Matron Du was terrified. Li Minfeng quickly supported her, loudly calling for the physician. The physician happened to be entering with his medicine chest. Seeing this situation, he immediately rushed over and took the Madam’s pulse. Then his expression became extremely grave. Li Minfeng pressed him: “Physician, is my mother all right?”

The physician’s expression was poor: “This…”

Li Minfeng said, “Don’t hem and haw!”

The physician said, “Madam originally just had an ordinary cold, but then she suffered a fright. Today’s vomiting of blood was from rage attacking her heart. Observing her pulse, her body is weak and her heart pulse feeble. If she doesn’t recuperate properly, I’m afraid…”

Li Minfeng’s face changed. The Madam had always been in good health before, but this time her heart pulse had actually become feeble.

“I’ll first prescribe some medicine to protect her heart. Have her take the medicine properly, pay attention to rest, and absolutely must not rack her brains or worry excessively. Otherwise, even the bodhisattva would have difficulty saving her.” The physician sighed and shook his head.

The physician was led out to write the prescription. Matron Du wiped tears from the corners of her eyes: “It’s all Third Miss who angered Madam!”

Li Minfeng gritted his teeth: “That little wretch—today she clearly took advantage of someone in distress!” But he didn’t consider that they had been excessive to her first. Today Li Weiyang merely returned a bit of interest.

Li Minfeng’s face was full of rage: “I’m going to find Father right now!” He would make Li Weiyang pay!

“Stop!” The Madam’s face was deathly pale as she struggled to shout. “Don’t tell anyone I’m seriously ill. Absolutely don’t alarm anyone! Do you hear!”

Li Minfeng looked at the Madam in shock.

Matron Du didn’t dare say more and quickly had the Madam take the heart-protecting pills the physician left behind. Only then did the Madam catch her breath: “Go prepare the carriage. I’ll rest for another half hour and then be fine.”

“Mother, the physician told you to rest quietly!”

“Silence! Would you have me watch your sister suffer in that wretched place?!” The Madam’s rage surged, and she felt another stabbing pain in her heart.

That afternoon, a bright green bird flew in and landed on Li Weiyang’s shoulder.

Li Weiyang smiled slightly and removed the note from the bird’s leg.

Bai Zhi said, “Miss, what is it?”

Li Weiyang said coolly, “Zhao Nan sent word. The Madam just left in a carriage.”

Bai Zhi was shocked: “Isn’t the Madam ill?”

Li Weiyang smiled slightly, a trace of coldness passing through her eyes: “She’s gone to fetch reinforcements.”

Bai Zhi said, “You mean… she went to Duke Jiang’s residence. But Duke Jiang and his son aren’t in the capital. Distant water can’t quench immediate thirst. The Madam surely knows this.”

Li Weiyang blinked and said, “Bai Zhi is getting cleverer and cleverer now.”

Bai Zhi’s face flushed as she couldn’t help saying, “Always following Miss, this servant will become more and more capable too.”

Li Weiyang laughed, then said, “Though Duke Jiang isn’t here, he still has a wife who likes meddling in affairs. With that Old Madam present, the Madam will naturally go seek her help.”

Bai Zhi said worriedly, “Then… if Old Madam Jiang comes to plead—”

Li Weiyang smiled mysteriously but said nothing.

If she hadn’t miscalculated, even if Old Madam Jiang intervened, the Madam was destined only to be disappointed…

When the Madam returned from Duke Jiang’s residence, Matron Du supported her as she descended from the carriage. The Madam saw Li Weiyang standing at the door waiting for her with a smile on her face. Though she kept desperately telling herself not to get angry, her heart was filled with intense resentment. Especially seeing that faint smile at the corners of Li Weiyang’s lips, she wanted nothing more than to point at the other’s nose and curse her thoroughly, then drive her from the residence. Unfortunately, she could only think it, not do it.

This girl, a lowly concubine-born daughter, was now a County Princess favored by both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor! Thinking of her own daughter, carefully raised like a flower, just one step away from a bright future, now having to face clay Buddha statues while eating vegetables and radishes—how could the Madam swallow this anger!

“Where is Weiyang going?!”

Li Weiyang raised her head slightly to glance at the sky. Her casual manner made the Madam’s teeth itch with hatred, cursing inwardly—this wretch born in the second month was born to be a calamity!

