Liu Yulian and her group chatted and laughed along the way, stopping in two towns. Nothing unusual happened along the way; no woman suddenly appeared and asked Liu Yulian to make a decision for them.

There were countless women suffering in the world, and it was impossible for them to just come to Liu Yulian. They knew of Princess Rongning's achievements, but they didn't know Liu Yulian, so how could they possibly ask her to make the decision?

Even those who knew Liu Yulian felt that they should rely on their own efforts.

Isn't that what happened to Princess Rongning? When the Marquis of Jingning's mansion was ransacked, Princess Rongning was exiled along with them. Princess Rongning rose to prominence through her own strength, without seeking help from others.

If a woman always lets others make decisions for her, how can she become strong?

At Jingning Marquis Mansion, Liu Yulian and others returned home.

"Mother." Liu Yulian went to see Liu's mother first.

"You just got back, why are you here?" Liu's mother said, "Why don't you change clothes and rest first?"

"I just came to see you." Liu Yulian hadn't seen her mother for several months, and she missed her a little.

Liu Yulian had a pretty good time at the beach during those few months, even though she was blown by the wind. She still felt that life at the beach was good, of course, that was also because she didn't have to do those hard things.

Fishermen along the coast have a very hard life. They have to fish and worry about whether they can sell their catch. They worry about whether they will have a meal next time. They have so many problems to worry about.

Liu Yulian just studied some things and didn't do those things all the time, so her life was pretty good.

"There are also some specialties, such as dried fish." Liu Yulian said.

"Didn't you give your kitten any food?" asked Mother Liu.

"It can't eat that much," Liu Yulian said. "It's gained a lot of weight. Don't worry, what you're eating is definitely not its leftovers."

"Who's worried about that?" Liu's mother said with a smile, "Go, go, go, go and have a rest first. Don't hang around in front of me."

"Don't you miss me?" Liu Yulian took her mother's hand.

"What's the point of missing you? You've already come back." Liu's mother said, "Why are you still talking about this?"

"Then I'll go back first." Liu Yulian said, "It's tiring to ride in a carriage."

When He Xiyuan returned from the Chengguo Mansion, he also brought back a lot of things, some of which he bought himself, and some of which Liu Yulian gave him. There were all kinds of dried seafood and other things.

"You brought back so many things." Old Madam He said, "If someone didn't know you, they would think you were just there for fun."

"I bought it there, and Sister Lian also gave me some things." He Xiyuan said.

"Why do you want her to share her things with you?" Old Madam He frowned.

"Those people gave them to her, so she gave me some." He Xiyuan didn't feel embarrassed at all. "She didn't want to accept them at first, but those people insisted. She took some, and then they stuffed it into our car. Some even said they wanted to come to the capital to deliver the gifts."

He Xiyuan thought Liu Yulian wouldn't be that popular near the coast, as there weren't many farmers there. But it turned out she was very popular. She was doing other things, and those families also had relatives there. Furthermore, there was more food available outside, and the prices were lower, making it easier for fishermen to buy food.

Liu Yulian had recently built a salt drying field there and was also turning seaweed and other materials into seaweed and seaweed buns for easy storage. Some people were even growing seaweed and kelp. They hadn't even known about growing these things before, so Liu Yulian and others from the research institute joined in the research.

He Xiyuan didn't understand these things, he just took a look.

"Sister Lian, there's no way she'd let them deliver anything. She can only take some things." He Xiyuan said.

"Do you think your sister Lian is amazing?" Old Madam He joked. "What do you think those people on the beach have to be thankful for? Are they growing something else? Planting something in the water?"

"Yes." He Xiyuan nodded, "But I'm not sure."

Mid-Autumn Festival was just two days away, and Liu Yuqin was thinking of returning to the Marquis of Jingning's mansion to celebrate. However, if she went directly there, she was afraid it would not work.

Liu Yuqin went to see Madam Qin, the eldest young master's wife. Of course, Madam Qin had no intention of going to the Jingning Marquis's mansion for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Forget about the question of filial piety. For a married woman like them, it's fine to go back to her parents' home occasionally. If she always finds excuses to go back, that's not good.

