Qian Rou sat in front of Jiang Yuanxi, her expression extremely unnatural.

She wasn’t actually sick, but she wanted to see what kind of trick Chen Xinwan was playing.

Gathering so many noblewomen together…

All for a child barely over a year old? The women were competing for a turn, which made Qian Rou sneer inwardly.

“Yuanxi, take a look at me. See if there’s anything wrong with my health?” She forced a smile.

Jiang Yuanxi, puffing up her cheeks, crossed her arms behind her back.

“No. I won’t check you.”

Qian Rou frowned. “You check them. Why not me?”

Jiang Yuanxi pouted. “Because you’re bad.”

Several noblewomen turned away to hide their laughter.

But they dismissed it as nothing more than a child’s words.

Qian Rou had been arrogant and domineering in Shengjing for years, but this was the first time someone had pointed at her and insulted her to her face.

The women gathered here were all from prestigious families. Jiang Yuanxi’s words were like pressing Qian Rou’s face into the dirt.

For a child to speak like this, it had to be that wretched woman, Chen Xinwan, who taught her.

“You should feel honored that I even let you check me! Don’t refuse what’s good for you!”

Did the lowly Jiang family think they could ignore the powerful Jiang clan?

Hearing this, the other ladies frowned.

Qian Rou was actually arguing with a child? How disgraceful.

Madam Zhou couldn’t stand it anymore. “Yuanxi is just a child. Madam, shouldn’t you show some restraint?”

Qian Rou scoffed. “You couldn’t bear a child yourself, and yet you believe in a toddler still drinking milk?”

Everyone in Shengjing knew Madam Zhou was barren. Even the imperial physicians had confirmed there was no cure.

Jiang Yuanxi was simply making a spectacle of herself, using this as an excuse to build connections with noblewomen.

Madam Zhou’s face darkened.

Qian Rou only dared to be so arrogant because of her backing—Concubine Jiang in the palace.

Among those present, only Shi Ruomei had the power to rein her in.

After all, Shi Ruomei was the wife of the Emperor’s brother-in-law.

Shi Ruomei slowly took a sip of tea, having listened to everything. She beckoned to Jiang Yuanxi.

“Yuanxi, come here to Auntie.”

Jiang Yuanxi let the maid carry her down from the table and walked over to Shi Ruomei.

Shi Ruomei placed a piece of cake in front of her and spoke gently.

“Tell Auntie, why won’t you check this madam? If you tell me, I’ll give you this plum cake as a reward.”

Jiang Yuanxi lowered her head, kicking a small stone on the ground while glancing at the table.

[If I don’t say anything, I won’t get the cake. But Mother told me not to say it.]

Jiang Yuanxi hesitated.

Unwillingly, she muttered, “I… I can’t say.”

Seeing this, Shi Ruomei didn’t hesitate and added two more pieces of cake.

No matter how smart she was, Jiang Yuanxi was still just a toddler.

As expected, when the number of cakes reached six, she gave in.

“I’ll say it, I’ll say it.”

While speaking, she quickly pulled all the cakes toward her.

“She wants to be my stepmother.”

A sharp intake of breath echoed through the room.

Shi Ruomei had initially just been teasing the child, helping her out of the awkward situation.

She hadn’t expected to uncover such shocking gossip.

This trip had turned out to be quite rewarding.

Qian Rou, hearing her deepest secret exposed, wanted nothing more than to strangle Jiang Yuanxi on the spot.

“You’re lying!” Qian Rou pointed at her, seething with rage. “I’ll kill you, you little brat!”

At that moment, she didn’t care about appearances anymore and strode toward Jiang Yuanxi.

Shi Ruomei immediately stepped in front of her.

“What’s wrong, Madam Jiang? Getting desperate?” she mocked.

“Shi, move aside! Don’t think I won’t lay a hand on you!”

Shi Ruomei smirked. “Go ahead. If you dare touch me, you’ll be responsible for two lives. Do you think you can bear the consequences?”

Shi Ruomei was the wife of the Emperor’s brother-in-law. Hurting her meant going against the Empress and the Crown Prince.

Though Qian Rou had Concubine Jiang as her backer, she wouldn’t dare harm a pregnant woman.

She took a deep breath and relented. “Fine, I won’t argue with you. Hand the child over.”

Shi Ruomei’s gaze turned icy. “And if I refuse?”

The tension in the room was palpable.

Jiang Yuanxi, still clutching her cakes, sat on a chair.

[Mother said when adults argue, I should stay far away.]

She stood on the stool and called out to Qian Rou. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell. Mother told me not to say anything.”

“Shut up!” Qian Rou’s eyes flashed with murderous intent.

Jiang Yuanxi quickly hid behind Madam Zhou.

“Why is she mad?”

She poked her fingers together and whispered, “I didn’t even tell them you used to write love letters to my father.”

Another round of gasps.

Qian Rou had written love letters to General Jiang?

Back then, Qian Rou and the current Madam Jiang, Chen Xinwan, had been close friends.

No wonder Chen Xinwan had cut ties with her. Qian Rou had coveted her best friend’s husband!

Shameless beyond belief.

The noblewomen in the room all looked at Qian Rou with disdain.

“You—” Qian Rou was trembling with fury.

“You all—” She scanned the room, meeting nothing but mocking gazes.

Finally, her eyes landed back on Jiang Yuanxi.

“A child this young already knows how to slander people? What a disgraceful upbringing! I’ll teach you a lesson on behalf of your mother!”

She raised her hand, ready to strike.

“Yuanxi’s surname is Jiang, not Qian.”

A cold voice rang out as Chen Xinwan entered the room, exuding an icy aura.

She gently wiped the crumbs from her daughter’s mouth.

“And everything Yuanxi said is true. How is that slander?” Her voice was calm but sharp.

The noblewomen murmured among themselves.

Madam Zhou covered her mouth, suppressing a chuckle. “So, Madam Jiang has been eating from her own bowl while eyeing someone else’s pot. How unexpected. We could never stoop so low.”

It was one thing to desire another man, but to lust after a married one—her best friend’s husband, no less—was disgraceful beyond words.

Chen Xinwan’s voice was indifferent. “Would you like me to take out the love letters for everyone to see?”

Qian Rou clenched her fists so tightly her nails dug into her palms. “Chen Xinwan, you’ll regret this!”

Tomorrow, this scandal would spread throughout Shengjing.

She would become the city’s biggest laughingstock.

“If you dare slander me, I’ll make you pay!” she snarled, then shot Jiang Yuanxi a hateful glare before storming off with her maids.

Jiang Yuanxi: [I promised to keep it secret, but she still glared at me. How rude.]

Just then, Jiang Yuanxi noticed a woman standing quietly at the back of the crowd.

[Strange… Why is she connected to my mother’s wrongful case?]

Following her daughter’s gaze, Chen Xinwan saw a young woman.

She turned to her companion. “Qianhua, who is that lady?”

Han Qianhua glanced over and smiled. “That’s Zhao Ya, the wife of the new Minister of Justice, Li Wenbo.”

Chen Xinwan quietly memorized the name.

Jiang Yuanxi, now full and content, clapped her hands.

“Next! Who’s next for a checkup?”