Exiled to Lingnan, the Crown Prince's wife raises children, cultivates the land, and leads the

"Little sister, I'm just learning how to start a fire and stock up on firewood. It's not much work, so it won't interfere with my work for my sister-in-law."

Jin Yanzhi didn't want to leave. He looked at Cheng Qiqi and said, "Sister-in-law, do you still need this kind of fruit? I know where to find it, or, can I do something else?"

Before Cheng Qiqi could answer, Lin Huilan grabbed Jin Yanzhi's sleeve and pulled him forcefully, saying, "Yanzhi, stockpiling firewood is hard work!"

"Young lady, let me go!"

Jin Yanzhi tried to shake her off, but Lin Huilan was still his mother, and if he used that force to shake her off, Lin Huilan would definitely fall.

Jin Yanzhi turned around and stared at the jelly fruit in Cheng Qiqi's hand. He seemed to have seen it on the mountain. Where had he seen it before?

"Jin Yanzhi, stay away from your sister-in-law."

As soon as Lin Huilan left the courtyard, she whispered a warning to Jin Yanzhi.

"Young lady, if it weren't for my sister-in-law, would we be living such a good life now?"

Jin Yanzhi noticed Lin Huilan's hostility and frowned. He and his sister had changed their minds, but why did his mother still think the same as before?

"Cheng Qiqi did help us, but without your father, we wouldn't have the good life we ​​have now. Look at the supplies that have been delivered these past two times; at least we don't lack food, and there's meat every now and then. Do you think we owe it all to Cheng Qiqi?"

When Lin Huilan mentioned Cheng Qiqi, her eyes were full of disdain. She was just a country girl who was lucky enough to marry into the Marquis's mansion because she had saved the life of the deceased prince.

No.

She wasn't very lucky.

She was nominally the Crown Prince's wife, but her name was not recorded in the family register, nor was she registered in the clan, so she was not recognized by the Jin family!

So what if they were included in the family genealogy when they were exiled?

The Jin family was in dire straits. She was a widow with a child in tow. Where could she go?

"Young lady, how could you think like that?"

Jin Yanzhi's brows were so furrowed they could trap a mosquito. He said, "When we were first exiled, if it weren't for my sister-in-law bringing us clothes and food..."

"Without the Marquis's money, how will that girl Chun Tao buy clothes and food?"

Lin Huilan interrupted him.

"Young lady, with all those maids and relatives who used to freeload, why didn't they ever send us clothes and food?"

Jin Yanzhi's words made Lin Huilan's face turn black with anger.

"Jin Yanzhi, I am your biological mother!"

Lin Huilan felt as if her heart was about to jump out of her chest in anger. Was this son deliberately trying to stab her in the heart?

Lin Huilan said irritably, "Jin Yanzhi, you're an unmarried brother-in-law, stay away from your sister-in-law to avoid gossip."

"I have done nothing wrong and I have nothing to fear from gossip."

Jin Yanzhi felt a moment of guilt, but then straightened his back.

He's unmarried, and his sister-in-law is a widow. If there's something going on between them, who can say for sure that it isn't true?

A wise child is better than his mother.

Lin Huilan saw right through his little scheme: "Aren't you afraid? Isn't your sister-in-law afraid too?"

"Cheng Qiqi is a widow, and widows attract a lot of gossip. You may not be afraid of what others say, but what about her?"

"Gossip is incredibly important to a woman; a single spit from someone can drown a person!"

Seeing his hesitant look, Lin Huilan immediately said, "Cheng Qiqi is just a woman. Look at her last time, she barely exchanged a few words with Leng Yu, and Song Zhenmei came to question her."

"That's because she's blind. My sister-in-law wouldn't even look at Leng Yu." Jin Yanzhi said without thinking. Leng Yu spends most of his time boiling sugar in front of the stove, and he's not good-looking. My sister-in-law wouldn't even look at him.

"Does it matter whether you like it or not? What matters is that others will spread rumors."

Lin Huilan said earnestly, "Yanzhi, I'm doing this for Cheng Qiqi's own good."

"Young lady, are you really doing this for your sister-in-law's good?"

Jin Yanzhi was half-believing and half-doubting; he had clearly seen the disdain in his young mistress's eyes just now.

"..."

Lin Huilan felt a lump in her throat. Her silly son, wasn't she doing all this for him?

"Alright, little sister, I understand. I'll stay away from my sister-in-law and not let others gossip about her."

As Jin Yanzhi spoke, he picked up his knife and prepared to go up the mountain. The job of a fire starter was not easy, and it would be even more difficult to go up the mountain to chop firewood in the current weather.

He must have seen that jelly-like fruit before.

After Jin Yan went up the mountain, besides working, he kept an eye out for where he could find the jelly fruit.

"Yanzhi, remember what your mother said."

Lin Huilan watched Jin Yanzhi's departing figure and gave him a reminder.

"Little girl."

Marquis Zhongyong walked up behind her and reminded her, "Huilan, you are a concubine; Suyi is his legal mother."

"master."

Lin Huilan turned around, and a smile instantly appeared on her face. Her eyes, when she looked at Marquis Zhongyong, were also filled with a hint of charm. Her body was so soft and boneless that she wanted to lean against him.

Marquis Zhongyong grabbed her arm and coldly reminded her, "Stand properly."

After saying this, the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery strode out to work.

"..."

Lin Huilan clutched her arm, which was being gripped painfully, and turned around angrily. Looking at the departing figure of the Marquis of Zhongyong, she felt resentful and angry, but in the end, she could only swallow it all back.

As soon as Lin Huilan entered the courtyard, she subconsciously looked at Liu Suyi under the eaves, who was embroidering with a needle and thread basket. Liu Suyi, dressed in coarse cloth, really thought she was still the mistress of the Marquis's mansion.

Lin Huilan stamped her foot, quickly went into the house to get her needle and thread basket, and began embroidering. She wanted to save more money for herself.

Liu Suyi raised her eyes, glanced at it, and then looked away.

Cheng Qiqi put the jelly seeds into the prepared cloth and secretly glanced at Liu Suyi. Her mother-in-law's manners were truly impeccable!

If it were her, she definitely wouldn't have been able to tolerate Lin Huilan long ago.

Not to mention Lin Huilan seized every opportunity to try and make her presence felt in front of Marquis Zhongyong.

"Qiqi, is there anything I can help you with?"

Liu Suyi had already noticed Cheng Qiqi's gaze, and she couldn't help but speak up.

"No need, Mother, I can do it."

Cheng Qiqi found a wooden basin and started kneading the jelly-like fruit.

Madam Jin and the other women were already at the flower dew workshop, making flower dew.

In the courtyard, only Liu Suyi and she were there.

"Qiqi, some things aren't worth getting angry about."

Liu Suyi's double entendre made Cheng Qiqi understand instantly.

Cheng Qiqi was a little embarrassed, but then nodded in full agreement and said, "Mom, I think you're absolutely right."

"Madam Chu is coming here to build a house. She is the wife of the county magistrate. She seems easygoing, but you still have to be careful when speaking to her."

Liu Suyi suddenly spoke.

"Is Mother trying to tell me to remember my place?"

Cheng Qiqi paused in her vigorous rubbing of the jelly seeds, looked up at Liu Suyi, who was sitting on the roof, the morning sunlight falling softly on her face, making Liu Suyi's face look even more gentle.

"right."

Liu Suyi sat up straight, even stopping her embroidery needle, and looked at Cheng Qiqi, saying, "Madam Chu is taking good care of us now because of Tangtang's illness, and even wants to move to the village to build a house, but..."