The cousin's family is extremely wealthy; she deserves to be a concubine.

Although the words were still the same, Madam Shen felt much more at ease hearing them from Granny Zhang's perspective.

"I was thinking that this was such a good opportunity to show my face to the masters in the palace, which would make it easier for Seventh Girl to find a husband in the future."

Even if it's a marriage downgrade, once she's married, with her close female friends—including a princess from the imperial family—she won't have to worry about her future husband and in-laws looking down on her. And her children will also have a bright future.

Unfortunately, it's a good opportunity, but I know what kind of child she is, the one I raised. If I really let her go to the palace, who knows what bigger trouble she might cause.

Sigh, being a parent is really difficult.

Granny Zhang knew exactly what Madam Shen was thinking, and only said what she wanted to hear: "Even if our seventh young lady doesn't go to the palace to get that gilded veneer, her future husband's family won't dare to bully or humiliate her."

Why send our seventh daughter to suffer in the palace? Does Madam intend for her to marry into the imperial family?

Madam Shen shook her head. "I would love to have a daughter who is an empress, but she is my own child. How could I not know what kind of person she is?"

If I were more ruthless, I would send her to that cannibalistic place, but she's a piece of my own flesh and blood; how could I bear to do that?

Even though their Lady Zhaoyi in the Marquis's mansion seems to have some status in the palace, she is actually under the oppression of several powerful figures above her, and her life is comparable to a battlefield with flashing swords.

As far as she knew, Consort Zhaoyi had taken countless medicines to conceive a little princess, and she probably wouldn't be able to conceive again.

One was that the emperor never lacked younger and more beautiful women, and the other was that Consort Zhao had damaged her health and could no longer conceive.

Therefore, her own foolish daughter was no match for the shrewd people in the palace.

“Madam wants to send a young lady to earn a better future. Isn’t there a good candidate in the manor?” Granny Zhang’s eyes darted around, and she instantly thought of someone.

Madam Shen lowered her eyes, naturally knowing who Granny Zhang was referring to.

“Granny is right. Sixth Miss is still young. Even if she goes to the palace, how can we be sure that she will marry into a prince’s household in the future?”

“That’s the right way to think, Madam. No matter what, Madam is still her legal mother. No matter how much wealth and honor she earns, it will first fall on Madam’s head, and then benefit Aunt Shui in the side courtyard.”

Madam Shen fanned herself twice with her handkerchief, imagining the scene of Aunt Shui's humiliation, and couldn't help but chuckle to herself.

"Alas, Rong's status is still too low. Even if I help her get into that place, I'm afraid she won't get a good title." Madam Shen couldn't help but frown. At the starting point, she was probably not as good as the sixth daughter of the Marquis.

"Why is Madam worrying so much? Sixth Miss will have to wait at least two more years if she wants to make a name for herself. Cousin is still in mourning, so there's no rush. Let's just plan slowly."

“What you say is true, nanny. I was also a bit rushed today because of what the Marquis said.”

"Madam is overly concerned for her daughter, and her worries have clouded her judgment."

The master and servant looked at each other and smiled, everything was said without words.

No one cared what Hua Sirong, who lived in Qingwu Courtyard, was thinking.

Five days later, an imperial decree arrived, summoning the old lady of the Marquis's residence to bring several girls of marriageable age to the palace, saying that Consort Zhaoyi wanted to meet her family.

When the girls returned, they were rewarded. The sixth girl received no less than the seventh girl, who was born of the main wife, which shows the deeper meaning behind it.

At this moment, Madam Shen had to comfort her unfortunate child, lest she be blinded by the wealth and luxury of the palace.

"Who did you meet when you went to the palace with your grandmother today?" Madam Shen asked softly, even though she had already heard the story from the old nanny Xie who had accompanied her.

This wasn't He Zhizhu's first time entering the palace, but as she grew older, each visit brought a different experience.

She lowered her head and answered respectfully, her usual liveliness and energy gone, which made Shen's eyebrows twitch.

The gentle reply from her beloved daughter reached her ears, "Replying to Mother, today I went to the palace and paid my respects to Her Majesty the Empress, Consort Bing, and Consort Zhaoyi. I also met my cousin, the Princess, and..."

Shen's phone rang loudly immediately, "Who else?"

“Fourth Prince, I also saw the Fourth Prince today.” He Zhizhu’s face instantly flushed a suspicious red.

Shen: ...

"Did all three of you sisters see the Fourth Prince today?"

"Yes," He Zhizhu replied softly.

Madam Shen felt a sudden headache coming on. Her youngest daughter had been to the palace before, but heaven knows that this time, without her own mother by her side, such a blunder had occurred.

"Shouldn't the Fourth Prince be studying at the Imperial Academy at this time? Why is he in the inner palace?" Shen suddenly remembered the great fortune that Marquis He had mentioned earlier.

Hehe, that's really great.

Unexpectedly, her husband and his concubine were plotting to marry into a higher social class behind her back.

Bah! If something good happens, you can get rid of her? No way!

Although He Zhizhu was usually carefree, she could sense the displeasure emanating from her mother at this moment.

She didn't know why her mother was doing this, but she answered her question seriously, "When we went to pay our respects to Consort Zhaoyi, Consort Bing was also speaking in Consort Zhaoyi's palace. It just so happens that tomorrow is Consort Bing's birthday, and His Highness the Fourth Prince specially took leave to send Consort Bing her birthday gift in advance."

That's the reason!

Shen felt like she was vomiting blood.

Lord He and that vile woman, Lady Shui, went to such lengths to send their illegitimate daughter into the palace. Ostensibly, she was to serve the princess, but in reality, they probably had designs on cultivating a relationship with the Fourth Prince.

She was just a concubine's daughter and could never become the fourth prince's principal wife. Why would they abandon the seventh girl and instead fight for the position of a concubine?

Ms. Shen was completely baffled, and now she had something even more troubling.

"Your sixth sister is the most beautiful in our household. When the Fourth Prince saw her today, was he amazed by her beauty?" Madam Shen asked tentatively, with a hint of deliberate provocation.

He Zhizhu's cheeks puffed up in anger. "Didn't Mother always tell me that relying on one's looks to please someone won't last? Sixth Sister is beautiful, but your daughter, I'm just as good-looking."

The Fourth Prince was attracted to Sixth Sister's beauty, but that was only temporary. I am the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Muqing's household; I don't believe a prince would choose a concubine from a concubine's family as his wife.

Madam Shen was pleased that her daughter was smart enough, but said, "The rewards the palace gave to you three sisters were no less than what your sixth sister received. A few days ago, your mother received news that the Consort Zhaoyi in the palace was going to choose a playmate for the little princess, and she decided on your sixth sister."

He Zhizhu's eyes widened. "What? So today, when I went to the palace with Eighth Sister, it was just to be a foil for Sixth Sister?"

Seeing that He Zhizhu had returned to her former self, Shen felt a little relieved.

"You brat, do you think serving people in the palace is a good job?"

He Zhizhu wasn't upset that she didn't get the good job her mother had mentioned.