Chen Mingyu finally couldn’t hold back and began crying loudly. Fortunately, there were only her and her grandmother in the carriage, so she didn’t have to worry about being heard by others.

Her life had lasted twelve years, and throughout those twelve years she had been the center of attention for everyone in the Chen family. Due to her excellent upbringing, outstanding appearance, and perfect birth, she had been pursued and admired by countless people. Her only setback had been in Tongzhou.

In Tongzhou, that nine-year-old girl had calmly and composedly commanded the tenant farmers to bring them to the estate and settle them in properly. She even had time to cooperate with Ye Jingchuan to completely eliminate those Tartar raiders that should have terrified young ladies.

For the first time in her life, she saw a sense of crisis in a girl younger than herself, especially given how closely she associated with the Grand Heir Zhou Weizhao.

Although Song Chuyi was still young, although her form had not yet fully developed, whenever she occasionally glanced over, she was often mesmerized by those eyes.

Someone so extraordinarily intelligent, of such noble status, yet who understood even better than she did how to get along with Zhou Weizhao—if she couldn’t become a friend, it was best not to even be enemies.

Her tears soaked through her handkerchief. Old Madam Chen let her cry while closing her eyes and leaning against the soft pillow, feigning sleep.

Only when the crying stopped did she open her eyes to look at this always beloved granddaughter—her originally beautiful almond-shaped eyes were now red and swollen from crying. The cinnabar mole between her brows appeared even more vividly scarlet, making her look like a lotus flower that had just been battered by wind and rain.

Old Madam Chen looked at her features that so resembled her son’s, then thought of these dozen years of day and night companionship. Her originally hardened heart couldn’t help but soften.

“Put away that pitiful face of yours!” She sternly rebuked Chen Mingyu while tossing over a handkerchief: “You lost your father at a young age, and your mother is the way she is. I’ve raised you from childhood, yet you’ve truly disappointed me!”

Chen Mingyu didn’t dare cry anymore. She looked at Old Madam Chen with watery, somewhat swollen eyes, and only after mustering her courage did she dare to hold Old Madam Chen’s arm.

“Grandmother…” She called out in a low voice, finally recovering her usual steady and calm demeanor: “I was wrong.”

“You were indeed wrong.” Although Old Madam Chen’s tone remained severe, she didn’t push Chen Mingyu’s hand away. She glanced at Chen Mingyu sideways, feeling a metallic sweetness rising from her gums: “My twelve years of cultivation and instruction of you couldn’t compare to a few words from your mother!”

Upon hearing this, Chen Mingyu became even more uneasy, lowering her head speechlessly.

Her father had passed away when she was four years old. Although her mother hadn’t remarried, she had never been able to successfully raise her—because her mother was truly excessively selfish, so excessively that even her grandfather and grandmother took notice with disapproval.

When her father was gravely ill, her mother had already begun collecting his various antiques and vessels. To achieve her goals, she even continuously placed beautiful women by her seriously ill father’s side in exchange for estate deeds and his savings.

After her father’s death, she constantly quarreled with the aunts in the household over monthly allowances and even matters as trivial as the number of maids. She didn’t even spare her rarely-returning aunt, constantly fabricating various reasons to ask her for money.

“You know yourself what kind of person your mother is without me saying it. Think about how many of the jewelry pieces made for you over the years have been kept in her hands. Think about when your father died—she didn’t cry for his death but ran to worry about the land rent she had just collected. You dare to learn from the words and schemes taught by such a person?” Old Madam Chen sneered, her expression filled with disdain: “If you truly want to distinguish yourself in the future, don’t learn her underhanded tricks that can’t be brought to light. You should have schemes and employ methods, but not the way you’re using them!”

Chen Mingyu’s face alternated between green and white as she buried her head in Old Madam Chen’s arm, not daring to lift it again.

“You are a refined young lady from a scholarly family. Some things that are yours are yours, and what isn’t yours is predetermined by fate.” Old Madam Chen sighed: “Although your grandfather and I have vaguely hinted at such intentions in the past, it may not necessarily come to be. Do you think I don’t know why you keep pursuing Miss Song Liu relentlessly?”

Chen Mingyu’s face flushed red as she suddenly lifted her head, unnaturally turning her face away.

“I advise you to abandon these thoughts.” Old Madam Chen patted her hand: “Setting aside her age, even if their Earl’s mansion truly had such intentions, so what?! Even without Miss Song Liu, there could be Miss Chen Liu, Miss Chu Liu, or even Miss Wei Liu in the future. Do you plan to offend them all?”

Madam Cui was likewise reprimanding Song Chuyi. She rarely put on a stern face to scold Song Chuyi: “Since you discovered someone had made a mistake, you should have expelled her immediately or sent someone to inform me. Why did you keep her around? Causing such a major incident?!”

Song Chuyi slowly leaned her head into Madam Cui’s embrace, her tone somewhat dejected: “I never imagined she would also betray me. Her heart has always been soft—when she saw Lianyi on that trip to Tongzhou, she cried for two or three full days. Someone like that, who had followed by my side from childhood, accompanying me through hardships and enduring Nanny Wang’s temper—I truly had no way to suspect her. But looking at it now, her past kindness to me was probably because I was in a weak position.”

Madam Cui stroked her head and remained silent for a long moment before slowly sighing: “I’ve sent her to an estate to be married off. That estate is in a county in Yunnan, my fief. She won’t be able to return for the rest of her life.”

Song Chuyi wasn’t surprised that Madam Cui would make such a decision. Her aunt had never been merely a soft-hearted noble lady of the inner chambers. After all, she had grown up in the imperial palace and possessed no shortage of schemes and methods.

Not wanting to continue discussing Hong Yu, Madam Cui turned to speak of other happy matters: “Last time I entered the palace, Her Majesty the Empress was concerned that I had just returned and didn’t have enough staff, so she specially granted me two palace maids. Since you’re lacking one person at your side, I’ll assign you one.”

Song Chuyi hurriedly shook her head: “Since they’re palace maids who came out of the palace, how can they be casually transferred?”

“They were given to me, so naturally I arrange them as I see fit.” Madam Cui smiled somewhat proudly: “Besides, you’ll probably be entering the palace soon, so having someone from the palace at your side will be more convenient.”

Enter the palace?! Song Chuyi was so shocked by these words she nearly couldn’t recover. A thousand thoughts instantly flashed through her mind, all vaguely ominous premonitions.

Madam Cui smoothed her hair for her and properly secured her slightly askew hairpin, not forgetting to remind her: “In the future, you should still pay more attention to the servants who attend you. Remember that water can carry a boat but also overturn it. If another Hong Yu appears, you won’t be able to bear it.”