This is the second update today. I’ve made up for all the owed chapters from the past few days.

I should be participating in the October competition. I’m asking everyone for pink votes and competition tickets. One pink vote equals ten points. Every 300 points means an additional chapter.

Thank you!

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Mo Zi was pondering the reason Madam Wei didn’t like Qiu Sanniang when Xiao Yi “descended from the sky.”

“Where’s the young lady?” Her excited expression showed something had happened.

“In the room changing clothes.” White He had just finished speaking when Xiao Yi vanished before her eyes.

“Could something have happened at the mansion?” Bai He pulled Mo Zi toward the room as well. “Heaven preserve us, let it not be bad news.”

The most important news from the Qiu Mansion for them was probably Old Master Qiu’s physical condition, because as long as he lived another day, Zhang Shi couldn’t be willful about Qiu Sanniang’s marriage.

“Young lady, Ai Lian is with child.” Xiao Yi’s voice came from the inner room.

Bai He immediately looked at Mo Zi in shock. The five people in this room all knew about the shameful affair between Qiu Wu and Ai Lian.

“Ai Lian is pregnant?” Even Qiu Sanniang hadn’t expected this. “Whose?”

Mo Zi followed behind Bai He. Hearing Qiu Sanniang’s question, she thought it was frank enough. If Zhang Shi knew, this time she’d likely truly faint from anger. Though both were Qiu family bloodline, it still violated moral order. If word got out, the Qiu Mansion’s reputation would be ruined, and the most direct impact would be on the marriage arrangement with Prince Jing’s mansion.

“I think this child should be the Fourth Young Master’s, right? No matter how confused Ai Lian is, she wouldn’t—” Bai He didn’t know how to continue, only feeling terrified. If the child in Ai Lian’s belly was Qiu Wu’s, once Zhang Shi discovered it, the mere thought was bone-chilling.

“Whether she’s confused or clever, that’s hard to say.” Qiu Sanniang’s lips curved into a charming smile. “If she weren’t clever and capable, why would Mother specifically choose her to send into Fourth Brother’s room? The way I see it, regardless of whose it is, she doesn’t much care. What’s most important is that a mother’s status rises with her child. When the baby is born, it will certainly be raised in my sister-in-law’s courtyard, and it’s the eldest son. Mother already quite likes her. Who knows, she might even arrange for her to become a concubine recorded in the family genealogy. Then even the legitimate wife wouldn’t be able to deal with her casually.”

The clever ones, even if just concubines, would slowly climb up, learning from Zhang Shi. Unlike those other concubines, especially the one who bore Eighth Brother—though she bore a son, she didn’t know how to strive. In the end, he could only be a illegitimate son with nothing.

Mo Zi’s thoughts aligned with Qiu Sanniang’s. She even suspected that committing adultery with Qiu Wu was entirely a means for Ai Lian to get pregnant.

“What was Mother’s reaction?” Qiu Sanniang asked Xiao Yi.

“I lay on the roof and lifted a tile. I saw Madam was very happy, saying she’d soon hold a grandchild. Fourth Madam was also quite pleased and sent someone to ask Fourth Master to come home early. However, Fourth Master said he had social obligations and couldn’t return, only instructing a servant to bring another physician for confirmation. I secretly followed Fourth Madam back to Chungui Garden and heard her ask the physician questions through the curtain. Ai Lian is indeed with child—already over a month along. Not long after the physician left, Fourth Master came home. The couple sent the maids out and closed the door to talk. I couldn’t hear anything more, so I left.” That’s why she returned so late.

“You said Fourth Master invited another physician, and after returning, he and Fourth Madam closed the door to talk?” Mo Zi immediately felt something was odd. “Did you think Fourth Master was happy or unhappy when he returned?”

“Hard to say.” Xiao Yi thought about it.

Lu Ju seized the opportunity to speak. “What’s hard about it? Smiling means happy, stern face means unhappy.”

“His face had no expression—neither smiling nor stern.” Xiao Yi described in slightly more detail.

“Looks like someone wants him to be a confused father, but he’s not necessarily willing.” Qiu Sanniang raised her eyebrows with a smile. “Perfect timing. Let them all guess and make a fuss. Then no one will have time to bother with us.”

On this point, Mo Zi completely agreed.

“Will the young lady still dine with Madam Wei tomorrow?” Better to focus on the most pressing matter!

