"I didn't, I didn't lie." Tang Ruozhi bit the bullet and lied, "After the last time I went to the general's mansion to find him, I haven't had any contact with him since. Really, mother, you have to believe me."

"I want to believe you, Ruozhi, but you're too untrustworthy." Madam Tang said lightly, "You know, I hate children who lie the most. That kid from the General's Mansion has no future and no looks. I'm asking you to keep your distance from him because it's all for your own good."

"Yes, mother. All these daughters know." Tang Ruozhi's legs went weak and she was about to fall.

"This is a mother's good child." Mrs. Tang smiled with satisfaction.

Just when Tang Ruozhi thought Madam Tang was leaving——

"One more thing." Mrs. Tang said, "Take your brother to the princess' birthday party tonight."

Take Tang Hai with you?

Although she was afraid of Mrs. Tang, she was still very close to her brother Tang Hai.

"Why?" Tang Ruozhi asked again. It was not appropriate to bring a man to such a gathering of female relatives, especially an unmarried man.

"Just take him with you. The silly boy finally has someone he likes." Mrs. Tang's eyes were full of doting tenderness.

Tang Ruozhi felt a sharp pain in his heart when he saw it.

"Okay, I'll remember that." She was already on the verge of collapse. If Mrs. Tang gave her something unacceptable again, her nerves would immediately collapse.

Fortunately, no more.

Mrs. Tang walked out of her yard completely.

Tang Ruozhi sighed heavily. Was Hong Yan beaten to death by her mother just now?

She put her fingers into her hair and squatted on the ground in fear, looking at the bloodstains still on the ground.

She cried quietly and suppressedly.

——

Night arrived as expected.

The palace is decorated with lights and lanterns tonight, and everyone says it is to celebrate the princess's sixteenth birthday.

But everyone knew it was the first time for such a grand event.

It was said that the emperor had issued an edict inviting all the noble ladies in the city to celebrate the princess' birthday, and preparations had begun long in advance to give the princess enough glory.

And what about the princess herself?

At this moment, he was sitting restlessly in the room.

She was dressed very beautifully tonight, wearing a red dress that she and Yu Seung-ho bought at Jinyu Silk.

"Grandma Ji, are you really not going to tell grandma about that?"

Helan Minzhi paced back and forth in front of the bed and asked Aunt Ji beside her.