Mid-morning, Liang Yunshan returned from court.

The moment he stepped through the Liang family’s main gate, his footsteps couldn’t help but pause.

After Liang Zhen returned yesterday, she had stayed in Zhen Garden without going anywhere else, but Liang Yunshan still knew she had come back. However, Liang Yunshan sat in his study until midnight, neither summoning Liang Zhen to the study nor going to Zhen Garden himself.

He and Liang Zhen hadn’t seen each other for ten years.

Liang Zhen was twenty-two this year, about the same age as when Zhao Wanniang died.

Liang Zhen was his first child, raised by his own hands until she was four years old, always his precious pearl. If he had to say who he had truly loved in this lifetime, it would be Liang Zhen.

As for the later Liang Zhe, the Liang Yuan brothers, and Liang Qiong, after they were born, Liang Yunshan had always been busy. Combined with the matters concerning Zhao Wanniang and Luo Meixiang, Liang Yunshan hadn’t devoted much attention to the children.

Only with Liang Zhen had he once stayed awake all night when she was ill, once carried her to the streets to buy sugar figurines, and once been so charmed by her soft words and sweet laughter that he was willing to do anything for her.

But…

Ever since Zhao Wanniang died, Liang Zhen had changed. The lively and cheerful little girl from before disappeared, replaced by a female child so silent and steady that adults found it hard to believe.

Then, the little girl gradually grew up, and after that, Liang Yunshan went to the northwest.

From then on, he only knew about Liang Zhen’s affairs through Luo Meixiang’s family letters, never receiving a single word written in Liang Zhen’s own hand.

In Luo Meixiang’s family letters, Liang Zhen was described as a child with a strange temperament who disrespected her grandmother and sided with the Zhao family. Then there were several more accusations, and finally she had simply engaged in improper relations with a man, completely disgracing the Marquis Manor.

Liang Yunshan’s anger and fury at that time were beyond description.

During this period, with Luo Meixiang busy finding physicians for Liang Jie and caring for the brothers, she hadn’t had time to poison Liang Yunshan’s mind, giving him time to ponder certain matters. Particularly Qin Shuying’s words, which had given Liang Yunshan a wake-up call.

However, this still wasn’t enough to change his view of Liang Zhen.

Liang Yunshan went directly to the outer study.

After sitting for a while, Mingcha came in and said, “General, the eldest miss and Miss Sun are outside, wanting to come in and pay their respects to the General.”

Liang Yunshan was stunned, “Who? What Miss Sun?”

Mingcha didn’t dare breathe loudly, “It’s the eldest miss’s daughter, Miss Linglong.”

Liang Yunshan was stunned again, then suddenly remembered that after Liang Zhen married Qu Yi, she had given birth to a daughter who was now six years old.

When he had left Liang Zhen back then, Liang Zhen seemed to have been about six years old too.

Counting on his fingers, they hadn’t seen each other for sixteen years. When Liang Zhen had her incident, she was fifteen. Between Liang Zhen’s sixth and fifteenth years, Liang Yunshan had returned to the capital twice, but due to various circumstances, he hadn’t seen Liang Zhen.

He remembered one time when Luo Meixiang said Liang Zhen was being punished with confinement for disrespecting her grandmother, so although Liang Yunshan had stayed in the manor for half a month, he didn’t see Liang Zhen.

Another time, after Liang Yunshan returned to the capital, Luo Meixiang said Liang Zhen had gone to the Zhao family to accompany Madam Mu to the temple to burn incense and wouldn’t return for three days.

Both times, Liang Yunshan had missed seeing Liang Zhen, which made him increasingly feel that Liang Zhen was inconsiderate.

Seeing Liang Yunshan standing there in a daze without speaking for a long time, Mingcha coughed lightly. Liang Yunshan came to his senses and hurriedly said, “Quickly, quickly, quickly, go invite the eldest miss and Miss… the young miss in.”

Mingcha hurried out.

Soon, Liang Zhen in a light green dress led Qu Linglong in light pink clothing into the room.

