The sun had completely set when Xiao Guangyuan stepped out just before the palace gates closed.
"Master, what's wrong?" The butler rushed forward, looking at Xiao Guangyuan with trepidation.
Xiao Guangyuan felt dizzy for a moment. If the butler hadn't been supporting him, he probably would have fallen to the ground.
"Sir, are you alright?"
Xiao Guangyuan took a deep breath, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart, and waved his hand, saying, "I'm fine."
"Sir, please get in the carriage first."
As the sound of horses' hooves rang out, Xiao Guangyuan calmed down, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and thought about the scene of seeing the emperor in the palace just now.
He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.
In the Longevity Courtyard, Old Madam Xiao exclaimed in surprise, "Yuan'er, is what you said true? You really got promoted? You're now a vice academician of the Hanlin Academy? A third-rank official!"
Grandma Xiao laughed excitedly a few times: "Hahaha, Yuan'er, it's truly a stroke of good luck! What a wonderful thing!"
Xiao Guangyuan couldn't stop smiling.
"My son is amazing! My son is indeed amazing!" Old Mrs. Xiao said with a smile.
Xiao Guangyuan nodded and then said, "This should be the Bai family's support; the Bai family is trying to curry favor with me."
"My son is truly remarkable." Old Madam Xiao was extremely proud. "To win the hearts of two young ladies like you is a testament to your skill. Now it seems you're going to choose the Bai family?"
Xiao Guangyuan sighed softly: "Back then, I openly and secretly begged my father-in-law to help me get promoted, but he refused. Now, even without him, I still got promoted."
"Hmph, that Lord Zheng must have you wrapped around his little finger, thinking you'd have to rely on him! Back then, we could only rely on the Zheng family, but things are different now. Now we have the Bai family! Let's see how the Zheng family can still control us!"
Grandma Xiao was overjoyed: "In the past, I had to be subservient to Zheng Fangyu, but now I can finally hold my head high! Yuan'er, let's choose the Bai family!"
"But what about Prince Ping..."
“Yuan’er, are you confused? With the Bai family around, why should we be afraid of Prince Ping?” Old Madam Xiao said dismissively. “I’ve been in the capital for so long, and I’ve heard some things. Although Prince Ping is the Emperor’s younger brother, he’s not as favored by the Emperor as the Bai family. Yuan’er, don’t make the wrong choice!”
Xiao Guangyuan nodded and looked at Old Madam Xiao, saying, "Mother, how come you've made such a firm choice to the Bai family in such a short time?"
Grandma Xiao was taken aback and asked in confusion, "Only the Bai family has shown us any benefits! And Chen Zhixiu is so easy to manipulate, why wouldn't I choose the Bai family?"
“That makes sense.” Xiao Guangyuan suppressed the strange feeling in his heart and felt that what Old Madam Xiao said was right. He then said, “Have the servants tidy up the courtyard in the mansion first, and I will go to pick up Xiu’er and her daughter tomorrow.”
"That's right!" Grandma Xiao clapped her hands. "In this way, the rumors outside will be dispelled."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Guangyuan quickly agreed, saying, "Mother is indeed very thoughtful."
Grandma Xiao smiled shyly: "I'm just a peasant woman. I'm glad I could help you. Yuan'er, only your mother wants the best for you!"
Xiao Guangyuan nodded hurriedly: "Of course I know Mother is doing this for my own good. Mother, please rest well. I know what to do."
After chatting with Xiao Guangyuan for a few more minutes, Old Mrs. Xiao watched him leave.
"Madam, is this really alright?" Granny Xue, who served Old Madam Xiao, approached with a hesitant expression. "If the master finds out that you listened to the princess, I'm afraid..."
"I'm doing this for his own good," Old Mrs. Xiao said dismissively. "You've seen it yourself, it was the Bai family that got my son promoted. And compared to Zheng Fangyu, Chen Zhixiu is like a dog trying to climb over my head! Chen Zhixiu is different. Back in my hometown, I lived just as well as I do now, she took good care of me."
At this point, Old Mrs. Xiao became even more satisfied: "Besides, if you don't tell and I don't tell either, how could my son possibly know?"
Thinking of the benefits she had received, Granny Bai laughed as well: "What the old lady says is true. Besides, that's a princess, and you're the princess's mother-in-law. It's terrifying to say!"
"Hahaha." Old Mrs. Xiao's face became even more smug.
At this moment, the atmosphere in the Zheng family was extremely tense.
Lord Zheng was also surprised that Xiao Guangyuan made no move at all!
Zheng Fangyu gripped the handkerchief tightly, her fingers digging into her palm. The pain brought her back to her senses, and she said in a hoarse voice, "Father, he won't come. He has chosen the Bai family."
"How could this be..." Lord Zheng muttered with a frown, and just as he was about to say something, the steward arrived.
"My lord, I have learned that Lord Xiao had already arrived at the Zheng family's gate, but was summoned away by imperial decree."
"Your Majesty?" Lord Zheng's eyelids twitched. "Have you found out what the matter is?"
"Lord Xiao has been promoted to the third rank and appointed as a vice academician of the Hanlin Academy."
Upon hearing this, Lord Zheng immediately realized: "What a fine Bai family! What a fine Bai Zeyi!"
"Father, what should we do now?" Zheng Fangyu panicked completely. If she really got a divorce, wouldn't she be laughed to death by the noble ladies of the capital?
After a moment of silence, Lord Zheng said, "Old Fang, inform Prince Ping about this matter."
The butler, Lao Fang, immediately agreed and quickly left.
Lord Zheng looked at Zheng Fangyu and said, "You can stay at home for now. Don't worry, your father will take care of this for you."
Zheng Fangyu breathed a sigh of relief, curtsied to Lord Zheng, and returned to her room.
"Madam, you should rest early," said Taro, Zheng Fangyu's head maid. "Master must be entangled with the eldest daughter of the Bai family. After all, he doesn't dare to offend the Bai family. He must be trying to find a way to bring you back."
Zheng Fangyu stared blankly at the potted plant in front of her, and upon hearing this, she scoffed, "How could he remember me?"
"I never expected Chen Zhixiu to be so beautiful. Now that she has a powerful family, she probably has long forgotten about me!"
"But Xiao Guangyuan wants to abandon me? It's not that easy."
Zheng Fangyu abruptly uprooted the potted plant in her hand and said coldly, "Don't even think about it!"
Taro quickly took a handkerchief and wiped the dirt off Zheng Fangyu's hands: "What Madam says is true, but this servant can see clearly that Master still has feelings for Madam, not to mention Miss!"
"Taro, Chen Zhixiu and her daughter will be meeting the Emperor tomorrow, right?" A glint flashed in Zheng Fangyu's eyes. "Go contact the people in the palace and let them know tomorrow that this capital city is not so easy to stay in!"
Taro agreed.
Meanwhile, at the Bai family home, Chen Zhixiu looked at Bai Tuantuan, who was standing in front of her with her head down and her eyes filled with panic, took a sip of tea, and said unhurriedly, "It seems that our Tuantuan is not going to tell the truth?"
Bai Tuantuan looked up and said with an embarrassed smile, "How could that be, Mother!"
"Then tell me, when did you acquire memories of your past life? And when did you discover that I also have memories of my past life?"
Bai Tuantuan looked up at the sky: "It's already very late, Mother. This is a long story, so why don't we..."
"Then let's get straight to the point." Chen Zhixiu shifted her posture, smiling at Bai Tuantuan. "Don't even think about running away!"
Bai Tuantuan sighed. When did her mother become so clever?
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