Despite their strength, the two old women could barely restrain Song Miaohua’s frantic energy. She broke free from their grasp and pleaded desperately, “Master, I helped you manage the inner courtyard, gave birth to Miss Lan for you, and developed chronic illness from postpartum exertion! You cannot be so heartless!”
Song Miaohua had developed migraines after giving birth to Miss Lan, which would flare up occasionally. When these attacks came, Gu Dezhao would usually stay by her side, pitying her for suffering the hardships of a concubine despite being born the daughter of a proper family.
Gu Dezhao began to waver. It would have been enough to abandon Song Miaohua at Lingyan Pavilion to fend for herself—why force her to become a nun? She had always treasured her appearance, how could she bear to shave her head? He regretted his earlier decision when, after agonizing in Jueliu Pavilion and feeling he needed to give Madam Ji Wu an explanation, he had brought people to Lingyan Pavilion. Now, seeing Concubine Song begging him so desperately, he felt a twinge of sympathy…
Jin Chao stepped forward with a smile, “Concubine managed the inner courtyard quite well, didn’t she? So well that she communicated with everyone in the household and even colluded with the accounting office to harm my mother! She gave birth to Miss Lan but raised her to gossip behind others’ backs and try to drive a wedge between my brother Rong and me. You talk of postpartum exhaustion, but have you thought about how my mother was pregnant while having to arrange your wedding with my father, and later became so gravely ill? Compared to my mother’s illness, what’s yours worth?”
Song Concubine had never known that Gu Jin Chao could be so eloquent, leaving her speechless!
Jin Chao called Xiu Qu over and asked Song Concubine with a smile, “Do you remember Xiu Qu, Concubine? Because she accidentally overheard you talking with Gu Lan, you had servants bind her and take her to the side courtyard, beating her until she was covered in wounds. Fortunately, I discovered and rescued her.”
Song Miaohua glared coldly at Gu Jin Chao, her face deathly pale, unable to utter a single word.
How dare she kick someone when they’re down! Normally, such a small matter would be nothing. But now that she had fallen from Gu Dezhao’s favor, even the smallest issue could ruin any chance of redemption!
Hearing this, Gu Dezhao looked at Song Miaohua with great surprise. Though a maid’s life might not be highly valued, such behavior was completely at odds with Song Miaohua’s supposedly gentle and virtuous image! He couldn’t help asking Xiu Qu, “Were you serving Concubine Song before? What exactly happened?”
Xiu Qu rolled up part of her sleeve, revealing a deep whip wound on her wrist. Though the scab had already fallen off, the mark was still horrifying to behold!
Xiu Qu let her sleeve fall back and said softly, “In response to Master, this servant originally served in Concubine Song’s quarters. I accidentally overheard Concubine Song and Second Miss plotting against First Miss, so Concubine Song had me bound and taken to the side courtyard where I was beaten half to death. If First Miss hadn’t saved me, this servant surely would not have survived!”
Gu Dezhao was shocked, and when he looked at Song Miaohua again, there was not a trace of sympathy left.
He had always thought she was gentle and refined… never imagining that in secret, she was a venomous snake of a woman!
Song Miaohua was alarmed upon hearing this. “You… you’re lying! You never heard me and Miss Lan plotting against Gu Jin Chao! You and Gu Jin Chao are in cahoots, trying to take revenge on me!” Though the maid had overheard their secret conversation, at that time she had said nothing against Gu Jin Chao! These words must have been taught by Gu Jin Chao to frame her!
Hearing this, Gu Dezhao’s heart grew colder: “Revenge? So it did happen.”
Xiu Qu bowed and said, “Master, please see clearly. This servant speaks nothing but the truth. If I hadn’t heard these things, why would Concubine Song harm me this way? I told First Miss about it, but she said to let it go and give Concubine Song a chance to reform… Who would have thought… who would have thought Concubine Song would do those things later…”
Concubine Song was used to slandering others but had never experienced such slander herself! Rage rose within her as she lunged at Xiu Qu, shouting, “You little slut! Did Gu Jin Chao teach you to lie? You never heard anything about Gu Jin Chao, how dare you slander me!”
