Until this day, when Chu Yunyi set out from the palace to Fengtai Camp, he saw a familiar carriage at the gate of the palace.

The curtain of the carriage was lifted by a well-maintained hand, revealing the familiar face of the lady, haggard and thin, looking at Chu Yunyi eagerly.

The eyes of the grandparents and grandchildren met in mid-air.

Chu Yunyi could tell at a glance that the lady had become thinner and older. It had only been a little over a month, but Chu Yunyi felt as if he was in another world.

Since he was a child, his grandmother had always been very kind to him and treated him and Chu Yunmu equally. He had always respected this grandmother until he learned about Kang Hongda's affairs. It was as if the world had suddenly turned upside down.

Yunzhan said that it was Chu Lingyu who made the connection, and the lady should also know about it.

Chu Yunyi stood there stiffly. He had a grudge against the lady, but when he saw her pitiful appearance, he felt a little soft-hearted.

Chu Yunyi hesitated for a moment, but eventually followed Nanny Wang to the carriage opposite and called out, "Grandma."

"Brother Yi, something happened at home. The emperor has ordered your father to be imprisoned in the Sky Prison. Do you know about this?" The lady's face was filled with worry.

Chu Yunyi shook his head and said nothing.

He had seen through his father and no longer had the respect he once had for him. He also no longer cared about what happened to his father after he returned to Beijing.

He must never become someone like his father who only complains about everything!

However, in the lady's heart, there are no parents who are not wrong.

Seeing Chu Yunyi shaking his head, the lady thought that he didn't care because he didn't know that something had happened at home.

The Madam immediately told Chu Lingxiao how the marrow fragrance caused Taoist Xuan Jing to fail in his alchemy, but she attributed all the reasons to Xuan Jing's ill intentions and how he deliberately framed Chu Lingxiao. Finally, she said, "Brother Yi, your father was wronged!"

Chu Yunyi still didn't say anything. He could guess that what his grandmother said must be biased. His grandmother always sided with his father.

The old lady felt distressed when she thought of her eldest son. With tears in her eyes, she began to play the tenderness card: "Brother Yi, you haven't been home for a few days. Grandma has been thinking about you. Even if you don't come back, you should send me a message from time to time. Grandma can only feel at ease when she knows that you are okay."

Chu Yunyi felt a little ashamed of what she said, and felt that he was very unfilial. He had moved out of his home, so he should go home from time to time to report that he was safe.

The people who wanted to plot against him were his second uncle and second aunt, and his grandmother might not even know about it...

Chu Yunyi took out a handkerchief, handed it to the lady through the window, and said dryly, "Grandma, I will come to pay my respects to you often in the future."

"Okay, that's good. I was just worried that you and grandma would become estranged." The lady wiped the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief, smiled, and sighed, "As long as you are here, grandma will be confident."

"Alas, a person's true character is revealed when disaster strikes. Now your second uncle wishes your father would die. Your father is suffering in the prison. Your mother has returned to Duke Mu's mansion. Your third and fourth uncles have also abandoned her. Grandmother can no longer hold on alone."

As she spoke, deep wrinkles appeared on the lady's forehead, unable to hide her fatigue and pain.

Nanny Wang also said, "Master, the Madam has not been sleeping well these days. The doctor told her to calm down and take care of her body, not to get angry, and not to worry. But with the Master like this now, how can the Madam be at ease?"

Chu Yunyi felt uncomfortable looking at the old lady.

At the lady's age, she should be enjoying her retirement and being well taken care of by her children and grandchildren. She shouldn't be running around and working hard for her children and grandchildren at her old age.

Chu Yunyi pursed his lips as if he wanted to say something, and subconsciously tightened the scabbard in his hand.

A green lotus-colored square belt was hung on the hilt of the sword, and the long tassels swayed slightly in the wind.

The lady felt that Chu Yunyi must have softened his heart, and continued to appeal to his emotions: "Brother Yi, you are a good child. Last time, for the sake of the family's title, you risked your life to protect the emperor, and you were seriously injured. Fortunately, you are blessed with a long life. Now you are all well, and grandma is relieved."

"Grandma knows that you are filial and that you care about the Chu family. You are different from your second and third uncles."

"The title of nobility in our family is now vacant, and my grandmother feels that only you are qualified to inherit the title."

