Traveling through time and space

"Sister Chunmei, the clothes for the New Year are so beautiful."

"Yes, the old lady said that we are following the princess, so we can't be careless about our clothes, so as not to make people laugh at the princess." Rumei said.

"Speak softly, don't wake up the princess, she slept very late last night."

"Come in, I'm awake." Su Yuanyuan sat up and looked at Dongmei and Qiumei who came in, "Call Xingmei, Rumei and the others over, this princess has something to tell you." Su Yuanyuan had an idea. These people sent from the palace have been with her for more than half a year and have treated her sincerely. It's the New Year, and she should give everyone some rewards because she wants to use them for her own purposes.

"Your servant, your servant, greets the princess." A group of people entered the house.

"Everyone, you have served this princess for quite some time now. It's almost the end of the year. Do you have any family you want to go back to? If you do, I will give you a day off before the New Year as a New Year's gift."

"Really, Princess, can I go home for a while?" Rumei asked happily.

"Of course, if you all want to go back to see your families, you can take turns going back for two days. This way, I will have someone to serve me." Su Yuanyuan was really serious.

"Princess," someone spoke, but didn't say anything further. The expressions on their faces became solemn. The atmosphere made Su Yuanyuan feel a little uncomfortable.

"Princess, I am an orphan," Rumei said with her head down. "The grandmother I'm talking about is the one who was kind to me when I was a child. She was very kind to me. Now she lives alone, and I sometimes go to see her."

"Yes, Princess, I don't know where I am from, where my home is, where my parents and family are."

"Yes, Princess, I have been adopted since I was a child, gathered together and trained."

"I heard that I was sold into the palace."

"Me too," they choked up when talking about their sad moments.

"I'm sorry, this princess didn't know all this. You've suffered so much over the years. Live now, live well. No matter who you are, it's our parents who brought us into this world, so we must live well and make our lives more exciting to justify our lives in this world. Otherwise, wouldn't it be a waste of our lives?" Su Yuanyuan comforted them, "Don't worry, just serve this princess well. When you are old in the future, this princess will not let you be without support." Su Yuanyuan said this to Xiao Zhouzi and the others. Eunuchs cannot have descendants, but palace maids and guards can still get married if they meet the right person. "Dongmei, since he gave you all to this princess, this princess may have a future for you. This princess has seen your indentures. This princess will never let you go free, but if you meet someone you like, you can get married and have children."

"The servants thank the master for his great kindness."

"The servants also thank the master for his great kindness."

"All of you, please stand up and speak. You all must follow this princess. As long as you are loyal and righteous, you will have a smooth life ahead. Otherwise, no one can protect you." Su Yuanyuan used both kindness and force to win people's hearts. "But there's one thing I want you to know: from now on, I am your master, your only master. You can tell him anything he wants to know, but only him. If I knew you were communicating with anyone else, I wouldn't be so polite to you. Although you don't have family to control you, if you want to live in peace, you must be honest and do your duty."

"Don't worry, Princess. We servants will do our duty well." Dongmei led the others to kneel down to show their loyalty.

"Okay, starting tomorrow, you'll take turns taking a few days off. Go out for a stroll, buy some things for yourself, and enjoy yourself before the New Year. Look forward to a better next year. Dongmei, Chunmei, you can't rest tomorrow. You have to accompany this princess out this afternoon."

"Princess, we made two new clothes for you to wear during the New Year, and we can't go out either." Qiumei looked up and said.

"Okay, when you're done, I'll give you a day off so you can go out and do whatever you want." Su Yuanyuan spent the day with her grandmother, thinking about what she needed to pack for the next day. She also heard a piece of news from her grandmother: her aunt had returned to her parents' home and asked her brothers to come forward and support her so she could go to the Shen family to vent her anger. However, the brothers from the Cai family refused, saying they weren't siblings and their father had passed away, so they had no obligation to do so. Upon hearing this, her grandmother felt a little resentful. These were her brothers, yet they were so heartless. "Grandmother, some people only care about living their own lives. The bond between brothers and sisters is too weak."

"Yes, I didn't feel it before when I was in Cai's house, but now I feel the indifference between them."

"Old lady, when you were in charge before, they had to pretend. Now that you're gone, there's no need for them to pretend anymore." Mrs. Liu interrupted.

