The Empress and the Second Princess were secretly paving the way for their respective candidates for the throne, but Wei Mengying couldn't extricate herself to help her son - her ex-husband's current mother-in-law and current wife came knocking on her door together, such an embarrassing thing, not to mention unprecedented, was rarely seen throughout history!

  The Lu family has a deep relationship with the Eastern Palace, and Emperor Xian is particularly fond of the Crown Prince due to his poor health over the years. What he dislikes the most is for his subjects to be disrespectful to the Crown Prince. Even though Wei Mengying is a princess, she still had to hold back her frustration and muster up the energy to think about how to entertain these two.

  "The Empress has never been fond of me, and this time Huang and Lu have come to my door with some kind of intention. No matter what it is, according to etiquette I must go pay my respects first, but who knows how that old thing will treat me? Wei Mengying had sent someone to ask several times, but still couldn't figure out what these two were up to. Even with her composure, she couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed. 'What do you think they're planning?' she asked. 'Are they trying to take Xiaoxiao back again?'"

  Her eyes turned cold at this - did he actually think he could take a peach from her hand?

  Is there something wrong with Lujia's brain?

  It's not just her who thinks so, Baoma also believes it's impossible: "Miss Song has been raised by you for so many years, and you are Miss Song's biological mother. Although they are considered Miss Song's elders in name only, what qualifications do they have to say this when they haven't given birth to her or raised her?!"

  "They're just the ones who showed up, it doesn't mean they're the masterminds!" Wei Mengying's face revealed a look of disgust. "That old thing from the Pang family! Don't come up with another fake illness! This old thing loves playing this trick... Why doesn't she just die already?!"

  "That year, the Empress Dowager herself warned Old Lady Pang, how dare the Song family disobey the Empress Dowager's orders? Even if Old Lady Pang is really ill and wants to see Miss Song now, the Song family wouldn't dare mention it! Besides, there hasn't been any news about the Song family recently." Mama Bao shook her head, showing a hint of hesitation, "I think..."

  "Huh?"

  "The Lu family has a close relationship with the Eastern Palace. Now that Madame Huang is ignoring public opinion and bringing her daughter to their doorstep, could it be... also because of the Eastern Palace?"

  Wei Mengying was taken aback: "How is this possible? The Eastern Palace... the status of the Crown Prince is so noble! Xiao Xiao may be outstanding among girls, but how could she have possibly met the Crown Prince?"

  "This year's Shangsi banquet!" Thin Mother reminded, "The one Miss Song participated in was held at the Zhanchun Pavilion of Qingjiang County Master. That Zhanchun Pavilion has been famous since dawn! Although it was bestowed upon Qingjiang County Master by Your Majesty, members of the imperial family and county masters also often go there for short stays - after the Crown Prince finishes his official duties, he may... Such a large garden, I'm afraid Miss Song herself doesn't even know about this!"

  Her speculation seemed absurd, but it wasn't entirely unreasonable - although Huang and Lu were not of the same noble status, relying on the Eastern Palace, they were still very respectable in front of the empress, what could have driven them to this point?

  After some thought, it's most likely related to the Crown Prince of the Lu family!

  Wei Mengying's heart skipped a beat: "If Xiao Xiao really enters the Eastern Palace..."

  "But since the Crown Prince has ordered the Lu family to handle this matter, it's clear that he still holds them in high regard." Thin Mother reminded, "To be able to handle such private matters for the Crown Prince, the Lu family's position in front of him..."

  If it's really like this, then it would be unfair to the Lu family.

  Otherwise, Song Yishang had not yet entered the East Palace, but had already made a powerful enemy under the tree!

  "As for status, Lu is also the mother of my daughter-in-law. Many people have come out to help me with my daughter, I'm delighted and haven't had time to be happy yet, would I still bother to calculate accounts with her?" Wei Mengying was previously anxious about not understanding the intentions of Huang and Lu, but now that she has a clue, she immediately calmed down, smoothed out her clothes, and smiled, "Am I someone who doesn't understand reason?"

  After all, after the princess entered the East Palace, in order to stabilize her position, she also needed the help of the Lu family!

  As for whether Song Yixiao would be fooled by Lu's family, Wei Mengying wasn't worried at all - she thought that over the past six years, she had been pampering her daughter, but this daughter only cared about herself and didn't care about her younger brother's future? Such an unscrupulous daughter made her, as a mother, headache, let alone Lu who was neither her biological mother nor someone she had lived with?!

