When they returned from their meal, after hearing what the maidservant beside Princess Duanhui had to say, Old Master Meng instructed, "Investigate that maidservant thoroughly and make sure to find out why she did this."

"yes."

"Father, is someone really trying to harm the Chi family? Her Highness the Eldest Princess also had doubts before." Meng Kuo asked anxiously.

With Chen Yi away, he has to protect the Chi family well.

Mr. Meng said, "Don't rush to conclusions. Let's wait until the interrogation results are available before making any decisions."

At the very least, the other party was only trying to sow discord and make them hate the Chi family, but they didn't actually do anything.

This shows that even if the person behind it wants to deal with the Chi family, they don't harbor much hostility.

"But……"

"Kuo'er, have you ever thought about why, if the other party really wanted to deal with the Chi family, they would try to sow discord between you and your mother to achieve such a goal?"

Mr. Meng interrupted his son. In the candlelight, the old man's wise eyes seemed to be shining, as if he could see through everything!

Under such gazes, Meng Kuo felt as if he had been stripped naked, with nowhere to hide!

The young boy clenched his fists, knowing full well what was going on.

"Kuo'er, I know your relationship with your mother isn't very close, but you are still mother and son. At the very least, you shouldn't give outsiders a chance to sow discord, right? And this time, your mother didn't disappoint you, did she?"

"Father, I understand. I'll go talk to Mother first, and then I'll go to sleep."

Meng Kuo bowed and slowly left the study.

He wasn't unaware of some profound truths, it's just...

well!

——

At the same time.

At the residence of the Minister of Revenue.

"Has the old lady still not eaten anything?" Minister Yang of the Ministry of Revenue had just finished his work and returned to his residence when he hurriedly came to the old lady's Songbai Hall.

In the courtyard, Mrs. Yang, who was already forty years old, stood there quietly waiting.

Seeing the lady's posture, Lord Yang knew what was going on.

The usually gentle and calm Madam Yang was a little anxious and immediately scolded, "Why are you only coming back now? Didn't I tell you to come back earlier today?"

"I'm also tied up with official duties, and the old lady still refuses to eat a single bite."

"Um."

Forty years ago today, Lord Yang took his two-year-old daughter to offer incense and pray for blessings, but an accident happened and the child disappeared!

I heard she was abducted by human traffickers.

Although the Yang family immediately reported it to the authorities, it was a large temple fair that day, and there were so many people that they couldn't find anything!

That was Madam Yang's first child, and she was heartbroken and depressed every day because of it. Eventually, she fell ill and was bedridden.

Since then, he has never had another child.

The current Lord Yang is actually an illegitimate son, but he was later registered under the name of Old Madam Yang.

Although Madam Yang did not show much affection to her illegitimate son, she never neglected his food, lodging, studies, or etiquette. Therefore, Lord Yang respected Madam Yang very much.

"Sigh, why don't we take Sister Zhuang to see Mother? Maybe the old lady will be happier to see Sister Zhuang, and at least she'll eat something."

Lord Yang was deeply worried.

My stepmother fell seriously ill before the New Year, and her health is deteriorating day by day. If she doesn't eat for another day, how can her body withstand it?

Madam Yang was also worried. Besides having a good relationship with her mother-in-law, there was another important reason: her youngest daughter was reaching a beautiful age, and she was worried that something might happen to her mother-in-law!

My daughter's education will be delayed for three years!

These three years are too precious to waste.

For both public and private reasons, and out of both emotion and reason, Madam Yang did not want anything to happen to her mother-in-law.

"I'm asking you a question, what are you thinking about here?"

"Sister Zhuang... Mother instructed me today that she doesn't want to see anyone. Even when Sister Zhuang came, she wasn't allowed to come in."

Sister Zhuang is Lord Yang's granddaughter.

She reportedly looks three-tenths like her daughter who was lost years ago!

Normally, Madam Yang dotes on Zhuang Jie like the apple of her eye, but today she doesn't!

"well."

"Madam, Madam! Someone, something terrible has happened! The Madam has fainted!"

Suddenly, a servant's exclamation came from inside the room.

Lord Yang rushed inside immediately.

Fortunately, there was a physician in the household who provided timely treatment.

Everyone in the Yang family, young and old, rushed over to stay with their grandmother.

"How can Grandma's body withstand going a day without eating?"

"Alas, Grandmother misses Aunt too much."

"It's been lost for forty years..."

“That was my grandmother’s only child. She could never let go of him, no matter how many years he was lost. Look at this room, it’s full of my aunt’s portraits.”

Each of these portraits was painted by Madam Yang when she missed her daughter.

In her words, she is old and her memory is failing. She is worried that she will forget what her daughter looks like, so she paints a picture every day.

The old lady, who was not skilled in painting, painted her daughter so vividly because she missed her daughter so much!

No matter how realistic the painting is, the daughter will never come back.

"Hey, this painting, this painting, it looks so familiar." Yang Zhi, the young boy guarding the back, pointed at the portrait, frowning as he carefully recalled.

He really wanted to see it today.

But where did I see it?

"Nonsense, your grandmother's room is full of portraits of your aunt, of course you'd find them familiar."

"Can……"

"Don't speak! Grandma's awake!"

Everyone held their breath and stared intently at the elderly woman on the bed.

Old Madam Gu slowly woke up, staring blankly at the ceiling, not wanting to say a word or show any expression.

I'm awake, yet it feels like I'm not.

Lord Gu knelt beside the bed, choking back tears, "Mother, you must take care of yourself. Otherwise, what will your son do?"

"Mother, you are blessed with great fortune. My eldest sister must be living peacefully and happily somewhere."

Madam Gu also cried bitterly.

That can't be done.

If this continues, what will happen to her daughter?

"Great-grandmother, I'm happy."

Sister Zhuang was mimicking the words the adults taught her, speaking in a childish voice.

But Madam Gu didn't say a word, and didn't even blink.

The atmosphere was eerily quiet.

With a determined look in her eyes, Yang Zhi stood up and exclaimed, "Grandmother, today I saw a baby who looks seven or eight parts like the portrait of my aunt that you drew! It's very possible that the baby is my aunt's child!"

Whether it's true or not, let's give the old man something to look forward to!

Otherwise, I'm afraid...

"Wh-what?"

As expected, as soon as Yang Zhi finished speaking, Old Madam Yang struggled to get up, looking at him with hopeful eyes:

Are you serious?

"Yang Zhi! Are you sure you saw it clearly? Don't talk nonsense." Madam Yang frowned and scolded him.

How could it be such a coincidence?

Although the old lady is excited and has hope now, if that hope is dashed, it could cause even greater harm to her health!

Don't let it get to the point where you can't hold on at all!

Wouldn't that be even worse?