"My lady, the Master requests your presence." Qiuxin said.
At Li Yaoqin's signal, Lianxin stepped forward and asked softly, "Is there something?"
Qiuxin glanced around and whispered, "Since the Master returned, Auntie Xinxin has been crying and complaining to him, saying that the eldest miss made her lose face in front of the other wives of the ministers."
Upon hearing this, Lianxin retorted indignantly, "She embarrassed herself, yet she's still trying to smear the eldest miss's name?"
"Eldest miss, please be careful. I saw that the Master seems to believe her now," Qiuxin said.
"I know. You may go back. I will be there shortly," Li Yaoqin replied.
After Qiuxin left, Lianxin stepped forward and said, "Eldest miss, Suoxin is going too far."
"But what can be done? Help me with my makeup!" Li Yaoqin stood up and said to Lianxin.
The most foolish thing she had ever done was to give Suoxin to her father. It was her own poor judgment that led her to this situation.
Upon arriving at Li Sinian's study, she heard Qiuxin announcing her presence at the entrance, "Master, the eldest miss is here."
"Tell her to kneel in the courtyard. She can come speak to me when she realizes her mistake," Li Sinian said coldly.
"Master, isn't that a bit much? The eldest miss is your legitimate daughter, after all," Suoxin said, feigning concern.
"Precisely because she is my daughter, she must set an example. Do not plead for her; she may not appreciate it," Li Sinian stated coldly.
"Qiuxin, go watch the eldest miss kneel." After speaking, Li Sinian walked out.
Qiuxin emerged, looking conflicted. Li Yaoqin said, "I will kneel over there."
"Eldest miss, come over here!" Qiuxin found a spot that offered shade.
"Oh, Qiuxin, are you showing favoritism?" Suoxin stood at the doorway, sneering.
Li Yaoqin looked up at Suoxin. Suoxin smiled, "Why is the eldest miss looking at me like that?"
"I advise you, Auntie Xin, those who do much wrong will eventually destroy themselves," Li Yaoqin said coldly.
"Is that so? I am unaware of that saying. I only know that without the Master's favor in the inner chambers, I am nothing. Only favor can help me go further," Suoxin said, word by word.
"Thank you," Li Yaoqin said.
She did not go to the spot Qiuxin had found but instead knelt in the center of the courtyard.
Lianxin knelt beside her.
Suoxin walked out and approached the stone chair. "Qing'er, bring me tea and snacks."
Soon, tea and snacks were brought. Suoxin sipped her tea and ate her snacks, then leaned closer to the kneeling Li Yaoqin and asked, "Aren't you feeling resentful?"
"I have no resentment," Li Yaoqin replied calmly.
"How could that be?" Suoxin smiled.
"I can only say that my skills are inferior," Li Yaoqin said, looking up at Suoxin.
Suoxin chuckled softly. "I like that. Eldest miss, after years of arrogance, you should finally taste what it's like to be pulled down from your high perch into the mud by me."
Li Yaoqin remained silent.
Suoxin stood up and walked in front of Li Yaoqin, whispering, "Eldest miss, I will snatch away everything you hold dear, one by one."
"You..." Li Yaoqin looked at Suoxin, her eyes filled with disbelief.
"Eldest miss, you must be wondering why I am doing this to you?"
"Why?" Only now did Li Yaoqin sense a deep-seated hatred from Suoxin.
"If you hadn't taken a liking to me as a maid all those years ago, my brother and I wouldn't have been separated. Without my care, my frail and timid brother was beaten to death. So I hate you, I hate you..."
Suoxin's eyes were filled with immense hatred, making Li Yaoqin tremble.
Her memory flashed back to many years ago. She had been praised by her father, who asked what she desired. At that time, she had heard that young ladies from wealthy families in the capital bought their own maids, and she wanted one too. She had mentioned it to her father, who took her to a slave dealer. At that moment, she had taken a liking to a thin, small girl.
The girl was unwilling, mentioning only that she had a brother and begging Li Yaoqin to take her brother as well. Her father disagreed, so she only brought the girl back, naming her Suoxin.
Li Yaoqin lowered her gaze. "I spoke to Father about it back then, but..."
"I will not listen to any of your excuses. Li Yaoqin, just wait for my revenge!" Suoxin gritted out, word by word.
Outside the door, Suoxin's maid, Qing'er, rushed in and whispered something in Suoxin's ear.
Suoxin smiled upon hearing this and approached Li Yaoqin. "Eldest miss, do you know what it feels like to be wrongly accused?"
"What do you want to do?" Li Yaoqin felt a sense of terror from Suoxin at that moment.
"You will know soon enough," Suoxin said.
"What exactly are you planning?" Li Yaoqin growled.
Suddenly, Suoxin lunged at her, "Give me back my brother!"
Li Yaoqin instinctively tried to block her and pushed her away. Suoxin fell to the ground.
"Suoxin..." Li Sinian entered and immediately saw the fallen Suoxin. He rushed forward to embrace her.
Suoxin clutched her stomach, "Master, it hurts, it hurts so much..."
"Oh dear, Auntie is bleeding..." Qing'er shouted hysterically.
Li Sinian looked down at Suoxin's leg and saw a large patch of blood flowing out.
Li Yaoqin was stunned and slumped to the ground.
Suoxin grabbed Li Sinian, tears streaming down her face, "Master, I'm in so much pain..."
"Go call a doctor! Call a doctor!" Li Sinian roared.
The doctor was quickly summoned. After taking her pulse, the doctor sighed and said, "Master, Madam has miscarried."
"What? Miscarried?" Li Sinian looked at the doctor with disbelief.
The doctor nodded. "Madam was less than a month pregnant."
Li Sinian turned to look at Suoxin. Suoxin covered her face and wept, "My child, my child..."
"What exactly happened?" Li Sinian was furious.
Qing'er suddenly knelt on the ground and said, "The eldest miss pushed Auntie."
Li Sinian turned to look at Li Yaoqin. Li Yaoqin said softly, "Father, your daughter did not know that Auntie Xin was pregnant."
Li Sinian walked towards her and slapped her fiercely. "Yao'er, you have disappointed me."
"Father..." Li Yaoqin clutched her face. This was the second time her father had hit her.
"Get out! I don't want to see you right now..." Li Sinian said angrily.
Li Yaoqin's lips moved, and she lowered her head. "Yes, daughter obeys!"
She walked out of the study, tears streaming down her face. She looked into the distance and suddenly smiled. Lianxin, standing beside her, couldn't help but ask, "Eldest miss, what's wrong?"
Li Yaoqin gave a bitter smile. "I just suddenly realized that after all my struggles, I couldn't even compete with a concubine in the end."
"Eldest miss, please don't say that. You couldn't have predicted that Auntie Xin would be so heartless."
Heartless enough to use her own child as a gamble.
She had truly never expected Suoxin to harm her own child to frame her.
The next day, Li Yaoqin heard the news of Suoxin's severe bleeding and felt a vague sense of unease.
In the evening, Li Sinian arrived at Li Yaoqin's boudoir.
"Father," she quickly stepped forward to pay her respects.
Li Sinian did not even glance at her. "Suoxin has not yet overcome this crisis. Until she wakes up, you are not permitted to leave your room."
"Father, are you confining me?" Li Yaoqin could hardly believe it.