"You just think that if you go back, others will think you have a good relationship with your family, right?" Madam Qin said, "Don't think about it, I'm not going back. If you want to go back, it's up to you."

"Can't we go back together?" Liu Yuqin asked.

"No." Madam Qin refused. "We grew up together, so it's inevitable that I'll be a little soft on you. But if I'm any softer, Father and Mother won't let me go back."

"You are the legitimate daughter." Liu Yuqin said.

"So what if she's a legitimate daughter? A biological daughter can't do whatever she wants." Madam Qin said, "What you did a while ago was indeed excessive. If someone doesn't like you, and he wants to marry another woman, what does that have to do with that woman?"

When Madam Qin Da Shao found out about Liu Yuqin's actions, she was shocked. She really didn't think Liu Yuqin did the right thing. Liu Yuqin was clearly a broken jar, not wanting others to be well.

"How come it doesn't matter?" Liu Yuqin gritted her teeth. "I know. Mother has always looked down on me. She just thinks I'm no good. I finally fell in love with someone, and she promised that person to..."

"Just shut up! Mother never arranged a marriage for anyone," said Madam Qin. "You and your own mother are exactly the same. You think my mother would harm you. It's not that Mother didn't arrange a marriage for you before, but you didn't want to."

At that time, Liu Yuqin felt that it was impossible for her mother to arrange a marriage for her.

Madam Qin Da Shao didn't know what to say. "This time, even if he's a concubine's son, he's still a Jinshi. Even if he's married for the second time, he only has one daughter, and there are many people who want to marry him. Who do you think you are? Do you think you can marry him just because you're the daughter of a marquis?"

"Why not?" Liu Yuqin said, "Isn't the Jingning Marquis' Mansion right now..."

"Isn't the Marquis of Jingning's Mansion more powerful now? Isn't it?" Madam Qin rolled her eyes. "You're wrong. Father has no real job. Yan Jing is in the patrol camp, but his position is not high enough. Let alone my younger sister. Sooner or later, she will marry out, and others will value her more. As for your relationship with my younger sister, if we don't tell others, no one will know. But do you think you can hide it from others?"

Madam Qin Dashao didn't think that this matter could be hidden from others, and people outside should know something about it.

"I advise you not to think about going back to your parents' home for the Mid-Autumn Festival," said Madam Qin. "Just spend the Mid-Autumn Festival with your own mother. You're still in confinement, so don't go out into the wind. You're going through all this trouble just to go back to the Marquis' Mansion. Are you just trying to soften my heart?"

Madam Qin was very helpless with Liu Yuqin. She was not at home to take care of herself after her childbirth, but came here at this time. Madam Qin was too embarrassed to say that she would not see Liu Yuqin, so she could only meet this illegitimate sister.

Liu Yuqin had been turned away by Madam Qin, so she had no intention of going to Xue Liu's place. It was even more impossible for Xue Liu to return to her parents' home for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Madam Qin didn't go back, and it wasn't that other illegitimate daughters couldn't go home, but they just didn't want to.

When Aunt Qing saw Liu Yuqin coming out of the Qin family, she hurriedly asked Liu Yuqin to get on the carriage.

"Did she agree?" asked Aunt Qing.

"How could she possibly agree?" Liu Yuqin's expression turned grim. "I've even come all the way here, and she still says she won't go back to the Marquis' Mansion for the Mid-Autumn Festival."

"Then don't go back." Aunt Qing had always felt that it was unlikely that Madam Qin would go to Marquis Jingning's Mansion to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, but her daughter insisted on coming.

Aunt Qing felt a little powerless. Her daughter had just given birth and was not even out of confinement, but she was already in such a state.

"Mom, tell me, what's the difference between them treating me like this and breaking off the relationship with me?" Liu Yuqin felt that the people in Jingning Marquis' Mansion were going too far.

"This..." Aunt Qing thought that the Marquis of Jingning's Mansion had indeed not severed the engagement with Liu Yuqin, but judging from the attitude of the people in the Marquis of Jingning's Mansion, it was almost the same as severing the engagement.