“So Mother has returned. Today is the Lantern Festival. The Old Madam was afraid I’d be bored at the residence, so she specially permitted me and Third Brother to go out and see the lanterns. Would Mother like to come along? Oh, I forgot—you’re not feeling well. You probably can’t bear the night wind, so you’d better not go. Stay home and recuperate properly.” Li Weiyang’s face showed a regretful expression. Just then, seeing the furious look on the Madam’s face, she suddenly felt a surge of satisfaction inside.

Li Min De walked out from inside, dressed in fine clothes, spirited and energetic, holding a flowing and brilliant riding whip in his hand. Seeing the Madam, he couldn’t help smiling slightly. “Uncle’s wife is here too.” Then, as if no one else existed, he said, “Third Sister, the lantern festival is about to start. Let’s go.”

Li Weiyang smiled slightly and boarded the carriage. Li Min De didn’t ride in the carriage but mounted a pure white horse instead. From his elevated position on horseback, he glanced at the Madam and showed a strange smile.

Seeing that smile, the Madam felt as if she’d been targeted by demons and ghosts, a chill running down her back.

When had this child acquired such a cold gaze? He clearly… The Madam felt infinite terror surge into her heart and involuntarily stepped back. Matron Du quickly supported her.

The Madam watched the carriage depart with an extremely unpleasant expression on her face. After returning to her room, she had no mind to sleep, tossing and turning on the bed.

Today’s visit to Duke Jiang’s residence hadn’t gone as smoothly as she imagined. Her mother had first scolded her thoroughly.

“You’re truly foolish. Ultimately she’s just a little girl—give her some dowry in the future and marry her off. Why must you compete with her for superiority! I’ve told you so many times, but you can’t change your competitive nature. Don’t you think about it—you’re the principal wife of the Li residence. No matter what happens, as long as the Duke’s residence stands behind you, the Li family can’t do anything to you. On the contrary, they’ll treat you well. But you insist on grasping everything in your palm. Now look—you’ve made everyone in the Li household dislike you and let that concubine-born girl exploit the opening!”

Thinking of this, the Madam couldn’t help the heart pain from anger.

However, Old Madam Jiang still agreed to help her, personally making a trip to the Li residence to pressure Li Xiaoran to bring Li Changle back as soon as possible.

Mother ultimately still felt for her! As long as the Jiang family existed, no matter how many mistakes she made, Li Xiaoran couldn’t do anything to her!

At this moment, the capital was naturally a scene of prosperous splendor. As the carriage traveled along, one could see the city’s orderly layout, grand atmosphere, magnificent buildings, and broad roads, with green acacias and willows planted along the roadsides everywhere. As lanterns first lit, sounds of silk and bamboo instruments and laughter poured from wine houses along the streets. High officials and wealthy merchants, scholars and literati, and common peddlers all gathered here, interspersed with finger-guessing games and drinking orders, singing and carousing. On corridors and bridges, looking everywhere, beautiful lanterns of all shapes were visible, with various goods displaying their beauty in the dim lamplight.

Li Weiyang ordered the carriage to stop, then walked through the market with Li Min De. Li Min De specially took out a veil, wanting to put it on her.

Li Weiyang laughed: “So young, yet so old-fashioned.”

Li Min De looked around. Because it was the lantern festival, many young ladies from good families had come out to see the lanterns, each dressed beautifully like flowers. Few wore veils. This made sense—wealthy young ladies naturally had countless attendants behind them. Common people couldn’t approach, so not wearing a veil didn’t matter much. However—those were merely ordinary wealthy young ladies. If people knew that Prime Minister Li’s daughter was also doing this, rumors would probably fly.

Li Min De frowned and frowned and frowned again.

Li Weiyang didn’t want to be covered by that suffocating veil. She quickly walked to a stall. The stall was filled with lanterns. Though their appearance was crude compared to the famous craftsmen’s works at the Li residence, under the warm glow of lamplight they were covered in a hazy luminous haze, like lovely children’s smiling faces—indescribably adorable.

Li Weiyang lowered her head and picked up a rabbit lantern, staring blankly at the rabbit’s red eyes in a daze.

In the most difficult times, she had made paper lanterns, selling them for money like these ordinary common people. Back then, even getting a copper coin made her happy. Li Weiyang couldn’t help smiling, but thinking how everything had long since changed, turning to look at the dim lamplight, it was like blurred colorful stars in the night sky—as if she’d passed through another reincarnation.

