They delivered the wrong invitation.

This wasn’t an invitation asking her to visit the Minister’s residence as a guest, but rather a notice informing Li Jiāo that she was being expelled from society.

Qiao Zhao lowered her eyelashes and, after a moment’s thought, turned over the invitation cover to take a look. Sure enough, she saw written on the envelope: “For the personal attention of Second Miss Li Residence.”

This meant there must be another invitation that had fallen into Li Jiāo’s hands, and that one should rightfully be hers.

Ever since the East Residence women’s academy lost their calligraphy teacher, and Li Jiāo, having made a fool of herself during music class, was unwilling to attend, the women’s academy had temporarily suspended classes for the past few days. Qiao Zhao hadn’t seen Li Jiāo for several days. Now that today’s invitation delivery person had made this blunder, she had no choice but to make a trip to the East Residence. Otherwise, given Li Jiāo’s current attitude of wanting nothing more than to devour her alive, expecting her to properly return the invitation would be impossible.

Qiao Zhao reached for the outer garment draped over the screen, put it on, and instructed Binglu: “We’re going to the East Residence.”

Binglu naturally didn’t know about the mix-up with the invitations and asked puzzledly: “Miss, what are we going to the East Residence for?”

“The invitation belongs to Second Miss.”

“What? Second Miss’s?” Binglu was startled. Looking at the invitation Qiao Zhao held in her hand with great disgust, she said, “If this servant had known earlier, I would have thrown it in the privy!”

Qiao Zhao: “…” See? If she had gone any later, that would have been her invitation’s fate!

The heartbroken Miss Qiao hurriedly took her maid and headed to the East Residence.

While the four young ladies of the West Residence all lived in large courtyards with their respective mothers, the treasured daughter of the East Residence, Li Jiāo, had her separate courtyard named “Tianxiang Pavilion.”

At this moment in Tianxiang Pavilion, Li Jiāo was clutching Su Luoyi’s invitation requesting Third Miss Li to visit the Minister of Rites’ residence as a guest, her anger rising like steam.

“What’s going on here? Even delivering an invitation can go wrong, sending Li San’s invitation to me instead. Isn’t this just adding to my troubles!” Li Jiāo grew more irritated as she spoke. Since only her trusted confidants were serving in the room and she didn’t need to worry about damaging her image, she lifted her foot and kicked over a small stool.

Neither of her maids, Hanzhu and Fangrui, dared to make a sound.

Second Miss’s mood had been getting worse lately, and her temper had grown accordingly worse. Those who served her personally had the hardest time.

“How unlucky!” Li Jiāo threw the invitation into Hanzhu’s arms and said resentfully, “Take it to the West Residence. Don’t let it offend my eyes!”

“Yes!” Hanzhu clutched the invitation and hurried toward the door.

“Wait—” Li Jiāo called out, her phoenix eyes narrowing as she commanded: “Bring the invitation back!”

Hanzhu, long accustomed to her master’s unpredictable moods, quickly handed the invitation back.

Li Jiāo extended two pearl-white fingers to pinch the invitation and glanced at the envelope.

“Respectfully presented to Third Miss Li Residence.”

The elegant script made Li Jiāo’s heart burn with evil fire.

What kind of dog-shit luck had Li San stumbled into? How was it that ever since being kidnapped, instead of keeping a low profile, she seemed determined to soar to the heavens, constantly showing off? And when had she gotten involved with Su Luoyi?

Among the several vice presidents of Fushan Society, Lan Xinong, granddaughter of Chief Minister Lan, was the most arrogant; Xu Jinghong, granddaughter of Second Minister Xu, was the coldest; Zhu Yán, Seventh Miss of Marquis Taining’s residence, was the most reserved; Jiang Shiran, only daughter of the Jinlin Guards commander, was the most sharp-tongued; and Su Luoyi, granddaughter of the Minister of Rites, was the most obsessed.

Each of these girls had their strengths and was a prominent figure in Fushan Society. Their family influences were all formidable without exception. If anyone caught the eye of one of them, they would have an easy time in the circles of the capital’s noble ladies.

