Duke Jing's younger sister

With tears welling up in her eyes, Ziyuan nodded vigorously.

"Miss, as long as you are willing to trust me, I will not let you down!"

Shen Li sighed, covered her lips with one hand and whispered a few words in Zi Yuan's ear.

"This..." Zi Yuan hesitated. Shen Li knew that she didn't have much time left, so she urged in a low voice, "Go quickly!"

Ziyuan nodded and quickly left the flower hall.

Luo Cheng happened to be sitting opposite Shen Li, and saw all her little movements. He was confused for a moment, wondering what she wanted to do.

The servant set up the table for the zither. The zither was maroon in color and the body of the zither glowed faintly. Although it was not as top-quality as the Jinghong, it was also a rare good zither.

Everyone in the flower hall fell silent. Shen Li caught a glimpse of Zi Yuan's figure outside the door and nodded at her.

Zi Yuan followed the maid of the Luo family and entered the flower hall one after another.

The tea-serving maid held a mahogany tray in her hands with white porcelain tea cups placed steadily on it.

It is April now and the weather is getting warmer. The tea served to guests is always 70% hot, just the right amount of warm.

This cup of tea was different. Zi Yuan had just made it secretly with boiling hot water and placed it on the tray of the maid who served the tea.

Seeing the maid approaching, Shen Li stood up.

Zi Yuan found a good opportunity and pushed the maid's elbow at the right time, causing the tray to fall. A cup full of boiling hot tea was poured all over Shen Li's right hand, and her aqua red dress was also wet.

The mahogany tray fell to the ground with a dull thud, and the celadon teacup shattered in an instant, which was shocking, accompanied by Zi Yuan's scream.

"Girl - oh, girl, your hand..."

Shen Li felt an unbearable burning pain on the back of her hand. Almost instantly, her fair skin turned pink and red, and blisters formed one after another, which was a shocking sight.

The scene instantly became chaotic.

Shen Li was surrounded by people. The maid who served tea knelt on the ground and begged for mercy. Luo Jue hurriedly called for a doctor, and Shen Beiqi ordered the servants to quickly get some ice.

When Shen Zhiyan saw the wound, she exclaimed, "Why is it so hot?"

Ren Jiaorui stood beside Yang. She glanced at the wound and felt it was a pity. Why was it this bitch's hand that was burned instead of her face?

Shen Li was in so much pain that she couldn't speak, and cold sweat covered her fair forehead.

I felt as if my right hand was thrown into a frying pan and fried repeatedly, and waves of pain accompanied by heat came over me uncontrollably.

Shen Beiqi took the ice cubes handed to him by the servant, wrapped it in a silk handkerchief, and just as he touched the back of Shen Li's hand, she cried out in pain. He frowned slightly, his face full of heartache, and subconsciously made his movements lighter and softer.

Old Lady Luo was furious and scolded the maid who was kneeling on the ground serving tea.

"You, a servant, are so rash that you actually burned a guest? Come, drag her out and give her twenty lashes!"

Seeing the maid being dragged out crying, Shen Li didn't care what others thought and grabbed Luo Yan's wrist.

Shen Beiqi paused in applying ice to her and couldn't help but clench the ice in his hand. The coolness seeped into his heart from his palms and spread to his limbs and bones.

Shen Li exerted a little force with her hands and looked straight at Luo Cheng. Please, don't misunderstand me again this time!

Luo Cheng naturally knew that Shen Li had done all this on purpose. After giving her a serious look, Luo Cheng stood up and left.

Crown Prince Xiao Wenhao stood behind the crowd, watching everything coldly. An imperceptible sneer flashed in his eyes, and then his clear expression returned to normal.

"Miss Shen San, are you seriously injured?"

Hearing the prince's voice, the people who were watching the excitement in the front made way for him. Shen Li stood up and was about to salute when the prince interrupted her with a wave of his hand.

"It seems that I don't have the good fortune to appreciate the wonderful music of Miss Shen San. It's my fault. If I hadn't insisted on listening to the music, you wouldn't be injured like this."

Luo Jue stepped forward to help, "It was the servant of the Luo Mansion who was too reckless and disturbed Your Highness's leisure. I hope Your Highness will not take it as an offense."

The prince smiled calmly, "Luo Qing, what are you talking about? I came here uninvited today. I am being rude."

Old Lady Luo's heart skipped a beat.

"My birthday banquet is a small matter. How dare I disturb the Crown Prince? You think highly of me and you honor me by coming to the Luo Mansion. If you say that I am rude, then I am being humiliated!"

Xiao Wenhao glanced at Shen Li, whose lips were slightly pale, and didn't want to get entangled any more. There was still a long time to go.

"Miss Shen San, I will send someone to deliver some ointment to the Shen Mansion later. As a young lady, please don't leave any scars."

Shen Li lowered her eyes and didn't look at him. She just bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Highness."

The prince turned around and left with a smile, and everyone behind him bid him farewell. As soon as he stepped out of the door of the flower hall, the smile on Xiao Wenhao's face disappeared in an instant, becoming unfathomable.

Shen Li!

If he had looked at her twice more before because of Shen Beiqi, it was her actions today that made him look at her with new eyes.

He likes women like Shen Li who are clear-minded and willing to be cruel to him.

In comparison, those women who only know how to please and flatter are a bit lacking in interest.

For a lion in the forest, the pleasure of catching a hare is far less intense and satisfying than trampling an untamed tiger or leopard under his feet.

……

Everything is quiet, the moon is bright and the stars are sparse.

In the Qinghui Courtyard, the white magnolias were in full bloom. As the night wind blew by, the snow-white petals swirled and fell onto the bluestone floor.

In the room, Ziyuan knelt on the ground with her head buried low.

Shen Li's hands were wrapped in thick gauze. The flickering candlelight cast a half-bright and half-dark shadow on her expressionless profile.

Xingping, who was standing on the side, was a little scared.

The girl has always been easy to talk to, just like the Bodhisattva in the Bodhisattva Temple, always treating everyone with kindness.

It was the first time Xingping had seen such a cold and stern look, so she gave up the idea of ​​pleading for Ziyuan.

After a long while, Shen Li said calmly, "Xingping, you go out first."

"Yes." Xingping looked back every few steps and looked worriedly at Ziyuan who was kneeling on the ground.

The door was closed again.

Because the room was too quiet, even the crackling sound of the candle startled Zi Yuan.

"How did you know about my brother and I?"

Zi Yuan answered timidly, "My lady, I just guessed it."

"Guess?" Shen Li chuckled, "How do you guess?"

"Because the young lady went to look for the Duke that night, but did not return until dawn. In addition, the young lady felt sick and vomited afterwards, and was punished by the Madam. Even Xingping and I were punished..."

Zi Yuan bent down and cried,

"Miss, I really have no other choice. If I don't do this, my brother will be beaten to death by those people!"

Shen Li believed that she was not a person who would repay evil with kindness, but Zi Yuan had been with her day and night for eight years. Although she was called a servant, she was actually more like a sister.

Everyone makes mistakes, but being able to admit one's mistakes and correct them is the greatest virtue.

She was willing to give Ziyuan a chance to reform. Perhaps she really had encountered a hurdle that she couldn't overcome, which was why she was taken advantage of by Ren Jiaorui.

"Tell me everything about you and Ren Jiaorui. Don't leave out any details!"