In this weather, forcing flowers to bloom with warm air was nothing unusual. Li Weiyang frowned as she watched Mozhu direct people to carry in the crabapple. One glance at this crabapple revealed it was a famous variety. The unopened crabapple buds were bright red, like dots of rouge, while most of the already blooming flowers nodded high and low in scattered arrangement, with varying depths of color. The leaves also complemented it well—tender green, bright, and delicate, truly like emerald hair and vermillion countenance, giving one the feeling of suddenly encountering absolute beauty.

Crabapple flowers—her most beloved flower in her previous life.

In the imperial palace of that time, crabapples had been planted everywhere. Back then, she thought the brilliant crabapples symbolized Tuoba Zhen’s care and cherishing of her. Later she learned that crabapple flowers were actually also called heartbreak flowers, truly inauspicious things that Tuoba Zhen actually extremely detested. It was all just an act. That he would send crabapple flowers today was truly exquisite irony.

Mozhu said: “The Third Prince said famous flowers match beauties. Today he inadvertently disturbed all the young misses, so he borrows flowers to offer to Buddha, as a modest apology. To the eldest miss he sent peonies, to the second miss roses, to the fourth miss jasmine, and to the fifth miss—”

Seeing Li Weiyang’s expression, Mozhu fell silent.

Looking at the crabapples blooming like raging fire, Li Weiyang unconsciously reached out her hand and lightly brushed past the most abundantly blooming flower. After standing silently for a long while, she stiffly raised her hand and plucked the most beautiful bloom. That flower’s color was extremely vivid and red—under the candlelight, it was like fresh blood. Her hand slowly clenched tight. The petals twisted in her palm, then she threw it down viciously. Flower petals shattered all over the ground.

Mozhu looked at this scene in surprise. Li Weiyang said: “The wind was strong tonight and froze the crabapples.”

Mozhu understood and lowered her head: “Yes.”

Bai Zhi couldn’t help but feel alarmed. What exactly was the miss thinking? They couldn’t fathom it at all…

**Fu’an Courtyard**

As soon as the Great Madam returned to her room, she immediately dismissed everyone and said sternly: “Kneel down!”

Li Changle was startled. She had never seen her mother with such a severe expression and nearly forgot to move until Nanny Lin reminded her, and only then did she kneel down.

“Do you know what you did wrong today?”

As soon as Li Changle heard her mother’s words, she immediately realized this was about today’s matter of framing Li Weiyang with her elder brother. Knowing she was angry about being kept in the dark, she lowered her head and said nothing.

“Do you know that all these years I’ve carefully cultivated you, held you in the palm of my hand, made your name known throughout the world—what was it all for!”

Li Changle suddenly raised her head and said: “I know Mother loves me. Since that’s the case, why won’t you help your daughter vent this grievance instead of allowing that little wretch to climb above my head!”

The Great Madam’s anger could not be contained: “You foolish girl! How have I normally taught you! With your status, how can you stoop to the level of a mere concubine’s daughter! Are you trying to anger me to death?!”

Li Changle turned her face away, tears brimming and about to fall, but she simply refused to admit her error.

The Great Madam was so angry her heart was assaulted with rage, and she nearly fainted. Seeing the situation was bad, Nanny Lin quickly came up to help regulate her breathing and poured a cup of water. After the Great Madam drank a mouthful, she finally calmed down: “Changle, do you still not understand your mission even now?”

Li Changle was startled and felt somewhat at a loss.

The Great Madam sighed and personally went up to help her rise, sitting her on a soft couch to the side, and said softly: “Foolish child, from the very beginning, our entire family’s hope has rested on you.”

Li Changle’s beautiful eyes took on a layer of confusion.

The Great Madam said: “You are the Li family’s most beautiful and intelligent daughter. Think about it—why have we been so strict with you from childhood? Why did we require you to be proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, supervising you even in bitter winter and scorching summer, never letting you slack off?”

Li Changle’s long lashes trembled once: “Because Father and Mother had high expectations for me?”

The Great Madam’s smile was somewhat mysterious: “Have you ever thought about why, though you’re as beautiful as a celestial being, we rarely let you appear in public? Have you ever thought about why, though matchmakers have worn down the Li Manor’s threshold, we refused to let you marry? Have you ever thought about why, no matter what you say or do, your father has never reproached you harshly, loving you as always?”

Li Changle’s face showed increasing bewilderment.

The Great Madam sighed and stroked her long hair, saying: “At this point, you still don’t understand? From the very beginning, we already decided to have you enter the palace, to make you Empress, to have you be the mother of the realm, to make the Li family’s power and influence unshakeable.”

Li Changle was completely stunned: “But His Majesty the current Emperor has already…”

The Great Madam smiled: “Foolish child, His Majesty is already old, but he still has sons. Most importantly, his sons are all excellent, all remarkable, and most are around your age. One day, one of them will ascend to the imperial throne, and you need only quietly wait for that opportunity to arrive.”

Nanny Lin lowered her head. So this was the scheme the Madam had been calculating in her heart.

The Great Madam smiled slightly and said: “Think about it—an Empress must be from a famous family, a noble and dignified lady. So we cultivated you according to all the qualities an Empress should possess.”

“But… but I—” Though Li Changle had already vaguely guessed her parents’ plan, this was the first time she truly heard the Great Madam personally admit it, so she couldn’t help but be somewhat shocked.

“An Empress’s birth must be noble, but she also cannot be from a powerful minister who threatens His Majesty’s throne. So though your father is the Prime Minister, he has always concealed his abilities, adhered to the art of moderation, and refused to easily cultivate partisan followers, always conforming to His Majesty’s sacred will at all times. Others mock your father as timid as a mouse, but this is the true way of being a minister. Those who stick out, who think themselves invincible—they will all ultimately be eliminated. Now, do you understand why today, no matter how things turned out, your father suppressed the matter with all his strength and refused to reproach you too harshly?”

As Li Changle listened, a trace of pride slowly appeared on her face, but very quickly, her face fell again: “But I still don’t want to watch that little wretch be smug!”

The Great Madam furrowed her brows. Thinking that her daughter was still young and didn’t understand after all, she gave guidance: “Though I detest her, I’ve been holding back and haven’t made a move. Do you know why?”

A thought turned in Li Changle’s mind, and she said hesitantly: “Mother, are you waiting for an opportunity?”

The Great Madam smiled: “Not too stupid after all. When dealing with enemies, if you cannot strike with certainty, then you must wait for the right moment. Your grandmother currently dotes on that girl. If we rush headlong to court misfortune, we’ll only end up covered in filth. Haven’t you noticed? Though your father didn’t reproach you, he was disappointed in you!”

Li Changle was startled and murmured: “Disappointed?”

The Great Madam sighed and said: “You are indeed the Li family’s most outstanding daughter, but you are not the only daughter. If you keep disappointing your father, he will only gradually give up on you.” She suddenly thought, “Li Weiyang might be step by step forcing your father to…”

Li Changle bit her teeth: “I don’t believe it. Father has cultivated me for so many years—how could he bear to give up!”