Gu Er’s praise only elicited a faint smile from Gu Chaoxuan. Seeing that there were no outsiders present, Gu Chaoxuan sighed, "Second Uncle thinks I’ve learned these well, but doesn’t know that anyone born in a noble family prefers to live freely and leisurely. It’s only because life outside has been tough that I’ve been forced to learn these things."

Gu Er nodded noncommittally, and Gu Chaoxuan quickly added with a smile, "But look at Uncle, being with Princess Yuanhua and having the care of the Second Prince and the Zhou Mansion. That’s a hundred times better than my situation. Ever since I was separated from the Marquis Mansion, my father hasn’t bothered with my affairs. Uncle knows this too; in the eyes of outsiders, aren’t they all about elevating the high and stepping on the low? They see me as the illegitimate son, separated from the mansion, naturally not one of the Marquis Mansion’s people. This feeling, I suppose, is something Uncle understands well, having probably faced coldness before."

When his most embarrassing past was brought up, Gu Er’s face tightened, and a trace of displeasure could be seen. Clearly, he didn’t like the past being mentioned, but he still managed a forced smile, "You’re not bad yourself. Even if your father doesn’t care about you, you’re still a descendant of the Marquis. With the Marquis Mansion at its peak now, there should be no shortage of people trying to curry favor with you, right?"

"Oh, they’re not currying favor with me; it’s for someone else. I merely spoke a few words back then, and they went behind my back to grandmother, causing me trouble. I know it was my fault, so I never blamed anyone. Who would have thought she had such a background? She really was fortunate." Gu Chaoxuan’s tone was filled with probing, knowing there were prior engagements, but unsure of his uncle’s stance now.

Gu Er’s face grew even tenser, "Of course she’s fortunate, something we cannot compare to."

Gu Chaoxuan raised an eyebrow, knowing there was potential, and nodded in agreement, "Uncle is right. It’s just a pity we don’t have such good fortune. I once thought she was going to marry Uncle, who would’ve thought she’d end up with my father’s side. Thinking of it now still feels a bit awkward."

"They did such things without feeling shame, so why should you? Let’s not mention them again, to keep from spoiling our mood. Has your grandmother mentioned anything?" Gu Er had no intention of reconciling with his brother’s family but saw some advantage in leveraging them now.

Gu Chaoxuan was a bit disappointed, but having gauged his uncle’s attitude was fine, knowing how to proceed in the future. He replied, "Grandmother misses Uncle. Uncle should make time to go back and apologize. Although she may not outwardly forgive you, it would make her happy inside."

Gu Er felt this made sense inwardly, but outwardly he maintained his pride, saying, "Let’s leave it at that. We’ll see later."

Gu Chaoxuan stayed for lunch, with Princess Yuanhua enthusiastically hosting. After understanding Gu Chaoxuan’s purpose, her smile deepened, and it wasn’t until evening that Gu Chaoxuan left.

Once he left, Princess Yuanhua consulted with Gu Er, "This clearly shows the old Madam’s intention to make amends. Second Young Master cannot miss this opportunity. With the old Madam’s backing, nothing is impossible, not even the Marquis would dare defy her."

Gu Er thought the same but had been unable to let go of his pride. With Princess Yuanhua’s urging, he felt ready and nodded, "As I said, I’ll head over to the mansion tomorrow."

"Second Young Master, when you reach the mansion, don’t confront the old Madam. Sincerely apologize. A son’s apology to his mother is nothing to be ashamed of, especially since you were wrong in the first place. You must sincerely apologize to the old Madam." Princess Yuanhua, seeing hope, was delighted.

That night was filled with attention and care, leaving Gu Er in high spirits, so he went to the Marquis Mansion the next day.

Gu Yifeng, on the other hand, was aware of the developments but didn’t ask much. To him, he already guessed their actions and intentions, so simply having someone monitor them sufficed, as worrying daily was unnecessary.

Meanwhile, Lin Youning was busy with her sister-in-law, packing things up. Though pregnant, directing with words was enough. With her assistance, Liang Hui found things much easier. Liang Hui, having lived modestly, wasn’t familiar with certain customs and regulations, but with Lin Youning and Nanny Wang guiding her, she learned a lot.

The Prince Mansion couldn’t do without servants—some were bestowed by the palace, others bought. Nanny Wang showed them the rules while also managing the relocation. The whole process took four days to settle.

The Prince Mansion wasn’t large, with four courtyards, resembling a residence of ordinary affluent families, even lesser than some noble families. Prince Shou didn’t mind, but Zhao Housheng found it sufficiently large.

Lin Youning stayed in the same courtyard with Sister Ling, although it was a suite. Even if Lin Youning didn’t frequently return, Liang Hui still arranged a separate quarters for Sister Ning.

After the completion of Prince Shou’s residence, guests congratulating them gradually decreased after half a month. Lin Youning found it noisy and returned to East Mansion on her second day at Prince Shou Mansion.

Having not seen her aunt for some time, Lin Youning visited the Marquis Mansion upon her return, unexpectedly encountering Gu Er, who appeared cheerful.

Lin Youning traveled with her elder brother, and while Gu Yifeng understood the situation, he had never discussed it with Lin Youning. Thus, upon seeing Gu Er, Gu Yifeng remained expressionless, promptly taking Sister Ning to Shi’an Garden.

Gu Er let out a cold snort, ignoring them, and left the Marquis Mansion on his own accord.

Mrs. Gu Sr. was in high spirits, having been carefully appeased by her youngest son for days. Despite maintaining a stern face and sharp words, her son’s continued apologies and lack of retorts pleased her greatly.

Just after her youngest son left, she heard that the Marquis and the Madam had arrived, to which Mrs. Gu Sr. remarked in surprise, asking Nanny Chi beside her, "Have so many days passed? I thought they’d stay at the Prince Mansion for a while longer; they’ve returned quite soon."

"It’s only been three days since Prince Shou moved to his new residence, and the Madam is back. It shows she’s been thinking of you, Madam." Nanny Chi complimented as she assisted.