Madam Xu carefully observed Madam Liu’s expression, feeling a surge of satisfaction. Yet she quickly masked it with a look of heartbreak, sighing deeply, “It’s all my fault for failing to teach her properly. Old Madam, if you must punish someone, punish me. It’s because I’ve been too occupied with household affairs that I’ve neglected Shuying’s upbringing, allowing her to become deceitful and unrepentant.”

  Qin Shuying sneered inwardly. So she’s sealing my guilt in front of all these women? If I don’t resist now, who will ever believe me in the future?

  Despite her rage, she remained silent, her head lowered, and her slender figure swayed like a delicate orchid in the wind—calm, graceful, yet carrying a hint of unyielding stubbornness.

  Moments ter, Luye entered the room and handed a scroll to Qin Shuying. Madam Xu’s brows furrowed. Where had this scroll come from? Gncing at Luye’s wide sleeves, she wondered if it had been hidden there.

  Taking two steps forward, Qin Shuying turned to the Old Madam and said, “Grandmother, this Hundred Longevity Motif Screen is not my birthday gift. The one in this box is—something I wrote myself.”

  With that, she presented the scroll respectfully with both hands.

  The scroll appeared pin and unremarkable, drawing little interest. Upon unrolling it, the only noteworthy aspect was the elegance of the calligraphy, though it was far from exceptional.

  The crowd was visibly disappointed. Madam Mao cast a gnce at it and curled her lips disdainfully.

  Madam Xu, with an apologetic smile, turned to the women and said, “You’ve all seen it. That’s enough. Shuying, put it away now.”

  Her tone suggested that Qin Shuying’s offering was unworthy of the Old Madam’s attention and had embarrassed her.

  Suppressing the cold ugh rising in her chest, Qin Shuying replied respectfully, “Grandmother, when my father was alive, he acquired an original handwritten copy of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra by the revered monk Master Xuanzeng. He pnned to present it as a gift for your sixtieth birthday. Unfortunately, he passed before he could bring it to you. That original copy is currently stored in the household treasury under Madam Xu’s care, and I haven’t been able to see it. All I could do was recreate it from memory to fulfill my father’s st wish.

  “Additionally, my mother personally carved a pair of Longevity Character hairpins from white jade to gift you on your sixtieth birthday. Though humble, the gift carried heartfelt intention. They too are stored in the treasury. I must trouble Madam Xu to retrieve them, so my te parents’ filial devotion to you is not in vain.”

  Her words brought a stunned silence to the room.

  Madam Xu froze for a moment, instinctively gncing around. As expected, the gathered women all wore puzzled and curious expressions.

  None of the women present were naive. Qin Shuying’s statement carried far deeper implications.

  Madam Xu had never expected Qin Shuying to take such a bold stance. Though cunning in her daily affairs, she was momentarily caught off guard. Even the Old Madam appeared startled, though she remained silent.

  Qin Shuying’s calm gaze met Madam Xu’s. Longevity Character hairpins carved from white jade? Valuable, certainly, but not exceptionally rare for someone like Qin Yongzhou. Qin Shuying had deliberately brought this up because she knew Madam Xu had already gifted the hairpins to Qin Feifei, who in turn had presented them to Madam Lu, the matriarch of the Lu family.

  In her previous life as Qin Yaoyao, she had seen Madam Lu wearing the hairpins. Knowing the Lu family’s financial situation, she had quickly deduced their origin.

  As for the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, it was a treasure highly sought after by schors and officials alike. Even reproductions were highly coveted, let alone an original manuscript. The Old Madam, being devoutly Buddhist, would undoubtedly cherish it. This wasn’t a fabrication—it had truly been Qin Yongzhou’s intention, and Nanny Fu could attest to it.

  Today, Qin Shuying intended to confront Madam Xu openly.

  Whether as Qin Yaoyao or as Qin Shuying, the path she had been forced to walk had always ended in death. She would not tread that road again. With nothing left to lose, she was prepared to match Madam Xu’s ruthlessness.

  Causing a scene at the Old Madam’s birthday banquet would undoubtedly tarnish the family’s reputation. Internally, they might feud, but in the eyes of outsiders, they were supposed to present a united front.

