...it was Ji Xuan who reacted quickly, sensing that something was amiss, and stood up to rebuke Liang's rudeness: "Miss Song is someone whom the Marquis of Rong personally invited to the manor to accompany Young Miss Yuan. Even if you are the marquis' aunt, after all, it is the marquis who is the master of the manor! Using such foul language to offend an honored guest in your nephew's home, is this the behavior of a senior?!

  Although he was dressed in casual clothes, his voice was sharp and fine, his face was white and beardless, and at first glance, he was from the palace. Although he was a slave, the Tu and Liang families were wrong before, but they didn't dare to refute him, so they reluctantly apologized to Song Yishang with a bad attitude.

  Jian Yu Bai coughed and said to Yuan Xueying: "Your brother has something to look for you, hurry up!"

  Song Yixiao was originally following Yuan Xueyu, and when Yuan Xueyu left, she naturally wouldn't stay either. Seeing them off in the distance, Liang Shi slapped her hand on the table and gritted her teeth: "Mother! These days are unbearable! The Duke of Yan being biased is one thing, but this Song person speaking so eloquently, at the end of the day, isn't it just relying on the Wang Manor?! And they even dare to lose face in front of us!!!"

  "She has the support of Princess Wang, saying that she is living under someone else's roof, and it's likely that even a concubine in the palace wouldn't live as well as her!" Ms. Tu's face turned gloomy, "Otherwise, who would have dared to help Yuan Xueyao out?!"

  Li said angrily: "This Wei is too shameless! My daughter-in-law doesn't believe that now that she has a biological son, she won't try to take the position of Wang's heir! Now that Lu Guangyun hasn't even become the heir yet, she dares to interfere in our Yuan family affairs!"

  "I think it's because she wants her son to be the crown prince, so she's interfering with our family's affairs!" Mrs. Tu turned the jade bangle on her wrist thoughtfully and said, "She's got Prince Hengshan under her spell, but what about Princess Hengshan? The two original wives of King Cui left behind are both filial and progressive people! How could the princess possibly agree to replace the eldest son with a younger one?"

  She said gloomily, "Although Yuan Xuepei is useless, the Duke of Yan is still busy running around for him - who in the world doesn't know that the Duke of Yan has a lot of favor with the Empress Dowager? The Grand Princess Consort of Hengshan is even one generation higher than Your Majesty, and among the imperial family members, only the Empress Dowager can rightfully suppress her! These two women must have made up their minds six years ago, that's why you saw what you did. Yuan Xuepei is completely obedient to that Song woman!"

  "Yuan Xue'ai, you idiot!" Liang Shi couldn't help but scold loudly, "Ignoring your own family members and instead being close to outsiders! You're a traitor who bites the hand that feeds you!"

  She asked reluctantly, "Mother, originally with the support of Prince Yan, it was already difficult for us to deal with Yuan Xuepei. Now that Wei's mother and daughter are also intervening, what can we do in the future? Can't we just give up?"

  "The Duke of Yan's temper is too big, and if we're not careful, we'll provoke the Empress Dowager. We really can't afford to offend her!" A cold glint flashed in Mrs. Tu's eyes, "But the Wei mother and daughter - they have their own troubles and still dare to interfere with others' business!"

  She stroked her temples with a cold smile and instructed, "The Shangsi Festival is approaching, after all, our family and the Hou Mansion are relatives by marriage! It's time to send something over. At that time, you'll go on my behalf, pay your respects to the Empress Dowager, and tell her about the actions of that Song woman! The Empress Dowager comes from a noble background, she has seen everything in her life, if she knows about Wei's private actions, she won't let her off easily!"

  "Let's spread rumors about that Song girl, saying she's a social climber and has loose morals. That way, when the Yuan siblings try to bring her into their household again, you can refuse with a clear conscience! With that kind of personality, without this Song girl's protection, wouldn't they be easy to manipulate? Even if Yuan Xuepei continues to protect her, she'll eventually let her guard down, and then..."

  Tu nodded his head: "Do it this way!"

  They had discussed it here, and in the main room, Yuan Xue also wiped away tears as she explained the ins and outs of the situation: “...If it were something else, that would be fine. But that green jade hairpin with a golden clasp was left to you by Mother before she passed away, specifically saying that it should be given to your future wife one day. Now Grandmother and Aunt want to take it back to give to Aunt's niece from her natal family - how can this be allowed?”

