Father, who is both a heir and a descendant, is still biased; the bound system has gone berserk.

As he said this, Rong Qing's eyes darkened slightly.

He hadn't had such thoughts a moment ago, but the next moment, he felt pity for Ying Hengzhi.

Not only him, but Mingluan and the others also felt pity for Ying Hengzhi.

The group helped each other onto the carriage, and they slowly drove away.

As dusk fell, Hai Mujin slowly awoke from her deep sleep.

"Miss, you're finally awake! Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"

Zijing stepped forward with concern to inquire.

Hai Mujin shook her head and said, "Zijing, pour me a glass of water."

Zijing quickly went to pour water.

Hai Mujin's face turned pale as she recalled what had happened at the Mu residence that day.

"Zijing, when did we get back?"

Zijing handed her the water, "Miss, please have some water first."

Hai Mujin drank the water, and Zijing took the cup, saying, "Miss, Madam will be back with you at noon."

"You're back by noon? How is everything at the manor now?"

Zijing said, "In the afternoon, news of your falling into the water spread outside, and people said that you had offended the Second Prince, and now your reputation is ruined, and no one will dare to marry you."

Hai Mujin's face paled even more, her brows furrowed. She remembered that when she fell into the water, it was the Second Prince's men who knocked her in.

The Second Prince's scheme is obvious.

Anger flashed in her eyes; the Second Prince was trying to force her into a corner.

Then Zijing said excitedly, "But Miss, you don't need to worry. The Grand Princess's Mansion is waiting for your reply when you wake up. As long as you nod, Prince Yuheng will propose to our family."

Hai Mujin was taken aback.

She recalled the anxious and worried look in Feng Yuheng's eyes when he jumped into the water.

For some reason, her cheeks flushed and a blush rose to her cheeks.

Zijing smiled and said, "Miss, you don't know, Prince Yuheng said he has long been fond of you, and Grand Princess Huaxi also likes you very much. She even said that she never expected that falling into the water would actually lead to Prince Yuheng's marriage being settled!"

Zijing described it vividly.

Hai Mujin's eyes flickered, and a smile involuntarily appeared on her lips.

But her smile quickly froze on her lips.

"Has the young lady woken up? If so, the old lady will summon you for questioning."

Outside, the old lady's personal maid, Granny Wang, strode in, lifting the curtain.

Zijing was immediately furious: "Wang Mama, why did you just come in like that, and so loudly? What if you startled Miss?"

Granny Wang sneered, "Oh? What if you startle Miss? Do you think your Miss can be startled? She's an unmarried girl, already flirting with men outside. With that kind of audacity, you think you can frighten her?"

"You—" Zi Jing's eyebrows shot up in anger.

"What do you mean, 'what do you mean, 'what do you mean'? These are the old lady's exact words, not mine. Miss, now that you're awake, hurry over there and don't keep the old lady waiting, hmph."

Granny Wang snorted coldly, turned around, and swayed away.

"Miss, look at her. Even though she's someone close to the old lady, she's still too arrogant. She dares to boss people around in front of her mistress."

Hai Mujin remained calm, her mood unaffected by Wang Mama's presence.

"After all, she is someone close to the old lady, and the old lady is the birth mother of the empress, so she naturally has the right to be arrogant."

As Hai Mujin spoke, she got out of bed.

"The Duan family is finished, yet the old lady is still so unrestrained. She's only doing this because she has the Empress's backing."

Zijing said angrily.

"Zi Jing, remember this: as long as the Empress and the Second Prince are around, the Old Madam will have the right to be arrogant, and so will the people around her."

Zijing opened her mouth, but ultimately remained silent.

After washing up, Hai Mujin went to the old lady's Shouxi Pavilion.

"Zijing, don't come with me. Go find your mother and father. Be careful not to get stopped by anyone."

Hai Mujin gave instructions.

Zi Jing's expression changed slightly, and then she left in a hurry.

In the Shouxi Hall, Old Madam Duan sat in the main seat, surrounded by maids in front of and behind her.

Some were massaging shoulders, some were patting backs, and some were fanning the wind.

In the dead of winter, the floor in the house was burning hot from the radiator, but Old Duan still had to fan the flames.

Hearing the curtain being lifted, a servant said, "Madam, the eldest young lady has arrived."

Old Duan kept her eyes squinted, not opening them, so it was unclear whether she had heard or not.

Hai Mujin entered, curtsied slightly, and said, "Greetings, Madam. May I ask what brings you here?"

Old Madam Duan opened her eyes, staring at her with a sinister gaze: "So you've followed in your father's and second uncle's footsteps, not even kneeling when you see me?"

Hai Mujin remained neither humble nor arrogant, and said calmly, "Madam, my grandfather said that we do not need to kneel before you."

"presumptuous!"

Old Madam Duan slammed her hand on the table, "I am your grandmother!"

Granny Wang also shouted, "Young Miss, why aren't you kneeling down to pay your respects to your grandmother!"

Hai Mujin's eyes remained calm, even showing a kind of disdain for the other party. "Madam, my grandmother has been gone for many years."

"You! Okay, okay!"

Old Madam Duan was furious. "Hai Mujin, no wonder you have the audacity to seduce men outside. I never knew you had such a sharp tongue."

"Fine, you're quite something. The Second Prince is your own cousin. Why did you hit him on the head in the water? Didn't he go into the water to save you?"

Hai Mujin was taken aback, then laughed and cried at the same time, "Where did the old lady hear about these things?"

The old lady gave her a cold look. "It's all over the place. Your reputation is ruined. News has come from the palace that the Second Prince is willing to marry you as his consort."

The Empress is your aunt, and the Second Prince is your cousin. You won't lose out by marrying the Second Prince.

"Madam, did you hear me wrong? The woman whose reputation was ruined by the Second Prince is a young lady from the Cheng family, and has nothing to do with me."

I did fall into the water, but I didn't see the Second Prince in the water. Instead, it was the Heir Apparent of Yuheng who saved me.

Hai Mujin said.

"Nonsense! Hai Mujin, you are an unmarried young lady, yet you are so shameless as to try to get involved with other men. Have you no shame at all?"

"Do you still care about the Empress's reputation?"

Hai Mujin said, "Of course I dare not disregard the Empress's reputation. However, in my heart, I only have one aunt, and only His Highness the Crown Prince and my cousin from the Jiang family."

The Second Prince is a prince, and Mu Jin dares not presume to associate with him. She hopes that the Old Madam will be more careful with her words in the future.

Madam Duan was furious, her eyes flashing with a sinister coldness. "Hai Mujin, don't be ungrateful. Today I'll make things clear to you: the Second Prince has taken a liking to you. He doesn't mind that you've lost your reputation and is willing to marry you as his consort."

A decree will arrive from the palace tomorrow, and whether you agree or not, it will be beyond your control.

Hai Mujin suddenly raised her eyes and looked straight at the old lady.

"A decree from the palace? Whose decree? His Majesty's, or the Empress's?"

An angry voice came from outside.

Hai Taifu strode in angrily.

Old Duan's eyelids twitched, and he got up to greet her.

"Master, what brings you here?" Old Madam Duan stepped forward to help him up.

Grand Tutor Hai shoved her away: "I'll say it again, whose decree will come from the palace tomorrow? Even if the late Emperor were alive, he never said he would force my granddaughter into marriage. I'll go to the palace now and ask His Majesty what he has to say!"

Old Duan's expression changed drastically.