"Actually, whether the children are born by concubines or by our second sister-in-law, they will still call her 'mother'. Our second sister-in-law has no sons. If one of these four concubines does give birth to a son, won't she still be the one who will raise the child? As the saying goes: The person who brought you up is greatly more important than the one who merely gave birth to you. So, the child would be almost like her own child after her years of nurture." In the afternoon, the warm sunshine of the winter sun shone on the soft bed through the window. Wei Changying and Mrs. Liu sat at the table on which a chessboard was placed. They held different chess pieces respectively, playing leisurely.

Mrs. Liu was playing white. While playing, she was talking to Wei Changying, who was required not to leave the courtyard, "When our second sister-in-law returned to her courtyard that day, she cried behind closed doors. A couple of days later, Mother happened to hear about it and was displeased. Anyway, the girls are all in her family now, so what is the point of crying more or making more fuss? Instead, this will make the elders unhappy and will make outsiders think daughters of the Duanmu Family are really... Tut!"

Wei Changying was playing black. Looking down to closely see the situation on the board, she smiled, saying, "My first sister-in-law, you are right." In fact, she slightly disagreed with Mrs. Liu's words. Mrs. Liu said it so easily because all the children in her branch were hers, not from concubines. If it had been Mrs. Liu who was asked to give her husband four concubines today, she might not have said it so simply. Last time, when Liu Ruoye visited here, didn't she say something that immediately made Mrs. Liu embarrassed? Apparently, something happened in Shen Cangli's rear courtyard, and Mrs. Liu desperately tried to avoid mentioning it."

However, Mrs. Liu came to visit her in her spare time. Wei Changying would not refuse this kindness. Although Wei Changying didn't agree with Mrs. Liu, she said everything that would please Mrs. Liu.

She thought for a while before she put her piece down. Then, it was Mrs. Liu's turn to think about how to play next. Neither of the sisters-in-law was good at chess anyway. Playing chess was just something they did at the moment to pass time, so they were in no hurry. As Mrs. Liu was thinking about how to play next, she smiled, saying, "Do you know that the second sister-in-law has been cursing you secretly these days after she cried?"

Wei Changying was surprised, asking, "What does it have to do with me?" Not having finished her words, she realized. Not knowing whether to cry or laugh, she said, "Is it because Mother started the conversation with my pregnancy?"

"It's more because you are carrying a little boy." Mrs. Liu said with a smile, "This time, Mother told her to give our second younger brother more concubines, as the second younger brother still doesn't have sons!"

Wei Changying couldn't help laughing, saying, "Since there is no son in the second branch, they won't allow us, the third branch, to have more children? The second sister-in-law is too unreasonable."

Mrs. Liu said, "That's right! So yesterday, when I paid my respects to Mother, Mother said that when they were in the palace for the Crown Prince's wedding, she heard some people saying the daughters of the Duanmu Family weren't virtuous. Mother then said in front of us: That was Duanmu Wuse. Not every daughter in the Duanmu Family was the same as Duanmu Wuse. For example, Yanyu was very nice, wasn't she?"

This sounded like the support for Duanmu Yanyu. But in fact, she had criticized her, implying that Duanmu Yanyu should not get herself into the position where Duanmu Wuse had been.

Wei Changying smiled, thinking, "Anyway, Duanmu Yanyu won't dare to come to Jintong Courtyard to insult me. She insulted me in Wuhua Courtyard, but my mother-in-law, Madam Su, knew it. Anyway, I don't lose anything."

Unsurprisingly, Mrs. Liu thought for a long time before putting her piece down, saying with a smile, "Mother later said our second sister-in-law just had four more people in her branch and now she must be very busy. My third sister-in-law, you shouldn't let her come over here so often, in case she couldn't finish her stuff and she might disturb you."

"Mother is really considerate to me." Wei Changying pursed her lips and smiled, saying, "But I think you are considerate to me as well, aren't you, my first sister-in-law?"

Mrs. Liu waved her hand with a smile, saying, "Let me be honest with you. Because you're pregnant with a little boy, Mother is worried that she isn't considerate enough to you! What's the need for me to say anything else? I'm only saying what she has said!"

Before Wei Changying could thank her, Mrs. Liu added, "By the way, your eldest aunt's eldest lineal daughter... I remember this cousin's name is Xiyue. Is she about to be promised to someone?"

Wei Changying paused, asking, "Xiyue? She will be promised to someone? What have you heard, my first sister-in-law?" She was shocked at first, guessing that Honored Consort Deng had directly used her status as an Honored Consort to promise Song Xiyue to Deng Zongqi. But then she thought that if that were the case, her eldest aunt would be busy asking for help.