The lady was also somewhat emotional as she spoke, and she placed all her hopes on Chu Yunyi. Chu Yunyi had always been the most filial child, knowing that family was the most important thing, much better than his uncles.

As long as Chu Yunyi can rescue Chu Lingxiao, the lady really thinks that the title can be given to Chu Yunyi, which is what he deserves. She believes that even the Shen family can't object.

Chu Yunyi opened his eyes slightly, his body stiffened, and the look he gave the old lady became distant and indifferent, as if he was looking at a stranger.

"Grandma, what do you need me to do?" Chu Yunyi asked suddenly, concisely and to the point, his tone calm without a ripple.

He was so calm that the lady did not notice his expression change and answered casually, "Brother Yi, go and ask Lord Kang for help." The lady looked at Chu Yunyi with burning eyes, tightly holding the handkerchief that Chu Yunyi had just given her in her hand.

Chu Yunyi: “…”

A bucket of cold water suddenly poured over Chu Yunyi's head, chilling him to the bone.

He felt that he was extremely ridiculous the moment before. He stared deeply at the lady and smiled bitterly silently.

His smile was bitter and indifferent, and his eyes were deep and calm, which made the lady feel uneasy. She always felt that something was wrong.

"Brother Yi." The lady wanted to say something, but Chu Yunyi didn't want to listen at all.

To continue talking would only be a waste of his time and would only make him more embarrassed and disappointed.

“Grandmother, the Chu family gave me life, provided me with fine clothes and delicious food, and allowed me to study and practice martial arts…” Chu Yunyi spoke slowly in a calm but difficult voice, “I remember everything. I owe this to the Chu family.”

"But, for everything the Chu family gave him, I paid it back with my life last time."

Before today, Chu Yunyi actually still had a little hope for the Chu family. He hoped that what happened with Kang Hongda was just the idea of ​​his second uncle Chu Lingyu alone, and that his grandmother was just weak and indecisive, but not that dirty.

But Yunzhan was right.

My second uncle knew it, my grandmother knew it, and my father knew it too. They all planned to sacrifice him to bring prosperity to the Chu family.

In their eyes, he was not even a human being, but just a dog.

At this moment, the last bit of fantasy that Chu Yunyi had about the Chu family was punctured like a bubble, and a sour feeling spread in his heart, almost reaching his eye sockets.

He had never felt so calm and clear-headed as he did now.

No wonder stepmother Shen was willing to take Chu Yunmu away and divorce his father. She wanted Chu Yunmu to completely sever ties with this dirty Chu family.

He tried hard to open his eyes, staring at the lady who was only a few feet away from him without blinking, and emphasized: "I have already paid it back. I don't owe the Chu family anything anymore."

"My last name is Chu. If I can, I will help the Chu family. But if you want me to repay you with my life again, it's absolutely impossible!"

In an instant, Chu Yunyi's eyes became as sharp as a knife, as if they were going to penetrate the lady's appearance and pierce straight into her heart.

The lady felt guilty when he looked at her. Her eyes wandered for a moment. She couldn't look him in the eye. She couldn't help but retort, "Brother Yi, what are you talking about? How could Grandmother let you repay the Chu family with your life?"

The lady seemed a little weak at first, but as she spoke, she felt that she was not wrong.

She just hoped that Chu Yunyi could make some sacrifices for his father, and she just hoped that the family could live in harmony.

She is already old and can't bear to see her son suffer, and she can't bear to see a young person die before her.

Is there something wrong with her thoughts? Chu Yunyi said nothing, just looked at the old lady quietly. His eyes seemed to suck people in. The old lady avoided his gaze again.

Chu Yunyi smiled. He took the reins from the servant, climbed onto the horse, and then squeezed the horse's belly.

The horse broke into a gallop and Chu Yunyi rode away without looking back.

The young man's back was so resolute and tenacious that the lady became even more panicked. She hesitantly called out, "Brother Yi..."

Her voice was so soft that it was blown away by the wind in an instant and could not reach Chu Yunyi's ears.

The lady looked at Chu Yunyi's back in dismay and didn't come back to her senses for a long time.

Chu Yunyi's last look was deeply engraved in the old lady's heart, making her feel uneasy and as if she had lost something and felt empty inside.

