Song Yi returned to the Hengshan Wang Fu with a heavy heart, and as soon as she entered the door, she was called out by Wei Mengying: "There are several families who have come to propose marriage, you come and take a look for yourself."

  "Propose a marriage?" Song Yi smiled and hesitated for a moment, "Mother has already returned, I don't want to think about these things now."

  "You're already fourteen, and next year you'll be coming of age." Wei Mengying said with a bad tone, "This is the time to talk about marriage, what kind of nonsense are you spouting? Not mentioning that the Empress Dowager is keeping an eye on your marriage, even if she doesn't drive you out, you can't stay in the palace forever, right? What's there to be shy about? Open your eyes wide and take a good look, that's the proper thing to do!"

  Song Yi laughed and said, "Since you're not going to marry Jian Yu Bai now, it's definitely not a good outcome. If you get married, there's still a glimmer of hope. Otherwise, you might as well confess to your mother frankly." Wei Mengying continued, "However, you can't be too proud of yourself either. After all, the success or failure of a girl's marriage depends on her father and brother. No matter how excellent you are, if your family background is not good, it's still a hopeless situation!"

  When she said this, Song Yi Xiao felt that the situation was not quite right and asked tentatively: "Mother, are you referring to those families who came with marriage proposals?"

  "Look for yourself!" Wei Mengying waved her hand and let Thin Mother hand over a few sheets of rice paper to her.

  Song Yi Xiao took a glance and her face turned red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet - these people were all from official families, but their family backgrounds were humble and not to mention, they themselves were either illegitimate or had defects, and there was even one who was still unable to acknowledge his ancestors!

  There is also a note that says "urgently needs to rush for good luck" due to suspected serious illness.

  "Does Mother want me to marry a man like this?!" Song Yi laughed, her hand loosening, letting the letter fall to the ground. In extreme anger, she turned to laughter, "Mother has raised me with such difficulty all these years, does she think I'm only worthy of being given to something like this?!"

  Not to mention her six years of hard work and dedication, just talking about the four words "lifetime event", as long as your own daughter is still decent, what family wouldn't chase such a matchmaker out with a broom?!

  This mother of hers is really something, not only did she remember everything, but also brought it back for her to review personally!

  Even an idiot can understand the implication of this threatening warning!

  "What are you talking about?" Ignoring her furious daughter, Wei Mengying sipped her tea calmly and said, "I'm your own mother, how can I not wish you well? But who made you have such a father and grandmother? Even if I haven't wronged you in the past six years and raised you like a precious gem, a girl's family status is determined by her father's side, not her mother's! No matter how much I love you, your mother isn't your father, what can be done?"

  She also said, "At first, the empress dowager wanted you to get married immediately and was eager to drag someone from the street to marry you! If it weren't for me stopping her, you would have been married long ago - as I always say, Mother is not heartless, but helpless!"

  Seeing Song Yi's pale face walking out, he didn't stop her. He waited until she and Jin Xun were far away before coldly snorting, "Disobedient? I've watched you grow up, can't I even control you?"

  Song Yi Xiao hastily walked into the garden, and when she saw that there was no one around, she finally couldn't hold back her tears: "How ridiculous! I had previously tried to return the jade pendant to Jian Xu Bai, but it turns out that in Mother's eyes, all sorts of unsuitable people can openly propose to me!"

  She knew Wei Mengying couldn't possibly be serious about marrying her off to those people; otherwise, wouldn't the past six years have been a waste of her upbringing?

  But such a naked warning, which mother can see without being heartbroken?

  Wei Mengying kept saying "I am your mother", is this how mothers in this world coerce their daughters?!

  She walked dazedly, her mind turning over and over just that sentence of Jin Xun's "When will we have our own home".

  Yes, when can I have a real home of my own?

  Regardless of wealth or poverty, there is no need to worry about being swept out at any time, and no need to curry favor with others to make a living - a home that can provide shelter from the wind and rain, and a stable place to rest?

  In such a patriarchal era, possessing beauty and youth, but unfortunately having unreliable parents, no older brothers or sisters, and younger siblings still young.

  What else can she expect apart from marriage?

  In her past life and this life, "parents arranging marriages" seemed like a heavy chain weighing over a thousand jun, blocking her path in life.