Mrs. Liu said surprisedly, "Oh! I've heard all about it, but you, her cousin, still don't know about it?"

"My first sister-in-law, you are being mean." Wei Changying scolded her, "I'm like being locked up in this courtyard every day. How can I know what's going on in my eldest aunt's house if no one comes to tell me?" She then urged Mrs. Liu to tell her about it quickly.

Mrs. Liu laughed, saying, "It was quite a coincidence. A couple of days ago, my old family sent something over here, and an old maidservant told me that your cousin might be promised to my sixteenth cousin. My cousin's parents are both in Eastern Hu, but his granduncle and the Military Officer have already brought up a proposal of marriage for him."

Wei Changying was stunned for a moment before she said, "My first sister-in-law, your sixteenth cousin is... Liu Xixun?"

"Yes, it's him!" Mrs. Liu smiled gently, looking down at the chessboard. She seemed casual, saying, "My sixteenth cousin has long reached the age of being married, but his parents are far away in Eastern Hu. My granduncle has asked about how he is going to do about his marriage several times, and he said every time that he would ask his parents. A couple of days ago... Maybe two days ago? My granduncle offered ten pots of daffodils to His Majesty. His Majesty was very pleased and wanted to reward my granduncle. However, my granduncle did not want anything but a good match for my sixteenth cousin."

"And then?" Wei Changying bit her lip, asking.

Although Mrs. Liu observed for a long time, she was hesitant to put her piece down, saying, "His Majesty asked the Empress which girl was suitable for him. The Empress recommended the Miss of the Song Family, saying that she was beautiful and gentle. At the Crown Prince's wedding, even the Honored Consort couldn't help but call her to her side to look at her, and the Honored Consort likes her very much."

Wei Changying pondered, asking, "My first sister-in-law, do you know if the Honored Consort has said anything?"

"When my granduncle was offering daffodils, the Empress was in front of His Majesty, but the Honored Consort happened to be caught up in something and couldn't get away." Mrs. Liu said slowly, "My granduncle immediately said if both the Empress and the Honored Consort liked the Miss, she must be good. Then before the Honored Consort arrived, my granduncle left the palace. Later when the Honored Consort heard it, she seemed to disapprove of it, but the Empress said that there were other young ladies in the capital who were beautiful, talented, and virtuous like the Miss of the Song Family. The Honored Consort could pick one of them, and the Empress would find another girl for the Honored Consort. Since His Majesty had already promised my granduncle, how could they make His Majesty break his promise for only a girl?"

"He is your cousin. I guess he must be a nice person." Wei Changying paused for a moment before she said this.

Mrs. Liu glanced at her, saying, "I am not trying to boast about my family. Although my cousin's and his families’ official positions are not as good as governor Song's, he is indeed a good person. Otherwise, Duke Weiyuan, also my granduncle, wouldn't have liked him and invested in him."

The current Family Head of the Liu Family in Eastern Hu, Duke Weiyuan, Liu Sijing, carefully nurtured Liu Xixun. The problem was that Liu Xixun was going to be the next Family Head of Ranli Hall! However, He hadn't been married yet. Like Wei Changfeng, it wasn't because he couldn't find a wife or his elders forgot about his marriage, but because of the high expectation for him and the determination of the elders that they must find a good match for him!

Of course, perhaps the Military Officer, Liu Sihuai, had interfered with it.

Anyway, under Liu Sijing's expectation towards Liu Xixun, the wife chosen for him must be a lineal daughter of gentlefolks, and she must be a lineal daughter or granddaughter of the Family Head of other gentlefolks! She must be a young lady who was valued in her family!

How about Song Xiyue? Although her parents loved her and both her parents were from gentlefolks, her father Song Tong's family was only a collateral branch of the Song Family in Jiangnan. Her mother Wei Shengxian was the daughter of the Family Head of the Wei Family, but her mother was born by a concubine! Old Madam Song was known to be powerful and she preferred the lineal children over the concubines' children!

Song Tong was now the governor of Ruanzhou. If Liu Xixun weren't the heir who Liu Sijing, the Family Head of the Liu Family, carefully nurtured, in this marriage, Song Xiyue would be regarded as marrying someone whose status was lower than hers. As Liu Xixun's father's and his brothers' ranks, as well as his own ranks, were lower than Song Tong's.

