The news of the third madam's pregnancy quickly spread throughout the Qi manor. The people in the third house had their own thoughts and small actions, which were none of Hua Ruochu's concern. After congratulating Qi Shen on her good fortune, the two of them returned to their room, one after the other.

  Holding her teacup, Hua Ru asked out of curiosity a question she had been wondering about in her heart.

  "Qiyou, you've had three concubines for quite some time now, how come there's still no child? I originally thought that after marrying in, I would become a mother."

  "Of course, as a legitimate wife, I should raise the children of concubines when I enter the door. Such a humiliating thing, I, Qi You, will not do."

  So that's how it is. Hua Ru initially nodded, thinking that Qi Yun had some problem, such as being infertile or something, but if that were really the case, then where did her child come from?

  "Qiu Yu, I want to discuss something with you."

  Qī Yòu nodded, "Go on."

  "Can't we... have children a bit later, at least until I'm eighteen?"

  "Why?" How much more trouble would she get into if she understood?

  Make yourself live like an ancient person, Hua Ru also can't make herself follow all the rules here, "I read a book, a woman's body needs to be at least 18 years old to be suitable for childbearing, before that, of course, she can get pregnant, but the child's physique will not be very good, weak and sickly, difficult to raise, and easy to die young, so..."

  She glanced at Qi You's expressionless face, and although Hua Ruochu was still calm on the surface, she had no bottom line in her heart. Since the words were already spoken, she might as well say everything, so that next time she wouldn't have to bring it up again. Anyway, she wasn't going to give birth too early, what she wanted was a healthy child, not a sickly one.

  "So let's delay having a child for another year, unless you want to become a father earlier... I've already made a name for myself and have some reputation, if the aunts get pregnant first, I won't make things difficult for them."

  "I'll really make them pregnant and you won't have anything to say." Qi You crossed his fingers on his legs, saying such an unfeeling thing in front of Hua Ruochu for the first time.

  “Husband, you're right.” Having said what she wanted to say, Hua Ru's heart felt a bit relieved, and she didn't have any intention of arguing with him. She had thought it over carefully, and Qi You was actually quite indulgent towards her. If it were another man, her life probably wouldn't be so easy. Of course, if she hadn't seen that he was a straightforward man, she wouldn't have revealed her true nature either.

  Qī Yòu's eyebrows furrowed slightly, but quickly relaxed. He didn't like hearing the words "husband" from Rú Chū's mouth, feeling an unusual sense of irony.

  "These past few days you..."

  Although he didn't finish speaking, Hua Ruochu understood, "I brought medicine from Yangzhou."

  Qī Yòu's expression didn't change, but Huā Rú Chū knew he was angry because she took medicine to prevent pregnancy. Was there no other way to think about not wanting to have children?

  "That medicine is harmful to your body, do you want to be unable to get pregnant in the future?" Qi You said in a low voice, almost gritting his teeth as he leaned in close to her.

  "This medicine is harmless."

  "Don't eat anymore."

  "I told you to wait for me..."

  "I agree that you can have a child at eighteen, but you can't take that medicine anymore. I'll go ask the prince for a prescription from the palace." Worried that his overly independent wife wouldn't listen, Qi You grasped her wrist and emphasized, "You absolutely cannot take it again."

  Seeing the tolerance and seriousness in the man's eyes, Hua Ru Chun nodded unknowingly, without explaining that this prescription was also a secret recipe she had worked hard to get from her former imperial physician.

  Only when he heard the answer he wanted did Qi You finally put his mind at ease, and it wasn't until he loosened his grip that he realized how much strength he had used, his wife's wrist was bruised.

  Hua Ru returned her hand and said, "It's nothing, doesn't hurt."

  He drained the tea in his cup like a cow chewing cud, and then stood up to leave. Hua Ru got up to see him off without any intention of detaining him. Just as she was wondering who had gotten wet in the rain tonight, Qi You said, seemingly to either Qi An beside him or to inform her of his whereabouts, "I'm going to the study."

  Hua Rujun stood at the entrance of the courtyard, and it wasn't until Qi You had walked far away that she still hadn't figured out how this scene had ended up like this. Hadn't Qi You been angry? She must have misunderstood.

  Yun Shu suppressed a smile at the corner of her mouth, it had been a long time since she saw Miss like this. "Miss, now that Master has gone to the study, shouldn't we lock the courtyard gate?"

  "Alright, let's drop it."

  Upon learning that the young master would be coming out of the second mistress's quarters at night, the three girls quickly tidied themselves up to look their best and sent a maid to wait at the crossroads. As soon as the young master arrived, she rushed back to report.

  They waited and waited, but in the end they only got the news that Dà Gōngzǐ had gone to the study, leaving them with nothing but disappointment, all of them gritting their teeth in frustration, twisting their handkerchiefs into knots.

  Green willow sat in the small flower hall for a while, with a resolute glint in her eyes. Suddenly she stood up and ordered: "Zhi Ruo, go and lock the courtyard gate, send all the servants away. Tell Old Lady Huang to fill the bucket used for bathing with cold water." After a pause, Green Willow added another sentence: "Tell Old Lady Huang to keep it confidential, don't let others know."

  "Yes." Zhi Ruo had followed Qing Liu for many years and was a clever person, so he naturally knew what Auntie wanted to do. He nodded and went down to get busy.

  The house, now empty except for one person, felt especially desolate. Green willows surrounded the area, and her heart was filled with a bitter taste. From a young age, she had served as an attendant to the young master. At the same age as the second mistress, she had consummated her marriage with the young master. In terms of understanding the young master, no one in the entire Qi Manor could compare to her. Originally, she thought that no matter how many people were in the young master's room in the future, she would always be the special one who could grasp the young master's heart.

  It used to be the case that when the young master came here, even if he just rested for a moment, she was satisfied. Every object in this house was carefully selected by her with comfort and warmth as the main theme. She knew that the young master liked this kind of thing, so when she saw that the room of the young lady was luxurious and exquisite everywhere, she didn't feel envious like Wu Shi and Duan Shi. But why does it feel so unsteady now?

  Yesterday, the young master came over and didn't even enter this room. After having lunch, he left. She had someone spread the news that the second mistress was not favored by the young master. Unexpectedly, it didn't attract the attention of the second mistress, but instead, she was lectured by Qi An, who is beside the young master. Without thinking, it's clear whose idea this is.

  This kind of maintenance, unexpectedly this kind of maintenance, she followed the young master for five years and didn't get a good word from him, but the young lady has been in the house for only a few days and it's already like this, if things go on like this, where will she stand?

  No, this absolutely won't do, Young Master. Don't you have me in your heart? Back then when you had a high fever, I guarded you for four days and four nights before it subsided. That time, you took me in as your wife. So, will my serious illness be able to evoke your sympathy and memories of that year?

  Even if it means demeaning myself, Green Willow, I want you to turn around and take a look at me.

  "Master, the water is ready."

  "Don't serve me, and don't come in without my permission."

  "Master, let Zhi Ruo continue to serve you, just in case..."

  "This is exactly what I want."

  P.S: Come on and leave a message, dear friends, typing is so lonely.