"Are they just waiting to see me make a fool of myself? Are they happy that I haven't remarried and have been staying at home?" Liu Yuqin gritted her teeth. "Is it because I don't live in the Marquis' Mansion that they don't care about me anymore?"

"Forget it. If your father doesn't care about these things, then no one else in the Marquis' Mansion will care about you." Aunt Qing said.

"Do you know what my eldest sister just said? She said my father has no real job and that the family depends on my younger sister." Liu Yuqin sneered, "Why didn't she say that the whole family acts according to my younger sister's wishes, and that people I don't like can't enter the Marquis' Mansion?"

“…” Aunt Qing was silent.

"My little sister hasn't married yet, and she's like this." Liu Yuqin said, "When she marries into the Duke's Mansion, she won't be the mistress of the house, and there's a prince's wife above her. Let's see what she will do then."

Liu Yuqin wanted to prevent Liu Yulian from marrying into the Chengguo Mansion, but there were many people who wanted to marry Liu Yulian. She couldn't find a man to destroy Liu Yulian's innocence. Even if she wanted to, those people couldn't do it. Liu Yulian had many people around her.

Therefore, Liu Yuqin just thought about it at most. She thought that Liu Yulian blocked other people's way, and others had to deal with Liu Yulian.

The day before the Mid-Autumn Festival, Madam Qin went to the Marquis of Jingning's Mansion. She went there to deliver Mid-Autumn gifts and also to talk about Liu Yuqin.

"Why, you still want to help her?" Mother Liu frowned.

"No." Madam Qin shook her head quickly. How could she dare? She could clearly sense her mother's displeasure. Madam Qin was not completely unaware of what was happening. "I refused. If she doesn't come back for the holiday tomorrow, I can't go with her even if I give her a gift. She's the same. She hasn't even finished her confinement, but she's already thinking about coming to the Marquis' Mansion. She thinks she can't get in, so she insists I go with her."

"Yeah." Liu's mother nodded.

"Mother," said Madam Qin, "don't worry. I won't bring her here to force you to see her. She's not pitiful, after all. Isn't Fourth Sister still in the northwest? Fourth Sister's dowry probably wasn't that big, right? Second Sister still has quite a bit. Mother, do you have anything to give Fourth Sister?"

"..." Mother Liu turned to look at Madam Qin Dashao. Was her daughter stupid? Why would she say such a thing?

Madam Qin had never experienced the hardship of exile, and sometimes she was concerned about putting on a good front, so she said this.

"There's no need to make up for it," said Liu's mother. "When we were down and out, you were enjoying a good life in the capital. You gave us some things, but you didn't give us all your dowry. Similarly, when we didn't have that much money, and we had already separated, we gave her those things. Isn't that enough?"

Mother Liu couldn't help but wonder if her eldest daughter had a problem with her brain. How could she say such stupid things in front of her?

"You feel sorry for them?" Mother Liu raised an eyebrow. "If you do, then give your husband to your second sister, and your dowry to your fourth sister. As for you, you can become a nun or even hang yourself, and we won't interfere."

Liu's mother rarely said harsh words to Madam Qin. She thought that maybe because she had allowed Madam Qin to say those things about Liu Yuqin before, her daughter came to test her.

"Mother, that's not what I meant." Madam Qin knew that Mother Liu was really angry.

"Don't try to persuade others to be kind until you've experienced their own hardship. Do you understand?" Mother Liu thought that her previous education of Madam Qin was quite successful, but the situation had changed, and she couldn't use the same way of thinking anymore. "If you keep talking about these people, people who don't know would think they are your brothers and sisters. I haven't seen you care about your little sister this much."

"I..." Madam Qin Dashao opened her mouth. She really didn't care that much about her younger sister. Perhaps it was because she felt that her younger sister was already the director of the research institute and the younger sister was Princess Rongning, so no one would dare to bully her.

My little sister is so powerful, how could I possibly be wronged?

When Liu Yulian came over, she felt that the atmosphere was not right. But before Liu Yulian could say anything, her mother said, "You are going to the palace to attend the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet tomorrow, right?"

"Yes," Liu Yulian nodded, "and a few people from the research institute."

Although the institute's members did not attend the court, the emperor still invited them to the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet. The emperor did this to let everyone know how much he cared about the institute and to prevent others from looking down on it.

