Back when Song Shuyu was still at home, Old Madam Song and Madam Song had spoiled her rotten.
After she entered Prince Ling’s residence, Princess Consort Ling had gone even further, indulging her to the point of ruining her.
As a result, Song Shuyu had developed a very self-centered personality.
How could she possibly tolerate anyone criticizing her?
She did not care whether the other person was a relative or not.
At once, Song Shuyu stood up and planted her hands on her hips.
“My money! I’ll spend it however I want!”
“What right do you have to interfere?”
“I haven’t eaten your food or spent your money!”
“Get out!”
Madam Song and Song Shuyuan were stunned by Song Shuyu’s behavior.
Song Shuyuan’s face flushed red.
Even the finger he pointed at Song Shuyu was trembling.
“Women and petty men are impossible to deal with!”
“You’re completely unreasonable!”
After saying this, Song Shuyuan flicked his sleeve and strode out.
“Hmph!”
Song Shuyu angrily stomped her foot.
Madam Song’s expression was complicated.
Her eldest daughter had been raised by her grandmother since childhood and had developed such a terrible temper that even Madam Song did not dare speak harshly to her.
She had never imagined that her daughter’s temper would become even more violent.
Madam Song no longer dared to say anything carelessly.
Nervously twisting the handkerchief in her hands, she wondered how she could win her daughter’s heart.
Madam Song still understood her eldest daughter’s temperament to some extent.
Children only needed a little coaxing. If one soothed them and gently stroked their fur in the right direction, they would calm down.
Madam Song forced a smile. She stood up and pulled Song Shuyu down beside her.
Song Shuyu struggled a little, but eventually allowed herself to be guided into her seat.
“Shuyu, don’t be angry.”
“Your elder brother is only worried that you’ll have no savings left. What will you do if something urgent comes up and you can’t get your hands on any money?”
“I heard that Princess Consort Ling is the one who manages Prince Ling’s residence.”
“Is she good to you?”
After all, Song Shuyu was Madam Song’s own daughter, and a mother’s instinct made her concerned about her.
When Song Shuyu heard her mother’s question, she pouted, and her eyes reddened.
“She wouldn’t dare treat me badly!” Song Shuyu said smugly.
Seeing her daughter’s proud and petulant expression, Madam Song smiled in relief.
“Of course not!”
“You’re a lucky star!”
“As long as the Crown Prince still values you, no one will dare mistreat you!”
Song Shuyu nodded in complete agreement.
“Mother, Father treats me much better than he treats the heir and Anning!”
Song Shuyu had long wanted to show off in front of her family.
So she told Madam Song only the favorable parts of what had happened to her after she entered Prince Ling’s residence.
When Madam Song heard that Princess Consort Ling satisfied every craving Song Shuyu had, she was delighted.
She knew it! Her daughter was a lucky star!
How could the Crown Prince possibly mistreat her if he wanted to ascend the throne?
When Madam Song heard that Princess Consort Ling had been placed under house arrest by the Crown Prince for plotting against her daughter, she could not help covering her mouth with her handkerchief.
Her eyes were filled with shock.
“The Crown Prince actually values you this much?”
Song Shuyu raised her head proudly.
“Of course!”
“I’m a great lucky star who can bring good fortune to others!”
“Anyone who treats me badly will suffer the consequences!”
Madam Song was overjoyed.
She took Song Shuyu’s hand and spoke earnestly.
“Shuyu, since the Crown Prince values you so highly, could you perhaps say a few words to him and ask him to find your father an official position?”
“After all, your father is your real father!”
“Look at your second uncle. Thanks to you, he has already become one of the Crown Prince’s trusted aides.”
“His children are even acting so high and mighty.”
“They clearly owe their current status to you!”
“Has your second uncle ever helped you after climbing that high branch?”
“No, has he?”
“Think about it. If our own family prospered, it would surely benefit you no matter what happened.”
“Shuyu, don’t you think Mother is right?”
Madam Song was not particularly clever, but she understood her daughter.
Sure enough, after hearing her mother’s words, Song Shuyu began to think.
Although she was young, she had seen quite a lot in Prince Ling’s residence.
At the Imperial Academy, Song Shuyu had also noticed that the students all banded together.
In Prince Ling’s residence, she was the one who had been isolated.
In the past, she had at least had Chunxiao to help her.
Although Song Shuyu had later realized that Chunxiao had not truly been helping her, some of Chunxiao’s words had not been wrong.
She needed to have allies of her own.
Song Shuyu was unwilling to give away money.
However, she felt that she could try saying a few good words to Father.
“I can only try,” Song Shuyu said, finally relenting.
“However, Father is very busy.” Song Shuyu also knew she could not make any guarantees.
She understood Father’s moods were unpredictable.
If she accidentally violated one of his taboos, she would be punished as well.
She could try, but she could not promise that she would succeed.
When Madam Song heard her daughter agree, her face immediately lit up.
“You’re always so thoughtful! No wonder you’re our Song family’s little lucky star!”
“Unlike certain Jinxes, who not only refuse to acknowledge us but even beat your second brother senseless!”
Overjoyed, Madam Song let slip the injustice her second son had suffered.
A flicker passed through Song Shuyu’s eyes.
Ever since she had stopped going to the Imperial Academy, she had not seen Duoduo.
This was the first time she had heard anything about her younger sister.
Song Shuyu was curious.
“Mother, did you go looking for that Jinx?”
Worried that her daughter might misunderstand and become upset, Madam Song hurriedly distanced herself from the matter.
“Mother didn’t go see that Jinx!”
“It was your father and your second brother who went.”
“Shuyu, don’t think too much about it. Your father went because the Crown Prince ordered him to.”
“I heard your father say that the Crown Prince wanted the Jinx to leave Prince Pingyang.”
“The Crown Prince promised that if your father brought that Jinx back, he would arrange an official position for him.”
“But that Jinx not only refused, she even deliberately had several maids disguise themselves to look exactly like her and toyed with us!”
“She deliberately made all the maids dress up like her, causing your father to mistake them for her!”
“Your father failed to complete the Crown Prince’s task, and your second uncle seized on that as an excuse to drive our entire family out!”
Thinking of the miserable life they had led over the past few days, Madam Song was filled with hatred for Duoduo.
“She’s an ungrateful wretch! The Song family raised her all those years for nothing!”
“If I’d known she would turn out like this, I should have let your grandmother drown her in the urine bucket!”
When Song Shuyu heard her mother’s words, a strange light flashed in her eyes.
“Mother, that Jinx is different from how she used to be!”
“Prince Pingyang’s residence has only one princess!”
“Although she isn’t Prince Pingyang’s biological daughter, her current status is no lower than mine!”
This was the part about Duoduo that Song Shuyu envied most.
There were too many children in Prince Ling’s residence, which was why she was constantly excluded.
If Prince Ling’s residence had only one child—her—how wonderful that would be!
