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

The children from the second and third wives ran over together.

"grandmother--"

A little boy dressed in a brocade robe rushed in like a firecracker.

This is Zhong Tingyu's eldest son, Zhong Shiyan, who was seven years old at the time.

He was chubby with fair skin and features that were endearingly childlike. He was always good at being cute.

Zhong Shiyan, with his short legs, ran a few steps to Guoguo, grabbed her wide sleeve, and looked up at her chubby face, his eyes reddening instantly.

"Why is Grandmother suddenly so angry?" Zhong Shiyan pouted, large tears rolling down his cheeks, crying pitifully. "Does Grandmother not like Yan'er anymore, and doesn't like Father anymore?"

He shook Guoguo's sleeve vigorously, his voice thick with nasal tone and coquettishness.

"Grandma, please apologize to Father! You've hurt him! If you don't apologize, I'll never like you again, Grandma, and I'll never talk to you again!"

Guoguo looked down at the chubby little boy who was crying and fussing while clinging to her arm, and felt disgusted.

Is this the grandson that the wicked grandmother usually dotes on the most?

Guoguo knew perfectly well that no matter how much he cried like a wronged porcelain doll, he was actually calculating and had no childlike innocence whatsoever.

In Zhong Shiyan's mind, although his grandmother had some mysterious methods that could make the family live a good life, she was ultimately just an old lady trapped in a deep mansion.

The title and estate of the Marquis of Yongning will ultimately fall into Father's hands; Father is the true master in power.

After all, whether he could inherit the title of Marquis in the future was up to his father.

He had his own little scheme planned out perfectly well.

Therefore, he had to help his father control this old lady.

In the past, whenever he cried or said things like "I don't like Grandma anymore," Grandma would immediately soften and give in to his every request.

Zhong Shiyan was convinced that as long as he cried a lot this time, his grandmother would give in as usual and obediently apologize to his father.

Seeing his eldest son's quick wit, Zhong Tingyu's anger, which had just been slapped twice, finally subsided somewhat.

It has to be your own flesh and blood!

He knew to stand up for Lao Tzu at this critical moment.

A barely perceptible sneer curled at the corner of his lips as he stood with his hands behind his back, calmly observing his mother at the head of the table.

He wanted to see if his mother, who had always doted on Yan'er like the apple of her eye, could still harden her heart and bear to let her precious grandson suffer even the slightest grievance when faced with her grandson's tantrums and crying.

Guoguo sat on the armchair, looking down at the chubby little boy who was clinging to her arm and howling, and rolled her eyes inwardly with disgust.

Is this the eldest son of my third uncle's family?

If you calculate her age, she must be seven years old this year!

He's two years older than her!

A seven-year-old boy has the nerve to tug at someone's sleeve, act cute, and cry. He's shameless!

Moreover, don't think that just because she's young she can't hear the veiled meaning in this kid's words.

This isn't coquetry at all; it's clearly him taking advantage of past favors to publicly coerce his grandmother into bowing down and apologizing to that unfilial son!

What a shameless person!

At such a young age, he's already cunning as a lotus root. He really inherited his wicked parents' ways; he's no good at all.

Guoguo's brows furrowed, and with a sudden burst of strength, she pulled her wide sleeve back from Zhong Shiyan's chubby hand.

She suppressed the urge to kick the chubby boy away, her sharp gaze piercing Zhong Shiyan, exposing his shameful little scheme in front of everyone.

"presumptuous!"

"Who gave you the audacity to force your grandmother to apologize to your father! Is this how your grandmother teaches you to behave?!"

She leaned forward slightly, her gaze pressing down on her with a palpable intensity: "Or do you think that your grandmother has spoiled you too much, to the point that you've developed the illusion that you can boss your elders around and humiliate your grandmother with just a few drops of cat pee!"

This sudden, thunderous rage was like a bucket of ice water poured over one's head.

Zhong Shiyan never expected that his grandmother, who would be heartbroken if he just pursed his lips, would criticize him in such a harsh and almost cruel tone today.

The chubby boy was completely stunned by the yelling.

His mouth, which was about to continue howling, was half-open, and the tears that were welling up in his eyes were stuck there, not daring to breathe, just like a quail with its neck being choked.

In the corner of the main hall.

The children from both houses, who had been peeking around to watch the commotion, shrank back in fright and looked at each other in dismay.

Compared to their third brother, Zhong Shiyan, they were practically invisible to their grandmother, having no presence whatsoever.

Now that even the most favored third brother has been thoroughly scolded, how could they dare to provoke him? They wish they could shrink into a crack in the ground.

Upon seeing this, Chung Ting-yu clenched his molars so hard they made a grinding sound.

It seems that Mother has truly and completely lost her mind!

Not only did they publicly reprimand him, a marquis of the current dynasty, but now they are showing no mercy even to his most cherished darling.

Did she really think that by using a few tattered yellow papers to fool a few ignorant servants, she could do nothing to her?

Zhong Tingyu took a deep breath, trying his best to suppress the murderous rage in his eyes.

His expression shifted a few times, and when he looked up again, his arrogance and rage had vanished.

Instead, there was an expression of deep sorrow, pity, and helplessness.

He stared intently at Guoguo at the head of the table with the look one would give a madman, his voice tinged with deliberately feigned sorrow: "Mother... your illness is truly terminal..."

"Your son knows that you are delirious from your illness, which is why you are so unpredictable and even scold and beat Yan'er."

Zhong Tingyu sighed dramatically, his tone carrying an undeniable air of authority, "Don't worry, I will send someone with the Marquis's token to the palace first thing tomorrow morning to invite the best imperial physician to examine you."

"During this time, you should rest and recuperate in Songhe Hall. I will handle all the messy things outside properly and will not let you worry about them at all."

At this point, he abruptly changed the subject, his cold eyes shooting towards Zhong Tingyuan, who was sitting in a wheelchair, like a venomous snake.

"As for my elder brother and sister-in-law..." Zhong Tingyu gritted his teeth, each word dripping with murderous intent, "Taking advantage of your illness and clouded judgment, they dared to spread rumors and bewitch our birth mother in front of you. They deserve to die! I will take them back to the northwest outpost for you and keep them under strict guard!"

Zhong Tingyuan shuddered, his eyes fixed warily on his third brother.

Which side will Mother choose to stand on this time?