When Ning was chatting with the Crown Prince at night, she mentioned Xu Yao. Her intention was to lament that she hadn't properly raised Xu Yao when she was young. Now that Xu Yao was grown up, if she continued to be so disobedient, she really didn't know what kind of husband she should find to ensure that Xu Yao could live a good life.

When the young master heard that the matter involved Consort Zhu, he asked in surprise, "How did this matter get involved Consort Zhu?"

Ning said, "One of the old women who keeps watch over Aunt Zhu's side is the godmother of the little maid here. The little maid often goes over to chat with her godmother."

The more the prince thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. He said, "You rest first. I need to take care of something. I'll come back when I'm done. You don't need to wait for me." After saying that, he put on his clothes and went to the front yard.

The Marquis of Yongning hasn't rested in his study in the front courtyard yet. He has been resting in his study in the front courtyard for the past few years. He only goes to the Marquis's wife's place occasionally to have a meal with her. As for Consort Zhu, he doesn't go there at all after the year is over.

When the Marquis heard that the Crown Prince had arrived, he was very surprised. It was almost midnight, so why had he suddenly come over?

When the young master arrived, he didn't waste any words and directly repeated what his wife had just told him, saying, "Father, don't you find it strange that the maids in our courtyard can relay what the mistress of the house said to the eldest daughter of the family? And the eldest daughter then comes over and makes a scene with the mistress of the house. If this really causes a scene in the mansion, it will be ugly for our courtyard and it will hurt the feelings of my third brother and the others."

Upon hearing this, the Marquis frowned deeply, recalling the letter Xu Di had written to him, in which he was told not to continue investigating Consort Zhu's affairs. The matter of Consort Zhu entering the manor back then was quite suspicious. Over the years, the Marquis had kept Consort Zhu in the back courtyard, ensuring she had a life free from worries about food and clothing. As for anything else, the Marquis felt he could not provide it.

The Marquis said, "It's good that you know about this matter. As for the rest, don't worry about it. From now on, keep the servants in this mansion in check. Go back and tell Ning Shi to clean up the servants in this mansion properly. Those who should be kicked out should be kicked out. Don't worry about the face of those old people in the mansion. As for those who have served in the mansion for a long time, don't be afraid of offending anyone. They are all people who serve in the mansion. They should just do their jobs well and receive our monthly wages. As for anything else, that's disloyal and unjust."

The young master kept agreeing, but seeing that it was getting late, he took his leave and returned to his courtyard. He then told Ning Shi, who was still waiting for him, what the Marquis meant. Ning Shi was confused, but her eyes lit up. With the Marquis's authority, those who relied on their age and didn't follow the rules in the manor had a perfect excuse to be dealt with. Those who should be sent to the estate could be sent there, and those who should be sold off could be sold off.

The young master thought for a moment, then leaned close to Ning's ear and whispered, "Also, keep a close watch on Consort Zhu. This woman is no ordinary person. Just keep it to yourself and don't tell anyone else."

Upon hearing this, Ning turned to look at the young master with surprise and doubt in her eyes. The young master nodded slightly and said, "Some things are best left unsaid to yourselves. Because of our third brother's presence in Ganzhou, our family has become a thorn in the side of many. Father and I are dealing with things outside, while you stay in the manor and take good care of this family. We must not allow anyone to cause trouble for our household. If that happens, our family will not be far from falling apart."

Upon hearing the prince's words, Ning's face showed fear. The prince quickly patted Ning's back gently and whispered, "Don't be afraid. Things are a bit tense outside right now. The emperor is in good health, but the adult princes each have their own factions, and things are getting quite heated. Two years ago, because of the great victory in Hexi, the princes were severely weakened. When you take the children out, you must be especially careful, especially Yao'er. She has a somewhat impatient and unruly temperament. You must make sure no one uses her as a pawn."

Ning asked with some concern, "Is it that serious?"

The young master sighed and said, "Yes, I told you not to worry you, but to remind you to be careful with the children. Father and I will take care of everything. You should keep the servants in the mansion in check. Father forbids us from doing anything to Consort Zhu. Just keep things as they are in her courtyard. As for the maids in our courtyard, we can send them to Consort Zhu's courtyard while we deal with the servants. It's not like we're only targeting her."

Ning said, "I never expected that Aunt Zhu would be so unassuming."

The Crown Prince said, "The Zhu family was once a prominent and wealthy family, but they were destroyed overnight. We should learn a lesson from this."

Ning leaned against the prince's chest and said, "This wealth and glory, how many people are blinded by it all. After all that hard work, they end up with nothing. It's truly a sad thing."

The prince sighed and said nothing more.

The Yongning Marquis's Mansion is actually in a difficult situation right now. It is the object of several princes' attempts to win over the family. Originally, the Yongning Marquis's Mansion was not very prominent. But ever since Xu Rao went to Hexi, especially after the great victory in Hexi, the Yongning Marquis's Mansion has suddenly become the focus of attention. No prince wants to get involved with the Yongning Marquis, but if they don't get involved, they will offend people. In the eyes of many people, the Yongning Marquis is now a fence-sitter.

Lord Yongning had secretly met with the Emperor several times and naturally understood what the Emperor meant. The more these princes jumped around now, the harder they would fall later. There are no fathers and sons in the royal family. Emperor Liang Cheng, as a monarch who maintained the status quo, had already done enough. Moreover, because of the grains, vegetables and fruits that Xu Di secretly presented, the entire Yongning Marquis's mansion was tied to Emperor Liang Cheng. Lord Yongning knew very well that he would be a staunch supporter of the emperor from now on.

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