The lady's shoulders drooped limply, her back was hunched and her head was lowered, making her look even older.

She thought Chu Yunyi would understand her, but she didn't expect to hit a snag with him again. He didn't understand her just like the second brother.

At this moment, Chu Yunyi could no longer be seen at the end of the street. After turning right, he rode his horse towards the west gate, feeling extremely confused.

The streets of the capital city were not suitable for galloping on horseback, so once outside the capital, he crouched low, sped up his horse, and galloped at full speed.

“De de de…”

As the speed increased, even the oncoming spring breeze became sharper, blowing his cheeks red.

Chu Yunyi rushed forward without caring about anything, completely ignoring the eyes cast towards him on the official road, and just kept moving forward, and forward...

I don't know how long he ran, but he finally began to calm down and gradually slowed down his pace. Looking into the distance at the blue sky, he roared loudly like a madman, venting the depression in his heart.

He touched the slender and strong neck of his beloved horse with his left hand, and then touched the lotus-colored sword tassel. After venting his anger, he felt relieved.

Yunzhan said that people cannot choose their parents, but they can choose how their life will go.

At that time he asked himself, have you thought about how to leave?

Chu Yunyi was still confused at that time and did not answer, but now he has the answer.

He whispered, "I've thought about it."

He was answering Yunzhan, but also talking to himself.

Chu Yunyi smiled again, putting aside the myriad thoughts in his mind, smiling proudly, and became the high-spirited eldest son of the Chu family again.

He should not limit himself to the Chu family's small piece of land, there is a wider world out there.

He will be on his own!

Chu Yunyi clamped the horse's belly again to speed up the horse under his crotch. Before, it was a release after being suppressed, but now it was unrestrained and refreshing.

Chu Yunyi understood and let it go, but the lady was trapped in it and was caught in her own trap.

In the next two days, she tried to ask for help from old friends and in-laws of the Chu family, but was disappointed again and again. She even tried to submit a letter to the palace again, but it fell on deaf ears. She deeply experienced what it meant to have no one to turn to for help.

The lady was really at a loss, so she visited Duke Mu's mansion again.

This time, she finally met Shen.

"Azhi," the lady tried to force out a flattering smile towards Shen, "I see you have lost weight, how is Mu brother?"

"We are all fine." Shen answered indifferently.

Shen had been deliberately ignoring the old lady before, and would not see her until she was frustrated and had no one to turn to.

The lady was feeling very sad. She finally saw Shen and started crying about how miserable Chu Lingxiao was. She only hoped that Shen would help Chu Lingxiao out of the gratitude they had received as a result of one night of marriage.

The lady cried sincerely, but Shen just thought it was ridiculous.

After the lady had finished speaking, Shen proposed a condition: "If you want me to help Chu Lingxiao, I can, as long as the Chu family agrees to our divorce, Mu Ge'er and Chen Jie'er will belong to me in the future."

Madam: “!!!”

The lady didn't expect that Shen would ask for a divorce again when they met again. She couldn't keep her smile and said, "That's impossible!"

How could she agree to hand over their Chu family's grandson to someone else! The Chu family couldn't afford to lose this person, and if she agreed, how would she explain to her ancestors a hundred years later! Shen didn't even want to maintain face for the Chu family now. She felt disgusted, so she didn't bother to say more and used the most direct action to serve tea and send the guests off.

So, the head maid Dongmei reached out to the Madam, who was still sitting still, and said, "Madam, please!"

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

The old lady was not willing to leave just like that and wanted to plead for mercy, but as soon as she said the word "Azhi", two burly old women came and the old lady and Nanny Wang, the master and servant, were forcefully pushed out.

After a while, the room became quiet.

Shen took a sip of tea and said nonchalantly, "She won't be able to hold on for much longer."

Nanny Chen glanced in the direction of the door curtain and nodded in agreement.

The old lady has lived for so many years in vain and has not experienced anything. Now she is like a paper lantern that will burst at the slightest poke.

The setbacks of these days should have pushed the lady to her limit. If she wanted to save Chu Lingxiao, she had to take a step back.

Nanny Chen thought for a moment and asked, "Madam, should we go tell the princess?"

Speaking of Chu Qianchen, Shen smiled and said in a brisk tone, "Go ahead and bring her a few baskets of loquats from the farm. She and Mu Ge'er like to eat loquats."