Li Min De watched her from afar, only feeling that at this moment Li Weiyang appeared to carry so much sorrow, yet he knew she wouldn’t tell anyone. He watched without blinking—what secrets was she hiding in her heart?

Just then, Li Weiyang was suddenly startled by a clamor of noise. Turning to look, she saw many people gathered not far ahead. Inside, sounds of scolding and whipping could be heard, extremely harsh even in the noisy night market.

They walked over and discovered a man covered in brocade was whipping a delicate woman.

The woman kept her head lowered, her figure thin. The man beat her to the ground. Blood seeped from whip marks on her body, yet she raised her head as if arguing with the man, her mouth constantly murmuring, not knowing what she was saying.

Li Min De asked an elderly man beside him, “Who are these people?”

“Oh, that woman is this wealthy merchant’s wife,” the old man shook his head. “They say she bore three daughters in succession but couldn’t produce a son. This man simply demoted his wife to concubine. Later when he married a new wife, this woman caused trouble at the wedding hall and was driven out. Now it seems they’ve encountered each other again in the market.”

Hearing this, Li Weiyang glanced at the man’s side. Sure enough, a young beautiful woman stood there, her gaze carrying mockery as she looked at the woman on the ground.

“This woman has already gone mad. Look, she can’t even speak clearly!”

“Right, even when mad she still won’t behave. She should just find a place to die!”

“Who can she blame for not bearing a son? The man didn’t divorce her but gave her a concubine’s position—already very generous!”

“Exactly, clinging so desperately—truly shameless!”

The surrounding men sneered and discussed, as if watching something novel.

Li Weiyang looked at that woman.

The woman curled into a ball. The garment barely covering her body had been torn, revealing blue and purple bruises inside. Some continuously bled. As if sensing someone staring at her, the woman suddenly raised her face. On her face, one eyelid drooped, her nose bridge was collapsed, her cheeks completely swollen and bruised, blood still flowing from the corner of her mouth—her original appearance was completely unrecognizable. Anyone seeing such a horrifying face would be frightened and immediately flee. But Li Weiyang didn’t move. She stared fixedly at the wounds on that woman’s face, anger accumulating bit by bit in her heart.

Li Min De looked coldly at that man, saying in a low voice, “Should I stop it?”

Li Weiyang shook her head. Everyone had to pay the price for their own actions. She had sworn she would no longer be some good person.

Just then, someone suddenly ran before that man and grabbed his whip: “Stop!”

The man looked up to see a tall man standing before him with a dark complexion and spirited eyes.

“What are you?!” the man said angrily.

“My young lady says if you whip this woman once more, we’ll return ten lashes to you later!”

The man was stunned, his temper flaring even higher. But then a delicately carved, silk-clad little girl walked out from the crowd. He had to restrain himself somewhat: “Miss, I’m whipping my own concubine. Why are you meddling?”

Li Weiyang glanced at that girl and immediately recognized her identity—she was the Emperor’s beloved daughter, the Ninth Princess.

The Ninth Princess’s face was full of rage: “She’s your concubine, but you still can’t whip her so casually. She’s a person!”

“Ha!” The man laughed exaggeratedly and contemptuously kicked the woman: “This kind of useless woman—is she even human?”

Li Weiyang watched coolly. The Ninth Princess had already jumped up: “I just heard that she merely didn’t bear you a son, but she was after all your properly wedded wife. Is this how you treat her? Just now people said you demoted your wife to concubine. According to our dynasty’s legal code, you can only divorce a wife after seven years of no offspring. Moreover, she still bore you daughters! What right do you have to demote your wife to concubine! With a bit of money you don’t know the height of heaven or earth—you dare despise the legal code promulgated by the Emperor. Do you not want your life?”

The man was speechless. The Ninth Princess’s words stirred righteous indignation among the onlookers. Some began criticizing that man in various voices—actually they weren’t truly indignant for that woman’s sake. Mainly, seeing this matter involved despising the national legal code, they couldn’t stand on the side of a fool and speak for him!

Seeing public anger was hard to defy, the man had no choice but to let the woman stand up and dejectedly led her away.

The Ninth Princess felt she had upheld justice. Her face showed a satisfied expression as she naturally accepted everyone’s praise. Having watched the show, Li Weiyang said to Min De, “Let’s go.”

From beginning to end, she had no intention of saying a word.

