Yun Qingliang listened to his wife’s observations and experiences at the magistrate’s residence, remaining silent for a long time, then looking at the several books brought back.

These books had many annotations. They should have been used by the magistrate before. He had only briefly flipped through them and already gained considerable inspiration.

Judging from the books borrowed one after another, their value was getting higher and higher. If before he had thought that taking the exam in three years and giving it a try would give him some chance of passing, now looking at these books, his premonition of passing was getting stronger and stronger. Was Magistrate Lin intentionally cultivating him?

Would things continue to develop to the point where Magistrate Lin would be willing to personally guide him?

Yun Qingliang didn’t know, but he also couldn’t bring himself to return these books. He truly needed them.

Their family’s foundation was too shallow. He had no way to obtain such books before. Yun Qingliang decided to shamelessly accept them.

As long as he passed the provincial examination, there would be a day when he could repay this favor. But if he remained a xiucai forever, there wouldn’t even be hope of repaying the favor.

As for the three hundred taels of silver she brought back, Yun Qingliang nodded: “If she wants to buy land, let her buy it.” Adding to the family property was a good thing no matter how you looked at it.

No matter what she wanted to do, they would help, and she wouldn’t lose out.

Yun Heng and Yun Yan: “Mother, is there anything we can do? Can we go see elder sister?”

Song Shi: “You study well and achieve scholarly honors as soon as possible. That way you’ll be able to support your sister in the future.”

As for meeting, she hesitated: “This matter can’t be rushed. Wait for the invitation.”

Her daughter’s words had this meaning, but it couldn’t be confirmed.

Hearing this, Yun Heng and Yun Yan were delighted: “Mother, we haven’t been lazy! When the invitation arrives, don’t hide it from us.” Even their teacher said they had made great progress recently.

Song Shi nodded, looking at her two sons with gratification in her eyes.

They weren’t young anymore, not children. They were very sensible and didn’t require much worry from her.

“Come, try this. Your sister had the kitchen specially make it.”

She opened the food box. Looking inside, it was packed without any gaps. No wonder she felt it was so heavy when carrying it.

With this quantity, they could eat it as a proper meal.

Yun Heng: “These pastries look very good.”

Yun Yan picked up a plum blossom-shaped one: “Not only do they look good, they taste good too.”

Song Shi also tried a piece. So this was pastry from Magistrate Lin’s household—even better than pastries bought from the old established shop.

Yun Heng: “Father, elder sister wants to buy land. Can I help?”

Yun Qingliang: “I’ll ask your eldest uncle to help with this matter.”

Elder brother was in the village and more familiar with the village situation.

When Yun Qingpeng learned of this matter, he agreed at once: “Second brother, leave this to me. As long as someone in our village wants to sell land, I’ll go negotiate.”

Yun Qingliang: “Then I’ll trouble eldest brother.”

Yun Qingpeng: “Shuyao is my niece. What’s there to be polite about?”

…

When Grandmother Jia first received Nanny Qian’s letter, she felt heartache for her daughter.

Then she felt things had changed with the passage of time.

After her husband’s death, neither of her two sons could hold up the family.

The eldest son was mediocre and incompetent, hiding in his courtyard living a dissolute life. Before her husband died, he had obtained an official position for the second son, but he was still in the mourning period. After emerging from mourning, he would have to slowly climb up. Who knew how long it would take to climb to a high position.

If the old duke were still alive, how would the Lin family dare to take concubines as they pleased, showing such disregard for the Jia family?

Thinking that Min’er was unwilling to write and tell her, Grandmother Jia felt heartache and could only tell Nanny Qian to act according to circumstances, find an opportunity to teach them a lesson and make them behave.

Not long after, she received her daughter’s letter along with Nanny Qian’s letter beneath it.

The bad news in this reply was more serious than the previous letter.

Someone in her daughter’s rear courtyard was pregnant.

Her daughter had married into the Lin family for ten years and still hadn’t conceived, while that concubine had only entered the household a few months ago?

She was also born of a wealthy merchant family with money and certain connections. Although Grandmother Jia didn’t take this money and these connections seriously, from Nanny Qian’s letter she could also see this was someone restless.

A restless person who was pregnant and whose maternal family had some influence—such people were shallow in knowledge and very easily became arrogant when they saw opportunities.

If her daughter was careless, perhaps she would even be climbed over.

This was something Grandmother Jia couldn’t tolerate.

Moreover, the eldest legitimate son naturally had to be eliminated. But this kind of thing—either don’t do it, or do it cleanly and decisively without leaving any trace.

After Grandmother Jia destroyed a beloved tea set, she finally calmed down.

She began to think, what exactly was going on?

Her daughter’s letter was understated. Fortunately, Nanny Qian’s letter was detailed. Grandmother Jia slowly unraveled the threads, her brow tightly furrowed.

The problem wasn’t with the concubine, but with Lin’s mother!

She suddenly remembered what her daughter said when her son-in-law received the transfer order—this reassignment also seemed to have Lin’s mother’s intention.

And taking concubines according to birth dates was even more strongly advocated by Lin’s mother.

The implications here…

Grandmother Jia, who still made her daughter-in-law follow rules and serve her, had an ominous premonition in her heart.

A mother-in-law who wanted to make things difficult for her daughter-in-law had far too many methods.

Could it be she was thinking of elevating that concubine and then marginalizing Min’er?

This would be doting on the concubine and destroying the wife. Didn’t her son want his career anymore?

But if this was the case, it also didn’t quite fit. Her daughter still controlled the household management, and the two concubines had no authority…

That night, Grandmother Jia stayed awake all night.

Second Madam Wang returned from the old madam to her own room, sat down, and then couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Seeing this, Zhou Rui’s wife quickly withdrew and stood guard outside the door.

Second Madam Wang laughed for quite a while before the laughter gradually subsided.

She really never expected she could hear such good news!

She felt extremely vindicated.

Jia Min, this sister-in-law, what a lofty person she was. Wasn’t it just because she had the title of talented woman? Second Madam Wang thought of how she looked down on herself before marriage and compared it with her current days, feeling greatly comforted in her heart.

When Jia Min married, she had a ten-mile red dowry procession. Her husband was an Exploration Scholar from a family with five generations of marquises. The couple treated each other with respect. Her mother-in-law was kind. She managed the household upon entering. Speaking of it, who wouldn’t envy her?

But temporary glory didn’t mean perpetual glory.

She herself had Yuan Chun and Zhu’er one after another. And Jia Min? Married for ten years, not even half a child!

Now she could only watch helplessly as concubines bore sons!

After Second Madam Wang laughed enough, she suddenly felt regret. What a pity—Jia Min had left the capital and couldn’t see the wonderful expression on her face now.

However, being able to see the expression on the old madam’s face was also good. Second Madam Wang thought about it, looking in the direction where Grandmother Jia was, and smiled again.

You set rules for me every day and took my child to raise at your place, separating mother and son. Now your retribution has come.

The more Second Madam Wang thought about it, the more comfortably she smiled. Zhou Rui’s wife, standing guard outside the door, had a bitter face and looked around nervously. My good madam, acting like this right after returning from the old madam—if discovered, you’ll suffer again…

Grandmother Jia quickly wrote a letter and had someone deliver it by express horse.

She was somewhat worried that Nanny Qian might impulsively do something on her own.

However, many people thought the Lin family’s rear courtyard would be turbulent, but so far nothing had happened. It remained as peaceful as before.

Because both concubines stayed in their own courtyards and didn’t go out, not even leaving their doors, what could happen?

Nanny Qian wasn’t anxious either, because the ones who should be anxious were others.

She also didn’t want to be too obvious, so after quite some time had passed, the barely ten-year-old Hong Tao peeked anxiously outside Yun Shuyao’s room. Seeing someone there, she withdrew, then after a while peeked out again to look at the situation inside—clearly she had something on her mind.

Yun Shuyao, who was learning about different fabric distinctions with Nanny Wang, saw this and put down the fabric: “Hong Tao, what’s wrong?”

Hong Tao looked hesitantly at Nanny Wang, then fearfully lowered her head.

Seeing this, Nanny Wang raised her eyebrows slightly and bowed: “This old servant remembers forgetting to bring over a piece of fabric. This old servant will take her leave first.”

Once Nanny Wang left, Hong Tao breathed a sigh of relief.

She was most afraid of Nanny Wang.

Then Hong Tao spoke of what she had heard: “Concubine, when I went out today I heard something. I don’t know if it’s true…” She also felt it was somewhat suspicious, but she couldn’t not tell the concubine.

If it was true, the concubine would probably be sad. While there was still time, perhaps she could try to get the master and madam to change their minds.

Yun Shuyao was thoughtful: “What did you hear?”

Hong Tao looked left and right, confirming no one was there before saying: “I heard people saying that the young masters you and Concubine Mei will give birth to are to be brought to the madam’s courtyard. It’s said the madam’s courtyard is arranging a room for the young master.”

Yun Shuyao froze, her heartbeat quickening for half a beat, then immediately thought of the subtle relationship between the old madam and Jia Min.

Would the child be brought to Azure Wave Court?

Yun Shuyao expressed doubt.

The old madam wouldn’t agree. If she would agree, what was the meaning of Nanny Wu at Fragrant Plum Court and Nanny Wang in her courtyard?

She and her colleague were complete newcomers who hadn’t even brought in a single maid. Aside from guarding against Jia Min and the Jia family, Yun Shuyao really couldn’t think of anyone else who could make the old madam so cautious.

Thinking of this, Yun Shuyao calmed down: “Hong Tao, where did you hear this?”

Hong Tao was somewhat uneasy: “When I went out to get something, I heard someone mention it. I didn’t see clearly who those two people were. When they heard my footsteps, they left.”

Also because this behavior was so similar to what the concubine had mentioned before, she was skeptical after hearing it.

Originally she thought she would just pretend she hadn’t heard anything, but if it was true and the concubine didn’t know, that wouldn’t do either.

After struggling for a long time, she still came.

Hearing this description, Yun Shuyao smiled slightly and felt even more reassured.

Not even daring to show their faces—still the familiar formula, the familiar taste.

“Hong Tao, I need to trouble you with something.”

Hong Tao perked up: “Concubine, speak. Hong Tao will definitely do well!”

Yun Shuyao smiled: “Tell Nanny Wang carefully and in detail what you heard today. When you speak, remember that the first person you told about this matter was Nanny Wang. When you came to find me today, you hesitated and didn’t say anything. Understand?”

Nanny Wang was the old madam’s person. When she heard such news, these rumors would probably disappear before long.

Hong Tao didn’t understand, but she knew whose words to follow. She nodded solemnly: “Concubine, I understand!”

Though she feared Nanny Wang, she still actively sought her out.

After Nanny Wang heard Hong Tao’s words, her face remained impassive. She told her not to spread it around. Before long, she left the gates of Orchid Heart Court.

Seeing this, Hong Tao excitedly ran over: “Concubine, Nanny Wang has gone out!”

Yun Shuyao handed her a sachet of pastries: “You’ve worked hard.”

If she wasn’t mistaken, Nanny Wang was going to the old madam’s Pine and Cypress Court.

Yun Shuyao also thought of Concubine Mei. Logically, she should have heard such words too. Would she take them seriously?

Thinking of her colleague whom Doctor Zhou still took the pulse of daily, Yun Shuyao couldn’t help but frown. Her body… wouldn’t be affected by these words, would it?

The person spreading these words deliberately wanted to attack their hearts.