The Old Madam would certainly not go, and not only would she not go, Daiyu wouldn’t let her go either.

In her heart, she felt regret once again. When she had that dream back then, it was already too late—the two families had already formed a marriage alliance. If she had dreamed and seen the subsequent developments before the two families formed their alliance, she would never have connected with the Jia family through marriage.

Now she had to consider Daiyu’s feelings.

Undeniably, she found it easy to soften her heart toward this child. In the dream world, her days had been far too difficult.

This was her fault, her son’s fault—they hadn’t arranged her future properly. A young girl of tender age, what could she do in that kind of environment?

She thought her maternal grandmother could be relied upon, but she wasn’t someone to depend on. That irresponsible Jia Baoyu would be even less of a support for her.

Then there was Jia Min. She was indeed a good daughter-in-law, but her background had burdened her.

Thinking about it now, Jia Min’s early death, not seeing what the Jia family had become, was actually a fortunate thing. If she were still alive, the Old Madam suspected the Jia family would have worried her to heartbreak.

She had always been sensitive and prone to overthinking.

Now… the Jia family probably still didn’t know the reason why Jia Yuanchun was favored, right?

Even if Jia Yuanchun had channels to pass messages, this was the time when Noble Consort De was watching most strictly—messages likely couldn’t be sent out.

The Jia family had truly declined.

Thinking of this, the Old Madam felt somewhat dispirited.

When descendants were disappointing, their fate was right before her eyes. “Daiyu, you go talk to her.”

Wang Xifeng: “?”

Seeing Wang Xifeng so happy, Daiyu felt gloomy and displeased. “Second Sister-in-law is so happy?”

She had inquired a bit about the Emperor’s rear palace—there were truly too many people, and too many high-ranking consorts. There were essentially no positions left. With her cousin’s current rank, it would be very difficult to stand out. Moreover, the Emperor was already quite old. Although small princes and princesses would still be born, representing that the Emperor’s vigor remained, the fact of the Emperor’s age couldn’t be denied.

To speak in treasonous terms, if the Emperor only had a few years left, what would her cousin do?

Would she be an obscure invisible person in the deep palace? How would her future unfold?

She was both angry at what Yuanchun had done and saddened by her current predicament.

Wang Xifeng: “Sister Yuanchun now has a good destination—shouldn’t we be happy?”

Daiyu: “Second Sister-in-law, I can’t be happy. You don’t know how Cousin Yuanchun had her chance encounter with the Emperor, do you?”

“Even if I tell you now, you might not believe it. Go back and inquire, and you’ll know.”

Hearing these words, Wang Xifeng’s smile couldn’t stay on her face. There was inside information about this matter?

She looked at Daiyu, her eyes complex. “Good sister, what happened to her? Did she offend someone? Don’t keep me in suspense. Your cousin had no choice either. If she didn’t fight for it, how would she know there was no opportunity? She’s already twenty-one years old this year. Even if she were released from the palace right now, tell me, what kind of family could she be matched to? Which young master of comparable age hasn’t already married? If she wants to be a principal wife, she can only become a second wife—being a stepmother isn’t easy.”

“If she were matched to an impoverished scholar, she could indeed be the original wife, but those people would still depend on your cousin’s dowry to support the family. What if once they become successful, they turn ungrateful?”

“Her days in the palace may not be good, but her days outside the palace wouldn’t be much better. If she fights successfully and gives birth to a little prince, at the very least that would be a Prince.”

She also knew the Emperor was old. The Crown Prince was in his prime years and was the best choice, but where was the opportunity with the Crown Prince?

Speaking of this, Wang Xifeng also lost some enthusiasm, feeling somewhat dejected. The uncertainty was too great.

Daiyu said softly: “She offended Noble Consort De. She also used the dragon-phoenix twins at the Fourth Prince’s residence as a pretext to meet the Emperor. As for exactly what she said, we don’t know either—only she herself knows clearly.”

Wang Xifeng: “…”

She nearly stumbled and fell.