  Dian Cui white-headed rich and noble red gold hairpin is the Yuan family's long house generation after generation of things, Tu Shi and Liang Shi this move, no less than saying to give Yuan Xue Pei married Liang Shi's niece as his wife - that little Liang Shi's family background and temperament are not mentioned, single-mindedly Liang Shi couple these years come to the title of Bo Ling Hou, Yuan Xue Pei also did not agree to this marriage!

  I think the Tuo family also knew, so they would start with Yuan Xueying and plan to settle the name first. At that time, even if Yuan Xuepei insisted on not marrying, they could still pin a few crimes on him, such as disrespecting his elders and abandoning his responsibilities.

  "This matter will be handled by your brother, you don't need to worry." Yuan Xuepei patiently comforted her sister and stopped her tears, and also thanked Song Yixiao who had accompanied her to Tu's house - at this time it was already noon, Song Yixiao humbly said a few words to Yuan Xuepei and then followed Yuan Xueying back to the embroidery building for lunch.

  Yuan Xueying hasn't been thinking about food for several days, only starting to eat porridge yesterday. She cried twice in the morning and after lunch, couldn't help but feel unwell, so she asked Song Yixiao: "I want to take a nap, sister, do you want to join me?"

  "I'm not sleepy." Song Yi smiled and shook her head, "You go ahead, sister."

  Yuan Xueyu heard this and instructed the people below to take good care of things, then went upstairs alone.

  After she left, Song Yi smiled and intended to read a book to pass the time, but as soon as he opened the book, Jin Xun leaned in close, rubbing against him with an unspoken intention.

  "Say what you want to say!" Song Yi laughed and rolled up the book, tapping her forehead and scolding, "Who are you putting on this act for?"

  "Miss is really clever, I thought I hid it well! Didn't expect Miss to have sharp eyes and see through it in an instant!" Jin Xun, although occasionally speaking without thinking, had not been scolded by Zhao Mama a few times, but was broad-minded and didn't hold grudges, and was quite likable.

  This was met with a smile from Song Yiliao, who didn't feel embarrassed at all. She took her arm and asked with a smile, "Miss, shall we go to the garden to see the apricot blossoms? Yesterday, I heard Meiping, the maid serving Miss Yuan, say that the apricot blossoms in the Hou Mansion's garden are blooming beautifully!"

  Song Yi smiled and glanced around, seeing no one else, then lowered her voice: "Don't make trouble, this mansion is not peaceful, you saw it with me this morning. Just stay quietly in the embroidery building, yet still being bothered to be found at the door! What if we go over there and run into someone or something again? This is someone's home, isn't it embarrassing?"

  "How dare I, a humble maid, cause trouble for my mistress!" Jin Xun hugged her arm and refused to let go, coquettishly saying, "I've already asked Mei Ping about it, and it's said that Old Lady Tu and the others never go to see those apricot blossoms - supposedly, those flowers were specially planted by the grandfather of the Marquis of Ruan for his first wife. Do you think Old Lady Tu, as the second wife, wouldn't feel uneasy seeing them?"

  It's a pity, "At this time of year, the weeping forsythia in front of our gate is also blooming beautifully. But now I have to accompany Miss Yuan and can't see it. Why don't you take me to see the apricot blossoms, miss? It's so boring being cooped up in the courtyard on a day like today!"

  Song Yi couldn't help but be entwined by her, let alone in the warm and blooming season. Sitting under the eaves could also feel the breath of all things happening, but it was not as good as personally strolling under the flowers and being shocked.

  So Jin Xun asked again, and he reluctantly agreed: "Go take a walk around and come back, we're here to comfort Sister Yuan, not to have fun!"

  Jin Xun saw her finally nodding, and he couldn't help but be overjoyed, readily agreeing with his mouth full of words.

  The two returned to their room, changed into casual clothes, and told Meiyan, the maid on duty downstairs, that they wanted to go see the flowers. Meiyan was efficient and not only arranged for a young maid named Qingruo to escort them but also had the kitchen prepare a food box: "There is a pavilion in the flower forest where you can rest if you get thirsty or tired. If you need anything, just let Qingruo run errands for you, but please don't be polite! Otherwise, Master Hou and the young ladies will scold us maids for not serving them well."

  Song Yi Xiao had only planned to take Jin Xun for a walk and then be done with it, but didn't expect Mei Yan to be so serious, and couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time.

  Jin Xun was secretly delighted, she was a restless and playful person. If Qing Yu brought the food box along, they would at least have to eat some snacks before returning, which would definitely take more time than Song Yi Xiao's suggestion of just taking a walk around the block.

