After becoming pregnant, the cold-hearted nobles all went mad.

The old lady's illness was sudden and severe. The family physician examined her and could only say that she had been angered, but he couldn't give a specific explanation.

He waited anxiously until dawn, then after court, Shen Su returned to his residence in his official robes.

Shen Tingjiao stood by the bedside, personally feeding the old lady her medicine, and said softly, "Father is back."

The old lady's attendant was replaced by a new one, who was much more attentive than Granny Feng. She added, "The general has always been a man of great principle. This time, the second young lady has made the old lady sick, so he certainly won't side with her."

"Once she understands what happened, she will definitely come to pay her respects to the old lady. At that time, the old lady can say a few words, and she won't be afraid of being punished."

The old lady's brows relaxed slightly at these words.

She had no complaints about her son and believed that Shen Su would choose her over his wife, otherwise his official position would be in jeopardy.

Seeing the old lady's expression, the nanny became even more enthusiastic: "The second young lady is so arrogant, isn't she just like the madam? If you ask me, that's just how people from humble backgrounds are."

"If the Second Miss had also been raised by the Old Madam back then, she certainly wouldn't have turned out like this today."

"Look what the rumors have spread in the capital. She has completely disgraced the General's Mansion. The old lady's punishment of her is a way of disciplining this granddaughter."

Every word and phrase resonated deeply with the old lady.

That's right.

Even after so many years, she still gets angry just thinking about it. Although they were just ordinary farmers before, they earned a good life thanks to Shen Su's military achievements.

Now that they've become a first-rate family, who dares to say anything? The Jiang family, on the other hand, is just a merchant family, a truly lowly household.

The old lady was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she completely forgot who had accompanied Shen Su step by step back then, and who had generously funded him when the General's Mansion was penniless.

Shen Su had already arrived outside the door. Hearing these words, his face darkened. The old lady's silent attitude chilled him to the bone.

He hadn't even had time to change out of his purple official robes, and the black jade auspicious cloud patterned leather belt around his waist was the one Jiang had chosen for him last night, with her earnest and meticulous instructions before he left, something that hadn't changed in decades.

Therefore, even a rough man like Shen Su deeply respected and loved his wife.

He thought his mother's dislike for Jiang was just a little bit; after all, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had been hostile for so many years, and it would be difficult to change things up overnight.

But to her surprise, Madam Shen never respected her from beginning to end.

The adjutant beside him looked embarrassed. He had come to help, but he hadn't expected to hear about his superior's family affairs. He wanted to leave: "General, I'll go back first and come to your residence later."

Shen Su stopped the adjutant, then lifted the curtain and went inside. The old lady immediately fell silent, and looked at her only son with warmth.

The old lady first asked, "Has something serious happened in the palace?"

"It's just preparation for the spring hunt; His Majesty intends to appoint me as the guard commander."

The old lady's eyes lit up with joy, and she quickly said, "If that's really the case, then it's truly a joyous occasion. It proves that His Majesty trusts you and values ​​you as the Tiger General."

He added, "The spring hunt is a grand occasion where all the important people in the capital will attend. You can't show favoritism and let Jiaojiao suffer any injustice."

Shen Su forced a smile: "I have my own plans for Jiaojiao. As for Mother, she is not in good health, so she should focus on recuperating these days."

The old lady's smile froze on her face.

She had almost forgotten what she was going to say after hearing Shen Su's good news, but now that she heard him say this, she quickly came to her senses.

Shen Su must have known what happened last night, but he didn't stand by her side as his biological mother.

The old lady looked at Shen Su in disbelief and said, "Are you going to put your own mother under house arrest?"

"Why do you say that, Mother? I just want you to take good care of your health and also learn about Buddhism to calm your mind."

The old lady slammed the teacup beside her at him: "You're only here to stand up for that mother and daughter, Shen Su, are you out of your mind? Don't you recognize who your mother is?"

"Aren't you afraid of being accused of disobedience and filial impiety? Even your title as the Tiger General will eventually come to an end?"

Shen Su slowly rose and looked at Shen Tingjiao, who was pleading with him to calm down, from the old lady who was still angry on the couch: "If Mother wants to, she can go ahead and sue her son."

"Given my achievements over the past decades, I'm sure His Majesty won't be so heartless as to take my life."

"When the time comes, my son will be able to fulfill his childhood dream and enjoy the beauty of nature with his wife."

Hearing Shen Su's words, the old lady's face, which was not usually sickly, looked haggard, but she was filled with more anger and disbelief.

She never imagined that Shen Su, whom she was so proud of, would be willing to give up all that worldly wealth and fame.

The old lady's lips trembled as she asked, "Is the Jiang family really worth all this?"

Shen Su replied, "I am only fulfilling the duties of a husband and a father. If I cannot even protect my wife and daughters, and they suffer injustice right under my nose, what is the point of this official position?"

After saying that, he added, "If Mother ever makes things difficult for Yi'er again, come to me first."

After Shen Su left, the old lady was so angry that she smashed a tea set, which she had used for many years. When Shen Lingyi heard the news, she couldn't help but laugh.

Peony cupped her face in her hands, marveling at Shen Su's masculine spirit: "The old lady really angered the general this time; it's because she doesn't understand his temperament."

"But then again, our general is really something. After seeing the general, all other men seem to have higher standards."

Shen Lingyi expressed her strong agreement.

She grew up watching her parents' loving relationship and longed for romantic love for a long time.

She was happy when she first got engaged to the Wei family, but unfortunately, her happiness was short-lived.

The past is too painful to recall, but she still has to take things one step at a time from now on.

Three days later, Manager Liu sent a letter. Upon seeing the letter, Shen Lingyi immediately had a carriage prepared and left the mansion.

The carriage was adorned with hexagonal palace lanterns. As dusk fell, the candlelight flickered and cast a faint glow. Before leaving, Shaoyao had worried that the last time she had caused trouble at night, but Shen Lingyi did not hesitate at all.

She said calmly, "If I were to become timid and hesitant because of this, and dare not even leave the manor, wouldn't that be playing right into someone else's hands? Besides, I, Shen Lingyi, have always done things as I please."

After thinking about it carefully, Peony realized that it made sense.

The carriage stopped at a bookstore, which was also under Shen Lingyi's name. There were only a few people inside at the time, including two or three customers, the shopkeeper, and a man wearing an indigo robe.

The man was handsome, but the hem of his clothes was slightly faded, indicating that he did not come from a wealthy family. His eyes and brows were gloomy, and he held out a picture to the shopkeeper.

As Shen Lingyi approached, she heard the shopkeeper shake his head and say, "Your drawing should be submitted to the Ministry of Works, or given directly to His Majesty. It's useless to me; I don't know anything about flood control."

The scholar gave a bitter smile, shook his head, and couldn't hide his disappointment: "I'm going back to my hometown to take care of my parents, so I don't care about my future."