After taking a bath, Qingying returned to the main room and nestled in bed, wrapped in a thick quilt, holding a hot water bottle tightly in her arms.

Wei Dongchen then asked, "What happened to Liu Shushu's face?"

"She did it herself."

"Is this her revenge?" Wei Dongchen frowned, staring intently at her. "Did you expect this all along?"

Qingying nodded.

"Why do this? I clearly told you that you could tell me in advance if you had any problems, and I would make arrangements for you in advance so that you would not suffer this physical pain."

Qingying could tell he was angry, and said helplessly, "I didn't tell you because I was afraid you would object if you knew. How could I not know that a self-inflicted injury strategy would hurt the enemy a thousand while harming myself eight hundred? But what I did today was just a final test."

"A final test?" Wei Dongchen asked, puzzled.

Qingying glanced at Yu Yue, who then discreetly withdrew and stood guard at the door on either side of Tong Xia.

Immediately afterward, Qingying told Wei Dongchen everything that Liu Yu and Pan had done.

Finally, he said, "Liu Yu deceived my mother, imprisoned her, coerced her, and ultimately indirectly caused her death. Pan not only killed my mother and poisoned Li Niang, but also caused me to suffer from a lifelong lung disease. I remember all of these things and will seek revenge for them one by one."

"However... I originally thought that there were no relatives left in the General's Mansion to cherish, but today I learned that my grandmother is truly devoted to me. However, she is getting old and has no say in the mansion, so I have never dared to bother her. Now I want her to stay away from these conflicts and enjoy her old age in peace."

Wei Dongchen had already felt sorry for Wang Shi after hearing her accusations outside the house today. Now, upon learning more, he wished he could marry her tomorrow and take her away from this dangerous place.

"Second daughter, you don't have to bear all this alone anymore. With me here, I will never let you suffer any more grievances."

When Qingying met his sincere and ardent gaze, tears welled up in her eyes in an instant.

She thought that perhaps she could try relying on others.

But before that, she wanted to confirm his sincerity one last time.

"Donglang..." she lowered her eyelids and called out shyly, her voice barely audible.

Wei Dongchen heard it clearly, and his eyes immediately lit up. He excitedly grabbed her hand and cautiously asked, "What did you call me?"

"Donglang, didn't you want me to call you that?"

"Yes, yes, yes." Wei Dongchen felt his ears burning again, his face full of smiles, his eyes sparkling as he looked at her, as if adorned with a thousand stars.

He said, "My second daughter has a really nice voice."

Qingying blushed at his praise and turned her face away shyly. After a while, she whispered again, "Why don't we get married sooner..."

Before she could finish speaking, Wei Dongchen jumped to his feet. "Excited" was not even a proper way to describe his feelings at that moment.

Despite being engaged, he hadn't come to ask for the wedding date yet. He wouldn't dare set a date without her consent. Although his father and mother hadn't urged him at all, only he knew how anxious he was.

Now that Qingying has taken the initiative to bring it up, he can't wait to return to the palace to find someone to calculate an auspicious date and come over to ask for the date.

Seeing how happy he was, Qingying gradually calmed down. She recalled what Princess Yu had said that day, and a sense of unease arose in her heart.

So he tentatively asked, "Donglang, what if your mother doesn't like me?"

"How could that be? My mother has always doted on me, and she will naturally treat you well because of her love for you once you enter the household."

"I mean, what if... what if I and your mother become estranged in the future? What would you choose to do?"

“Of course I’m on your side,” Wei Dongchen said without hesitation.

This answer left Qingying stunned.

As the saying goes, filial piety is the most important of all virtues. The Kingdom of Donglin highly values ​​filial piety; otherwise, Liu Yu would not have made her kneel in the snow without explanation today. It's not just because of Liu Shushu, but more so because she disobeyed her stepmother.

If this is how it is in one's own home, what about one's husband's family?

In most cases, when a man gets married and there are disputes between his wife and mother-in-law, the husband will choose to side with his mother. Even now, in the General's Mansion, where Madam Pan is in charge of the household, if Madam Wang were to speak up, Madam Pan would not dare to utter a single word in her defense.

Surprisingly, Wei Dongchen chose her without the slightest hesitation.

Seeing her surprise, Wei Dongchen patiently explained, "It's not that I've forgotten my mother now that I have a wife, nor am I disrespectful to my parents. My mother is favored by my father, so it's not my place to fawn over her. But once you marry into the royal family, I will be your husband, and you will only have me to rely on. If I don't stand by your side, who will support you?"

She felt much more at ease and asked with a smile, "Is that really what you think?"

"That's natural."

Seeing his sincerity, Qingying reciprocated with the same sincerity.

"Alright, go back and choose an auspicious day, the sooner the better."

Wei Dongchen nodded hurriedly.

He thought to himself: "The sooner the better. A girl as good as Er Yatou is often coveted by others. If I don't marry her soon, things might get complicated."

...

It is unknown what Wang did afterward, but neither Pan nor Liu Shushu came to cause her any more trouble.

However, whether it was Liu Shushu's doing or not, her face took half a month to finally heal.

The father and son, Liu Yu and Liu Chengfeng, who had initially felt guilty towards Qingying, gradually had their feelings shift again because of her injury.

They felt that Liu Shushu, having suffered such injustice, had not blamed Qingying at all, which showed her true tolerance and kindness. On the contrary, they thought Qingying was vicious, jealous, and had plotted against her elder sister.

Moreover, after that day, under Liu Shushu's "persuasion", Madam Pan restored Qingying's previous lifestyle in terms of food, clothing and daily necessities.

Qingying calmly peeled oranges as she watched the several unfamiliar maids and servants bustling about in the courtyard. She knew in her heart that these were all arranged by Liu Shushu to monitor her.

Now things are really messed up; Liu Shushu's reputation for being tolerant, generous, kind, and gentle has probably spread far beyond the manor.

"To become the Crown Princess, one must first have a good reputation, which is understandable."

"But she's deliberately trying to ruin your reputation, by putting one down to praise another," Tong Xia whispered in her ear.

Qingying smiled and said, "You see, she used a dirty trick first, so you can't blame me for retaliating, can you?"

Since her reputation had already plummeted after being jilted by Wei Huaixu, she wasn't afraid of things getting even worse. Liu Shushu, however, was different. She still harbored a dream of becoming empress, and as a half-sister, how could she not help her elder sister?

Qingying finished eating an orange in a good mood, stood up, and said, "Change my clothes and go to the Song residence to see my good sister."