However, just then, a young gentleman in brocade robes blocked her path. He wore the finest fabrics but had few ornaments on his body. Compared to that merchant covered in gold and silver earlier, he was far more modest. Yet his entire being emanated an invisible radiance, like cold jade, extremely eye-catching even in the crowd.

This person was none other than the Seventh Prince Tuoba Yu. He had been dragged by the Ninth Princess to accompany her to see the lanterns, never expecting to encounter Li Weiyang here. People came and went on the street. There were also countless beautiful women, yet only this person’s figure was particularly striking. But looking closely, though her bearing was beautiful, there was nothing that would make one immediately distinguish her from the crowd at a glance. Why did he feel Li Weiyang was especially striking? Even Tuoba Yu himself probably couldn’t answer this question.

The two suddenly came face to face. Tuoba Yu smiled as if nothing had happened: “County Princess, what a coincidence.”

Li Weiyang smiled slightly. Her face showed no surprise, only coolness: “Indeed. So Seventh Prince is also here.”

Actually, she had already seen Tuoba Yu standing in the crowd, but she had no intention of greeting him.

In her view, helping Tuoba Yu was only because she didn’t want to see Tuoba Zhen feeling smug, not because she was interested in their power struggle.

Yet now she was blocked by Tuoba Yu.

The Ninth Princess jumped out, glaring at her: “You clearly saw—why didn’t you help?”

Li Weiyang raised her eyebrows: “Help with what?”

The Ninth Princess said in surprise, “Help that woman just now, of course! She was so pitiful. You should have helped her! How could you just stand in the crowd watching!”

Li Weiyang said coolly, “Does the Princess think you helped just now?”

The Ninth Princess wore a silver-white pearl-studded satin dress with two long pearl-tasseled hairpins in her upswept hair. She looked much more mature than her actual age, appearing even more imposing with wealth. Hearing this, she raised her eyebrows and said loudly, “Of course!”

Li Weiyang smiled, her eyes flashing with cold mockery: “You just harmed that woman terribly.”

“How is that possible?! I clearly saved her!” The Ninth Princess’s little face flushed bright red as she tried her utmost to prove it.

Li Weiyang smiled slightly and said, “Princess, if you hadn’t interfered with that woman just now, after this man beat her and vented his anger, he wouldn’t have bothered with her anymore. But you just meddled and publicly stated that man violated the law. Think about it—to prevent that woman from causing trouble, how will he deal with her?”

The Ninth Princess froze, her little face turning deathly pale: “How… how could that be?”

Li Weiyang sighed and said, “Princess, if you think carefully you should know—he’s a man of treacherous character. How could he change his mind because of a few words from you? He clearly could have left alone. Why did he take that woman with him? Now… she’s probably in grave danger. Though you didn’t kill Boren, Boren died because of you. Princess, tell me—should this kind of meddling be done or not?”

“I… I’ll immediately send people to find them and bring them back!” The Ninth Princess was about to wave her hand when she was stopped by the Seventh Prince. He smiled and said, “No need. I already sent people to follow them just now.”

The Ninth Princess breathed a sigh of relief. Li Weiyang, however, glanced at Tuoba Yu.

Tuoba Yu’s features were cool and clear, but at this moment he very gently patted the Ninth Princess’s head: “Ninth Sister, in the future you must not be so rash! Otherwise next time, I won’t help you clean up the mess!”

The Ninth Princess pouted, appearing very unhappy. But then she remembered something and continued staring at Li Weiyang: “I’m a child, so I don’t understand anything. You clearly know everything—why didn’t you remind me?!”

Li Weiyang smiled silently. The Ninth Princess had made a mistake herself yet felt it was someone else’s fault. Ha ha, this was truly absurd. She had a moment of contemplation, her lips pressed into a lovely arc, her eyes carrying an indifferent smile: “Princess, even if the man was heartless, doesn’t that woman bear any responsibility for her own fate? After being divorced she remains foolishly confused, becoming neither human nor ghost, crazed and still clinging desperately. Reaching today’s situation—who can she blame? In my view, she should thank that man. If from now on she can wake up and understand his coldness and unreliability, at least she can still spend the rest of her life with dignity and purity. Otherwise, if she truly depended on such a man for life, it would be better to enter a nunnery.”

The Ninth Princess never expected her to say such things and was stunned in place for a moment.

For some reason, Li Min De seemed able to sense the intense resentment and anger inside her heart. His heart stirred and his footsteps followed, saying softly, “Let’s go.”

