All the way until evening, Song Yixiao saw that her husband was preoccupied with worries and couldn't help but feel surprised: "Lady Duanmu, who is she? Don't you like her coming?"

  Jian Yu Bai's expression was complex as he shook his head and said briefly, "She is our paternal grandmother's own sister - I've never seen her!"

  "This is strange, I haven't seen it before, why make things difficult like this?" Song Yi smiled and reminded him, only then did he remember the memorial tablet of the Yan State's Madame that he saw at the temple, which indeed belonged to Jianmen Duanmu.

  It's just that this grandmother has been gone for a long time, and no one usually mentions her. She had only been in the house for a few months and hadn't yet gotten familiar with all of Jian's relatives, so it was inevitable that she wouldn't think of her at first.

  She was puzzled by his words, and leaning on her husband's shoulder, she asked curiously: "Is that our ancestor? If so, I'm afraid we're not qualified to entertain her. At most, we can just ask for peace on the surface. If you don't want to see her, it won't be possible to meet again anyway."

  "I heard that this aunt is a very formidable person." Jian Xu Bai forced a smile, obviously distracted, and said, "I didn't think I would get rheumatism, and I don't know how serious it is?"

  Song Yi smiled and saw that he was in a bad mood, so she stopped bothering him with conversation. After a moment of coyness, she said: "I'm tired, let's get some rest."

  This night, Jian Yu slept very restlessly, and Song Yi Xiao was startled awake several times by his tossing and turning. If not for considering that he still had to attend court the next day, she would have liked to hold him back and ask him what was wrong.

  The next day, Jian Yu Bai left without waking her up. After Song Yi Xiao finished washing and dressing up, she hastily had breakfast, packed some food, and took a ride to the residence of the Princess of Jin State. The princess was surprised to see her: "You just returned yesterday, why didn't you take a good rest today?"

  "Thank you, Mother!" Song Yi smiled and got straight to the point, "It's just that my wife heard yesterday that an elder will be coming to the capital after the New Year. She's afraid of being young and inexperienced, making mistakes in front of them, and embarrassing me, so she came to ask for your guidance with a thick face!"

  The Princess of Jin heard this and her face suddenly turned strange, after a while she said: "You're talking about the old lady of Duanmu, aren't you? Don't worry, she's your aunt's mother, very kind and gentle, just treat her like your own grandmother..."

  Speaking of which, I remembered that this wife's paternal grandmother is not reliable, and quickly changed her mouth, "Just treat her as Ah Xū's maternal grandmother!"

  Song Yixiao responded with a "yes", but in her heart, she thought: "Why did mother mention this Duanmu old lady and her face didn't look quite right? It's really strange - what is the origin of this master? I've never heard of it before!"

  But just then Chang Gongzhu said, "However, whatever you do, don't mention your Third Aunt in front of her."

  Song Yi smiled and said: "Yes, but I don't know what's going on?"

  "Your Third Aunt was her own daughter." The Eldest Princess sighed, "Also her only grown-up flesh and blood - unfortunately, she died soon after marrying your Third Uncle. This matter had a great impact on both your Auntie and your Third Uncle. This time when the old lady comes over, by rights your Third Uncle should go to welcome her, but I hope that neither of them will be too heartbroken!"

  Song Yixiao was startled and thought to herself: "Could it be that both Mother-in-law and Father-in-law were unnatural upon hearing that Duanmu Old Madam is coming, are they worried about Third Uncle?"

  It seems that things are not so simple - but then Princess Chang also didn't say anything else, after all, a daughter-in-law shouldn't keep staring at her elders and asking questions to the bottom. Seeing someone coming up to report: "Mr. Qiao has been waiting in the warm pavilion for a stick of incense, asking if Your Highness will listen to music today?"

  He hastily got up and bid farewell: "Wife, go take a look at Little Sister!"

  The princess nodded: "Go!"

