I'm a humble concubine. My acting skills are off the charts. You can check my performance.

The banquet ended in a boring state because Meng Yangjiang ate nothing. After they parted at the waterside pavilion, Zhao Fangyu felt exhausted.

I returned to Jiaolu and fell asleep immediately. I couldn't even remember who took off my earrings.

The next morning, Zhao Fangyu changed into a casual outfit: a lilac-colored narrow-sleeved top with an apricot-colored wisteria-flowered bodice and a goose-yellow folded skirt, and walked slowly towards the eldest lady's yard.

When he met Zhao Fangjin on the way, Zhao Fangyu saw that Zhao Fangwei was not around, so he asked about her.

Zhao Fangjin was waiting here specifically for Zhao Fangyu. When he heard her question, he immediately replied:

"I heard that he slept in Pingbo Courtyard yesterday and did not return to Rose Pavilion."

"After teaching you for so many years, you still fail more than you accomplish. You even picked up the old woman who threw you out. If you don't know, you would think that our Zhao family can't afford to hire anyone."

"We are a family like this. We may not be extremely wealthy, but we can't let guests sleep in a house like that, especially Dad's colleague."

The small blue silk fan flapped, and the breeze caressed his face. Zhao Fangyu recalled the news he heard that day, and the corners of his mouth twitched: "I was busy yesterday and it was difficult to settle the accounts. I have to wait until today to do it."

The two smiled at each other and walked into Qingping Courtyard together.

It’s not that Zhao Fangyu was mean, it’s just that Zhao Fangyun’s malice towards her was outrageous and unfounded.

Zhao Fanglan and Zhao Fangyu didn't get along, but they could still blame it on a grudge, after all, Aunt Zhang was almost kicked out.

But when it comes to Zhao Fangyun, there is no hatred or grudge between them. It is purely Zhao Fangyun who dislikes Zhao Fangyu unilaterally, but he can't get rid of her.

In Qingping Courtyard, Zhao Fangyun was kneeling on the ground in a green dress. There was no cushion under her knees. She just knelt straight.

The gorgeous pearl flowers of the past were replaced with lake blue pearl ribbons. Without the hairpins and rings that she could not control, Zhao Fangyun looked a bit childish. She knelt in the hall pitifully, as if she was about to take off her hairpins and wait for punishment.

Zhao Fangwei knelt beside her, sharing the joys and sorrows with her. The servants around her had already been dismissed, and only two or three confidants including Mother Cui were left.

When Zhao Fangyu and Zhao Fangjin came in, they did not see the eldest lady. After asking, they found out that the eldest lady was still combing her hair and washing.

At this time of day in the past, the eldest lady would have already been sitting in the hall looking at the account books. It was nothing like today, when she was still washing up at this time.

Zhao Fangyu looked at Mother Cui who was guarding the door and felt that this was probably the eldest lady's intention. She was deliberately ignoring Zhao Fangwei and her sister.

The atmosphere in the hall was subtle. Zhao Fangyu didn't want to just sit there, so he and Zhao Fangjin walked to the door to look at the oriole that the old lady had given to the first lady.

Soon, the eldest lady came out and everyone bowed to her except Zhao Fangwei and her sister.

"Get up. There's a lot to do today. You don't have to kneel and listen."

The large, ink-like sleeves reflected light slightly. When Zhao Fangyun saw the corner of the clothes, his eyes hurt. He felt anxious and uneasy, and was filled with disgust for Mrs. Guo San.

How could she have known that Miss Guo San was so bold that she dared to replace the porcelain in the guest room!

Replace the fine Ru kiln porcelain with ordinary celadon...

This matter was discovered by Cui's mother the day before the banquet. Although she was immediately embarrassed by the suppression of the government, Zhao Fangyun could not hold her head up, especially in front of Zhao Fangyu. She was almost ashamed.

When she thought of Zhao Fangyu sitting beside her and leisurely watching her begging for forgiveness from the eldest lady, the jealousy and hatred in Zhao Fangyun's heart quickly took root.

