Tuoba Zhen’s heart stirred, and he smiled: “Third Young Miss is today’s banquet’s guest of honor. Why have you run here to hide in leisure?”

Li Weiyang lazily raised her hand to arrange the loose hair by her temples and smiled charmingly: “Elder Sister will surely shine brilliantly at the banquet. If I blocked her path, that would truly be a crime deserving ten thousand deaths!”

“What are you saying?” Tuoba Zhen was somewhat surprised, though his face still bore a warm smile. “Today’s banquet is not being held for the First Young Miss.”

Li Weiyang smiled lightly: “Today, the Third Imperial Prince comes in name to congratulate me, but in reality you merely want to weigh my sister’s and my positions in Father’s heart, is that not so?”

“You…” Tuoba Zhen hadn’t expected her to be so blunt. His heart was secretly alarmed, though the smile on his face remained perfect.

Li Weiyang raised her eyebrows casually and looked at him: “Third Imperial Highness need not trouble yourself. Although I helped His Majesty and Father solve a difficult problem, in Father’s heart I will forever be just an insignificant concubine-born daughter. This title of County Princess Anping is merely nice to hear in name only. Elder Sister is different—she has Father’s devoted love, has a grandfather and uncle who hold military power, and of course, incomparable beauty. She is the one most useful to you.”

Her delicate face bore not the slightest emotion, yet her eyes always carried a mocking expression. This scene reflecting in Tuoba Zhen’s eyes suddenly stirred an unusual feeling within him.

This woman could see through his thoughts at a glance. He smiled: “It seems you are a rare person of understanding.”

Li Weiyang’s gaze still looked at him, yet seemed to penetrate through him to see something else—indifferent and cold.

Living a second life, she slowly came to understand—though Li Changle possessed peerless beauty, Prime Minister Li’s full support and the Jiang family’s military power were what Tuoba Zhen, newly ascended to the throne, valued most. This man not only had ambition and courage, but also unparalleled patience. He performed for her for eight years, right up until he had squeezed out every last bit of her remaining value.

Tuoba Zhen stared at her. Honestly speaking, Li Weiyang was fairly pretty, but compared to Li Changle she still fell far short. Moreover, when facing him, she lacked a woman’s charming gentleness and possessed more strength and coldness. He sighed softly: “You seem to have found me detestable from our very first meeting…”

The corners of Li Weiyang’s lips curved up as she said lazily: “Your Highness misunderstands. You and I are merely casual acquaintances—where would any detestation come from?”

Tuoba Zhen couldn’t help but be stunned. He realized he was increasingly unable to understand this young woman, unable even to fathom half her thoughts.

This feeling was truly uncomfortable.

He said indifferently: “You must attend today’s banquet. Even if you are merely Li Changle’s foil, you still must go. Because the Crown Prince has a gift he wants to present to you before everyone. If you don’t go, it will be equivalent to defying the Crown Prince’s wishes.”

He thought Li Weiyang would still find excuses to decline, but Li Weiyang stood up accordingly, saying with a smile: “Thank you for the reminder, Third Imperial Highness.” With that, she headed toward the banquet.

Bai Zhi curtsied to Tuoba Zhen and quickly followed to leave.

Tuoba Zhen was startled, then stared coldly at Li Weiyang’s retreating figure for a long while before letting out a cold laugh.

At the banquet, Li Changle was chatting and laughing merrily with the noble young ladies around her, while the madams nearby were talking quietly.

Madam Dong from the Marquis of Hechang’s household, about forty years old and adorned with jewels and treasures, smiled lightly at the First Madam: “Wasn’t this banquet said to be prepared for the Third Young Miss? Why don’t we see her here?”

The First Madam smiled without speaking. It was right for Li Weiyang not to come. Compared to Li Changle, all the women here were eclipsed. Why would she invite such humiliation upon herself?

