Secret Collusion

Bai Zhi and Ziyan entered the room one after the other. Li Weiyang ignored Ziyan and asked Bai Zhi, “Do you think I punished her too harshly?”

Bai Zhi thought for a moment, then replied, “There do need to be rules in this courtyard. Miss did the right thing.”

Li Weiyang smiled faintly. “I brought you both into the Li residence. If you do well, it reflects well on me; if you make a mistake, I’ll lose face too. While serving by my side, you must do your jobs faithfully and remain loyal. If you can’t manage both, I’ll have someone send you back to Pingcheng.”

Bai Zhi answered, “Yes.” Ziyan, however, said gently, “Miss, this servant is naturally loyal to you.”

Li Weiyang sighed inwardly. She hoped Ziyan wouldn’t develop any improper ideas. She had used Nanny Liu’s situation to warn her, but didn’t know whether the warning had worked.

Early one morning, three days later, Ziyan brought in breakfast and laid out a table full of dishes.

Li Weiyang discreetly studied her.

Ziyan had always been pretty, with a pair of bright, limpid almond-shaped eyes and a face flushed like a lovely lotus blossom. She wore a light crimson embroidered silk dress, and her narrow shoulders and slender waist gave her an eye-catching figure. If Li Weiyang had been nothing more than an ignorant thirteen-year-old girl, she might not have noticed anything. But her mind had long since matured past thirty; how could she fail to see that something had changed in the girl before her? She merely smiled, giving nothing away, and said, “That dress is lovely.”

Ziyan only smiled. “Didn’t you say you didn’t like that length of Xiuli silk and give it to this servant? I thought I’d wear it so you could see.” She glanced at Li Weiyang’s expression, then added, “You said it would suit me, and now that I’ve put it on, I can see you were right.”

Ziyan had finished the dress early and planned to save it for the New Year, yet now she had brought it out. Bai Zhi’s pupils tightened, and she hardly dared look at Li Weiyang. Miss was no weak, easily bullied fool. On the contrary, though she was only thirteen, she was capable and sharp-witted, with a keen eye for detail. She had noticed every little change in Ziyan. She had said nothing only to give Ziyan a chance, yet the girl was so obtuse she couldn’t even see it...