GBP Chapter 601 is not the time to talk about these chapters.
Chapter 601 is not the time to talk about these chapters.
When Su Lingyue and her companions arrived outside the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, many carriages were already parked outside. The people walking inside were Zheng Zixu, the Minister of Rites, his wife Jiang, his eldest son Zheng Chengze, and his second son Zheng Chengxuan.
Su Xiuyuan and Li Qingyuan greeted them at the entrance. They went up to Zheng Zixu and his family warmly and personally led them into the banquet hall.
As Su Lingyue walked to the door, Butler Liu, who was greeting guests on behalf of Su Xiuyuan and his wife, saw Su Lingyue and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he quickly turned to a smile and greeted her, "Miss, you're back!"
He remembered that neither the eldest young lady nor anyone from the Prince Su's mansion was on the guest list. Why was the eldest young lady back?
"Where's father?"
"The master is inside receiving guests."
"Where's Madame?"
Before, at home, Su Lingyue had no choice but to call Xue Man "mother," but now that she has a different status, she no longer needs to pretend.
The butler paused for a moment, then realized that Su Lingyue was referring to Xue Man, and explained, "Madam is in her room, receiving congratulations from the guests."
"Oh?" Su Lingyue was somewhat surprised. She didn't know how Xue Man could face anyone in her current state.
She became somewhat interested.
"Now that I'm here, I should offer my congratulations. You can go about your business; you don't need to come with me."
"This..." The steward hesitated. The relationship between the Duke of Dingguo's mansion and the Prince Su's mansion was somewhat delicate. If something happened, he would not be able to explain himself.
"What? I can't even go back to my own home?"
"How could that be!" The butler bowed and stepped aside to make way for her. "Miss, please."
After receiving the gift list from Yan Qing, Steward Liu ordered the divorce papers to be moved inside. Seeing Su Lingyue walk in with two maids, he immediately instructed the servant beside him, "Go tell the master that the eldest young lady has arrived and is in the madam's courtyard."
Su Lingyue arrived at Xue Man's courtyard with ease. Many guests had already finished offering their congratulations and came out. Upon seeing Su Lingyue, they curtsied.
After briefly greeting them, Su Lingyue arrived outside Xue Man's bedroom.
At this moment, Zheng Zixu's wife was exchanging pleasantries with Xue Man through the screen, with Su Lingyue accompanying her.
"How are you feeling?"
"Thank you for your concern, I'm much better now."
Hearing Xue Man's hoarse voice, Jiang was somewhat surprised, "Did you ruin your voice from smoking?"
Because Su Heng and Zheng Zixu were close, Xue Man and Jiang Shi were naturally closer to each other than to others, but their words contained little concern and more of a gloating tone.
Behind the screen, Xue Man naturally understood as well.
That wretched Jiang woman, before I got into trouble, she always fawned over me, but now she's kicking me when I'm down.
Xue Man, not wanting to be outdone in words, feigned concern and said, "I heard that your Rui'er is gone. Sigh! That child, I watched him grow up. When you first came to the capital, he was just a clueless kid. Now... you, the white-haired, have to bury your black-haired son."
Upon hearing her words, Jiang stared venomously at the screen, wishing she could stare right through it.
She snorted coldly, "You've lost two sons, and your daughter has lost her position as Crown Princess. Compared to me, you're more pitiful."
Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, Li Qingyuan quickly tried to smooth things over, "Madam Zheng, my mother-in-law is not feeling well. Since you have finished reading, please go and rest in the hall!"
Jiang, naturally unwilling to linger, arrogantly rose to leave. Reaching the door, she saw Su Lingyue standing outside, her eyes filled with wariness and coldness. "Since when did the Princess Consort of Su develop the habit of eavesdropping?"
"How dare you! You should bow to the Princess!" Caiyi stepped forward and coldly rebuked Jiang.
Su Lingyue looked at her coldly, "Madam Zheng?"
Seeing that Su Lingyue had no intention of giving up, Jiang realized that if she were impeached for disrespecting the royal family, it might cause trouble for her husband.
"May Your Highness be blessed with good fortune and peace!" Jiang reluctantly bowed to Su Lingyue and walked into the hall without looking back.
Seeing that Jiang had left, Li Qingyuan stepped forward and curtsied to Su Lingyue, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness. May Your Highness enjoy boundless blessings and peace."
Su Lingyue didn't want to appear too intimate with Li Qingyuan, so she said lightly, "Sister-in-law, please rise! I've come to see Madam."
"Please come in!"
Before Xue Man was ready, she saw Su Lingyue walk around the screen and directly in front of her.
