A grandmother and granddaughter swap souls, causing chaos throughout the entire court.

"Sir, please eat while it's hot."

Granny Zhou quickly set out the bowls and chopsticks and explained.

"This black chicken soup and rock sugar bird's nest are the best for replenishing qi and blood. I've been keeping the portion for the First Madam warm on the small clay stove so she can drink it when she wakes up."

Zhong Tingyuan's Adam's apple bobbed as he stared at the steaming bowl of chicken soup, his expression incredibly complex.

The golden-brown black chicken soup exuded a rich aroma, but his hand holding the spoon trembled slightly.

The eldest son's family hasn't seen these things in a long time.

But with his current impaired appetite, how could he possibly eat ten elaborate dishes?

Zhong Tingyuan took a deep breath, suppressing the bitterness in his eyes, and turned to look at Granny Zhou who was waiting beside him.

His thin fingers gripped the wheelchair armrests tightly as he tentatively began to speak.

"Granny Zhou, there's too much food. I can't finish it all by myself. Could you please find two clean food boxes, pack up this steamed sea bass and that plate of crystal pork knuckle, and have someone send them to Qingyun Academy to... to add some dishes for the Second Young Master?"

Granny Zhou was taken aback at first, but then immediately put on a smile and agreed repeatedly, "What you say is true, Master. The Second Young Master works hard at the academy and deserves some good nutrition. This old servant will take care of it right away!"

Nowadays, the old lady cherishes the eldest son's family like the apple of her eye, so how could she dare to neglect the eldest son's instructions?

Seeing how compliant Zhou Mama was, a glimmer of light flashed in Zhong Tingyuan's ashen eyes, and he became a little bolder.

"And the braised lion's head meatballs and sweet and sour pork ribs," he pointed to the other two meat dishes on the table, his voice low and filled with barely concealed sorrow, "take them away and keep them warm in the kitchen until tonight... until the Fourth Young Master comes back tonight, then call him over to eat."

Granny Zhou quickly brought over the food box, and upon hearing this, she sighed inwardly.

The reason why Zhong Tingyuan dared not send the food to his son right now was because he knew better than anyone else what was going on.

His original status as the noble young master of the Marquis's mansion was forcibly taken away by his mother and given to his third brother's son to be his playmate!

If these fine wines and dishes were delivered to the third son's courtyard in broad daylight, his third son wouldn't even get a sip of soup!

Instead, it would only arouse the jealousy of the evil servants in the third branch of the family, who would probably find ways to torture the poor child again.

Thinking of his poor children, the chicken soup Zhong Tingyuan had just swallowed instantly turned into a deadly poison, so bitter that his internal organs were convulsing.

He originally had five children.

The eldest son, Zhong Shisi, and the second son, Zhong Shisu, are twins who are exactly eight years old this year.

But three years ago at the lantern festival, the eldest brother mysteriously went missing.

For the past three years, no matter how many people secretly inquired and investigated, they could never find him alive or dead.

In his heart, he had already accepted that his eldest son had been murdered and was no longer alive.

The second son, Zhong Shisu, although alive and well, was sent to study at the academy at a young age by his mother on the grounds that "the eldest son's family is unlucky and may ruin the children's future."

Except for holidays and weekends, he rarely goes home.

Even when he occasionally came back, his mother would keep him locked up in Songhe Hall. The couple would hardly see their own son more than a few times a year.

As for the remaining three...

Zhong Tingyuan closed his eyes in pain, tears streaming down his stubble-covered cheeks.

The third child, Zhong Shichu; the fourth child, Zhong Shixian; and the fifth child, who just learned that she was lucky enough to survive, are triplets that Wen Jingxian gave birth to at great risk.

The baby was stillborn right after birth and was disposed of early.

As for Xiao Si Zhong Shixian, that well-behaved girl who couldn't even speak properly yet, she also suddenly disappeared from the mansion two years ago.

When it was found, the tiny mass was covered in sores, with not a single piece of healthy flesh to be found; its death was extremely gruesome!

Xiao Si was only three years old when he died!

They didn't even have a proper ranking in the family genealogy, as if they had never existed.

Now, of the triplets, only the youngest, Zhong Shichu, remains by their side.

But Shi Chu's early days were more agonizing than death.

The mother favored the third branch of the family and forcibly assigned the eldest son of the main branch of the Marquis's mansion to the six-year-old second son of the third branch, Zhong Shiyi, to be a servant who served tea and water!

Despite his young age, Zhong Shiyi was extremely vicious, taking pleasure in torturing Shi Chu every day.

The third wife not only failed to provide Shi Chu with a full meal, but also allowed the servants to bully and humiliate him.

With new wounds piled on top of old ones, Shi Chu lived a life worse than even the lowest-ranking servant in the Marquis's mansion!

In order to survive and to get some food for his starving parents, Zhong Shichu had no choice but to grit his teeth and swallow his anger.

It's pitiful that Zhong Tingyuan and Jingxian had five children in the years since they got married, but to this day, only two of them have survived.

The only one by her side, San'er, is also being tortured to the point of being unrecognizable; she probably won't last much longer.

Even if the couple knew that their own flesh and blood were living in hell every day, what could they do?

They couldn't even get out of that dilapidated side courtyard!

Today, even the two unborn babies in Jingxian's belly almost lost their lives!

The unbearable torment that Zhong Tingyuan and his wife endured every day was something no one else could possibly understand!

But to their utter surprise, Xiao Wu, who should have died at birth five years ago, was still alive!

Not only did she not die, but looking at her little face, she was raised to be fair, tender, fragrant, and soft. Even with a fierce expression on her face, she couldn't hide the delicate charm that came from being pampered.

It's obvious at a glance that she must have been carefully protected and cherished all these years.

How could Zhong Tingyuan and Wen Jingxian not be overjoyed and excited to see Xiao Wu appear?

That was their precious daughter whom they had neglected for five whole years!

Even if the child hates them to the core, even if she wants them dead, as long as she is alive and well, that is enough.

Zhong Tingyuan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the blood and tears surging in his chest.

He stopped thinking about the horrifying scenes and instead picked up a spoon and chopsticks, gracefully and swiftly bringing the food on the table to his mouth.

Regardless of what scheme his mother was plotting with her unusual behavior, now that he had been given a chance to catch his breath, he had to replenish his strength as soon as possible.

Otherwise, if he doesn't even have the strength to lift a knife, how will he fight against his mother in the future?

How can I protect my wife and children?

After finishing a bowl of rich black chicken soup, I used up a small half bowl of green rice.

The long-awaited feeling of fullness finally brought a faint warmth to Zhong Tingyuan's withered body.

He had just put down his chopsticks, picked up a handkerchief to wipe the corners of his mouth, and hadn't even had time to ask Granny Zhou to remove the leftovers.

Suddenly, a deliberately loud commotion arose outside the door.