“She’s returning to the Wei Mansion tomorrow, so we arranged for the day after tomorrow.” Qiu Sanniang looked at Mo Zi. “But I heard from Bai He, and I think she may not be pleased with me.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. She knew that earlier, in front of Mo Zi, she’d spoken with such confidence. It had only been one day, and emotionally she was dissatisfied again.

“The young lady also knows that Aunt Wei is not as weak as she appears on the surface. What she’s thinking in her heart—honestly, none of us can be certain. As long as we’ve done our best, if she’s displeased, then she’s displeased. We needn’t rush to conclusions, nor need we lose heart.” Mo Zi’s consolation was gentle.

“I’m not losing heart. I just feel that matters of marriage have heavenly principles and fate. What’s meant to be mine will be mine.” Qiu Sanniang used this as a graceful way out.

“The young lady speaks correctly.” Mo Zi lowered her eyes submissively.

That evening on night duty with Bai He, the two lay in the outer room.

Mo Zi stared at the roof beam for a long time. Hearing the sounds of Qiu Sanniang turning over in the inner room cease, she said to Bai He, “The day after tomorrow when you accompany the young lady to dine with Madam Wei, if there’s an opportunity, bring up some interesting anecdotes about following the young lady in traveling commerce, and speak more of the young lady’s business acumen.”

Bai He turned over, staring at Mo Zi with a puzzled expression. “Why? The young lady deliberately didn’t mention these things. Why would you have me bring them up instead?”

“Didn’t you say that when the young lady talked too much about family matters, Madam Wei’s attitude became somewhat indifferent?” Then do the opposite.

“Mo Zi, when the Third Young Master of Prince Jing’s mansion marries, naturally he’d choose a great household’s young lady raised in the inner chambers, excellent at needlework, skilled in household management, right? Our young lady’s disadvantage is precisely in running around outside, plus she’s past twenty. To put it unpleasantly, if someone calls her an old maid, we can’t refute it.” Bai He felt that the commerce traveling period should be concealed.

“I think the Third Young Master’s two former legitimate wives should both have been young ladies of great households, yet they were still divorced.” Mo Zi quite disagreed. “Coming all the way to Luo Zhou, if they were to choose another secluded maiden, I estimate a third divorce letter is certain. Though I don’t know what Madam Wei is thinking, I noticed she doesn’t pay much attention to Sixth Young Lady’s delicate gentleness, but prefers Seventh Young Lady’s liveliness and initiative. It’s just that Seventh Young Lady’s mouth that flatters one while offending another probably also makes her hesitate. If our young lady seriously applies herself, who would give Sixth Young Lady or Seventh Young Lady another glance? Rather than deliberately pleasing, better to show some true character. Madam Wei also traveled with the old master since childhood. Deep in her bones, she might be just like our young lady.”

Besides, finding a great household’s young lady—could she suppress Xiao San who’d divorced two legitimate wives and his favored concubine? If she were an elder, she’d definitely find someone more formidable. Among renowned families’ young ladies there were also ruthless characters, but if the natal family’s power was too great, the elders couldn’t control the situation well—after all, Xiao San was their own flesh and blood. Thinking this way, why choosing a wife from a great merchant household like the Qiu family made sense. First, merchant families were shrewd and capable. Being able to form marriage ties with a prince’s mansion, they’d be eager to attach themselves and wouldn’t care about the intricacies. Second, the natal family’s status was low and the distance far. If anything really happened, it would be easy to suppress.

“Bai He.” Not knowing if she was overthinking, her heart beat erratically, now slow, now fast.

“Mm, I understand. The day after tomorrow I’ll find an opportunity to try.” Bai He thought Mo Zi was talking about that.

“I was just thinking—the Wei Mansion also has young ladies of marriageable age. Why doesn’t Madam Wei arrange a marriage that strengthens family ties?” If Madam Wei simply didn’t like strengthening family ties, that would be fine. What was frightening was if Xiao San was so terrible that it was hopeless, and Madam Wei couldn’t bear to let her own nieces suffer.

“Now that you put it that way, why is my heart so anxious?” Bai He couldn’t sleep again.

“Let’s discuss it tomorrow.” If the sky falls, let others hold it up first. Mo Zi covered her head and slept.

Bai He called out several times but heard no response from her, so she could only ponder over and over by herself, until—

The first dewdrop began to sparkle.