"Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor."

Jiang Lingtian uttered a few words in a gloomy tone.

He kept staring at Jiang Xue, his gaze seemingly able to penetrate her heart and see through all the emotions deep within her.

Jiang Lingtian saw everything from her initial guilt and panic to her later amused expression when she saw Madam Zhao and Jiao Jiao facing off.

He saw Jiang Xue's jealousy and resentment towards Jiao Jiao, and these emotions were like a sharp knife, piercing Jiang Lingtian's heart.

He couldn't help but feel incredibly angry and frustrated.

How could he not have seen through Jiang Xue's true colors all these years?

And Jiaojiao...

How did Jiaojiao's reputation get ruined little by little?

Arrogant, domineering, ugly, stupid, bullying his half-sister... shameless...

Was Jiang Xue behind all of this?

Upon closer reflection, Jiang Xue was always involved whenever Jiao Jiao made a mistake, and Jiang Xue was always the most innocent and pitiful one, tearfully apologizing and admitting her mistakes on Jiao Jiao's behalf.

By apologizing and admitting her mistake on behalf of Jiaojiao, wasn't she essentially condemning Jiaojiao directly? Her pitiful and aggrieved state only served to highlight Jiaojiao's arrogance and domineering nature.

And Jiao Jiao's previous makeup... When she walked out with Jiang Xue, she was mistaken for Jiang Xue's maid. Those clothes and jewelry were only suitable for Jiang Xue.

Jiaojiao...do you know all this?

That's right. Even he and his elder brother couldn't see through Jiang Xue's hypocritical face and were completely deceived by her. How could Jiao Jiao possibly notice anything amiss?

They were convinced that Jiang Jiaojiao was shameless, bullied Jiang Xue, and disgraced their brothers. Last time, when she climbed into the Seventh Prince's bed, they even threatened to sever their sibling relationship with her.

It seems that Jiaojiao changed around that time...

Is it because they've seen through the true nature of the snowfall?

Jiang Lingtian's eyes darkened. It was their fault as older brothers that they were useless, becoming sharp blades in Jiang Xue's hands and deeply hurting Jiao Jiao and their mother.

Now that the mistake has been realized, things should be set right. Those who made the mistake must be punished accordingly, and innocent people should not be implicated.

Therefore, Jiang Xue has to bear the consequences of her actions.

really.

Hearing Jiang Lingtian's reminder.

Madam Zhao suddenly looked up, her eyes bloodshot, and laughed maniacally, "Hahaha, that's right! Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor! Since my daughter's incident happened at Your Highness's residence, Your Highness should be held responsible!"

"If Your Highness does not give me an explanation today, I will go and beat the Dengwen Drum and tell you everything that happened today. I know exactly who is behind this and who is acting as an accomplice!"

Madam Zhao went mad, pinning all the blame on the Fifth Prince. Since she couldn't get the Seventh Prince involved, she decided to pin it on the Fifth Prince!

If it weren't for Jiang Xue, her daughter wouldn't have gotten into trouble. Jiang Xue was the Fifth Prince's concubine, so he should have cleaned up Jiang Xue's mess and taken responsibility for his own daughter!

The Fifth Prince's face turned ashen, and he trembled all over. Damn the Zhao family, how dare they threaten him!

Good! Very good!

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the Fifth Prince took a deep breath, suppressing the rage that was about to consume him, and said, "Guards... lock Consort Jiang in the Buddhist hall."

“Clean up another courtyard for Aunt Zhao to live in.”

The Fifth Prince gritted his teeth and accepted it, feeling as if a dead fly had been stuffed into his stomach.

Under the Fifth Prince's icy gaze, Madam Zhao trembled, filled with fear.

So be it, she's a concubine. Jiang Xue rose from a concubine to a secondary consort. At least we'll have an explanation when we go back today. Even if the way she went wasn't honorable, it's still a good place for our daughter to go into the Fifth Prince's residence.

"No……"

Jiang Xue's eyes widened in disbelief. How could His Highness treat her like this, actually wanting to lock her in the Buddhist hall? And even wanting to take that fool, Miss Zhao, into the family?

Jiang Xue was filled with grievances and resentment, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

It's all Jiang Jiaojiao's fault!

At this moment, Jiang Xue's gaze towards Jiang Jiaojiao was filled with uncontrollable resentment and jealousy.

If Jiang Jiaojiao hadn't brought the Thirteenth Young Master to save Yuan Bao'er, Yuan Bao'er wouldn't have survived climbing up. If it weren't for Physician Xu, her fake pregnancy wouldn't have been exposed, and she wouldn't have become a laughing stock in everyone's eyes!

Jiang Jiaojiao is her nemesis!

The Seventh Prince doted on her exclusively, and they were inseparable for life. Even the concubine's daughter who became empress in the novel never got that. What did Jiang Jiaojiao, this fool, do to deserve it?

What merit or ability do I possess!

If it weren't for that vile woman Jiang Jiaojiao seducing him, how could the Seventh Prince have completely ignored Miss Zhao's invitation? And Miss Zhao wouldn't have failed, and actually... actually became His Highness's concubine.

Feeling the Fifth Prince's cold, piercing gaze, she instinctively cried out, "Your Highness, sob sob sob... I don't know anything..."

Jiang Xue's face, swollen like a pig's head, still showed signs of panic and fear. Tears had ruined her makeup, smearing her lips like persimmons. There was no trace of her former gentle and lovely appearance.

Those young masters who used to be unable to move and lose their minds at the sight of Jiang Xue all retreated in terror. It was truly... truly frightening.

Yuan Bao'er, draped in Jiao Jiao's cloak, clutched the imperial edict tightly, trembling slightly yet with an unprecedented resolve, protecting Jiao Jiao. "Don't you know? Wasn't it you who insisted that lowly maidservant bring me to the garden? I never intended to compete with you for anything, yet you can't even tolerate me and want my life!"

"I didn't expect you to even dare to scheme against the Seventh Prince, huh... You've shot yourself in the foot, now you know how painful it is?"

Yuan Bao'er's words were like a sharp sword, piercing through Jiang Xue's last layer of pretense and tearing off her mask of hypocrisy.

The ladies and young women present were filled with surprise and doubt. They had always heard that the Fifth Prince's Consort was cowardly, incompetent, and timid, a pushover who could be easily manipulated. However, what they saw today was quite different from the rumors.

Could it be that the near-death experience made Yuan Bao'er completely reckless?

Indeed, even the position of the prince's consort has been taken away by others through scheming. No matter how weak she is, she should stand up for herself.

Consort Wang, standing to the side, was also startled. She looked at Yuan Bao'er with pity in her eyes. If Yuan Bao'er had been brave enough to stand up earlier, she might not have ended up like this.

The young men were even more astonished, staring blankly, and began to wonder if their brains had been ruined by tears.

They had all witnessed and even personally experienced these methods used by the inner quarters, so why did they suddenly think Jiang Xue was kind and pitiful?

At this moment...

The perfect image of Jiang Xue in their eyes began to crack, and Jiang Jingtian felt it most clearly.

He stood there dumbfounded, as if frozen in place by magic, staring blankly at Jiang Xue struggling to be dragged away by the old woman.

So it really was my second sister who made it.

Jiang Jingtian stumbled backward several times before finally regaining his balance, looking utterly devastated.

Jin Yuwan glared at her son with a hint of annoyance.

You blind idiot!

If he dares to let Jiaojiao suffer again because of that ingrate Jiang Xue, then... then the Fourth Princess will kick him out and make him live on the streets! Humph!