However, Liu Sijing had high expectations for his nephew, and he had paid more attention to him rather than his son! He had put a tremendous amount of effort into him, but now Liu Xixun was going to marry Song Xiyue... Song Xiyue's origin and her father's official position were below Liu Sijing's expectations. The worst thing was that she had no brothers.

This meant that if Liu Xixun married her, only Song Tong from his wife's family would show the strongest loyalty. Because Song Tong had no sons, people from collateral branches bullied him in his place. So, it was easy to see that he couldn't help Liu Xixun a lot. Even if he could, he could only give a little help!

Liu Sijing would be disappointed and extremely furious!

After Mrs. Liu left, smiles disappeared on Wei Changying's face. She spoke to Mrs. Huang, "I heard that the Empress and the Honored Consort don't get along, but I'm surprised that the Empress even wants to interfere when the Honored Consort wants to find a wife for Mr. Deng."

Mrs. Huang knew she was unhappy, so she was trying to gently comfort her, saying, "The sixteenth young master of the Liu Family is talented, handsome, and poised. He seems nice." Mrs. Huang gave her full attention to Wei Changying. Though Song Xiyue was Wei Changying's cousin, Mrs. Huang didn't care much about her marriage.

After all, if Old Madam Song were here, she would make sure that Wei Changying wouldn't be annoyed by this issue, rather than thinking about her granddaughter Song Xiyue's marriage.

Wei Changying put on a long face, saying, "He seems nice, but what's the use of that? Is he a person who can make his own decisions? The Military Officer and the Empress conspired to give Xiyue to Liu Xixun in order to cut off the way for Liu Xixun to find a wife with a powerful family to support him. And they do not want to let the Honored Consort do what she wants! They have succeeded. But Duke Weiyuan and the Military Officer have been fighting against each other, do you think he will be willing to give in?"

She bit her lip, sneering and saying, "In order to be the Family Head, my uncle colluded with the Liu Family to openly assassinate Changfeng and me outside Fengzhou City! Changfeng and I are his nephew and niece, who grew up under his watch! My uncle could even do this to us, let alone Xiyue, who is just an outsider to the Liu Family!"

Mrs. Huang said, "Shall we quickly get someone to warn your eldest aunt?"

"Sure!" Wei Changying seriously said, "Granny, you should go there personally... You just say I suddenly want to have a dish that only the cook at my eldest aunt's house can make!"

After Mrs. Huang left, Wei Changying frowned again, murmuring, "My first sister-in-law... Isn't she from the Military Officer Liu Sihuai's branch? Why did she deliberately come to tell me about this? It seems that she was doing me a favor. But in fact, she is helping Liu Xixun, which is like helping Liu Sijing, Duke Weiyuan, isn't she?"

"Even if my first sister-in-law's father and brothers secretly sided with Duke Weiyuan, how could she let an outsider like me know about such a big matter? Not to mention telling me personally!" Wei Changying was suspicious, "My first sister-in-law is not a risk taker, and I didn't promise to keep the secret for her... What exactly is she doing this for? If it is for the sake of strengthening my alliance with Liu Ruoyu, it is not possible, is it? Even though she cares about Liu Ruoyu, they are only cousins. She won't care her more than her parents and siblings!"

She pondered for a long time and suddenly thought of something, "That's right. My first sister-in-law has been protecting Liu Ruoyu over the years. As for Zhang Shaoguang and her children, although she seems good to them, in fact, she hates them. I'm not sure how Liu Ruowo thinks, but Zhang Shaoguang and Liu Ruoye are clever, so they know how my first sister-in-law really thinks! Neither the mother nor the daughter is someone generous. Zhang Shaoguang treated Liu Ruoyu badly for more than ten years, and Liu Ruoye forced Zhong Li to death because of a marriage proposal from some common people... If Liu Ruowo really replaces Liu Xixun to become the next Family Head of the Liu Family, as for my first sister-in-law, as she is married anyway, it does not matter. But how can her parents not be marginalized? So, it would be better to take the gamble, secretly siding with Duke Weiyuan!"

She then thought again, thinking this shouldn't be something Mrs. Liu, a daughter who had already married, could decide. So, perhaps for some reason, Mrs. Liu's father and brothers had chosen to side with Liu Sijing!

Anyway, this was the Liu Family's business. Wei Changying thought for a bit, thinking Mrs. Liu was still counting on her to help Liu Ruoyu. So, she wouldn't harm her. Now she must tell Wei Shengxian to reject the marriage proposal from Liu Sihuai for Liu Xixun as soon as possible.