Xie Liwei quickly learned of this. Song Yaozhu instructed the people in the courtyard to keep quiet and went to find someone to buy two more gold locks, with carvings and patterns that were even better than the ones Yongle had given her.

"Let's pretend we don't know about this for now and wait and see."

"I'll try to find out from Yongle later and ask her which craftsman made it for her."

The craftsman's skill was truly remarkable, using mercury to coat gold and gold to coat mercury, while also controlling the outer layer to prevent discoloration.

After the shock, Song Yaozhu's complexion wasn't good either. Madam Yin told her to take good care of herself and not to overthink things. If she didn't recover properly after childbirth, it could leave her with health problems later.

"Your Highness, we previously thought that the full moon celebration should be kept low-key, but now I want to hold a grand one."

Those demons and monsters hiding in the shadows need to come out and see the light of day.

Xie Liwei was overjoyed and couldn't wait to let the whole world know that he had gained twins, a dragon and a phoenix. He immediately said, "I will personally write the invitations!"

Seeing his impatient look, Song Yaozhu couldn't help but chuckle.

Xie Liwei always said that he felt like he couldn't do anything about having a child. He watched her suffer from pregnancy sickness, edema, hair loss, and haggardness. All he could do was feel heartbroken.

Even now, when it comes to something as simple as changing diapers, even if there are servants around, he still has to hand over a diaper to make himself feel important.

How are you doing at the Hanlin Academy?

"It's good. Even though someone is watching over me, I can still get things done."

Yuwen Wuji feared that if Xie made some achievements and gained fame, it would give the Xie family a new position in the court, making them a thorn in his side again. Therefore, he had been keeping an eye on Xie's activities at the Hanlin Academy. He only breathed a sigh of relief after learning that Xie was now organizing the complex catalogues of the past every day.

As one of the scholars in the world, Xie Liwei, who wouldn't want to use his own strength to change this unrecognizable land?

Everyone wants to leave a lasting mark on history, even if not many people know about it. As long as you know it in your heart and that you did it, that's enough.

"Do your job well and don't waste this great opportunity he gave you."

He personally conceded the opportunity to allow Xie Liwei to enter the court. I wonder what his expression will be when Xie Liwei becomes a first-rank official.

Sigh, I wonder if he'll live that long.

The atmosphere at the Prince Xiaoyao's mansion was harmonious and joyful, but the atmosphere at the Song family was not so good.

"That rebellious daughter! Why didn't she tell the family that she gave birth to twins!" Song Chengzhang paced back and forth in the hall in anger.

That day, Xie Liwei rode back to the city with Xie Lü, and he learned that Song Yaozhu had given birth. He thought she would inform him immediately, after all, he was Xie Liwei's father-in-law!

Thinking his son-in-law might be too happy to remember him, Song Chengzhang waited at home for a day, but no one came. He comforted himself, thinking that perhaps his son-in-law was too busy; such matters required personally writing invitations and informing each household, and writing invitations also took time. So he waited another day...

Now, he has sent all the congratulatory gifts he could from all over the capital, but he still hasn't received his invitation!

"Outrageous! Outrageous!" Song Chengzhang, enraged and humiliated, vented his anger on Lin. "All you do all day is chant Buddhist prayers! You won't even go and try to maintain a good relationship with our daughter. What use are you as my wife?!"

Madam Lin was already used to his insults, and said calmly, "If you think I'm useless, then you can divorce me. I just don't know if divorcing me will be a joke for you or for me."

Song Chengzhang was speechless.

The eldest son's marriage has long been a laughing stock in the capital, and the second son is finding it difficult to find a wife because of the Lu family's affair. If he were to divorce his wife now, outsiders would only say that the Song family members are not good matches and are cursed to bring misfortune to their wives. Otherwise, why would they be unable to keep their wives one after another?

"Well, well, now that you're eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist prayers, you've actually developed a bad temper!"

Lin stood up with a stern face, really not wanting to deal with his unreasonable behavior.

"Stop! Did I say you could leave?!" Song Chengzhang roared. "Look at you! You can't even raise your daughter properly, and now you don't even want to care for your son anymore!"

Lin looked at him indifferently and said calmly, "Master, you are right. I am such a failure, and it is no wonder that my daughter does not recognize me as her mother! But you are not a good person either, otherwise why would Yao Yao not recognize you? We are a perfect match, so let's not blame each other. It's really ugly."

Song Chengzhang looked at Lin Shi in disbelief. She actually spoke of him like that in front of her two sons. She... she really didn't want to live anymore!

"You! How did you become like this?!"

Madam Lin remained silent and returned to her own courtyard. When she returned heartbroken from the Prince's mansion, this man only blamed her for her uselessness. Now, it was simply her turn to say those things to him, and he couldn't bear it. He never imagined that she herself couldn't bear it back then!

After Lin left, her two sons were naturally embarrassed. They hadn't expected their mother to be so assertive as to talk back to their father. It was as if she had given up entirely.

“Your mother is absolutely insane!” Song Chengzhang roared.

“Father, the most urgent task is to repair our relationship with the Prince, and as for the Prince, we may still need to ask Mother to go over there,” Song Hanzhi said.

Song Hanzhi has become much more haggard, and he no longer has the spirited look of his youth. Previously, the Ministry of Personnel wanted to assign him to a remote area as a minor county magistrate, but it was only because his family spent money that he was able to stay in the capital.

He's currently just a lowly seventh-rank official, and given his current status, finding a spouse is extremely difficult. Those from families even slightly better off than his look down on him, and those who do only want to marry their illegitimate daughters to him. Those who do consider him are of much lower social standing than him, mostly daughters of merchants.

If his mother had intervened, his marriage would probably not have been so difficult. But unfortunately, Lin Shi doesn't care about anything at home these days.

Song Hanzhi also resented her mother. Originally, her father had already stopped managing the family, and now she was also not managing anything. Who would support the family?

“Your second and third uncles came to talk to me again today about dividing the family property. Right now, your second aunt is in charge of everything in the mansion. If we divide the property, who will manage the household with your mother in that state?” Song Chengzhang sighed in utter frustration.

Song Qingyuan is quite dejected now, looking as if he has aged ten years, with dark circles under his eyes.

Some time ago, a servant in the manor said he saw Luo Fu having an affair with the son of the manor's steward. He was furious and personally tied up the adulterous couple and punished them according to family law.

She had thought she would soon have a son, but it turned out that this adulterous woman was having an affair.

After returning from dealing with the situation, Song Qingyuan was completely devastated. He no longer knew what he should do.

Her future was ruined, and now she didn't even have a home. Although she had a concubine in the backyard, all she did was cry.

While Song Chengzhang and Song Hanzhi were still discussing how to curry favor with Xie Liwei, Song Qingyuan suddenly stood up.

"Father, Second Brother, you don't need to call me for these kinds of things in the future."

Upon hearing this, Song Chengzhang was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage.

"Are you going to abandon this family now too?!"

Song Qingyuan asked bluntly, "Father, does this still feel like a home?"

Song Chengzhang was choked up and could not speak for a long time.