After the last incident, the Duchess of Wei had come to hate Li Weiyang. She covered her mouth with a handkerchief and laughed, her face full of mockery: “A little girl raised in the countryside who knows nothing of music, chess, calligraphy, or painting, and understands no etiquette either—if I were Prime Minister Li, I would hide this concubine-born daughter away to avoid embarrassment before others!”

Madam Dong covered her mouth lightly with her hand and laughed softly: “That may be so, but she is now County Princess Anping, and I hear even the Empress Dowager regards her with new eyes!”

The Duchess of Wei sneered: “County Princess Anping—with no fief and no stipend, what kind of County Princess is that! It’s just His Majesty’s way of appeasing her for Prime Minister Li’s sake. Such a foolish girl! In such an occasion, she’s right not to come, lest she become a laughingstock.”

Suddenly Madam Dong stopped laughing and pointed at a graceful figure ahead, exclaiming in surprise: “That, that is?”

The First Madam looked in the direction Madam Dong pointed and the next second couldn’t help but furrow her brow.

Everyone stared wide-eyed at Li Weiyang, their expressions full of surprise.

Because Li Weiyang now held the status of County Princess, madams and young ladies without rank had to bow to her when they saw her. She smiled faintly and returned each courtesy. Her movements were not only flawless but also carried a fullness of elegance and noble bearing. Even the smile on her face was perfectly appropriate, which made everyone even more astonished.

“Isn’t she from the countryside?”

“This bearing doesn’t seem like it at all! Look at those movements—flowing like clouds and water. Even imperial consorts and princesses are merely this!”

The First Madam was speechless. Her gaze stuck tightly to Li Weiyang as if she didn’t recognize her. She couldn’t understand at all why Li Weiyang looked not like a wild country girl but like a nobly-born princess!

Madam Dong looked at Li Weiyang. Though this child’s appearance couldn’t compare to Li Changle’s beauty, her words and actions were calm as water, elegant and composed—compared to the First Young Miss, she possessed a different flavor.

Excessive beauty always made people uneasy, while Li Weiyang was just right—pleasing to the eye yet not threatening. Her eyes were very clear, and her smile somewhat sweet. In this regard, her affability far surpassed her elder sister’s. This was likely the shared feeling of all the madams and young ladies present.

Li Changle’s gaze also followed Li Weiyang’s every move. She hadn’t expected this wretch would still dare appear at the banquet. Li Changxi walked to her side, looked at Li Weiyang’s figure, and said hatefully: “Look how smug she is. She’s merely a County Princess—she thinks she’s a real Princess!”

Li Changle said nothing, her brow tightly furrowed.

Li Xiaoran looked at everyone and smiled: “Today I’ve invited you all to the residence, first to have a lively gathering, and second to introduce my third daughter to everyone…” As he spoke, he turned to Li Weiyang on his left and said: “Weiyang, greet everyone.”

Li Weiyang smiled gently, curtsied slightly to everyone: “Weiyang greets all the elders.”

Everyone had originally expected to see an ill-mannered, audaciously bold country girl, but unexpectedly encountered a refined and pretty young lady. Precisely because the contrast was so strong, it suddenly diluted their earlier amazement at Li Changle’s appearance, and they all shifted their attention to Li Weiyang.

After all, this concubine-born Third Young Miss was quite legendary—first unloved and sent to the countryside to be raised, then after returning she miraculously established a firm foothold in the Li residence, and was even enfeoffed as County Princess by His Majesty for her meritorious service. This was a rare occurrence since the founding of the Great Li Dynasty, truly miraculous!

Facing everyone’s curious or envious gazes, Li Weiyang’s expression was gentle and perfectly courteous, leaving Tuoba Zhen, who had just walked in, staring fixedly. Li Weiyang was an audaciously bold girl—this could be seen from what she had just said. How could she seem like a completely different person at the banquet? That smile on her face was simply the perfect exemplar.

Just at this moment, a woman’s startled cry suddenly rang out!

“Seventh Imperial Prince! Seventh Imperial Prince, Your Highness!”