The boys certainly couldn't stay, after all, they had all seen what had just happened.

So they all rushed after them.

In the small flower hall, the women gathered together, drinking tea and eating snacks, and the topic gradually turned to marriage.

Whose daughter-in-law married from afar? Whose daughter got engaged? Whose daughter-in-law gave birth to a healthy baby boy?

Family matters are a favorite and timeless topic for women, regardless of their social status.

Madam Liu asked the old lady, "Has Huan-ge'er been engaged?"

"It'll be soon. We've been preparing things these past few days, and the betrothal ceremony will be held in seven or eight days." Grandma Li beamed as she talked about marrying her granddaughter-in-law. "If everything goes smoothly, our family will have a new member before the New Year."

"It will definitely go smoothly. Your family is so harmonious; they are the kindest family you can find. The Peng family's daughter is really lucky to marry into this family," Madam Liu replied with a smile.

The other women, out of curiosity, asked about it. They were all surprised to hear that the Li family's grandson had married the daughter of a teacher at Luo'an Academy.

Although the academy teacher's status was not particularly high, and this Ms. Peng was not particularly famous, she was still a lady from a scholarly family. Why would she have taken a fancy to the grandson of the Li family's cook?

Even if they truly valued the Li family, they should have chosen the eldest grandson who would be studying.

Of course, everyone kept these words to themselves, but no one said them aloud.

Just then, Lanlan ran back crying.

The delicate little girl cried until her eyes were red and swollen, like a frightened little rabbit, attracting everyone's attention.

"What's wrong? Lanlan, who bullied you?" A woman in a red dress, who was sitting near the door, immediately went up to Lanlan, hugged her, and started yelling.

Madam Liu frowned, a hint of displeasure flashing in her eyes, but she still smiled and said, "The children are playing happily together, what are you talking about bullying? Quickly ask them, maybe they were scared by the insects. Winter is coming soon, and at this time of year, the insects all want to hop around for a few more days."

Everyone quickly chimed in with laughter, "Yeah, I got bitten by a mosquito the other day and it swelled up into a big red bump. It's much worse than in the summer."

Seeing that the topic was about to be steered off course, Lanlan cried even louder.

"Waaah, it's not a bug, it's the princess! The princess said I was born to a concubine and doesn't like me. She won't let my cousins ​​play with me, and she even said I was trying to harm her! I didn't do anything!"

The little girl was quite something; she cried so hard, tears streaming down her face, yet she spoke without a single stutter, making sure everyone could hear her clearly.

The woman in red immediately became furious. "What do you mean, born of a concubine? Lanlan is clearly our family's legitimate daughter! Even if you look down on our family's low status, come after us! What kind of behavior is it to bully a child!"

Madam Liu gritted her teeth in anger, still wanting to patiently say a few words of comfort, but Old Madam Li slammed down her teacup and spoke.

"This little girl just said that our princess bullied her, didn't she? And that she was bullied because of her lowly status?"

The old lady sneered, "That's strange. Our princess gets along well with all the children in the village. Everyone says that the princess is generous and well-behaved, and she has never quarreled with anyone."

Moreover, if we're talking about lowly status, then everyone in our village is just an ordinary farm child, and none of them have parents who take them out to high-ranking households. Why doesn't the princess bully them? Why did she have to pick today, and choose someone she doesn't even know to bully them?"

Tao Hongying's eyes were equally cold as she swept over the mother and daughter who were hugging each other, and echoed, "Yes, unless someone has done something bad and offended the princess."

"No! You're talking nonsense!" Lanlan exclaimed, "My cousin is clearly good to me, but she doesn't like me! She stole my cousin and only wants him to hold her hand..."

Lanlan is only eight or nine years old. No matter how smart she is, there are limits. A few teasing words from the Li family mother-in-law and daughter-in-law made her speak her mind.

Tao Hongying laughed in exasperation, "Who is this cousin you're talking about? Is he already engaged to you? How old is he? He's just a child, already so jealous!"

"If people only take extra care of our Fu Niu'er because she's young, and you're so jealous of her, you probably won't even look at anyone else in the future, right? I wonder whose son is so unlucky!"

Upon hearing this, all the women turned pale, subconsciously wondering if the cousin the little girl was talking about was their own son.

But they were immediately relieved, because they didn't recognize the woman and the little girl, so they obviously couldn't be relatives.

Only Madam Liu had the darkest expression, because the cousin Lanlan mentioned was actually her son!

She had no idea that her son had become someone else's possession, and that he couldn't even be close to anyone or look at them for more than a second!

With so many people here today, if word gets out, what bad things will happen? How will her son ever find a wife in the future?

She hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward and saying to the Li family mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, "Auntie, sister-in-law, don't lower yourself to the level of this ignorant person."

"This is the elder sister of the concubine of our second master. We didn't invite them today, but since they're guests, I didn't stop them, thinking I'd join in the fun. Who would have thought that this mother and daughter would spout such nonsense! I'll have someone escort them out right now."

After saying that, she turned to the dumbfounded Lanlan and her daughter, "You two go back first, we can talk about it later."

Lanlan and her daughter blushed instantly, no longer caring about feigning pitifulness.

Lanlan's mother immediately raised her voice, angrily saying, "Sister-in-law, you can't..."

"What can't I do?" Madam Liu snapped impatiently. "Don't call me sister-in-law anymore. I've put up with you more than once or twice. Even if a concubine's family wants to claim kinship, they should do so through their own sister. What does it have to do with the Liu family!"

"Don't think we don't know what you've been doing all this time, using the Liu family's name! If it weren't for our master's reluctance to let our second brother go through all this trouble, he would have written to you long ago."

"When the time comes, we'll give you a good talking about all the filth your family has done. Not only will you be ruined, but you won't even be able to protect your concubine sister! Send her home as soon as possible so she can reunite with you!"

After saying that, she gave a signal, and immediately maids and servants came over and half-helped, half-dragged the mother and daughter out.

Lanlan and her mother were furious and immediately started yelling, "Is this how your Liu family treats its guests? We are proper relatives, and my sister even gave birth to the Second Master's child!"

Granny Tang quickly signaled to the maids to cover their mouths.

She was shrewd enough not to kick the mother and son out the back door, but instead found an empty room and locked them up.

The house is bustling with activity today. If we let people out, they might run off and start making a ruckus in front of the house later, which would spoil this joyous occasion.

Coincidentally, just as Lanlan and her daughter were being dragged out, Zhimin and Xiujie returned with a group of children.

Lanlan struggled free from the maid's grasp and cried out for help, "Cousin, waah, cousin, save me!"

Zhimin instinctively took a step back and reached out to protect the group of young guests.

Only after Lanlan and her daughter were completely led out of the yard did they enter the house.