Madam Kang slightly raised her eyebrows, a flash of surprise crossing her eyes.
She wrung the silk handkerchief in her hand tightly, secretly musing in her heart: She had always heard that the third miss of the Li family was as fiery - tempered as a firecracker, easily provoked and quick to flare up. People said she was a brainless shrew who loved to argue face - to - face...
Why did she seem completely different today when they met?
Was the rumor inaccurate?
Or... had Xiao Yingchu lied to her?
A thousand thoughts raced through Madam Kang's mind, but her expression remained unchanged.
She smiled and took Li Wanming's arm, leading her into the room. "Our Xiao family is not large. Your father - in - law's generation only had three siblings. The youngest sister married General Huo and was granted the title of Princess Chengping. Now, only your main branch and our second branch live in the mansion. Come, this is your second uncle..."
Li Wanming curtsied demurely. While bowing, she secretly sized up the man in front of her.
This glance surprised her a little.
Xiao Yuanjie, the head of the second branch of the Xiao family, was nothing like she had imagined.
She had originally thought that since he had married a tough - as - nails woman like Madam Kang and fathered a good - for - nothing like Xiao Jingbai who was all bark and no bite, Xiao Yuanjie must also be a sinister and cruel man.
But the man in front of her—
He was as thin as a bamboo pole, with high cheekbones and slightly dark skin. For some reason, he always habitually squinted his eyes.
He was wearing a half - new bamboo - green long gown, with a faded silk ribbon around his waist and a plain earth - colored cloth robe.
He didn't look like the second young master of a princely mansion living in comfort. Instead, he resembled a poor scholar whose family had gone bankrupt and was forced to work in the fields.
"Greetings to second uncle..."
"Greetings to the Crown Princess." Xiao Yuanjie politely returned the greeting, his voice gentle.
Li Wanming's eyebrows twitched slightly.
He called her the Crown Princess...
She couldn't help but raise her eyelids and carefully examine this man again.
He looked calm, his eyes clear, even with a hint of simple - mindedness.
Could he really be guileless and not in cahoots with Madam Kang?
But how could that be?
If Madam Kang really managed to make Xiao Jingbai the crown prince, wouldn't he become a nominal prince? In this matter, he was clearly the biggest beneficiary. How could he not be on the same side as Madam Kang?
Li Wanming secretly filed this doubt away in her mind and then followed Madam Kang to Xiao Yingchu.
Madam Kang continued to smile gently. "These are my two good - for - nothing children. The eldest daughter, Xiao Yingchu—you've already met. She even studied in your academy. As for this younger one, it's your first time meeting him. He's a real troublemaker. If he ever offends you in the future, just come and tell me. I'll beat him."
Li Wanming thought to herself, Ah, there's no need for that. I've already beaten him for you!
Xiao Yingchu lowered her head and slowly stepped forward to pay her respects. "Yingchu greets sister - in - law."
The young girl's neck was bent like a fragile magnolia branch. Her slender figure was wrapped in a lavender ruffled dress. The beads hanging from her jade hairpin were like a string of dying fireflies, making her cheeks as pale as paper.
Li Wanming's gaze fell on her, but she didn't say a word. She just looked down at her coldly.
She had been imprisoned in the Ministry of Revenue prison on the twenty - ninth day of the twelfth lunar month and had lost all her shops and academies... Xiao Yingchu had played a significant role in this!
Back then, she had respected, pitied, and admired Xiao Yingchu as the most talented girl in Zangshan Academy. She had also felt sorry for her being trapped by her family background and constantly oppressed by Fang Zhi. That was why she had softened her heart and given her a chance to work in the old shop.
Unexpectedly, she had let in a venomous snake!
This snake had turned around and bitten her hard when she was least on guard, biting her neck bone and making her bleed.
Li Wanming remained motionless, just curling her lips into a cold smile as her gaze slowly scanned Xiao Yingchu's trembling back.
Sweat gradually oozed from Xiao Yingchu's forehead. Her fingers gripping the silk handkerchief tightened involuntarily, but she didn't dare to move a muscle, maintaining the humble posture of bowing.
Qinglan looked at Li Wanming's expression and was a bit anxious.
Was the Crown Princess going to lose her temper here?
This wouldn't do!
Today was the first day of her wedding, which was extremely important.
Apart from kowtowing and offering tea to her parents and paying respects to the elders, they also had to open the ancestral hall, worship the ancestors, and offer incense to the ancestors of the Xiao family.
Only after completing this entire set of procedures would Li Wanming, as the Crown Princess, be recognized by all the "people" in the Xiao family and become legitimate.
Although Prince Ning's leg ailment had flared up yesterday and they had advanced the tea - offering procedure out of necessity, today was still a big day.
If Li Wanming threw a tantrum today, punished Xiao Yingchu, or offended Madam Kang, her reputation as an ill - mannered and hot - tempered shrew would spread throughout the entire capital within a day!
Qinglan was so anxious that she kept tugging at her mistress's sleeve. The fabric embroidered with lotus vines was almost wrinkled by her. "Crown Princess..."
But Li Wanming suddenly smiled and gracefully reached out to help Xiao Yingchu up.
"Sister Yingchu, there's no need to be so formal. In the past, I was so ignorant that I even had the audacity to be your teacher in the academy. Now that I'm your sister - in - law, I'll have to ask for your advice in the future."
Xiao Yingchu bit her lips. "Sister - in - law, you're being too polite..."
Her body trembled slightly, and her nails dug deeply into her palm.
How could she not understand the meaning behind Li Wanming's words?
These words clearly meant that she remembered what had happened in the past. Now that they would be living under the same roof, they'd just have to wait and see!
A bitter feeling welled up in Xiao Yingchu's heart. Her nose twitched, and tears welled up in her eyes.
If it were up to her, she didn't want to offend Li Wanming at all.
Li Wanming was generous, bright, and lively. She was as free as a young eagle under the sun and as unrestrained as the breeze on the mountaintop—that was a way of life that she could never achieve no matter what. She had always envied her greatly.
However, regarding the account book incident, if she didn't do it, she wouldn't be able to explain it to her mother...
In the past few months, Xiao Yingchu had been unable to eat or sleep well. She had been shutting herself up in her room, becoming more and more silent and depressed.
Facing Li Wanming's cold gaze at this moment, her heart was filled with mixed emotions.
On the one hand, she was afraid; on the other hand, she felt wronged. But at the same time, she also felt that she deserved it.
No matter how much she didn't want to do the things against her will, she had still done them.
It was reasonable for Li Wanming to hate her.
And beside her, Xiao Jingbai didn't have such complex emotions!
He was standing behind Madam Kang at the moment, his eyes filled with hatred as he stared at Li Wanming. However, one of his hands involuntarily and secretly covered his own buttocks.
Thank goodness, thank goodness. This woman didn't bring a rattan cane today!
Li Wanming's expression remained unchanged. She just gracefully turned around.
"This must be cousin Jingbai. He's really cute and well - behaved. One can tell at a glance that he's a well - educated and polite child. It's all thanks to second aunt's good upbringing."