"Good afternoon, Duchess!"

When Li Aili entered the reception room, the female guests visiting Constantinople rose to greet her with ladylike gestures.

The female guests lowered their heads, their fair necks bending like swans, showing utmost respect.

But the "bubbles" above their heads are different...

How terrifying! This is the "madwoman," oh dear~

【Waaaaah! She's looking at me!! What should I do?! Did I dress too flashy today??】

[Waaaaah, waaaaah, help me, God of Light, please protect me...]

[Tsk, she's so annoying! If it weren't for her, Balk would have been home with me long ago, instead of chasing after this crazy woman with the Duke.]

Poor Balk, he should have seen that sexy little nightgown I made two weeks ago.

Li Aili: "..."

To ensure a pleasant experience for both parties, Li Aili turned her toes and sat down on the single sofa by the window, away from the ladies whose minds were racing.

Five days ago, Li Aili was taken back to Constantinople by the Duke of Cold Emerald. Her black market business can be summed up in one sentence: 'The late emperor's great undertaking was not yet half completed, and she was kidnapped and brought home halfway through.'

The Duke of Cold Jade sat in the carriage, and with a single glance, the knight named "Balk" set fire to her small shop, which she had worked so hard to build over the past three months, reducing it to ashes.

Li Aili felt she couldn't let this loss go unpunished. She glanced at the red-haired lady in the "ladies' group" who resembled a noble swan with her chin slightly raised, and took the initiative to start a conversation.

"Speaking of which, the day the Knights returned was really lively, with civilians on both sides of the road warmly welcoming them."

The Duchess's initiative in starting the conversation clearly relieved the "ladies' group" who had been holding their breath.

"I must say, our knights are incredibly popular. So many young and beautiful girls are showering them with affection..."

She paused, tilted her head slightly, and sure enough, the "bubbles" above the ladies' heads suddenly changed their appearance.

[Damn it! Lance's been so absent-minded these past few days! Could he have been bewitched by some little devil??]

Ah, this, I must believe in Barton! He would never be unfaithful to our marriage, oh God of Light…

[Tsk, you crazy woman, do you think we're all like you? Constantly suspecting your husbands of cheating?]

[Hmph! I feed Balk well every day—he has no energy to look at the wildflowers outside!]

Li Aili looked at the ladies who were all listening intently and said slowly, "Oh, speaking of which, the most popular one should be Vice Commander Balk, right? He was hit by a corset that was thrown down from the second floor."

Deputy Commander Balk's wife, Anne, visibly turned green.

Li Aili tilted her head slightly. "At the victory celebration, they even pulled out the corset that Knight Balk had hidden and teased him about it, I remember."

“I remember Balk is married, so he really shouldn’t have hidden that woman’s corset. What will his wife think?” Li Aili shook her head, quite disapproving.

What does Anne Sherman think?

Anne Sherman was furious and couldn't believe it!

With a 'crack', a lady accidentally broke the lace folding fan in her hand, as if it were the lifeblood of a certain unfortunate deputy commander.

Balker's wife, Anne, instantly transformed into a "raging lioness." She abruptly stood up, panting heavily, her breasts, which were constricted by her corset, heaving up and down.

Li Aili glanced discreetly at the top of Mrs. Anne's head, and saw a line of large, blood-red characters inside the "speech bubble"—

【Balker Sherman!!! I'll kill you, you bastard!】

Seeing that this person had such a fiery temper, Li Aili immediately felt relieved, and her smile became much more genuine.

"Oh, madam, you don't look well. Are you feeling unwell? Would you like to go back and 'rest'?" Li Aili sincerely inquired about the well-being of Balk's wife.

Annie was eager to get home and deal with her unruly husband, so she skipped the formalities and said directly, "Then I'll have to leave!"

Watching this red-haired beauty rush home in a flurry, Li Aili silently "praised" for a certain deputy commander in her heart:

By the God of Light, please bless Knight Balk, and make sure he—doesn't die too easily. (*￣︶￣)

Li Aili revealed a genuine smile, which made several ladies who were secretly watching her blush.

My God... Madwoman is so beautiful!

Ah! It's hard to imagine that such a beauty could really be the infamous madwoman who made the Duke lose face...

After Mrs. Anne "stormed" home, the living room fell into an awkward silence once again.

Li Aili stared speechlessly at the group of ladies, genuinely not understanding what they were there for.

"I said, if you're so afraid of me, why did you come here to suffer like this?" That's what she thought, and that's what she asked.

"Because it was my husband who drew the lot. The knights who drew the red lot will have their wives come to Constantinople to accompany you today," a lady answered without hesitation.

The ladies: "..."

Li Aili watched helplessly as the faces of a group of delicate ladies turned deathly pale, gaining a direct understanding once again of the damage to "her reputation."

"Hehehe! Lily's getting better and better at joking, hehehe! No way! You're so funny!"

Li Aili glanced at the lady who was trying to smooth things over, and she immediately trembled like a quail, her head filled with "ah ah ah" sounds.

Like a screaming chicken.

The lady named Lily blinked her large, bewildered eyes. "No, I'm not joking. That's exactly what George told me."

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!