The point about offending Noble Consort De… they had already guessed that. But this way, wasn’t she offending the Fourth Prince? Offending the Lin family? What exactly had Yuanchun done?

As Daiyu spoke of this now, her face was still tightly set. She was also very unhappy about this, and her ill feelings toward this cousin she’d never met exceeded her sadness over her predicament: “She probably couldn’t find an opportunity in Noble Consort De’s palace, so she used the third-day washing ceremony for the dragon-phoenix twins at the Fourth Prince’s residence to leave the palace, using it as a stepping stone for her chance encounter with the Emperor. You know, Noble Consort De will definitely be displeased. My Second Sister will probably suffer her redirected anger—they might even think it was planned together, since she’s the Fourth Prince’s birth mother.” Second Sister would likely be made difficult for afterward.

Wang Xifeng: “…”

Thinking of the family’s joy these past few days, and now coming to the Lin family to deliver invitations, Wang Xifeng felt as if her face was on fire.

What kind of affair was this!

Daiyu: “Second Sister-in-law, do you think I’m joking?”

After seeing her off, Daiyu stroked her chest—it felt stifled there.

A maid from beside her grandmother came to request: “Miss, the Old Madam summons you.”

The Old Madam held her hand: “You told her?”

Daiyu answered in a small voice: “I told her.”

The Old Madam stroked the back of her hand comfortingly: “Daiyu, don’t take the Jia family too seriously. Your blood ties are real, but affection isn’t determined by bloodline. Your life is still very long; you’ll experience many other things in the future…”

Wang Xifeng returned home heavy with worries, going directly to the old ancestor upon arrival.

These past few days, Grandmother Jia’s face had been ruddy with health and her complexion very good. Second Madam Wang no longer held her prayer beads in her hands either—every word from her mouth was “my Yuanchun,” her proud expression overflowing.

Their family’s invitations had been sent to all relatives and old friends, inviting them to come drink a cup of celebratory wine. They had all agreed to come punctually.

Seeing Wang Xifeng return without any joy on her face, Grandmother Jia guessed the Lin family’s reaction. Her brows furrowed slightly, her expression indifferent.

Wang Xifeng was already used to this. Ever since the last incident, the old ancestor’s attitude toward her had been cold. She could only pretend not to notice and handle matters even more diligently to repair her impression in the old ancestor’s eyes: “Old Ancestor, today when I went to the Lin residence, Sister Daiyu told me some things—they concern Sister Yuanchun.”

“What things?”

Wang Xifeng didn’t answer, looking around—there were really so many people here.

Grandmother Jia sat up straight, scanning the room: “All of you go attend to your tasks.”

She was clearing the room.

Even Madam Xing was sent back, leaving only Grandmother Jia, Second Madam Wang, and Wang Xifeng—three people.

Madam Xing’s face was livid with anger. Li Wan silently left without saying a word.

Ying Chun, Tan Chun, and Xi Chun also realized something might be happening. Baoyu pulled them along, carefree: “Come to my place. I have a newly acquired toy there—you definitely haven’t seen it before.”

Seeing no outsiders remained, Wang Xifeng relayed what she’d heard from Daiyu. This made the expressions on Grandmother Jia’s and Second Madam Wang’s faces grow solemn.

Offending Noble Consort De was within their expectations, but as long as Yuanchun could gain the Emperor’s favor, it wouldn’t be a problem—he would protect Jia Yuanchun.

Moreover, Noble Consort De wasn’t the sole power in the imperial palace.

There were others present. Offending Noble Consort De meant they could simultaneously seek refuge with others—they could always find a suitable path for survival. But offending the Fourth Prince this way… he was a Prince with real power, and his temperament wasn’t easy to deal with either.

Grandmother Jia quickly made a decision: “Have Brother Lian go and separately send generous gifts to the Fourth Prince and Luo Yu, and to the Lin family, to apologize. We’ll also modify this household banquet—my birthday is approaching, so we’ll invite everyone to come watch opera and listen to songs.”

Now wasn’t the time for them to be ostentatious. They could celebrate later once Yuanchun gave birth to a prince.

