Qin Su thought she was going to cry for a long time, but she wiped away her tears soon after. Her slender and flexible body became incredibly strong at that moment.

"I'll take you back first."

The young child, unaware of what had happened, was quite frightened by the sudden turn of events. His chapped lips parted as he asked, "Mother, where is Father? Shall we go find Father?"

Wang Manzhu suddenly shook off his hand, pointed at the prison, and shouted, "Go find it yourself! I don't have a son like you!"

After saying that, she took Qin Su's hand and strode forward without looking back.

"Mother, Mother! I won't look for Father anymore, I won't look for Father anymore."

Xiao Heng ran over and hugged Wang Manzhu's leg, and Wang Manzhu looked at her son with a particularly complicated expression.

This is the child of her enemy!

Wang Manzhu hardened her heart, pulled him away, and ignored him.

Qin Su was unaware of this connection, but she knew that Wang Manzhu loved children very much and there must be a reason for her actions.

If her daughter sided with Xue Huai'an, she would be so angry that she would die on the spot.

Young children tend to be more attached to their mothers than their fathers, especially since Kang Lin already spends very little time with his children.

Xiao Heng cried so hard it was almost heartbreaking, and it sounded slightly jarring to the adults.

Wang Manzhu didn't push the child away; she just stubbornly let tears well up in her eyes.

Qin Su suddenly turned her head and saw a hem of a skirt embroidered with gold flowers and birds in the left corner of the prison. She was standing in the shadows, so her face was not visible.

But if Qin Su remembers correctly, *** wore this dress today.

She knew exactly what she was after.

On the way to the South City Courtyard, Wang Manzhu hesitated for a long time before finally asking Qin Su, "Can Su Su help me see Kang Lin?"

Qin Su immediately frowned. "No."

Wang Manzhu stopped talking. She didn't seem to be forcing Qin Su to do this, or perhaps she knew that her request was a bit excessive.

For the next few days, Qin Su stayed home, and the capital remained peaceful. Kang Lin's matter was still unresolved, Wang Manzhu was confined to the south of the city, and even Xue Huai'an was unusually quiet. Qin Su and her mother spent the rest of the house counting down the days until Qin's father returned to the capital.

It's been almost a month since I went to Jiangzhou.

I should be able to return to Beijing in two months at most.

On this day, Qin Su was summoned to the palace again, but this time it was not by the Empress's decree, but by the Empress Dowager.

The current Empress Dowager is the birth mother of Emperor Mingyang and Prince Chen. Qin Su has met her a few times; she is a gentle yet dignified woman.

But she really had no connection with this Empress Dowager, so why was she suddenly summoned to the palace? She was a little puzzled.

However, Qin Su had no right to refuse. She changed into a light blue, waist-length ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) before entering the palace. The Empress Dowager's palace was far from the Wolong Palace and Jiaofang Palace, located in the most secluded part of the palace.

It is rumored that this was not the palace where the empress dowagers had lived in the past, but rather that the current empress dowager took the initiative to request a different palace when Emperor Mingyang ascended the throne.

Emperor Mingyang was also filial and didn't fuss over such trivial matters.

"Miss Qin, please come inside," the nanny beside the Empress Dowager said with a smile.

"Thank you for your help, Granny Qin." Qin Su nodded slightly.

Granny Qin was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "I didn't expect anyone would still remember me."

She was the Empress Dowager's personal maid, having grown up alongside her, and held a very high position. She used to be incredibly prominent, but after the Empress Dowager retired for a period of time, she gradually faded from public view.

"Granny Qin is too kind. Everyone still remembers you."

Qin Su's words made Granny Qin glance at her slightly, as she had also heard of the daughter of the Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness.

People say she was born a bandit, vulgar, rude, arrogant, and even treats human life like dirt. Such a person is comparable to the most dissolute playboy in the capital.

Looking back now, it's clear that her crudeness, lack of manners, and arrogance were all fabricated, and as for her disregard for human life, she couldn't make a definitive judgment.

Thinking of this, and considering what His Majesty discussed yesterday, she couldn't help but feel more goodwill towards Qin Su.

The Empress Dowager is in her early forties, not old, but she exudes a calm and serene aura. This is the result of years of experience, something that most people cannot imitate.

She wore a dark blue collared blouse and a matching skirt, embroidered only with a few green bamboos and kingfishers. She wore very few hairpins and did not look like the most noble empress dowager in the world; rather, she looked more like a Taoist hermit.

Qin Su dared not look at her too closely; she bowed to the Empress Dowager.

"You are the daughter of the Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness? Raise your head."

Qin Su looked up as instructed, but her gaze fell on the white jade beaded string hanging on the Empress Dowager's hand.

The Empress Dowager's emotionless gaze fell on her face, then she looked around.

"He is good-looking, and he is also humble and unassuming."

Qin Su did not reply, but she was trying to figure out the purpose of the Empress Dowager's words.

The Empress Dowager didn't make her get up; she just left her half-squatting like that.

Qin Su remained silent and didn't call out.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the Empress Dowager finally spoke, "Please sit down."

The Empress Dowager's actions were clearly a show of force, but she hadn't really offended the Empress Dowager in any way.

Could it be that she and Yu Shuo are getting too close? Does the Empress Dowager not want her son to be close to someone like her?

Although I don't understand it, that's certainly how people in the capital are.

"I heard that you broke off your engagement with the eldest son of the Duke of Cheng a month ago, and on the very day of the wedding."

Qin Su nodded, "That is indeed true."

The Empress Dowager, fiddling with her beaded bracelet, asked, "People say that the eldest son of the Duke of Cheng is a handsome and talented man, the best husband for you. Why do you want to break off the engagement?"

Qin Su was already somewhat displeased.

Her respect for the Empress Dowager stemmed not only from the fact that she was the Empress Dowager, but also from the fact that she was Yu Shuo's mother.

It's perfectly reasonable to show respect to a friend's mother.

But if she crosses the line, Qin Su can't guarantee that he will feel good about her.

Qin Su repeated to the Empress Dowager what she had told others: "Xue Huai'an had an improper relationship with other women before his marriage, yet he pretended to be pure and innocent. His mother, the Duchess of Cheng, even verbally abused my father on the night of my daughter's wedding."

"How can you not call off the engagement with someone like that?"

Qin Su smiled again, a not-so-ostentatious smile. "Your Majesty, you may not know this, but our Qin family does not seek great wealth or status. We only wish for our family to live in peace and tranquility. We cannot tolerate anyone insulting our family members."

The Empress Dowager showed no joy or anger, her tone was very cold, "What you said has no evidence, it is all just rumors in the capital."

Qin Su was not happy, but she still held back her temper. "If Your Majesty thinks that I have deceived you, you can investigate. Xue Huai'an came to the Marquis of Zhongyi’s mansion to ask me to go back, but he was arguing with other women. Many people saw this with their own eyes."

The Empress Dowager looked at Qin Su with slightly authoritative eyes, carrying a subtle sense of oppression.

Qin Su then asked, "The Empress Dowager summoned me to the palace today. Could it be that she hopes I can reconcile with the Duke of Cheng's family?"

The Empress Dowager did not answer immediately, but looked at Qin Su calmly, as if trying to see through her eyes to her heart.