"Go back and see what to wear tomorrow. Or maybe wear your official uniform," Liu's mother urged. "People at your institute always dress casually, right?"

"It's just casual wear..." Before Liu Yulian could finish her words, she was interrupted by her mother again.

"Let your sister-in-law help you see what clothes to wear. Go ahead." Mother Liu waved her hand.

“…” Liu Yulian blinked. Her mother didn’t even give her a chance to speak.

Liu Yulian looked at Mrs. Qin Dashao and thought: Did my elder sister make mother unhappy?

After Liu Yulian left, her mother said, "Don't be fooled by your little sister's innocent and lively appearance. She has also suffered a lot. Your relationship with her is not that deep, and she may not want to have a deep relationship with you. You should pay more attention to your second and fourth sisters, and she won't stop you."

"Mother, I know I was wrong, please don't say any more." Madam Qin Dashao knew that she had done something wrong. She originally thought that she was just chatting with her mother, so she just said it like that.

Madam Qin thought it was her fault for not knowing much. She had no idea how hard life was for these people in the northwest. When she was in the capital, even if she was bullied, it was not a big deal.

Perhaps less than a year had passed before the Liu family regained their nobility. This did not make Mrs. Qin that much of a shock, and she subconsciously felt that her family should be doing OK.

When Liu's mother was in the northwest, she also wrote letters to Madam Qin, but she couldn't say in the letters how hard their lives were, nor how the family was divided, let alone what happened to the concubines and illegitimate children.

"You simply haven't experienced enough," said Mother Liu. "If you want to be kind to your illegitimate sister, you might as well be kind to your husband's illegitimate child."

"..." Madam Qin Da Shao understood that her biological mother was mocking her. She had been talking about her illegitimate sister in front of her biological mother, which was also to tear at her biological mother's heart.

People are like this. When they face their illegitimate brothers and sisters, they will still talk about family affection. When these women become legitimate mothers, they are at most superficial in their treatment of those illegitimate children. How many legitimate mothers really dote on their illegitimate children?

This is how Madam Qin behaved. How could Mother Liu possibly listen to her eldest daughter talk about these things?

Liu Yulian went to Princess Zhaoyang's place, but she did not say that the atmosphere between her mother and elder sister was not right. She just thought that she should dress casually tomorrow and wear clothes suitable for a princess.

"I don't plan to wear the official uniform," Liu Yulian said. "Even if it makes me look different, I won't wear it."

"Why?" Princess Zhaoyang was curious.

"Those men are all wearing official uniforms," ​​Liu Yulian said. "I feel like I'm just going along with them."

Women's official uniforms are also similar to men's, with modifications made to men's official uniforms.

Liu Yulian didn't want to wear official uniform. Whether a person wore official uniform or not didn't affect their achievements. Liu Yulian felt a little rebellious. She just didn't want to wear official uniform. She wanted to wear ordinary clothes to let those people know that even if a woman wore a silk skirt and a hairpin, she could still do a lot of things.

Liu Yulian thought that her own thoughts... were really suitable for time-traveling women. Don't these women just want to appear stronger and not appear so insignificant?

"Sister-in-law, do you think my behavior is suicidal?" Liu Yulian asked.

"No," Princess Zhaoyang said with a smile, "Young people are full of energy, which is a good thing."

Princess Zhaoyang didn't attack Liu Yulian. There was no need to force her to follow those rules. Her father had long ago told her not to meddle in so many things and not to always force people to follow the so-called rules. Many geniuses like to be unrestrained.

"Don't be embarrassed. Young people should behave like young people. Being immature and green isn't necessarily a bad thing." Princess Zhaoyang thought Liu Yulian was fine. "Do you want someone to make you a few more clothes? But if you wear them tomorrow, it'll be too late."

"I still have several sets of new clothes." Liu Yulian said, "I haven't worn them yet."

At noon, when Liu Yulian was having lunch with her mother, she found that Mrs. Qin had already gone back.

"Didn't your mother invite your eldest sister to dinner?" Liu Yulian asked. She felt a little itchy. What had happened that made her mother let her eldest sister go back so soon?