On his way over, Xiao Wei had already heard from the Old Princess Consort’s maid Hong Zhi about what was happening in Qingyun Garden, and couldn’t help being furious.

That Wei Sixth Miss truly had no end. On the boat, she’d barged into his cabin, stammering out her feelings, and he’d already clearly rejected her. Afterward, reacting to the fact they’d been alone together, his chagrin was only relieved by hoping Wei Sixth Miss wouldn’t be foolish enough to disregard her own reputation. However, unexpectedly, she could truly go to this extent.

Entering the garden and climbing the stone steps, he heard that voice he’d grown familiar with—gentle yet never weak. That maid called Mo Zi should be the only person who’d seen Wei Sixth Miss run out of his cabin. He’d warned her about it. Was she now helping Wei Sixth Miss?

Because the distance was still far, he couldn’t hear clearly. Xiao Wei assumed it must be that Mo Zi wasn’t keeping her word and had exposed the matter, making him even more furious.

Mo Zi stood beside Mo’er and Wei Sixth Miss. Before the three powerful women and Qiu Sanniang, she actually said this: “That day Mo Zi was indeed following Third Young Madam’s orders to inquire on the second floor about when the boat would depart. Just as I reached Second Master’s cabin door, suddenly the door swung toward me. Unable to dodge in time, I bumped my head and my vision went black. Leaning against the door, I couldn’t move half a step. Not until Second Master came out and asked me could I stand up straight. As for Miss Wei Sixth, I didn’t see her.”

The decision she made in that split second had sufficient reasoning behind it. Between Wei Sixth Miss and Xiao Erlang, if she had to choose one to offend, she naturally chose Wei Sixth Miss. Though a woman pursuing someone she liked showed courage worthy of respect, Xiao Erlang had Brother Mo’s weakness in his grasp. If one day her identity was exposed by him, old and new grievances together—she, a small maid, couldn’t withstand it. Moreover, who told her to promise Xiao Erlang? If Wei Sixth Miss had sought her help first, perhaps steeling herself, she’d have no choice but to offend the high and powerful.

Therefore, no matter how she thought about it, she had to lie and refuse to admit it to her death.

Mo Zi’s words saying she didn’t see Wei Sixth Miss caught everyone off guard. Because that Mo’er had named her specifically with such certainty, everyone assumed Mo Zi must have seen it.

“Did you see anyone else?” The Old Princess Consort’s gaze was sharp, staring at Mo Zi.

That one was the lead laodan role in the opera, while Mo Zi was merely an extra, but a true dragon lurking in the sea. Her expression showed not half a trace of cowering or hesitation. Pretending to recall, she tilted her head, then answered, “I saw no one else, only Second Master. Second Master told me the county office had opened granaries to provide relief grain to Yuling refugees, so the boat couldn’t leave for the time being and we’d have to wait. After hearing this, I went back to report to Madam.”

When Xiao Wei came up, he heard the maid kneeling beside Wei Sixth Miss pointing at Mo Zi and loudly saying she was lying. Half the fire in his heart subsided. Mo Zi kept her word—it was he himself who’d nearly wronged her.

Seeing the maid with blood flowing from her temple form her five fingers into a claw about to grab Mo Zi’s skirt, Xiao Wei coldly spoke out. “Old Ancestress, Mother, Concubine Yu, what’s happening here?”

Mo Zi had originally been about to dodge, but seeing Xiao Er arrive and Mo’er also withdraw her hand that was about to attack her, she stood firm without moving. Did the entrance of the young male lead mean she, this extra, had finished her run?

The Princess Consort glanced at her mother-in-law, who nodded, acknowledging she was the one who’d summoned him.

“Wei’er, your arrival is perfectly timed. You tell us yourself—that day on the wedding boat, did you or did you not spend half a shichen alone with Miss Wei Sixth in your cabin?” The two maids each held to their own version, making it hard to tell who was lying. Now that her son had arrived, the Princess Consort thought asking the person directly was most straightforward.

