The eldest daughter's scheming, the crown prince's exclusive favor to the venomous concubi

Hua Xiangrong smiled and shook her head, saying, "I'm not afraid of you not eating here. I'm just afraid you won't eat. When Yueyue comes back, we'll go to the mountains to have a barbecue. My cooking skills are good enough to open an inn or something. Just wait and enjoy it."

Qiu Lingyu smiled and nodded, "Then I'll have to trouble you, sister-in-law."

After dinner, Qiu Lingyu took Lu Nianzhe back. Watching the mother and daughter's backs, Shangguan Ting sighed and said, "Fortunately, Qiu Zhennan has some conscience and raised my granddaughter, so our family can be reunited today. If your aunt were still alive, how wonderful that would be."

Hua Xiangrong said, "People experience joys and sorrows, separations and reunions. Why is Grandpa so sentimental? Aunt's passing might be a good thing. Otherwise, continuing to live such a miserable life would be a very painful thing."

Shangguan Ting sighed and nodded, saying, "That's true. I hope she's doing well over there!"

Qiu Lingyu led Lu Nianzhe back to his room. Lu Nianzhe cautiously looked at his mother and said, "Mother, you seem unhappy today. Did Grandpa send someone to look for you again?"

Qiu Lingyu shook her head and looked at Lu Nianzhe, saying, "These days, besides playing with Wutong Ruling, have you done anything else?"

Lu Nianzhe thought for a moment and shook his head, saying, "I was just helping some villagers with their medical treatment, but my aunt said I made things worse and I have to apologize."

Qiu Lingyu said, "That's not what I'm asking about. I found this in the cave where we used to live on the back mountain. Tell me, where did this come from? Don't tell me it's just a silkworm from Yunniang's family."

As Qiu Lingyu spoke, she stretched out her hand, revealing a porcelain bowl in her palm. She lifted the lid, and inside, a snow-white worm was wriggling. Upon seeing this, Lu Nianzhe immediately shrank back in fear. After a long while, he cautiously said, "Mother, don't be angry. I just discovered that I can control these worms, and I find it quite interesting. It wasn't intentional."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Lingyu immediately said seriously, "I remember telling you not to touch these things. Did you just ignore what I said?"

Seeing Qiu Lingyu's anger, Lu Nianzhe immediately knelt down: "Nianzhe wouldn't dare, but why won't Mother let me slap them? Although insects are not like ordinary pets, they are still cute. I like these things and want to have them, but I definitely don't want to use them to harm people."

Qiu Lingyu said, "Harm people? You also know that these things were created to harm people? Then do you remember how your father died?"

Lu Nianzhe remained silent, his small fists clenched tightly, his head bowed, looking completely bewildered. Seeing this, Qiu Lingyu slammed her hand on the table in anger and said, "So stubborn! In that case, you might as well come back with me to live in the deep mountains. Staying here will only lead to harming Ru Lingwutong and the others sooner or later."

Lu Nianzhe looked up in surprise: "Why? How could I have harmed them? I would never use these things to hurt people, Mother. We are living well with Grandpa. I don't want to leave and go back to the mountains."

Qiu Lingyu said, "If you don't want to go back to the mountains, you have to give up all your abilities. If you can't do that, your mother can't agree. When you left the mountains, your mother also told you that if you couldn't do that, you would have to give up all your friends and companions."

Nianzhe, it's not that your mother is heartless, but do you still remember your little white rabbit?

Lu Nianzhe fell silent. How could he not remember? That was his first friend.

I vaguely remember that when I was very young, my mother wouldn't let me touch any living thing except her. Even when I was eating, my mother would feed me. I wasn't allowed to touch anything.

He didn't understand why his mother was acting this way. As his mother taught him more and more, he began to rebel. So, his mother gave him a white rabbit.

That white rabbit was the first thing he had ever seen that could move, besides his mother. It was snow-white and very beautiful. He happily picked up the little white rabbit, but the next moment, the little white rabbit died.

Watching the little white rabbit being slowly devoured by the Gu worms that emerged from his body, he was stunned, bewildered, and on the verge of collapse.

He didn't understand why worms would come out of his body and eat the white rabbit when he hadn't done anything.

At that time, his mother told him that his body was different from ordinary people, so when he couldn't control himself, he couldn't touch anything.

His mother told him that a worm called the Golden Cicada Gu lived in his body. It was the most powerful worm among Gu worms and belonged to the Gu King. The Gu King would give birth to many Gu worms every year, and he unconsciously nurtured these worms with his own body, making them a part of his body.

When he grabbed the little rabbit, the rabbit resisted out of fear, and the insects would then act out of a protective instinct, causing the rabbit to suffer. Therefore, when he could no longer control these parasites living in his body, he could no longer touch anything.

