Consort Zhou was also startled when she saw her son like this and hurried down from the couch, waving for the palace maid beside her to find out what was happening while supporting her son to sit down on the couch.

The palace attendants in the hall had already retreated, and Consort Zhou said, "What has happened to you? Just married yesterday, and today you are like this. Didn’t your father say you didn’t have to come to the palace? Coming in like this, if your father knows, he will certainly reprimand you again."

"Mother, what’s the use of saying this now? In the past, it seemed like Father cared for us, but in his eyes, there has always been only others, not us." Li Min laughed self-mockingly, "Mother, did you hear? Eldest Brother is back."

Consort Zhou had heard that Prince Shou was in the palace, but she didn’t know what her son had done. She could only rush over upon hearing about it, which is why he looked like this. She sighed, "By putting on this appearance, when your father hears, he will surely be displeased. He’s merely a leisure Prince; whether he returns or not, what does it matter? You’re supposed to bear a great responsibility in the future; how can you be concerned about such trivial matters?"

"Mother." Li Min interrupted his mother, "Whenever you mention bearing a great responsibility now, I just wish I could hit my head and end it all. All the things we’ve done, Father has always seen them, but he hasn’t paid any attention, as if he didn’t care. Now that Father made things clear by bringing Eldest Brother back, he’s just letting me know that I’m neither the eldest nor the legitimate, and I should never aspire for that position. Doesn’t Mother understand hearing me say this?"

Consort Zhou froze for a moment, "You..."

She clearly didn’t believe the Emperor would say such things.

After all, all these years, the Emperor has only been fond of her, and if he ever got angry, it was only when they visited the Zhou Mansion and woke their family. Even then, he reprimanded her but didn’t blame her.

Now hearing her son say such words, Consort Zhou could only think of it as venting, but how could such words be casually said?

"Mother, does Father truly care about us? If he truly cared about his son, knowing how hard I’ve worked all these years for a purpose, why block me? If not allow me to fight by my abilities, he’s clearly biased towards that side, even seeing my intentions but not saying it, just making me look like a joke." Li Min began to cry.

He felt unwilling.

But his father’s warning echoed in his ears repeatedly, and he knew what awaited him if he acted rashly again.

Consort Zhou stared blankly at her son, who said so much, obviously not lying. If it’s truly like this, then wouldn’t it be just as her son said: the Emperor doesn’t really care about them.

Then why the pretense of care over the years?

Was it merely putting them as targets?

Consort Zhou, thinking of this, felt suffocated in her chest, almost fainting, and she stabilized herself only after the surroundings darkened before her eyes, fortunately sitting on a soft couch.

Li Min, on his part, filled with resentment, didn’t even notice this, "Mother might not know yet, but Lin Youning is Eldest Brother’s daughter. Years ago, wasn’t the legitimate daughter of Prime Minister Liu’s Mansion said to have eloped with someone? It was Eldest Brother she eloped with."

"That Madam of Gu Family’s First House?" Consort Zhou tightened her lips in asking.

Li Min nodded in mockery, "A wife not regarded highly, Prime Minister’s granddaughter, and a Prince’s daughter, such a noble status."

"No wonder your father berated me over the Zhou Mansion matters that day. It’s not that he thought I lost dignity, but he cared for his granddaughter," Consort Zhou lowered her head, speaking indifferently.

Li Min stood up, "Son is leaving the palace; staying here will only lead to ridicule."

Thinking of those standing by him, they might abandon him upon hearing the news and turn to the Crown Prince instead?

Sycophants are most adept at doing such things.

Consort Zhou herself felt disheartened, naturally not stopping her son, while thinking inside about how, once Lin Youning’s identity was revealed, noble family ladies would surely be waiting to see her become a laughingstock?

After all, she had looked down on Lin Youning’s status and suppressed her publicly among the ladies of noble families, not realizing she was a Commandery Princess.

Lin Youning, whom Consort Zhou was thinking of, was now heading out of the palace with her elder brother and younger brother as the Emperor left Prince Shou behind for a conversation.

Once aboard the carriage, Lin Youning breathed a sigh of relief, "While in the Imperial Palace, I always felt oppressed, even if Holy Emperor seemed kind, I couldn’t relax."

"That’s the majesty of the Royals." Gu Yifeng adjusted her to a comfortable position within his arms, "I’ve sent word to the mansion. We’re some hours away from nightfall, and tonight we’ll have dinner outside the mansion, then inform Father when we return to Marquis Mansion."

"Alright." Lin Youning readily agreed, but then remembered to ask, "Did Grandfather receive the news?"

"I’ve already sent it; rest assured. Your dealings were plotted with Dong Mansion’s involvement. Once your status is exposed, there’s no need for us to do anything; it’s enough to intimidate Dong Mansion. Moreover, with Eldest Prince’s downfall, those noble families allied to him will realize their family’s glory has ended. Even if in the same official position with a new emperor, they’ll be anxious every day."

Lin Youning nodded, "And the palace rumors were spread by Holy Emperor?"

Gu Yifeng embraced her, "Although you and Prince Shou just met, and the bond between father and daughter has deepened, you still need to watch your behavior not be too intimate; after all, you aren’t a little child anymore."

Lin Youning couldn’t help but laugh seeing her elder brother dodge the question, instead talking about this, "Elder Brother jealous, perhaps? That’s my father, and I’ve married, never truly fulfilled my filial duties before. How many more times shall we meet in the future?"

Gu Yifeng snorted, "Your father probably isn’t satisfied with me as his son-in-law."

Lin Youning couldn’t resist laughing, finding it rare for her elder brother to care about such trivial matters, feeling sweetness within, knowing it’s because he cares about her.

On the way, Zhao Housheng heard they were going out for dinner and said the mansion awaited, and since they’d been out for several days, he wouldn’t join them for dinner but go back to the mansion first.

Lin Youning and her elder brother dined at a restaurant before heading back to Mrs. Gu Sr., when it was already dark outside, Mrs. Gu Sr. safely seeing them return and already relieved.

But she reproached them for returning late, "Sister Ning is pregnant, how can she run everywhere outside? You can’t indulge her like this in the future."

Mrs. Gu Sr. scolded her son.