  But did that mean her child deserved to die? That her birth mother and her entire maternal family deserved to be wiped out? That Qin Yaoyao deserved her tragic end?

  Who had ever sought justice for them? Who had cared about their honor?

  Qin Shuying had already died once. Except for her, the imposter, who even remembered that the real Qin Shuying was gone?

  Qin Yaoyao’s death had been unjust, pitiful, and cruel. Yet, within the Qin family, who had mourned her loss?

  She had no path of retreat left.

  Missing today’s opportunity would mean losing the perfect chance to deal a heavy blow to her adversaries.

  Even if it earned Madam Xu’s eternal hatred, even if it led to Madam Xu scheming to end her life, Qin Shuying no longer cared. Besides, Madam Xu wouldn’t dare openly kill her!

  Maintaining her ever-gentle smile, Madam Xu said, “Good child, you’re young and frail, and the Old Madam even excused you from paying respects to focus on your health. Naturally, you wouldn’t have the ability to manage properties. Your third uncle left behind many possessions, and I’ve been tirelessly overseeing them, though it’s impossible to remember everything. If these items were intended as gifts for the Old Madam, you should have told me earlier. Nanny Zhang, go to the storeroom and fetch the two items the Seventh Miss mentioned.”

  Nanny Zhang promptly agreed, but Qin Shuying smirked coldly to herself. She might say she’ll fetch them, but it’s only a performance for the audience. When she doesn’t return, someone will casually expin that Nanny Zhang was busy, and that’ll be the end of it. Who would question her further?

  Qin Shuying had already anticipated this. She’d seen it happen too many times before—times when she had been easily dismissed, unwilling to challenge Madam Xu or disrupt the facade of decorum.

  “Nanny Zhang, wait!” Qin Shuying called out just as Nanny Zhang was about to leave. Pointing at the red gold Hehe Ruyi hairpin adorning Nanny Zhang’s head, she said, “That hairpin looks so familiar. My mother had one just like it when she was alive, with a tiny ‘Rong’ character engraved on it.”

  Nanny Zhang instinctively took a step back, nervously adjusting her hairpiece. Her eyes darted toward Madam Xu as she stammered, “Seventh Miss, y-you must be mistaken. This is just an ordinary hairpin, crudely made. It couldn’t possibly compare to the fine craftsmanship of the Third Madam’s possessions…”

  Qin Shuying gnced at Luye, who immediately sprang into action. Swiftly plucking the hairpin from Nanny Zhang’s head, Luye examined it and excimed, “There really is a ‘Rong’ character engraved on it!”

  The room erupted in shocked murmurs.

  The Old Madam’s face darkened, turning an ominous shade.

  Madam Xu’s expression also changed drastically, but she quickly composed herself and said, “Seventh Miss, hairpins come in all sorts of styles. It’s not unusual for there to be simir designs. You must have made a mistake. Today is the Old Madam’s special day—why make an issue out of something so trivial with a servant? It would only lower your own status and tarnish the joy of the occasion. People outside might even misunderstand, thinking you disrupted the Old Madam’s birthday and accuse you of being unfilial.”

  In the past, the accusation of “unfilial behavior” would have crushed Qin Shuying, as it had done to Qin Yaoyao before her.

  But now, Qin Shuying stared directly at Madam Xu, ignoring her words entirely. With a serene smile, she said, “Madam, this hairpin’s craftsmanship and design are exceptionally fine. Moreover, it bears the mark of Jinghai Jewelry. Just the bor cost for a piece from Jinghai Jewelry is significant, and this hairpin would cost at least twenty or thirty taels of silver. How could Nanny Zhang, whose monthly wage is only two taels, afford something like this?”

  The red gold hairpin had been a gift from the original Qin Shuying to Nanny Zhang in an attempt to win her favor. However, Nanny Zhang would never dare admit it in public. After all, a servant receiving such an extravagant gift from their mistress would immediately raise suspicion.

  The original Qin Shuying had gifted Nanny Zhang many valuable items, yet Nanny Zhang had continued to assist Madam Xu in harming her. Today, Qin Shuying felt no guilt in using her as the scapegoat.