Hui Jing sighed; she had thought too highly of Xiao Yuling, believing that someone who would risk her life to save her and her brother couldn’t be that bad at heart.

She had forgotten that Xiao Yuling had lived in the cutthroat Imperial Palace for nearly ten years. Ten years can change many things, even a person.

Hui Jing sighed and said, “Yuling, how I see you doesn’t matter. What’s important is what you do and how you think.”

To gain others’ approval and acceptance, one must have a compassionate heart. She was no longer a young girl who could afford to be willful.

Xiao Yuling sneered, “What I think? What I do? Is there something wrong with me? Why won’t even you help me?”

Hui Jing gave a bitter smile. “How else should I help you? Must I indulge your whims and join in your foolishness?”

“I’m causing foolishness?” Xiao Yuling was so angry she wanted to slap Hui Jing. How was she being foolish?

Wuqing watched Xiao Yuling with disdain. She never expected the Young Master’s birth mother to be someone who couldn’t distinguish right from wrong. Weren’t her actions simply unreasonable? She was certain Xiao Yuling would definitely drive Hui Jing away today.

“You’re truly becoming unhinged. Do as you please; I’ve done all I can.”

Hui Jing didn’t want to argue with her here; it was unseemly. But Xiao Yuling was truly too infuriating; even as a nun, she found it hard to bear.

“If you want to get lost, then get lost!” Xiao Yuling was extremely irritated. She was sick of Hui Jing’s perpetually compassionate and sanctimonious act.

“Alright, alright, I’ll go. Yueniang, are you coming with me or staying here?” Hui Jing asked Yueniang, her gaze towards Xiao Yuling filled with disappointment and sorrow.

Yueniang replied, “Reverend Mother, you saved my life. I’ll follow you.”

“Then go pack your things; we’ll leave immediately.” If they stayed any longer, who knew what other trouble she might stir up. Today, over a trivial matter, Xiao Yuling had ordered Yueniang to harm someone, and then told her to ’get lost!’ The bond of affection between them, cultivated over many years, was severed by that single command.

Seeing that Hui Jing was taking Yueniang with her, Xiao Yuling protested, “Hui Jing, are you really going to do this? If you take her away, who will be responsible for my safety?”

Hearing this made Hui Jing’s heart grow even colder. She remained silent and turned to pack her things.

Xiao Yuling’s beautiful eyes seemed to spit fire. She glared hatefully at their retreating figures as they entered the inner room, shouting, “Hui Jing, is this how you treat your lifesaver?”

Hui Jing emerged with a small bundle. She pressed her palms together and said calmly, “Yuling, you saved my brother and me, a debt I dare not forget in this lifetime. But I also rescued you from the Imperial Palace, detoxified you, cared for you for over twenty years, and searched for your son for more than ten years. Now, we can consider ourselves even. Moreover, Yueniang is a free person; her decisions are her own, and we cannot interfere. I hope you will take care of yourself.”

After speaking, Hui Jing walked over to Wuqing and bowed respectfully. “Amitabha. Benefactor Wuqing, please convey to your master my apologies for the disturbance.”

Wuqing nodded. “Safe travels, Reverend Mother.”

She couldn’t stop someone who wished to leave.

Hui Jing left the courtyard with Yueniang. She glanced back at it, wondering how things had suddenly changed so drastically.

A bond of over twenty years, severed just like that.

“Reverend Mother, let’s go. Actually, Mistress Xiao has always been like this; you just hadn’t seen it before,” Yueniang said truthfully, seeing Hui Jing’s self-reproach and distress. Xiao Yuling had previously forbidden her from telling anyone, so she never had.

“Really?” Hui Jing was surprised.

Yueniang nodded. “It’s true. Whenever she wants something but is powerless to get it, she becomes hysterical, and her temper turns incredibly foul. I used to think it was because of the poison, but apparently not.”

Hui Jing intoned, “Amitabha!” and strode away.

Xiao Yuling stood alone in the main room. She cast a gloomy look around before turning and entering her own room.

「Gu Qingli and Xiao Yunjing returned at noon.」 As soon as they arrived, Wuqing briefed them on what had happened.

Gu Qingli was dumbfounded. Could Xiao Yuling really act up like this? She could tell that Hui Jing was a person of excellent temperament and character. Only that morning, Hui Jing had Wuyou prepare their breakfast using the Spiritual Spring Water. They had only been out for a morning, and things had escalated to this point.

Hearing the account, Xiao Yunjing’s face darkened. He walked to Xiao Yuling’s door and knocked. A moment later, the door opened. Xiao Yunjing entered the room and closed the door behind him.

Inside, Xiao Yuling was still fuming silently. She was furious that even Hui Jing wouldn’t listen to her anymore.

Xiao Yunjing sat directly opposite her.

“You are not Xiao Yuling,” Xiao Yunjing stated affirmatively.

Honestly, he couldn’t believe that a woman who had risen to the rank of Imperial Noble Consort could behave like a common shrew. She possessed none of the grace of a well-born lady, much less the dignified bearing of a high-ranking consort. Having witnessed Gu Qingli’s transmigration and his own rebirth, he was convinced that the person before him was not Xiao Yuling.

Hearing this, Xiao Yuling shot to her feet, pointed at Xiao Yunjing, and shouted indignantly, “Xiao Yunjing, do you know who you’re talking to?”

Xiao Yunjing replied, “I do.”

“You do? You know, and yet you dare question me like this?”

“Look at yourself. In what way do you resemble Xiao Yuling? My mother was, at the very least, a lady from a distinguished family, and an Imperial Noble Consort at that. Which part of you is like her?”

“You… you ungrateful whelp! So this is the kind of creature I gave birth to! I’m not like her? Must I meticulously play the part of your so-called ’Imperial Noble Consort’ or ’distinguished lady’ to be considered ’like her’?”

Xiao Yuling, like a tigress whose tail had been stepped on, completely lost her composure. She roared, “I’ve never liked being some prim and proper ’distinguished lady,’ nor do I enjoy playing the role of a rule-bound consort! I am who I am! I like being frank and unrestrained! Your Imperial Father liked me that way! What right do you have to question it?”

Xiao Yunjing was utterly astonished. So this was Xiao Yuling’s true nature.

“Since you yourself prefer to be free and unrestrained, why did you dislike Li’er when you first met her?”

“Hmph! A mere country girl, fit to be my daughter-in-law?”

Xiao Yunjing was stunned. What bizarre logic was this?

“I’m just a country bumpkin myself now!”

“Regardless, my daughter-in-law cannot be an unpresentable country girl.”

Xiao Yunjing was so angry he laughed. He said, “In that case, don’t ever expect me to acknowledge you.”

He no longer even used a respectful form of address.

“You think I want your acknowledgment?” Xiao Yuling huffed, rolling her eyes at him.

If she had known her son was this kind of person, she would have died before coming here.

“Oh? Then, should I send you to your maternal uncle in the Beijiang Kingdom? Big Brother is the Emperor there now, you know.”

“Are you serious? Feng’er is really the Emperor?” Xiao Yuling’s anger instantly turned to delighted surprise.

Xiao Yunjing said faintly, “Yes. For about half a year now.”

“Then… never mind. I’m not going. It’s not like I don’t have a son.” After speaking, Xiao Yuling shot a disdainful look at Xiao Yunjing. Why wasn’t he the emperor? After all, I was the consort of an emperor!