Zhou's eyes suddenly lit up.

Jiang Youran then pouted, blinked her eyes, and pitifully tugged at Zhou's sleeve, saying, "Aunt Zhou, I know I was wrong last time..."

The gift my great-aunt gave me last time wasn't rejected; she practically smashed it!

Just then, Jiang Youchen came in. He had chased after his sister to go out, but when Zhao's mother came in and asked him what things he wanted to take with him, he picked out a few items, which took up a little time.

When Zhou saw him, her eyes lit up even more.

The Yun family's property cannot be taken away, but surely no one will question the gifts the Yun family gave to Miss and Young Master before.

A month ago, when Su and her two children first came to the Yun residence to pay their respects to the old lady, she sensed that the old lady did not like this Yun woman very much.

Even the gifts given to the two children upon their first meeting were just two very ordinary jade pendants.

Jiang Youran must have been used to seeing good things. As soon as she saw the jade pendant, she angrily smashed it into the ground, making a dent, and yelled, "What a piece of junk! I don't care about it!"

Madam Yun was so angry that her face turned ashen and she almost fainted.

The meeting with the other women ended there, and none of them dared to give out any of the gifts they had prepared.

Most importantly, this gift was crossed off the inventory list at the time.

She stood up abruptly, picked up Xiao Youran from the armchair and placed her on the ground, then took Xiao Youran's hand in one hand and the still bewildered Jiang Youchen's hand in the other, and walked towards the backyard.

Inside Fu'an Hall, Old Madam Yun was slumped over, looking listless. She had fainted on the spot after receiving the imperial edict.

After the physician performed acupuncture on her philtrum, he gave her a bottle of medicine and then left the mansion with a look of sympathy.

The other three women from the household had already come to cry upon hearing the news. The old lady herself hadn't even recovered yet, so how could she have the energy to deal with them? She then instructed the nanny beside her to send them all back home.

She looked at Granny Li and Granny Wang with a distressed expression, "You two old hags, tell me, I've lived a life of luxury and ease since I was a child, and now that I'm about to die, why do I suddenly have to suffer like this?"

Granny Li comforted her, "Madam, as long as you're alive, what's a little hardship? We're all here with you."

Granny Wang also said, "Isn't that right? We two old servants have served you since we were little, braving wind and rain all our lives. We're not afraid, we'll take on any hardship or fatigue."

Madam Yun relaxed a little and sighed, "I hope... you won't suffer too much."

Granny Li whispered, "General Yun is an upright man and would never do anything like colluding with the enemy or betraying the country. There's something fishy about this. I'm afraid this is only temporary, and the Yun family will soon be back to its former glory."

The imperial edict just now stated the crime as "negligence of duty, leading to the fall of Yanzhou," but this happened three months ago. They were also confused. Only after Zhou slipped a red envelope to the eunuch who delivered the edict did he secretly give them a hint, saying that someone in the court had accused Marquis Yun of treason. In order to protect Marquis Yun's family, the Consort persuaded the emperor to first use the charge of dereliction of duty to save the lives of hundreds of people in the Yun family, which is why she was later convicted.

Madam Yun was taken aback. "I trust my son, of course. But I just don't know who's behind this, targeting our Yun family?"

Fortunately, the Imperial Concubine spoke up for them and vouched for them, so they all escaped unscathed.

Otherwise, if a accusation of treason were truly leveled against them, which family wouldn't suffer bloodshed and beheadings?

At this moment, Mrs. Zhou came in with her two children.

Madam Yun's expression turned even more disgusted.

She had watched this Su family member grow up since she was a child, and their relationship was originally quite good. However... one day, she suddenly realized what had happened, and she could no longer like this niece.

Moreover, the daughter born to the Su family rudely threw away the gift Su had given her upon their first meeting, which angered Su so much that she never saw the mother and her two children again.

The Zhou family knew this best.

What is Zhou Shi doing here with these two children?

Zhou looked somewhat excited. "Mother, you're awake? Do you still feel unwell anywhere?"

Madam Yun remained motionless, glancing at little Jiang Youran with undisguised disgust. "Seeing her makes me feel uncomfortable all over."

Xiao You Ran: ……

There's something I want to say, but I'm not sure if I should.

She naturally recalled the outrageous things she had done before.

But she's only four years old.

Who doesn't grow through trial and error?

You, a woman over fifty, are holding a grudge against a four-year-old girl? How can you be so shameless?

Zhou choked for a moment, then patted Jiang Youran's head, "Go, apologize to your great-aunt and I'll give you a gift to make up for it."

Jiang Youran gritted her teeth and decided to endure it for the sake of her grand plan to change her life later.

She stepped forward, knelt down, and kowtowed, saying in a clear voice, "Grand Aunt, it was... You Ran was wrong. Please forgive me, Grand Aunt."

Madam Yun snorted coldly, "The Yun family can't afford to support a big shot like you. Now that the Yun family is in trouble, what mistakes are you going to admit? You should go back to your wealthy maternal grandparents' home as soon as possible."

Jiang Youran: ...

Sorry to bother you.

She really wanted to stand up, turn around, and leave.

But at this moment, Jiang Youchen knelt down beside her and said softly, "Grandmother, I truly know I was wrong. We've stayed at the Yun residence for quite some time, and we've broken everything we needed to break. Perhaps... we won't have enough money for our return trip to Dingzhou. Please, Grandmother, bestow upon us a small gift..."

The boy blushed slightly, but still gritted his teeth and said the last half of the sentence, "Just make up for the last meeting gift."

Even Madam Yun was shocked.

Is this how people ask for a gift upon meeting someone?

When I gave it to her, she threw it without hesitation, and she still had the nerve to ask for compensation?

Jiang Youran was also shocked.

Why did my brother end up taking the blame for this?

Didn't she always... shift the blame onto her brother before?

At this moment, Madam Zhou stepped forward anxiously and whispered, "Mother, Chen'er is right. This girl broke the gift we gave her last time. Why don't we make her a better one?"

There was a hint of excitement in his voice.

Old Madam Yun narrowed her eyes, suddenly realizing what was happening, her expression still one of shock. "You...?"

Zhou shook her head slightly, then, fearing that someone might overhear, said, "They are a widow and her child returning to Dingzhou. We can't afford to give them any more now. The initial gift was recorded in the public treasury, so it's perfectly legitimate..."

Madam Yun looked at Jiang Youchen, "Is this your mother's idea?"

She couldn't be bothered to pay any attention to Xiao Youran.

Jiang Youchen hesitated for a moment before glancing at his sister. Could he say that it was his sister who had brought it up first?

Xiao Youran nodded vigorously, "That's what Mother thinks, and so does Brother."

Jiang Youchen had no choice but to nod in resignation. "When Mother heard the news, she was so angry that she fainted and only just woke up. She is unable to come in person. Mother is very worried about her great-aunt and her cousins, so she asked us to comfort them and say goodbye."