Nanny Chen added in a humorous tone, "They all look like you, Madam."

Nanny Chen also felt a little emotional: Shen was able to have such a good pair of children. Although her marriage was a bit hard, it was also a bit of comfort.

Two days ago, Chu Yunmu came to the Duke's Mansion. At that time, he sent Nanny Chen out and had a private conversation with Shen.

Nanny Chen was worried, so she stood guard outside and overheard what Chu Yunmu said to Shen solemnly, "Mother, if you want a divorce, then go ahead. I will study hard and learn martial arts. When I grow up, I will support you."

"You still have me!"

At that moment, Shen didn't cry, but Nanny Chen's eyes were red. The fourth young master was so young, but he already thought about his mother.

Shen and Nanny Chen both knew that Chu Qianchen must have said something to Chu Yunmu, which was why Chu Yunmu came to say such a thing. After that, Shen was in a good mood, and her appetite also improved. She became visibly plumper and radiant.

Thinking of her son, Shen smiled slightly and said, "When you see Mu'er, tell him to listen to his sister and brother-in-law and not fall behind in his studies. If he fails the next exam, he will not be allowed to continue living in the palace."

Shen had always been worried that Chu Yunmu would blame her, so she had no time to think about his homework. Now that she had let it go, she remembered that she had forgotten to ask him about his homework the last time Chu Yunmu came.

Nanny Chen couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh, knowing that the eldest lady was thinking about the fourth young master.

At this time, the lady who had left the Duke's Mansion had already boarded the carriage of the Marquis' Mansion, and felt as if she was in dire straits.

She first ordered the carriage to return to the Marquis' Mansion, but after the carriage drove two streets away, she changed her mind and asked the coachman to go to the Ministry of Justice's Prison instead.

She really had no other choice. She tried every possible way and persuaded every possible person, but everyone rejected her.

The lady asked Nanny Wang to give some silver to the jailer, and finally she was put into the prison again.

The first thing Chu Lingxiao said when they met was to complain: "Mom, why did you come just now?!"

Madam: “…”

Without waiting for the lady's answer, he asked anxiously with a sad face, "Mother, how is Kang Hongda doing?"

The lady shook her head in embarrassment: "Ling Xiao, I went to find Brother Yi, but he disagreed."

Chu Lingxiao's eyes were almost wide open, his heart was shrouded in despair, and he was even more afraid. He said in a trembling voice: "Mom, Brother Yi is the most filial. Go and talk to him again. If he doesn't save me, I will be tortured to death..."

As he spoke, Chu Lingxiao's body began to tremble uncontrollably.

He doesn't want to die yet! The lady said weakly: "Ling Xiao, I have told Brother Yi that I would give him the title, but he still doesn't want to."

Chu Lingxiao's body collapsed, and he trembled even more violently. He said, "Mom, go find Shen Zhi. If I'm convicted, Shen Zhi and Chu Yunmu will be in trouble."

A glimmer of hope ignited in Chu Lingxiao's dark eyes.

The lady was even more helpless: "I went to find Azhi, and she wants to divorce you, and she said she wants to take Mu Ge'er and Chen Jie'er with her."

When they were at Duke Mu's Mansion, the Lady Dowager was still very determined not to agree to Shen's request, but now she has wavered.

"If you agree, I will go find Azhi again and ask the Duke's Mansion to help you." The old lady closed her eyes. For the sake of her eldest son, she could only be a sinner of the Chu family.

The lady's eyes began to turn red again.

Chu Lingxiao: “…”

Chu Lingxiao opened and closed his mouth, but no words came out for a long time. His throat felt like it was burning.

He hated Shen to the core and sneered, "Husband and wife are birds of the same forest. When disaster strikes, they fly away separately."

This woman is really snobbish. Seeing that I became a prisoner, she wanted to abandon me and even take my son with her.

This is the daughter-in-law his father chose! It was his father who misled him!

The lady was extremely tired and felt weak all over, as if she was being pressed down by an invisible mountain and couldn't stand up straight.

She said in a hoarse voice, "I have no other options. I have asked everyone I could, but they all failed me. The only one who can help is Azhi. Even if the Duke's Mansion can't help, there is still Sister Chen. If she can persuade Prince Chen to come forward, your case will be a piece of cake."

