The cannon fodder heiress trembled with fear after being recognized as a member of her family.

With the guidance of Princess Jinghe, Granny Chu quickly returned to the guest courtyard.

Shi Yun came in from outside and heard the instructions from Princess Jinghe. She immediately understood that there was no longer any possibility between the princess and the duke.

The Luo family did indeed take many benefits from the Grand Princess's residence behind the Duke's back, and the servants who served the Grand Princess were well aware of this.

On the day they left the city, if it weren't for the Duke's side and Li Meiyun, they would never have brought the villa in Qingshuang Mountain. At most, they would have just dumped the person at the farm and settled them properly.

The Luo family had been to that farm several times, and Li Meiyun was also familiar with it.

"Master, will those people come knocking on the princess's door? After all, they've been sucking her dry for so many years!"

Shi Yun was indignant.

Her younger sister, Shishu, served as a head maid to Princess Changyun. The princess tolerated her greatly because of her relationship with the Duke.

However, Princess Changyun always reported good news to Princess Jinghe and kept the bad news to herself, so there were some things that the Princess Jinghe's residence did not know.

Princess Changyun also kept quiet, forbidding anyone from mentioning it to the Grand Princess.

One year during the Lunar New Year, Shishu drank too much and blurted it out.

Shi Yun originally wanted to tell the Grand Princess, but Shi Shu stopped her.

If this matter were to leak out from Shishu, Princess Changyun would not let it go easily.

Princess Changyun appears gentle on the surface, but she also possesses the resilience and domineering spirit of the Grand Princess.

Shi Yun's name contains the character "Yun," and her title as a princess is Changyun.

She asked the Grand Princess to bestow another name upon her, but Princess Changyun stopped her from changing it.

Yet this gentle woman dared to defy the Grand Princess for the sake of the Duke, and finally married him as she wished.

Now that the two have parted ways, Shi Yun no longer hides the truth.

She recounted everything that had happened in the past.

"Si Rou is foolish! With me here, who can make her bow her head? Marital affection and filial piety mean nothing to imperial power!"

Princess Jinghe slammed her hand on the table, knocking over a teacup and shattering it into pieces.

"Grandmother, what's got you so angry?" Luo Jingqian returned from outside, took off his mask as soon as he entered the room, picked up the teacup next to him, and gulped down a few mouthfuls.

"You went to pick someone up in this sweltering heat, only to find them missing and then make excuses for yourself. I really don't know what to say to you!" Grand Princess Jinghe threw a handkerchief at her. "Wipe yourself!"

Luo Jingqian stopped Shi Yun from fanning her and asked directly, "Aunt Shi Yun, why is my maternal grandmother angry?"

"Isn't it all because of your father and his relatives in the Luo family!"

Even with her anger barely suppressed, Princess Jinghe couldn't control herself when those people were mentioned.

Luo Jingqian also learned about Princess Changyun's concessions over the years from them.

"Is this the kind of life my mother has been living all these years? Why didn't she tell me?" Luo Jingqian was also anxious after hearing this. "I originally thought that we and the second wife's family were not involved in any conflicts between wives and concubines. I didn't expect this to be even more disgusting than the conflicts between wives and concubines."

They don't live with that side, and that's all they know. They don't know how the second branch of the Luo family speaks ill of their lineage in front of the Luo family's master.

"Bring your mother and sisters here in a few days! They'd better not covet the farm at the foot of the mountain during the Ghost Festival, or don't blame me for not remembering the Luo family's past contributions."

Princess Jinghe's eyes darkened, and she almost broke the nail of her right thumb.

Luo Jingqian was not in a good mood when he came out of the Grand Princess's courtyard.

In recent years, he has rarely lived in the mansion; it was Princess Changyun and his two younger sisters who came to Qingshuang Mountain for short stays.

When they came over, he was sometimes busy practicing his skills and rarely spent time with them.

He was also unaware that his parents had become estranged.

Thinking back to the domestic power struggles he had mentioned to Han Cuiyin, he realized he was a joke.