Looking at Lu Nianzhe standing silently to the side, Qiu Lingyu sighed, pulled the child to her side and said earnestly, "Nianzhe, I'm doing this for your own good. Gu worms are a scourge to the world. Your father used them to harm countless families and people back then."

If it weren't for my conscience back then, I probably would have joined him in his rebellion. But I still love him. Because of him, I have you. You are a precious gift from heaven. You don't need to feel inferior or sad, because you are unique.

Since you cannot fully control it now, you must try to forget it, letting it fall into a deep sleep because it no longer senses your call. Only when you can fully control them should you lure out the Gu worms and burn them. Only then can you live a proper life.

Lu Nianzhe hesitated for a moment, then said, "But if I can control them, can't I keep them?"

Qiu Lingyu shook her head: "If you keep them, what do you think if Ru Lingwutong and the others see this? They are secondary, because they know a thing or two about your physical condition, but what if others see your hands? Do you think they won't be afraid, apart from the people in our family?"

Lu Nianzhe frowned: "But I'm not afraid of what they fear. That way, no one will hurt me, and I can protect Ruling. Isn't that good?"

Qiu Lingyu laughed and said, "But what if everyone hates you? Do you know how tragic that kind of life is? It will force you to gradually give up on life, gradually feel like an alien, and gradually go to the opposite extreme from Ru Ling and the others."

When that time comes, your existence will destabilize the Yue Kingdom, shake the court, and terrify the people. What do you think Ru Ling and Wu Tong will choose? Nian Zhe, those who possess the world are lonely. This path is difficult and has no end in sight. It is not your final choice.

Mother hopes that you can walk your own path step by step, steadily and practically. When you don't yet understand what is right and wrong, Mother will guide you and stop you. But when you grow up, if you still think you are right, then Mother will not stop you.

You must walk the path you choose, no matter how difficult it may be. But the premise is that you can control your own direction. I believe you will be my pride, unlike your grandfather who only thinks of himself.

However, if you truly go astray and become someone your mother doesn't want you to be, your mother will take her sword and be the first to stand before you and kill you, understand?

Lu Nianzhe nodded. Although he was still a little confused about these words, he understood that Qiu Lingyu did everything for his own good. Therefore, in his heart, he would never blame his mother for speaking so seriously and ruthlessly. Because of his mother, he was able to live in the sunshine, and he was able to have younger brothers and sisters and live a happy life.

That night, Lu Nianzhe slept on Qiu Lingyu's bed with a happy smile on his lips, but countless Gu worms crawled out of his body.

The Gu worms were not fully bred yet and were not difficult to deal with. Qiu Lingyu had the aura of Lu Zhe on her body, and the Golden Cicada Gu had once stayed in her body. Therefore, when Qiu Lingyu removed the Gu worms from Lu Nianzhe's body, there was no resistance.

In one night, Qiu Lingyu burned all the Gu worms that had grown inside Lu Nianzhe's body over the past year. As the sun rose, everything returned to calm.

Qiu Lingyu got up early in the morning and saw Hua Xiangrong exercising at the door.

"Are you planning to cover up the crime so early in the morning?"

Hua Xiangrong's words were teasing. Qiu Lingyu smiled and said, "Of course, I'm afraid the child will cry when he finds that the things are gone again."

Hua Xiangrong twisted her waist a few times, turned around and looked at Qiu Lingyu, saying, "He has suffered so much. A child has to bear so much. You, as his mother, have it not easy either. It seems that even if I wanted to hate you, I couldn't bring myself to do so."

Qiu Lingyu lowered her eyes: "This is the first time my sister-in-law has opened her heart to me like this."

Hua Xiangrong chuckled and said, "What do you mean by opening your heart? I don't want to pursue this any further. After all, you are a member of the Shangguan family, and you saved Yueyue's life. That alone is enough to prove that you are family with us. How could family members hold grudges overnight?"

Moreover, Lu Zhe's actions have little to do with you, and even less to do with Xiao Nianzhe. Besides, I really like this child; his temper is very similar to mine when I was a child. I think there's a very good chance of turning him into a swordsman.”

Qiu Lingyu smiled and said, "In that case, I'll have to trouble you, sister-in-law."

Hua Xiangrong pouted: "I'm afraid you won't be able to bear it."

Qiu Lingyu said, "How could I not want to part with them? The twins can already walk, and their bones are very similar to mine. I think I can find something to do."

Hua Xiangrong narrowed her eyes: "So you mean you want to steal my job? You know, I already reserved these two things. They're the best candidates for learning tracking and stealth."

Qiu Lingyu laughed and said, "Sister-in-law, you're exaggerating. Isn't it better to learn as much as possible? Besides, this way we can cultivate several all-rounders."

Hua Xiangrong rolled her eyes. "Then why don't you raise your Nianzhe like that?"