"As a biological father and daughter, no matter how badly he treats me, I would still be accused of being unfilial if I say I don't miss him! But if I say I do miss him, this person will take advantage of the situation and help me achieve my goal!"

  Although the Hengshan royal palace is currently in chaos due to the establishment of the crown prince, it's not a place to stay for long. Wei Mengying's mother isn't very reliable either, but everything is relative - compared to Song Yuan's father, being by her mother's side is much safer.

  Especially Song Yixiao is now at the age of speaking about marriage, and if she returns to the Song family, she may be forced to marry Liu Zhiyin tomorrow!

  Even if it wasn't Liu Zhiyin, given her grandmother Mrs. Pang's dislike of her, she wouldn't be able to arrange anything good for her; in all likelihood, she would still sell her off again - how could she take such a risk for the rest of her life!

  Thinking of the consequences of not answering well, she was extremely nervous and forced a smile after a long while: "Labor public grandfather asked: biological father, how can you not miss? It's just that I'm stupid and clumsy, it's hard to please my father, but I don't dare to disturb him. Only in the morning and evening prayers, wishing him longevity and peace, I am also satisfied!"

  Jian Yu Bai leaned her head to one side, with one hand supporting her chin and the other playing with a golden cup. Upon hearing this, she revealed a thoughtful expression.

  His contemplative appearance was focused and quiet, as if even time itself had been infected with serenity.

  At that time, the spring breeze blew gently, bringing up a sky full of flower rain.

  Among the fluttering falling flowers, the young Guo Gong with a crimson robe and jade belt was elegant and refined, his demeanor clear and cold. Clearly only separated by a stone table, yet for some reason he made people feel like he was far away, as if in the clouds.

  Magnificent as a bright cloud rising, gentle as a clear moon ascending, what is called "beauty that overthrows a city" is nothing more than this.

  Song Yi couldn't help but stare blankly for a moment with a heart full of thoughts.

  Jian Yu Bai was obviously accustomed to the stunning gaze, and calmly let her stare, saying lightly: "It's said that he remarried again, his new wife gave birth to a daughter for him, who is treated like a precious gem."

  Song Yi Xiao was taken aback by his words and thought anxiously: "What does he really want to say?"

  Song Yuan's remarriage was something she knew about, after all, at her age, she had already started going out and socializing.

  Although her family background is embarrassing, she has a good personality and can talk, in the imperial capital's circle of noble ladies, there are always a few acquaintances who nod to each other, some things that everyone knows about, she also knows.

  Especially Song Yuan is her own father, no matter good or bad intentions, when the girls gather together, someone always whispers a few words to her privately.

  Song Yuan was initially impeached and dismissed from office for "not being diligent in the inner court", and avoided the storm at a villa outside the city for two years. Four years ago, with the help of his father's good friend before his death, he finally succeeded in reinstatement and returned to work in the Secretariat.

  His current wife is not inferior to the Liu family, but rather the daughter of Lu Yicheng, a guest of the Crown Prince, who is said to be chaste, quiet, and elegant in writing, with a strong aristocratic style, deeply loved by the Peng family.

  After passing the door, she and Song Yuan worked together to serve her mother-in-law with great care - so even though she still hasn't given birth to a male heir, both Pang Shi and Song Yuan are very protective of the mother-daughter pair.

  Lu's daughter, Song Yixiao's half-sister, named Song Yibao.

  It can be seen that this second miss who just learned to walk has a high status in the Song family.

  "I haven't seen my sister before, but I think she must be extremely lovely and cute." Unable to guess Jian Yu's intentions, Song Yi smiled and decided to play along - in any case, she wouldn't give anyone the opportunity to criticize her!

  She displayed the most dignified and virtuous demeanor of her life, smiling solemnly and saying, "Under my parents' loving care, I can see that she is happy and comforted. As an unfilial daughter, I can finally put my mind at ease a little!"

  Before the words had fallen, a sharp glint suddenly flashed across Jian Yu's eyes. He flung down the jade cup and coldly laughed: "You're lying!"

  Song Yi smiled: "......"

  How can you be like Zi Xiaozi, turning your face as easily as turning a page?

  It was fine just now!

  She silently swallowed her bitter tears, thinking about how to make amends, when Jian Yu Bai had already instructed Ji Su, Jin Xun and Qing Ruo to retreat to a distance.

  Ji Su and Qing Ruo hastily obeyed, but Jin Xun hesitated and refused to leave.

  Jian Yu's face turned pale and her expression darkened, as if she was about to have an outburst. Song Yi smiled wryly and waved his hand at her, and only then did she back away, glancing back three times before retreating.

  "Speak the truth!" Jian Yu Bai cleared his throat, stood up from his seat, and walked to Song Yi Xiao with his hands behind his back. He lowered his eyes and warned, "Or perhaps you'd like to return to the Song household immediately to fulfill your filial duties?"

  He was tall and slender. Song Yixiao was considered tall among girls of the same age, but she was still a head shorter than him.

  Now she sits while he stands, and the disparity is especially pronounced.

  Feeling the overwhelming pressure, Song Yishao bit her lip for a moment before reluctantly asking: "What truth do you want me to say, Master? Is it about missing my father? Or my father's remarriage? Or perhaps my half-sister?"

  Jian Yu Bai stared at her for a moment before saying: "It's all true!"

  "Alright!" Circumstances were stronger than people, Song Yi couldn't help but yield, her light pink cherry lips curled into a self-mocking smile. "This first question: If it weren't for your generosity back then, I'm sure you've also heard about the consequences I would have faced! So, even if I miss my father, I absolutely don't want to fall into his hands. I wonder if this answer satisfies you, sir?"

