After Yan Beimo sent troops to garrison Beiyou, he took Chu Changning back to Yandu.

Ever since the people of the Yandu aristocratic families heard that he had fallen into the river, they had been eager to cause trouble. But he had not died and had returned in a swaggering manner, so they all gave up their plans to rebel.

Yan Nanyan rushed back from Chaodong, and before he could even gather everyone to hold a meeting in the ancestral hall, he heard the news of his return.

Inside the study, the strategist spoke up to remind him.

“Young master, you must not be rash. Without evidence, if you speak so recklessly, and the Marquis questions you on the spot, the members of the royal family will not intervene to plead for you.”

Yan Nanyan paced back and forth, and upon hearing the strategist's words, he flew into a rage.

"How dare he be so audacious as to kill Zhongfu? How can a patricide like this son be worthy of shouldering the great responsibility of the Yan family?"

"But this is all Helian Ye's side of the story. We have no way of knowing how the former head of the family died."

"Right now, Lord Junhou has 560,000 iron cavalry occupying Beiyou. He is powerful and influential. After taking the position of family head, he has also taken over 350,000 troops from the capital. We are no match for him, so we must proceed with caution."

Veins bulged on Yan Nanyan's forehead, and his eyes were filled with ruthlessness.

"But this is the only chance to get rid of him, otherwise our second branch will never have a chance to turn things around."

As soon as he finished speaking, the door was suddenly pushed open from the outside, and the person walked in with their back to the light.

Yan Nanyan recognized the person who had come, and his heart skipped a beat.

"Second Brother."

The people in the study exchanged glances and immediately stood up and knelt down.

"Greetings, Master of the House."

Yan Beimo stepped over the stairs and slowly walked in.

Without saying a word, he sat down in the head seat.

Yan Nanyan glanced at the guards outside who were completely silent, and his eyes darkened.

"You weren't in Jiangdong, when did you return to Yandu?"

A gentle voice came from above.

Yan Nanyan turned his head upon hearing the sound, glanced at the people kneeling on the ground, and spoke.

"I heard a couple of days ago that my second brother was in trouble in Luzhou, so I rushed back to see him."

Yan Beimo glanced at the layout of the study and spoke casually.

"I heard you went to Chaodong?"

Yan Nanyan felt a chill run down his spine and immediately denied it.

He changed the subject, asking, "Second brother, is there something you need from me?"

“The bandits in Qingzhou, Jiangdong are rampant. Go and deal with them.”

Yan Nanyan frowned almost imperceptibly.

"Um?"

"Let the Governor of Qingzhou handle this small matter. I've come all this way and want to spend more time with my grandmother."

Yan Beimo smiled faintly, "When did my cousin become so filial?"

Is this implying that he was unfilial in the past?

Yan Nanyan was dissatisfied.

Let's set off tonight.

After Yan Beimo finished speaking, he got up and walked out.

Hearing his words, which left no room for refusal, Yan Nanyan clenched his fists, and the kneeling retainers dared not utter a word.

It had just snowed in Yandu, and the wind was still chilly.

Chu Changning had just returned to Yandu and hadn't even had a chance to settle into his residence when he was summoned back by the people of the main house.

I've been standing outside the Wei Rui Xuan courtyard for an hour, but the old lady still hasn't come out.

She rubbed her tired back, a dark glint in her eyes.

"Second sister-in-law."

Just then, a clear and melodious voice came from the other end of the corridor.

Chu Changning looked up and saw a beautiful young figure walking around, her figure graceful and elegant.

She tentatively asked, "Fourth sister-in-law."

Li Lingyan approached, holding a handkerchief and smiling, "Second sister-in-law has a good eye. It's a real pity I didn't get to see you at the wedding."

Chu Changning nodded indifferently. Li Ruoxue's younger sister, she's probably here to cause trouble for her.

"Why aren't we going in? Hasn't the ancestor woken up yet?"

Li Lingyan glanced at her hands, which were red from the cold, and smiled as she spoke.

