Letting out a breath, Li Shiyue looked up: "Anyone who is willing to ask will know that as the legitimate daughter of the Earl's Mansion, I will have the Duke's Mansion as my backing in the future, while my biological father's Earl's Mansion is not reliable at all."

“I came to the capital because my maternal grandmother doted on me and used the marriage agreement between the Xu and Li families to temporarily restrain my father. Even if I didn’t have my cousin’s help and couldn’t deal with Aunt Meng, how could Aunt Meng be like this without my father’s approval?”

"Without Aunt Meng, if I were alone in the Earl's mansion, I would probably be sent to the residence of that high-ranking official."

Chunling gasped, "My lord, you can't be like this. The young lady is, after all, the Earl's own flesh and blood."

But when she met Li Shiyue's bitter gaze the next moment, how could she not? Chunling asked herself inwardly, "The young lady is right. If I couldn't, how could I have let the young lady be tormented by her aunt all these years?"

If it weren't for the old lady... Chunling froze, not daring to think any further. A noblewoman would naturally not become a concubine, but what about an elderly widower? That was the path to becoming a stepmother.

Chunling was young, and she had been with Chunling since childhood. Now that there was no one else around, her changing expressions were clearly visible on her face.

It wasn't as malicious as Li Shiyue thought, but her father's face in Yunzhong County showed that he was eager to win over high-ranking officials and nobles.

The Earl of Yunyang had no great ambitions and lived off the inheritance bestowed upon him by his ancestors. Now that the Earl's mansion was declining, upon hearing that the Xu family intended to arrange a marriage, he quickly sent her to the capital.

"But it seems that Third Young Master has feelings for the young lady..."

Li Shiyue raised her eyebrows slightly, her gaze calm: "It's alright. As long as my grandmother doesn't agree, no one can control me."

At worst, she could never get married; her dowry would be enough for her to live on for several lifetimes.

She still wanted to stay with her maternal grandmother; as for getting married, she dared not even think about it.