The tea spilled onto the ground, releasing a puff of white smoke.

Qiao Zhao looked at Ouyang Weiyu and spoke two words: “Arsenic?”

Ouyang Weiyu’s face changed drastically: “You—”

Qiao Zhao bent down to pick up the teacup and threw it into the nearby artificial lake.

The sound of the splash startled the dozing waterbirds, who hurriedly spread their wings and flew away. A few fallen feathers drifted and swayed across the lake surface, creating ripples in their wake.

“Miss Ouyang, this tea was prepared for Miss Lan, wasn’t it?”

“You saw?” Having the evidence of her poisoning destroyed by Qiao Zhao, Ouyang Weiyu felt no gratitude. Instead, her expression turned ice-cold. “Third Miss Li, why must you meddle in others’ affairs?”

Qiao Zhao blinked her eyes.

Ouyang Weiyu stepped forward to question her: “Could it be that, seeing Lan Xinong is the granddaughter of Lanshan and daughter of Lan Songquan, you wish to curry favor with her?”

Seeing Qiao Zhao remain silent, Ouyang Weiyu became even more agitated, biting her lip as she said: “Do you know how many evil deeds her grandfather and father have committed? Lanshan ruthlessly persecuted loyal ministers and took bribes without a second thought. Lan Songquan is even more sinister and cunning. My father once said that almost all those wicked schemes Lanshan used to frame loyal ministers were devised by Lan Songquan! I wanted to poison Lan Xinong today—why did you interfere?”

“Perhaps meddling in others’ affairs is something I learned from my father,” Qiao Zhao replied indifferently, completely unmoved by Ouyang Weiyu’s excitement.

Ouyang Weiyu choked, her aggressive momentum suddenly deflating.

Third Miss Li’s father had argued with the Jinlin Guards to preserve some dignity for her father. In others’ eyes, wasn’t that also meddling in others’ affairs?

She wasn’t an ungrateful person. Having decided to poison Lan Xinong today, she had already prepared to die. Third Miss Li, taking away the poisoned tea, had actually saved her, and then responding with those words, she truly had no comeback.

Ouyang Weiyu raised her hand to wipe her eyes, forcing back the tears.

She couldn’t cry. She had cried enough the day her father was arrested by the Jinlin Guards.

“Third Miss Li, I know you mean well, but I hope you won’t get involved in today’s matter. I’ve made up my mind—today I will not let Lan Xinong leave here alive. If you continue to obstruct me, you’ll be helping the wicked!”

Qiao Zhao maintained her calm expression and smiled at Ouyang Weiyu: “Miss Ouyang, there’s something I don’t quite understand. May I ask for clarification?”

“Go ahead.” Ouyang Weiyu’s feelings toward Qiao Zhao were complex.

Because Li Guangwen assisted her father, Qiao Zhao’s brilliant performance just now, and her act of taking away the poisoned tea, Ouyang Weiyu subconsciously developed a trace of trust in Qiao Zhao—something she hadn’t realized.

“Miss Ouyang just mentioned all those evil deeds of Chief Minister Lanshan and his son Lan Songquan, but what does any of that have to do with Lan Xinong?”

“How can it have nothing to do with her? If Lan Xinong weren’t the Chief Minister’s granddaughter, what right would she have to live such a pampered life? She’s enjoyed the glory brought by her grandfather and father—shouldn’t she also bear the consequences of their actions? So Third Miss Li has such a bleeding heart!”

“It’s not about having a bleeding heart. I just think Miss Ouyang has missed the point. Even if you poison Lan Xinong today, what effect would that have on your honorable father’s situation?”

Ouyang Weiyu was stunned by the question. Biting her lip, she said: “At least it would let Lanshan and his son experience the pain of losing a loved one!”

Qiao Zhao laughed softly.

“What’s so funny about that?”

