Hearing this, Xu Qingshi's heart trembled.

He naturally knew that this aunt did not like him, but what did that matter?

From now on, even if this aunt disliked him, he would probably have to eke out a living right under her nose.

"Aunt!" Thinking of this, Xu Qingshi reluctantly stepped forward and bowed to Lady Qin.

"Don't call me Aunt, I don't have a wolf cub like you! Xingzhi is your own cousin, yet you actually laid such a heavy hand on him!" Lady Qin accused angrily.

At this moment, she only thought that Xu Qingshi had come to apologize.

Her attitude was even more arrogant, not treating Xu Qingshi like the heir of Prince An's estate at all.

After all, because Lady Qin had given birth to the eldest legitimate grandson, she held absolute authority in the Qin family.

Right now, Lady Qin felt that Xu Qingshi's visit meant Prince An's estate was yielding to their Zhou family, so she put on airs.

Xu Qingshi's heart trembled. In the past, whether it was Xu Heming, The Old Princess, or even Li Zhiwei later on, no one had ever spoken to him like this.

He couldn't help but feel a little afraid.

However, thinking of his father abandoning him, Xu Qingshi did not dare to say much and could only lower his head in grievance.

"First Madam Zhou, Young Master Zhou also injured our heir. This matter is not our heir's fault," Moyu said with dissatisfaction, stepping protectively in front of Xu Qingshi.

He felt a bitter taste in his heart; since when had his own heir ever suffered such grievances?

"My Xingzhi never fights with anyone. If it weren't for a motherless brat like you striking first, how could he possibly fight with you? Moreover, you actually hit him so hard. Look at yourself, do you look like you're injured at all?" Lady Qin scolded with a face full of displeasure.

"He was the one who started it," Li Zhiwei said in dissatisfaction. However, remembering what Zhou Xingzhi had told him, Xu Qingshi's heart grew a few degrees colder.

After all, Zhou Xingzhi had said that if his father married the pretty sister, he wouldn't want him anymore, and it seemed to be true.

"My son never talks nonsense, let alone actively provoke you. I think it's just you, you little brat, who can't stand to see my Xingzhi do well!" In Lady Qin's eyes, her own son was perfect in every way.

The reason he fought with Xu Qingshi must definitely be Xu Qingshi's fault.

"Enough, why are you bickering with a child? Have a courtyard cleaned up for Qingshi; he will be living here from now on." Zhou Changfeng did not refute Lady Qin's words; evidently, he thought the same way.

It was just that since he had already brought the person back, it wouldn't be good to send him away.

However, at this moment, he also felt extremely irritable.

Raising this person in the manor might not cost much money, but he always felt it was an eyesore.

As for Zhou Yuying, whom they originally wanted Xu Heming to marry, Xu Heming refused to yield even half a word.

Let alone a legal wife, he wasn't even willing to take her as a side concubine.

Thinking of this, Zhou Changfeng became even more frustrated.

"What? Live here permanently?" Hearing this, Lady Qin shrieked in dissatisfaction.

Xu Qingshi living in the Zhou family?

Was this a joke?

Could it be that Prince An had committed some crime and his estate was going to be confiscated?

No, he cannot live here!

"No, I don't agree. There are no available courtyards left in the manor!" Lady Qin refused without a second thought.

"I told you to clean one up, so just do it. Why so much nonsense?" Zhou Changfeng glared at Lady Qin in displeasure. He didn't want to bring the boy back either, but he had no choice in the matter.

"Hmph!" Seeing that Zhou Changfeng was angry, Lady Qin didn't dare to voice her refusal again, but the look she gave Xu Qingshi was extremely hostile.

Xu Qingshi's heart sank to the bottom of the valley.

Would he have to live in such an environment from now on?

In the end, Xu Qingshi was assigned to a dilapidated courtyard.

"Young Cousin Master, the First Madam said that you will live here from now on." After the young servant finished speaking, he quickly ran off, afraid that if he stayed any longer, he would be kept behind to help clean up.

It should be known that a concubine used to live in this Tingyun Courtyard. Later, that concubine went mad and committed suicide right in this very courtyard. From then on, the place had been abandoned.

For the First Madam to actually let the Young Cousin Master live here, the servants all assumed that something bad was about to happen to Prince An's estate, and that this Young Cousin Master had come here to seek refuge.

The masters' attitudes also influenced how the servants treated Xu Qingshi.

Looking at the courtyard where the weeds grew taller than himself, Xu Qingshi felt an indescribable sorrow in his heart.

Could this courtyard even house people?

Xu Qingshi looked at Moyu in a bit of a dilemma.

"Heir, it's fine. It's just some weeds. This servant will clear them out for you." Looking at the weeds, Moyu quickly rolled up his sleeves and went to pull them.

The two young servants beside him also quickly started helping.

Seeing the others working, Xu Qingshi also wanted to go pull weeds. However, having grown up pampered, he had never done such work before. In no time, a small cut was sliced open on his hand, and fresh blood flowed out.

"Heir, you should just wait on the side," Moyu said with heartache after seeing this.

Qingyuan, who was hiding in the dark and witnessed this scene, was also extremely furious. This Zhou family was simply going too far.

To actually treat their master like this.

Fuan Courtyard of the Zhou Family

"What did you say?" After hearing her eldest son's words, Madam Wu stood up furiously.

She hadn't expected Xu Heming to be so unappreciative of favors.

He would rather marry that merchant's daughter than marry her own daughter?

"Mother, the problem is that Prince An made me bring Qingshi back," Zhou Changfeng said with a helpless face.

"Couldn't you refuse?" Madam Wu glared at her son and said with dissatisfaction.

"Your son did refuse, but Qingshi insisted on following. Prince An said to let Qingshi change his surname to Zhou!" Zhou Changfeng said in a low voice.

"Foolish!" Hearing this, Madam Wu was extremely angry.

As long as Xu Qingshi was still in Prince An's estate, they could always find excuses to visit Prince An's estate, and there would still be chances to reap those benefits.

But now that they had brought the person back, what good could they possibly get?

Zhou Changfeng lowered his head; this matter wasn't the result he wanted either.

"Mother, now that Prince An's side has explicitly refused to marry Third Sister, what about the Wang family..." Zhou Changfeng braced himself to bring up another matter and asked.

The Wang family in the capital had long wanted to ask for Zhou Yuying's hand in marriage. However, because they preferred Xu Heming to marry Zhou Yuying, they had never agreed to the Wang family's proposal.

But now, Xu Heming was still unwilling to marry Zhou Yuying. Zhou Changfeng felt that perhaps they should let Zhou Yuying marry into the Wang family.

"Your Third Sister is dead set on marrying Prince An. It's all your eldest sister's fault for dying so quickly." Thinking of her eldest daughter who died early, Madam Wu felt some dissatisfaction again. Even in death, she didn't know how to secure some benefits for her maiden family.

Now, they were left in such a passive position.

"Mother, I see that Prince An has no intention of marrying Third Sister. Today I told him to let Third Sister be a side concubine, and Prince An wasn't even willing." Zhou Changfeng sighed, having to remind her once again.

After all, if he wasn't willing to take her as a side concubine, let alone as a legal wife?