Ji Jiaying seemed to have been waiting for her for a long time, looking at her with a smile: "Fifth sister, why didn't you inform us in advance that you were coming back? You stood at the door for so long. People who didn't know would think we kicked you out. It would be so embarrassing if it got out."

Baoning looked behind her and found that everyone in the family was there.

Duke Rong stood behind Ji Jiaying with an awkward smile on his face. Tao was supported by a maid, touching her belly with one hand, her face was radiant, and she looked very happy.

Ji Yan stood anxiously beside Xu, and when she saw Baoning, she wanted to step over, but was held back by Xu.

There were also a few eunuchs from the Shaofu Supervisor, wearing festive clothes. The outfit looked like they were there to deliver the betrothal gifts when she got married.

Duke Rong felt ashamed to see his daughter making such a fuss. He frowned and scolded lightly, "Ying'er, don't talk nonsense."

He didn't dare to say more. Although he was the male owner of this mansion, he didn't have much status. Now that Ji Jiaying married into a wealthy family because of Tao's brother's relationship, he had no say.

The eunuchs looked as if they were used to it. They bowed to them, walked around Baoning and Pei Yuan, and were about to go out.

It was not known whether they didn't recognize him or just wanted to ignore him.

Ji Jiaying curled her lips and was about to turn around and walk back, but Ji Yan suddenly rushed forward and shouted, "Meet the Fourth Prince!" After that, he bent over, cupped his hands, and bowed.

The eunuchs stopped walking, not knowing whether to go or not, and looked at each other awkwardly.

But they still had to save face. The leader coughed twice and knelt down in panic: "I am blind and do not know the true face of the Fourth Prince. Please forgive me!"

After he finished speaking, Duke Rong also said: "The Fourth Prince has come. I am sorry for not welcoming you from afar. Please come in, please come in!"

Duke Rong did not deliberately leave Baoning and Pei Yuan out there. He just did not dare to go against the wishes of Mrs. Tao. Mrs. Tao had no children and did not like Baoning's biological mother, Mrs. Xu, and therefore did not like Baoning.

Pei Yuan only had the title of a prince, but no power or influence. Anyone dared to offend him, so the power of the Tao family was naturally underestimated.

Bao Ning's heart was in her throat, but fortunately Ji Ran's voice helped her out.

Pei Yuan nodded and whispered, "Father-in-law, there's no need to be polite."

He gave him a step down, and Duke Rong was very happy. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, waved his hand to signal the maid standing next to him to come forward to help, took over Bao Ning's shift, and pushed Pei Yuan in.

Ji Jiaying frowned. She was unwilling to give up, and glanced at the leading eunuch of the Shaofu Supervisor, and mouthed, "Go."

The eunuch understood, pretended to be unsteady on his knees, and fell forward with a groan, right on Pei Yuan's wheelchair.

The maid was about to take over from Bao Ning. Bao Ning loosened his grip and was hit hard. His wheelchair lost control and slid forward rapidly, about to hit the screen wall at the door.

Bao Ning screamed in surprise and tried to reach out to stop him, but couldn't.

There were screams in the courtyard. People were afraid that Pei Yuan would be thrown out or hit the wall directly. Bao Ning was anxious and didn't care about etiquette. He ran after him.

Ji Jiaying pulled the corner of her mouth, glanced at him and whispered, "He's just a convicted prince. What's so proud of him?"

Seeing Bao Ning running over, Ji Jiaying gently lifted the hem of her skirt to block her slightly raised ankle, trying to secretly trip her.

Unexpectedly, Pei Yuan, who had already slipped away, suddenly turned in a different direction and ran straight towards her. Ji Jiaying's eyes widened, and she didn't react to what happened. She quickly retracted her feet and staggered back a few steps with the help of the maids.

Tao, who was standing next to her, was affected and lost her balance for a moment, almost falling down. She quickly grabbed the clothes of the maid next to her: "My belly, protect my belly!"

Duke Rong stood aside, not knowing whether to support this one or pull that one, and it was a mess.

Pei Yuan held the wheel in his hand and stopped steadily in front of Baoning, narrowing his eyes and looking at the drama over there.

Baoning was so frightened that her heart almost stopped beating. She squatted down to touch Pei Yuan's leg and asked anxiously, "How are you? Are you okay? Tell me if it hurts."

Pei Yuan grabbed her hand and pulled her up, "It's okay."

"How did it slip out? This is a fuss." Xu also rushed over. She felt sorry for Baoning. She turned her head to look at the frightened eunuch and said in a loud voice, "Is this how you, the Shaofu Supervisor, act rashly? You bumped into the Fourth Prince, why don't you apologize quickly!"

The eunuch didn't expect things to turn out like this.