  "Although Jian Yu's attitude is casual, he still wants to make me his legitimate wife." Dazed and confused, she walked back to the Huanxia Pavilion, dismissing Zhao Mama and others who came to ask questions. After Song Yi smiled and went upstairs, she gradually calmed down and thought it through, "His situation may not be ideal, but do I have a better choice now?"

  The empress ordered her to get married within this year; Wei Mengying didn't bother to seriously find a good husband for her daughter, but instead thought about how to use her eldest daughter to pave the way for her youngest son - at the Shangsi banquet, she resolved Cui Jianli's slander, and later was flattered by Jiang Mochen and Wei Yinlian, and she became infatuated!

  Still thinking you're so popular now, and can slowly pick a good marriage?

  Her mother tried every means to get her to marry a dissolute marquis, but she never thought that she would have a duke as a son-in-law - and yet she still dared to pick and choose?!

  Song Yi Xiao covered her face with her hand and laughed mockingly: "Fortunately, Jian Yu Bai was too lazy to let me return the jade pendant... otherwise I would be at a dead end now, besides being controlled by Niang, what else could I do?"

  How could I have forgotten the conversation I overheard on my great aunt's bed all those years ago?

  Wei Mengying raised her, and what she was after was a good harvest!

  What's the point of warnings like this if she doesn't listen?

  In her previous life, she was drowned in a pig cage. This girl just passed by with the two words "trivial matters" - who did she think she was? Jiang Muxun? Or Wei Yinlian? Was she really the darling of her parents' love?

  Even Yuan Xueying, who has lost both parents, is more stable than her!

  Even these six years of luxurious life were ultimately obtained by her after calculating against the Liu family and making a series of mistakes!

  Have you forgotten all those hardships in your past life? Forgotten that Wei Mengying once told a harsh truth - she didn't have the qualifications to be arrogant!

  "Now, gambling on it, marrying Jian Xu Bai has become my only way out!" After a long time, Song Yi Xiao walked to the water basin, wrung out a handkerchief to wipe her face, and patted her cheeks to make herself more awake. She thought, "The jade pendant thing can't be told to mother first!"

  If Wei Mengying knew that her daughter had such a good fortune, her attitude would definitely make a big turn, not to mention bringing a group of messy matchmakers to intimidate her daughter like just now, she might even hug her daughter and call her "heart" repeatedly!

  However!

  This "heart and liver" will definitely not be shouted in vain!

  Wei Mengying will definitely ask Jian Xuebai to escort and protect Lu Guanyu's path to becoming the crown prince!

  "Not to mention that in this household, apart from Second Young Mistress, no one else has any deep-seated grudges against me; even if Jian Yu insisted on marrying me just because he didn't want the hassle of finding another wife who met his requirements, wouldn't helping Guan Yun become the heir be just as troublesome?! Song Yi smiled, not that she wasn't fond of her half-brother, but with Land Duke Yun being doted on by both parents, even if he couldn't become the heir, as a prince's son, how could he possibly end up in a bad situation?"

  Besides, considering Lu Guanlun's character, Song Yixiao didn't think he would mistreat his younger half-brother after becoming the lord.

  What's most important is that Song Yixiao herself had experienced being the first wife's child, yet after her stepmother entered the household, she was pushed to the corner and watched as everything that belonged to her was taken away, even the love and care from her elders were gone. The sadness and injustice, the unwillingness and heartache, the desperation and despair...

  She wasn't the kind of person who, having suffered herself, would wish for everyone else to suffer as well - helping Lu Guanyun compete with Lu Guangren for the position of heir was something that Song Yixiao was deeply unwilling to do!

  "Not only can't tell mother in advance, but also have to guard against mother's calculations after things have passed!" Song Yi Xiao finally figured out what she should do next, which is to guard against Wei Mengying!

  She took a look at herself in front of the dresser, saw that although her face was still somewhat pale, it had largely returned to its normal color, and then went downstairs, planning to have a good discussion with Zhao's mother.

  Just as she went down, she saw Zhao's mother standing at the bottom with a worried face. When she saw her, her eyes lit up: "Miss?"

  "I'm fine." Song Yi smiled warmly in her heart and nodded, just about to speak, when she suddenly remembered, "Where's Jin Xun? Has she come back?"

  Who would have thought that Zhao's mother would be shocked: "Didn't you send her to do something? You just came back by yourself!"

  "How could this be?!" Song Yi laughed in shock and urgency, "Quickly send someone to find her - I remember she was still following me when I left my mother's courtyard! This is within the Wang Manor, not some desolate mountain or wilderness! How is it possible that she hasn't returned for so long?"