Second Madam Wang wanted to speak but hesitated about these decisions. In the end, she couldn’t help but voice them: “Old Ancestor, there’s no need to apologize, is there? We and the Lin family are related by marriage. We’re also Lin Ce Fujin’s maternal relatives. It was just a few words—it’s not as if we did anything to them. How does it reach the point of apologizing? Moreover, this is just Daiyu’s one-sided account—it might not be true.” The money going out was all bright white silver!

If this silver were given to Yuanchun, how many people could she cultivate in the palace? How many things could she accomplish?

The Old Madam glanced at her. “Shut your mouth. I’ll have someone help inquire.” In the end, they still needed to make contact with Yuanchun. But what Daiyu said was probably eighty to ninety percent true.

Second Madam Wang’s face flushed red. She had no choice but to lower her head. Wang Xifeng just stood silently to the side, eyes downcast as if she’d seen nothing.

The Fourth Prince naturally had people in the imperial palace.

After learning of this matter, it felt as if he’d swallowed some foreign object lodged in his throat. Moreover, his mother consort quickly bestowed two people—one was a Han woman, Chen Shi, and the other was Uya Shi.

These two had been carefully selected by Noble Consort De. That Chen Shi was even prepared by her for the Fourteenth Prince.

The Fourth Prince understood her meaning.

She was redirecting her anger onto him, redirecting it onto Huai Zhen.

Facing the Jia family’s apologetic gifts, the Fourth Prince’s residence didn’t even allow them through the gate.

Such a family that relied on ancestral past glory to live in drunken dreams and didn’t know their place—the Fourth Prince truly had no favorable impression of them.

New people had arrived at the residence, and they were people bestowed by his mother consort. Whatever the Fujin thought in her heart, on the surface she still very thoughtfully made proper arrangements for them.

When Luo Yu learned of it, she mentally recorded another mark against Jia Yuanchun.

Let people come if they come. Now that Luo Yu had children, all was well with the world. As long as they didn’t provoke her or the two children, she had no time to deliberately pay attention. So what if they were bestowed by Noble Consort De?

She had entered the residence through the Emperor’s decreed marriage.

As for palace matters, she could only wait until after her confinement month to go apologize to Noble Consort De and explain the circumstances. If she didn’t forgive her, she would just reduce the number of times she entered the palace. Originally, as a Ce Fujin, throughout the year she didn’t have many opportunities to enter the palace anyway.

When the news reached Lady Li’s ears, it was slightly delayed. Hearing this news, Lady Li threw with force, and the last teacup in her hand flew out, shattering into pieces on the ground.

Her eyes were full of bloodshot veins as she stared in the direction of Madam Lin’s courtyard.

Madam Lin had given birth to dragon-phoenix twins, and her son’s status had instantly decreased. She was confined and forbidden to leave, and Fourth Master was hardhearted and hadn’t come to see her.

The Fujin had kicked her while she was down—many things damaged in her courtyard hadn’t been replaced. Now the room was bare and empty; all the decorative pieces had been smashed by her into fragments.

The bad news hadn’t reached its end yet—new people had arrived at the residence, and there was even an Uya!

Noble Consort De was from the Uya family.

Even if she hadn’t given birth, just by virtue of this surname alone, she would be placed above everyone else.

She couldn’t continue like this.

Lady Li regained her composure.

Recalling all her actions during this period, she closed her eyes. She had been impulsive. “Someone come, clean up the fragments properly.”

Then it became quiet.

The servants attending her breathed a sigh of relief.

That evening, Lady Li opened her window, feeling the wind, but it wasn’t enough. She also splashed cold tea on herself.

After one night passed, Lady Li fell ill as wished.

Her face was flushed red, her fever wouldn’t subside. She lay with eyes closed as if trapped in a nightmare, murmuring from her mouth: “Master, Master, I know I was wrong. Master, I know I was wrong…”

The medicine couldn’t be poured down her throat. If she couldn’t drink the medicine, it could cost her life.

They couldn’t bear this responsibility.

Thus, the news reached Fourth Master’s ears.