Afterwards, Li Xiao Ran became terribly pressed, he had been busy all day long, suffering for five whole days.

  Mo Zhu brought a cup of tea from outside, carefully looked at Li Wei Yang’s face: “Xiaojie, today Da Furen went to ask Lao Ye about the rewards, then——”


  Li Wei Yang raised her eyebrow and looked at her.

  Mo Zhu’s lips tilted slightly: “Lao Ye was really annoyed, that he even jumped up and scolded Da Furen severely! I heard that when Da Furen left Lao Ye’s study, her eyes were red!”


  All of this was as expected, Li Wei Yang sipped the tea, said: “And then?”


  Mo Zhu continued: “Da Shaoye was ordered by Lao Ye to come up with some solutions; in the end, all of the solutions he came up with were rejected by Lao Ye, Nubi has inquired, maybe Da Shaoye became ruthless due to his anxiety, that he even said that Xiaojie you should be tied up and interrogated, Lao Ye greatly rewarded him with a slap on the face, and chased him out of the study.”


  Li Xiao Ran is a biased father, but not stupid, if he tied her up at this time to interrogate, then he will not gain a single solution, what’s more, there is no completely airtight wall in this world, this move is like telling the entire world, that the person who came up with the idea was not Li Chang Le. This is——lese-majesty!”


  “Da Xiaojie seeing that Lao Ye is fuming with rage, did not dare to show her face. She hid in her own room all this time, even meals are quietly sent in! Heng, now everyone is scolding her for coming up with those rotten ideas, causing great harm to the common people.” Bai Zhi just finished saying this, suddenly remembered that Li Wei Yang were the one who came up with these ideas, immediately shut up.

  Li Wei Yang smiled: “That’s right, those are really rotten ideas.”


  These five methods, each has hidden danger, if not specifically implemented, is absolutely unperceivable. Li Chang Le has only thought that they were good solutions, took credits for it, and did not know how to fix the flawed solutions. The higher one rise, naturally the harder the fall will be, after everyone who sang praises discovered that the established goddess was really a fool who leapt without looking, only let the contradictions broaden, the results are naturally painful.

  “I heard that there is a scholar who wrote a ragged verse on the back door of the prime minister’s house, specifically ridiculing Da Xiaojie, saying she is an offender who bring disaster upon the country and the people. The steward has brought people to tear it up, as a result, some unknown person used red paint to paint it on the snow white walls, attracting countless people to watch, enraging her!”


  Li Wei Yang listened with interest, a cute smile was on her face from the start.

  Others who see would only think that she was a naive girl, on no account would they think that she was the deviser of all of this. Bai Zhi secretly thought in her heart, her own Xiaojie ah, her heart was quite black, such ruthlessness on making one move, Da Xiaojie go through this trouble, and what good reputation did she still want to have, even the children in the streets were singing nursery rhymes scolding her.

  At this time, Li Wei Yang suddenly stood up, said: “Let’s go, to He Xiang Zhai.”


  “Ah……” Bai Zhi and Mo Zhu glanced at each other, confusion in their eyes.

  “If I continue to be reluctant in providing countermeasures, sooner or later it would force Father to jump off a wall.” Li Wei Yang blinked her eyes, remaining calm and composed.

  The next day, Prime Minister Li’s mother, also first-rank titled Meng Shi personally sent a booklet to the Dowager Empress, the content of the booklet was a strategy for dealing with this disaster. Of course, only half of the strategy was there, the remaining half, was still in Li Wei Yang’s head.

  Six hours after the booklet was sent, a decree came from the palace, the Dowager Empress’s summon.

  Of course, the one summoned was not Da Xiaojie, Li Chang Le, but San Xiaojie, Li Wei Yang; for a short while, the entire house was in an uproar.

  Li Xiao Ran hurriedly prepare and Da Furen, claiming a headache, hid and her silhouette was not seen. Er Furen happily watched Da Furen shrivel, in an instant, thinking of her own daughter who had nothing for grabs, had curbed her enthusiasm. Only San Furen, had specially brought out some money, so that Li Wei Yang could reward the palace servants. Lao Furen’s criterion was to order her own mamas who knew the rules well to give Li Wei Yang emergency training, for fear that in not understanding the rules of the palace, she would disgrace herself in front of the Dowager Empress.

  In the room, Li Chang Le was lying in bed weak with sickness, since hearing that Li Wei Yang would soon be visiting the palace, she was angry and testy. She did not know what idea did Li Wei Yang eventually came up with, that she can be immediately summoned by the Dowager Empress.

