C16 The Old Lady Invited Him!

"I'll handle everything. You just focus on getting better. No one will ever bully you like this again. If anyone from the main family gives you trouble without reason, just stand up for yourself. I've got your back!" Lo Qiuli reassured Limo with a comforting look before helping her back to her room to apply some medicine.

After the medicine was applied, Limo quickly fell asleep, as it often made her drowsy. Lo Qiuli sat in a nearby chair, keeping watch over Limo while flipping through a book. She expected that it would take until the next day for anyone to address the situation, but she was surprised to find out that it had already reached the matriarch. Lo Qiushui had acted faster than she anticipated.

That evening, someone from the matriarch's quarters came to summon Lo Qiuli. The nanny who arrived was a trusted confidante of the matriarch, having been by her side since childhood. Her status was higher than most servants, and despite the respect she commanded, she remained polite and composed with everyone. "Miss, the matriarch requests your presence at the main house."

"Nanny Qu, thank you for coming. Please lead the way," Lo Qiuli replied, her eyes narrowing slightly as a small smile played on her lips. Her demeanor was calm and composed, exuding an air of grace that caught Nanny Qu's attention. However, when her gaze fell upon the dark mark on Lo Qiuli's forehead, a flicker of disappointment crossed her eyes. What a shame it was that her beauty was marred.

"Please, Miss," Nanny Qu gestured, leading Lo Qiuli to the main house. As they approached, the faint sound of sobbing could be heard. Inside, Lo Qiushui was kneeling before the matriarch, crying her heart out. Her delicate features made her look all the more pitiable.

Lo Qiuli let out a cold laugh, puzzled by the situation. She was just a minor daughter of a concubine; surely the matriarch didn't need to get involved personally. How had Lo Qiushui managed to escalate things to this level? Wouldn't it have been more effective for Qu Huasang to handle it? Qu Huasang's ruthless methods were surely more formidable than the matriarch's.

"Lo Qiuli, do you realize your wrongdoing?" As Lo Qiuli entered from outside, the old lady's eyes, once filled with concern, quickly turned to disdain and anger. She had hoped that if Lo Qiuli could quietly wait to marry into the Fifth Prince's household, she would overlook her faults. But it seemed Qiuli was indeed unruly, lacking the proper decorum.

"Qiuli doesn't understand what you mean, Madam. Please enlighten me!" Lo Qiuli knew this was a confrontation, yet she feigned ignorance, gracefully performing a deep bow with impeccable manners, which momentarily surprised the old lady.

"Qiushui claims you attacked her servant. Is there any truth to this?" The old lady, having come from a prestigious family, valued etiquette highly. Seeing Lo Qiuli's respectful demeanor, her anger subsided slightly. She adjusted her dark embroidered dress and questioned sternly.

"My sister is the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister's house, and her maids are naturally more esteemed. I wouldn't dare offend them. I hope Madam can see the truth!" Lo Qiuli knelt with her hands folded on the floor, appearing humble and pitiable. It was hard to believe such a woman would dare confront Qiushui's attendants.

"Speak! What really happened?" The old lady had risen through the ranks to her current position and was well aware of the household's intrigues. She usually stayed out of it unless it affected her directly. But she couldn't tolerate Qiushui's schemes reaching her, and her tone turned colder, her gaze becoming sharp as she fixed it on Qiushui.

"Grandmother, please believe me, every word I say is true. If you doubt me, you can ask Nanny Yang. You sent her to be with me, so I'm sure you'll trust her words." Lo Qiushui felt a bit panicked hearing the old lady's cold tone. She had hoped to use the old lady's authority to deal with Lo Qiuli, but it almost backfired.

"Nanny Yang, speak up!" The old lady's gaze lingered on Lo Qiushui for a moment before turning to Nanny Yang. As Lo Qiushui mentioned, the old lady trusted Nanny Yang to some extent, as she had been with the family for a long time and understood many things.

"Madam, the eldest miss was concerned that the young miss might not be accustomed to being back at the estate, so she thought of visiting Orchid Fragrance Garden to keep her company. However, she was stopped by the maids there and didn't get to see the young miss. Frustrated, she said a few words, which the young miss overheard as she entered the courtyard. Without a word, the young miss started a fight. We didn't dare fight back. The eldest miss, fearing the situation would escalate, returned to her room. If you hadn't asked, she probably wouldn't have mentioned this unpleasant incident to you."

Although Nanny Yang came from the old lady's quarters, she had been with the eldest miss for a long time and received many benefits, so she was fully committed to supporting Lo Qiushui. Having spent considerable time with the old lady, she knew exactly how to shift the blame onto Lo Qiuli.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Upon hearing how things unfolded, the little bit of favor Lo Qiuli had was gone, replaced by irritation. She swept the teacup off the low table, and it shattered on the ground. The hot tea splashed onto Lo Qiuli's hand, instantly raising a blister. The lid followed, hitting her forehead, and dark blood trickled from the bruise, into her eyes, and down her cheek.

The people at the residence watched Lo Qiuli with expressions of schadenfreude. Some who knew the eldest daughter's temper could guess she was targeting Lo Qiuli, but they dared not speak up, fearing trouble for themselves.

"Qiuli has nothing to say, but I must ask, sister, if you came to my place out of kindness to keep me company, why did you severely injure my maid while I was away?" The pain at her temple inadvertently lent her an imposing presence, which she quickly reined in before anyone could react. Her gaze at Lo Qiushui remained cold and deep.

"If she hadn't been so clueless, I wouldn't have acted. It's really your fault, sister. If you had managed your people better, none of this would have happened!" Lo Qiushui, unnerved by the sight of Lo Qiuli's blood-streaked face, instinctively leaned back. She never imagined that Lo Qiuli, with tears of blood, could look so terrifying, like a vengeful spirit.