Three days later, Second Branch Miss Li Changru couldn’t wait to wear her new clothes. The golden sparrow brocade jacket shimmered with flickering lights of lapis lazuli and spring onion green. An auspicious cloud phoenix settled on her skirt hem, and as she walked, the colors shifted, actually reflecting five radiant hues. She was even more gorgeous than usual by three parts. When she came to Hexiang Courtyard to pay respects, everyone felt their eyes suddenly brighten.

Li Changle, holding the mandarin duck cat, had just arrived in the courtyard. Seeing Li Changru walking over radiating brilliance, her complexion instantly became very ugly.

Li Weiyang had arrived a step ahead of both of them and watched this scene from afar, couldn’t help but smile slightly. What this noble legitimate elder sister took most pride in was her appearance. Because of this, she always felt she was the most beautiful woman, stubbornly believing that all the most beautiful and best things should belong to her. So when Li Changru wore the beautiful garment made from brocade snatched from her hands, Li Changle’s face turned iron-blue for an instant, completely at odds with her usual kind and magnanimous fairy-like image.

Li Weiyang walked directly to the corridor. The Old Madam loved raising birds, but her most beloved was a red-feathered parrot kept at her door. It was said that the Prime Minister’s residence once had thieves, and this talking parrot had raised the alarm, saving the Old Madam’s life. So now the Old Madam treasured it like her very lifeline.

The parrot was in a boxwood carved birdcage. Seeing Li Weiyang approach, it tilted its head to look at her, making a series of chirping and cooing sounds.

Li Weiyang smiled at Luzhi, the senior maid specially responsible for caring for the parrot, took the plum-dotted underglaze color pointed-foot feeding cup, and fed the parrot some water, coaxing, “Second Miss so beautiful! Second Miss so beautiful!”

Luzhi looked at the Second Miss in the distance and also nodded, “Yes, Second Miss’s new clothes are truly gorgeous!”

The parrot also flapped its wings: “So beautiful! Second Miss! So beautiful!”

Li Weiyang smiled faintly and lifted the curtain to go inside.

Li Changle and Li Changru walked over one after another. The maid was about to lift the curtain for them when Li Changle suddenly heard a flutter above her head, followed by a cry: “Second Miss so beautiful! Second Miss so beautiful!” The voice was sharp and tender. In that moment of silence, it became exceptionally clear. Li Changle heard the parrot’s cries cutting like a dull knife toward the composure she had worked so hard to maintain.

The parrot was tactless, shrieking again and again, accompanied by the sound of flapping wings. The mandarin duck cat in Li Changle’s arms suddenly meowed and lunged fiercely at the parrot in the cage.

Luzhi cried out in alarm and quickly used a pole to take down the birdcage, rushing to protect it in her arms. The mandarin duck cat pounced on her leg and meowed several more times, refusing to leave, staring fixedly at the parrot.

But the parrot still called out: “Second Miss truly beautiful!”

“Shh—” Luzhi hurriedly protected it: “If you keep making noise, the cat will snatch your tongue away.”

The parrot was extremely intelligent. Hearing these words, it was frightened into silence, perching in her embrace trembling.

Li Changle suppressed her anger and picked up the mandarin duck cat: “Good kitty, don’t make a fuss.” With that, she entered with a smile on her face, as if nothing had just happened.

When paying respects, though the Old Madam’s expression was normal, Li Weiyang knew that not speaking didn’t mean the Old Madam didn’t know about the scene that had occurred in the courtyard this morning.

Returning from paying respects at the Old Madam’s courtyard, Li Weiyang looked at Ziyan: “Did anything happen in the courtyard?”

Ziyan lowered her eyes and said, “Apart from Huamei going to collect tea leaves, no one else went out.” Then she added another sentence: “Huamei returned in about half a shichen.”

Ziyan had finally caught on. After hearing this, Li Weiyang smiled lightly: “Go, call her over.”

Ziyan hesitated: “Miss, whatever instructions you have, let this servant do it instead.”

“You won’t do. Today I want to perform a great play. How can I not have a good actor?” Li Weiyang smiled faintly: “Go call her over.”

Ziyan obediently went out to call Huamei.

Li Weiyang lowered her head, only drinking tea, quietly waiting.

Before long, Ziyan brought Huamei in. Li Weiyang didn’t even lift her eyelids.

Huamei had always been guarded against by Ziyan, with few opportunities to enter the inner room. Now suddenly being called in by the young miss, she felt uncomfortable all over. Originally she hadn’t feared Li Weiyang. Though she was just a maid, she had the First Madam backing her. No matter how much Third Miss disliked her, she couldn’t do anything about it. However, since that incident last time, she genuinely felt that Third Miss was… somewhat sinister, leaving her feeling unsettled.

Li Weiyang raised her head and said with a smile, “Huamei, from today on, you help me manage my jewelry and clothes.”

This was an important task in the young miss’s quarters. Ziyan was startled, then her lips moved. Seeing Baizhi’s calm expression beside her, she held back from speaking.

Huamei looked at Li Weiyang in great surprise.

Li Weiyang continued, “Baizhi, hand over my most important chests to Huamei and have her manage them well.”

“Yes.” Baizhi immediately turned to go.

Huamei’s face instantly bloomed with smiles. Third Miss feared the First Madam, which was why she was entrusting her with important duties. Hmph, in the end she’s just concubine-born—she still has to act according to her legitimate mother’s mood!

Baizhi successively brought out three chests and said to Huamei, “You must keep these three chests safe—there cannot be the slightest mishap.”

Huamei smiled joyfully and snatched the keys from Baizhi’s hands, saying repeatedly, “That’s only natural! Miss, rest assured!”

Before Huamei could check the chests, the people sent by the Old Madam to measure Third Miss for clothes arrived. Huamei proudly carried out that chest, then opened it, only to hear Baizhi say angrily, “Huamei! How could you watch things like this!”

Huamei froze and looked down, only to see that the brocades in the chest had long been in complete disarray, covered all over with cat claw marks. They were all—completely ruined! The color drained completely from Huamei’s face in an instant! She immediately knelt on the ground: “Third Miss… this servant… this servant doesn’t know what happened!”

Li Weiyang frowned and stood up: “First detain Huamei!”

Huamei immediately lunged forward trying to grab Li Weiyang’s skirt hem, but was caught by the arm by Baizhi: “Didn’t you hear what Miss said?!”

Huamei viciously shook her off and shouted at Li Weiyang’s retreating back: “Third Miss, you cannot deal with me arbitrarily!”

Li Weiyang didn’t look back: “Then I’ll wait until I’ve reported this to the Old Madam and Mother!”

Walking all the way to Hexiang Garden, Li Weiyang entered the room without stopping, tears flashing in her eyes: “Old Madam, Weiyang’s brocades have all been destroyed by the cat…”

The Old Madam was drinking tea in the hall. Hearing these words, she immediately frowned. Just as she was about to speak, Luzhi suddenly stumbled in from outside: “Disaster, Old Madam! The parrot…”

The Old Madam abruptly stood up, and the teacup in her hand shattered to pieces!