When only Gu Nuo’er and Eldest Young Miss Xie were left in the room, the child swayed her feet and looked around at the room’s furnishings.

Her voice was soft. “There’s only you and me now. Elder Sister Xie, you can sit up and talk now. You didn’t encounter a ghost at all. Is the reason why you deliberately did this because your father married someone else?”

The person on the bed slowly opened her eyes.

However, her eyes were filled with hatred.

Eldest Young Miss Xie sat up. Only then did Gu Nuo’er see that she had an oval face and crescent eyebrows. She looked charming and had the gentleness of the water towns in the south.

However, her expression was filled with unwillingness and hatred.

“Princess, my family matters are unbearable to listen to. I would advise you not to listen to them. Otherwise, it will also ruin your mood.” She lowered her head, her voice cold and distant.

Gu Nuo’er rested her chin on her small hands and pouted her pink cheeks. Her watery eyes were focused on Eldest Young Miss Xie.

She said softly, “Since I’m here, I can stay out of other people’s business, but I’m always curious and want to hear the reason.”

Seeing that Xie Yinxiang’s head was still lowered, Gu Nuo’er tapped her cheek with her little finger. “Actually, even if you didn’t say it, I can guess it.

“Your biological mother wasn’t liked by your grandmother and father. After she passed away, your father married someone else. My mother said that with a stepmother, there will be a stepfather!

“Therefore, you must have been bullied by them too. That’s why you came up with this plan to act crazy, right?”

However, Gu Nuo’er and Noble Consort didn’t dare to let Gu Yihan know about their secret talk.

Otherwise, Gu Yihan would definitely be angry because of these words!

When Xie Yinxiang heard this, she raised her head slightly, her expression dark. She smiled desolately. “Although I live in seclusion, I’ve always heard from the maidservants.

“I would hear them exclaim about how the emperor had doted on the princess again. Therefore, to put it bluntly, even without Noble Consort Qiao, the emperor would still cherish you.

“However, I’m different. When my mother was still alive, my father already had a mistress, who is now his wife. At that time, this mistress claimed to be his wife of equal status as my mother.

“My mother was born into a prestigious family. Although her family was in decline, the self-esteem and pride that were deep in her were still present. She couldn’t accept this and had many arguments with my father. Even my grandmother didn’t like her and blamed her for not having a son.

“Therefore, my mother has a weak personality and neither had the courage to break free nor the capital to escape. A year ago, she died of depression.”

At this point, Xie Yinxiang’s eyes turned red.

She laughed self-deprecatingly. “Not more than three months after she died, my father welcomed this mistress into the house. It was only then that I found out that the mistress had given birth to a daughter and a son. Her daughter and I are only half a year apart. Princess, don’t you think it’s funny?”

Gu Nuo’er scratched her chubby face.

She felt so confused.

Gu Nuo’er said softly, “But I think it’s very strange. Since Uncle Xie has let your mother down, what you should do is bully them and avenge yourself and your mother. How can you torture yourself instead?”

Xie Yinxiang shook her head. “Princess, not everyone can have the favorable conditions you have. I’ve also tried, but Qin Wenjing is very smart. I’m young and isn’t a match for her at all. She even thinks that I’m an eyesore and wants my father to send me to the countryside manor.

“Therefore, other than pretending to have encountered a ghost, I don’t have any other ways to protect myself. At least this way, my father will be worried that I’ll go out and embarrass him if I were to go crazy. He’ll lock me up at home for the time being and won’t allow me to go anywhere.”