"You're really optimistic!" Xue Ye said, somewhat speechless.

"Alright, what's there to worry about? We'll just deal with whatever comes our way!" Liu Yingying patted his shoulder casually.

The next morning, Uncle Zhong personally came to the inn to pick her up and take her to the Pei residence to see Prime Minister Pei.

After the three entered the Pei residence, Zhongbo led them to the flower hall. "Please have a seat, gentlemen. Please wait a moment. Our master is still in his study handling official business. He will be there shortly!"

Liu Yingying didn't say anything, just nodded, took the cup of tea handed to her by the servant, and took a sip.

After exchanging a few more polite words, Uncle Zhong withdrew, leaving only two maids in pink to serve Liu Yingying and the other two in the flower hall.

Feeling the atmosphere was too awkward, Liu Yingying deliberately started a conversation, "Xiaoxue, you used to work in a wealthy family. How does the decor of this Pei residence compare to your former master's?"

Without a second thought, Xiaoxue replied, "My former master was merely a wealthy merchant; how could he compare to a family of high-ranking officials like these?"

"Far from it, far from it!"

Liu Yingying shook her head and smiled gently, then took another sip of tea.

Meanwhile, news of their arrival at the Pei residence quickly reached Pei Lanyi's ears.

Inside her boudoir, Pei Lanyi flew into a rage!

"What? That vile woman dares to step into my Pei residence?"

The maid, Zhu Qing, whispered a reminder: "I heard that it was the Third Master who sent Zhongbo to bring her back, and... she doesn't seem to be an ordinary commoner. Wasn't she supposed to have been granted the title of Lady of Ning'an County?"

"Slap!" Pei Lanyi didn't want to hear any of this and slapped Zhu Qing across the face.

"Ah!" Zhu Qing covered her face and quickly knelt down; "Please forgive me, Miss!"

Pei Lanyi's face was somewhat ferocious; "What is a mere county magistrate compared to the Pei family!"

"Let's go, I want to see what she's up to at the Pei residence!"

She'd seen plenty of people trying to freeload like this!

Isn't that Liu Shi just taking advantage of the fact that she saved her third grandfather last time, and now she wants to come here to extort money from him?

Hmph! She won't let that wretched woman take a single copper coin!

Inside the flower hall, Liu Yingying and two others were enjoying tea.

"The tea at the Pei residence is truly excellent. Xiao Ye, you should try it. After all, you can't find such high-quality tea in our countryside!"

Xue Ye finished the tea in his cup. He didn't know much about tea, and apart from feeling that it was slightly bitter, he didn't have any other insights.

"Ah...Sixth Miss!" The two maids serving in the flower hall suddenly knelt down in fear.

Liu Yingying and the other two looked outside and, sure enough, saw an uninvited guest.

"I'd like to see what kind of arrogant Tom, Dick, or Dog dares to sit in the Pei family's flower hall!"

As they were talking, Pei Lanyi, accompanied by five or six servants, strode into the flower hall with an imposing and condescending air.

Xue Ye wanted to teach Pei Lanyi a lesson, but Liu Yingying held his arm down.

She looked at Pei Lanyi with a calm gaze and said in a light tone, "What a pity. I never imagined that a young lady from the dignified Pei family would go blind at such a young age, unable to even distinguish between people and cats and dogs..."

"You vile woman, how dare you curse me?" Pei Lanyi's face twisted into a ferocious expression once again.

Liu Yingying said casually, "Miss Pei, please don't misunderstand. I'm just kindly reminding you that if you're sick, you should go see a doctor as soon as possible!"

When had Pei Lanyi, who had been pampered since birth, ever suffered such treatment?

No one had ever dared to speak to her like that before; she now wished she could tear Liu Yingying's mouth to shreds.

Pei Lanyi looked down at the three of them with disdain; "I don't care what your purpose is in coming to the Pei residence, but now, in the name of Miss Pei the Sixth, I ask you to get out immediately!"

If Liu Yingying is unwilling to leave voluntarily, then I will help her!

This shameless woman dared to humiliate me like that in the street; today I'll teach her a lesson about regret!

Xiaoxue glanced nervously at Liu Yingying, who gave her a reassuring look and remained seated without getting up.

"Miss Pei, you just called me a lowly woman. Do you have some objection to His Majesty's decree that bestowed upon me the title of Lady of Ning'an County?"

Pei Lanyi looked her over with disdain; "Who knows what tricks you, you lowly woman, used to bewitch the Prince of Lin'an's heir and get him to help you obtain that reward?"

"I've seen plenty of sluts like you. Your tricks of selling your body might fool men, but they won't fool my eyes!"

Liu Yingying made a speechless expression, thinking to herself that this girl must have lost her mind.

Right now, I really want to shout, "I'm going to sue her! She's defaming me!"

Pei Lanyi continued her tirade: "Today I'm going to show everyone in the capital what kind of person you are, trying to curry favor with my third grandfather because you couldn't get into the bed of the Prince of Lin'an's son..."

"Shut up!" Prime Minister Pei had appeared outside the flower hall without anyone noticing.

He had heard every word Pei Lanyi said, and his face was now terrifyingly gloomy.

"Ah, Third Grandfather..."

Pei Lanyi turned around abruptly and saw Prime Minister Pei's angry face, which made her legs feel slightly weak.

However, she believed that what she had just said was not unfounded, and she had sent people to investigate.

Pei Lanyi's so-called investigation was based solely on a few words of information, plus her own malicious speculation.

Liu Yingying, as if she were enjoying the spectacle, said, "Lord Pei, if I had known your granddaughter disliked me so much, I wouldn't have come to your residence and upset Miss Pei!"

Prime Minister Pei gave her a stern look, then continued to reprimand Pei Lanyi, "The Lady of Ning'an County is a guest I invited. Why don't you apologize to her right now!"

But Pei Lanyi had never been treated like this before, and she immediately retorted, "She's just a lowly woman from the countryside, what right does she have to make me apologize to her?"

"You refuse to apologize to the Lady of Ning'an County, is that it?" Prime Minister Pei was also angered. How come he had never noticed before that Xiao Liu was so narrow-minded and mean-spirited?

"If you don't apologize, you'll have to kneel in the ancestral hall. You won't be allowed to eat until you realize your mistake!"

Although it's understandable for a noblewoman to be a little arrogant, Pei Lanyi's actions were simply too much!

Pei Lanyi wanted to argue her point, but when she noticed the increasingly gloomy look in Pei Zaifu's eyes, she trembled with fear.

She then realized that this third grandfather was even more terrifying than her own grandfather!

With a soft snort, Pei Lanyi finally left, filled with resentment.

Prime Minister Pei then looked at Liu Yingying and said with a smile, "Little Six has been spoiled by her family. She was quite offensive just now. I hope the County Magistrate will not hold it against her."

Liu Yingying forced a smile; "How could I dare? I'd be burning incense for my own good if Miss Pei didn't hold it against me!"

"Pfft~" Xiaoxue and Xueye both looked like they were trying not to laugh.

They knew that Liu Yingying was never one to put up with being bullied!

"Ahem!" Prime Minister Pei coughed awkwardly twice before getting to the point; "Actually, you probably already know why I invited the County Lady here."