Xiao Wei’s eyes, cold as winter stars, swept over the kneeling Wei Sixth Miss.

Wei Sixth Miss, having just heard Xiao Wei arrive, had been eagerly gazing at his tall figure. Suddenly meeting the cold light in his eyes, her heart went cold and she lowered her head, beginning to sob again.

Mo Zi, however, saw Wei Sixth Miss’s cheeks redden, the flush spreading all the way to her neck. Perhaps she truly had fallen for Xiao Erlang. Though at Wangqiu Tower, she’d been reserved due to uncertainty about Xiao Erlang’s identity, once she discovered he was a prince’s mansion young master she needed to reach up to, there were no obstacles from the Wei family’s side, so she’d plunged in like a moth to flame. Otherwise, why would she disregard her own reputation?

“I was not alone with Miss Wei Sixth. At the time, Shi Lei was also in the cabin.” Xiao Wei’s voice was extremely cold, like an ice blade from the twelfth month, stabbing straight into Wei Sixth Miss’s heart.

Wei Sixth Miss instantly raised her face, her features full of disbelief, all color draining away, like a white plum about to wither in a snowy landscape. If she fainted dead away on the spot, no one would be surprised.

What was this situation? A two-against-one situation!

Mo’er and Wei Sixth Miss naturally counted as one, Xiao Wei was another, while Mo Zi’s position was neutral, making her the third party. Now, Mo Zi and Xiao Wei had consecutively denied the incident of being alone together. People could only believe Wei Sixth Miss and her maid were lying. Not hesitating to lie in order to cling to Xiao Wei—in this case, Wei Sixth Miss’s reputation was thoroughly finished.

“Se… Second Master?” Wei Sixth Miss finally broke the long silence, tears falling from both eyes.

At this moment, Mo Zi suddenly felt sympathy for Wei Sixth Miss, encountering a man who refused to acknowledge responsibility.

“Third Miss.” The Old Princess Consort called Qiu Sanniang once.

Mo Zi immediately became alert. Calling Qiu Sanniang at this moment—wasn’t that a bit strange?

“Yes, Old Ancestress.” Qiu Sanniang hurriedly stood.

“This maid of yours is dishonest. May I discipline her on your behalf?” The Old Princess Consort’s words shocked everyone again.

Qiu Sanniang wrinkled her brow tightly, glancing at Mo Zi. Though she didn’t understand why the Old Princess Consort wanted to discipline Mo Zi, she couldn’t say no. This wasn’t her natal family but her marital family. She wasn’t a legitimate eldest daughter but Xiao San’s wife. The one speaking was Prince Jing mansion’s highest mistress. If she refused, her future days would probably be even less smooth. But she didn’t want to agree. Mo Zi was her maid, moreover an extremely clever maid. She herself enjoyed matching wits with Mo Zi—what right did others have to discipline her?

As Qiu Sanniang’s thoughts turned over repeatedly, Xiao Wei spoke, coincidentally helping her out of the dilemma. But her heart was too agitated to sit any longer, so she stood watching how things would develop.

“Old Ancestress, why discipline this maid?” Xiao Wei also frowned.

“Because she lied.” The Old Princess Consort didn’t lose her temper, but her dignity permeated her entire being, making people not dare act rashly. “Matron Qian, go up and give that maid twenty slaps for me. I want to see whose courage she’s relying on to dare lie to a group of masters without even blinking.”

“Old Madam has keen insight. I, Mo’er, dare swear a poisonous oath—not half a sentence is false. Otherwise let my entire family die out and may I never be reborn.” Having said this, Mo’er glared viciously at Mo Zi.

With such a terrifying oath spoken, plus the Old Princess Consort wanting to discipline someone, the wind blew back again.

