Xie Jinyao immediately remembered the Lady Hou's instructions and swallowed her anger.

"Second sister-in-law is right, but Jin Yao was born and raised in the Marquis's mansion, and she really can't stand seeing them humiliate the Marquis's mansion like this."

The implication is that Ye Zhen doesn't care about the Marquis's mansion or Xie Yunzhou, which is why he can speak so eloquently.

Ye Zhen didn't say anything more.

Marquis Zhongyong looked at her seriously. He was somewhat surprised that Ye Zhen's thoughts were somewhat similar to his.

Why do people dare not mock or discuss the many shady dealings of the royal family? Because the royal family is powerful enough. As Ye Zhen said, if the sun is strong enough, the fog will dissipate.

Of course, he had no intention of coveting imperial power, but he always used this as a spur to himself.

But his daughter didn't understand this principle at all, so she sternly rebuked Xie Jinyao, "The result of your commotion today is that you've only given the world more material to laugh at."

Xie Jinyao was startled. Her father was actually protecting Ye Zhen like this?

She quickly admitted her mistake, saying, "It was my daughter's fault."

Marquis Zhongyong was not so easily appeased this time.

When Wanxing came to find him, he was in the study looking at Xie Yunzhou's past assignments, which were vastly different from the policy essays that Liu had shown him before.

He also checked the bookstores under the Liu family's name. They had indeed supported many poor students before, but they were all dismissed after Xie Yunzhou faked his death three years ago.

The truth is obvious.

If even the son's talent is fake, then what about the daughter? How much of the obedient and well-mannered demeanor she presents to me is genuine?

Xie Jinyao wasn't really stupid; she was just used to being spoiled. She saw disappointment and doubt in the eyes of the Marquis of Zhongyong.

She hurriedly knelt down and cried, "Father, I really know I was wrong. Thanks to your protection, I have grown up carefree until today."

Faced with a series of sudden changes in the household, the daughter was at a loss and lost her mind in her grief.

"Daughter, go kneel in the ancestral hall to reflect on your actions. You will be confined to the house and will not leave again. From now on, you will obey your father and second sister-in-law's teachings. I beg your forgiveness, Father."

She shook the hand of the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage, her eyes full of pleading, yet with the innocent charm of a daughter towards her father, "Father, you can punish Yao'er however you like, I just beg you not to ignore Yao'er."

This was the first time his daughter had knelt before him like this. Marquis Zhongyong sighed deeply, "Go kneel."

He didn't say anything more about punishment; he was always soft-hearted when it came to his child.

He then looked at Ye Zhen and said, "Yao'er has been spoiled by her mother. You should give her some pointers in the future."

Suddenly he changed the subject, "But she said something very true: you are a family, sharing both honor and disgrace."

He wasn't oblivious to Ye Zhen's dislike for Yao'er. Was Ye Zhen truly innocent in today's events?

"Yes, daughter-in-law understands."

Ye Zhen recognized that this was a warning from the Marquis of Zhongyong and responded respectfully.

Marquis Zhongyong then looked at Chaolu, and Ye Zhen explained, "She is a friend I met when I first arrived in the capital, and she helped me before."

Today, upon learning that she and her fourteen-year-old brother were not doing well, and considering that her own household was short-handed, the daughter-in-law brought her to the mansion and had her sign a contract to work as a cleaning maid.

Ye Zhen had just returned to the capital. Although the Ye family kept a close watch on him, he hadn't completely stayed home, so he wasn't afraid of the Marquis of Zhongyong investigating him.

Since the Marquis of Zhongyong was determined to let her manage the household, he wouldn't even interfere with Ye Zhentian's addition of a servant.

However, she still asked Chaolu, "What's your name? Where are you from?"

Chaolu was afraid of the powerful aura of the Marquis of Zhongyong, and said timidly, "My name is not nice. The young mistress said that I will be called Chaolu from now on. I am from Yuzhou and came to the capital from famine a few years ago."

"Oh, how unpleasant does it sound?"

Marquis Zhongyong seemed to have taken an interest.

Chaolu lowered her head and clutched the hem of her clothes. "There's rice. Grandma said she hopes I'll always have rice to eat in the future."

It is indeed a very rural name, and the constant use of "I" suggests that the person has never been exposed to the rules and etiquette of wealthy and powerful families.

Ye Zhen was very pleased with Chao Lu's cleverness. She emphasized that her name was not pleasant to hear, so the Marquis of Zhongyong would subconsciously overlook her surname.

Marquis Zhongyong waved his hand and didn't ask any more questions, but after returning to his study, he had someone check where Ye Zhen had gone that day.

Upon learning that Ye Zhen had inquired about the price at Jinluzhai several times but found it too expensive, he left through the back door with his maid.

When they went out again, there was always that girl named Chaolu by their side...

Marquis Zhongyong's eyes were dark as he instructed his attendants, "In the coming days, keep a close eye on the movements of the eldest young lady and the young mistress."

He doesn't want to see what happened today happen again.

The power struggles in the imperial court and the management of his subordinates in the army had already taken a toll on him. He also had to take care of his young son and keep a close eye on his eldest son.

He didn't have the energy to worry about the conflict between his daughter and daughter-in-law anymore.

Meanwhile, Ye Zhen and the other two also returned to the courtyard.

As soon as the door closed, Wanxing patted her chest. "Miss, you scared me to death! I thought the Marquis was going to take back your stewardship."

In her view, although today's incident made the Marquis see Xie Jinyao's inappropriate behavior, it was also not good for her young lady.

At least in the Marquis's view, the young lady's failure to stop Xie Jinyao from going mad was also a dereliction of duty.

It's inevitable that people will doubt whether the young lady is capable of managing the household and whether she is truly devoted to the Marquis's mansion.

Ye Zhen smiled faintly, "No, it won't happen."

Today's event is aimed at Xie Jinyao, but it is even more so at Lady Liu, the wife of the Marquis.

Last night, while Ye Zhen was meditating, he suddenly remembered something very important.

There is also an old lady in the mansion who is recuperating outside.

Liu had once saved the old lady's life and had been raised by the old lady as her own niece for many years.

The first wife died in childbirth, and the Marquis of Zhongyong was away fighting. It was Lady Liu who helped the old lady take care of the newborn heir.

She was the old lady's savior and also had been kind to the young master, so the old lady valued Liu Shi highly.

He made her the second wife of the Marquis of Zhongyong, and in the first year of their marriage, he gave her the power to manage the household.

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