  "After confirming this matter, I must teach Xiaoxiao a few tricks and get the Lu family under control. It's a good helper! Moreover, the East Palace already has a crown prince's wife, and it's not easy to live as a concubine! Wei Mengying narrowed her eyes, 'Of course, the most important thing is to coax the crown prince well - if a woman can't even serve her own husband properly, what else can she do?'"

  Of course, before teaching her daughter, she still had to make amends with her daughter - smiling and saying, "Little heart, mother knew long ago that you have the fortune of being an imperial concubine, how could you bear to let those messy matchmakers sully your eyes?"

  With infinite beautiful prospects for the future, Wei Mengying finally made it through to the day when Huang and Lu came to their door.

  What a relief it was for her that the imperial concubine declined to see the two guests on the grounds of "not feeling well", and only let the maid Orchid come over to say a few polite words to Wei Mengying, indicating that she would let her daughter-in-law entertain herself.

  "This old thing didn't let me off easy!" Wei Mengying heard the news, while asking Huang and Lu to have some tea, she thought to herself, "It should be really not good... If she were to truly fall ill and not get up again, how great would that be? With Lu Guanlun losing this old thing's support, how can he still compete with my Yun'er?"

  In her heart, Wei Mengying cursed the Empress Dowager a few times. She was eager to verify Madame Qin's conjecture and saw that Huang Shi and Lu Shi had lightly sipped their tea before putting down their cups. Pretending not to understand, she asked: "I hope the two ladies won't mind my straightforwardness. Since I've never been out before, now that you've both come in person, I don't know what instructions you have?"

  "I shouldn't have come today, it was presumptuous of me! Please forgive me, Your Highness!" Huang Shi smiled and said, "Earlier when my daughter got married, I heard that the Song family had an intelligent and talented eldest miss. After she got married, I never got to see her. Later, I found out that the eldest miss was being raised in the Wang mansion... thinking that you are not only the birth mother of the eldest miss but also a noble princess, the eldest miss is being personally raised by you, how can my daughter compare? So, I didn't dare disturb you!"

  She said that it was also a waste of effort - first, she pointed out that when Song Yixiao left the Song family, Lu Shi had not yet entered the door, and the two sides had no grudges; then she flattered Wei Mengying's noble identity as her birth mother, and naturally, raising her own daughter was more reliable than a stepmother, making excuses for the fact that she had not taken care of Song Yixiao for six years.

  Wei Mengying listened with a smile: "Madam, you haven't said what brought the two of you here?"

  "I have no other intention, it's just that I also have a daughter at home now. After raising her, I think about how the eldest sister has been away from home for many years and hasn't fulfilled any responsibility, and I really feel guilty in my heart!" The second wife still had to lower her head in front of the first wife, even though Wei Mengying had changed from Song Weizhi to Lu Weizhi. With a request to make to Lu Shi, she humbly bowed her head and said, "So this time I came uninvited, one reason is to bring some things for the eldest sister, and the other is to take a look at the eldest sister!"

  "You're also Laughing Girl's mother, so-called elder's gift, I don't dare decline. The things for her, I'll have someone send them to Huanxia Xiao Zhu later." Wei Mengying blew on the tea foam and said with a smile, "It's just that seeing Laughing Girl is... really inconvenient! Next month is the Empress Dowager's birthday, and that child wants to embroider a congratulatory picture as a gift to repay the Empress Dowager's love over the years! Unfortunately, there were too many miscellaneous things before, which delayed the progress! In order to rush for the birthday, these days I've been working overtime in seclusion, I don't want to disturb her either!"

  She sighed on purpose at this point, "After all, she has also reached the age of marriage, and even if she is grateful to the imperial concubine, she will not be able to serve the imperial concubine for long!"

  She said this, hoping that Huang and Lu would bring up the matter of Song Yixiao's lifelong event - but these two had heard about Jian Yu Bai's process of giving and receiving the token before they came, so in their opinion, Jian Yu Bai was so explicit, how could Song Yixiao not know?

  Song Yi Xiao knew, how could she not tell her own mother?

  So Huang and Lu misunderstood her, thinking she was deliberately bringing up the Empress Dowager to reject them.

  "This thing was impossible to accomplish in one go, it's just the first time we've met, let's not get too entangled! Lest we become annoying!" The mother and daughter exchanged a glance, both thinking the same thought, "Although we didn't see anyone today, at least the gift was delivered and received very readily."

