Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Hidden Anger and Old Grudges

At the Liang Mansion, a side gate was half-open. A maid paced back and forth outside, waiting. She wrung her hands, constantly peering into the distance. When she finally spotted a long-eaved carriage slowly approaching, she quickly trotted toward it.

The maid’s expression was frantic. "My lady, you’re finally back!"

Liang Wan gave her a cool glance. "What’s wrong? Why are you waiting so anxiously?"

"Second Madam and the Fourth Lady are in your rooms. They seem—well, they insisted that I come out here and wait for you!"

The maid stammered, but Liang Wan already knew exactly what was going on.

Qiuxi looked at Liang Wan nervously. ’The Fourth Lady must have told Second Madam that my lady deliberately led her to the teahouse to catch the adulterers. Second Madam already holds a grudge against my lady. Won’t this just make her an even bigger thorn in her side?’

Just as Liang Wan was about to step through the gate, someone unexpectedly tugged on her sleeve. Qiuxi shook her head frantically. "Second Madam won’t let this go easily!"

Liang Wan understood. She simply patted her hand.

’If Mrs. Zhang knew she had designed this whole thing, she would want to flay her alive.’

’But if Mrs. Zhang isn’t pushed to her absolute limit, how will she lose her composure?’

’Let there be chaos. The more, the better!’

Liang Wan led Qiuxi toward her small courtyard. Unbeknownst to her, Qiuxi, who was following behind, was breaking out in a cold sweat. She debated whether she should ask the First Madam or the Family Head for help. But when she recalled their usual attitude toward her lady, she felt that asking either of them would be useless. At the thought of the First Madam, she sighed deeply in her heart...

Lifting the door curtain, Liang Wan stepped over the threshold. Mrs. Zhang was sitting bolt upright in the outer hall, waiting. Liang Jiao sat near the door, seemingly in a sulk, with two empty seats between her and Mrs. Zhang. Her head was bowed, and she remained silent.

After a flicker of surprise at seeing them, Liang Wan broke into a smile. "Aunt, Ajiao, what brings you here today?"

As she spoke, she glanced at the empty table, her tone laced with annoyance. "Qiuxi, I’m telling you, you really need to manage the staff better. I was only out for a short while, and there’s not a single servant in the room to attend to things? My aunt and Ajiao rarely visit, yet the servants are hiding so far away they don’t even know to pour a cup of hot tea!"

"It is my fault," said Qiuxi, who had followed her in, as she took the cloak Liang Wan unfastened.

Liang Wan huffed lightly. "What’s the use of knowing you’re wrong if you don’t correct it?"

She rubbed her shoulder. "I’ve been out all afternoon and I’m thirsty as well. Go get the Silver Needle tea I brought back from the palace. Let my aunt and Ajiao have a taste!"

"Yes." Qiuxi was about to leave as she replied.

Mrs. Zhang shot to her feet with a cold smile. "Third Lady, there’s no need to trouble yourself!"

Qiuxi froze, looking hesitantly at Liang Wan. Mrs. Zhang’s chest was heaving with a rage that could erupt at any moment. ’She’s probably in no mood for tea!’

Liang Wan pretended not to notice, just smiling faintly at the stunned Qiuxi. "My aunt is just being polite with me. If you take her seriously, you’re the fool. Now hurry up!"

"Yes."

Liang Wan sat down and began massaging her calves, muttering to herself, "Aunt, you have no idea. To prepare a wedding gift for my brother’s new wife, I ran all over Jinye City, from the west side to the east. Oh, right, I happened to run into Lady Yao, too—

"Quick, go get the gift I prepared! It’s a red coral bracelet. I fell in love with it at first sight. I even saw the Empress wearing a similar one on her wrist!"

As she spoke, a maid brought forward the gift she had purchased.

"I forgot to mention, I saw some that would suit you two and bought them as well. Why don’t you try them on?"

As she spoke, Liang Wan sensed the tense atmosphere. She stopped massaging her leg and lifted her eyes to look at them. "They say a standing guest is a guest in a hurry to leave. Aunt, why aren’t you sitting?"

Mrs. Zhang’s eyes were bloodshot. She lowered her voice. "Stop putting on an act with me. I’m asking you, what exactly were you doing today? Did you deliberately lead Ajiao to that teahouse?"

At the mention of the teahouse, her face flushed red.

Liang Wan sat up straight, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Aunt, what do you mean by that? Didn’t I just say I went to prepare a gift? So you’re saying—"

She turned her head to look at Liang Jiao, who had been silent the entire time, and asked in surprise, "Ajiao, you went out today, too? When? I remember passing by your door, and I thought you were still taking your afternoon nap."

Liang Jiao slowly raised her head. Her eyes were red and swollen. She looked like she wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Her lips trembled, and she abruptly stood up and ran out.

Liang Wan stared at the swaying door curtain, completely baffled. "What’s wrong with Ajiao? Was she bullied while she was out?"

"Bah! You’re nothing but a dog’s mouth that can’t spit out ivory!"

Liang Wan raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Can your dog’s mouth spit out ivory?"

Mrs. Zhang was about to go mad with rage. She flung her arm back and charged forward as if ready for a fight to the bitter end.

Just as the slap was about to land, she tripped on something and fell flat on the ground. Liang Wan glanced at Qiuxi, who was approaching with the tea, and suppressed a laugh. ’I never expected this girl to be so quick-witted.’

Seeing Mrs. Zhang fall, Ziyan rushed to help her up, glaring at Qiuxi. "How dare you!"

Mrs. Zhang scrambled up awkwardly, overcome with rage. She pointed at Liang Wan, nearly fainting from anger. "You bitch!"

"Aunt, where is all this baseless anger coming from? If I have offended you in some way, or done something wrong, shall we go let Uncle be the judge?"

Liang Wan blinked her watery eyes, looking completely sincere.

"You!" Mrs. Zhang trembled with rage.

"Ziyan, why don’t you go invite my uncle?" Liang Wan suggested helpfully.

"Madam, we should go back," Ziyan whispered to Mrs. Zhang.

At the mention of Liang Cheng, Mrs. Zhang gradually calmed down. From the moment she was discovered at the teahouse, she had been consumed by shame and fury, losing her wits and completely forgetting the reason she went to the teahouse in the first place!

’Never mind whether Liang Wan stumbled upon it by accident. Even if it wasn’t an accident, and she really knows about the affair, she has no proof. If she reports it to Liang Cheng, he won’t believe her. As long as I deny it to my death, it’s just Liang Wan slandering me!’

’Losing my temper here now will only prove my guilt and achieve nothing else. No, I can’t fall for this girl’s trick and sow chaos in my own ranks!’

Mrs. Zhang gave her a long, hard look, then said to Ziyan, "We’re leaving."

Liang Wan glanced at the dumbfounded Qiuxi, then picked up her teacup. She leaned back against the rope-strung couch, taking a leisurely sip.

’I may prefer Longjing, but it’s nice to try a different flavor once in a while!’

Qiuxi was in no mood for tea. She dismissed all the other maids and looked at the person before her with deep concern.

"My lady, why didn’t you lead the Family Head there today? Now that Second Madam knows you were behind this, how could she possibly let you off?"

When Qiuxi remembered the final look Mrs. Zhang had given them, her heart trembled. A calm threat was far more terrifying than a furious roar.

Liang Wan swallowed her tea and then looked at her with a smile. "Of course I know she won’t let me off. That’s because I have no intention of letting her off, either!"

’This was always about provoking her!’

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