The lady also knew that no matter how long the Prince of Chen could remain popular, now was the heyday of the Prince of Chen's Mansion. A word from the Prince of Chen was more effective than anything else, and even the Emperor had to be wary of him.

The lady rubbed her brows and sighed, "But, they are of one mind, and now they are clearly using this matter of you to blackmail us."

Chu Lingxiao's face became even uglier. He hated Shen, hated Chu Qianchen, and even felt a bit disgusted with Chu Yunmu. Chu Yunmu was his legitimate son, but a son born to a woman like Shen would probably also be born to his mother.

Chu Lingxiao punched the wooden fence of the cell hard. The splinters on the fence scratched his hand and his face twisted in pain.

Chu Lingxiao took a deep breath and said slowly: "Divorce is fine, and Chu Qianchen can be taken away by her, but Chu Yunmu cannot be taken away." Chu Lingxiao's eyes were deep, like the eighteen levels of hell.

"She won't agree." The old lady felt uneasy when she thought about being kicked out of Duke Mu's mansion.

Shen's heart is too cruel and ruthless!

Chu Lingxiao: “…”

Chu Lingxiao punched the wooden fence again, feeling extremely conflicted.

At this moment, the voices of two men were heard from a distance: "My Lord, are you going to interrogate Chu Lingxiao?"

"Yes, Taoist Xuan Jing left the capital today, and the emperor thought of Chu Lingxiao again. He just issued an order to punish him with twenty strokes of the cane."

In the quiet prison, the footsteps of the two men were particularly clear, approaching this side step by step.

The cell was dark and damp, and the approaching footsteps in the darkness sounded like the Black and White Impermanence holding the soul-locking chains walking towards him.

Chu Lingxiao's body trembled violently, his pupils shrank sharply, and his whole body shook even more violently.

Chu Lingxiao shouted in horror: "Mom, promise her, no matter what conditions Shen Zhi offers, agree to her as long as she rescues me from here."

He didn't want to stay in this hellhole any longer. If the fight continued, would he still be alive? ! As they spoke, a tall and mighty square-faced man entered the sight of Chu Lingxiao and his son, followed by the jailer and four imperial guards.

The square-faced man also saw the lady and frowned unhappily.

The jailer smiled apologetically and said, "Sir, this is Chu Lingxiao's mother. I am grateful for the deep love between them." Normally speaking, Chu Lingxiao was imprisoned in the Sky Prison by the emperor's order, and he could not be visited at will.

The square-faced man glanced at the prison boss nonchalantly. He was used to this kind of thing, so he said nothing and just waved his hand and ordered: "Take the man away!"

Chu Lingxiao was about to cry. In this narrow cell, he had nowhere to hide and could only let the two imperial guards drag him away.

Chu Lingxiao told the lady, "Mother, go find Shen Zhi right away!"

"Lingxiao." The lady felt sorry for her son and wanted to pull him away, but was stopped by the jailer.

The jailer gave the lady a warning look and she dared not do it again.

As the saying goes, it is easy to see the King of Hell, but difficult to deal with little ghosts.

If she offended the prison boss, and the prison boss turned around to make things difficult for Chu Lingxiao, Chu Lingxiao would suffer instead.

The lady could only watch Chu Lingxiao being dragged away for execution. She could no longer stay and hurried back to the Marquis' Mansion.

The lady did not rush to the Duke's Mansion. After returning, she immediately wrote several notes, which were sent to the residences of the patriarch and elders of the Chu family and the Duke Mu's Mansion.

So, the Yongding Marquis Mansion, which had not seen any visitors for a long time, opened its main gate early the next morning to welcome carriage after carriage, including a red-wheeled carriage from the Chenwang Mansion.

Chu Qianchen came here specially to accompany the wife of Duke Mu and Shen, they did not bring Chu Yunmu.

Everyone gathered in the main hall of the outer courtyard and sat down according to the host and guest and their status. The atmosphere was solemn.

The clan leader looked at Shen and Lady Mu, Duke of Mu, and seemed to be hesitant to speak.

It was the Madam who spoke first: "Azhi, I can make the decision and agree to your divorce from Lingxiao. The clan leader and the elders are here to witness it today. I also agree to let you take Brother Mu and Sister Chen away."

(End of this chapter)