Chapter 702 - Shangguan Lei’s Ulterior Motive (1/2)

Although Long Mengru still appeared to be in a huff, she had calmed down a great deal in front of her grandfather.

Shangguan Lei glanced meaningfully at his granddaughter for a while and then looked away.

He did not know whether it was a misfortune or not. His granddaughter took after her mother in scheming more than his good-for-nothing grandson did.

If Mengru were a man, he would not have to make another plan.

“I understand what your mother meant. It was your uncle who did this in private. I’ve already punished him. Go back and tell your mother that she doesn’t need to worry about this,” Shangguan Lei said.

Although he had punished his son, it didn’t sound like he was in the wrong.

On hearing his words, Long Mengru furrowed her delicate brows. Over the years, her grandfather had been away from home and left the domestic affairs to be handled by her mother.

What did he mean by saying that now?

“What do you mean by saying that? Grandpa, don’t you know that what he has done could offer my father a reason to eradicate our Shangguan Family? Don’t you know how hard my mother has tried to maintain our Shangguan Family’s position over the years?” Long Mengru said, overwhelmed by emotions.

But what she was more concerned about was that once Shangguan Family was battered because of this, it would have an influence on her and her mothers’ position.

She, who was overwhelmed by emotions, used sharp words.

However, when she noticed that her grandfather fixed his sharp eyes on her as if looking at a stranger, she suddenly fell silent.

Shangguan Lei was more like a man sizing up his opponent than a grandfather looking at his granddaughter.

In an instant, Long Mengru was alerted.

Although she just saw a flash of coldness in Shangguan Lei’s eyes, she, who was born sensitive to such things, still sensed something from her grandfather’s attitude.

She suppressed her rage and fear.

She, who had lived in the Imperial Palace over the years, had been perfectly proficient in disguising her emotions.

Although she has sensed something, she still managed to maintain her composed look perfectly.

Perhaps her grandfather just considered her as a willful princess.

Well, she would like to maintain this image.

“Just report to your mother as I said, and she will understand. She had a hard time over the years, so I come back to help her. Well, instruct someone to send her back and avoid attracting the attention of the others in the Imperial Palace,” Shangguan Lei said.

As the head of the entire family, he carried a lot of weight so that even Old Madam Shangguan had to obey his orders.

Holding her granddaughter’s hand, Old Madam Shangguan naturally knew that her stubborn granddaughter was extremely dissatisfied with this result.

But now, they had to accept Shangguan Lei’s arrangement for the time being.

Long Mengru, who looked resentful, was dragged by her grandmother to the inner courtyard, where the female members lived.

As soon as she stepped into her grandmother’s courtyard and smelled the fragrance of the orchids, her face softened a little.

When she was a child, she often hung out here, but she, who was young with delicate skin back then, was often bitten by bugs.

Therefore, her grandmother instructed the servants to cultivate this kind of orchids, which could expel bugs, in all seasons other than winter.

The fragrance deeply rooted in her memory improved her mood a little.

Her grandmother was the only one in this family who truly loved her and her mother.

Old Madam Shangguan led her granddaughter to the room and waved her hand to dismiss all the others.

Under the bright candlelight, Old Madam Shangguan, who was noble and proud, only showed her deep affection for her granddaughter at the moment.

“Grandma, look at what grandpa has done. Others may have no idea how hard my mother has worked for what she has nowadays, but you’re very clear about it, aren’t you?” Long Mengru snuggled up to her grandmother and said with an aggrieved look.

She was keenly aware that her grandparents were not on the same boat.

As she expected, her grandmother stroked her beautiful hair lovingly, while her grandmother’s whisper in her ear surprised her, “Your grandfather has been bewitched by them. I’ve long known that it’s impossible for the children of those actresses to be goodies. Alas, I just feel sorry for Zhu’er and Qing’er. If it weren’t for my incompetence, your uncle wouldn’t have…”

Long Mengru knew a lot about this story.

Her grandmother, who was born in a wealthy family, was a perfect match for her grandfather.

However, her grandmother was unlucky in her youth. After giving birth to her mother and aunt, her grandmother gave birth to her uncle, a sickly baby boy.

Her uncle grew up as a chronic invalid.

Although he was exceptionally intelligent, he was so weak as to be unable to stand any breeze.

He could be considered as a burden in an ordinary family, let alone in a family of military officers like their Shangguan Family.

Thus, her grandfather took a few concubines.

Fortunately, given her grandmother’s formidable means and her grandfather’s respect for her grandmother, these concubines were unable to make waves.