An inexplicable anger ignited in Fan’s heart.

What kind of look was that?

Am I wrong?

You’re just a minor concubine, yet you dare to glare at me…

She inwardly snorted coldly, turned away, supported herself on Mozhuan’s shoulder, and hurriedly returned to her room.

She didn’t bother to contemplate why she had felt that sudden surge of anger.

Concubine Wu’s lips pressed into a thin line as she returned to her room without a word.

Outside, the sound of murmuring discussions could be heard.

Concubine Wu couldn’t help but let her tears fall.

She clutched her quilt, curled up in the corner of the bed.

Lianxin, who came to bring her food, hesitated for a moment before quietly approaching the bedside. She softly called out “Concubine” and whispered, “We all know you’re not that kind of person… You, you shouldn’t be sad, your health is more important!”

Concubine Wu remained motionless, like a statue, utterly silent.

Lianxin suddenly became frightened.

“Concubine, Concubine…” she pushed at Concubine Wu in panic.

Concubine Wu turned her head, her face covered in tears: “I’m fine…” As she spoke, she smiled self-mockingly, “Being someone’s concubine, who doesn’t encounter things like this? The Young Mistress… choosing to act now… is just trying to ruin my reputation, which is considered lenient…” She got up, “You’re here to bring food, right? Just put it here!”

In the dimly lit inner chamber, Concubine Wu’s face was as white as paper, resembling the paper figures made during the Ghost Festival. Looking at her, Lianxin couldn’t help but shudder. She quickly lowered her head and began placing the dishes from the food box onto the kang table.

Only the sound of dishes being arranged could be heard in the room, making it feel even more gloomy and oppressive.

Lianxin was afraid and kept talking without stopping: “Today the kitchen stewed an old hen with ginseng and saved a bowl for you… I heard that this ginseng was specially instructed by Madam to be brought from their hometown in Nanjing by Manager Yu, it was part of Madam’s dowry… Originally, the kitchen matron was hesitating whether to divide it into several portions for stewing, but Mama Shu said there was no need, saying that we have two pregnant women in our courtyard, and the ginseng might not be enough, let alone divided into portions… After hearing this, the kitchen matron saved a bowl for us… Madam still cares very much for you…” She chattered on, as if only by doing so could she dispel the chill in her heart.

Concubine Wu listened quietly, her hand involuntarily resting on her abdomen.

Is that so?

That’s because the answer hasn’t been revealed yet. If she gave birth to the eldest son of a concubine, and the Young Mistress bore the eldest son of the main wife, would Madam Yu still treat her this way?

She smiled disdainfully.

Yet her body couldn’t stop trembling.

How much better it would be if she weren’t pregnant!

The thought flashed through her mind, leaving her stunned.

Meanwhile, Madam Yu was so angry that she couldn’t speak for a long while.

“This is her tactic. She might as well directly have someone give Wu a bowl of medicine. I would admire her for being decisive and showing some character…”

“Madam!” Mama Shu glanced at the maids serving in the room and shouted in a warning tone.

Madam Yu fell silent, but her heaving chest revealed her current mood.

The serving maids hastily withdrew.

Only then did Mama Shu step forward and say, “The Young Mistress is still young. For some matters, doesn’t she still need your guidance?”

Before she finished speaking, Madam Yu laughed coldly: “Guide her? Look at her, quoting Confucius one moment and Mencius the next. Do I dare guide her?”

Mama Shu was embarrassed.

Madam Yu said bitterly, “I’ve always said that daughters from small, single-child families are no good. Say she lacks propriety, and she’s read the Four Books and Five Classics; say she knows propriety, and she employs tactics that can’t be openly acknowledged. Giving a pregnant concubine a hard time, letting the servants see through it, and even having them play along with her charade—how could she think of such things and do them!”

“But she is the legitimate primary wife!”

“If the concubine miscarries, a single instance of neglect could burden her with the crime of ‘disrupting the family.’ Does she still want to establish herself in the Yu family? Does she still want to be the matriarch of the Yu family?” After speaking, with anger not yet subsided, she added, “It’s good that I brought her to Beijing. If she had stayed in Nanjing, wouldn’t she have made my sister-in-law and my brother’s wife laugh behind our backs!”

“How could that be?” Mama Shu smiled forcedly, consoling Madam Yu, “Family members speak frankly to each other. Both the First Madam and the Third Madam hope the Young Mistress will soon give birth to a precious son…”

Hearing this, Madam Yu waved her hand in agitation and said, “Go and call her over for me. She’s like an oil lamp that won’t light without trimming. Some things should be clearly explained to her to prevent her from making more of a fool of herself.”

Hearing this, Mama Shu hesitated and said, “Do you think it might be better to wait a few days? The Young Mistress has only recently become pregnant…”

Madam Yu thought for a moment and nodded: “Then we’ll discuss it later.”

Mama Shu breathed a sigh of relief and began discussing topics that might interest Madam Yu: “…This morning when I went to deliver the ginseng to the Young Mistress, I stopped by the kitchen and heard from the kitchen matron that Concubine Wu has a good appetite. I sent a young maid to check on Concubine Wu and heard that she looks much rounder than when she first entered the household…”

Madam Yu made a sound of acknowledgment, her expression much better than before.

Seeing that her words were well-received, Mama Shu felt much more at ease and continued with a smile: “But I see that Concubine Wu is very introverted and rarely goes out, which isn’t too good either. I was thinking that in a few days it will be All Saints’ Day, and the palace will likely bestow gifts as usual. Would you consider also rewarding Concubine Wu with a few lengths of fabric? First, to set her mind at ease, and second, to let her do some needlework for the young master who hasn’t been born yet…”

When a person has something to do, they won’t have idle thoughts.

