Qin Shuying stepped forward to support Madam Xu and said, “First Madam, what’s the matter? Sixth Sister, do you know? Could it be that you skipped breakfast before entering the pace this morning, and now the First Madam is faint from hunger? If that’s the case, we should head back. I’m sure Consort Lian wouldn’t bme us. After all, Consort Lian will surely spend today kneeling before De Lin Pace. She likely won’t return before the pace gates are locked. Today is her birthday, yet such an incident has occurred—how could she bear this?”

  Madam Xu looked at Qin Shuying as though she were a ghost, a chill spreading through her heart. She cked the strength to shake off Qin Shuying’s assistance.

  Qin Shuying continued, seemingly oblivious. “I wonder if His Highness the Sixth Prince is aware of this matter? Speaking of which, it all stems from Consort Lian’s poor judgment in choosing her attendants, which has now implicated the Sixth Prince. His Highness has just begun to gain favor and prove himself capable, and he has a bright future ahead. But with this incident, will His Highness also face reprimands? Truly, it’s worrying for Consort Lian.”

  Qin Yunyun felt dizzy and heavy-headed. She sank heavily into a chair, her face pale as though drained of all blood.

  How dare she? How could she dare?

  Qin Shuying, her eyes as calm as still water, looked over and asked, “Sixth Sister, what’s wrong? Are you also faint from hunger? Luckily, I ate this morning. In any case, maidservant, please inform Consort Lian that we’ll take our leave for the sake of the First Madam’s health.”

  The young pace maid snapped out of her daze, stammering, “Seventh Miss, this... both senior attendants and Eunuch Xi are away, and I don’t have the authority to make decisions.”

  Qin Shuying smiled gently and helped Madam Xu to a seat. “First Madam, what should we do?”

  Madam Xu turned her gaze slowly toward Qin Shuying, only to see her calm and faintly smiling expression. At first, she had thought Qin Shuying had reverted to her previous meek and obedient self. But now, she realized Qin Shuying had deliberately waited for her to humiliate herself.

  That smile—so chilling, so mocking.

  Was this the same timid and inept Qin Shuying? No, this was a ghost wearing human skin!

  “Y-you... stay away!”

  Madam Xu screamed, shaking off Qin Shuying’s arm.

  Unperturbed, Qin Shuying sat beside Qin Yunyun and said, “First Madam, with Consort Lian absent, you should be the one to take charge. We can’t just linger here. I suspect the Dayings, Changzais, and Meirens from Shuangyun Hall—some twenty or thirty people—will soon arrive. If we block them, it will be inappropriate. But if we let them in, won’t they just mock us?”

  Madam Xu’s body trembled as she stared at Qin Shuying, trying to see through her or drill a hole in her. But she couldn’t deny that Qin Shuying was telling the truth.

  Qin Yunyun kept her gaze fixed on Qin Shuying, her heart gripped by terror.

  How dare she? How could she dare?

  Qin Shuying, undisturbed, poured herself a cup of tea and sipped it leisurely, as though she were simply visiting the pace for a stroll.

  Suddenly, a pace maid burst in, breathless and flustered. After catching her breath and gncing around, she hurried to Madam Xu and said, “First Madam, the consort has ordered me to escort you back to the residence. Please follow me.”

  “What happened?” Madam Xu asked, her voice trembling with a st shred of hope. This maid was from Shuangyun Hall—she had seen her before.

  The maid’s voice still carried a hint of breathlessness, clearly from running. “First Madam, the consort... the consort is at De Lin Pace. Eunuch Xi instructed me to deliver this message.”

  Madam Xu’s face turned ashen. She suddenly turned her furious gaze on Qin Shuying, her chest heaving as though stuffed with cotton, unable to utter a word.

  Qin Yunyun, pale as death, clenched her hands so tightly that her fingernails dug into her palms, nearly breaking the skin. She felt as though she were submerged in icy water, freezing to the bone, helpless and hopeless.

  “Your Highness the Sixth Prince!”

  Suddenly, Qin Yunyun’s eyes lit up with surprise as she saw a young man striding in. Overwhelmed with joy, her legs nearly gave way as she grabbed the table for support and stood up.

  Zhou Qin strode in, his expression icy, exuding an aura of frost. Ignoring Qin Yunyun’s call, he headed straight for Qin Shuying and stopped in front of her.

  With a tone as cold as winter, he asked, “Qin Shuying?!”

  Qin Shuying met Zhou Qin’s icy gaze with a faint smile, her expression unchanged. She bent her knee slightly in a curtsey. “This humble servant greets Your Highness, the Sixth Prince.”

  Calm and unhurried, as though Zhou Qin’s thunderous fury was nothing but a passing breeze.

  Zhou Qin took a deep breath, struggling to comprehend how this woman could remain so composed in the face of his anger.

  Ridiculous! She was merely an insignificant orphan from the Qin household. How could she possibly outshine him?

  With a sweep of his robe, Zhou Qin seated himself on the main chair and spoke in a stern voice, “What exactly happened in the conservatory just now?”

  Qin Shuying replied, “Your Highness, Handan offended Princess Fuping.”

  “And why?”

  “Handan plucked the Princess’s Yao Huang peony but denied it. However, the Princess found the flower hidden in her sleeve. With no way to refute the accusation, Consort Lian had no choice but to take Handan to plead for forgiveness.”

  “And how did the Yao Huang end up in Handan’s sleeve?”

  “I do not know, Your Highness,” Qin Shuying answered calmly.

  Zhou Qin’s cold gaze bore into her, but her expression remained serene, as if he were merely a commoner questioning her.

  “Don’t know?” Zhou Qin’s voice rose. “If you don’t know, how are you still standing here?”

  “This concerns the consort and the princess. I dare not specute on their matters.”

  This answer was clear enough. Zhou Qin’s anger surged but he refrained from shing out.

  “She’s lying!” Qin Yunyun couldn’t hold back any longer and cried out, “She’s lying! She’s the one who caused Eldest Sister to end up like this!”

  Qin Shuying turned her composed gaze toward Qin Yunyun. “Sixth Sister, the pace has its rules. Words cannot be spoken recklessly. Consort Lian is wise and astute. I am nothing but a powerless orphan—how could I cause such harm to the consort? Sixth Sister, your words are inappropriate. Are you belittling the consort? Disrespecting imperial authority? If even Consort Lian hasn’t accused me of wrongdoing, how could you cim to have witnessed anything yourself?”

  “Silence!” Zhou Qin shouted, displeased by Qin Shuying’s swift and pointed retort.

  Qin Shuying sneered inwardly. One tells me to be silent, then another. How amusing.

  They all looked down on her, wielding their imperial power as a shield. Did that mean her Feng’er deserved to die? That Qin Yaoyao deserved to die? That Qin Shuying herself deserved to die?

  If death is inevitable, why not face it with defiance and dignity?

  Qin Shuying looked at Zhou Qin calmly, her gaze tinged with mockery. She smiled faintly and said, “Your Highness, if your questions are done, I dare not dey you from pying the role of a dutiful son to Consort De. Otherwise, the Fifth Prince might grow suspicious of you. After all, Your Highness’s current competence surely makes the Fifth Prince distrustful of you.

  “Today, Your Highness’s outburst over this humble servant will only reveal your true nature. The Fifth Prince will soon realize that his Sixth Brother isn’t nearly as filial and respectful as he appears to be.”