After the milk ball arrived, the father who had no heirs had a string of good luck.

Situ Che stopped talking about it and said, "Father has already added your name to the imperial genealogy, Situ Rui. From now on, you will no longer have the surname Tang."

Tang Rui blinked and swallowed the last piece of pastry: "But I still like the name Tang Rui. Daddy can continue to call me that from now on."

In this world, she takes her master's surname, but in her previous life, she was also named Tang Rui, a name given to her by her mother.

Her mother loves her very much.

It is also said that the original meaning of "蕊" is the pistil of a flower, which is the core part of the flower and its essence!

Her mother named her this in the hope that she would be as vibrant as the source of a plant, with a promising future.

Whether in her past life or this one, she is just like her name suggests—full of energy and forever full of hope.

Unfortunately, her mother passed away a year before she was hit by a car and time-traveled; she had terminal cancer.

Thinking about all this, Tang Rui lost her appetite and nestled quietly next to Situ Che.

Situ Che glanced at her several times, his expression suspicious: "Are you tired?"

"No, I just...missed Mom." Tang Rui looked up at Situ Che: "Daddy, will you always love me? Even if we have younger siblings in the future, will you still love me?"

In my past life, my father married my stepmother, had a child with her, and then stopped loving her.

If it weren't for her grandfather's support, she wouldn't even have gotten shares in the company.

Situ Che's heart tightened; he had never seen Tang Rui with such an expression before.

I was very sad and scared, like a little animal worried about being abandoned.

Situ Che gently patted her head, his gaze softening. "Of course, I will try my best to be fair and just. Even if you make mistakes in the future, I will do my best to protect your title and honor. This will not change regardless of whether I have other children in the future."

Having received the answer she wanted, Tang Rui felt relieved: "Daddy is so kind. I will also love my future younger brothers and sisters and be a good older sister."

"good!"

Although he wasn't a son, he still had an heir.

Tang Rui's arrival significantly reduced the gossip surrounding him.

Later, he learned that Tang Rui's biological mother had saved him at the time, and all his resentment disappeared.

...

The Marquis of Yong'an's Residence!

Qin Zhiyan hadn't planned to come back, but not long after Gu Ruoxue left, the Marquis's residence sent another letter.

This was again a letter written in the handwriting of the Marquis of Yong'an.

The letter said that if she didn't go back today, she should never go back.

In ancient times, a woman's maternal family was her support. Although Qin Zhiyan's relationship with the Marquis of Yong'an was not good, she did not want to lose this support.

She was also hoping that if Prince Li wanted to take that position in the future, her family could lend a hand!

So, Qin Zhiyan quickly dressed up and returned to the Yong'an Marquis's residence with Granny Xu.

To my surprise, as soon as I entered, it was like a three-way interrogation.

Her father, the Marquis of Yong'an, sat in the main seat, while Qin Zhirou's mother, now the Lady of Yong'an, sat beside him, looking at her with displeasure.

"Kneel down!" Marquis Yong'an said coldly.

Qin Zhiyan was taken aback upon hearing this: "Father, what have I done wrong?"

"You still dare to talk back?" Marquis Yong'an pointed at her, speaking righteously, "You and Zhirou are sisters. It's one thing not to help each other, but to kick someone when they're down and encourage Prince Li to ask her for a dowry, isn't that wrong?"

Madam He from the Yong'an Marquis's residence glanced at her disdainfully and chimed in, "Zhiyan, didn't I prepare a dowry for your marriage? How can you still be eyeing your sister's dowry? Do you know how miserable she is in the Crown Prince's residence?"

Qin Zhiyan laughed angrily: "Qin Zhirou's dowry originally belonged to my mother, so it's only right that I take it with me. Qin Zhirou is your daughter, not my mother's daughter. Is your He family so poor that you're acting like you have a right to steal?"

"You..." Madam He was speechless with anger, looking at Marquis Yong'an with a wronged expression: "My lord, look at her. Sisters are one, why distinguish between yours and mine? I was just thinking that Zhirou is the Crown Princess after all, and needs these dowries more than Zhiyan. You agreed to it back then, and now Zhiyan is blaming me. No wonder people say that being a stepmother is not easy."

Marquis Yong'an nodded, then frowned and said, "I agreed to it back then. Prince Li is disabled, and the Crown Prince is the heir apparent. Your sister does need this dowry more than you do, to help the Crown Prince. You should stop encouraging Prince Li and think more about your sister. Her future status will be incredibly high, and even you will have to rely on her. You are sisters, don't make things so awkward."

Qin Zhiyan gritted her teeth in anger, intending to swallow her anger as she always had.

But… remembering Situ Che's promise to back her up, she couldn't help but retort, "Father, that's a ridiculous statement. She bullied me even before she became the Crown Princess. What can I expect from her? Her dowry belongs to my mother. Even you, Father, can't decide on your wife's dowry. Or do you want others to know that you, the dignified Marquis of Yong'an, not only favor your concubine over your wife but also forcibly seize your deceased wife's dowry? Aren't you afraid of being ridiculed by the world?"

"Insolence!" Marquis Yong'an roared in fury. "How dare you speak to me like that?"

Qin Zhiyan straightened her back and looked directly at him for the first time: "I am the principal wife of Prince Li. First comes the ruler and subject, then the father and son. It's one thing for Father not to bow to me, but to speak to me like this is even more disrespectful. Father is the one who doesn't respect Prince Li or the royal family."

"Rebellious daughter!"

Marquis Yong'an suddenly stood up, grabbed the teacup beside him, and threw it.

He didn't care at all that the person in front of him was his own daughter.

Just as the teacup was about to hit Qin Zhiyan, Xu Mama reacted quickly and rushed forward to block Qin Zhiyan.

The teacup slammed heavily onto Granny Xu's shoulder, splashing scalding hot tea all over her.

Granny Xu groaned in pain, but gritted her teeth and didn't cry out.

Seeing this, Qin Zhiyan quickly helped her up and glared angrily at Marquis Yong'an.

Before he could even speak, a servant came to report: "My lord, Prince Li has arrived."

Upon hearing this, Marquis Yong'an was taken aback, but quickly replied, "Please come in!"

"No need to invite me!" Situ Che was pushed in by Mingyue, and he glanced around at everyone present: "What's going on here?"

"Your Highness!" Granny Xu curtsied and quickly explained the matter, so fast that Marquis Yong'an didn't even have time to stop her.

Seeing Situ Che's eyes turn cold, Marquis Yong'an gave an awkward laugh: "Your Highness, I was disciplining my daughter, and you've made a fool of yourself."

Tang Rui said coldly, "Hasn't Marquis Yong'an heard the saying 'A married daughter is like water spilled from a bowl'? My mother is my father's principal wife, she takes her husband's surname, she's registered in the imperial genealogy, and she has the responsibility of managing the household. What right do you have to beat and scold her? Just because you're Marquis Yong'an? Oh, so Marquis Yong'an's status is higher than that of the royal family!"

"I have none!" Tang Rui's words made Marquis Yong'an break out in a cold sweat!

It's fine if there are no outsiders, but Prince Li is right here.

Although he looked down on this disabled person and felt that he had no investment value.

But a prince is a prince, the emperor's son.

He no longer dared to be so presumptuous!