An unusual atmosphere spread among the crowd. If Qin Shuying was here, then who was the woman in the room? Some sharp-minded individuals began thinking deeper: how had Madam Xu so confidently identified the woman as Qin Shuying? Did she truly recognize her, or had she known all along that it was supposed to be Qin Shuying?

  Gnces were exchanged, and a sudden realization seemed to dawn on everyone.

  So, this aunt had been scheming against her niece, only for the clever girl to escape the trap.

  If this was true, then the incident at the Old Madam Qin’s birthday banquet became even more intriguing. Although only a few retives had been present at the time, the matter had eventually spread. However, with so many new scandals in the capital, it had quickly been forgotten.

  What others could piece together, Madam Ma and Madam Xu naturally could as well.

  Yet Madam Xu’s thoughts were elsewhere: Where is Qin Yunyun? Realizing that Qin Yunyun had yet to appear, Madam Xu staggered. Nanny Liu immediately stepped forward to steady her, her own heart pounding with terror.

  Could it be? Could the woman in the room who hadn’t shown her face be the Sixth Miss?

  Madam Ma’s eyes sharpened as her gaze settled on Madam Xu. Her expression grew unreadable. How dare Madam Xu py such tricks in Duke Chu’s residence?

  Striding into the room, Madam Ma pulled back the quilt covering the woman’s face. The girl’s eyes were shut tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks, her body trembling uncontrolbly.

  Madam Ma froze for a moment, then felt an urge to ugh.

  It seems Madam Xu’s scheme has backfired spectacurly.

  But her amusement was short-lived. Furious, she thought, Madam Xu has truly overstepped! To pull such a stunt during the Duchess’s birthday celebration, and to use Sun Qingping of all people—does she think my life is too easy?

  Madam Xu, her anxiety mounting, rushed into the room, followed closely by Qin Shuying and the other women.

  “Eighth Sister!”

  Qin Shuying entered just in time to stand opposite the woman on the bed. She gasped in apparent shock, then hastily covered her mouth.

  When Madam Xu saw Qin Fangfang’s face, she froze, then felt a wave of relief. Thank goodness it’s not the Sixth Miss!

  Quickly recovering, Madam Xu wrapped Qin Fangfang tightly in her arms, shielding her face from the others. However, Qin Shuying’s excmation had already revealed the truth: the woman was none other than the Qin family’s Eighth Miss.

  Qin Shuying looked around in confusion and asked innocently, “What’s going on? I was just admiring the plum blossoms in the courtyard when a maid spilled tea on my skirt. Eighth Sister told my maid to fetch a clean skirt from the Qin family’s nanny and insisted on accompanying me to a rest house to wait. On the way, I twisted my ankle, and Eighth Sister told me to stay put while she went to find someone to carry me. I waited for a long time, but she never came back. Even after my maid returned, Eighth Sister was still nowhere to be found, so Ziteng, worried about me being alone in the woods, helped me walk back here…”

  Her rambling expnation, delivered in the tone of a naive young girl, painted her as someone completely unversed in the schemes of the inner courtyard.

  Madam Xu immediately adopted the demeanor of a loving mother. She cradled Qin Fangfang and wept, her voice full of emotion, a picture-perfect image of maternal affection.

  Madam Ma observed the scene with a sneer. She felt a surge of gratitude that her son, Mo Yiting, had not agreed to the proposal Madam Xu had once suggested. With a mother-in-w like this, how could the household ever remain peaceful?

  Previously, Qin Yunyun had gained a reputation as a virtuous and well-mannered young dy in the capital. Suitors had flooded the Qin family’s door with marriage proposals, yet Madam Xu had set her sights on Mo Yiting, subtly hinting to Madam Ma about a possible union between the two families.

  At the time, Madam Ma had considered it a good match. After all, it concerned her son’s lifelong happiness, and Mo Yiting was a prudent and capable young man. Thus, Madam Ma had brought the matter to her son’s attention.

