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

"Halt!" An old woman approached with a sidelong glance, raising her hand to stop him. "Madam has retired for the night and has instructed that she will not see anyone..."

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Da strode forward and slapped the old woman across the face with a loud "smack".

"Are you blind?! Open your eyes and see clearly, this is the old lady!" Wang Da slammed his club into the bluestone slab, making a dull thud. "The old lady is here to see the madam, and you dog servants dare to block her way?"

The old woman was beaten and fell to the ground. Covering her face, she looked at the old lady surrounded by the crowd and scrambled to the side in fright.

"This old servant deserves to die! I didn't see the old lady! Please, old lady, spare my life!"

The remaining guards and servants looked at each other in bewilderment.

They are indeed dogs kept by the third wife, but whether they bite or not depends on their master.

The woman before them was the Marquis's own mother, an old woman who could sell a living person to a coal mine with a single word. They wouldn't dare to lay a knife or stick on the old lady even if they had ten lives.

Guoguo didn't even glance at the servants, and rushed straight past them to the porch of the main house.

The door was tightly closed, and the thick gauze curtain was drawn completely shut.

Guoguo gave Ambassador Wang a wink.

Wang Da understood, reached out and pulled the little maid who was about to shout "The old lady has arrived" to the side, and his rough hand covered the maid's mouth shut.

Two other servants stepped forward, each grasping the brass handles of the two carved wooden doors on either side, and pushed open the main room door without making a sound.

Guoguo went inside.

Passing by a large twelve-panel screen carved with a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix in yellow pear wood, one arrives at Zhao Lihua's inner chamber.

The room was dimly lit, with the windows tightly closed, except for half a large red mutton tallow candle burning on the corner cabinet.

Right in front of the Luohan couch in the very center, there were two large bronze ice basins, each about two feet square, placed on either side.

The ice was chiseled into small pieces, with wisps of white steam rising from them.

Two young maids dressed in green silk shirts knelt on the carpet, holding palm-leaf fans, facing the ice basin, fanning the biting cold air onto the daybed.

On the tatami mat.

Zhao Lihua had long, black hair loose, and was wearing only a moon-white silk bodice and a soft satin undergarment, with a sheer, gossamer-thin gauze overlay.

She lay on her side on the pillow, her eyes closed, waving an ivory fan in her hand, and making extremely soft humming sounds.

As Guoguo stepped across the threshold of the inner bedroom, a refreshing cool air rushed towards her.

She comfortably squinted her eyes, her gaze passing over the screen and immediately landing on the two large basins of ice blocks emitting a chilling white steam in front of the daybed.

Guoguo couldn't help but mutter to herself, and her little mouth twitched slightly.

The room of this third aunt is so cool it's like an ice cellar. How come there isn't a single ice crystal in Songhe Hall?

That wicked grandmother is usually so imposing, how come she didn't even have a portion of ice?

The person in charge of this Marquis's mansion must be feeling incredibly stifled. Is he just a figurehead?

On the couch, Zhao Lihua was resting with her eyes closed.

Hearing the chaotic footsteps outside approaching the inner room, she suddenly opened her eyes and sat up abruptly from the pillow.

"Who goes there! What a big deal! Daring to barge into my house without even announcing yourself..."

Zhao Lihua had only finished half of her reprimand when she saw the leader's gloomy old face. Her throat felt like it was being choked, and her sharp voice came to an abrupt halt.

Mother?

Why is she here!

Zhao Lihua wanted to tear this old bastard to pieces, but her expression changed quickly, and she immediately put on a gentle and kind smile.

She didn't even bother to put on shoes, stepping barefoot on the carpet to greet him.

"Why did Mother suddenly come?" Zhao Lihua reached out to help Guoguo's arm, her tone both coquettish and respectful. "It's late and the dew is heavy outside. If you have any orders, just send a maid to tell you. Your daughter-in-law should personally go to Songhe Hall to pay her respects. How could I trouble you to make this trip yourself..."

She spoke sweet words as she led the person to the head seat.

"Snapped!"

Guoguo slapped away Zhao Lihua's outstretched hand without any hesitation.

She didn't have time to listen to this wicked woman's grand performance.

Her third brother was still waiting outside; she had to hurry and take him back to get treatment.

"Guards, seize this wicked woman and take her outside!"

The two burly women following behind had already received instructions and tightly gripped Zhao Lihua's arms from both sides.

Zhao Lihua was shocked.

She, the legitimate daughter of the Minister of Revenue, the Princess of Anyi County bestowed by the court, and the mistress of the Yongning Marquis's mansion, was actually held down like a thief by two rough servants in her own bedroom!

"How dare you! You lowly slaves, how dare you touch me!" She twisted her body desperately, trying to break free.

But these two old women do rough work in the backyard all year round, and they have extremely strong hands.

The more Zhao Lihua struggled, the more her arm bones were pinched, causing her eyes to sting.

"Mother!" Zhao Lihua turned and stared intently at Guoguo, her voice sharp and piercing. "What mistake has my daughter-in-law made that you must humiliate me like this? I am the mistress of the Marquis's mansion! What right do you have to treat me like this!"

Her heart sank.

Is this old hag possessed by an evil spirit today?

It was one thing for them to protect the eldest son's wife in the afternoon, but now they've actually brought people to take her away!

Could it be that the old lady has really changed her mind and no longer intends to promote the third branch of the family, but is instead preparing to support that good-for-nothing first branch?

If I had known this would happen, I should have begged and pleaded to bring the Marquis back with me today when we returned from the Marquis of Cheng'an's residence!

With the Marquis around, this old hag would never dare to be so presumptuous!

Guoguo didn't even glance at her before turning around and walking away.

"Why should I? You'll find out when we get to the front yard. Take him away!"

"Let me go! I'll walk myself!" Zhao Lihua shouted angrily.

But the old women wouldn't listen to her at all. They dragged Zhao Lihua, who was only wearing a thin gauze dress, out of the main house and pulled her all the way to the front yard.

forecourt.

Zhao Lihua, dressed in thin clothes, was unceremoniously slammed onto the cold bluestone bricks by two rough old women.

Guoguo spoke in front of all the servants in the mansion.

"Listen up, all of you!"

"That old scoundrel has just spilled the whole truth! It was our virtuous lady who personally instructed her to devise this treacherous scheme, using the dowry gold bracelet as bait to frame the Fourth Young Master!"

She became increasingly angry as she spoke, placing her hands on her hips and pointing at Zhao Lihua.

"As the mistress of the Yongning Marquis's mansion, how can your heart be blacker than the rotten mud in a stinking ditch? How could you use such filthy and despicable means to murder a five-year-old child!"

"He's so small, how could you be so cruel? Your heart is truly wicked, and I will not tolerate this today!"

Guoguo snorted coldly, her chin held high: "Even if you are the mistress of the Marquis's mansion, don't think you can escape punishment! I've already sent someone to report to the Jingzhao Prefecture. When the officials come to our door, let them investigate thoroughly and make a clear judgment!"

When Zhao Lihua, who had fallen to the ground, heard the words "report to the authorities," her mind went blank.

Report to the authorities?

That old madman actually sent someone to report him to the authorities?!