The next morning

As dawn broke, Leng Qingning brought Yaoyao over, and the three of them gathered together for the first time.

In her arms, the chubby little dumpling looked at Leng Qingning with its big, bright eyes.

Leng Qingning also looked at her with a loving expression.

I would touch her chubby little face from time to time, hold her little fleshy hands, or carry her around for a few laps.

A mother looks at her child and finds him adorable no matter how she looks at him.

Xiao An immediately ordered someone to bring the meal to the bedroom.

"My lady, you've been holding her for hours. Let's have lunch first." Lu Shiyi took Xiao Yaoyao and put her in the cradle, smiling at Leng Qingning, indicating that it was time for her to eat.

Seeing this, Leng Qingning reluctantly withdrew her hand.

"Shi Yi, you should rest and recuperate in the courtyard today, and leave the courtyard tomorrow."

Leng Qingning lifted Lu Shiyi's confinement, but she was still worried about his health.

"Alright, I'll listen to my wife. You must have a lot to do today, right? Don't worry about me, I'm fine."

"That's good."

"There was a lot to do today."

There are many things to deal with, the most important of which is to find out whether Gu Nanshu's child was caused by human intervention or an accident.

I should go and see Wangyue Pavilion later.

Lu Shiyi saw through Leng Qingning's thoughts and felt that it was time for him to visit Wangyue Pavilion as well.

It was his fault for running away last time; if anything had happened to Gu Nanshu then, he would have been held responsible.

He made up his mind to visit Gu Nanshu in a couple of days to apologize.

After having breakfast, Leng Qingning reluctantly left Hehuan Pavilion.

She went to Hemian Garden immediately, where a grand gift had been prepared for her.

Wen Yanche pulled Leng Qingning to the west courtyard and led her to an osmanthus tree with a smile.

"Ah Che, why are you being so mysterious?" Leng Qingning asked suspiciously, "Is today some kind of auspicious day?"

The two stopped under the tree. Leng Qingning followed Wen Yanche's gaze and looked ahead. After a short while, a handsome young man with unparalleled natural beauty slowly walked out from behind the tree.

A long, icy blue robe complemented his bewitching heterochromatic eyes. The young man had striking features, a tall and slender figure, slightly upturned pink lips, and a smile in his eyes.

A voice as gentle as a passing breeze softly called her, "Sister."

The little boy has grown into a man. After not seeing him for many days, he has grown much taller than before.

His features have grown more exquisite than before, with a clearly defined jawline that flows smoothly like a knife, and his skin is crystal white and delicate. His eyes and brows now exude a sense of ease and freedom, showcasing the temperament of a mature man at a glance.

It felt like a different world, leaving people speechless.

"You are... Xiaoyu?"

Leng Qingning could hardly believe it; the child had changed so much.

In just one year, you've developed so quickly!

Absolutely stunning!

Before she could recover from the shock, the young man was already in front of her. Sang Yu smiled faintly and leaned forward, his handsome and otherworldly face quickly magnified before her eyes. He gently raised his hand and stroked her hair.

The long-lost touch—

The slightly ambiguous, doting posture and the natural, intimate gestures made Leng Qingning's heart skip a beat.

Sang Yu was very close to her, his captivating aura wafting over her. "Sister, I miss you so much."

"Does my sister miss me?"

Leng Qingning felt slightly awkward and hadn't yet adjusted to the change in the person in front of her.

She took two steps back without making a sound; the current situation made it impossible for her to treat him as a minor younger brother.

"Xiaoyu, you've changed so much." These words carried a mix of emotion, surprise, and embarrassment.

She longed to pat his head and call him "little boy" as she used to, but the inexplicable flutter in her heart reminded her that the person in front of her was now a fully grown man.

She hasn't yet detached herself from the role of the older sister.

Having not seen her for a year, Sang Yu missed her constantly. He had prepared many things to say to her, but seeing her shocked expression, he chuckled and appropriately distanced himself from her.

He swallowed his emotional words and greeted her with a smile, "Sister, were you injured on the battlefield?"

The other party greeted her generously, and Leng Qingning snapped back to reality in a second, saying, "It's just a minor injury, nothing to worry about. Xiaoyu, how are your studies going?"

Speaking of this, Wen Yanche quickly answered, "Xiaoyu is intelligent and accomplished, and is one of the best among intermediate students. In this teaching exam, she once again won first place with the highest score."

Wen Yanche was very satisfied with Sang Yu's results, and he felt proud and gratified.

"It's all thanks to my brother's excellent teaching."

"So, Xiaoyu passed all six subjects?" Leng Qingning asked in surprise.

"How long have you been learning?"

You have to understand that he had no foundation in anything other than being able to read before.

"Yes, he was supposed to graduate after this teaching exam, but I wanted him to spend another six months with his classmates, so I contacted the Imperial Academy to let him stay at school until December. I just changed his permanent residence permit so he can go back to his residence after school."

"That's good." Leng Qingning wholeheartedly agreed with the decision.

It's the age to make friends, so I should be carefree and spend more time with my friends. After graduation, I'll have to go back to my family home and become a refined young lady.

Sang Yu was a little embarrassed by Wen Yanche's praise. He felt that his studies were very simple, just getting first place a few times, and he wasn't as amazing as his brother said.

"Brother, let's not talk about me. Don't you have something important to tell my sister?"

Seeing Sang Yu blush, Wen Yanche chuckled. This silly child, since she likes him so much, why doesn't she show him how she likes him?

Oh well, I'll find another opportunity to say something nice about him next time.

His expression immediately turned serious. "Ning'er, I have found an important clue regarding the Southern Book."

"oh?"

Upon hearing this, Leng Qingning's face lit up with joy; she was just about to investigate the matter.

"What clue?"

"On the day Nan Shu gave birth, someone saw a suspicious person sneaking into the residence. Later, during a thorough investigation, his description confirmed that the person was indeed Her Highness the Fourth Princess."

"The evidence for this matter is conclusive."

"Leng Qinghan?" she asked in surprise.

"Indeed, Changfeng also found a piece of clothing that was caught on the beam of Nanshu's bedroom. It was a woman's clothing. It seems that the Fourth Princess sneaked into the bedroom from the roof. As for Nanshu's child, whether it was born weak and died or was murdered by her, we don't know."

Leng Qingning narrowed her eyes, her mind racing as she considered every possible aspect.

Leng Qinghan is always going against her. Last time, considering her mother's feelings, she didn't kill her. It seems that she was too lenient with her.

This time, she even dared to sneak into the mansion with the intention of harming her husband and children?

What can be tolerated but not tolerated?

"Heh." Leng Qingning sneered, "She must have been up to no good when she sneaked in that day. She was probably the one who poisoned me."

Even if it's not true, we still have to pin this label on her.