When Mo Zi heard the Old Princess Consort tell Qiu Sanniang she wanted to discipline her, she’d already begun searching for the reason. Then she found it very quickly. What made the Old Princess Consort believe she was lying wasn’t truly seeing through her collusion with Xiao Er, but rather a problem with their stories. She and Xiao Er hadn’t coordinated their stories beforehand, leading to discrepancies between them.

What she said was: She only saw Second Master, one person.

What Xiao Wei said was: At the time, Shi Lei was also present.

Out of nowhere, one person was missing, one person was added. The Old Princess Consort listened truly carefully and immediately felt something was wrong. Unable to fault her grandson, she could only find trouble with the maid.

Matron Qian stepped forward. Mo Zi still stood straight, waving her hand and saying, “Wait!” Secretly cursing Xiao Erlang for being stupid—if he wanted to deny responsibility, so be it, but causing her to suffer along with him.

Xiao Wei didn’t know why his heart jolted, but he had no time to ponder it because Mo Zi continued speaking.

“Old Madam, Mo Zi did not lie. Why should Mo Zi be slapped?” You can’t hit the precious one, so you hit this cheap one? Dream on! Today she absolutely had to round out this lie without a single flaw! No one could find fault!

“You just said you only saw Second Master, one person, but Wei’er said Commander Shi was also there. If you’re not lying, what is it?” The Old Princess Consort, seeing Mo Zi openly resist, had fire rise on her previously expressionless face. This maid was audaciously bold, wasn’t she?

“Mo Zi actually thinks there’s no conflict.” Sure enough, she’d guessed right. “Perhaps when Miss Wei Sixth entered Second Master’s cabin, Commander Shi was there. But by the time Mo Zi passed by and was struck by the door, Sixth Miss and Commander Shi had long since left.”

“Second Master, do you remember what time Miss Wei left the cabin?” Mo Zi deliberately grabbed the Old Princess Consort’s precious one to be her scapegoat.

“I don’t remember.” Xiao Wei looked at Mo Zi.

Mo Zi smiled slightly. Of course, not smiling at Xiao Er. It was just instinctive—a certain small triumph accidentally leaked out a tiny bit.

Xiao Wei thought, this maid could still smile?

“Sophistry!” The Old Princess Consort angrily slapped the table, her jade ring striking the wood with a thud. “Mo’er clearly saw you with her own eyes. If we follow Wei’er’s words, Commander Shi should still have been in the cabin. How could you not have seen him?”

That was because Stone fellow wasn’t standing there at all, so of course she didn’t see him.

What Mo Zi said aloud was completely different from what was in her heart. “Reporting to Old Madam, then it’s not that Mo Zi lied, but rather Mo’er’s problem.”

Mo’er urgently shouted, “I swore a poisonous oath—I absolutely didn’t lie.”

“I didn’t say you lied.” Mo Zi knew clearly in her heart that Mo’er had been lying from the start. When she’d poked her head out from behind the door then, there was only Wei Sixth Miss’s back, with no one else nearby at all. “You said you saw me see you two. Then I ask you, what color clothes was I wearing at the time?” The other was lying, she was lying too, but it depended on whose performance was more convincing.

“That… it’s been too long, I don’t remember too clearly, but you dressed differently from Third Young Madam’s other maids—quite old, quite plain skirt.” These words sounded not much like lying because they were realistic.

“Oh? So you saw my entire person at the time.” Mo Zi nodded, with a look of comprehension.

“Of course, otherwise how would I remember your skirt was old?” Mo’er thought, how could she deny it?

“Then that’s strange. The corridor on the boat’s second floor is very narrow. Once the door opens, it blocks the passage. Second Master, you came out the door, heard the startled cry from behind it, and only saw me after closing the door, right?” Continuing to use him as scapegoat.

“Correct.” Xiao Er was reasonably cooperative, though this part Mo Zi spoke was factual.

“Then Mo’er, how could you see what skirt I was wearing? New or old, both were from when we disembarked to eat and you saw me then. If I’d truly seen Sixth Miss at the time, at most I could have poked my head out from behind the door.”

Jump down—this is a trap.