"Yes, in the past, when the Su family of Marquis Xiaoyong had no heir, they were still polite to me, their stepmother. But now they have torn their relationship apart. Even when sending festival gifts, they just send a servant to deal with it." The grandmother looked very disappointed.

"Grandma, don't be angry. Some people are born heartless. Besides, it's not surprising that my aunt is in this situation today."

"Yes, old lady, the princess is right. She is in her forties and still can't live a good life." Several maids were also comforting the grandmother one after another.

"Princess, Princess, something happened." Su Yuanyuan was taking a nap in her room, and Mrs. Yan and Dongmei were shouting beside her bed.

"What happened?" Su Yuanyuan, who had fallen asleep, got up.

"Princess, that aunt Cai Baifeng is kneeling in front of the old lady with her son and daughter, crying. The old lady is very angry." Mother Yan looked a little exasperated and seemed really anxious.

"What do they want to do?" Su Yuanyuan was changing her clothes and was also very angry. This group of people were really no good. "What? What is Madam Shen doing?" Su Yuanyuan entered her grandmother's room. The son and daughter were sitting there quietly, but the mother, Cai Baifeng, was kneeling in front of her grandmother with tears in her eyes, her hands still clutching her grandmother's trouser legs. "Mother Yang, Mother Liu, help Madam Shen up and sit down to talk." Su Yuanyuan sat next to her grandmother and watched them pull and drag Madam Shen onto the chair. "What is Madam Shen's purpose today? Are you here to scare Grandma or to make Grandma angry?"

"Yuanyuan, I'm your aunt."

"Aunt, what kind of creature is an aunt? Besides, this princess is the princess appointed by the emperor himself, not the Yuanyuan of the past."

"Cousin, we are family. Mother and Aunt Yun also grew up together. We are relatives."

"Relatives? Master Shen, we in the Su Mansion of the Valiant Marquis have no relatives. When this princess and my grandmother drove them out of the Cai Mansion, all previous ties were severed."

"Yuanyuan, this family bond cannot be severed." Mrs. Shen's expression was very interesting.

"Family affection?" Su Yuanyuan smiled. "If it's family affection, then why did Madam Shen kneel in front of Grandmother just now?"

"I only ask my mother to be the judge. Those people in the Cai Mansion are so heartless. They don't care about the friendship between brothers and sisters."

"Mrs. Shen, you and they are not siblings. You are not born of the same mother. Grandmother is just their stepmother and cannot take care of them that much. Because in their hearts and eyes, they don't have Grandmother as their mother. So, I'm afraid that Madam Shen's trip today will be in vain. Please go back."

"Cousin, are you so heartless?" Shen Jieru stood up and asked. "Or have you forgotten us now that you have a good life? Or are we not worthy of being yours..."

"You finally hit the nail on the head. Sincerity can only be reciprocated with sincerity. You don't have it for us, so why should we have it for you? Grandma is old and can't stand seeing you get so startled. If you still have a trace of filial piety towards your grandmother, please go back." Su Yuanyuan suppressed her temper.

"Mother, my daughter has reached her wit's end. My husband only has eyes for that little bitch now."

"Yes, grandmother, father hasn't been to mother's yard for a long time, and he has never cared about our marriage. He no longer cares about us brothers and sisters, but only about Aunt Shen's two children. We also heard that Aunt Shen was a neighbor girl who grew up with father, and later fell into prostitution and met father, who took her into the house." Shen Jieru spoke angrily.

"Grandmother can't do anything about this. Your father is the head of the Shen family. Grandmother is an outsider after all, and she can't do anything about it. You should stop making things difficult for her. How can you expect her to take care of this kind of thing? Ask her to tie the mother and her two children up with a rope and send them away together?" Su Yuanyuan asked. Although she didn't gloat over other people's misfortune, she felt in her heart that even her grandmother had no good solution.

"Yes, which man doesn't have three wives and four concubines? The fact that he can hide them outside shows that he cares about your family and you and your son. Now he has no choice but to bring them into the house. It seems that you and your son can't tolerate them, which has led to the situation today. Fifth Miss, I, an old woman, can't interfere in your family affairs." Grandmother said coldly.