Miss Qiao leaned lazily against the crabapple tree and said indifferently: “I’ve heard that Chief Minister Lanshan and his wife have a deep and loving marriage, with no concubines, and only gave birth to one son, Lan Songquan. But Lan Songquan is completely different from his father—he has countless concubines and many children. Although Lan Xinong is his only legitimate daughter, to Lan Songquan, she probably isn’t as important as Miss Ouyang imagines. At the very least, her place in his heart can’t compare to your honorable father’s place in yours. Miss Ouyang is a smart person—think about whether such a trade would be worth it.”

Ouyang Weiyu was completely stunned.

“Moreover, your honorable father’s case hasn’t been decided yet. If Miss Ouyang acts against Lan Xinong, how do you know Chief Minister Lanshan and his son won’t use this as an excuse to be even harsher toward your honorable father?”

Ouyang Weiyu’s whole body trembled.

Qiao Zhao’s gaze turned toward the pavilion, her eyes deep with meaning: “Miss Ouyang said I’m meddling in others’ affairs, and you’re right—I truly can’t bear to watch a young girl in the prime of her youth lose her life like this. And that person isn’t just Lan Xinong, but you as well, Miss Ouyang!”

Having died and come back to life, she understood even more the preciousness of life.

It wasn’t that people couldn’t die, but at least it should have value. Even if Ouyang Weiyu poisoned Lan Xinong, what meaning would it have?

Lanshan and his son would at most feel sad for a moment, then continue framing loyal ministers and devising wicked schemes as before. The only ones paying the price would be two young girls’ lives, plus a group of other girls getting into trouble.

“But what if they kill my father? I’d rather die than tolerate those who harmed my father continuing to live freely!” Ouyang Weiyu murmured.

She had originally prepared to poison Lan Xinong with the resolve to die, but after hearing Qiao Zhao’s words, she suddenly felt lost.

Was her life-for-life exchange truly meaningless, as Third Miss Li said?

Qiao Zhao looked deeply at Ouyang Weiyu and sighed: “If you’re not even afraid of death, then you should live well and think carefully about how to make your actions truly valuable, rather than acting on impulse and throwing your life away in this beautiful garden.”

Ouyang Weiyu fell silent.

“What each person chooses to do, others can dissuade them temporarily, but not forever. Miss Ouyang, think it over carefully. I’ll go back first.”

Qiao Zhao left these words and walked toward the pavilion. After a few steps, she looked back: “By the way, that Miss Jiang who’s supposed to test me later—are you familiar with her, Miss Ouyang?”

Ouyang Weiyu was startled, but by the time she came to her senses, that meddlesome girl had already walked away gracefully.

As soon as Qiao Zhao reached the pavilion, Du Feixue frowned and said, “Third Miss Li, where did you go? When we couldn’t find you just now, I even sent people to look for you.”

“I went to the privy and then took a casual stroll.”

“Oh, why didn’t you say something?” Du Feixue complained.

Qiao Zhao asked seriously: “Do I need to report when I go to the privy too?”

“You—” Du Feixue was choked speechless by the awkwardness.

Lan Xinong interrupted: “Enough. Third Miss Li, since you’re back, speak the second line of the couplet.”

“Hmm?”

Du Feixue coughed and said: “It’s like this—neither team could come up with a second line, so it’s a draw. We’re all waiting for you to provide the second line.”

Seeing all the young ladies looking at her expectantly, Qiao Zhao said: “I do have a second line for this couplet, but it’s not particularly good—”

“Stop being long-winded. If we’re telling you to say it, just say it,” Lan Xinong said coldly.

Miss Qiao twitched the corner of her mouth, thinking: This girl is asking for trouble. Keep this up, and I might just let Miss Ouyang have her way.

“The first line is: ‘Looking at the sky, emptily looking at sky, every day having leisure to look at empty sky.'” Qiao Zhao’s gaze slowly swept over the assembled ladies, finally settling on Du Feixue’s face as she spoke each word clearly: “My second line is: ‘Seeking help from people, difficulty seeking people, everyone when facing difficulty seeks people with difficulty.'”