He was a subordinate of Tao Maobing, Tao's brother. He was selected to arrange Ji Jiaying's marriage and naturally obeyed her orders.

As for Pei Yuan's affairs, he had heard about them before. It was rumored that the Fourth Prince was already useless and couldn't even move. He was paralyzed in bed day and night, and the emperor didn't like him. He was not afraid at first, thinking that if he bumped into him, he would just bump into him. If he could make Ji Jiaying happy, he would get more reward money.

Now, Pei Yuan didn't look like a useless person at all. He controlled the speeding wheels with his hands and even controlled the direction so steadily. Even a normal man with some martial arts skills would find it difficult to do it.

Pei Yuan looked like he was about to die, neither human nor ghost. He dared to go forward and bully him because he knew Pei Yuan was powerless to fight back. Now...

the little eunuch regretted it very much. After all, the prince was a prince. Even if he was in poverty, he was not something that a slave like him could suppress. Why did he touch such a small head?

"Fourth Prince, I didn't kneel steadily for a moment and frightened you. Please forgive me!" The little eunuch kowtowed and begged for mercy in tears.

Baoning was angry. She had a good temper, but she was not blind. She could see all those little actions of Ji Jiaying. Before she left the palace, Ji Jiaying had been targeting her, and now she was still the same, and even involved Pei Yuan.

Baoning felt guilty. Pei Yuan had suffered a lot of grievances because of what happened today, all because of accompanying her.

"Let's ignore them. I'll take you back to the yard." Baoning adjusted the small blanket covering Pei Yuan's legs and pushed him to Xu's yard.

Now that things have come to this, what's the point of her tolerance? Ji Jiaying and Tao will not remember her kindness. Besides, she is now married to the fourth prince, so what's wrong with being tough.

Thinking of this, Baoning straightened his back a little more. Xu and Ji Ran also followed. Aunt Ming looked coldly at Tao who was about to faint, patted her sleeves, and left.

Only the sixth girl Ji Liuxiang and her weak and fawning Aunt Ye were left. The mother and daughter stood there awkwardly.

...

In the house, Xu told Baoning the whole story.

"...A few days ago, the third prince Pei Xiao came to ask for someone to propose marriage. Today, the people from the Shaofu Supervisor came to deliver the betrothal gifts and the position of the crown prince's concubine. Just now, we were sending the people from the Shaofu Supervisor out, and we were standing in front of the screen wall to say goodbye. The doorman came and whispered something in the lady's ear, and the lady told the fourth girl. I didn't know what they whispered at the time, but now I think it must be the doorman who came to tell you to come back."

Baoning could understand the situation without Xu's explanation.

Ji Jiaying has had this kind of personality since she was a child. Outside the mansion, she is the dignified and graceful fourth daughter of the Duke's mansion, but when she is not at home, she is a completely different person, rude and cunning, and she can't stand the good of her mother and her three daughters.

Baoning didn't know if other sisters in the mansion were also so scheming. She was tired of such a life, so she was so eager to get married.

She suddenly remembered Tao's tightly protected belly and asked, "What's wrong with the mistress?"

Xu said, "She's pregnant."

Baoning was stunned.

Xu patted her hand and said, "Now that you are married, you don't have to worry about the affairs of the mansion. If there is nothing important in the future, don't come back often, and just live your own life quietly."

Baoning felt uncomfortable when she heard it.

Xu also felt a little bitter: "Alas, it is also because of my incompetence that I cannot protect you, that is why you... But you don't have to worry about my aunt, with Ji Yan accompanying me, I will not be wronged."

At this point, Xu suddenly remembered that Pei Yuan was still beside her, and she raised her head suddenly, a little embarrassed.

Pei Yuan seemed not to hear, his eyes fell on the window, Xu secretly suppressed her heartbeat and changed the subject: "Bao Ning, why did you choose this day to come back without informing me in advance, are you hungry, my aunt asked the kitchen to cook for you."

"I didn't choose a day." Bao Ning said, "I live far away, it's not very convenient, I happened to meet a carriage yesterday, so I came here." Hearing Pei Yuan say that Pei Yang ran away secretly, Bao Ning didn't dare to expose him.

Xu smiled and said, "That's great. Auntie misses you. You don't need the kitchen to cook. Tell me what you want to eat and I'll make it for you myself."

"We just finished eating. We're not hungry yet." Baoning replied obediently, but her mind was full of thoughts. She wanted to go find Auntie Ming now, but Pei Yuan was here, and so was Xu. She didn't know how to start.

Pei Yuan certainly didn't want to expose his scar, nor did he want anyone to mention it. Baoning hesitated for a while, and before she could think of a solution, she heard the maid come in and announce, "Auntie Ming is here."