  Since Wei Mengying is willing to accept the gift on behalf of the girl, it's clear that the grudge between them hasn't reached an irreconcilable point yet, which is a relief for both of them!

  "Miss is absolutely right!" Before Lu arrived, she had already prepared to be driven out by Wei Mengying with a clever trick. Now, no matter how Wei Mengying pretended to be friendly and courteous, her attitude was much better than she had expected.

  So now, disappointed and returned in disappointment, her mood was not affected much. She respectfully said, "To think about it, I have been wrongly addressed as 'mother' by the young lady for many years, which is extremely embarrassing! Now that I've come at an inconvenient time, I don't want to delay the young lady's important matters!"

  Wei Mengying was about to say something, when Huang Shi took over the conversation: "Although Your Ladyship is generous and willing to see us despite your busy schedule, since Eldest Miss is not free, how could we dare continue to disturb Your Ladyship?"

  Saying so, he pulled his daughter up and bid farewell.

  I haven't even finished drinking this cup of tea yet, why are you leaving already?!

  The key point is, you haven't told me yet, what's the real reason you suddenly started paying attention to my daughter!

  The Huang and Lu families thought they were knowledgeable and tactful, and took their leave in a timely manner, but Wei Mengying was caught off guard!

  But to directly intercept Huang and Lu's inquiry would be embarrassing and put her at a disadvantage - fortunately, she was a resourceful person. She narrowed her eyes, let out a soft sigh: "Do you two know why Xiao Xiao is so grateful to the Empress Dowager? To tell the truth, if it weren't for the Empress Dowager's kindness in taking her in and protecting her back then, this child might not even be alive today!"

  As Wei Mengying was pouring out her past experiences and dragging on the time, while also probing Huang and Lu's attitudes, in Huanxia Xiao Zhu, Song Yixiao was fully focused on flying needles and threads.

  Although it was said that giving embroidery to the Empress Dowager as a birthday gift was just an excuse agreed upon by the mother and daughter, in order not to lose face, on the Empress Dowager's birthday, she really needed to bring out an embroidered piece.

  "Miss, take a rest, Chuanjin sister sent cherries over!" Jin Xun walked to her side, took out a handkerchief and wiped the thin sweat on her forehead, advising, "Just bought from the market, they're sweet!"

  These two days, Wei Mengying often sent people to deliver things, Song Yixiao always felt that her enthusiasm was a bit off, and it's possible that she already knew about Jian Yu's gift of the jade pendant——She heard the rumors again, her mind wandered, and she almost pricked her hand. She hastily stopped, covered up, and stood up: "Let me take a look!"

  Upon entering the outer room, I indeed saw a basket of cherries on the table, bright red and sparkling with dew, surrounded by several leaves that had also been moistened by the dew, making them even more appetizing.

  "The princess had someone buy it early this morning, saying that the young lady has loved to eat this since she was a child, and specially packed more for you." Chuan Xing stood at the bottom, smiling and reporting to Wei Mengying, "In other places, even the baskets in the Fourth Princess's place are smaller by one circle!"

  Song Yi laughed and walked to the table, first grabbed a handful for her: "I knew my mother loved me the most - want to try some?" Then turned around and ordered Jin Xun, "Pack some and send them to Zhi Qin!"

  Qiao Xuan and Han Xia's Xiao Zhu had a good relationship, usually sending food over, Song Yi laughed and shared with her, she wouldn't refuse. Today, however, she hesitated for a moment, apologetically saying: "I'm not having good luck today, I still have to go to the Wei family later, so it's not convenient to accept."

  Song Yi laughed and asked in surprise: "Is there something going on at your maternal grandmother's house?"

  "The princess thought it was a bit desolate and cold for you to live here alone." Chao Chen smiled, "So I wanted to invite Seventh Sister to stay for a few days and keep you company!"

  This made Song Yiliao feel extremely surprised - in all these years, Wei Mengying had often sent things to her maternal family and would bring her children back for visits during holidays, but she had never taken in any nephews or nieces to stay at the Wang estate?

  After all, Song Yixiao has been living in the Wang Mansion for a long time. If other people come to live here, it will be embarrassing for the people of the Wang Mansion. Let alone Wei Mengying as the hostess of the Wang Mansion, with so many things to do every day, she may not even have time to take care of her own children, let alone have the leisure to care about her nephews and nieces?

  "What is Mother thinking of again?" Song Yi smiled and ate cherries with a puzzled expression.