Since being frightened by the white-robed man on that day, Cui Ling did not dare to go to the Book Pavilion again.

  However, she still had to read books, so every few days, she would ask Du Mama to help her exchange a batch of books from the library according to the sequence.

  Firstly, there are historical books of past dynasties, then various miscellaneous notes and anecdotes, followed by some folk trivialities, and even military books can be flipped through.

  Ancient people said, "In books there are golden houses, in books there are beauties like jade."

  Cui Ying thought it was really wonderful, she saw the magnificent history of several dynasties from these books, and also saw the mountains and rivers of the four seas, even through other people's travel notes, combining with the experience of past lives, outlining the freshness of Jiangnan and the vastness of Sai Bei.

  It was Yuan Dalang who met her several times when he went to the Tai'an Temple to pay his respects to the old lady, and asked why Wu's younger sister no longer went to the Cangshu Pavilion.

  Chui Rongsheng was afraid he would see through something, so he always smiled very innocently.

  Sometimes she would act like a daughter to her father, "It's getting colder and colder outside, it's more comfortable to stay in the Taian courtyard."

  Yuan Dalang saw that her face was calm and didn't show any concealment, so he stopped talking.

  Cui Ying knew that Yuan Dalang was actually right, the library's window opened to reveal a beautiful garden view, quiet and peaceful, indeed a great place to read.

  But the library doesn't belong to the inner courtyard, even if there aren't any male guests who accidentally wander in, it's still not good to run into a guard.

  Yuan Wulang's stern warning still echoed in her ears, and although she was extremely angry and humiliated, she had to swallow her pride since she was under his roof.

  Moreover, in Cui Rong's heart, he still felt guilty towards Yuan Wulang.

  It's obvious that given their current situation, it's unlikely they'll end up like some of the elder brothers and sisters who lived in harmony.

  But Fourth Aunt said that men in the Yuan family don't take concubines.

  Starting from great-great-grandfather who followed Taizu to conquer the world, the Yuan family had an unwritten rule that unless one was forty years old and childless, they would not take concubines.

  Chui Rong asked foolishly at that time, "Then why does Third Brother have a son born out of wedlock?"

  Fourth sister sighed a few times, and in her eyes flowed not disdain or contempt, but respect, "Third brother, is a good man!"

  It turned out that Yuan Bo, the seven-year-old son under San Fang's name, was not actually the child of San Lang Yuan Luo.

  Yuan Po's biological father was Yuan Sanlang's childhood companion and attendant, named Gui Mo.

  As he was an orphan bought from outside, he followed the surname of the host family Yuan and, like Yuan Dalang's long follower Guishu, used the character Gui for his generation.

  It's said to be a long time, but in fact it's no different from brothers.

  Since childhood, they have been eating and drinking together, reading books and practicing martial arts together. Later, they also fought side by side on the battlefield, their feelings are very deep.

  Five years ago, in a battle with the Turks, it was known to all that the second son of General Town had died for his country.

  But few people know that Yuan Sanlang also encountered danger and narrowly escaped death.

  At that time, it was Gui Mo who sacrificed himself to save his master and managed to save Yuan Sanlang's life.

  But Gui Mo lost a leg and went blind in one eye as a result.

  Having a disability and unable to return to the battlefield, in Guimao's eyes, he himself was a useless person.

  Although Yuan Sanlang bought a large house for him, arranged servants for him and gave him a generous sum of money to live comfortably for the rest of his life.

  But Guī Mò's personality changed greatly, he became a drunkard, gambled heavily, and frequented prostitutes, abandoning himself to debauchery.

  The year before last, he got drunk and lost all his family property in a high-stakes gamble. He was even stripped of the clothes on his back and lay naked and unconscious on Taiping Street. The next day, the patrolling constables found his corpse.

  When Yuan Sanlang was burying Gui Mo, a big-bellied woman appeared and claimed to be a girl from Chunfeng Building. She said that Gui Mo had kept her for two years and the child in her belly was indeed Gui Mo's.

  Regardless of whether it's true or false, Yuan Sanlang hopes to leave a legacy for Gui Mo.

  So he raised the woman, waited for her to give birth, and then gave her a large sum of money and sent her back to her hometown.