  Seeing Jian Yu's pale face, Song Yi smiled and continued, "Secondly, Father's remarriage was a matter of course as well as expected. Now that I no longer live in the Song household, it seems unimportant to me."

  "As for what I said about my sister." This time she was silent for a while, before murmuring, "My idea is that people are like their names."

  "What kind of person is as their name suggests?" Jian Xu's eyes narrowed slightly, his phoenix-like eyes deep and full of inquiry.

  Song Yi Xiao raised her head and looked at him for a moment before smiling: "She's precious, I'm a joke!"

  "…Hmph!" Jian Yu Bai's expression was gloomy for a long time, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he only let out a cold laugh. Song Yi Xiao caught a glimpse of self-mockery on his face and wondered: "Could it be that Jian Zhen still favors the eldest son over the youngest son?"

  Otherwise, what need is there for a proud son of heaven like Jian Yu to be self-deprecating?

  If that's the case, then he would have asked for a long time, what he really wanted to know was probably his own thoughts as one who was also neglected among brothers and sisters.

  Song Yi Xiao was still guessing, but Jian Yu Bai quickly restrained his cold smile and said indifferently: "I'll leave first, please excuse me, Miss Song!"

  Having said that, he didn't wait for her to bid farewell, and with a flick of his wide sleeve, he strode away!

  Ji Su saw from afar and hurriedly caught up.

  Song Yi Xiao didn't know if her guess was right or not, and she stared blankly as he left - seeing off the crimson robe disappearing into the sea of flowers, she felt like she had overlooked something, and couldn't help but rub her forehead repeatedly.

  Jin Xun and Qing Ruo waited until Jian Yu Bai left the pavilion before they dared to enter, and when they saw her worried expression, their hearts were all a little nervous.

  Jin Xun thought for a moment, then made an excuse to ask Qing Ruo to help pick some apricot flowers and bring them back to the embroidery building to put in a vase, sending her away. Only then did she carefully ask: "Miss, are you alright? Just now, Lord Jian...

  "He asked a few questions about his early years." Song Yi smiled and waved her hand, indicating that she shouldn't worry, saying "You go play by yourself, I'll just sit here for a bit."

  Jin Xun didn't have the heart to play around. She begged for punishment: "It's all this slave's fault for not listening well, please punish me, miss!"

  "Mei Ping and the others should know that Jian Gong Ye is here, why wouldn't they remind us?" Song Yi smiled and shook her head, "It must be an accidental encounter."

  Seeing her didn't seem to be a big deal, Jin Xun let out a sigh of relief, but still felt guilty in his heart. So when Qing Yu returned with the apricot flowers, he suggested going back: "It's about time, Miss Yuan should be awake by now. If we don't see her, she might get worried."

  Song Yixiao knew she was being considerate, but now neither the master nor the servant were in the mood to appreciate flowers. Continuing to stay here would be meaningless - it wasn't until they were on their way back to the embroidery building that she suddenly remembered what she had overlooked, and her footsteps came to an abrupt halt as her face changed color!

  Jin Xun and Qing Ruo were both startled and stopped in their tracks. Jin Xun hastily asked, "Miss?"

  "It's nothing!" Song Yi smiled and took a deep breath, continuing to walk forward, but her heart was extremely uneasy: "The two people in the pavilion just now, the one standing was actually Jian Xu Bai! When he left, his outline, as drawn by the spring light outside the pavilion, was exactly the same as the figure I saw from afar earlier! Then... who was the person sitting there and letting Jian Xu Bai serve him?!"

  Jian Yu Bai is the emperor's eldest nephew, although not the only one, he is the only grandson personally raised by the empress dowager! With this alone, it is enough to make him proud among his peers.

  Not to mention he also has the title of Duke of a superior product in his possession!

  Adding the fact that he is the birth mother of the Grand Princess and the grandfather of the Prime Minister, such a background makes even the princes and princesses dare not to be careless. The number of people in this world who are qualified to let him serve as a substitute for the emperor can be counted on one's fingers!

  And more than half of these people are in the imperial palace, such as the empress dowager and the emperor's wife, who obviously cannot appear here.

  Also, Jian's family members seemed to have no reason to come to the Boling Hou Mansion just to let Jian Yu serve them in white clothes.

  After all, the other members of the Jian family didn't have a close relationship with the Yuan family. The apricot blossom forest that Old Bo Ling Hou gave to his wife was indeed beautiful, but it wasn't like you couldn't see similar scenery elsewhere. The current master of the Hou Mansion, Yuan Xue Pei, was still recovering from his injuries and wasn't in any condition to receive guests. Jian You Bai's visit as a friend and fellow soldier was tolerable, but for those who didn't have a deep enough relationship, showing up at this time would be impolite.

  Jian's family gate is even higher than Yuan's, how could they do something so beneath their status?

  "If it's a close relative, why would Jian Xubai have to make an appearance and drag things out? Song Yi thought to herself, secretly shocked. "From what just happened, either this person's identity shouldn't be exposed, or Jian Xubai's relationship with him isn't good... Mother said that after Duke Boling returned injured, Jian Xubai personally visited the manor every day to show his concern, extremely attentive! Now it seems, he was so diligent, probably not entirely for Yuan Xuepei!"

  It's probably also because of borrowing the Hou Mansion's location and using the excuse of visiting Yuan Xuepei that they secretly met with that person just now.

  "Hurry up and coax Ruan sister back to the Wang mansion!" Song Yi smiled, pinched her brow, and a hint of solemnity flashed in her eyes. "Although the Wang mansion is also turbulent now, at least I know what the source of the undercurrents is. When it's really unavoidable, I'll have a bottom line! Unlike this side, which is foggy and uncertain, and doesn't even know if it's right or wrong!"