Seeing her lunge forward, Madam Ji Wu looked, and the old woman behind her quickly stepped forward to pin Song Miaohua down on the kang bed, immobilizing her! The Ji family’s servant women were all trained in martial arts, and they immediately restrained Song Miaohua completely! Song Mama quickly pulled scissors from her sleeve and said with a smile, “Why don’t this servant cut Concubine’s hair first, to prevent her from getting any other ideas.”
When Song Concubine saw Song Mama’s smiling face but the cold, gleaming scissors in her hand, she was immediately filled with fear and hatred, struggling desperately!
Gu Dezhao looked at Xiu Qu, then pressed his lips together in silence.
Jin Chao was also somewhat surprised and glanced at Xiu Qu standing behind her.
Xiu Qu clearly understood human nature, able to say such things so easily… perhaps it was because she truly hated Concubine Song.
Still, such a change was for the better.
Meanwhile, the scissors in Song Mama’s hand made a snipping sound, and a lock of Song Miaohua’s hair fell. Song Miaohua watched her hair fall to the ground, her face pale and lips trembling, growing increasingly anxious. Was she truly destined to spend the rest of her life in a nunnery? She didn’t want that, not at all! Suddenly, a wave of nausea surged up, and she couldn’t help but lean forward and dry heave. However, she hadn’t eaten anything for days, so nothing came up.
Song Mama’s hand paused. Song Miaohua continued retching, her face turning deathly pale, unable to stop.
The two other old women watched for a long while, their brows furrowing. They looked at Madam Ji Wu, seeming quite conflicted. One of them walked to Gu Dezhao’s side and said, “Reporting to Master, this servant thinks Concubine’s vomiting is not ordinary… it seems like… the morning sickness of a pregnant woman…”
Pregnant?
Jin Chao frowned. Could it be such a coincidence? She glanced at her grandmother. Madam Ji Wu was frowning as she observed Song Concubine.
Gu Dezhao’s eyes widened at the news: “At this time… how could it be…”
Madam Ji Wu was already somewhat certain, and sighed, “Since it appears she might be pregnant, let’s call for a doctor to examine her. We’ll leave it for today. Song Mama, go invite Manager Duan over.” She explained to Gu Dezhao, “…he’s the manager of my pharmacy, quite knowledgeable in medicine.”
Gu Dezhao’s heart skipped a beat. Why would Madam Ji Wu bring a pharmacy manager with her? Could it be that she had suspected from the beginning that Madam Ji had been harmed by them?
This thought flashed through his mind, but he dared not speak it. He simply nodded, “Thank you for your trouble, Mother.”
Song Miaohua had escaped her fate, but it took her a long while to catch her breath and realize what had happened. She couldn’t help crying softly, looking down at her stomach. Her monthly cycle was about half a month late, but with everything happening, she hadn’t had the time to think about it… If she truly was pregnant, would she avoid being sent to the nunnery? And what about Gu Dezhao? Would he forgive her? Perhaps one day, she could rise again!
Seeing that Gu Dezhao still wouldn’t look at her, her heart suddenly went cold.
Manager Duan arrived quickly and checked Song Miaohua’s pulse. He reported to Madam Ji Wu, “…she is indeed with child, though only about half a month along, so the pulse is not very clear. She seems to have experienced much shock and worry lately, making the pregnancy unstable. She will need proper care.”
Madam Ji Wu nodded and looked toward Gu Dezhao.
This was his decision to make.
Gu Dezhao remained silent for a long time. He truly hadn’t expected Song Concubine to be pregnant at this time. But even knowing she was pregnant, he felt no joy, despite having longed for children for a long time. Whenever he thought of how Madam Ji had died, he felt an indescribable dull pain in his heart. But it was still his child… no matter what, they should wait until Song Concubine gave birth before deciding what to do.