Zhao Fangwei took Zhao Fangyun, who had forgotten to move, up and walked to the side and sat down silently.

The eldest lady took a sip of the fragrant tea, then slowly praised: "Yesterday's birthday banquet was a reunion. Seeing that Fangyu and Fangyun are about to grow up, it's time to let their hair down and dress up. I will take you to buy some new jewelry in three days. I'm afraid these at home are worn out."

Zhao Fangyu and Zhao Fangyun thanked her. Zhao Fangyu did nothing wrong and took the things without any guilt. But Zhao Fangyun didn't think so. She glanced at Zhao Fangwei anxiously, but Zhao Fangwei didn't even look at her. She just stared at the peach blossom handkerchief in her hand.

"The people in the treasury and the kitchen will each receive an extra half a tael of reward, and the housekeeper will receive one tael of reward."

"As for those in the stables and the outer courtyard, each person will be rewarded with twenty big coins."

Mother Cui took note, and Zhao Fangyu quietly explored the pattern on the side of the table.

The eldest lady is clear about rewards and punishments. One side is a reward, and the next side is a punishment.

Not long after, the eldest lady really started talking about Guo Sanniang.

"Fifth Miss, tell me why you picked up the person driven out by your fourth sister to be the steward."

The eldest lady's expression showed no joy or anger. At this moment, she was calm and dignified, without any unnecessary movements, but Zhao Fangyun was so frightened that he dared not say a word.

The eldest lady's attire today is not much different from the past, except that she looks like she is covered in a layer of ice and snow, which makes people feel afraid at a glance.

Zhao Fangyun nodded and didn't dare to say anything more. He just kept saying with red eyes that he was wrong.

The eldest lady ignored him and wiped the corners of her lips with a handkerchief. Suddenly, a hint of sarcasm appeared on her face:

"Miss Wu can't say it, so I'll speak for her."

"Our good girl from the Zhao family heard the servants cursing her sister, but she didn't say anything to stop them. Instead, she tempted them with money!"

"Because of your momentary anger, our Zhao family almost lost face in front of the high-ranking officials and their families in the entire capital! And the reason was just to fight with your fourth sister?"

The aroma of fragrant tea filled the air. Zhao Fangyu had a blank expression on his face, secretly laughing at Zhao Fangyun for being so stupid.

The eldest lady always said that all great families rot from the inside out first.

The family members are of the same blood, even if their teeth knock against their lips sometimes, they can't hurt the harmony.

Who could have thought that this idiot Zhao Fangyun actually wanted to rely on Guo Sanniang to turn the tables and suppress her!

How stupid.

Zhao Fangyun was so frightened that tears started to fall from his eyes and his whole body was shaking.

"Guess why the banquet was divided among you four sisters? Your eldest sister is in charge of the kitchen, and your fourth sister is in charge of the treasury, two places where mistakes are most likely to occur, but they are very careful."

"The task assigned to you is the easiest, and with the help of your own sister, you can accomplish such a great feat. Our fifth daughter is also an extraordinary person."

"Instead of studying and sewing, you're thinking about how to stir up trouble at home and put down your elder sister?"

"A girl's skin is precious, so it's inconvenient to use family rules. You should kneel down in the ancestral hall and copy the scriptures. When your temper has been tempered, you can come out again."

Zhao Fangyun raised her head with tears on her face, and looked at the eldest lady to ask how much she had to copy every day. The next second, Zhao Fangwei immediately knelt down beside Zhao Fangyun and said sincerely: "Thank you mother for your kindness. Your daughter will definitely urge your sister to calm down and cultivate her energy, and concentrate on copying scriptures."

The eldest lady said nothing and went out holding Mother Cui's hand. A large group of people had gathered outside the yard. At a glance, half of the servants of the Zhao family were there.

Guo Sanniang was tied up tightly and knelt on the ground like a dead dog. Su Re stood in front of her, holding a piece of paper and reading out the charges against Guo Sanniang one by one.

The purple belt rubbed against the ground like linen, and in his ears he could hear the servants whispering and Suer's crisp verdict: