While Fu Tingyun and Zhao Ling were on their way home, Concubine Wu had already returned to Jiadao Street.

She changed her clothes, washed her face and hands, and first went to pay her respects to Lady Yu.

Lady Yu was leaning against a cushion on the large kang bed by the window with her eyes closed, listening to her maid reading the Lotus Sutra.

When she heard that Concubine Wu had arrived, she opened her eyes, sighed softly, and then instructed a young maid: “Let her in.”

The young maid acknowledged and left.

The personal maid thoughtfully put down the scripture and turned to lift the curtain for Concubine Wu.

Concubine Wu thanked the maid softly, then stepped forward and kowtowed to Lady Yu.

“You’re back!” Lady Yu nodded with a smile.

Concubine Wu responded with a soft “yes,” standing respectfully at the side with her hands lowered, and said respectfully: “Thank you, Madam, for allowing me to offer incense at Tanzhe Temple.” She didn’t say anything more—the child’s death was both her pain and Lady Yu’s pain.

Lady Yu suddenly realized this.

She couldn’t help but examine Concubine Wu carefully.

Her thin and pale face, her respectful demeanor with lowered eyes, and then thinking about how this woman had almost given birth to the long-awaited first grandson of the Yu family—Lady Yu’s heart suddenly softened. She pointed to an embroidered stool by the kang bed, indicating that Concubine Wu should sit down to talk.

Lady Yu’s maid felt a jolt in her heart.

Since when were concubines allowed to sit in Lady Yu’s presence?

Concubine Wu was the first.

She quickly glanced at Concubine Wu from the corner of her eye, then astutely went to pour a cup of tea and handed it to Concubine Wu.

Concubine Wu quickly stood up to accept the tea. Just as she was about to express her gratitude, Lady Yu had already said: “This is Guilin Maojian tea they sent. It’s different from Xinyang Maojian. Try it and see if you like it.”

Hearing this, Concubine Wu honestly replied: “In response to Madam, this servant doesn’t understand tea, and I’m afraid I won’t appreciate Madam’s kindness properly.”

Lady Yu was somewhat surprised, her eyes revealing a hint of approval, and she said tolerantly: “Then just quench your thirst. The journey was bumpy enough to make anyone uncomfortable.”

“Thank you for your concern, Madam,” Concubine Wu said. “The carriage was smooth and steady, so I didn’t feel any discomfort.” After saying this, she took a sip of tea.

“That’s good!” Lady Yu smiled as she also picked up her tea and took a light sip, then asked about her incense offering: “…Did the monks mention any taboos?”

In July of that year, Concubine Wu had miscarried, and Madam Fan had been present.

The bloody scene had caused her to faint on the spot.

Perhaps because of the shock, Madam Fan had experienced two instances of bleeding, and it was only with great difficulty that her pregnancy was preserved. When her daughter was born, she was small and weak, without even the strength to suckle. It was only through the tireless day and night care of Madam Fan’s wet nurse, who fed the baby milk one silver spoonful at a time, that the child survived. Despite this, she was like a candle in the wind, and no one knew when she might be extinguished, causing constant worry. Even for the full-month celebration, they had only gathered close relatives and friends without much fanfare, fearing to disturb the child.

Lady Yu felt uneasy when she thought about it. She always felt that the fragility of her granddaughter had something to do with that unborn grandson—how could that child, who didn’t even have the chance to enter the six realms of reincarnation, not harbor some resentment? So she had instructed Concubine Wu to go to Tanzhe Temple to perform a ritual for that child to dispel any resentment.

“The monk only instructed that it’s best to observe a vegetarian diet on the first and fifteenth of each month,” Concubine Wu said in a somber voice. “I told the monk that I now observe a permanent vegetarian diet, and he said that was even better. Madam need not worry.”

Lady Yu was startled and said: “You observe a permanent vegetarian diet? Why don’t I know about this?”

Concubine Wu looked up with a smile and said: “It’s such a small matter, how could I trouble Madam with it?”

Lady Yu remained silent for a long while.

Since Concubine Wu’s miscarriage, her son had focused all his attention on Madam Fan and had never again set foot in Concubine Wu’s quarters.

At the time, she had thought that with Concubine Wu in such a state, she needed to protect the child in Madam Fan’s womb at all costs, so she had turned a blind eye. But heaven did not fulfill her wishes—Madam Fan had given birth to a daughter.

She had always felt that Madam Fan didn’t have the features of a woman who would bear sons, and now her intuition had been proven right.

Lady Yu couldn’t help but comfort Concubine Wu: “Since the monk said that observing a vegetarian diet on the first and fifteenth is sufficient, you don’t need to maintain a permanent vegetarian diet. I’m still waiting for you to recover your health so you can provide descendants for the Yu family!”

Concubine Wu smiled and responded with a “yes,” without saying anything more.

Lady Yu couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

Such a good girl, how could Dejing not care about her at all?

What kind of love potion had that Madam Fan given him that made him lose all sense of direction…

Thinking of this, her face darkened.

Concubine Wu noticed this, her heart stirring slightly, and she said softly: “Madam, today at the temple, I met Lady Zhao…”

Lady Yu was astonished.

Concubine Wu had never been talkative, so why today…

The thought flashed through her mind.

Her expression froze.

Wait, what did she say?

Lady Zhao?

Could she mean Fu Tingyun?

Impossible… how could Concubine Wu know Fu Tingyun?

For some reason, whenever she thought about her family’s troubles, the image of Fu Tingyun with a mocking face would appear in her mind, and then she would toss and turn, unable to sleep.

“Lady Zhao?” Her voice became somewhat urgent, “Which Lady Zhao?”

“The Lady Zhao who lives next to Lord Wu,” Concubine Wu glanced at Lady Yu from the corner of her eye and noticed that Lady Yu’s hands, usually as steady as a rock, were trembling slightly. Inexplicably, her heart settled, and her tone became even more gentle, “When I was at the Wu household before, I saw her once. I heard her husband is the Deputy Commander of Xuanfu, called Zhao Ling…”

She did not know that Zhao Ling had been promoted.

So it is her!

Lady Yu hurriedly asked: “What, what did she say to you?” Her tone revealed a hint of nervousness.

It seemed her guess was correct—the Yu family had wronged Lady Zhao.

Otherwise, Lady Yu, such a strong-willed person, wouldn’t lose her composure just hearing that she had met Lady Zhao.

Lady Yu must be afraid that Lady Zhao would tell her the reason for the rift between the two families.

Concubine Wu thought of Fu Tingyun’s clear gaze, which seemed especially pure because of her candor.

It must be her heart, as clear as the moon after rain, that gives her such bright eyes, right?

She pondered secretly while her expression remained respectfully composed as she answered Lady Yu: “Lord Zhao accompanied Lady Zhao. Lady Zhao seems to be pregnant again, with not only a group of maids and matrons around her, but also Lady Zhao’s sister taking care of her. I just stayed far away from them…”

“She, she’s pregnant again?” Lady Yu’s face was full of astonishment.

Concubine Wu nodded: “Her pregnancy is already showing.”

“How could it be so quick!” Lady Yu muttered to herself, “Zhao Ling only returned in May… she already has a son and a daughter…”

Although her voice was low, Concubine Wu, sitting beside her, heard it.

Lady Yu’s tone, besides shock, seemed to reveal hints of jealousy, resentment, and hatred…

The Yu family had few descendants, so shock and jealousy were understandable, but why were there also resentment and hatred?

For a moment, Concubine Wu’s heart was suspended high.

She quickly glanced at Lady Yu and saw that Lady Yu’s hands had already clenched into fists.

Lady Zhao was kind and generous, so what could have happened that made Lady Zhao unwilling to forgive the Yu family?

Concubine Wu pondered as she walked back to her courtyard.

According to custom, she should pay her respects to Madam Fan.

But since the birth of Madam Fan’s eldest daughter, Miss Zhen, Madam Fan had devoted herself entirely to her daughter. She also despised Concubine Wu for losing a child and had excused her from the morning and evening greetings, which meant she also didn’t have to serve Yu Jingxiu anymore.

Concubine Wu went directly to the back room through the adjoining chambers.

After her miscarriage, Yu Jingxiu had moved her to this corner under the pretext of “recovery.”

Her maid Lianxin felt she was being too cautious: “If the young madam hadn’t squeezed past you that time, you wouldn’t have fallen, and if you hadn’t fallen, you wouldn’t have miscarried. Now even Madam feels you’ve been wronged, so why are you still so timid—didn’t Madam also say that she’s waiting for you to provide descendants for the Yu family?”

The simple and naive Lianxin had changed a lot in just over a year.

“What nonsense are you talking?” Concubine Wu scolded Lianxin, “Madam was just saying that, how could you take it seriously? Without me, there are still others. You shouldn’t discuss these things in the future.”

Lianxin wanted to say more, but Concubine Wu had already turned and entered the inner room, instructing her: “Quickly go to the kitchen and see if there’s anything to eat. I’m hungry.”

In these few months, Concubine Wu had been eating rice practically grain by grain. Hearing this, Lianxin was overjoyed and happily agreed, hurrying to the kitchen.

Concubine Wu climbed onto the kang bed by the window, placed a thin blanket over her knees, and considered whether she should make a trip back to the Wu household to ask Lady Wu.

As soon as the thought arose, she suppressed it.

After her miscarriage, Lady Wu had come to see her, but after barely exchanging a few words, Lady Wu had excused herself, saying that Concubine Wu needed to rest quietly. After that, she had never appeared again.

If Lady Wu had been someone to rely on, she wouldn’t have sent her to the Yu family in the first place.

Thinking of this, Concubine Wu called out loudly, “Lianxin.”

As soon as she spoke, she remembered that Lianxin had gone to the kitchen.

Just as she was about to lie down, someone outside responded: “Concubine Wu, is that Lianxin girl not behaving? How is it that she doesn’t answer when you call her?”

That soft, gentle voice could only belong to Mama Shu.

Concubine Wu was surprised and got off the kang: “I sent Lianxin to the kitchen, and I myself forgot about it.”

As she spoke, Mama Shu had already entered, lifting the curtain.

Behind her followed a third-rank maid from Lady Yu’s quarters named Zelan.

Concubine Wu was puzzled, but she had never been one to make a fuss, so she turned to pour tea for Mama Shu.

Zelan quickly stepped forward to take the teacup: “Concubine, please sit down and chat with Mama. I’ll help with serving tea.”

What was this all about?

The thought flashed through Concubine Wu’s mind as Mama Shu already smiled and said: “Madam knows that you only have Lianxin as a maid, which must be very inconvenient, so she has assigned Zelan to serve you.” As she spoke, she called out loudly, “Zelan,” and said: “Come here and kowtow to Concubine Wu.”

Concubine Wu stared at Zelan, who had kowtowed and now stood with lowered hands, waiting for her instructions, unable to come to her senses for a long time.

She had only had one maid for quite some time, so why were they suddenly concerned about her lack of help?

In a flash of insight, she suddenly thought of what had happened today.

Could it be that Madam was afraid she would have further contact with Lady Zhao?

She was only a concubine, so why would Madam be afraid of Lady Zhao contacting her?

Concubine Wu was not stupid; she simply hadn’t focused her energy on these matters before. Now that she was thinking about it, some things she hadn’t previously paid attention to gradually came to her mind.