"go out!"
Xue Man leaned against the headboard pillow, her disfigured face contorted in a terrifying grimace, her eyes, devoid of eyelids, fixed intently on Su Lingyue.
"Li Qingyuan! Throw her out!"
Su Lingyue stood in front of Xue Man's bed, quietly listening to her screams and her voice that was on the verge of collapse.
Upon hearing this, Li Qingyuan entered, looking at Su Lingyue with a troubled expression, "Your Highness..."
Su Lingyue looked down at Xue Man, who was leaning against the headboard and completely unable to take care of herself, without feeling any sympathy.
His mother was healthy all her life. After marrying into the Duke's mansion, she only had one daughter, Su Xiuyuan, who was more than ten years younger than him.
Su Lingyue also knew some of the methods used in the inner quarters.
Su Lingyue could almost imagine how her mother had lived over the past ten years.
Su Lingyue now sees her as an ant; no matter how hard she tries, she will end up with a broken body.
"Moon," Li Qingyuan called out again.
"Congratulations on the Duchess's birthday! May you have many more birthdays to come, and live to be a hundred years old."
After saying that, Su Lingyue didn't linger and turned to leave the bedroom, with Li Qingyuan following behind her.
Outside were other ladies who were about to go in to offer their congratulations, but Li Qingyuan stopped them: "Ladies, my mother-in-law is tired right now. Your kind intentions are enough. Please move into the hall."
Everyone left one after another.
To confirm whether Li Qingyuan had anything to convey, Su Lingyue deliberately slowed down and walked at the back.
Sure enough, after walking a few steps, Li Qingyuan called out to Su Lingyue at a corner.
"Yue'er."
Su Lingyue stopped in her tracks.
"Sister-in-law, is something the matter?"
Li Qingyuan didn't beat around the bush, "You must have noticed, this birthday banquet is very strange. Originally, your father-in-law and your eldest brother didn't plan to hold it, but for some reason they decided to hold it now, and only told me five days ago."
"Do you know anything else?" Su Lingyue asked.
Li Qingyuan shook her head. "They didn't tell me anything else. These days, they've been wary of me in their words and actions."
Su Lingyue gave a gentle smile. "I understand. Thank you for informing me, sister-in-law. I will observe the rest myself."
"Well, let's go."
They arrived at the inner hall where the female guests were waiting one after the other. Everyone was chatting enthusiastically, but there was one person standing at the door, which seemed particularly out of place.
"Su Lingyue, you still dare to come back?" Su Nanxing stood at the entrance of the hall with his arms crossed, blocking Su Lingyue's way, looking at her arrogantly.
Su Lingyue stood in front of her, showing no intention of speaking to her, and coldly said, "Get out of my way!"
Seeing that Su Lingyue didn't take her seriously, Su Nanxing got angry and raised her hand to slap her. Yan Qing and Li Jing acted at the same time, restraining her arm that was swinging out, staring at her coldly and releasing their pressure.
Seeing that Su Lingyue was on guard, Su Nanxing angrily withdrew his hand, snorted coldly and said, "Father sent me here to ask you why you came back today?"
Su Lingyue coldly retorted, "This is my maternal home, my stepmother's birthday. Is there a problem with me coming back?"
Knowing she wouldn't get any answers, Su Nanxing didn't press the matter. Instead, she adopted a scrutinizing expression, stepped forward, and approached Su Lingyue with a malicious smile, "I wonder how things are between you and Prince Su lately, sister?"
Su Lingyue didn't understand what she wanted to say, so she didn't reply and just looked at her coldly.
Su Nanxing seemed to have completely forgotten his anger at failing to hit Su Lingyue earlier, and chuckled softly, "Look at me, I forgot that the Imperial Uncle is known for spoiling his older sister."
"It's a pity that my uncle is seriously ill now, otherwise, I really wish my sister would give me a nephew soon..."
"Slap!" Before she could finish speaking, Su Lingyue slapped Su Nanxing across the face.
"Today is your mother's birthday, and there are many guests. Don't make things too ugly!"
After Su Lingyue finished speaking, she ignored Su Nanxing, turned around and walked into the hall, sitting down next to Qin Wanning's mother-in-law, Madam Jia.
Everyone in the hall witnessed what had just happened. Some watched openly, while others glanced furtively, but no one dared to utter a single word.
"Su Lingyue!" Su Nanxing cried out in despair, "Do you even know what you...?"
Facing the gazes cast upon him from the main hall, Su Nanxing felt a chill run down his spine. He swallowed hard, swallowing back the words he wanted to say.
just now.
This is not the time to say these things.