Chapter 9
Nanny Luo carried the cloak all the way back to Lotus Fragrance Courtyard. After dismissing the maids, she said to Madam Meng, “Old Madam, this servant has something to report.”
Madam Meng saw how serious she looked and nodded. “What is it?”
Nanny Luo carefully explained what had happened. “Though it wasn’t this servant’s place to meddle, Third Miss is truly pitiful. She knows nothing about such things and even touched it over and over as if it were a treasure. She’s only a child, after all, and doesn’t know to be wary of others.”
Hearing this, Madam Meng took the cloak from her. Puzzled, she ran her fingers over it twice, then suddenly noticed something strange about its texture. She hurriedly looked down. “Oh? What’s this?”
A small section of the soft fur lining had been turned to one side, with something poking out. On closer inspection, they weren’t bristles at all, but several fine needles, as thin as hairs and nearly impossible to see unless one looked carefully.
“Why are there needles in the clothes?” Madam Meng frowned.
“Third Miss is just a young girl. How could she know about these things? The needles are very short and not particularly dangerous, and that patch of fur keeps the wearer from feeling them. But once the wearer moves, the needles will pierce her skin.”
“Those black-hearted servants! How careless of them!” Madam Meng said angrily.
Though Li Weiyang hadn’t been raised by her, she was still her granddaughter—and a sensible girl with delicate, pretty features at that. Why would anyone target her the moment she entered the residence? But then Madam Meng reconsidered. Apart from the First Madam, Madam Jiang, who else would dare do such a thing? Her expression darkened further. “She gave me this cloak right in front of me. Is she trying to humiliate me?”
Nanny Luo rarely saw Madam Meng lose her temper, and quickly lowered her head. “Old Madam, it may not have been the First Madam. Look how kindly she treated Third Miss—”
“Kindly? If she didn’t give birth to her, what care could she truly have for her? I thought that, since she came from a prominent family, she would know what was proper and wouldn’t do anything outrageous. But judging by this, she’s just as foolish as the rest. A family like ours must never let word get out that we mistreat a concubine-born daughter. Nanny Luo, send Mozhu, the maid by my side, to serve Third Miss.”
“Yes.” Nanny Luo quickly agreed. Though Madam Meng rarely concerned herself with the household, she was cold on the outside and warm within. Whenever she saw something unjust, she always intervened. If it were only a few needles, they could simply be removed. The Old Madam was afraid the First Madam might try something else, bringing disgrace upon the Li family’s century-old reputation. Third Miss was lucky this time. With one of the Old Madam’s own people watching over her, the First Madam would have to think twice and wouldn’t dare truly harm her.
Madam Meng thought for a moment, then said, “Since you’ve already brought it back, remove the needles and return it exactly as it was. Don’t say a word to Third Miss.”
“Yes, this servant understands,” Nanny Luo replied.
By then, Li Weiyang had reached the garden. Although a little maid was leading the way, she was clearly distracted, wondering how much effect those few needles would have. The First Madam hadn’t put them there, of course. She wouldn’t act before learning what Li Weiyang was really like. Li Weiyang herself had slipped the needles in when no one was looking, using the opportunity to show Madam Meng that the First Madam was two-faced and tear away her mask of benevolence. Just then, the sound of clear reading drifted from the study across the water. The voice was so lovely that Li Weiyang started in surprise.
“Third Miss, that’s the Eldest Miss leading the other young ladies in their lessons,” Huamei said with a smile.
Li Weiyang glanced at her but said nothing. Thinking she wanted to hear more, Huamei continued, “Our Eldest Miss is like a fairy, Third Miss. She has a good heart and is learned, too—outstanding in every way. The young ladies of the residence never used to study, but the Eldest Miss personally went to ask the Master to let them learn, saying that women should be educated and understand principles. So the Master himself went to Yuanshan County to invite the most renowned female tutor. Such a privilege is the first of its kind in our Great Li Dynasty!”
Li Weiyang rested her fingers on the railing and secretly clenched them. A faint smile appeared on her face. “Is that so? Eldest Sister really is impressive.”
Just then, a young woman’s laughter rang out from a distance. “Who’s that? I’ve never seen her before!”
Li Weiyang looked across the water and saw two elaborately dressed young women coming out of the study. One of them was pointing at her from afar. She hadn’t planned to meet them so soon, but they had come looking for her anyway. She smiled slightly. It seemed history was about to repeat itself.
“Third Miss, the one speaking is Fifth Miss, and the one beside her is Fourth Miss,” Huamei reminded her softly. In the blink of an eye, Fifth Miss Li Changxi had reached them. She wore a powder-blue embroidered jacket and skirt, with a pair of delicate gold hairpins in her bun and a solid-gold longevity lock around her neck. Her oval face, phoenix eyes, red beauty mark between her brows, and rosy cheeks made her look especially charming when she smiled, revealing a row of tiny white teeth. Beside her stood a girl in a pink silk skirt, just as fair and delicate. Her features resembled Li Changxi’s, but she seemed gentler. She was Fourth Miss Li Changxiao.
“So it’s Fourth Sister and Fifth Sister.” Li Weiyang gave them an innocent smile, tinged with the slightest shyness. Sunlight fell across her face, making it glow brilliantly.
When Fourth Miss Li Changxiao heard Li Weiyang speak, she smiled amiably and nodded to her. But Li Changxi, standing beside her, gave a haughty, mocking laugh. “You’ve just arrived and you’re already calling us your younger sisters? Who told you that you could?”
Li Weiyang blinked. “I can’t call you my younger sisters? Should I call you Eldest Sisters instead?”
Li Changxi was taken aback, then her brows shot up. She looked Li Weiyang over and saw that she was quite pretty, with fair, delicate skin, glossy black hair, and dark, arched brows. She was nothing like the country bumpkin Li Changxi had imagined—they were worlds apart. Discontent immediately welled up in her. “What do you mean by that? Are you deliberately picking a fight?”
You’re the one deliberately picking a fight! A trace of coldness flashed through Li Weiyang’s dark eyes, so quickly that no one could detect it. But she only smiled and said, “Fourth Sister, I still have to pay my respects to Father. Please don’t block my way.”
Li Changxi had assumed Li Weiyang would be an easy target. Her anger flared at once. “You were born in the second month, an ill-starred girl, and you dare speak to me like that?!”
Fourth and Fifth Miss, like Li Weiyang, were both concubine-born daughters. In her previous life, Li Weiyang had never understood why Li Changxi constantly sneered at her when she had never offended her. Now she understood: some people simply liked to stir up trouble. They would make trouble even when there was none, and all the more so when someone new arrived. If Li Changxi didn’t put Li Weiyang firmly beneath her heel, how could she throw her weight around later? Li Weiyang showed no anger at all, merely smiling faintly. “Yes, I was born in the second month. Fifth Sister, do you have a problem with my birthday?”
Seeing that Li Weiyang didn’t so much as change her expression, as if she didn’t take her seriously at all, Li Changxi grew even more furious. She was about to say something when a gentle voice spoke up. “Changxi, Third Sister has only just come home. How can you be so rude to her?”
At the sound of that voice, a chill seemed to sweep down Li Weiyang’s spine. She would remember it even a hundred years from now: Li Changle! Slowly, she turned toward the peerless beauty walking gracefully over from the other side of the railing—