Madam Yu nodded in agreement and sighed: “You’re so considerate!”

“I’ve served Madam for over forty years,” Mama Shu smiled. “It’s just a matter of practice making perfect. Once the Young Mistress gives birth to a young master and becomes a mother, her heart will settle down. She’ll understand the difficulties of being a mother and gradually learn how to care for others.”

Madam Yu raised her eyebrows skeptically, but seeing the hopeful expression on Mama Shu’s face, she swallowed her words and instead asked, “Has the Young Master returned?”

“Yes, he has!” Mama Shu smiled. “He’s discussing matters with the Master in the study right now!”

“Oh!” Madam Yu remarked curiously, noting that her husband had been leaving early and returning late for the past few days. Although they shared a room, they hadn’t properly spoken for several days. “Why did the Master return so early today?”

Mama Shu smiled and said, “Would you like me to find out?”

“No need.” Although Madam Yu trusted Mama Shu deeply, she didn’t want to send her to inquire about her husband, as it would seem like she didn’t trust him. “I’ll just ask him when he returns!”

Just as she finished speaking, Yu the Grand Secretary’s smiling voice was heard from outside: “What do you want to ask me?” As he spoke, he entered through the curtains.

Mama Shu quickly bent her knees in greeting and called for a maid to come in and help the Grand Secretary change his clothes, while she brewed a cup of tea and placed it on the kang table.

“Master returned from the office so early today,” Madam Yu smiled as she came forward to wring out a cloth for the Grand Secretary. “I was just curious!”

Hearing this, the Grand Secretary’s face-wiping motion suddenly paused.

Madam Yu’s heart skipped a beat, and her expression became serious. “What’s happened?” she asked in a deep voice.

The Grand Secretary’s first instinct was to deny that anything was wrong, but then he thought that Madam Yu would eventually hear the news anyway. It was better to tell her now so she could be prepared, rather than having her hear it from someone else.

He said solemnly, “The Tartars have gathered fifty thousand troops from six departments, bypassing Zhangye and heading straight for Xuanfu. Mo Yi led troops to meet them, while Zhao Ling led five thousand troops from Yulin Guard to outflank them from behind. They defeated thirty thousand Tartars, not only lifting the siege of Xuanfu but also achieving the primary victory. The Emperor is extremely excited. The battle has not yet ended, but he has already summoned the Cabinet to discuss rewards…”

Madam Yu was startled upon hearing this: “Does this mean the Emperor intends to promote Zhao Ling?”

The Grand Secretary nodded, his brow clouding with gloom: “The Emperor has always wanted to use his people, but unfortunately, the likes of Qin Feiyu, though skilled in martial arts and loyal, lack the talent for generalship. Now that someone capable of warfare has finally emerged, the Emperor’s delight is beyond words…”

Madam Yu remained silent for a moment, then murmured, “Is there truly no way to resolve this feud?”

The Grand Secretary became irritated hearing this: “It’s all because of that Fu. He would rather suffer than lose face. What would have been wrong with quietly acknowledging his daughter? He insisted on putting on airs. Now look—the Fu woman doesn’t even recognize him as her father… Fortunately, we didn’t become in-laws with him! If we had truly become in-laws, who knows what messes we would have had to clean up for him!”

Hearing this, Madam Yu sighed deeply: “It seems there’s no such thing as perfection in this world!”

The Grand Secretary was slightly taken aback and asked, “Has something else happened at home?”

Her husband was already troubled by his son’s affairs, and she didn’t want to burden him with concerns from the inner courtyard.

“With just these few people, what could happen?” Madam Yu smiled. “I was just feeling reflective.”

The Grand Secretary nodded and instructed Madam Yu: “That Wu woman, you need to pay more attention to her. Our family line is too thin. Although a child of a concubine, having a brother for support is still better than an outsider.”

Not necessarily!

Madam Yu thought to herself, but this wasn’t something she could say directly to the Grand Secretary. She responded vaguely and then brought up Zhao Ling’s matter again: “…So what should we do? Should we try to find a way to ask that Master Xin, who has become a monk at Tanzhe Temple, to help mediate?”

“Let’s not,” said the Grand Secretary. “First of all, we have no personal connection with him. Secondly, ordinary people don’t know about his taking the tonsure at Tanzhe Temple. Moreover, the Emperor has assigned a squad of Imperial Guards to protect his safety, so ordinary people can’t even see him.” As he spoke, his expression grew increasingly gloomy. “Don’t worry about this matter. I’ll find a way to handle it.”

This wasn’t a matter for women to worry about anyway. Madam Yu obediently responded with a “Yes” and helped the Grand Secretary change his clothes. The couple then had a meal set up in the inner chamber.

Just as they picked up their bowls, Yu Jingxiu came running over.

“Have you finished eating?” Madam Yu asked him.

“I haven’t eaten yet!” Yu Jingxiu said, looking toward the Grand Secretary with some excitement in his eyes.

Madam Yu found this strange, but the Grand Secretary remained steady as a mountain and calmly said, “Then let’s eat first!”

Yu Jingxiu responded with an “Mm” and sat at the lower seat.

Madam Yu personally arranged the bowls and chopsticks for her son.

Yu Jingxiu thanked her and sat down to eat quietly.

Madam Yu wanted to ask questions several times, but seeing the solemn expression on her husband’s face, she couldn’t bring herself to speak.

Later, the Grand Secretary and his son went to the study.