The Ninth Princess saw Li Min De and immediately froze. Then she clearly heard her own heartbeat—each beat like a hammer striking her heart. She unconsciously pressed her chest, her heart in complete turmoil. She had never experienced this feeling. Having it so suddenly, she felt somewhat at a loss. She took a deep breath, dispersing the faint flush that had quietly risen on her face, and said, “You’re here too!”

Last time the Ninth Princess was still the “Eighth Prince.” Now she was a pretty little girl. Li Min De didn’t take her seriously at all, only saying coolly, “Excuse me.”

The Ninth Princess had never received such treatment and immediately bristled: “How dare you speak to me this way! Don’t you recognize me?”

Li Min De glanced at her face—completely no impression.

Just now hearing people call her Princess, Li Min De searched through his information. Currently most of the Emperor’s daughters were already married. The only one close to his age was the ninth-ranking Princess Xianglan. Without needing to ask, he knew who the person before him was. However—what did it have to do with him?

The Ninth Princess stubbornly stood before him, insisting on waiting for him to remember who she was. In her impression, no one had ever dared treat her this way.

Li Weiyang laughed. This Ninth Princess was truly interesting—naive and innocent, willful and reckless, but kind-hearted, strongly curious, and stubborn as could be. Her mind involuntarily recalled the Ninth Princess’s fate in her previous life, and she couldn’t help sighing. For such a child to be born into the imperial family—was it her fortune or misfortune…

Tuoba Yu’s figure stood in the cool clean moonlight. His tall silhouette actually reduced the coldness, adding instead several parts of warm gentleness. He mediated: “Since we’ve encountered each other, why not go sit at Caiyue Tower?”

Caiyue Tower was the capital’s largest wine house. Facing the wind and admiring the moon, the scenery was uniquely beautiful. Countless people wanted to go, but even spending a fortune couldn’t secure a seat.

The Ninth Princess saw that Li Min De obeyed Li Weiyang’s every word and immediately forgot her earlier displeasure, rushing up to grab Li Weiyang’s arm: “Let’s go together! Let’s go!” As she spoke, her bright, sparkling eyes shone. Half coaxing, the small pearls on her golden ear pendants swayed wildly below her ears. The golden bracelets on her wrists also jingled, sounding very pleasant.

Li Weiyang actually quite liked the Ninth Princess. This fondness perhaps began from how she treated her in the previous life, or perhaps because she already knew the other’s fate. For some reason, she actually didn’t want to refuse this child’s request.

Because she knew the Ninth Princess’s naive innocence wouldn’t last more than a few years.

Li Weiyang’s eyes somehow held a bit of moisture, but she quickly blinked, as if there had never been any tears. At this moment, her eyes were very bright, like stars falling from the pitch-black sky into her eyes: “All right, let’s go together.”

The Ninth Princess smiled and jumped up. In her pure and small heart, she couldn’t hold so many unpleasant feelings from before. She had already forgotten them completely, pulling Li Weiyang as she ran swiftly. Li Min De and Tuoba Yu followed behind, walking neither quickly nor slowly.

“Third Young Master.” Tuoba Yu suddenly spoke.

Li Min De raised his eyes to glance at the other. Tuoba Yu smiled and said, “It’s nothing.”

Li Min De didn’t pursue it further and quickly caught up with those ahead. Tuoba Yu asked the guard behind him in a low voice, “Did you notice anything unusual?”

The guard captain said quietly, “Your Highness, one of Miss Li’s maids has very high martial arts skills. There’s also a master hidden among the guards. Not only that, this subordinate feels there seem to be quite a few top-tier figures hiding in the vicinity. However—please forgive this subordinate’s offense. This subordinate’s martial arts are too weak to see where exactly they’re hiding.”

Tuoba Yu confirmed his suspicions and couldn’t help frowning. He had crossed hands with Zhao Yue before—that maid was indeed a formidable character. Li Weiyang already had two masters by her side, which wasn’t particularly strange. But that group hiding in the shadows—who exactly were they protecting? For some reason, seeing Li Min De this time, he always felt this youth had become more composed. No, it should be said, more profound. He had an intuition that the other’s change must be related to this group of mysterious figures hidden in the shadows.

To be able to mobilize such a group of supremely skilled martial artists, Li Min De’s identity was definitely not simple. Tuoba Yu thought this while quickly catching up.

