curled up, a smile with coldness gracing her lips as she began to brew the next step of her plan in her mind.Gu Jingxi walked in from outside, looked up, and saw the little girl with a cold expressio...It was a fine day, with clear blue skies and sunshine all around.

Meng Chengzhang and Gu Xiwen set off for Ling Shan Academy. Although the injuries on their faces hadn't fully healed, they were much better than two days ago. As long as they applied medicine on time, by the day they reached the academy, they would basically be recovered and there would be no trace left.

Gu Xiuwen's first time leaving home, Zhang shi was heartbroken. She sent her son to Shili Pavilion outside the capital city before reluctantly parting with him. Watching her son's excited face, she seemed to be unable to bear being apart from him as a mother.

Zhang didn't say any more, and instructed: "My child, when you reach the academy, you must study hard and strive to pass the end-of-year assessment. Otherwise, if you are asked to leave, your third uncle will also lose face."

Gu Xiwen nodded: "Mother, I know. You can rest assured."

Meng Chengzhang has always been a sensible child, Meng Jinyao didn't have much to tell him, she just told him to eat well and dress warmly, not to put too much pressure on himself, and then said to Gu Xiujian: "Xiujian, in the academy, you look after each other with your second uncle."

"Rest assured, Auntie Three, I will take good care of Uncle Two," Gu Xiuwen said. Then he turned to Meng Chengzhang. Since the day before yesterday, the two of them had teamed up to beat Gu Xiuming, and their relationship had improved a lot. There was an unspoken understanding that they were developing into close friends.

Zhang also chimed in, "Third sister-in-law, rest assured, Xiuwen this child is capable and will take good care of Chengzhang."

She was happy for her son to befriend Meng Chengzhang. A studious person could encourage her son to study hard, and if her brother-in-law really wanted her son to be adopted in the future, Xiuwen would be close to his uncle, strengthening their relationship. He would definitely replace Xiuming as the crown prince.

Meng Chengzhang's face turned pale. He was an elder, but he was younger than the younger generation and was even taken care of by them. It made him feel embarrassed, and he even wanted to switch their seniority, calling Gu Xiuwen "second uncle".

It was getting late. I sent the person off in a carriage and told the driver to go.

Ling Shan Academy is less than four hundred miles away from the capital city, only a two or three-day journey. However, the Zhang family was not at ease leaving their son, so they specifically sent a household servant skilled in martial arts to accompany him for protection. They instructed the servant to safely deliver their son to Ling Shan Academy and then return.

This way, it can both protect safety and let other students see it. It allows everyone to know that this is the disciple of a wealthy family, so they should not provoke him easily. After all, even among scholars, many people revere appearances before people. Those from prominent families are not easily provoked by others.

When returning home, Meng Jinyao and Zhang rode in a carriage together.

The two sisters-in-law were very different in age, could even be mother and daughter, and had little in common to talk about. They chatted on and off along the way.

As we were passing by a jewelry shop, Mrs. Zhang suddenly said, "Third younger sister, I see Lady Yongchang and Miss Meng Er right ahead."

Meng Jinyao, who was meditating with her eyes closed, slowly opened her eyes upon hearing this. She sat beside Zhang, as Zhang lifted the curtain of the carriage. She looked out and saw her stepmother, Sun, and her half-sister, Meng Jinyu, at the entrance of a jewelry shop, waving goodbye to their companions.

The mother and daughter also spotted her, three pairs of eyes met.

The smile on Sun's face froze instantly, her eyes narrowed slightly, a sinister glint in them as she stared at her, as if she wanted to gouge out a piece of flesh from her with her gaze.

Meng Jin's face changed colors, and she glared at her angrily.

Seeing this, Meng Jin Yao raised the corners of her mouth into a smile. It was clear that this mother and daughter hated her to the bone, wishing they could devour her flesh and drink her blood.

She lowered the curtain and ignored them, instead turning to Zhang Shi to talk about other things, avoiding the topic of Sun Shi and her daughter.

Upon seeing this, Meng Jinyu stamped her feet in anger: "Mother, look at her! Just because she's climbed a high branch, she acts like a villain who has gotten away with something. She doesn't even stop to greet the elders. You've really raised her for sixteen years in vain!"

Sun looked at the departing carriage, slowly withdrawing her gaze and suppressing the anger welling up in her heart. She helped her daughter onto the carriage and said softly: "She can't be arrogant for long. In a few years, she will fade in beauty and lose favor. Without children to support her, once the affection of Marquis Changxing wanes, she will be nothing."

“Even without Lord Changxing's favor, she was still the noble Lady Meng Jinyu. She finished speaking, pursed her lips, and felt downcast. The day before yesterday, at a gathering with her female friends, someone ridiculed her, saying that her mother and older sister had quarreled and that, without her sister's connections, the fallen Yongchang Marquis Mansion couldn't find a suitable match for her. She shouldn't even dream of being as glamorous as her elder sister.”

Sun shi scoffed disdainfully: "This Hou fu ren, she's just a widow, what's the difference between being married to an eunuch" Seeing her daughter's dejected expression, she comforted her, "Ayu, mother will find you a good match. You don't have to envy her."

Meng Jinyu lowered her head and whispered, "What good family could I possibly marry into now"

The Sun clan scoffed. "Why wouldn't she be able to marry Our A-Yu is so beautiful and skilled in poetry, music, calligraphy, and painting; she's an excellent girl."

“That was when Meng Jin Yu glanced at his mother, and in a low voice reproached her, "Mother, why did you covet your sister-in-law's dowry back then If it hadn't happened, you two wouldn't have quarreled, and my marriage wouldn't have hit a snag. That way, in the eyes of outsiders, I would have a elder sister who is the wife of a Marquis, who would support me in the future.”

As an elder, being questioned by her child in such a reproachful tone, Mrs. Sun's face flushed with shame. She was instantly enraged and angrily poked the girl's forehead, scolding, "What I did was all for you and Chengxing!"

"Your deceased uncle was a gambler. Your grandmother favored her younger son back then, covering for him and letting him get away with it. Over the years, the Yongchang Marquis's mansion has gradually fallen into decline and is now almost an empty shell. When you get married, there won't even be a decent dowry to your name. You won't be able to hold your head high in your husband's family."

Meng Jin Yu remained silent. It would have been better if he hadn't been kind to her in the first place, so this wouldn't have happened. Now it was all for nothing, and she was left humiliated and ridiculed. The current situation of Yongchang Bo Mansion was dire, and Meng Jin Yao wouldn't help her family. Her future looked bleak.

Even though she was angry, when Sun saw her daughter's dejected expression, she softened her tone and said, "A-Yu, didn't you say a few days ago that you met Princess Jingning and had a pleasant conversation with her"

Meng Jin's eyes suddenly sparkled, a smile gracing her lips, with a hint of triumph: "Jingning County Princess hosted a flower-viewing banquet and sent me an invitation to attend in a couple of days."

Sun Shi looked at her beautiful daughter with a thoughtful expression. An idea quickly formed in her mind. She softly instructed, "Ayu, you must get along well with Princess Jingning. I hear she has a fiery temper, so just bear with her and coax her into happiness. This will bring you many benefits."

Meng Jin'yu nodded. "Mother, I understand this. It took a lot of effort to get onto this line with Princess Jingning. I wouldn't ruin it so easily."ut his life. It seems that parental match-making can sometimes be harmful."She sighed with regret, "I've heard that my second uncle was intelligent and quick-witted, with the makings of a scholar. As...