  "I thought you weren't coming back and was looking for you outside?" Zhao's mother also felt a pang in her heart, comforting her by saying, "Don't worry, as you said, she's still at the Wang estate, who would dare to make things difficult for her? After all, it's the princess who's in charge of this household!"

  They said that, but the two of them hastily called out all the people who could be spared from Huanxia Xiaozhu and searched back and forth in the garden several times, even startling Wei Mengying to send someone to ask, but there was no sign of Jin Xun!

  As the sky turned dark, Song Yi's smile became increasingly unpleasant - just as he was about to go find Wei Mengying to borrow some manpower and search again, two maidservants walked towards him from the flower path, one of whom was surprisingly Jin Xun!

  "Little hoof!" Zhao's mother took a glance at Jin Xun, who was fine, and her anger was not justified. She stepped forward, wanting to hit him, "Where did you die? Making the young lady worry like this!"

  "Mother, don't be angry! It was my young mistress who tripped and got her skirt dirty while walking with Jin Xun. She just walked back like that, attracting attention, so I had to bring her to change clothes, which is why we were delayed." The maid accompanying Jin Xun hastily intervened to explain, "Originally, someone should have been sent to inform Miss Song right away, but my young mistress had just returned and was immediately summoned by the Fourth Princess. She left in such a hurry that she didn't even think about it until now. I've come back with Jin Xun to send her back to Huanxia Pavilion and also to apologize to Miss Song."

  Song Yixiao recognized that the maid's name was Hongchuang, and she belonged to Lu Chai'er. She had doubts in her heart: "Lu Chai'er has never been very friendly towards me, and even deliberately embarrassed me at the last Shangsi banquet. Why would she be so kind as to help my maid now?"

  But in front of everyone, Hongchuang spoke reasonably and politely, so she couldn't question her, only nodded and said: "Sixth Miss is really too polite! She helped Jinxun, I should be the one to thank her, how can she still want her to apologize? It's just that it's too late today, I'm afraid of disturbing Sixth Miss, let me visit again tomorrow to thank her!"

  Hong Chuan exchanged a few pleasantries with her and then withdrew to report back.

  Song Yi Xiao brought everyone back to Han Xia's residence, sent them away one by one, and called Jin Xun upstairs to ask in detail: "What's going on?"

  Jin Xun heard the words, and tears came down immediately: "The slave is indeed careless and fell, but didn't get her skirt dirty. At that time, she didn't meet Sixth Miss - it was Fifth Young Master who met the slave first. Fifth Young Master... afterwards... afterwards, fortunately, Sixth Miss happened to pass by and saw it, and after persuading Fifth Young Master to leave, took the slave to her courtyard to change into a new dress, and kept the slave there for a while to see if she was okay on the face, only then did she ask Hongchuang to send the slave back!"

  "Lu Ziyu?! Song Yi laughed with extreme anger, "In all these years of coming and going, you've met him before, how come he never disrespected you like this? Today he's so presumptuous?! Mother really had a good idea, recommending those messy people to me, I haven't even gotten married yet, and the people around me are already getting into messy affairs!"

  She thought it was Wei Mengying who had spread the news of "matchmakers" to herself, and Lu Ziyao was determined that she would be unlucky in the future, so she didn't take her own people seriously - but didn't know that at this moment Lu Chai'er was twisting a handkerchief with Hongchuang saying: "Fifth brother is too overbearing, Song Yixiao has been arranged by his grandmother to enter Doudi's eyes, and soon he will become Doudi's daughter-in-law, isn't it miserable enough? He still wants to bully her maid!"

  Hong Chuan comforted, "You arrived just in time, Jin Xun is fine! However, she tore her outer shirt. The princess gives Song Miss so much fabric every year, both openly and secretly, can she still lack a new set of clothes for Jin Xun?"

  "Now that I think about it, why must we always look down on Song Yixiao?" Lu Jier shook her head and sighed, "She's just eating the Wang family's food and wearing their clothes, but this Wang family isn't ours - not now, nor will it be in the future. Who are we sympathizing with here?"

  "By Song Yixiao, she also thought of her lifelong event,"I'm just a concubine's daughter, I don't dare to compare with the fourth sister, but I hope that grandmother will think of me as her own granddaughter and introduce me to a decent family?"