  As for the newborn boy, he was taken back to the Yuan family.

  It's naturally impossible to deceive outsiders into thinking that he is the eldest son of Lian, after all, Lian's belly has never been raised, this can't fool people.

  He didn't deliberately tell others that he was a bastard, his intention was still to leave some blood for Guimò.

  But Yuan Sanlang and Lian Shi discussed it and still felt that since the child had been raised under their care, it would be better to give him a name.

  Otherwise, if Pei Ge'er grows up and knows the difference between himself and other brothers in the mansion, it's not that he feels uneasy in his heart, but rather what others think of him is more worrying.

  P'ei Ko's real father was a senior attendant of Yuan San-lang, while his mother was a prostitute.

  Yuan Sanlang and Lian Shi both hope that Guimou's son will have a good future.

  The grandson of General Zhen Guo's mansion, although not born from Mrs. Lian's belly, is also much more noble than ordinary children.

  With this background, in the future studying and becoming an official will be much simpler and easier.

  It was then that Pei Gongyi arranged the ancestral temple and determined the order of generations.

  It was originally a good thing with feelings and justice, but in order to take care of Pei Ge's feelings, it was kept secret.

  After being passed down, it eventually became a topic of conversation among the people in Shengjing City after tea and dinner. "The third master of the General's Mansion has kept a mistress outside and had a son who cannot enter the house. Madame Yuan is generous and kind, and she has someone bring that child into the mansion to raise him under her own knees."

  Cui Ling knew the truth about Pei Ge's life, and instead became more respectful of San Shu.

  It's only natural that Guī Mò saved Yuán Sān Láng, it was his duty as a long-following attendant. Yuán Sān Láng is grateful for the life-saving favor and takes care of Guī Mò's livelihood, which is also what he should do in return.

  This is considered to be righteous and just.

  But San Shu didn't have to bear all this.

  In a family of forty with no children, the husband brings back a child less than a month old, this is really a slap in the face.

  Even if the public opinion later added that Yuan San's wife was kind and merciful, Lian's family, her sisters who grew up together, and even in front of her husband's relatives, this face was completely lost.

  If it were someone else, I suppose they would have a falling out with their husband?

  But San Shu's wife, Lian Shi, did not.

  She ignored the malicious comments from outsiders that she couldn't win her husband's heart, and wholeheartedly raised Pei Ge, who had no relation to her but brought her a lot of ridicule and mockery, as if he were her own child.

  There was no discord between him and Yuan Sanlang either.

  There was no suspicion of him at all.

  This requires not only sincerity towards one's husband but also extremely high emotional intelligence.

  Cui Ying felt a sense of melancholy at the same time, and also understood a fact.

  That's to say, even if she and Yuan Wulang didn't have as much affection as several elder brothers and sisters, unless she hadn't borne him children before he turned 40, otherwise he wouldn't take a concubine.

  In other words, even if Yuan Wulang didn't like her, he had to make do with her.

  Moreover, they were married by imperial decree, and there was no possibility of divorce or separation.

  It's destined, this life will be spent tied together like this.

  That's different from what Cui Ying originally imagined.

  Choi Yeong agreed to this marriage thinking that at least for three to five years she wouldn't have to deal with her husband.

  When her husband returns triumphantly, seeing that she is not the kind of woman he likes, he will definitely take in a few beautiful concubines like his uncle and elder brother, and the responsibility of having children will be taken care of. She can then just hide in the back house, eat and wait for death.

  But now everything is different from what she imagined.

  There is no mother-in-law and daughter-in-law problem in the General's mansion, the sisters-in-law are harmonious and friendly, several elder sisters have different personalities, but they are all kind and respectable people, without any hidden thoughts or tricks, nor any calculations or struggles.

  Her husband is a majestic man, although he has some petty thoughts, but he is a considerate family man with responsibility and his own views, and he will not take concubines before the age of 40.

  After reading those warnings and threats in the letter, Cui Ying's heart was once again knotted.

  She thought, Yuan Wulang is only twenty this year, when he's forty, that's still twenty years from now. A man's youth is also precious, can she really drag him for twenty years? Wouldn't that be too cruel and too evil?

  Or else... or else... she'll try again?