Wei Xun had long felt that Song Zhiqing's enthusiasm towards Ling Qingwan was a bit too much. Now that Ling Qingwan had encountered such a big thing, it was impossible for Song Zhiqing to have no reaction.
He was very curious about what decision Song Zhiqing would make.
"I went to the palace yesterday afternoon, and there is no news today." Wei Shi reported truthfully.
Wei Xun nodded, took the brush and wrote on the document.
"Then on your side..." Wei Shi asked Wei Xun cautiously, not wanting to ask too clearly.
Having served Wei Xun for so many years, how could Wei Shi not understand Wei Xun's character? From childhood to adulthood, he had never been so attentive to any woman.
"Let's wait and see." Wei Xun said lightly.
The rumor spread more and more, and even Ling Qingwan could hear people pointing and talking behind her when she was walking on the street.
"I heard that the second young lady of the Ling family was a child bride. Logically, she should have been married. How could she marry the crown prince and the seventh prince?"
"If this is true, then the second young lady of the Ling family has already..."
"I think she is most likely dead. After all, she was already fifteen or sixteen years old when she returned to the Marquis' Mansion. If she lived in the countryside, she would be old enough to have a child."
The people around me kept talking more and more outrageously.
"Hey you guys..."
Qiao'er couldn't help but defend Ling Qingwan, but she shut up when Ling Qingwan grabbed her wrist.
"Miss..." Qiao'er was confused. Outsiders were spreading rumors about Ling Qingwan like this. If she were Ling Qingwan, she would be furious after hearing these remarks.
"If you go and argue with them now, they will think we are guilty." Ling Qingwan raised the corners of her mouth slightly, and a faint smile appeared on her face.
Qiao Er thought so too and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Ling Qing Wan stopped her in time, otherwise she would have done something bad with good intentions and caused trouble for Ling Qing Wan.
"Miss, don't take it to heart. These people are just like that. When they have nothing to do on weekdays, they like to gather in groups and talk about nonsense. When things are spread too much, they become distorted." Qiao'er comforted Ling Qingwan.
The more calm Ling Qingwan acted, as if nothing had happened, the more Qiao'er was afraid that she was holding something in her heart.
"It's okay." Ling Qingwan responded softly.
She really didn't think there was anything wrong with this matter. If she was reborn and still couldn't defeat Ling Chuchu, then what was the point of her being here? However, there were rules for when and how to resist. If she didn't do it right, it would be like Qiao'er trying to help her just now, which would make people think that she was guilty.
As soon as Ling Qingwan stepped into the Marquis' Mansion, the housekeeper came up to her and said that she was summoned by Old Madam Ling.
So, Ling Qingwan didn't even have time to change her clothes. She just brushed off the snow on the corner of her skirt and hurried across the corridor to Molan Pavilion.
Ling Chuchu was still docile and obedient, standing behind Madam Ling and rubbing her shoulders. There was no one else around, and when Ling Qingwan came in, she happened to meet Ling Chuchu's gaze.
Perhaps feeling guilty, Ling Chuchu quickly shifted her gaze elsewhere.
"It just so happened that I thought you hadn't heard what was going on outside, and you were still thinking about how to start the conversation. You just came back from outside, so you should know about it, right?" Old Madam Ling was angry, her face gloomy.
The older generation attached great importance to family traditions. Ling Qingwan was rumored to be a child bride, and the Marquis's Mansion was also made a joke. Old Madam Ling was exactly the same as Ling Feng. She never felt that she was negligent, but instead kept blaming others.
To be honest, Ling Qingwan looked down on the people in the Marquis' Mansion. The reason why this Marquis' Mansion was so prosperous was all thanks to Old Master Ling.
Unfortunately, Mr. Ling is now terminally ill and there is no way to save him. Ling Xiao got the title of the eldest son of the Ling family for nothing, and Ling Feng never gave him any real power.
Sooner or later, the Marquis' Mansion will be defeated by Ling Feng.
"To answer grandma's question, I already knew it a few days ago." Ling Qingwan replied to Old Madam Ling.
"Then do you know how much infamy the Marquis' Mansion has suffered because of what you have done?" Old Madam Ling felt helpless when she mentioned this matter and sighed several times.
At this time, Ling Chuchu played the good guy, serving tea and rubbing shoulders, acting out the drama of a loving grandmother and a filial grandson in front of Ling Qingwan.
"Grandma, what do you think I should do?" Ling Qingwan did not reveal her thoughts in front of the two of them. She wanted to know more about how Old Madam Ling wanted to resolve the matter.
Since she was called to discuss this matter face to face, it was estimated that she had already made a plan. Moreover, Ling Chuchu kept whispering in her ear. Ling Qingwan could roughly guess that she was probably asked to give up her engagement with Song Zhiqing and Wei Xun, and to apologize to the emperor and beg for forgiveness.
As expected.
"Since you have been a child bride, the mistake has been made, and you can't go back to that time. It is better to admit your mistake openly and ask for the emperor's forgiveness so that he won't really blame you." Old Madam Ling spoke earnestly, and every word she said seemed to be for Ling Qingwan's good.
"Excuse me, grandmother. What mistake did I make? Why am I apologizing? Why do I need to beg for forgiveness from the emperor?" Ling Qingwan asked Madam Ling.
Madam Ling's face darkened instantly.
"Wan Wan." Ling Chuchu called Ling Qingwan lightly. "This matter is of great importance, don't act like a child again. Even if you don't admit your mistakes to your grandparents, the emperor still has to go through the motions. Otherwise, when the emperor speaks, the entire mansion will suffer, and it won't be worth it."
Ling Chuchu's words contained five or six traps, and she fell into them carelessly. Ling Qingwan admired Ling Chuchu, and in just a few words, she portrayed her as someone who didn't care about the overall situation and was unreasonable.
It not only belittles others, but also elevates oneself, which can be said to kill two birds with one stone. Ling Qingwan glanced at Ling Chuchu and took in the pride in her eyes.
"I was only five or six years old when I was kidnapped. I didn't know anything. As long as I had enough food to eat and didn't starve to death, I didn't care about anything else. Over the years, I have not lived on my identity as the eldest daughter of the Ling family. Do you want me to refuse to obey for the sake of the face of the Marquis' Mansion and starve to death in the countryside? Will you be satisfied?" Ling Qingwan argued.
In her previous life, she spent many years to realize that, except for Ling Shen and Ling Xiao, no one in the Marquis' Mansion treated her as a family member. The only grandfather who treated her well also passed away early. Now it seems that it was very obvious from the beginning. It was only because she was stupid at that time that she mistakenly thought that Madam Ling was just too strict with rules and treated her very well.
Madam Ling was speechless for a moment. She just tightly grasped Ling Chuchu's hand, shaking with anger and looking like she was going to faint any moment.
"Ling Qingwan! Grandfather is already bedridden. Are you going to make grandmother fall ill?" Ling Chuchu comforted Old Madam Ling while turning around and scolding Ling Qingwan sternly.
In her previous life, Madam Ling lived a hundred years without any illness or disaster, and finally died of old age. How could such a strong body be made sick by a few words? Ling Qingwan saw through it at a glance, Madam Ling was pretending to be sick.
She wanted to put pressure on her openly or covertly to make her give up the position of Crown Princess and Princess, so as to make room for Ling Chuchu. Old Madam Ling was really fair in this.