"Mother, Feng'er has called you mother for so many years. Please help Feng'er. Feng'er really doesn't know how to go on. I asked my brothers for help, but they didn't listen. Feng'er is desperate."

"Mrs. Shen, you asked grandma to help you, but what should we do? In the name of the first-rank lady, let Shen Mingxun dismiss his official post. Then your Shen family's life will be even more difficult." Su Yuanyuan said jokingly.

"No, my father's official status cannot be lost."

"Ms. Shen, how do you want our grandmother to intervene? Bully others by taking advantage of her power? Kill the concubine and the twins with a rope, so that Shen Mingxun's heart will return to you and your son? You don't want our grandmother to do such a wicked thing, do you?" Su Yuanyuan exaggerated.

"Mother, Yuanyuan, the ninth day after the Lunar New Year is my husband's fortieth birthday. Feng'er would like to invite Mother and Yuanyuan to personally go to the Shen residence to celebrate his birthday."

"Madam Shen, you're so shameless! A first-rank lady and a princess are going to celebrate the birthday of Shen Mingxun, a fifth-rank official? Hearing this suggestion, Su Yuanyuan laughed. "Madam Shen, do you think he's worthy?" Su Yuanyuan occasionally caught a glimpse of her grandmother's expression, lost in thought for a moment, then fell silent. "Grandma, Yuanyuan's hungry. Go get some snacks." Su Yuanyuan, forgetting that the woman before her was also her grandmother's daughter, ignored them and quietly left. "How infuriating!" Su Yuanyuan muttered as she left the courtyard.

"Princess, I see that Mr. Shen's eyes are always on you. You'd better pay attention." Dongmei reminded, Chunmei nodded in agreement, and Su Yuanyuan nodded. Although she didn't look at him, she could feel the unfriendly look.

"Princess, Mother Yang is here." Su Yuanyuan knew that her grandmother would definitely agree, so she did not take the initiative to go there in the afternoon. She read a book and drank tea in her room. The others were doing handicrafts. The years were quiet and peaceful, and it was very comfortable, but no one wanted her to be so comfortable.

"Please ask her to come in." Su Yuanyuan closed the book in her hand.

"Princess, the old lady's..."

"Let's go, Grandma wants to see me." Su Yuanyuan stood up and walked out. "Mother Yang, Grandma, is there something you want to tell Yuanyuan?" Su Yuanyuan saw that Mother Yang looked a little unnatural, so it was certain that Grandma had agreed to their request. Su Yuanyuan shook her head helplessly, "But I understand Grandma."

"Princess, the old lady is afraid that you will be angry, so she has never dared to approach you."

"It's okay, grandma, I'm here." Su Yuanyuan changed her expression, trotted into the room, and sat down next to her grandmother.

"I'm sorry, Yuanyuan. Grandma still agreed to them."

"Grandmother, Mother Yang, Mother Yan, did you see the look in Mr. Shen's eyes when he looked at me just now? I'm afraid this banquet of mine is not that simple anymore." Su Yuanyuan spoke her mind. Besides, once bitten by a snake, one becomes afraid of ropes for ten years.

"Let me tell you, why did this family so eagerly invite the old lady and the princess to go together? It seems they have other plans." Mother Liu realized it belatedly.

"Everyone, please go out. Yuanyuan wants to talk to Grandma for a while." Su Yuanyuan felt that she should make her point clear. Grandma waved her hand, and the other women followed her out. "Grandma, Yuanyuan knows that you are their mother, but Yuanyuan doesn't want to get too close to them. Yuanyuan just wants to live a good life with Grandma."

"Silly child, a single tree cannot make a forest. You are all alone and don't even have anyone to help you."

"Grandmother, you know the character of those people in the Cai family. Over the years, Yuanyuan has become very selfish and only wants to live a peaceful life. Besides, it's good to have helpful brothers and sisters in one's life, but it depends on the person's ability. So Yuanyuan won't lend a helping hand to anyone else in the Cai family, not to mention the Shen family who have evil intentions towards her. Yuanyuan will never marry anyone in the Shen family, and naturally she won't give them the opportunity and reason to frame her. The last time she was in the Cai Mansion, she learned a profound lesson. And that was her uncle's family."

"But grandma promised to take you with her." Grandma was a little embarrassed.