Zhao Mingzhu's heart skipped a beat.

Although she truly loved someone else, she was not completely indifferent to Cheng Lang, as Old Lady Wei had brought her together. Furthermore, she knew that marrying Cheng Lang was the best option. Cheng Lang was already a doctor in the Ministry of Personnel at such a young age, and it wasn't impossible for him to become a prime minister in the future...

"Grandma," Zhao Mingzhu looked at Old Madam Wei helplessly, "If my uncle intends to let Cousin Cheng Lang and Sister Yining be together, what should I do..."

Old Madam Wei had no idea either; she was a bit angry at her son's behavior. Yi Ning was a noble woman, so it wouldn't be impossible to arrange a marriage for her later. But Mingzhu was already of marriageable age, and Cheng Lang was someone she had long considered for Mingzhu. With everyone in the capital watching, she only hoped Zhao Mingzhu would be the first to get the upper hand, but Wei Ling interrupted?

Mrs. Wei took a deep breath, looked at Zhao Mingzhu and asked, "Tell me honestly, do you like Cheng Lang...Cheng Lang, but does he like you?"

Zhao Mingzhu was a little confused. Cheng Lang...liked her?

He probably liked her a little, because he had long been impatient with ordinary women. He and she had grown up together, so she was much better than others. But no matter whether Cheng Lang liked her or not, he would never like Luo Yining. Besides being a proper lady, what else did Luo Yining have?

"He's actually quite nice to me..." Zhao Mingzhu said, "Whatever I asked for, Cousin Cheng Lang never turned him down. The other day, I saw Sister Yining talking to Cousin Cheng Lang. Sister Yining seemed to like him." She pulled Old Lady Wei's sleeve, "Grandma, does that mean I can't like him just because Sister Yining likes him?"

Seeing that she looked nervous, Mrs. Wei said, "What are you afraid of? Things always come first and last. Besides, you and Cheng Lang grew up together, so your feelings are naturally deeper." Mrs. Wei held her hand and said, "You have my support, and I will not sit idly by and watch you being bullied." Zhao Mingzhu left her relatives to accompany her for so many years, and Mrs. Wei sometimes even forgot that Zhao Mingzhu was just adopted.

She loved Zhao Mingzhu dearly, and would never sit idly by if someone bullied her. It would be fine if Wei Ling treated her equally, but she could see that Wei Ling didn't take Zhao Mingzhu seriously. If she stopped protecting her, what would happen to Mingzhu, whom she had raised since she was a child?

Old Madam Wei asked Zhao Mingzhu to go back, and she sent someone out to get information. That evening, Mother Song returned from the office. She told Old Madam Wei that Wei Ling had taken a hu of top-quality pearls to Yining to make jewelry, as well as several rolls of high-quality cloth, all of which were tribute-level good stuff. Old Madam Wei asked calmly, "Did you say it was for Mingzhu?"

Mother Song looked at the old lady holding a string of agate beads in her hand and counting them slowly without saying a word.

Mrs. Wei placed the agate beads on the small table, and the agate made a crisp sound. She said lightly, "I understand. You can go down."

When Yining paid his respects to the old lady again the next day, he felt that her attitude towards him had become much colder.

Yi Ning brought the blood swallow porridge that Old Lady Wei usually drank from the maid's tray and gave it to her. The old lady said calmly, "I won't drink the porridge today. You can give it to your sister Mingzhu."

Had she upset the old lady in some way? This attitude was clearly a punishment for her.

Yi Ning remained motionless, but Zhenzhu stepped forward, took the porridge from her hand, and handed it to Zhao Mingzhu, leaning forward and saying with a smile, "Miss Mingzhu, enjoy your meal."

Yi Ning watched Zhao Mingzhu lower her head to drink her porridge, and suddenly something seemed to dawn on her. She sat down next to Old Lady Wei, and she heard Old Lady Wei say leisurely, "Yining, do you know the story of Kong Rong giving up his pears?"

Luo Yining had always been fond of the elderly, perhaps influenced by Old Lady Luo. But she also knew there was only one Old Lady Luo, and after all... after all, no one would be as unreasonably and dotingly partial to her as Old Lady Luo. She said calmly, "Yining knows this story, but I don't know what Grandma meant by mentioning it. I hope Grandma will explain it to me. Yining can correct her mistakes and learn from them. There's no need to keep guessing."

Old Mrs. Wei saw her raise her head. This girl seemed gentle, but she seemed to have a bad temper when she got angry.

She suddenly didn't know what to say.

...Yining went back early today.

She wasn't particularly angry; it wasn't a big deal, after all. She just didn't want to stay with Old Madam Wei. She was locked in her room practicing calligraphy. Seeing her, Zhenzhu tiptoed out, gently closed the lattice fan for her, and told the little girl not to disturb Yining. Then she went to Wei Ling and told him what had happened today.

Wei Ling couldn't suppress his anger after hearing this. What did his mother mean by this? How could she say such words to Yi Ning?

He went to Old Lady Wei without even changing his clothes. Seeing that she was checking the account books, he asked the servants to leave as he wanted to have a good talk with her.

Mrs. Wei put down the account book and said, "I didn't send anyone to look for you, but you came here."

Wei Ling looked at Old Madam Wei for a long time before saying, "Mother, have you forgotten Zhao Mingzhu's status? Could it be that you've been raising her for so long that you've really developed feelings for her? I have no objection to you being kind to her, but you must never go beyond Yining. Yining is your biological granddaughter. She will be the only daughter of the Duke of Ying's mansion from now on, and Zhao Mingzhu has nothing to do with her."

Mrs. Wei was naturally unhappy when she heard what he said. She said coldly, "What's wrong with Mingzhu? No matter how bad Mingzhu is, she has been with me for ten years away from her family. You have been fighting in the wars all these years and rarely come home. If it weren't for Mingzhu being by my side to fulfill my filial duty for you, how could I have lived? Now that you have found your biological daughter, am I not good to her again? I am not bad to Yining, but you are too partial to her. Cheng Lang was originally the one Mingzhu and I wanted to support, but you decided to go for Yining. Besides, you recently made new clothes and jewelry for Yining, but did you think about Mingzhu?"

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