“The same as before,” Bundle Mama smiled and said, “except that Concubine Wu has been excused from morning and evening greetings.”

Madam Yu nodded slightly.

Bundle Mama smiled and asked, “Do you think we should add a few more servants to attend to Concubine Wu’s quarters?”

“That’s the Young Mistress’s affair, not mine,” Madam Yu said, glancing at Bundle Mama.

Bundle Mama immediately collected herself and quickly smiled, “Look at me, Madam is so kind that I’ve become increasingly talkative.” Then she said, “I’ll go speak with Manager Yu immediately and have him send someone to Nanjing to fetch the ginseng.”

Madam Yu made a sound of acknowledgment and picked up her teacup.

…

The person now referred to as “Concubine Wu,” Miss Wu, was also holding a teacup, but she was staring blankly at it.

Beside her stood a young maid who had just had her hair done. She was speaking softly about the visit to the Wu residence: “…The Mistress said, You should focus on nurturing your pregnancy. If you can give birth to a firstborn son, for the sake of the son’s dignity, the Yu family will certainly help the Master who works as a tutor in Songjiang and the Second Young Miss who is being raised by the First Madam in Zhoushan.” She had been talking for quite some time, but Concubine Wu just sat there listening like a clay statue of a bodhisattva. She looked up, somewhat anxiously called out “Concubine,” her expression showing a hint of timidity. She was the same young maid whose eyes had brightened when she saw Bundle Mama yielding to Mrs. Zhao.

Her name was Lian Xin, and she had been purchased by Mrs. Wu to serve Concubine Wu. When Concubine Wu came over, she brought Lian Xin with her.

Concubine Wu responded dispiritedly and said, “You may go now. I understand all this.”

It wasn’t clear whether she had truly listened or was just pretending.

Even if Lian Xin was dull-witted, she knew her fate was tied to Concubine Wu’s. Moreover, she was quite perceptive; otherwise, Mrs. Wu wouldn’t have chosen her from among so many.

She thought of her aunt at home who, after giving birth to three daughters in a row, was despised by her mother-in-law and husband and was always depressed. As a result, when she was finally pregnant with a son in her fourth pregnancy, she miscarried in the seventh month… With Concubine Wu being so melancholy all the time, would she also miscarry?

Lian Xin was somewhat worried.

“Oh, when I returned from the Wu family, I encountered something,” she wanted to share some outside news to cheer up Concubine Wu. “The Mistress sent Manager Yu’s nephew Runbi to drive us to Shi Family Alley. He parked the carriage in the alley, but then Mrs. Zhao from next door to the Wu family returned with many flower trees she had bought from outside, blocking the cart carrying Mrs. Zhao’s flowers…”

“Wait!” Concubine Wu, who had been looking somewhat dull, suddenly showed some animation. She interrupted Lian Xin and asked, “Mrs. Zhao, the wife of General Zhao? The Mrs. Zhao who lives to the east of the Wu family? She has a son and a daughter.”

“Yes!” Seeing her interest, Lian Xin became even more animated, “That’s their family. Mrs. Zhao had gone somewhere, and she brought her son and daughter along…”

“Did you see their young miss and young master?” Concubine Wu asked curiously.

Lian Xin nodded repeatedly: “Mrs. Zhao’s children both look like her, as beautiful as the golden boy and jade girl in New Year pictures.”

“Then what happened?” Concubine Wu asked eagerly.

“Then the Zhao family’s cart driver asked Runbi to move the carriage closer to the wall…” Lian Xin vividly described the scene, becoming increasingly excited, her voice growing louder and louder, “…as a result, Bundle Mama only said ‘forget it,’ but his face turned green with anger…”

Concubine Wu quickly hushed her with a “shh” and lowered her voice to say: “Lower your voice, be careful others might hear.”

Lian Xin stuck out her tongue, carefully opened the door a crack, and looked outside. Seeing no one in the courtyard, she ran back and shook her head at Concubine Wu.

Concubine Wu breathed a sigh of relief and smiled: “Have you ever seen anyone’s face turn green when they’re angry? You’re talking nonsense again!” Her voice was soft but carried a hint of amusement.

How long had it been since Concubine Wu had been this happy?

Lian Xin pondered, and then heard Concubine Wu murmur: “Mrs. Zhao is a good person…”

She was curious: “Does Concubine know Mrs. Zhao?”

No wonder Concubine Wu perked up at the mention of Mrs. Zhao.

“No, I don’t know her,” Concubine Wu hastily denied, a hint of wistfulness appearing in her expression, “But I know of her.”

What did that mean?

Lian Xin, being young, looked at Concubine Wu in confusion.

Concubine Wu smiled, her lips parting slightly. Just as she was about to say something, faint sounds of bell-like, joyful laughter came from outside.

Lian Xin’s expression tensed, and she quickly said: “The Young Mistress has returned.”

Hearing this, Concubine Wu’s eyes dimmed, and she said softly: “She should be with the Young Master…”

Every time the Young Master was present, the Young Mistress’s laughter would be particularly crisp.

She instructed Lian Xin: “It’s almost noon, go to the kitchen and get our meal!”

The Young Mistress didn’t like her serving at her side. Apart from morning and evening greetings, she always stayed at home. Now that she was excused from those greetings, she went out even less.

But this was fine; she didn’t have to endure those peculiar glances.

Lian Xin repeatedly agreed and withdrew.

Concubine Wu leaned back against the pillow.

Because the kang bed was next to the window, the Young Mistress’s coquettish voice reached her ears: “Really, you can’t fool me! Otherwise, I won’t speak to you for three days.”