  Sunlight came in through the floral decorations on the windows, Li Chang Le mercilessly twisted the silk gauze handkerchief in her hand, as if she wanted to make a hole in it.

  Tan Xiang came in, seeing that Xiaojie’s mood was bad, could not help but feel afraid; she just thought of leaving, who knew she would hear Li Chang Le coldly said: “What are you avoiding?!”


  Tan Xiang trembled in her heart, packing a smile on her face: “Xiaojie, the sunlight is not bad today, why don’t Nubi help you out to the garden for a walk?”


  With a bang, the famille-rose flower vase on top of the tea table fell on the floor, shattering all of a sudden, Tan Xiang was shocked and immediately kneel down.

  At this time, the sound of people talking could be heard from the outside, Yatou Lu Zhu drew the curtain aside to enter, upon seeing the scene, what was there to not understand, she just lowered her head and said: “Xiaojie, Luo Mama, accompanying San Xiaojie are here.”


  Li Chang Le suddenly sat up. Li Wei Yang actually dared to come here, if it was not for her, how could she has suddenly become someone cursed by everyone!

  Li Chang Le at this point, did not have the slightest thought that if it wasn’t for her intentionally stealing the credits for someone else’s work, how could she be reduced to the point of being afraid to face people?

  “Let her get out!” Li Chang Le just finished saying this, suddenly realized that this was not right, “Luo Mama came with her?”


  Lu Zhu said quietly: “Yes, Luo Mama came with her.”


  Li Chang Le frowned: “Clean up the vase.”


  This meant that she will see people, Lu Zhu sighed a breath of relief, bustled with Tan Xiang together to pick up the vase pieces, then Li Wei Yang could be welcomed in.

  “Dajie, what is this, are you feeling unwell?” Li Wei Yang was in a good mood, her delicate face filled with youthful vigor. She was not polite, sitting next to the table, Tan Xiang hurried to pour tea, Lu Zhu went to bring a small table for Luo Mama to sit down.

  Li Chang Le looked at Li Wei Yang with a forced smile: “How come Sanmei came to my place?”


  Li Wei Yang smiled, holding the cup of tea without speaking. Luo Mama opened the door and saw mountain, “Da Xiaojie, San Xiaojie will soon visit the palace, in this short period time, we are unable to prepare decent clothes, Lao Furen told San Xiaojie to come and borrow one from you.”


  The expression on Li Chang Le’s face was twisted momentarily: “My clothes——I’m afraid it might not suit Sanmei. The materials that Dage brought back last time, weren’t new clothes made from them?”


  Li Wei Yang blinked her eyes, as if she didn’t hear anything, staring at the jade green buds in the tea cup.

  Luo Mama smiled: “Lao Furen said, those clothes are too bright and beautiful, the Dowager Empress prefer plain and demure ones, Da Xiaojie please grant this favour.”


  Li Chang Le’s anger and resentment were unbearable, those clothes were the ones that her own mother, after making every attempts to find out the Dowager Empress’s preferences, had made especially made for her. Now she even had to hand it over to someone else, how could she be willing! She immediately said: “Sanmei, I’m afraid it will not fit you.”


  The house suddenly quiet down, no one dared to make a sound, silent for a while, only the sound of Li Wei Yang gently putting down the tea lid, making a brittle sound, as if she did not understand the hint, just smiled: “If it doesn’t fit, it can be adjusted, Lao Furen naturally has a needlework master.” Then she paused: “Or is it Dajie is afraid that Wei Yang will ruin it? Do not worry, Wei Yang is only borrowing it to wear for a short while, will return to you upon returning.”


  Li Chang Le was reprimanded, her face turning blue and white, speechless after all.

  Luo Mama said: “It’s late, Da Xiaojie——”


  Li Chang Le breathed deeply and grinded her teeth: “Very well, take it but meimei need to return safely.”


  She didn’t buy it, what kind of idea could a country girl have! It would be best if after entering the palace she would offend the Dowager Empress, and immediately be put to death!

  This chapter is translated by Angela and sponsored by Jessica H.,

  G., and Amy N. :)

  1霞帔-xiapei: a strip of scarf over ceremonial robe for noble ladies.

  2凤体康健，福泽万年: variations of well wishes for someone

  3Low ranking officials

  4中饱私囊: zhōng bǎo sī náng: lining one’s pocket, meaning to embezzle public funds or other people’s money

  5Government office in feudal China