As a result, both sides reached a stalemate.

Li Xiaoran frowned, finding both sides difficult—

The Old Madam stared at Li Weiyang, looking thoughtful, and couldn’t help but sigh.

In the end, Li Xiaoran slowly said: “Changle, first help your mother up.”

Li Weiyang’s heart suddenly became cold and desolate. At this moment, she already understood Li Xiaoran’s decision.

Li Xiaoran’s brow and eyes carried regret: “Weiyang, today in this matter, you acted too rashly. You shouldn’t have beaten your cousin without asking the reason. He is the Duchess of Weiguo’s only son. Your father must give an explanation to the Marquis of Bochang—”

In his words, he never once mentioned that note, nor did he mention Li Changle. He only said Li Weiyang had wrongly beaten someone, clearly intending to push all the blame onto her, while turning a blind eye to the chief culprit—Li Weiyang didn’t believe her father knew nothing of what Li Changle had done. He was merely protecting her.

She raised her head and slowly said: “How does Father wish to punish Weiyang?”

Li Changle’s face simultaneously revealed uncontainable joy. Father was ultimately still on her side!

Li Xiaoran looked at Weiyang with slight guilt and was just about to speak when he suddenly saw a young man running wildly toward them. Upon arriving, he knelt down with a thud, actually kneeling beside Li Weiyang, shoulder to shoulder with her.

Li Changle was startled and hurriedly stepped forward to pull him up: “Third Brother, what are you doing now? Quickly get up.”

Li Minde pushed away her hand and said loudly: “Uncle, if you must punish someone, please punish Minde. Earlier, I told Third Sister that there was an extremely rare cuckoo bird here, which is why she came to this garden. Later, cousin startled away my cuckoo bird. I spoke a few words in displeasure, and cousin became angry and pushed me heavily.” He raised his head, revealing a bloody wound on his forehead that had been hidden by his hair. Blood slowly flowed down along his fingers, blurring that extremely beautiful face, truly inexpressibly pitiful.

The Old Madam cried out in alarm: “Minde, your head is injured?!”

Li Minde’s pair of eyes, black and bright as pearls, gazed at Li Xiaoran: “Uncle, Third Sister thought I was injured and thus misunderstood cousin as a thief. If Uncle must investigate, please don’t pursue others—only punish me alone!” Having finished speaking, he kowtowed heavily, making loud thumping sounds.

Li Weiyang’s expression shook violently. She had persisted like this merely to force her father to recognize that this matter was orchestrated by his most beloved daughter Li Changle. But now she finally understood just how severe her father’s bias was! She hadn’t expected that at this critical moment, only this child would be willing to come out and help her.

At the time, everyone had been far away, and no one had seen clearly whether Li Minde was present. With this consistently well-behaved third branch young master testifying, how could anyone believe the testimony of Gao Jin, who was the perpetrator? But—the wound on Minde’s head…

The First Madam’s complexion turned somewhat greenish: “Weiyang, since the matter is like this, why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Li Weiyang clenched her fists, finally lowered her eyes, and said obediently: “Third Brother was beaten and injured—he was truly frightened. I had someone send him back first. Just now, learning cousin’s identity, I was afraid involving Third Brother would cause discord between the two families. Moreover, Father is upright and Mother is compassionate—they absolutely wouldn’t punish their daughter over such a small matter. That’s why I concealed it.”

With these words spoken, the First Madam was nearly angered to the point of vomiting blood by Li Weiyang, unable to conceal the icy coldness in her gaze.

Li Xiaoran stood frozen in place, actually not knowing for a moment how to react. The Old Madam stood up, personally walked over, and helped Weiyang up: “Silly child, you stepped forward to protect your younger brother. Not only can you not be blamed for this matter, you should be rewarded.” Having finished speaking, she removed the jade green prayer bead bracelet from her hand and placed it on Weiyang’s wrist. “The Li family will not wrong a child who understands righteousness.”

With one sentence from the Old Madam, the matter was settled.

Li Weiyang raised her eyes and said earnestly: “Thank you, Old Madam, for standing up for Weiyang.”

Li Xiaoran was somewhat embarrassed and didn’t quite dare look at the gaze Li Weiyang cast toward him. He went forward to help Li Minde up: “Quickly stand up.”

Who knew that before Li Minde could stand firmly, his vision suddenly blurred and he toppled backward.

In the back garden, screams immediately rang out.

Li Minde was sent back to the Third Madam’s quarters. Inside the room, a physician was applying medicine to Li Minde. The Third Madam’s expression was tense as she said urgently: “Doctor, how serious is my son’s injury?”

The physician turned and bowed: “Reporting to Third Madam, the young master has no serious problems. He only needs to recuperate for a while and will recover. However…”

“However what?”

“However, his forehead will likely leave a scar.”

Li Weiyang was stunned, and an inexplicable feeling of sourness rose in her heart.

Minde was just an innocent child with such beautiful features—his future prospects were limitless… yet he had been injured because of her.

Not until the physician had finished prescribing medicine and left did Li Weiyang couldn’t help but step forward and say: “Third Aunt, thank you.”

The Third Madam turned around, shook her head, and said: “It wasn’t me.”

Her face carried a strange expression. Li Weiyang was startled, then looked toward Li Minde, only to see him smile at her, revealing a mouthful of snow-white teeth: “This wound—I did it to myself.”

Li Weiyang was shocked.

The wet nurse beside them wiped away tears and said softly: “When Third Young Master heard you were being made difficult for, he immediately thought of this plan. This servant hadn’t even had time to stop him before he smashed his own head with a stone. The force he used was so fierce—”

Li Minde, however, smiled very adorably, with some cunning in his smile: “If I hadn’t done this, they would have pursued Third Sister endlessly!”

Only by making Gao Jin the villain could she escape blame. It wasn’t that Li Weiyang had no way to clear herself. She only wanted to force Li Xiaoran to recognize the truth. But she hadn’t expected that a child would actually go to this extent for her!

Seeing Li Weiyang’s expression change repeatedly, Li Minde deeply feared she was uneasy and hurriedly said: “Third Sister, don’t worry—it doesn’t hurt at all!”

Such a large wound—how could it not hurt? Li Weiyang secretly clenched her hands but said: “But the doctor said it might leave a scar…” Li Minde smiled brilliantly: “I’m a boy—leaving a scar doesn’t matter!”

Li Weiyang couldn’t describe that complex feeling in her heart. She only stood dazed for a long time, finally squeezed the Third Madam’s hand, said nothing, and turned to leave.

The Third Madam watched her retreating figure and sighed: “You foolish child, your Third Sister is no fool. She already had a way to extricate herself. With you rushing out like this, you’ve instead created many problems.”

Li Minde’s pair of beautiful eyes flickered: “I know Third Sister definitely had a way, but if she was going to use the self-injury stratagem, it’s better if I use it—it’s more effective!”

With these words spoken, the Third Madam was struck speechless.

Outside, Li Weiyang descended the steps, her expression somber the whole way. Bai Zhi said carefully: “Miss—”

Li Weiyang shook her head and looked toward that rainbow on the horizon, but her eyes flickered with clear, sharp light. After this battle, she already understood—defeating Li Changle wasn’t difficult, but to defeat the pearl in her father’s palm, she must definitely take an unconventional approach!