Liang Yunshan was struck as if by lightning.

He stared blankly at the woman and child, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word—this, this, before him were clearly Zhao Wanniang and young Liang Zhen!

Liang Zhen looked directly at Liang Yunshan, while Qu Linglong gazed at Liang Yunshan with some curiosity. Liang Zhen parted her vermillion lips lightly: “Father.”

Seeing Liang Yunshan staring at them with wide eyes, Liang Zhen showed no embarrassment, sadness, or excitement, but said to Qu Linglong: “Linglong, pay your respects to grandfather.”

Qu Linglong knelt on the ground and performed a formal bow, “Grandfather, Linglong pays her respects to you.”

Seeing Liang Yunshan’s unblinking stare fixed on Liang Zhen as if he had seen something strange, Mingcha hurriedly withdrew. The General’s gaze was too peculiar.

Now, only the dazed Liang Yunshan, the calm-faced Liang Zhen, and the curious-eyed Qu Linglong remained in the room.

After a long while, Liang Yunshan hoarsely uttered two words: “Wanniang…”

A mocking smile appeared at the corners of Liang Zhen’s lips, “Father, I am Liang Zhen, not Zhao Wanniang.”

Liang Zhen’s voice interrupted Liang Yunshan’s thoughts. His lips turned pale as he trembled twice and lowered his eyes, “Zhen’er, you, you look too much like your mother.”

“Does father still remember mother?”

Hearing the undisguised doubt and mockery in Liang Zhen’s tone, Liang Yunshan raised his head again to look at Liang Zhen. This time, he saw clearly that although Liang Zhen before him looked very much like Zhao Wanniang, their temperaments were completely different.

Zhao Wanniang had been straightforward and stubborn, while Liang Zhen appeared gentle and gracious, but hid her emotions extremely well.

After speaking those mocking words, her face instantly returned to calm, as if those words hadn’t come from her at all.

“Father, Ziyu got married, and I couldn’t attend his wedding because I was ill. After recovering, I began planning my return to the capital. Now that Linglong and I have paid our respects, we should return.”

With that, Liang Zhen took Qu Linglong’s hand and was about to turn and leave.

Without thinking, Liang Yunshan called out, “Zhen’er!”

Liang Zhen’s steps paused as she looked up at Liang Yunshan, “Does father have other matters?”

“Zhen’er… child, come here quickly, let grandfather have a look at you.”

Liang Yunshan rose and walked around the desk toward Qu Linglong.

Qu Linglong’s eyes, like black grapes, were very lively. She walked over and called out crisply, “Grandfather!”

Although her mother had briefed her on many things beforehand, Qu Linglong was still just a child. Meeting her grandfather for the first time, her natural filial affection ultimately overcame propriety.

In Xianren County, her grandmother had treated her reasonably well, but her father had always been distant with her, and there was no one else she could really talk to.

Knowing this was her blood relative, Qu Linglong naturally wanted to get closer.

Looking at the little girl before him, Liang Yunshan’s eyes immediately became somewhat sore and swollen. This was simply a replica of Liang Zhen from years ago!

He somewhat excitedly reached out his hand, wanting to embrace Qu Linglong.

Just then, the study door was pushed open. Luo Meixiang swept in with the cold air of wind and snow, “Yunshan, it’s so cold today. I made soup for you to warm up… Oh, eldest sister, you’re here too. Come, come, come, come, you should drink some too. I made plenty today, enough for everyone to have a bowl.”

Liang Yunshan’s hand immediately froze in mid-air.

However, Liang Zhen paid no attention to Luo Meixiang. Instead, she curtsied to Liang Yunshan, “Father, since we’ve paid our respects, we’ll return first.”

With that, she took Qu Linglong’s hand and left without looking back.

From beginning to end, she didn’t spare Luo Meixiang a single glance.

Luo Meixiang said awkwardly to Liang Yunshan, “Yunshan, look, after all these years, eldest sister still looks down on me.”

Liang Yunshan remained silent, neither responding nor becoming angry.