"Mother, who is it? Who on earth hates me so much!"
Her small face flushed with anger, and her hands clenched tightly.
Song Zhaoyang looked at her angry daughter and said, "It's Princess Gaoyang."
Yaoyao's eyes suddenly shrank. "How could it be her?"
Song Zhaoyang said, "Princess Gaoyang has never wanted our family to have a good life. Fortunately, we didn't agree to marry you to her adopted son. Otherwise..."
Yaoyao asked in a deep voice, "Do we have a feud with Princess Gaoyang?"
Song Zhaoyang shook her head. "No."
Yaoyao said, "Then why does she have such great hostility towards our family?"
Song Zhaoyang was also puzzled. She remembered the eyes full of boundless hatred that Qi Yunshuang had given her in the Queen Mother's palace today.
She said, "Your father has already sent people to investigate this matter. Don't go to the academy for the time being. Just recuperate in the mansion at ease. Don't worry about the gossips outside."
Yaoyao nodded.
In the evening, the family of four sat around for dinner. Xue Chucheng and Xue Mingxiao also constantly comforted Yaoyao.
---
In the Xue Mansion, Mrs. Wen frowned tightly, and her fingers kept twirling the Buddhist beads.
Suddenly, the string of the Buddhist beads broke, and the beads scattered on the ground.
Mrs. Wen's face turned deathly pale.
These Buddhist beads had accompanied her for decades, and now they were broken!
For a moment, she had a sense of foreboding.
Seeing this, the maid waiting on the side quickly knelt on the ground.
"Madam, this maid will pick them up right away."
Just as the maid was picking up the Buddhist beads, Mrs. Wen the younger rushed in.
"Aunt, something's wrong!"
Mrs. Wen's heart was pounding at this moment. Looking at the flustered Mrs. Wen the younger, she pulled a long face and said angrily, "Why are you so reckless? What's going on?"
Mrs. Wen the younger said, "It's spreading outside that Yaoyao's innocence has been ruined. What should we do? Yaoyao is going to be the Crown Princess in the future. If her reputation is ruined, all our plans over the years will be in vain!"
"No! I have to go to the Marquis Mansion and ask Song Zhaoyang how she took care of Yaoyao. How could she let someone slander Yaoyao!"
"Stop!" The veins on Mrs. Wen's forehead bulged. Looking at Mrs. Wen the younger who was about to leave, she immediately called her to a halt.
"Aunt, I'm in a hurry to find Song Zhaoyang. I'll talk to you when I get back." Mrs. Wen the younger walked out without looking back.
Mrs. Wen was so angry that she slapped the table.
"Stop the Second Madam for me!"
As soon as she said this, the servants waiting on Mrs. Wen immediately blocked Mrs. Wen the younger's way.
Mrs. Wen the younger stamped her feet angrily and looked at the angry Mrs. Wen behind her.
"Aunt, Yaoyao is your granddaughter. Are you just going to watch her get hurt?"
Mrs. Wen gritted her teeth in anger, and her angry voice came out through her teeth.
She said, "If you say one more word, do you believe I'll have someone sew your mouth shut!"
These words left Mrs. Wen the younger speechless.
"Come in! I have something to tell you!" Mrs. Wen walked into the inner room.
Mrs. Wen the younger didn't dare to say much and could only follow Mrs. Wen aggrievedly.
"Bang!"
As soon as Mrs. Wen the younger stepped inside, she saw Mrs. Wen smash the vase.
This scene made Mrs. Wen the younger shrink her head in fear.
Mrs. Wen had a gloomy face. Looking at Mrs. Wen the younger, she said, "Your husband is now in prison. Instead of caring about his safety, you're concerned about Yaoyao!"
Mrs. Wen the younger said weakly, "Mother, I also care about Master, but Yaoyao is important too..."
As she said this, she felt a little guilty.
Actually, in her heart, Yaoyao's status was much more important than Xue Chucheng's.
Over the years, her feelings for Xue Chuzhong had almost faded away. The two of them were just living in name only. If it weren't for the fact that she was counting on Yaoyao to turn things around in the future, she would have already divorced.
Mrs. Wen snorted coldly.
Mrs. Wen the younger quickly explained.
"Mother, we've been planning for so many years, relying on Yaoyao to turn things around. If something happens to Yaoyao, won't all our plans be in vain?"
Mrs. Wen looked at Mrs. Wen the younger coldly and said, "Since you know this, you shouldn't have shouted so loudly outside. Don't you know that walls have ears? If this matter gets to the eldest branch, do you think Yaoyao will have a good life in the future?"
Mrs. Wen the younger was stunned.
Mrs. Wen continued, "Also, Xue Chucheng and Song Zhaoyang are more worried about Yaoyao's reputation being damaged than you are! Over the years, they've doted on Yaoyao like a precious pearl in their palm. They will never let anything happen to Yaoyao. Don't be so reckless and rush in front of Song Zhaoyang to question her why she didn't take good care of Yaoyao."
"If you make her suspicious, no one will be able to save us!"
These words instantly dispelled Mrs. Wen the younger's thoughts, and she nodded.
Mrs. Wen the younger saw that Mrs. Wen's face was ugly. After hesitating for a while, she asked, "Aunt, hasn't Song Zhaoyang sent any news yet? Didn't she go to the palace? Can't she and Xue Chucheng save Master?"
As soon as she said this, Mrs. Wen frowned tightly.
She had always sent people to keep an eye on the news from the Shuntian Prefecture. Now that her son hadn't been released yet, it might be extremely difficult to save him!
Just then, a voice came from outside.
"Madam, there's a guest who says he wants to see you."
"A guest?"
Mrs. Wen the younger was shocked.
"It's so late now. There's still a guest?"
The voice outside replied, "It's the steward of the Princess Mansion."
Mrs. Wen and Mrs. Wen the younger looked at each other. Mrs. Wen said to the outside, "Ask the visitor to wait a moment!"
Mrs. Wen called someone in to change into clothes suitable for receiving guests, and then went to see the guest.
When the steward of the Princess Mansion saw Mrs. Wen, he bowed briefly and acted as if he was looking down on everyone.
He said haughtily, "My princess sent me to the Xue Mansion to discuss the matter of Xue Chucheng's harassment of our young lady with you, madam. If you want to settle this amicably, come to the Princess Mansion tomorrow morning. Our princess wants to see you!"
Although Mrs. Wen was uncomfortable hearing the steward's words, she still forced a smile and said, "Okay! This old woman will definitely visit the princess at the Princess Mansion tomorrow!"
The steward snorted. "Fine. Remember to come early. The princess doesn't have much patience."
After saying this, he turned around and left.
Mrs. Wen the younger watched the steward's back as he left angrily and said gritted her teeth, "What a thing! He's just a servant, and he dares to talk like that!"
"Enough!" Mrs. Wen had an ugly face. She said to the steward beside her, "Go and tell the mistress to prepare generous gifts. I'm going to visit the Princess Mansion tomorrow."
The steward replied and left.
Mrs. Wen the younger pouted and didn't say anything more.
When Chang Qiao'er learned about this, she looked at the steward in front of her and said indifferently, "I see. You can go."
After the steward left, the nanny beside Chang Qiao'er frowned and said, "Mistress, do we really have to prepare the gifts? That day when you were arrested, this whole family ignored you. If it weren't for the eldest mistress, you would have been in big trouble."
"Good will be rewarded with good, and evil with evil. Now that Master has been arrested, it serves them right! Now they know they need to beg you!"
Chang Qiao'er looked at the angry nanny and couldn't help but smile.
Just then, a maid came over and whispered something in Chang Qiao'er's ear.