Gu Dezhao didn’t even look at Song Miaohua, but addressed the two old women, “Since she’s pregnant, we’ll hold off on shaving her head.” He continued, “I will send servants to take care of you, and you can use Miss Lan’s small kitchen.” However, he made no mention of Song Miaohua’s original maids and servants, clearly unwilling to relent on that point.
Song Miaohua couldn’t help feeling dejected, but hope soon rose in her heart. If she could give birth to a son, all these issues could be resolved…
She let out a soft breath.
Jin Chao saw this and thought coldly that Song Miaohua was being too naive. Even if she gave birth to a son, what then? With her character, her father would never allow the child to be raised by her, not to mention that once the child was born, it wouldn’t be hers anymore!
But she didn’t point this out, simply following her father and grandmother out of Lingyan Pavilion. At Xiexiao Court, her grandmother indeed asked calmly about the child: “…I wonder who you plan to have raised it. Song Miaohua may be spared from becoming a nun, but she cannot raise another child. With her character, she would likely produce another Gu Lan!”
Gu Dezhao answered quickly, “…Of course, I won’t let her raise it. I already deeply regret letting her raise Lan. But with Xiangjun’s death, I intend to observe mourning for a year and will not take another primary wife.”
Madam Ji Wu was quite satisfied with this and said, “Song Miaohua’s character is too poor for her to raise a child. I see she still hasn’t given up hope. You must think about the child—as soon as it’s born, it should be taken away from Song Miaohua…”
Gu Dezhao thought briefly, then nodded, “Rest assured, Mother, I won’t be soft-hearted in this matter. If necessary, I will raise the child myself. I cannot let the child grow up with two concubines…” Raising children was the duty of the primary wife. But after what happened with Madam Ji, he had no desire to take another primary wife. However, this meant there was no one to manage the affairs of the inner courtyard.
Jin Chao remained silent. She did not approve of her father raising Song Concubine’s child.
Her father was easily softened. He might speak firmly now, but what if Song Concubine begged him later and he couldn’t resist giving the child back to her? If it were a girl, that would be one thing, but if it were a son, wouldn’t that allow Song Miaohua to turn everything upside down? Besides, her father had personally raised Gu Jin Rong, and look how he turned out. Although the child would be born to Song Miaohua, she was merely a concubine, so the child naturally belonged to the Gu family! If raised well, the child would become estranged from Song Miaohua, causing her even more pain!
Why not keep the child by her side? After all, she had no plans to marry for now.
Jin Chao thought for a moment, then said to her father, “When Song Concubine’s child is born, it could be raised with me, and I’ll help you with its upbringing. Now that Song Concubine can no longer manage affairs, and the other concubines lack the proper status, Father, why not assign Madam Xu from Mother’s quarters to manage the inner courtyard in my name? We can decide on other matters later.”
Hearing this, Madam Ji Wu looked at Jin Chao with approval. Keeping Song Concubine’s child by her side was indeed a good idea. After all, Jin Chao would eventually marry Yao, and Ji Yao wouldn’t mind such things. If it became inconvenient later, the child could grow up in the Ji family and return to the Gu family at a suitable age.
Gu Dezhao rarely showed a smile, “You… you’re willing! That would be best.”
With Chao now being sensible and mature, having her look after the child would be ideal. Having Madam Xu manage the inner courtyard in her name was also fitting. With him observing mourning, this was the best arrangement.
Jin Chao had her plans. With her mother gone, Madam Xu was now her person, which meant keeping the affairs of the inner courtyard firmly in her grip. Let’s see if Gu Lan could stir up any trouble on her own now. As for Song Concubine’s people in the inner courtyard, would anyone who didn’t submit dare to challenge her now?
Her methods had been too weak before, but now she had been provoked to anger.