  "You wouldn't be colluding with Mei Yan, would you?" On the way to Xinghua Forest, Song Yi couldn't help but tease her, "Intentionally giving you a chance to slack off?"

  "When we arrive at the flower forest, will I not still be serving you?" Jin Xun shouted injustly, "If I were lazy, why would I urge you to come out? When you read books, you don't need anything, that's when I am most idle!"

  Laughing and talking, they arrived at the Apricot Flower Forest - This apricot flower forest is located in a different place from the Weeping Rose Bayberry Forest of Hengshan Wangfu, not by the water, but nestled within a sea of bamboo.

  The green bamboo and the apricot blossoms are reflected in each other, making the spring light bright and beautiful, and people's hearts feel refreshed and open.

  Along the flower path and into the forest, you can see that there are fake mountains dotted among the flower forests, with varying heights and postures, many of which are covered in wisteria.

  After walking for a while, I indeed saw a flying eave emerging from the floral shadows that resembled clouds and seas, with a pendant wind chime hanging from the corner of the eave. It should be the pavilion Mei Sheng mentioned.

  Song Yi Xiao saw Qing Ruo carrying a food box all the way, and by the time she arrived here, her forehead was already beaded with sweat. She said: "Let's put the food box in the pavilion for now."

  Green if busy should be below.

  Who would have thought that after walking forward for a while, when they could see more than half of the pavilion, they saw that there were already people inside - two people, one sitting and one standing. The person standing was holding a jug in his hand, as if serving the seated person, like a master and servant.

  Song Yixiao was slightly startled by the scene and stopped in her tracks, hesitating whether to turn around and leave. Just then, from behind a nearby apricot blossom tree, Ji Su suddenly appeared, smiling and bowing: "Miss Song has also come to admire the flowers?"

  "Is that Lord Ji?" Song Yi smiled, seeing it wasn't someone from the Tu or Liang families, and let out a sigh of relief. Smiling, she returned the greeting, "Yes, Eldest Sister Yuan is resting, I couldn't sleep, so I brought my maid out for a walk."

  Ji Su asked anxiously: "How is Miss Yuan now? I remember when she left, her face didn't look very good."

  "After all, she hasn't had anything to eat or drink for several days, so it's no wonder that my sister has been a bit weak these past two days." Song Yi smiled and said, "But since she started having porridge yesterday, I think her spirits have already begun to recover."

  Ji Su asked again what Yuan Xue had eaten at noon - his purpose of dragging on and wasting time was too obvious, Song Yi thought it would be strange if she didn't suspect that there was a problem with the Cool Pavilion!

  As expected, a moment later, a careless and perfunctory inquiry came from the direction of the pavilion: "Who's there?"

  "Master Gong said that Miss Song also came to admire the flowers." Ji Su then stopped speaking, turned around and bowed, respectfully answering, "I was thinking that Miss Song has been going out with Miss Yuan for several days, but I haven't seen Miss Yuan, so I'm afraid something might have gone wrong, so I dared to stop Miss Song and ask her a few questions."

  Jian Yu Bai murmured a sound, then invited Song Yi Xiao to enter the pavilion and take a seat.

  He spoke up himself, Song Yi smiled hesitantly and finally responded.

  As soon as she entered the pavilion, her pupils suddenly contracted slightly: just now, from the gap between the flowers, it was clear that there were two people in the pavilion.

  But this will be a fleeting glance, in the spacious and beautiful pavilion, there is only a simple and lonely figure!

  He seemed to be slightly drunk, his raven-black hair was a bit disheveled; the crimson collar of his shirt was pulled open, revealing a delicate clavicle; his moon-like face was slightly pale, but his thin lips were bright red like blood; his dense eyelashes quivered slightly, his phoenix eyes half-open and half-closed, lazy and apathetic.

  Song Yi smiled and bowed her head in greeting, but didn't say a word. She simply pointed to the stone bench not far away, indicating for her to sit down.

  Song Yi smiled and thanked him, then sat down with a vigilant heart, silently praying that she hadn't stumbled upon some unspeakable, must-be-silenced secret.

  Just as she was feeling anxious, a faint voice suddenly asked: "You've been living in the Hengshan Wang Fu for several years now, do you ever think of your parents?"

  What does this mean?!

  Are you saying that if I dare to mention what happened in the Liang Pavilion again, you'll send me back to the Song family?!

  Song Yi Xiao felt like she was going crazy!