Li Qingzhao watched her old father storm off in a huff.
She pursed her red lips dismissively and muttered under her breath, "What a stubborn old fool with no appreciation for elegance."
As for her father's endlessly repeated daily lectures,
her ears had long since grown accustomed to them—and tired of them. Whatever went into one ear came straight out the other; she never took any of it to heart.
After all, her father only ever sternly scolded her.
From childhood to adulthood, the old man had never truly laid a hand on her or harshly punished her.
She had always been the lofty eldest miss of Li Manor, the treasured jewel cradled in her father's palm.
It was precisely because of that indulgence and doting that Li Qingzhao had gradually developed her present free-spirited, unconventional, chivalrous temperament.
After being lectured,
Li Qingzhao gave it no further thought. She dusted off her skirt, left the hall, and strolled lazily back to the courtyard of her chambers.
She furtively looked around, glancing left and right.
Only after confirming that there were no other servants patrolling the courtyard did she beckon to her personal maid, who was sweeping fallen leaves nearby.
"Xiao Lian, come here."
Li Qingzhao lowered her voice like a child preparing to do something naughty.
"Ah? Miss, what is it? What do you need?"
The maid named Xiao Lian wore her hair in two maid's buns, and her little round face made her look adorably innocent.
Li Qingzhao walked to a corner of the courtyard and pointed toward the Old Locust Tree with its lush branches and leaves.
"Go."
With a grin, Li Qingzhao ordered, "Go beneath that Old Locust Tree and dig up the jar of fine Yanzhou Disu wine that I secretly buried there last year. I'm