Unconsciously, he walked into Han Cuiyin's courtyard, and no one stopped him.

The others did not appear to be in the courtyard.

"come in!"

Han Cuiyin noticed him the moment he stepped in, but he remained standing still, which left her somewhat helpless.

After everyone went inside, Qingshan and Qinghe left.

"What exactly is going on with Junior Brother? Could it be that he's upset about not being able to reach him and is somewhat absent-minded?"

Qinghe didn't hear what Princess Jinghe said; he went to put the horse back in the stable and missed what Shiyun said.

Qingshan was outside the door and happened to hear it.

I originally thought my junior brother had a noble status and harmonious parents, but it turns out that it was just a facade.

These things are even more painful for my junior brother than the divorce between Princess Changyun and Duke Dingguo two days ago.

Qingshan pulled his clueless younger brother away, saying, "Go and catch some silver fish. I'm going to have a chat with Miss Yang's cousin."

"Why am I going fishing again? What if the senior decides to play a trick on me down there again? What should I do then?"

"Come on! Senior isn't that bored. If you hadn't been trying to save time by relieving yourself in the lake—"

Qinghe quickly covered his mouth and looked around, "Don't tell anyone! I'll go, okay?"

The two's playful fighting did not attract Han Cuiyin's attention.

As soon as Luo Jingqian entered, she noticed something was wrong.

"You're going to go astray! Empty your mind, stop thinking nonsense, and sit there."

Before Luo Jingqian could react, Han Cuiyin pushed him into the sunlight.

At that moment, he couldn't help but feel grateful that he was wearing a mask, which protected him from the sunlight. Otherwise, even if he were close to the icy pool, he would still have suffered.

Han Cuiyin also sat cross-legged on the ground where the sun shone.

She took the small yellow ball from her waist and began to tap the wooden fish, the sound of which was slightly muffled.

When it came to Luo Jingqian, it felt like being struck in the heart with a hammer.

In less than fifteen minutes, his clothes were soaked with sweat. Then, as the sun became stronger, they quickly dried.

So, the cycle repeats.

At this moment, Luo Jingqian's heart was filled with even more turmoil.

"Get up, you're alright now! Don't be too attached to some things. You can't use your spiritual power right now, it's easy for it to breed inner demons." Han Cuiyin put away the wooden fish. "If there's nothing else, please go back! I want to take a bath."

She was also covered in sweat.

Without spiritual power to remove the dust using incantations, one can only wash it with water.

"Then I'll go wait for you at the pavilion; I have something to tell you."

After Luo Jingqian finished speaking, he went to the stone pavilion on the west side of the courtyard.

Han Cuiyin had no choice but to finish quickly, as she also had something to say, which saved her from making another special trip.

Gao Xiaolan had returned from outside. Seeing Luo Jingqian there, she prepared tea and had Chu Mama accompany him.

"Granny, please go downstairs! I have something to discuss with Miss Yang."

Granny Chu seemed not to hear and did not move.

Luo Jingqian was taken aback by this situation, but he immediately realized that his grandmother must have said something to him.

"Granny, you may leave now! Xiao Lan is waiting for you to teach her how to sew; there's no need to serve her here." Han Cuiyin also noticed something amiss. "Li Rou will probably need your guidance as well. I don't keep idle people here; even if she's pregnant, she still has to do what needs to be done."

After everyone left, Luo Jingqian spoke up, "Grandmother said you wanted to build a courtyard? Is it because you're not comfortable living here? I can move out!"

Upon hearing this, Han Cuiyin raised an eyebrow in surprise, "No! My uncle's side was set up, and I want to bring them here."

"Can I help?" Luo Jingqian breathed a sigh of relief after learning the reason. As long as he didn't dislike him, that was fine.

“We do need help building a courtyard, or we could buy a courtyard at the foot of the mountain, but there isn’t a suitable place there.”

It's not bad to live at the foot of the mountain. Ordinary people can live there and have the Grand Princess's Mansion to take care of them, which is better than living on the mountain.