Caiyue Tower was truly as legendary accounts said—built facing the river, with the moon leaning against the western tower. The exterior was luxurious and grand, the interior elegant and exquisite. Who knew how much thought the owner had invested to achieve such splendor? Everyone knew that inside Caiyue Tower were all manner of entertaining diversions—gambling for a thousand gold pieces at a throw, beauties whose smiles could topple cities. So in the capital, Caiyue Tower’s fame had long spread everywhere. It was where heroes achieved satisfaction, where famous scholars found pleasure. Looking out the window, Li Weiyang saw the pitch-black sky and pitch-black river water connected as one. Between heaven and earth appeared a black expanse. Only this stretch of river surface where Caiyue Tower stood was illuminated by lamplight like daytime. Golden brilliant light spilled on the rippling water surface, as if countless gold flakes had been scattered in the water. No wonder so many flocked to it—it truly was an extraordinary place.

Inside Caiyue Tower, the private room had already been arranged. Li Weiyang looked at a calligraphy painting on the wall and couldn’t help smiling: “The owner here is truly willing to spend. This painting is an authentic work by the previous dynasty’s Master Liu. To actually see it in a wine house, hung so casually on the wall for anyone to admire.”

The Ninth Princess giggled and said, “You should ask Seventh Brother about that!”

Hearing this, Li Weiyang couldn’t help raising her eyebrows to look at Tuoba Yu: “So this Caiyue Tower belongs to you?”

Tuoba Yu smiled and said, “This was originally my uncle’s property. Later when he didn’t want to manage it anymore, he threw it to me.”

This was the benefit of having a powerful maternal clan. Li Weiyang smiled slightly. It seemed Caiyue Tower wasn’t just a wine house but also a place for gathering information. However—with the Emperor’s favor plus his maternal clan’s advantages, Tuoba Yu still lost to Tuoba Zhen in the end. Truly too tragic…

That said, Li Weiyang knew how long Tuoba Zhen had waited for this and how much effort he’d expended. In that sense, Tuoba Yu still wasn’t ruthless enough.

Li Min De lowered his head to glance at the river water below, suddenly saying, “We have a guest arriving.”

Li Weiyang looked toward the river water and saw on a magnificent large boat, a person in plain-colored garments was facing them. Tall and upright with relaxed brows and eyes, flying sword-like brows, spirited and energetic, and a pair of eyes burning with ambition.

Tuoba Yu laughed loudly: “How did Third Brother get here?” What he thought was—you rascal Tuoba Zhen, what are you doing running here for no reason?

Tuoba Zhen smiled with complete sincerity: “I merely came out to admire the moon and happened to encounter everyone. What a coincidence.”

Coincidence? Where were there so many coincidences in the world? Li Min De’s gaze turned cold. Probably not just Tuoba Zhen—even this Seventh Prince Tuoba Yu wasn’t some chance encounter. Many chance encounters were fundamentally deliberate. However, if they were truly interested, they should launch an offensive toward Li Changle. Why run before Third Sister? Third Sister was concubine-born and couldn’t help them at all!

“With the clear wind and white moon, perfect for elegant pursuits—I wonder if I’m welcome to drink together?” Tuoba Zhen called out with a smile.

Tuoba Yu glanced at Li Weiyang. Seeing her eyes grow increasingly indifferent, he was about to refuse when the ignorant little friend the Ninth Princess smiled and called out loudly, “Hurry up, Third Brother!”

Li Weiyang couldn’t help shaking her head. In the Ninth Princess’s eyes, there probably were no evil people in this world. How could she imagine that this Third Brother who doted on and pampered her was a demon who devoured people without spitting out bones?

In the previous life, after Tuoba Zhen successively eliminated opponents like the Crown Prince, Fifth Prince, and Seventh Prince, he also used various methods to kill other princes who posed no threat to him at all. For this, the Ninth Princess had run to the palace crying and pleading multiple times. In the eyes of the naive and innocent her, she simply couldn’t understand why the Third Brother who had always been warm and kind to her would become like this. Not only that—when the previous Emperor was alive, he had married the Ninth Princess to Zhang Feng, the legitimate second grandson of Duke Luo’s residence from the Seventh Prince’s maternal consort’s family. However, Tuoba Zhen was extremely dissatisfied with this marriage. Later when he ascended the throne, he couldn’t wait to have Zhang Feng arrested and exiled to the border, then issued an edict forcing the Ninth Princess to remarry. Unexpectedly, the Ninth Princess had an upright and simple temperament. Her relationship with her husband had always been good, so she firmly refused to separate from him. She even memorialized to renounce her Princess title and requested that Tuoba Zhen allow her to go to the border together with Zhang Feng.

