It's always like this, Li's acting skills are so good that she's probably deluded herself into thinking she's a kind mother. When it comes to Song Yan, she's as gentle and benevolent as the Goddess of Mercy, granting all his wishes.

  But when it comes to her own daughter, she is cold and distant. Song Chuning's lips curled slightly, smiling disdainfully and coldly.

  Some things, once you get used to them, don't seem strange or unfair anymore. Those grievances and injustices have long been dried away by tears in your sleep.

  Song Chuning was supported by his mother and sat on a chair, enduring the stinging pain on her face, looking at Li with a hint of impatience: "Tongzhou, don't you have a dowry villa? Didn't the steward help you do many things before?"

  Li looked at Yu's mother with a shocked and fearful expression, then turned to Song Chuning with an inquiring and vigilant gaze: "Who exactly told you about these things?!"

  Do I still need to tell you?

  In your dreams, these things were originally done by you yourself to teach me. Song Chuning glanced at her expression with his remaining light, but just shook his head in disdain: "As long as you do it, you will always reveal your horse's feet, it's just a matter of whether people can find out or not. Look, now I know, don't be afraid of what others say, if you didn't want to get caught, then you shouldn't have done it in the first place."

  Song Chuning had previously spoken to Li with a lack of respect, but never so sharply. This sudden attack made it impossible for Li to save face.

  Li was so angry and embarrassed, being caught by her own daughter for the ugly affair and even scolded in the face. It's really embarrassing. But this time she grasped the key point, didn't get up to overturn the table and smash things again, but instead restrained herself and asked: "How did you know? How do you also know that Song Chuyi knows too?"

  "She doesn't know that I don't know. All I know is that she went to Tongzhou for no reason, which is very suspicious." Song Chuning naturally took over the conversation, looking at Li Shi and saying: "Moreover, I advise you, madam, she's not a fool. Think about it yourself, aren't all the troubles you've been having recently caused by her? Also, try to recall when Old Master and Old Mistress started being cold towards you. Can't you see anything unusual? This stepdaughter is no longer the foolish Wu Xiaoming. You'd better give up those fantasies and stop dreaming of killing two birds with one stone. First, make a ruthless move and get rid of her."

  "Come to think of it, something's not quite right," said the mother with a worried nod. "She's suddenly become different from before. Just look at how she usually behaves and how much the elderly masters and mistresses like her... even the young master and his wife give her some face..."

  Li's face was gloomy, but suddenly he seemed to have made up his mind and looked at Song Chuning: "Then what do you say we should do? Kill her? How many people did she bring with her when she went out, it's not that easy to kill?"

  Moreover, in Bo's residence, she couldn't be the mistress of the house after all, and there were more restricted places.

  "Tongzhou has produced a Tartar soldier, if she is killed by the soldiers in the chaos of war, no one will suspect anything." Song Chuning was too lazy to explain to Li Shi again: "You can't do this yourself, go back to your mother's house and find your grandmother!"

  Mrs. Li didn't have the energy to argue with her daughter again, she thought carefully about Song Chunü's words and suddenly realized that what Old Lady Li said about taking things slowly was also not feasible.

  Song Chuyi is a girl after all, so as long as she behaves well, Song Chengyu and Old Lady Song are happy to hand over the responsibility to her.

  But Song Yan didn't agree.

  He is Song Yi's only son now, and the Song family will not let her do as she pleases.

  "Mother, go pack up the things. I'll go and inform the old lady, tomorrow we'll head to the Li's house." Mrs. Li made up her mind, then turned around to look at Song Chuning: "Are you going or not?"

  Song Chunü nodded. She didn't quite believe in Li's abilities, although she had indeed successfully solved the Cui family's rise to power and played the role of a virtuous wife and good mother for several years, but most of these were due to Old Lady Li's efforts.

  If it were up to her, she might not even be able to get close to Song Yi's bedside.

  Perhaps because she had just saved face for her in the evening, this time Mrs. Song agreed very readily and even instructed her to bring a few more people over to serve, and specially asked Madame to prepare a gift list.

  With a mind full of unclear and inexplicable thoughts, Li had a terrible nightmare that night.

  Choi's tearful and desperate eyes lingered before her, as the vast expanse of blood spread out beneath her, her eyes slowly filling with despair and anger.

  Her furious gaze made her unbearable, for the first time in six years, she was awakened from a nightmare under Choi's gaze, panting heavily and sweating coldly.

  Yes, can't wait anymore, can't wait.

  If what happened back then were to be exposed, everything she has now would be gone, and even her mother would be blamed and scolded. These things can never happen.

  She clutched her quilt and waited with open eyes until dawn, then hastily took Song Chuning back to her maternal home.

  Mrs. Li seemed displeased with her arrival and greeted her coldly before leading them to Old Mrs. Li's room.

  Li had no time to pay attention to his sister-in-law's indifference and sat down to tell her mother about Song Chuyi going to Tongzhou.

  Mrs. Li's turbid eyes burst out with an astonishing gleam, and she tilted her head to look at her again: "Tongzhou?"

  She certainly remembers what Tongzhou has and is even more sensitive because of it.

  Li nodded, his hands grasping Li Lao Tai's arm, worriedly saying: "That girl is indeed a bit strange, if she really went this time because of Cui Shi's affairs, it's hard to guarantee that she won't catch some clues. Why don't we just take the initiative..."

  Mrs. Li glared at her for a moment, then looked at Song Chuning and suddenly smiled: "This idea is probably not yours, but Ah Ning's, right?"

  Li nodded somewhat awkwardly and continued, "Mother, do you know about the Tatar troops entering Tongzhou? If she happened to be killed by the bandits, wouldn't that take care of everything once and for all?"

  Mrs. Li hung her head and remained silent for a while.

  She had only one son and one daughter in her life, both of whom were her heart's flesh and blood, neither of whom could bear to suffer.

  At that time, Li's family was slow to decide on a marriage, and those concubines' daughters were all waiting to see the joke of their own daughter being left behind. They thought Li's family couldn't find a good match... Didn't they also get rid of Cui's family after eliminating all difficulties? Now which of those illegitimate daughters can compare to her own daughter's marriage?

  They are now nothing but two young and inexperienced children left behind by Cui, how can they be more difficult to deal with than Cui back then?

  This is indeed a rare opportunity, and if missed, it's unknown when it will come again.

  Thank you to 9 Miss He Shi Bi, I'm so moved that my eyes are welling up with tears. So I've decided to add an extra chapter. The extra chapter may be uploaded tomorrow or the day after. Also thank you to everyone for your rewards over these past few days. Due to physical reasons, I haven't been able to update every day, but I've seen them all. Deep gratitude to Zi Li, Purple Lian, Nian Nian Bu Wang Wo, and Wu Wu Wu, thank you so much!

  Also today, I have to do an ad for my beloved elder sister's new book "Ghostly Business: Meng Po Bar". A thousand-year-old family, a descendant of Meng Po, makes a living by catching ghosts but is cursed for a thousand years. Good and evil are rewarded, humans and ghosts take different paths, performing love, hate, and vendetta. The Ghost Gate opens once every hundred years, which will lead to...

  What shocking secret of this millennium household is being brought out. As the heir to the household, how can you find a way to lift the curse?