“A man of his word, once spoken, a team of four horses cannot retrieve it. How could I deceive you!” The gentle voice, tinged with laughter, belonged to the Young Master. “Tomorrow I’ll personally make a shuttlecock for you.”

“Depu…”

The Young Mistress’s voice was soft and lingering, reminding Concubine Wu of the way Yu Jingxiu looked at Fan.

She suddenly felt very aggrieved.

On the third evening after meeting Madam Yu at Tanzhe Temple, a small sedan chair carried her into the Yu family. That night, Yu Jingxiu stayed in her room… But before she had even risen, he called for a maid to help him bathe, and then returned to the main room.

Although Yu Jingxiu had continued to stay in her room for several nights afterward, he had never spoken a single word to her, not even asking her name.

Then her monthly period arrived.

Yu Jingxiu, with a gloomy face, said “inauspicious” and returned to the main room.

By the time she was diagnosed with pregnancy, even the usually solemn Madam Yu couldn’t help but reveal a joyful smile. However, she overheard Yu Jingxiu letting out a long sigh… from then on, she never saw him again.

Since the couple was so affectionate with each other, why did they have to drag her into this…

Thinking of this, Concubine Wu felt her eyes sting, and her vision became blurry.

She hastily wiped away her tears and burrowed under the covers.

If the Young Mistress disliked her so much, would she be allowed to raise the child on her own before it was old enough to understand?

Would it be a son or a daughter? If it were a son, that would be easier, but if it were a daughter, what would happen to the child?

She turned over uneasily.

Strangely, she thought of Fu Tingyun.

If it were Mrs. Zhao, what would she do?

The thought flashed through her mind, and Concubine Wu laughed at herself.

Even if she had fallen on hard times, how could someone like Mrs. Zhao end up as a concubine like herself?

She was heaven’s darling; how could she understand the pain of small grass crushed into the mud?

The door was pushed open with a “bang.”

Concubine Wu sat up, startled.

“Who is it?” she asked anxiously.

“It’s me, Concubine,” Lian Xin, with a deathly pale face, ran to her bedside. “Concubine…”

She looked at Concubine Wu, hesitant to speak.

Seeing it was her, Concubine Wu relaxed completely.

She said gently: “What’s wrong? Weren’t you going to the kitchen to get food? Did the kitchen mama give you a hard time? Or did you cause some trouble? Don’t be afraid, I’ll go plead for you.”

“No, no,” Lian Xin shook her head like a rattle drum, “It’s that while I was waiting for the food, I heard someone say, say…”

Her eyes were filled with tears, looking as if she was about to cry.

Concubine Wu smiled and took her into her arms: “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. Together, we’ll find a way.”

Lian Xin burst into tears with a “wah” and stammered: “It was the laundry woman… she said the Young Mistress must be pregnant… and she also said, also said, let’s see what happens to the Concubine then?”

“What did you say?” Concubine Wu grabbed Lian Xin’s shoulders, her eyes wide open, her face as pale as white cloth. “Who did you hear say this?”

Lian Xin’s shoulders were painfully gripped, but she didn’t dare make a sound. Sobbing, she said: “That woman who made Maidservant Mo Zhuan her sworn sister, she said so…”

Concubine Wu’s body went limp, and she fell back against the pillow.

Lian Xin quickly rushed over: “Concubine, Concubine…”

“I’m fine,” Concubine Wu said, her voice as thin as a thread. “Don’t worry about me, go get the food. If you’re late, the kitchen women will complain again…” Tears trickled from the corners of her eyes onto the pillow.

“Concubine!” Lian Xin, seeing her deathly pale face, was very frightened. She hesitated, reluctant to leave, and tried to comfort her: “Perhaps they’re just gossiping… Yes, they’re just gossiping… they just like to spread rumors…”

“I understand, go get the food quickly!” Concubine Wu sent Lian Xin away, but as soon as the words left her mouth, her expression froze. “How didn’t I think of this…” she murmured, “The Young Mistress’s clothes are all managed by the personal maid she brought from her natal home. Even if she were pregnant, how would the laundry room people know…” With this thought, her mouth felt as if it contained a bitter gallbladder, unbearably bitter.

Offspring were a major concern.

Lian Xin was just a naive young maid. Could it be that someone deliberately said this for Lian Xin to hear?

Concubine Wu patted Lian Xin’s hand: “Go now!”

Lian Xin didn’t dare say more and anxiously said, “Concubine, I’ll be back right away,” before going to the kitchen.

Concubine Wu closed her eyes.

…

Madam Yu raised her hand as if about to smash the teacup on the ground, but seeing the trembling young maid before her, she took a deep breath and gently placed the teacup on the kang table beside her: “Since the Young Master has sent you to request the Imperial Physician, go tell Manager Yu.”

The young maid, as if granted a great pardon, responded with a “yes” and fled from Madam Yu’s inner chamber.

Bundle Mama then gave a meaningful look to Madam Yu’s senior maid.

The senior maid discreetly led the servants out of the room in single file.

Only then did Madam Yu’s angry expression appear on her face.

“Tell me, what exactly does she want to do?” she asked Bundle Mama. “Pregnant, and possibly two or three months already… Doesn’t she know whether her monthly period has come or not? Is she a dead person, and are those serving her all dead too? And now requesting an Imperial Physician… Fine, fine, fine. If she wants to make trouble, I’ll let her make trouble. I want to see what kind of game she can play!” As she spoke, Madam Yu’s hand slammed hard on the kang table.

The teacup that Madam Yu had gently placed on the table earlier rattled loudly.

The tea spilled onto the table and then dripped down, wetting Madam Yu’s sapphire blue brocade Xiang skirt.