“We don’t want to think too badly of people. After hearing what you said, we are really curious about who this young master Chunlang is that you are so determined.”

Du Linghui lowered her head, her lips curving upwards in a more sincere smile, and when she looked up again, her eyes were filled with sweetness.

“He is a very good person. I’m not afraid of the county princess laughing at me, but I am a concubine’s daughter in my family. Before my father was alive, things were better, but ever since my elder brother became the head of the family and my elder sister entered Chonghua Palace, my life in the mansion has become much more difficult.”

"The Du family is arrogant and wants to have the status of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion. However, a snake's heart is not enough to swallow an elephant. They can only use their legitimate daughter to curry favor with Chonghua Palace and their concubine's daughter to win over powerful people."

"It's clearly his own incompetence that's causing this, yet he blames the one in Chonghua Palace for not being able to win over the Crown Prince. That's why he had this idea to send me to the Rongguo Duke's Mansion. Although I didn't go out often before, I've heard people talk about the character of the young master Xu."

“He has never been close to any woman, and his engagement to the county princess was obtained by imperial decree he himself requested, so he must really like her. That's why I made the bet. The day I heard that Prince Xu was coming to the mansion, I ran as fast as I could and stopped him in the front yard.”

"Perhaps God has eyes, and I made the right bet."

Although Du Linghui was born out of wedlock, her intelligence and eloquence made her more likable than Du Liangdi of Chonghua Palace.

Qin Wanyin, listening from the side, was utterly astonished. She never imagined that during the time she hadn't left the manor, she had missed so much.

Watching Du Linghui leave, Qin Wanyin came to her senses and took Li Shiyue's arm, walking towards the other end of the corridor: "My God, how could the Du family do such a thing?"

Li Shiyue explained the whole story to Qin Wanyin, and seeing her surprise, she was not surprised at all.

"It is quite surprising. After all, who can allow someone to take a concubine, especially their half-sister, on the second day after their marriage?"

No one could do it, except the Du family of the General's Mansion.

Qin Wanyin curled her lips, her eyes filled with disdain: "What kind of people are these? Consort Du is causing trouble in Chonghua Palace. Even Father said that the Crown Princess manages the inner quarters well, so His Highness has no worries."

"But this concubine of the Chonghua Palace is restless every day. Because her father was almost caught by the censor and she is unhappy every day because of this, he makes me write big characters whenever he catches me."

Although her handwriting wasn't very good, she really disliked writing large characters, so she knew the reason why she disliked Consort Du.

After Du Linghui said that today, and after hearing everything from Li Shiyue, Qin Wanyin's disgust for Du Liangdi has escalated to disgust for the entire Du family, except for Du Linghui.

"But she is really brave. If no one believes she is innocent, wouldn't she be pitiful? She did nothing wrong, yet her own relatives ruined her reputation. Even if she doesn't enter the Rongguo Duke's Mansion, she will be handed over to someone else by the Du family."

How could a delicate and frail woman possibly survive?

As Qin Wanyin spoke, she was seething with hatred, as if she could use Qin Taifu's pen to rush to the Du family and vent her anger on behalf of Du Linghui at any moment.

Her impulsive and naive personality is really unlike that of Qin Taifu's biological daughter. After all, in people's minds, the children of civil officials should be gentle and refined, not like Qin Wanyin, who has a personality similar to that of a military general's child.

"Of course, we didn't think too much about it, but the fact that she was an illegitimate daughter inevitably made people think more about it, so I had someone inquire carefully. Only then did I learn that Du Linghui was indeed an illegitimate daughter of the Du family. Since General Du took over the family, things have been getting worse day by day, and we were indeed moved by her plight."

"No matter what faults the Du family has, she is just a concubine's daughter in the inner quarters. Even if she is unwilling, the decision was made by General Du and others, and it was Consort Du who spoke up. Has anyone asked Du Linghui for her opinion?"

"Perhaps they asked, but the woman already has a fiancé, yet they still forced her to break off the engagement. Such behavior is truly despicable."

Li Shiyue was not born a concubine's daughter, but although she was the legitimate daughter in the Yunyang Earl's Mansion, she still had to suffer the torment of the concubines.

Perhaps she saw her past self in Du Linghui, and when she faced difficulties and felt helpless, she was not helping the current Du Linghui, but helping her past self.

The two suddenly stopped. Li Shiyue and Qin Wanyin linked arms, their eyes fixed on the person in front of them, both with a wary distance in their eyes.

After saying goodbye to Du Linghui, they walked out of "Fanyuan" and were thinking of walking along the corridor to the other end when they didn't expect that someone would be waiting for them.

However, when that person saw Li Shiyue beside Qin Wanyin, the amazement in his eyes instantly turned into disappointment when he saw her womanly hairstyle.

Even though Qin Wanyin was simple-minded, she wasn't stupid. She wasn't oblivious to the fact that the young man in front of her was looking at her.

She couldn't help but frown, and subconsciously moved closer to Li Shiyue.

"Miss Qin."

The young man placed his hands in front of him and bowed in the direction of Qin Wanyin. He was wearing an elegant moon-colored robe, made of very ordinary plain silk, the kind that ordinary people could afford.

He gathered his hair up, using only a brown wooden hairpin. His features were regular, though somewhat ordinary, but his skin was much fairer than that of the average young man.

His gaze fell on Qin Wanyin, seemingly filled with tender affection. However, no matter how well he concealed it, Li Shiyue could still feel his gaze occasionally glancing at her.

Suddenly feeling a pang in her heart, Li Shiyue gripped Qin Wanyin's hand tightly, and the two of them took a few steps back, turning their bodies to avoid the man's gaze.

What Li Shiyue and Qin Wanyin didn't expect was that the young man in front of them was the poor scholar who was rumored to be engaged to Qin Wanyin.

His name is Fan Heng.

Upon hearing him introduce himself, Qin Wanyin's expression instantly changed, and even her tone of voice became somewhat unfriendly.

"You're Fan Heng?"

The young man, who had been beaming with joy, momentarily lost the sweetness in his eyes, seemingly surprised by Qin Wanyin's swift change in attitude.

Just now the bride's family was reserved and distant, how come they have become like this now, as if they were treating a villain?

He boasted of his good looks and said he had won the hearts of many young women. When he looked up, he looked bewildered, his innocent gaze pleading for help as he looked at Li Shiyue.

But Li Shiyue wasn't buying it and didn't even spare him a glance.

"So you're Fan Heng, the one who went around saying that I, this young lady, am in love with you and want to marry you? Bah! Take a good look at yourself in the mirror! A toad trying to eat swan meat!"

“You shamelessly brought things to see my father, and what you wrote is utter nonsense, just a pile of fancy words that even a toddler could write. You dare to say that my father appreciates your talent.”

"You're supposed to be a scholar, how can you be so shameless?"