Li Weiyang looked at Tuoba Zhen’s smile before her, clearly recalling the cold sneer on his face at that time. He hadn’t permitted the Ninth Princess to go to the border together with Zhang Feng. First confining her, temporarily not mentioning the remarriage matter, but changing Zhang Feng’s exile location to the barren and harsh Western border where survival conditions were extremely harsh—he deliberately intended to torture to death this brother-in-law he extremely detested. When the Ninth Princess learned this news in the capital, her heart was like being cut by knives. She repeatedly memorialized requesting permission to go to the Western border to “receive punishment” together with her husband. Tuoba Zhen completely ignored them all. Later the Princess fell gravely ill from suppressed grief and resentment. Soon she was on the verge of death. On her deathbed, she memorialized requesting Tuoba Zhen to show mercy and bury her together with Zhang Feng. But Tuoba Zhen had them buried thousands of miles apart, the burial specifications also extremely low, completely unlike treatment for a Princess. Li Weiyang had also felt sorrowful for her then and was shocked by Tuoba Zhen’s sudden cruelty.

Before, she had always thought everything Tuoba Zhen did was right, even dealing with the Crown Prince and Seventh Prince, because that concerned life and death survival. But that time she discovered that perhaps she had never understood her husband at all. She didn’t understand why he was so vicious even toward a sister who had never threatened him.

Later, after being confined in the Cold Palace for so many years, she finally understood. It was because Tuoba Zhen’s heart had always been very dark. On the surface he doted on this sister, but actually he had always felt hatred and disgust for the love and favor and honor she received. When he ascended to high position, he mercilessly trampled all those who had once been above him beneath his feet, manipulating their fates at will to obtain a kind of psychological balance.

Tuoba Zhen smiled slightly and ordered people to bring the boat to shore. Then with a sweep of his long robe, he leaped down from the boat with extremely graceful bearing and soon ascended the building.

The Ninth Princess’s face was full of happiness: “How did Third Brother end up here? You’ve always been so obedient—how did you also sneak out?”

Tuoba Yu smiled and said, “You think your Third Brother is like you? If he came, naturally he has important business to handle.” Then he called outside, “Someone, please have Miss Yanzhi come.”

Since Caiyue Tower was a wine house, naturally it had performers. But unlike ordinary vulgar wine houses, the women here were not only outstanding in beauty and artistry but had been hired at great expense from famous teachers. They all had accomplishments in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. However, if guests took a fancy to these women and wanted intimate relations, without obtaining their consent, they absolutely couldn’t touch them in the slightest. This was because Caiyue Tower had long declared that this was a refined gathering place for noble families, not some place for miscellaneous riffraff. Anyone who dared cause trouble here would have no good end. So ordinarily, not just noble men—it was said even many young ladies from wealthy families held banquets here.

The Miss Yanzhi that the Seventh Prince mentioned was precisely the most outstanding among the hired famous teachers.

During the waiting period, the Ninth Princess suddenly tilted her head to look at Li Weiyang: “Sister Weiyang, did you know? You’re now on the Dali Beauty Rankings too.”

“The Dali Beauty Rankings?” Li Weiyang found it quite novel. She had never heard of this.

Tuoba Yu smiled and said, “First place on the Beauty Rankings is your elder sister Li Changle. And you currently rank ninth.”

Li Weiyang smiled. She knew her own appearance best. To actually squeeze onto the Beauty Rankings was already surprising.

“Third Sister rarely appears in public. I wonder how she got on the rankings?” Li Min De raised his eyebrows and asked this.

Tuoba Yu glanced at Tuoba Zhen over there and answered, “Third Young Master is correct. The beauties on the Beauty Rankings are mostly daughters of good families with considerable status. Only a few are lucky enough to personally see a beauty’s jade countenance. However, there are always busybodies who, after personally witnessing someone’s appearance, commission painters to create portraits that circulate everywhere. Those who got on the Beauty Rankings this way include your elder sister and the County Princess too.” Li Weiyang made the rankings not because her beauty was so outstanding, but because she was the creator of the ink dance.

Li Weiyang noticed Tuoba Yu’s expression. She realized this matter probably had something to do with Tuoba Zhen. The other party seemed to want to push her from behind the scenes into public view—this couldn’t be a good thing.

