“I won’t listen!” Old Madam Deng sneered. “What is there for you to explain? Nothing more than being bewitched and confused by a small concubine. If you’re not ashamed to say it, I still find it disgusting!”

Li Guangshu’s explanation was blocked by Old Madam Deng’s single remark.

“If Concubine Bing were truly honest and proper, and accidentally became pregnant, it wouldn’t be impossible to let her stay. But now this fox spirit, who has bewitched your mind, absolutely cannot be kept!”

Upon hearing this, Li Guangshu’s expression immediately changed: “Mother, Concubine Bing has just become pregnant – she can’t endure a long journey!”

Old Madam Deng sat back down, leaning on her walking stick, and scoffed: “I have grandsons and granddaughters. An unformed piece of flesh in a concubine’s belly cannot threaten me.”

“Mother, your son doesn’t dare threaten you. Your son is begging you to let Concubine Bing stay for the sake of your son’s thin bloodline.”

Old Madam Deng sneered coldly without speaking.

“Mother, although Concubine Bing is only a concubine, she is, after all, a county magistrate’s daughter. She has also borne your son a child. Sending her away like this – wouldn’t that make people gossip behind my back?”

“County magistrate’s daughter?” Old Madam Deng could have remained calm if he hadn’t mentioned this, but hearing Li Guangshu say this, she directly picked up her walking stick and threw it at him. “Do you think I know nothing? Since when do county magistrates raise Skinny Horses?”

Hearing the words “Skinny Horse,” Li Guangshu’s eyes tightened: “Mother, what are you saying? How can your son not understand?”

“Stop pretending to be confused!” Old Madam Deng threw a booklet in front of Li Guangshu.

Li Guangshu opened the booklet and glanced at it, his expression immediately changing.

This booklet was a gift list left in Lingnan, clearly recording that a certain county magistrate in Lingnan had presented him with one Skinny Horse named “Concubine Bing.”

How could this gift list from several years ago be in his mother’s hands?

Li Guangshu’s heart churned as cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

“Second Son, you’ve grown capable.” Old Madam Deng’s tone was full of disappointment.

Li Guangshu’s heart ached like being stabbed with needles.

He had disappointed Mother? It was Mother who couldn’t think clearly!

He was already a grown man, no longer the boy in patched clothes who would be punished to kneel on cold floors when he made mistakes. As long as his official career prospered and brought glory to the Li family, what was wrong with taking a Skinny Horse as a concubine?

Mother was truly getting old.

“The Li family’s reputation is clean and will not allow a Skinny Horse to enter our doors. I even less want to see children with Li family blood crawling out of a Skinny Horse’s belly one after another. Nanny Rong, prepare a bowl of abortion medicine to send to Concubine Bing.”

Upon hearing this, Li Guangshu became anxious: “Mother, even if you despise Concubine Bing’s background, the child in her belly is your son’s flesh and blood!”

Li Guangshu understood Old Madam Deng – he knew his mother responded to soft approaches rather than hard ones. He immediately knelt and kept kowtowing to Old Madam Deng.

“Mother, the child is innocent. No matter what wrongs the adults have committed, the child understands nothing. Can you bear to let him disappear before even getting to see this world? After he’s born, he’ll also be a little person with tiny arms and legs who can cry and laugh…”

Lady Liu watched coldly. Each kowtow from Li Guangshu felt like a heavy hammer striking her heart.

A man’s knees are worth their weight in gold, yet this man, who once had scholarly pride, was bending his knees for a concubine born from Skinny Horse origins.

“Enough!” Old Madam Deng was equally uncomfortable hearing Li Guangshu’s description of the child, but steeled her heart: “Nanny Rong, why aren’t you going!”

The child was innocent, but keeping such a fox spirit in the Li family – she could already foresee days when the household would have no peace, and countless innocent people would suffer.

Since that was the case, she would bear the sin of destroying the fetus. She was old anyway – if there was retribution, she would accept it.

After hearing Old Madam Deng’s command, Nanny Rong walked out with her head down.

Li Guangshu suddenly stood up and lifted his foot to walk out.

“Stop right there!”

Li Guangshu’s steps halted.

Old Madam Deng’s voice was cold as ice: “Second Son, if you dare go over there, then don’t think about mixing in official circles anymore. Just hold your little concubine and live your days!”

“Mother!”

Old Madam Deng’s expression was tense as she spoke word by word: “This old woman means what she says.”

As she spoke, she glanced at Qiao Zhao beside her, her frost-colored eyebrows raised high: “If this old woman can’t do it, I’m sure my granddaughter’s husband has this capability.”

Li Guangshu’s hands, hidden in his wide sleeves, clenched tightly as he gradually straightened his lips.

It seemed Concubine Bing’s true identity had been uncovered by Marquis Guanjun.

How interesting – a nephew-in-law keeping watch on his uncle’s household affairs.

No matter how angry Li Guangshu felt in his heart, with Old Madam Deng’s warning, he ultimately didn’t move again.

Lady Liu watched, only cold laughter remaining in her heart.

If Li Guangshu had truly chosen Concubine Bing over high office and wealth, she would have had nothing to say. Now she truly couldn’t help but despise this man – one moment acting lovey-dovey, but the moment he was asked to make sacrifices, immediately ignoring whether his beloved woman lived or died.

No, this man only loved himself in the end. She should have seen this long ago.

Time passed bit by bit. Everyone in the room remained silent, quietly waiting for a result.

Qiao Zhao lowered her eyes, staring at her hands folded on her knees, lost in thought.

Old Madam Deng’s decision somewhat surprised her.

Elderly people often long for a house full of children and grandchildren. She had thought Grandmother would let Concubine Bing give birth to the child before sending her away. Now it seemed she had misjudged, but she admired Grandmother’s decisive action even more.

She knew Grandmother felt uncomfortable making this decision.

“Why hasn’t Nanny Rong returned yet?” After waiting a while longer, Old Madam Deng frowned.

Nanny Rong had been gone rather too long.

“Qing Yun, go take a look.”

“Yes.” Qing Yun received the order and went to Jinrong Courtyard. The room returned to quiet again.

Soon, Qing Yun came running back. The usually composed senior maid’s face was pale as paper, as if evil spirits were chasing her: “Old Madam, Nanny Rong, Nanny Rong—”

“What happened to Nanny Rong?” Old Madam Deng’s heart suddenly leaped.

“Nanny Rong collapsed on the ground with blood all over her forehead…”

Old Madam Deng suddenly stood up, her figure swaying slightly: “What about the two maids serving Concubine Bing?”

When Concubine Bing was found to be pregnant, she was angry at the two old women’s incompetence and sent them to sweep the courtyard, assigning two clever maids to serve instead.

“The two little maids are lying inside. This servant didn’t dare look closely and ran out.”

“Let’s go take a look!”

Old Madam Deng led everyone rushing to Yahe Courtyard.

With Qing Yun’s outcry, all the servants at Yahe Courtyard were alarmed. When Old Madam Deng and the others arrived, all the servants were crowded around the west side courtyard.

“How is Nanny Rong?” Old Madam Deng asked as she walked inside.

Nanny Rong had followed Old Madam Deng for decades and was like family to her.

A servant woman pressing a handkerchief to the bloody hole in Nanny Rong’s head replied: “Old Madam, Nanny Rong still has breath, but this bleeding won’t stop.”

Qiao Zhao quickly took out silver needles and stepped forward to stop Nanny Rong’s bleeding.

After a chaotic period, Old Madam Deng stared at Li Guangshu and asked: “Where is Concubine Bing?”