  She went to Mingzhu Garden and had a conversation with Nie Wuyan, tactfully indicating that she was busier these days and would continue to teach her younger sister how to dance after the New Year. After getting Nie Wuyan's agreement, she had dinner again before taking her leave.

  After returning to the Yan State Duke's mansion, Song Yishang had just entered the door when Cui Xuan came up to report: "Madam, just now the third master sent someone with a message asking if it would be convenient for him to come to our mansion's side courtyard this afternoon?"

  Song Yi laughed and said: "Third Uncle wants to see a crooked house? Which crooked house? Why?"

  Qiao Xuan glanced around before leaning in and whispering, "It seems to be the place where Third Master lived with his father and brother at the Prince of Guo's residence before Old Master retired."

  "Hurry up and send someone to clean it up, be careful not to mess anything up!" Before asking his mother-in-law, Song Yishuang was still a bit puzzled, but now he understood: this third uncle must have been reminded of his wife by the news that his aunt and mother-in-law were coming to the capital, and he missed the place where they used to live together.

  Song Yi Xiao would never refuse such a request.

  She instructed Xiao Quan, but still wasn't at ease, and after inquiring about the situation in the mansion, apart from Xiang Cui causing trouble, there were no other issues. So she personally went to the side courtyard that Jian Li Miao wanted to see, supervising the servants as they worked, making sure everything was spotless inside and out without changing anything, before returning to her room to change into a new dress, patiently waiting for her uncle's visit.

  In the afternoon, Jian Zhi arrived with only an old servant - compared to the warmth and generosity of their previous meeting, his eyebrows were now filled with melancholy. However, when speaking to Song Yi, his tone was still gentle as before. Due to his elegant demeanor and refined appearance, the sorrow that filled him actually added a bit of elegance to his presence.

  Song Yi Xiao knew he wouldn't like to be disturbed at this moment, so after paying his respects and briefly mentioning the cleaning matter, he led him outside the courtyard gate and took his leave.

  Back in the rear hall, Song Yi laughed and called Zhao's mother over, instructing her: "The courtyard where Uncle is currently residing, tell the people below to avoid it and not disturb him!"

  Madam Zhao nodded and asked, "Qingcui hasn't eaten anything yesterday or today, and she won't even let us put a brazier in her room. I think if she goes on like this, she'll catch a cold sooner or later. What do you think?"

  "Then bring her over!" Song Yi thought for a moment, "It's always the Empress Dowager who gave it to her, and it's impossible to lock her up for life."

  Also said, "Give her some hot porridge to take over, let her eat and drink well before coming - otherwise, talking halfway through will make her dizzy with hunger and cold, what's the point?"

  After a while, after eating, the well-groomed Xiuli was led into the back hall. It had been several months since they last saw each other, and she had lost some weight. However, Song Yi Xiang had not intended to humiliate her too much, considering that she had served Jian Yu Bai for so long. During these days of house arrest, she had been well-fed and well-cared for, and the servants were also forbidden from bullying her openly.

  So this will be followed by two days of fasting, but the spirit is fine.

  "Get up!" Song Yi smiled as she saw her enter the hall and immediately behave politely, with no sign of her previous arrogance. She also slowed down her tone, asked her to sit down, and ordered someone to bring a cup of hot tea. After watching her take a sip and put it down, she said, "I heard you didn't eat or drink just to see me or your husband. Now that you've seen us, what's on your mind? Speak freely!"

  Cui Yu heard this, got up from her seat, knelt down and cried out: "These days, I have reflected on my past mistakes. I regret that I was deceived by the villain's provocation, not knowing the heavens are high and the earth is thick, offending you, madam. Please punish me!"

  Zhao's mother and others were all present at the hall, when they heard the two words "traitor", they were all shocked!

  Song Yi Xiao also furrowed her brow and said: "Get up first and talk!"

  Jin Xun and Qiao Chen caught each other's eye, and quickly went over to help her up. Meanwhile, Song Yi Xiu rapidly thought for a moment, and when Ling Cui was pressed back into her seat by the two maids, her emotions slightly calmed, she slowly said: "Actually, I had always felt that you were somewhat strange in your actions, not like someone who had served the Empress Dowager should be."