“Beauties are like flowers beyond the clouds. For those young ladies from noble families, ordinary people only hear their names but find it hard to see them in person. But this Miss Yanzhi is different—not only is she an exquisitely graceful absolute beauty, she also plays a琵琶 brilliantly enough to win applause. She grew up poor and traveled around performing to make a living. Three years ago she arrived in the capital, immediately became famous, and was entered onto the Beauty Rankings.”

Li Weiyang usually stayed at home and obviously wasn’t very familiar with these situations.

Tuoba Zhen elaborated: “Since Miss Yanzhi began performing, those who came seeking marriage—whether noble aristocrats, scholarly families, or romantic talents—all without exception received polite refusals. So she’s already twenty-five this year. Ordinary people’s daughters would have long since married and borne children, yet she’s still wandering about outside. Truly lamentable.”

Looking at his appearance, there was quite a bit of regret. Li Weiyang couldn’t help sneering coldly. Men were a very strange thing. They always believed women’s destiny was to marry and bear children, continuing the bloodline. But equally human, men could establish achievements and careers—must women obediently complete their so-called mission? Just like that woman in the market earlier—because she couldn’t bear a son, she had to be treated like a pig or dog. Truly too laughable.

Tuoba Yu watched Li Weiyang’s expression from the side and couldn’t help smiling. He could see that Third Brother was very interested in Li Weiyang. However—whether this interest arose from a man’s appreciation of a woman or from Li Weiyang’s utility value was unknown.

Miss Yanzhi pushed the door open and entered. Her hair was jet black, arranged in a flowing cloud coiffure with a jade pearl flower hairpin inserted, crystal tassels hanging from it. Her face was clean and white, her lips thin, the corners of her mouth curved slightly upward, carrying a faint trace of a smile. Her entire face was delicate and refined, without the slightest trace of worldly concerns. Standing there, she appeared dignified and noble, quiet and elegant.

“Miss Yanzhi, please play a piece for us.” Tuoba Yu smiled.

Yanzhi lowered her head and began playing and singing. Her singing voice was clear and crisp, her enunciation distinct—like a stream slowly flowing over mountain stones, like fine rain lightly tapping on roof tiles, like jade beads dropping onto a golden plate. Whether Jiangnan’s plain moon or the frontier’s wind and frost, all lay beneath her slender ten fingers. Strand by strand, thread by thread, tightly entwining one’s heart, every inch of one’s pores feeling as comfortable as if scalded.

“Such琵琶 skill is indeed rare in the world.” Li Weiyang thought to herself—if Li Changle saw such a beautiful and talented woman outside, wouldn’t even her nose be crooked from anger?

“What is the County Princess thinking about?” Tuoba Yu suddenly asked.

Li Weiyang focused her gaze on Yanzhi for a moment, then couldn’t help saying, “I was just thinking—with such beauty and beautiful music, Your Highness truly knows how to enjoy yourself.”

Tuoba Yu laughed.

Li Weiyang’s gaze fell on Li Min De, who had remained silent all along. She saw a strange color in his eyes as he stared at Yanzhi. Li Weiyang couldn’t help feeling curious. Could they know each other? No, though Li Min De went out daily, it was all for classes. He couldn’t possibly know a woman of such background. But looking at his expression, it didn’t seem like complete unfamiliarity either. Li Weiyang said in a low voice, “Your Highness, where is this Miss Yanzhi from?”

Tuoba Yu smiled and said, “She’s from Cangzhou.” Every person in this wine house had been thoroughly investigated by him. There would be no mistakes. However, why would Li Weiyang suddenly ask about this?

Li Weiyang glanced at Li Min De again. The other had already lowered his head, not knowing what he was thinking about.

The Ninth Princess listened with rapt attention. But Tuoba Zhen on the side saw Li Weiyang and Tuoba Yu whispering privately, thinking they had some intimate words to say. He couldn’t help frowning: “If you two have something to say, why not let us hear it too?”

Li Weiyang raised her eyes to look at him: “Third Prince isn’t properly listening to music—why are you paying attention to us?”

Tuoba Zhen couldn’t help feeling frustrated.

He considered himself in no way inferior to Tuoba Yu—merely his birth wasn’t as good as the other’s. Ordinarily no one dared implement such contempt so obviously. Li Weiyang, you’re good, you’re really good!

Bold enough!