Chu Changning was wearing a white fox fur coat, but he couldn't stand the cold after staying in the courtyard for a long time.

"Perhaps he hasn't woken up yet."

Li Lingyan adjusted the hairpin in her hair and smiled, "I heard that Second Sister-in-law is pregnant. Standing like this must be too much for her body."

Chu Changning understood that this was a mockery of her for being so tormented despite being pregnant with the Yan family's legitimate son.

She didn't feel anything in her heart. The old lady didn't like her to begin with, especially because of what happened with Li Ruoxue. The old lady harbored resentment and deliberately made things difficult for her as soon as she came back.

"It's alright."

"The Fourth Madam has arrived. The Old Madam invites you in."

At this moment, an old woman lifted the curtain and greeted them.

Li Lingyan chuckled and sighed, then turned to look at her and said, "The Ancestor has probably woken up. I'll go in first."

Chu Changning's back was killing her from standing so long that she immediately asked the nanny.

"Did the old lady call me here because she needs something?"

The old woman pretended to have just noticed her and exclaimed, "Oh dear!"

"When did Madam arrive? This old servant saw her just now. This old servant will go and report to her immediately."

Chu Changning felt a chill in his heart, but outwardly said, "Thank you for your trouble."

After everyone had gone inside, another half incense stick's time passed, but there was still no movement inside, though faint sounds of laughter and chatter could be heard.

Chu Changning rolled her eyes, too lazy to care anymore, and turned to leave.

But before she could take more than a few steps, the maid guarding the gate quickly stopped her.

"Madam, please."

Chu Changning's lips twitched, and he followed the person inside.

The house was warm because of the underfloor heating.

As soon as she went in, she felt her stiff body gradually warming up.

There were many people in the room, including Madam Ronghua. When she entered, they all looked up at her.

Chu Changning remained calm and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Madam, Mother."

"Haven't you called me 'Grandma' anymore?"

From the main seat, the old lady gave her a cold look.

Chu Changning asked, "What does Grandmother want with me?"

The old lady's face turned ugly with anger at her indifferent attitude.

"He went back to Yandu, but didn't even bother to visit his elders. What kind of rules did the Southern Dynasty royal family teach him?"

This was a public humiliation of her in front of all the ladies in the clan.

Chu Changning raised her eyebrows and looked directly at him.

Before she could even speak, Madam Ronghua smiled and smoothed things over.

"I just got back from a long journey, and Erlang hasn't even had a chance to see the Ancestor yet."

The old lady snorted and continued to ask.

"I heard that you fell into the Yunlan River, and Erlang fell in as well to save you. Is that true?"

Chu Changning had been standing for several hours and was exhausted.

She walked directly to an empty seat, supporting her lower back, and sat down.

Everyone watched her movements, "----"

"My husband slipped and fell into the river."

The implication was that it had nothing to do with her.

Everyone, "---"

The old lady frowned. "Nonsense."

Chu Changning picked up the hot tea, took a small sip, and said nothing.

The old lady watched her series of overly familiar actions, and a hint of displeasure flashed in her cloudy eyes.

An ill-mannered commoner princess is truly unfit for respectability.

How long have you been pregnant?

Chu Changning paused in his tea-drinking sip and said, "Less than two months."

Everyone understood what the old lady meant, and they watched with their eyes downcast, thinking that a princess from a commoner family was not worthy of giving birth to the eldest son of the Yan family.

The old lady had been resentful because Erlang had canceled his marriage to Li, and she had not given up on her idea of ​​making Erlang demote his wife to a concubine and marry a noblewoman.

This time, we've really run into her.

"Someone come here."

The old lady called out, and a maidservant who was guarding the house brought in the medicine and went straight to Chu Changning.

Chu Changning glanced at the porcelain bowl in front of him, then raised an eyebrow at the old lady.

What does Grandmother mean?

"Drink it, and I'll have Erlang give you a divorce letter."