Li Weiyang walked out of the great hall and slowly let out a breath of relief. Bai Zhi was waiting outside. Seeing Li Weiyang emerge, she hurriedly came forward, “Miss.”

Li Weiyang glanced at her and saw tears still glistening at the corners of her eyes. She couldn’t help but sigh and said, “Are you still grieving for Ziyan?”

Bai Zhi wiped her tears and said, “Miss, this servant and Ziyan entered the manor together, so naturally our bond is different from others. Although she brought this upon herself, seeing her die so miserably, this servant’s heart truly feels…”

Li Weiyang nodded. When the Third Madam sent someone to tell her that the eldest young master had disposed of Ziyan and those people had tortured her to death, she immediately thought of this plan. She understood Li Xiaoran too well—when someone severely threatened his reputation and official position, nothing was negotiable!

Li Weiyang’s gaze swept the surroundings. She suddenly frowned, “Have Minde and the Third Madam returned?”

Bai Zhi was startled, then said, “The Third Madam has returned, but the third young master wasn’t seen.”

From the start of the banquet, this child had been acting somewhat strange. Li Weiyang thought about it and still felt something wasn’t right. She said, “Follow me to look for him.”

They searched all the way back. Finally, in the quiet garden, on the steps of the pavilion, they saw a familiar figure.

Li Weiyang was startled, then quickly walked over.

“Third Sister.” Li Minde sat on the steps and said softly.

The moonlight shone on his face, making his lips look somewhat faintly pale.

“Why are you sitting here alone?” Li Weiyang reached out to pull him up. The moment she touched his body, she was shocked by the icy cold temperature and hurriedly ordered Bai Zhi to fetch her cloak.

Bai Zhi turned and flew away. The pavilion suddenly held only the two of them.

Li Minde didn’t raise his head. His long eyelashes were lowered. “Third Sister, today’s matter—you and my mother did it together, right?”

Li Weiyang was stunned, not knowing what to say. The First Branch had always openly and secretly coveted the Third Branch’s property. Previously when the Third Madam’s health was poor, it was also the First Madam who had tampered with things. Now the Third Madam was returning everything—there was nothing wrong with that. But Minde was still just a child after all. Could he understand?

“Minde, these matters aren’t for you to worry about. Hurry back—don’t catch cold.” She reached to pull him again.

He still refused to move, only frowning and saying, “I want to stay here for a while.”

“What’s wrong with you tonight?” Li Weiyang’s expression took on a layer of slight anger. “Are you going back or not!”

“Not going back!” Li Minde suddenly said loudly. Li Weiyang’s gaze grew increasingly cold. She didn’t have a kind heart for no reason. If not for establishing good interactions with Li Minde during this period, she wouldn’t care whether he froze to death here or whatever.

“Fine, if you won’t leave, then I’m leaving.” Li Weiyang turned around.

From behind came a reluctant, low murmur, “You hide everything from me…”

Li Weiyang suddenly turned back, staring at Li Minde. She thought to herself that this child wasn’t very big, but his thoughts were quite numerous.

“We’re not hiding things from you. It’s just that this kind of framing and scheming is better done less.” And you, a small child, definitely shouldn’t be mixed up in it.

“You just treat me like a small child.” Li Minde frowned.

What are you if not a child! Li Weiyang couldn’t help but feel a headache. “In the future we’ll try our best to—”

Li Minde suddenly raised his head. His bright, shining eyes stared at her until Li Weiyang felt inexplicably guilty. Fine, no matter what, she didn’t want a perfectly good youth mixed up in these disgusting matters. Moreover, one misstep and he could be bitten back.

Whether it was the Third Madam or herself, neither would take Minde to risk danger.

“Don’t sulk. Get up.” Li Weiyang blinked and said seriously.

“I’m not sulking.” Li Minde’s eyelashes were like fans. His tender face had no trace of expression, revealing a heaviness inconsistent with his age.

Li Weiyang smiled despite herself and said, “Didn’t you say you wanted me to treat you as an adult? Does this seem like something an adult would do?”

He stopped talking. Li Weiyang reached out her hand to pull him.

Li Minde sullenly shook off her hand. Li Weiyang silently grumbled—this child really isn’t cute at all!

Li Minde abruptly stood up. Unfortunately, just as he took a step, he suddenly tumbled down with a crash.

