Spring flowers.

Chapter 11: Angry or Ashamed?

Inside the private room of Peony Pavilion, the lingering scent of sandalwood shavings and the aroma of delicacies had not yet dissipated, but the atmosphere was already as still as ice.

Pei Xiaorou's maidservant glared angrily, one hand protecting her mistress in front of her, the other almost pointing at Wei Yishang's nose. If her mistress hadn't spoken yet, she probably would have already pounced on her and torn her apart.

Surprisingly, Pei Xiaorou, who was beaten, remained calm.

She gently touched her burning left cheek with her fingertips; a slight stinging pain still lingered there.

But she still remembered what was said after she was hit.

She waved away the excited maid and looked directly at Wei Yishang.

His voice was urgent: "Miss Wei, what did you mean by what you just said?"

Wei Yishang secretly applauded the composure of this daughter of a high-ranking official.

If it were anyone else, they would probably have turned hostile after being slapped for no reason.

She steadied herself, relieved to realize the close call she had just made.

The system's tasks are getting more and more outrageous.

She didn't answer immediately, but stepped forward and personally poured Pei Xiaorou a cup of still-warm chrysanthemum tea, pushing it in front of her with unhurried movements.

"Miss Pei, please moisten your throat and calm down."

Pei Xiaorou didn't touch the cup of tea, but just looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

Wei Yishang then slowly began to explain, though it was mostly a fabrication: "Miss Pei heard the commotion downstairs just now, didn't she?"

Pei Xiaorou's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Wei Yishang continued, "If I heard correctly, that voice sounds like the young master of the Pei family, that is, Miss Pei's brother, right?"

Upon hearing this, Pei Xiaorou's face turned pale.

She instinctively clenched the silk handkerchief in her hand, her composure crumbling instantly.

Wei Yishang knew that she had guessed correctly.

She didn't give Pei Xiaorou a chance to avoid the question, pressing her further: "And the one who was insulted must be Young Master Pei's wife, your elder sister-in-law."

"For an ordinary woman to marry into the Minister's household is already like walking on thin ice. Now, to be reprimanded like this by her own mother-in-law in public, and to have her husband lose face as well, Miss Pei, what do you think outsiders will say about this?"

Pei Xiaorou's lips trembled slightly, and she couldn't speak.

She was also extremely stressed about this matter and couldn't hold her head up in public at all.

I never expected that Wei Yishang would say it in public today.

She didn't know whether she was angry or ashamed.

Then, Wei Yichang continued speaking.

"Outsiders won't say your sister-in-law behaves improperly; they'll only say that the Pei family is of noble birth but can't tolerate a daughter-in-law of low status, and that the Pei family has a strict family style and mistreats its members."

Wei Yishang spoke slowly, but every word struck Pei Xiaorou's heart like a heavy hammer.

"Those gathered at the Peony Pavilion today are all prominent figures in the capital. If word gets out, your brother will lose face among his colleagues, your mother will be branded a 'wicked mother-in-law,' and you—"

Wei Yishang's gaze fell on Pei Xiaorou, becoming exceptionally sharp.

“Miss Pei, you are of marriageable age and about to be engaged. Which high-ranking family in the capital would be willing to marry a woman whose family has a reputation for ‘mistreating her elder sister-in-law’? They are afraid that you will learn from your mother’s behavior and become a troublemaker in the household.”

These words were like a bucket of ice water, soaking Pei Xiaorou to the bone.

Pei Xiaorou was completely stunned.

This is exactly what she has been worried about.

She used to think that her sister-in-law came from a humble background and acted petty, so it was understandable that her mother disapproved.

But as she got older, she found it increasingly difficult to tolerate the family's mistreatment of her sister-in-law.

But at home, she was powerless and no one listened to her.

But she knew that doing so would ultimately affect her marriage prospects.

But what could she do?

She could only keep running away, pretending not to see the conflicts in her family, thinking that as long as she didn't get involved, she could stay out of it.

“You… how could you…” Pei Xiaorou’s voice was hoarse. She wanted to ask Wei Yishang how she knew so much, but she felt that the question was superfluous.

Wei Yishang picked up her teacup and said calmly, "Did it hurt when I slapped you in the face?"

Pei Xiaorou nodded subconsciously.

"This little pain is nothing compared to the pain of your future reputation being damaged and your marriage being fraught with difficulties."

Wei Yishang put down her teacup and looked directly at her.

“You’re a smart person, but you’ve been pretending to be confused. Some things you can’t avoid. That slap of mine wasn’t meant to hurt you, it was meant to wake you up. If you don’t take action to solve the problems in this family, they will eventually become a boulder that destroys you.”

Pei Xiaorou sat there blankly for a long time, her eyes filled with a turbulent mix of emotions, which eventually settled into a clear, lucid expression.

She felt as if she had been forcibly dragged out of a terrible dream, covered in cold sweat, yet more awake than ever before.

She looked up, and the look in her eyes as she looked at Wei Yishang had completely changed.

She was no longer wary; instead, she was filled with a desperate hope, as if grasping at a straw.

“Well then,” she took a deep breath.

"Miss Wei has a solution for me, right?"

[System notification: Ye Mingzhen's favorability +5, reaching 45.]

When Wei Yishang heard the voice in her mind, her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.

Bet right.

But what does this have to do with him?
Is he outside the door?

Wei Yishang quickly looked towards the door, but saw nothing unusual outside.

She calmed down a little and turned her attention back to Pei Xiaorou.

She knew that this daughter of a high-ranking official was not a fool, but rather that she had been raised in a privileged environment and was somewhat naive, unable to see the complexities involved.

As long as you enlighten her and make her realize that this matter is closely related to her own interests, she will immediately stand on your side.

Meanwhile, by the window of another private room, Ye Mingzhen slowly put down the jade-bone fan in his hand.

He originally thought that Wei Yishang must have gone crazy when he slapped her.

For a concubine's daughter from a family of a fourth-rank official to dare slap the legitimate daughter of the Minister of Personnel in the street is tantamount to courting death.

He thought what followed would be an ugly farce, but he never expected the situation to take such a dramatic turn.

The soundproofing in the private room wasn't excellent, and he heard Wei Yishang's clear and incisive analysis perfectly.

He had heard too many stories of young women fighting amongst themselves, all over a piece of jewelry, a casual remark, or a man.

Their methods may be insidious or straightforward, but their scope is ultimately limited.

But Wei Yishang was different.

Her palm strike, though seemingly reckless, was actually the fastest way to break the deadlock.

She accurately grasped Pei Xiaorou's sore spot, tightly binding a seemingly unrelated household matter to the other party's vital interests, swiftly turning the situation around and even making the other party dependent on her.

Is she deliberately trying to win her over, or does she have another purpose?

However, he now confirmed that this Miss Wei was indeed a woman full of scheming.

He may seem naive, but he's probably a cunning and ruthless person with hidden schemes, just like me.

A hint of appreciation, which even he himself was unaware of, flashed in Ye Mingzhen's eyes.

He recalled his old case, which had no clear resolution, and the intricate web of powerful connections.

Perhaps he needs an ally who doesn't play by the rules.

He withdrew his gaze, a meaningful smile curving his lips.

Meanwhile, in the private room, facing Pei Xiaorou's expectant gaze, Wei Yishang finally revealed a faint smile, like a spring breeze thawing the ice, carrying a hint of confident mystery.

"There are certainly ways,"

She leaned forward and lowered her voice, "However, this requires you, Miss Pei, to completely trust me and cooperate with me in putting on a good show."

(End of this chapter)