  Her words were half true and half false. After all, a steady palace maid in front of the empress dowager might not be equally respectful to others.

  So much for trying to coax Qingtian into pouring out her heart.

  Indeed, Yu Xiu cried like rain: "When I was with the Empress Dowager, I often received advice from my aunts and dared not say that I was very knowledgeable about etiquette, but I understood the hierarchy between superiors and inferiors! If it were up to me, how would I dare offend the lady in such a way? It was really because at the time I was confused for a moment and listened to Cui's persuasion, which led to this great mistake!"

  "Choi's concubine?!" Song Yi's smile fell, her face darkening with great hatred. "I've been too busy to go settle accounts with her, and this poisonous woman has become even more overbearing!"

  The following is a detailed explanation - Because Jian Yu Bai and the Crown Prince are biological cousins, their private relationship is like that of biological siblings, and there is also an age gap between them. Therefore, before Song Yi Xiao married over, the Crown Princess, on the orders of the Crown Prince, was very concerned about Jian Yu Bai's life.

  It's just that as the crown prince's consort is a female relative, Jian Xuebai also has to show respect and cannot possibly go to the East Palace every other day to receive her sister-in-law's concern.

  The crown prince's consort often ordered people to send slaves and servants to the East Palace to ask about Gong Ye's recent situation; sometimes things were sent to the Yan Guo Gong Fu, which was also handed over to the slaves and servants to manage.

  This back-and-forth gave Cui Jianyu an opportunity to get in touch with Xun Cui.

  "The slave knows that Consort Cui was highly favored after entering the Eastern Palace, and although Crown Princess was affectionate towards her, she did not have any intention of being overly cautious. However...Consort Cui claimed to have known you since childhood, Madam, and understood your temperament better than anyone!"

  This reason suddenly caught Cui's heart - after all, she had always regarded herself as a quasi-mother-in-law to Jian Yu Bai, and was naturally very concerned about the character of her future mistress!

  Cui Xian took advantage of this concern: "Concubine Cui said that you, madam... You are just a guest in the Wangfu of Hengshan, and you are the most timid and weak. You don't have the demeanor of a mistress at all! And... and you vowed that after you get married, you will definitely not be able to hold up the backyard, and when the time comes, the master will be busy with both internal and external affairs, I don't know how hard it will be!"

  Cui's face turned red as she wiped her nose with one hand and her tears with the other, saying "This servant was confused for a moment, thinking...thinking that you wouldn't care about things anyway, so it's better if this servant takes care of it, to avoid troubling Master too much!"

  Who would have thought that Cui Jianlian was just talking nonsense!

  Song Yi smiled, not a bit timid or weak, on the contrary, she had an extraordinary strong will that most new wives couldn't match.

  She thought she had the upper hand, but in the end, not only did she suffer a crushing defeat, but even the Empress Dowager and Jian Yu Bai didn't intend to speak up for her. If she doesn't apologize to the mistress soon, Xiang Cui really doesn't know how long she'll be locked up.

  She is four years older than Jian Yu Bai, and at the age of 21, she is already considered an old girl. No matter what happens in the future, how can she be delayed?

  Song Yi Xiao heard this, narrowed her eyes and smiled faintly: "Who is perfect? You've made mistakes, but first, you were deceived by others, and second, now you understand. I think these past events don't need to be mentioned again!"

  Zhao's mother heard this and hastily gave her a warning glance: "Partial words, how can you believe them?"

  "In that case, you don't need to continue reflecting in the house either." Song Yi smiled and ignored the wet nurse, only smiling at Xian Cui, "But I wonder what your next plan is?"

  She certainly couldn't believe it just because of Qian Cui's crying and complaining - whether this servant girl was really remorseful or pretending to be obedient, after making such a fuss, the root cause must be that she didn't want to continue being confined. Song Yi Xiao wanted to see what she would do after finding a way to escape from confinement.