After becoming pregnant, the cold-hearted nobles all went mad.

When the old lady saw Shen Lingyi mingling with that Wei family boy, she immediately looked as if she had seen something filthy.

"Look, so this is what you meant by going out to buy things, but in the end you didn't come home at night and were busy having a secret rendezvous with another man. Well, let's not really call him another man, since we had a past relationship."

"If you really want to find a suitable phrase, you should say you're incorrigible. You used to love running around with this Wei boy. Back then, you were still engaged, but what about now?"

Shen Tingjiao stared at them in surprise, her eyes filled with panic and helplessness: "I'm sorry, Lingyi, you should have told me sooner. If I had known earlier that you went out with Prince Wei, I wouldn't have had to worry about you."

"Why worry about what she's doing? I think she's having a great time, completely disgracing my General's Mansion."

The wind chilled everyone to the bone, and in the bright firelight, the expressions on everyone's faces were so clear.

The old lady's face showed disgust, while Shen Tingjiao's gentle appearance concealed a smug look in her eyes.

Shen Lingyi also saw Jiang Shi, who was full of worry and rushed over without even putting on her coat.

There was also Peony, who was lifted up and beaten until she was barely alive.

When Peony saw her looking at her, she still managed to hold on to her last breath, shook her head at her, and said weakly, "Miss, I didn't say... I didn't."

The old lady snorted coldly: "Your maid is indeed loyal, willing to die rather than reveal a word to cover for you. But she's ultimately a clueless servant who can't advise her master. She's useless."

Shen Lingyi walked to Shaoyao's side. During this time, a rough-looking maid brought by the old lady tried to stop her, but she didn't even glance at her: "Wei Chengrui, help me."

"Do you think I'm here to watch a show? Madam Shen, calling you Madam Shen is an honor. Don't think that just because I'm being praised a little, you can slander this young master at will."

Wei Chengrui grabbed the old woman's hand, his face displaying a cruel smile that chilled her to the bone.

Many people in the general's mansion knew him.

But never before had she felt such a chill run down her spine just by looking at this person. She had a feeling that if she went any closer, he really wouldn't mind breaking her hand.

Wei Chengrui continued, "I merely returned your daughter to you. What kind of commotion is this? Are you trying to arrest me, or are you repaying kindness with enmity?"

The old lady clutched her chest, feeling both angry and distressed by this reckless man.

She said she didn't like this Wei family son. Listen to that! Does she even respect her elders?

Wei Chengrui didn't care about any of that. What was this Madam Shen? She was an elder of the General's Mansion, not an elder of his Wei family.

The soft moonlight shone on Shen Lingyi's fox fur cloak, and the pendant on her chest swayed like her intense emotions. In order to sneak into the ghost market, she deliberately dressed inconspicuously, but even so, it was hard to hide her beautiful features.

Her face was expressionless, a far cry from her usual smiling demeanor.

Peony watched as her young mistress approached, took off her cloak, and draped it over her shivering body. The cloak still carried a warm fragrance and her body heat.

She pleaded, "Miss, please don't offend the old lady for my sake. It's not worth it."

Peony knew Shen Lingyi's personality all too well.

The louder the argument, the less Shen Lingyi cared. She was just deliberately putting on that spoiled act to please people. Often, she was at her angrier when she was silent.

Shen Lingyi was so angry that she wanted to tear the old man and the child apart.

She looked at the mottled, dripping whip marks on Peony's body.

The old lady ordered the beating to be severe, intending to teach Shen Lingyi a lesson and show her that even if she couldn't be harmed, those around her wouldn't have an easy time either.

So, there wasn't a single good spot on Peony's body. The fact that she could still kneel and speak was all thanks to the fact that she had learned some martial arts moves. Otherwise, she would probably have been beaten to death before Shen Lingyi returned.

The night was still and quiet when Shen Lingyi's voice rang out like shattered jade, yet it carried a chilling undertone: "Who did this?"

The old lady gave a light hum, and a rough-looking old woman stepped forward, bowed with self-importance, and said with her chin tilted back as if to say, "It is this old servant."

"Second Miss, it's not that this old servant wants to overstep my bounds, but what you did was truly inappropriate. The old lady and the eldest young lady stayed up all night, worried that something might have happened to you while you were out. And yet, you were flirting with men outside. If this gets out, how will you be able to arrange a marriage in the future?"

She glanced coldly at Peony, who was kneeling on the ground and unable to stand up: "This can be considered a minor punishment to serve as a warning. I have taken the blame for the Second Miss. As for the Second Miss, she only needs to apologize to the Old Madam and the Eldest Miss, receive twenty lashes, and kneel in the ancestral hall. Then this matter will be over."

"After all, we are family, and the Crown Prince Wei has a history with us. The old lady doesn't want things to get too ugly."

Chiang's eyes reddened; wasn't this bullying?

She wondered why Shen Tingjiao was up so late at night; it turned out she and the old lady were waiting for this to happen.

They are clearly sisters, yet they show no regard for sisterly affection whatsoever. How could she have committed such a sin by giving birth to such a daughter!

Before she could speak, Shen Lingyi stood up in front of Shaoyao: "Okay."

Shen Tingjiao almost thought she had misheard. Shen Lingyi had just admitted her mistake? This didn't seem like something she would do.

Seeing Shen Lingyi's attitude, the old lady was slightly surprised, but also somewhat satisfied, thinking that she was quite sensible.

She wouldn't dare to defy her own grandmother and that young master Wei for the sake of a lowly maid. She had to keep things under control today. Although she didn't like this young master Wei, he was no longer the same person he used to be.

The people who are favored by His Majesty are not people she can fabricate. She has managed to control Shen Lingyi to this extent.

However, Shen Lingyi didn't finish her sentence. Now she looked at the rough old woman and continued, "Your idea is good, but outsiders are not allowed to enter the ancestral hall."

"Kneel before my maid and kowtow a few times, and this matter will be over."

"Shen Lingyi!" The old lady instantly flew into a rage.

What's the big deal about making servants kowtow? The big deal is that it's a slap in the face for her.

Shen Lingyi then turned around and comforted the old lady: "Grandmother, please calm down. You are so old, you shouldn't get angry over such a lowly person."

"She just admitted that she was overstepping her master's authority, while I am the Princess of Pingyang, personally appointed by His Majesty, holding the rank of Second Grade."

"I suppose Grandmother won't object to punishing a lowly maid like me?"

The old lady's expression changed slightly upon hearing Shen Lingyi's words. She had completely forgotten about this matter; it was all because she had gotten used to these servants calling her that.

If people keep calling her "Second Miss" all day long, who will remember that Shen Lingyi is now a county princess with a high rank, and that the Emperor himself issued the decree to confer the title upon her at her residence?

She was a county princess of the second rank, and although she had no real power, her rank was on par with Shen Su's.

A mere servant who offended the county magistrate deserved to be beaten to death; there was no need for any other pretext.