  Mo Yiting had refused the marriage proposal, reasoning that an alliance with the Qin family would bring more harm than good. The Qin family had ties to the Sixth Prince, and as the Emperor aged, the power struggle among the princes grew increasingly fierce. If the Mo family were to marry into the Qin family, they would be seen as aligning with the Sixth Prince. This would raise suspicions from the Emperor, despite the Mo family’s decred loyalty to him and their non-involvement in the succession battle.

  Now, it seemed Mo Yiting’s refusal had been incredibly wise. Madam Xu was clearly not someone to be trifled with—she had gone so far as to destroy her niece’s reputation without hesitation, showing no concern for the consequences this might have on Duke Chu’s household. Madam Ma sneered inwardly, grateful that Yiting had not agreed to the match.

  With a composed demeanor, Madam Ma ordered the women and young dies to step outside, leaving only Madam Xu and Qin Fangfang in the room.

  Just as Qin Shuying and Madam Ma reached the courtyard, Mo Yiting arrived with his men.

  Alongside him was a man slightly older, about twenty years old, taller by half a head, dressed in a striking blue robe. He stood tall like a pine tree, his features handsome yet cold, exuding an aura of icy authority.

  Mo Yiting bowed to the dies and said, “Apologies for the unexpected incident today. Please allow us to escort you to the front hall for tea.”

  The women had seen enough drama for the day and followed the servants back to the main hall, chatting animatedly along the way. Much of their conversation focused on the man who had arrived with Mo Yiting.

  Qin Shuying overheard snippets of their discussion. The tall, striking man was Liang Zhe, the eldest son of the General of the West, a powerful and noble family akin to Duke Chu’s household.

  A flicker of surprise crossed Qin Shuying’s face, and she couldn’t help but gnce at the man a couple of times.

  As the rumors described, his looks were otherworldly, almost devilishly handsome. Yet his masculinity was undeniable, lending a striking contrast to his ethereal features. A single gnce left an indelible impression.

  The young dies present were even more mesmerized, staring wide-eyed and utterly captivated.

  The General of the West’s mansion was a neighbor of the Lu family estate. Qin Yaoyao, having purchased a residence in that area, naturally knew a bit about the neighbors.

  The General’s family, like Duke Chu’s, held hereditary titles of the highest rank and were among the most prominent noble families of the Zhou Dynasty. Liang Zhe’s reputation was infamous—he was said to be cruel and ruthless, killing at the slightest offense, as well as a notorious libertine who indulged in women and idleness.

  At the time, Qin Yaoyao had dismissed the rumors, reasoning that any man of Liang Zhe’s rank who had spent time in the military was bound to have taken lives. As for his dalliances, wasn’t it typical for wealthy men to act that way?

  As Qin Shuying stole another gnce, she was caught off guard when Liang Zhe’s calm, indifferent eyes swept over her. Their gazes met briefly, and she detected a trace of scrutiny in his expression.

  For reasons she couldn’t expin, her heart began to race. She quickly lowered her gaze, feigning sorrow as she continued her act.

  Madam Ma sent her personal maid to summon members of the second household to take charge of the situation. With Duchess Chu maintaining order, Madam Ma stayed behind to handle the mess.

  Inside the house, Madam Xu busied herself dressing Qin Fangfang, who sobbed behind her hands. Madam Xu coaxed her gently until she calmed down and began putting her clothes back on.

  Meanwhile, Qin Shuying, though outwardly heartbroken, could no longer conceal the brightness in her eyes. She was tired of keeping up the pretense, allowing her fake anxiety to fade. It was clear to anyone paying attention that her sorrow was entirely fabricated.

  As a member of the Imperial Guard, Mo Yiting had been warned by his mother about the sinister schemes of the inner pace. Madam Ma had shared countless stories of court intrigue, hoping to ensure he would steer clear of the dangerous rivalries among imperial consorts. Mo Yiting had always taken his mother’s warnings seriously.

  Earlier, Mo Yiting and Liang Zhe had unintentionally witnessed Qin Shuying and Ziteng beating Caiyan. Now, piecing together the events, Mo Yiting had a fairly clear understanding of what had transpired.