Could it be that being kidnapped brought good fortune? Had Li San quietly managed to get into the Fushan Society?

Li Jiāo wasn’t stupid. Although this invitation only invited Third Miss Li Residence to visit the Minister’s residence as a guest, once Li San caught Su Luoyi’s eye, the next step would be joining Fushan Society.

Li Jiāo grew more indignant the more she thought about it.

She had practiced diligently every day and only gained qualification to join the society last year on Buddha’s Birthday when her Buddhist scripture was selected by an eminent monk at Dafu Temple. What right did Li San have to join the Fushan Society so easily?

Those people hadn’t seen Li San’s calligraphy!

Wait, if it were because of Li San’s calligraphy that they were inviting her to join the society, this invitation wouldn’t have been delivered only now.

Li Jiāo stared at the invitation in her hand, lost in thought.

Mother had repeatedly reminded her not to be hasty when encountering situations, that only by calming down would she make fewer mistakes.

Li Jiāo slowed her breathing, calmed her mind, and her thoughts began to move more quickly.

Could it be that Li San had attracted Su Luoyi’s interest for some other reason, rather than because of the Buddhist scripture incident that led the vice presidents to reach a consensus?

If that were the case—

Her gaze moved downward, falling on the invitation with its plain surface decorated with ink-colored crabapple flowers.

“Hanzhu, bring scissors!” Li Jiāo’s eyes flashed with ruthlessness as she called out loudly.

Hanzhu was stunned for a moment, then quickly nodded before her master could get angry: “Yes!”

Soon, Hanzhu retrieved a pair of scissors from the needlework basket. Li Jiāo took them, bit her lip, and raised the scissors toward the invitation, about to cut it when Fangrui entered with news: “Miss, Third Miss from the West Residence has come to visit.”

Li Jiāo’s hand holding the scissors paused.

Li San?

She looked at the invitation in her hand and couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

Had Li San come for this invitation? Her information network was quite well-informed.

Hehe, since she had come, there was no rush to cut the invitation.

Li Jiāo put down the scissors, stuffed the invitation under her pillow, raised her hand to tidy her hair, and said coldly: “Show her in.”

Today she really wanted to get a good look at Li San’s anxious and frantic appearance. Even if Li San knelt at her feet and begged, she wouldn’t return the invitation to her.

Li Jiāo smiled at the thought of that scene.

Qiao Zhao waited outside for a moment before being invited in. Seeing the smile at the corner of Li Jiāo’s mouth, she understood immediately: the invitation was indeed with Li Jiāo.

Li Jiāo’s proud and expectant expression made Qiao Zhao somewhat amused.

The interesting thing about this situation was that she knew the Minister’s residence had sent two invitations—one with her, one with Li Jiāo—but Li Jiāo didn’t know about the existence of the other invitation.

“The third sister came so early in the morning. What brings you here?”

Qiao Zhao had no interest in sparring with a little girl, so she got straight to the point: “I have an invitation from the Minister of Rites’ residence. Is it with Second Sister?”

“So what if it is, so what if it isn’t?” Li Jiāo leaned against the bed, looking at Qiao Zhao triumphantly.

“If it is, please return the invitation, Second Sister. I thank you in advance. If it isn’t—” Qiao Zhao glanced lightly at the slightly askew pillow and smiled: “Then Second Sister must have hidden it under her pillow. Second Sister loves to joke with her younger sister.”

Li Jiāo looked as if she’d seen a ghost: “How did you know?”

Qiao Zhao smiled slightly.

On the bedside table next to Li Jiāo sat a pair of scissors, positioned as if placed there hastily. Such a potentially harmful object, if not put there due to a lack of time to put it away, would never appear in that location.

From this, she could deduce that while she was waiting for the announcement, Li Jiāo had been preparing to cut her invitation. The rest was easy to guess—Li Jiāo had put down the scissors and hidden the invitation. What place could be more convenient than under the pillow?

“Second Sister is indeed joking with me.” Miss Qiao extended her white, tender hand: “Now, may Second Sister return it to me?”