all, she still carried the Prime Minister’s blood, yet was abused by the lowest peasant women.

The Old Madam looked at Weiyang, her heart filling with heartache. She couldn’t imagine how a seven-year-old little girl had endured day by day, how she had grown up day by day. She looked at Li Weiyang and slowly said, “Child, you’ve suffered. I didn’t know before that they treated you so harshly—”

Li Weiyang smiled slightly. In her jet-black pupils, the Old Madam’s face could almost be reflected: “No, these things weren’t suffering. What truly made Weiyang’s heart ache was during the Lantern Festival, when I saw Old Master Li taking his sons and daughters out. I also wanted to hold Father’s hand and act spoiled, I also wanted to watch the lanterns and eat yuanxiao with him, but others cursed at me, saying I was a wild child without father or mother.”

Li Weiyang didn’t cry, because some things—crying and making a fuss won’t get them for you. This principle, she had understood from a very young age.

The Old Madam gently held Li Weiyang’s hand and slowly said, “Child, you’ve come home. From now on, no one will ever bully you again.”

What the Old Madam said, the emotion in her eyes—it was all genuine. Li Weiyang quietly tightened her grip on her hand. Yes, now she had returned. From this day forward, no one could bully her anymore! If being a good person meant getting bullied, then in this life she would only be a villain!

The Old Madam smiled, her eyes revealing a trace of genuine care: “Silly child, I live here all alone and it’s very lonely. Come keep me company often.”

Li Weiyang knew that when the Old Madam said these words, it was the greatest guarantee for her future life!

Returning to her own courtyard, Ziyan hurriedly came forward to greet her. Li Weiyang glanced over—Huamei was in the outer room, using a feather duster to dust the gray off the redwood carved screen. Without stopping her steps, she quickly entered the inner room.

Baizhi and Mozhu each held two bolts of brocade in their hands, all exceptionally beautiful, making people feel delighted just looking at them.

Li Weiyang had the two maids place all the brocades on the table, then had Mozhu go out, leaving only Baizhi to keep her company. Then she reached out to feel the delicate, beautiful brocade, two words bursting from her lips: “Tear them!”

Baizhi didn’t react immediately and stood there frozen.

Li Weiyang looked at her and said coolly, “Why are you standing there stupidly? Tear them up.”

Though Baizhi was extremely shocked, she still did as told and walked over. Picking up a bolt of brocade, she pulled out the hairpin from her head and made a cut, then pulled with both hands to the sides. The beautiful brocade was destroyed into two halves.

Sunlight streamed through the latticed window framed by winter plum blossoms, casting mottled shadows and illuminating the beautiful brocades on the table. Listening to the silk’s tearing groans, a faint smile appeared at the corners of Li Weiyang’s lips.

Baizhi loyally carried out Li Weiyang’s orders. Soon, these brocades had been destroyed beyond recognition, with very little remaining.

But having destroyed them, Baizhi became very afraid: “Miss, these were sent by the eldest young master, to be worn during New Year’s. What if…”

Li Weiyang blinked and said, “Baizhi, go find a chest and lock these brocades up properly.”

Baizhi immediately curtsied and went down: “Yes, this servant understands.”

However, Baizhi was still puzzled in her heart. What use was there in locking up these torn brocades?

At this time, Huamei, using the excuse of going out to fetch washing clothes, had already quietly arrived at Fu’an Courtyard. She was very apprehensive, because she had bungled the assignment last time.

The First Madam showed no intention of blaming her at all, instead smiling and saying, “Huamei, I instructed you to take good care of Third Miss.”

Huamei relaxed slightly. Good thing the First Madam wasn’t angry. Nanny Lin walked up and gently gripped her hand, saying softly, “Do you understand the Madam’s meaning?”

Huamei’s heart jumped, and she hurriedly nodded.

Nanny Lin paused, then slowly said, “The Madam can forgive you once, but absolutely not a second time!”

Huamei felt Nanny Lin’s hand reach into her waist, like a small water snake rubbing against her smooth skin. Huamei cried out softly, urgently wanting to jump away, but Nanny Lin pinched a small piece of flesh at her waist and twisted it viciously. Her sharp fingernails nearly embedded into the flesh, forcefully yanking hard. Huamei screamed in pain, her whole body shaking: “Yes! Yes! This servant will definitely watch Third Miss closely!”

The red coral prayer beads in the First Madam’s hands turned round and round. With kind brows and gentle eyes, she smiled.