Princess Qingrui is the only daughter of the Third Prince.

After the Third Prince passed away, she took in a son-in-law in the capital, and the Princess's Mansion where she lived was not far from the Ninth Prince's Mansion.

He had a close personal relationship with Song Yushu.

The two were less than ten years apart in age, but in terms of seniority, she should call Mo Yunhan Ninth Uncle and her Aunt.

But since Song Yushu was not of royal blood, she couldn't accept the title of "aunt," and Mo Qingrui, being sensible, would call her "sister" instead.

Song Yushu naturally couldn't be presumptuous, so he carefully put away the remaining talismans, his smile now showing a hint of protectiveness.

"Princess, Lady Jiang was brought back by your Ninth Uncle. Are you sure you want to say such things about her?"

Mo Qingrui pursed her lips.

Her husband was the vice-head of the Imperial Academy, a bookworm who didn't know how to curry favor.

Her father died young and left her no power or influence.

Her favorite pastimes are playing mahjong and chatting with people; she came here out of curiosity.

"Then I was being nosy, sister, please don't take offense. My Uncle Jiu is someone that no one but the Emperor Emeritus can control."

Yu Ying had already cleared the table and brewed fragrant tea.

Mo Qingrui took the teacup and changed the subject.

"Your son Chengye did very well in this exam. He said he's going to transfer to the top class to study with the princes. He's sure to be a successful person in the future."

When his son was mentioned, Song Yushu's expression softened considerably.

"Chengye should be back in a couple of days after his break. I'll take him to visit and express my gratitude."

Mo Qingrui chuckled.

"My sister thinks I've come to ask for a thank-you gift? My husband's temperament is such that all he does is study. If Chengye's grades aren't good, he'll never change his class."

She suddenly stopped smiling.

"Sister probably doesn't know yet, but the young lady living in the backyard has an adopted son who has been sent to the Imperial Academy by the Su family. You should tell Chengye about it as soon as possible. In case the rumors outside reach Chengye's ears, that child is pure and can't tolerate any impurities, and it might cause trouble again."

Song Yushu's heart tightened.

The two chatted for a while longer before Mo Qingrui left.

...

For several days, rumors and gossip circulated, and Su Yulan waited for Jiang Qingwan to be thrown out.

But it never came.

Instead, they were reprimanded by the Su family.

The old prince personally summoned her to the ancestral hall and made her kneel for three hours, until her legs were almost unable to straighten. She was also surrounded and ridiculed by the members of the eldest son's family.

Her mother, Madam Cheng, helped her out, her face grim.

"Is this the path you've chosen? Just as pathetic as your father."

Su Yulan's eyes reddened with anger.

"Then what do you want me to do? Don't you know best why Grandpa won't help me? I've tried so hard to do all this, and you still turn around and criticize me. Can't you think of a solution for me?"

Mr. Cheng sighed helplessly.

"As long as Qin Minglang can achieve something in the Ministry of War, I will immediately take him to see the Imperial Concubine. Lan'er, you must remember that only by having power in your hands can you have the confidence to speak in the Su family."

Su Yulan was upset.

How could she not understand this principle?

However, right now, Mo Yunhan is targeting him everywhere because of Jiang Qingwan, so even if Qin Minglang has military achievements, he cannot make any significant progress.

Just as I was getting anxious, I suddenly heard the clatter of horses' hooves approaching from afar.

Qin Minglang, dressed in a gray-blue robe, reined in his horse and stopped in front of them, full of vigor.

Su Yulan was already angry, and seeing him made her legs hurt even more.

"This is Chang'an District. Are you crazy to ride a horse here?"

Qin Minglang, beaming with pride, bowed to the Cheng family and immediately pulled out the blueprints for the chariot modification from his robes.

"Lan'er, I wish to present this to the old prince, and he will surely see me."

Su Yulan reached out and pinched his arm hard.

"Is this worth ten thousand taels of silver, or some kind of treasure map? Do you think I'm not embarrassed enough already?"

Cheng was now quite displeased with him.

"Minglang, don't act rashly and implicate Lan'er anymore. Instead, think about how to achieve some political success as soon as possible."

Qin Minglang held up the blueprints in his hand.

“Mother-in-law, Lan’er, this is my achievement, look.”

He looked around and mysteriously unfolded the blueprints.

Su Yulan couldn't see anything, but Cheng was the second daughter of the Su family. Although she was inconspicuous in her childhood and not favored by the old prince, she had been exposed to the world for many years and naturally had a broader perspective.

"Is this a diagram of a war chariot?"

Qin Minglang explained in detail the power of the improved version, which immediately made Su Yulan's eyes light up.

“Mother, I will take Minglang to see Grandfather now.”

Cheng shook his head.

"Lan'er, your cousin is in the army. If this kind of credit is given directly to your grandfather, do you think it would still fall on Minglang's head?"

The eldest son had a son and a daughter. His son was sent to the army by the old prince and, together with his father, has become a vanguard general.

Meanwhile, her daughter was also granted the title of County Princess. She was a well-known talented young lady in the capital and had long caught the eye of the various empresses, who were just waiting for the right moment to select a prince as their consort.

What do they, the second wife, have to compare with?

Otherwise, why would Madam Cheng have agreed to let Su Yulan marry Qin Minglang?

Isn't it just a desire to gain the favor of the old prince who has spent his life worrying about military and political affairs?

Qin Minglang was anxious.

“Mother-in-law, if I don’t hand it over to the old prince, do you expect me to hand it over to the Vice Minister of War? I’m just a lowly supervisor; any modifications to the chariots require his approval.”

Mr. Cheng was confident of success.

"This matter need not go through the Ministry of War; it should be reported directly to the Emperor."

Qin Minglang's heart pounded wildly, and he bowed to Su Yulan.

"Please give me your guidance, Mother-in-law."

Ms. Cheng reached out and helped him up.

"Make sure you remember this drawing. In a few days, the Emperor will be inspecting the patrol camp. As the supervisor, you will definitely be assigned to accompany him. You don't need to show the drawing; just explain it to the Emperor on the spot. That will be the best approach."

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