“Your legs went numb, didn’t they?” Li Weiyang grabbed him in one motion, successfully preventing the collapse. She then helplessly let out a sigh, “Third Young Master, are you trying to make me accompany you here blowing in the cold wind?”

Li Minde puffed out his cheeks, looking very unhappy.

“What are you hiding in your chest? Why is it so bulging?” Li Weiyang asked suspiciously.

“Nothing…”

She looked at him skeptically, “Really nothing?”

He hugged his chest, “…Just a worthless little trinket, can’t compare to the precious gift from the Crown Prince.”

Li Weiyang was stunned, “You—also prepared a gift for me?”

A trace of red clouds floated across Li Minde’s face. After a long while, he softly hummed an acknowledgment.

Li Weiyang’s heart felt slightly moved, a hundred mixed flavors in her heart, going soft and tender.

She could tell that Minde was a precocious and lonely child. His behavior was even more intelligent and sensitive than adults, making people involuntarily feel some affection and pity.

Li Minde slowly took out a wood carving from his chest.

Li Weiyang: “…”

This thing that looked like a rabbit doll, uh…

“Does it look like you?” Li Minde looked at her ingratiatingly.

Li Weiyang really didn’t have the heart to discourage him and could only say, “Yes, very much. Did you make it yourself?”

“Yes!” Li Minde smiled happily. His mouth curved upward, his brows relaxed, and his eyes reflected the sky full of brilliant starlight. The sea of stars fell into his eyes. Li Weiyang felt her eyes were about to be dazzled by this smile.

“It’s really beautiful.” Li Weiyang held up his gift and carefully examined it. Though the workmanship was quite crude, every line and corner was rounded. One could tell he had put in considerable effort. “Minde treats me too well.”

Li Minde smiled. Li Weiyang suddenly saw his curled fingers. She frowned and immediately grasped his hand. Her fingertips touched fine, rough scars. “You injured your fingers?”

Li Minde hid his hands, “No!”

He had clearly injured his hands but still wouldn’t admit it.

Li Weiyang’s eyes were deep as night. Her long, curled eyelashes trembled lightly, casting a shadow in the depths of her eyes. In the end, she only smiled brilliantly, “I’ll treasure this gift well.”

As the saying goes, rumors and gossip—when three people make a tiger, after an incident is passed through many mouths, it will inevitably be embellished and spread with great clamor. Add to this that the banquet that day had gathered quite a few upper-class nobles and their womenfolk, and they most loved to gossip about others and discuss people’s faults. Soon, the entire capital knew that Prime Minister Li’s eldest son who had just returned from his studies was actually a dissolute young master who took a concubine before marriage, and somehow caused that maid’s death. The First Madam thought of various methods to suppress the rumors, but such rumors often grew fiercer the more they spread. Busybodies spread the tales everywhere, with even more embellishments, making this scandalous story all the more sensational. The whole city discussed it endlessly in various versions. The final version that evolved was that the eldest son of the Li family had raped a young maid, and this maid died on the spot at Prime Minister Li’s banquet to preserve her chastity. What was especially terrible was that this version spread to the palace. The Emperor, who had originally intended to let Li Minfeng enter court as an official, heard it and flew into a rage. Not only did he shelve that memorial requesting the appointment, he even scolded Tuoba Zhen who had submitted the memorial.

The usually low-key and reserved Third Prince had thought that submitting the memorial to the Emperor would both send a great favor to Prime Minister Li and secretly add an arm of support for himself—a relationship that would be very useful in the future. He never expected to end up with such an outcome. It could be counted as one of his rare missteps in many years.

The First Madam brought Li Changle to the ancestral hall to visit Li Minfeng, who had been confined for ten days.

Li Minfeng was sitting in front of the table in a daze. His complexion was haggard, the area under his eyes pale and blue—the very picture of listlessness. These past days, no matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t understand how he, with his vast learning and wide travels, could fail to contend with a mere thirteen-year-old girl and suffer such great losses at her hands.

He couldn’t believe that he had been repeatedly schemed against by Li Weiyang, even played around in circles by her. All those grand talents and strategies, all those plans for governing the state—in this little girl’s eyes, they were nothing.

“Eldest Brother, how did you become like this?” Li Changle was nearly speechless.

The moment Li Minfeng saw the First Madam, he immediately rushed forward, “Mother, quickly save me and get me out. I can’t endure this anymore!”