The 18-year-old lady

  Zhilan is slightly smaller in stature compared to Huizhen, making people want to cherish and pity her, while Huizhen's tall and sturdy build makes her appear quite strong.

  Zhilan and Huizhen rushed over to stand beside Song Lingyu, repeatedly asking if she was cold or not, and blaming themselves for being too careless. Song Lingyu didn't mind at all, this time going to the mountain stronghold might even gain an extra helper.

  Song Lingyu washed up in her own courtyard and then changed into the clothes of the Prime Minister's mansion to go to Old Madam's Jia'an Courtyard. When Song Lingyu arrived, it was already evening, and there was no one in Old Madam's courtyard to pay their respects. Old Madam was leisurely enjoying the breeze in the pavilion.

  Song Lingyu stepped up onto the stairs, looking at the only person in the Grand Preceptor's estate who did not favor Song Linglong but instead favored her.

  The old lady beside Mrs. Liu reminded the old lady, and she turned her head to look at Song Lingyu. She beckoned to Song Lingyu, who walked over and sat down by the table. The old lady looked at Song Lingyu and said, "Child, you've suffered."

  Song Lingyu's pale face shook her head, and her grievances and strength were even more evident: "Old lady, Lingyu is not suffering."

  The old lady patted Song Lingyu's hand and said: "This time it was the Chancellor's mansion that didn't protect you well, fortunately your brother rescued you."

  Song Lingyu smiled slightly, and if she had burst into tears at this moment, the old lady would have only comforted her and wouldn't have thought anything else. On the contrary, if she had pretended to be strong now, it would have made people feel sorry for her: "Yes, I really need to thank Yishan this time. If it weren't for him, Lingyu didn't know when she could return home or see the old lady again."

  The old lady also smiled, but felt a pang in her heart for her granddaughter: "Go rest first, you're tired too, just go back and rest today."

  Song Lingyu slowly stood up, bowed to the old lady and left.

  Song Lingyu walked towards her own Qianlu Garden, but her heart was not at ease. Having spent only two months in the mountain stronghold, she had clarified some things for herself.

  Firstly, she had thought that her father, Song Yuan, was heartbroken for her, although he was her father, but not genuinely so.

  Secondly, her own mother, Zhuang Qing, who she thought was strict with her, turned out not to be her biological mother. She not only treated her strictly but also resented her from the bottom of her heart.

  Thirdly, the kind and beautiful sister Song Linglong she thought was actually a Bodhisattva face with a snake's heart. She foolishly paved the way for her, but she didn't know how to be grateful, instead snatching away everything that should have been hers.

  Fourth, it was also what she thought would be her last regret and the thing she resented the most. She had always thought that marriage was a parental arrangement. She thought that he was her father, her mother, so she obediently followed their arrangements. She thought that he was her husband, who would be her lifelong dependence. So she tried every means to please him, never daring to go against his wishes.

  But did he ever remember her kindness?

  At that time, he was imprisoned in the dungeon by the emperor because of the second prince's frame-up. She knew that Song's family favored her sister Song Lingluo, so she gave up relying on Song's family and knelt alone in the heavy snow outside the empress dowager's palace for a day and night.

  At that time, when the rebel army broke into the palace and assassinated him, she blocked a fatal sword for him. She lay in bed for a whole month, and even the imperial physician at the time said that if the sword edge was another fraction of an inch off, it would have been in the position of the heart!

  At that time, the crown prince was forced to a dead end, holding her and threatening him. She even thought about dying together with the crown prince so that he wouldn't be threatened by the crown prince anymore.

  Those things, he never remembered. He only knew that it was his own fault that he had ruined his future and delayed his ascension to the throne. He only knew that if he had married Song Lingluo earlier, he would have gained the support of the Song family and smoothly ascended to the honorable position.

  Perhaps, the person she hates the most now is not Song Yuan, nor Zhuang Qing, nor Song Linglong, but that person who was once her heart's desire.