Xiangxia Xiao Zhu has never been a place where people died, Song Yi Xiao only entered the Wang Fu then, and didn't dare to ask around.

  But after being led by Wei Mengying's mother-in-law to the place, she looked around and felt a lot better: "It seems not bad?"

  The small pavilion was built in a forest of weeping willows, and this season's flowering period had almost passed, with only a few scattered flowers remaining on the branches. However, it wasn't hard to imagine the flourishing scene when they were in full bloom. Song Yishang was pleased that the pavilion itself was exquisite and spacious, and although the furnishings inside weren't brand new, they were complete.

  So Mother Bo sighed and said, "Originally, the princess had planned to let you live in the Xiluo Pavilion, which is right next to the Fourth Young Master's residence. It would have been convenient for you to come and go and keep each other company! But the Empress Dowager intervened and now you're being made to live in such a remote corner!"

  "As long as I can be with Mother, even living in a thatched hut is fine!"

  "Miss is indeed the princess's own, and she is filial and sensible!" Thin Mother said with approval, "Don't worry, this is only temporary. When the prince is in a good mood, the princess will definitely let you move back to Xi Luo Hall again!"

  "According to Mother and Grandmother's plan, I'm naturally supposed to stick close to the young mistress, so as to take advantage of the opportunity to marry into a high-ranking family!" Song Yi laughed to herself, "But in my past life, I've had enough of being manipulated by others. Even if it's my own mother, don't think that I'll let her use this life to pave the way for her!"

  So she put on a considerate appearance, and said softly: "Thank you, Mother, but since I'm living here by the order of the Empress Dowager herself, in order to avoid causing trouble for you, it's better not to. You've already brought me here, which has caused some dissatisfaction among the people in the palace, if we were to change places again, wouldn't that cause you even more trouble?"

  Thin mother heard her words, and felt a little pity: "After all, after spending a year in the stepmother's hands, this young lady is much more sensible than Wang Fei was when she was at Song's house!"

  She was an old woman who had seen Song Yixiao grow up from a young age, and she had always been kind to this little master. Now that Song Yixiao's behavior was likable, Thin Mama decided that when she returned, she would say a few good words about her in front of Wei Mengying.

  Thinking so, seeing the people below have already started sweeping, Song Yi laughed and called for Ya Qian to go around the front and back of the house. Thin Mama gave Zhao Mama a wink: "We haven't seen each other in many days, shall we chat?"

  When Baoma left, Huanxia had already cleaned up a part of Xiaozhu.

  Song Yixiao took Qipin to the bedroom upstairs and looked around, hearing the sound of the stairs, waiting for a while, then saw Zhao's mother walking up, gesturing to Qipin to go out and keep watch so that no one would eavesdrop.

  "This was quietly revealed: 'Madam Bao said that the current master of the Wang estate is, of course, the Imperial Concubine. However, the Imperial Concubine has long since retired from affairs, and the Prince has never interfered with internal household matters, so nominally in charge is the Princess Consort - but the Princess Consort has only recently entered the household and is being watched by everyone above and below, making it inconvenient for her to take action.'"

  Although the last sentence is true, Ba's mother said this mainly to hint at Song Yixiao that in the future, she should not often make requests to Wei Mengying, so as not to make things difficult for her.

  Now that Madam Bo is not around, Song Yishang heard it but didn't need to pay attention, and only asked: "Apart from the princess, the prince and his mother, what about the other masters of the Wang mansion?"

  This is the real thing, whether it's Taifei or Wangye, nobility is nobility, but with Song Yixiao's identity, how can she often come into contact? The ones that really affect her daily life are still these people of the same age.

  "The king had four sons and two daughters: the eldest son, Lu Zimu, was born out of wedlock, and his mother has passed away. The couple should have had one legitimate and one illegitimate son, but the legitimate grandson born to the first wife died in infancy a year ago, allegedly due to the second wife's doing. Since then, the first wife has been at odds with the second wife everywhere."

  "Alas, the second young mistress's family is the Minister of Justice," sighed Mrs. Zhao. "This person is a boot-licker who curries favor with those in power. She relies on her father's high position and authority, and her husband, the second young master Lu Guangqun, is also the eldest son of Princess Cui. Not only does she look down on the elder mistress, but she doesn't even put the princess in her eyes! Even though the princess has frequently scolded her since entering the household, she remains unrepentant! As for the second young master, he passed the imperial examination two years ago and is now studying hard to get a high rank. He doesn't have time to discipline his wife!"

  "The Third Master Lu Guanlun and the Fourth Princess Lu Kou'er are also children of Empress Cui. The former is even the most favored grandson of the Grand Empress Dowager, with a very good temperament, who has spoken on your behalf to the Grand Empress Dowager before, and is respectful to the Empress, completely unlike the Fourth Princess who is so rude!"

  Mrs. Zhao was obviously still resentful that Lu Ke'er had just dragged Song Yixiao and Hou Lan together, so she added a sentence on purpose.

  "Further down, the fifth young master Lu Ziyu and sixth miss Lu Chai'er are both illegitimate children. These two are about the same age as you, Miss. Thin Mama said that you don't need to pay too much attention to them, after all, their birth mothers are now under the control of the princess, they can't stir up any big waves!"

  Song Yi Xiao sighed: "The eldest son is not the legitimate one; the second daughter-in-law is not virtuous; and the Grand Consort dotes on the youngest grandson of the legitimate line——in the future, when the Hengshan Wang Fu selects a crown prince, these three will already be at odds! Moreover, his mother is still in her prime, and later gives birth to another son from a subsequent marriage, it's really unknown what kind of lively scene this household will become!"

  "Don't worry, miss!" Zhao's mother said softly. "Since the princess has taken you in, how could she not protect you? Besides, the matter of establishing the crown prince is none of our business, no matter how lively it gets, we're just onlookers!"

  "It's easy to say, but things are hard to predict." Song Yi said with a heavy smile. "Let alone the distant past, just now when Mother secretly gave a maid to Ershao's courtyard in front of Taifei - although it can be said that Ershao is getting more and more arrogant and asking for trouble herself, judging from her attitude, she doesn't seem like someone who would reflect on her own mistakes. She will probably shift the blame onto me! From now on, we should still be cautious!"

  Madam Zhao also felt a lingering fear in her heart: "That Second Young Mistress is indeed prone to making trouble out of nothing! But since the Grand Princess Consort has placed us in such a remote location, it's unlikely that she, as the legitimate daughter-in-law of the royal family, would go out of her way to make things difficult for Miss. Perhaps with time, she'll forget about it?"

  "It's really that simple, isn't it?" Song Yi smiled and pursed her lips without saying a word, but in her heart, she thought, "In my previous life, I was isolated and helpless, and had to lower my head under the hands of my stepmother. That was a humiliation, but didn't they forget to find trouble with me? This second young mistress is more arrogant than Liu's family, how could she think that sending me to this remote place would make up for her being publicly humiliated?"

  She bet Second Young Master's wife wouldn't let it go so easily!