Ever since six years ago, when her mother took her to offer incense at the City God Temple in Guide Prefecture and she happened to help Mrs. Grant's daughter Olivia Bolton, who had suddenly fainted among the flowers, Mrs. Grant often invited her to the yamen for a chat. Eventually, Mrs. Grant even recognized her as a goddaughter and insisted on keeping her at home to accompany her own daughter. At first, her mother naturally refused to let her daughter leave home, and she herself was unwilling. But Mrs. Grant explained the pros and cons to her mother and promised to look after her father and elder brother, who were in the military. Her mother, thinking of her young son at home and worrying about her husband and son far away, held her and cried for a long time, but in the end, she had no choice but to harden her heart and send her over.

However, after spending a long time in the The Bolton Family, she realized that Mrs. Grant's feelings toward her were less affection than curiosity. She was invited to learn music, chess, singing, and dancing from famous teachers, embroidery and dressmaking from skilled seamstresses, and even received lessons in women's conduct and the classics from learned scholars. The discipline was strict and unyielding, and she was often punished for failing to meet those harsh standards.

As for Olivia Bolton, who had been frail and sickly since childhood, her temper was irritable and quick to anger. Seeing Mrs. Grant pay more attention to her, Olivia Bolton would often mock and ridicule her, and frequently set traps for her. She could not explain herself to others; though she appeared to live in luxury at the yamen, the bitterness of her situation was not something outsiders could understand.

Fortunately, Olivia Bolton's younger half-sister Emily Bolton, though timid, was kind-hearted. One was an awkward guest in the yamen, the other an overlooked concubine's daughter. Over time, though they dared not speak much in public, they quietly looked after each other in private, and at least she had someone to talk to.

"Han-jie, eldest sister is probably just upset because of mother's illness. Don't take it to heart." After offering this comfort, Emily Bolton noticed that Mrs. Smith, who had been watching the medicine decocting, was now casting a sharp glance their way. She quickly lowered her head, her lips moving almost imperceptibly, "Also, I heard that Mrs. Smith was inquiring about your family's residence a few days ago."

At this, she raised her voice slightly to say, "I'll head back to my room first," and hurried away. The little maid who had come with her took a moment to react, then rushed after her in a panic.

Seeing Emily Bolton leave, Henry Clark felt a chill in her heart at her words. Noticing that Mrs. Smith's sharp eyes had never left her, she made up her mind and, instead of returning to the east wing—where even the furniture had been personally arranged by Mrs. Grant—she simply walked straight out of the courtyard.

As soon as she left, Mrs. Smith immediately instructed two little maids to watch the fire under the medicine, then hurried to the main house. She glanced at the gate maid, who kept her head down and dared not make a sound, and only then confidently lifted the curtain and entered. Sure enough, upon entering, she found the main room empty, but from the west side room came the sound of quiet conversation.

"All the deeds are in this box. Before Yu'er is married, you must take good care of these things. Remember, these are all for Yu'er. Even my mother and my second brother don't know how much my dowry has grown over the years or what new properties have been acquired. You must not reveal the details to them—at most, let them manage the old properties! If they truly wanted to help me, they wouldn't have let me and my daughter languish here for so many years!"

"Yes, madam, rest assured!"

Hearing this, Mrs. Smith quickly crept forward and pulled the curtain open just a crack, immediately seeing Mrs. Carter receiving a small red lacquer box with a little brass lock from Mrs. Grant. Recognizing it as the item she had once glimpsed by chance in the secret cabinet by Mrs. Grant's bedside, she couldn't help but take a deep breath and then narrowed her eyes.

"The young princes in the capital are about the same age as Yu'er. If Yu'er were healthy, with her grandmother's support, and considering our sisterly bond, the Prince of Zi, whom my eldest sister gave birth to, would be a perfect match for Yu'er. Now I see it clearly—no matter how high the rank of ministers and nobles, they can't compare to the imperial clan. But Yu'er is proud and ambitious, yet has such a frail body, so childbearing won't be easy. That's why I've kept Henry Clark by my side all these years.

Remember, now that we have control over Henry Clark's family, when the time comes, just have her serve as a companion wife. With the skills I've taught her, she'll be able to hold her own in the prince's household, and out of concern for her family, she won't dare to surpass Yu'er. If she bears a child, it can be brought to Yu'er. As long as you help Yu'er firmly grasp the household management, she can sit back and watch the others fight, enjoying wealth and honor for a lifetime, and I can rest in peace..."

"Madam, please don't worry. Everything has already been arranged. Even if it costs me my life, I will take good care of the young lady. I will be sure to tell her all of this in the future!"

"I was wrong about people back then... I thought he was a top scholar, and that the emperor would need civil officials to govern after conquering the land, so I chose him out of so many. Who knew he would turn out to be so useless? After being sent out of the capital, he stumbled through years of officialdom and only became the prefect of Guide, not even as good as those students, and then blames me for not giving him a son... cough, cough..."

As the coughing fit subsided, Mrs. Carter hurriedly advised, "Madam, please don't get upset. As long as you recover, with the marquis and young marquis to help, the master will surely rise in rank!"

"I have no more hope... It's just a pity that my eldest brother, who loved me most, passed away even earlier. Otherwise, he would never have stood by and watched..."