Yun Jiao found it a bit amusing. She lifted the curtain of the window and looked outside with a smile.

Qin Yan walked over, pointing at Yun Jiao, filled with indignation, "It’s you, it’s you, you venomous woman! I don’t know what kind of trick you played to make those bugs crawl onto me."

Earlier, she had left the garden to go to the changing area, taking off all her clothes.

The maid removed a few bugs from her back.

Qin Yan quickly discovered that the bugs didn’t scatter everywhere. They seemed particularly fond of her clothes, crawling back and forth within that pile on the ground.

Terrified, Qin Yan ordered the maid to burn the whole pile of clothes.

In that pile of clothes was also her inner garment.

Although she had brought a change of clothes, she didn’t bring an inner garment, so she had to borrow a set from Princess Huaiqing to change into.

Qin Yan was too embarrassed to go back to the banquet, and on her way home, she found it more and more bizarre. While it was true there were bugs in the garden, why did they specifically crawl onto her?

Thinking of the close contact she had with Yun Jiao, she quickly realized that Yun Jiao must be responsible.

She blocked Yun Jiao on her way home.

Yun Jiao chuckled, "Don’t speak without proof."

"You see, about you pushing me previously, I won’t go around talking about it. Without evidence, people wouldn’t believe it anyway."

Qin Yan was about to explode with anger, pointing at Yun Jiao, "You, you venomous woman—"

Yun Jiao’s face turned cold. If she weren’t worried about being inconvenient inside the carriage and the pain in her hand, she would’ve slapped her across the face.

"Who do you think you are, daring to speak to me like that?"

"I am the National Lady, appointed first-rank protector by the emperor. How dare you, a person of lower status, defy me!"

"Move your carriage at once! If you dare utter another foul word, believe me, I’ll have you dragged to the Ministry of Justice to be punished!"

It was as if something suddenly gripped Qin Yan’s throat. Her face twisted, yet she couldn’t utter a single word.

Even though Consort Rong was favored, her brother Rong Ming used to be just a merchant. Later, with Consort Rong’s help, he got a fourth-rank position in the Ministry of War. Qin Yan, through her husband, also got a fourth-rank title, far inferior to Yun Jiao’s first-rank title.

Slowly, she lowered the finger she had pointed at Yun Jiao. Finally, gritting her teeth, she lifted her skirt and got into the carriage.

She knew that if she continued to pester Yun Jiao, the woman might truly drag her to the Ministry of Justice.

The carriage ahead soon moved on.

The coachman also whipped the reins, driving the carriage back to the Duke Mansion.

Yun Jiao sat in the carriage, shaking her head slowly.

She didn’t quite understand Qin Yan’s mindset, not knowing why she always liked to speak harsh words.

Just like Ke Zhener in the "Legend of the Condor Heroes," who had weak martial arts yet always used the fiercest expressions to say the harshest words, only to end up beaten.

What’s the point of that? Even when speaking harsh words, it should be based on one’s strength.

Without strength, harsh words are merely empty words.

Because there was a banquet today, Yun Jiao hadn’t scheduled patients. Returning to the mansion, she felt a sense of emptiness.

The children had been gone for several days, and she really missed them.

Yun Jiao had the urge to leave the city immediately to see the children, but leaving at this time would probably mean she wouldn’t make it back before the city gates closed.

She had to dismiss the thought and continued to work on the unfinished gloves.

The next morning, Yun Jiao told Ah Tie not to schedule any patients for the day after tomorrow. She planned to visit the military camp to see her children early in the morning.

At lunch, Sister Guihua looked at Yun Jiao several times, wanting to say something but stopping herself.