At these words, the entire room fell silent.

Second Madam Liu Shi couldn’t help but hold her breath.

She had said it—when even that second fool from the Marquis Changchun’s household had become the capital’s laughingstock, how could Third Miss let the real perpetrator have it easy!

Li Jiǎo bit her lip, her knuckles growing pale.

Had Third Brother told Li Zhao?

“Who is it?” Old Madam Deng set down her teacup and sat up straight.

Qiao Zhao’s gaze fell on Li Jiǎo’s face as she said unhurriedly: “It’s Elder Sister.”

“What?” Old Madam Deng directly knocked over her teacup, spilling tea all over herself.

Second Madam Liu Shi’s mouth gaped open, forgetting to close it.

He Shi shot up even more suddenly: “Who?”

“It’s Elder Sister. The person who truly entered Bichun Tower and injured the youngest son of the Marquis Changchun’s household is Elder Sister.”

Everyone looked toward Li Jiǎo.

“It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me—” Li Jiǎo’s face alternated between pale and flushed as she looked at Qiao Zhao with tears streaming down, “Third Sister, how can you talk nonsense?”

Even if Li Zhao had heard from Third Brother, there was no evidence.

She would never admit to this matter. At worst, she would threaten death to force Third Brother to stand by her side. As long as she got through this crisis, she believed the sibling bond with Third Brother would be repaired sooner or later. But if Grandmother found out what she had done, that would be the real end.

Qiao Zhao looked at Li Jiǎo with helplessness in her eyes.

Even at this point, she could still deny it outright. Such thick skin—she truly had to admit defeat.

Too lazy to waste more words, Qiao Zhao said indifferently: “That idle man—I’ve already had Chen Guang find him. Does Elder Sister dare confront him face-to-face?”

Li Jiǎo’s mind buzzed.

The idle man? How could Li Zhao have found that idle man?

She couldn’t panic. Maybe Li Zhao was just bluffing.

“And your route back to the residence, the alley the night soil man walks through…”

The succession of revelations destroyed Li Jiǎo’s determination to hold out to the end.

She stepped back repeatedly, finally collapsing to the ground, covering her face and crying bitterly: “Third Sister, I know I was wrong. I had planned to find you privately today to apologize. Must… must you force me to my death?”

“So it was you!” He Shi was so angry that she jumped up and down. “You nearly got Zhaozhao killed, and you still have the face to cry! Watch me not tear that mouth of yours apart!”

“He Shi, quiet down first.” Old Madam Deng’s gaze was fixed intently on Li Jiǎo. “Jiao’er, what exactly happened?”

Li Jiǎo sobbed: “Yesterday morning, I saw Third Sister go out and was somewhat worried, so I followed her. I accidentally entered Bichun Tower and then encountered Jia Shu.”

“Why were you following your Third Sister?”

“I, I was worried she was young and might be deceived—”

Old Madam Deng frowned: “Your Third Sister went out with maids and Chen Guang following her. What deception could she suffer?”

Without concrete evidence, Li Jiǎo naturally didn’t dare drag Chen Guang into this. Her eyes rolled as she said: “I once accidentally saw Third Sister drinking tea with a strange man, so I was afraid she was being deceived…”

Since the young master from Princess Changrong’s residence would stand up to testify for Li Zhao in front of everyone, they had met more than once or twice. Saying this wouldn’t create any flaws.

“Even so, you shouldn’t have rashly entered a brothel, much less used your Third Sister as a scapegoat. Jiao’er, you’ve deeply disappointed Grandmother!”

“Old Madam, you must properly deal with her. Her heart has turned black—she even tried to destroy her own sister!” He Shi was furious, wanting nothing more than to rush up and slap Li Jiǎo hard twice to vent her anger. But seeing her daughter’s calm expression, she forcibly restrained herself.

Li Jiǎo crawled on her knees to Old Madam Deng’s legs: “Grandmother, please punish me. I was momentarily possessed. I deserve to die. I should have apologized to Third Sister earlier, not waited until today—”

She cried pitifully, tears washing away the thick powder to reveal heavy, dark circles, making her look quite pathetic.

Old Madam Deng’s hands trembled continuously. She unconsciously raised her hand to touch Li Jiǎo’s head, but it fell powerlessly halfway.

This child had been spoiled by her.

How had she become like this?

Old Madam Deng tried hard to recall.

Although she inwardly favored her eldest granddaughter, who had lost her mother since childhood, on the surface, there wasn’t much difference. At least there had never been instances of Jiao’er bullying anyone or making anyone swallow their grievances.

Of course, the eldest granddaughter had always appeared most generous and understanding, never bullying anyone.

Old Madam Deng looked at her granddaughter crying pitifully, her heart aching terribly.

She didn’t mind young girls being a bit willful or mischievous—these were harmless. Character was what mattered most.

But her eldest granddaughter had lost the most important thing.

What the eldest granddaughter had lost couldn’t be resolved with just crying, or there would be even greater disasters waiting in the future.

“Jiao’er, stop crying and get up.” Old Madam Deng said wearily.

Li Jiǎo, kneeling on the ground, felt a surge of joy.

She knew it—Grandmother still loved her. As long as she lowered her attitude and admitted her mistakes, she would be forgiven.

“Jiao’er, you are not to go out anymore from now on.”

“Grandmother?” Li Jiǎo was shocked and pale.

What did Grandmother mean? Was she going to confine her?

Second Madam Liu Shi shook her head with a sigh.

The Second Miss from the East Residence had essentially been excluded from the circle of noble ladies in the capital for offending the Third Miss. Now, the First Miss had also been excluded from the circle of noble ladies in the capital for offending the Third Miss.

Tsk tsk, she truly was prophetic with keen insight!

“Jiao’er, do you want to encounter the youngest son of the Marquis Changchun’s household someday and be recognized by him? He’s not stupid anymore!”

Li Jiǎo’s whole body shook.

“You’re not young anymore anyway. From now on, stay in your room and embroider a trousseau. Grandmother will discuss with your father about finding you a good family outside the capital as soon as possible.”

“Outside the capital?” Li Jiǎo felt as if a bolt from the blue had struck her head. She couldn’t help but embrace Old Madam Deng and cry loudly: “Grandmother, your granddaughter can’t bear to leave you, doesn’t want to leave you—”

Father was merely a Hanlin compiler—what kind of good family could he find for her outside the capital?

If things went as Grandmother said, her whole life would be completely ruined!

Old Madam Deng reached out to pull Li Jiǎo up: “This is unavoidable. The Bichun Tower incident will become a cold case from now on, and the Marquis Changchun’s household won’t be satisfied. If you stay in the capital and they discover you, the consequences will be even more unthinkable. Alright, everyone disperse. Today’s events must all rot in your stomachs. Otherwise, I’ll no longer recognize them as members of the Li family!”

Li Jiǎo was ashen-hearted. After returning to her room, she collapsed on her bed and didn’t get up for the entire day.

Qiao Zhao returned to her room and breathed a sigh of relief, holding a cup of flower tea and drinking it leisurely.

Li Jiao was confined and would be married off outside the capital. Li Jiǎo was also confined and would be married off outside the capital—the Li household should finally be peaceful for now and wouldn’t bring her any more undeserved disasters.

Mm, this way she could finally settle accounts with the Mao family, who had poisoned Big Brother!

The two hottest gossip topics in the capital recently were: first, the deceased wife of Marquis Guanjun appearing in dreams, and the White-Robed General receiving his brother-in-law back to the residence at night; second, a wastrel nearly losing his life in a brothel, and Third Miss Li proving her innocence with silver needles.

The second piece of gossip had originally overshadowed the first, but unexpectedly, a new rumor suddenly pulled the first gossip back into people’s attention.