)

  The two of them chatted back and forth for a while, finishing off a cup of tea. Wu Shi then wiped the corner of her mouth and casually said, "Speaking of which, it's really true that she was the most spoiled by Green Willow. With so many years of emotional investment, it's not the same. And yet, someone who values etiquette as much as you do actually broke the rules for Green Willow. I'm truly a little envious."

  Duan's family has been staying at home for the past few days due to some annoyance in her heart, and seeing that she was not in a good mood, even her personal maid Xiao Lan did not dare to approach her. But as soon as something happened in the mansion, she immediately became interested.

  "Don't be coy, quickly tell me what's going on with Green Willow and her tricks again?"

  "Wu sighed, 'It's been three months since we've seen our families. It was just over a month ago that I saw Mingming, but today Liao told me that Green Willow's mother and sister-in-law have entered the mansion again. I heard it was because Green Willow went to beg the Young Master, but it's about the rules of the mansion. If she didn't have the guts, how could she make such a decision? I thought we would all have to step aside for the new favorite, but unexpectedly, Green Willow is different. Her relationship with the Young Master is something that even the favored concubine can't compare to.'"

  Duan's thoughts were stirred up by the memory of the two leaving the mansion together that day, and his already wavering mind was shaken even more. But who knows, maybe it was just a coincidence that they left the mansion together once? Besides, as the official wife, she should be accompanied by him, right? ...After that, Duan never stayed overnight in their rooms again. Lüliu went there several times, but Wu Shi's courtyard had not been visited since their marriage.

  Wu and others waited for a while without waiting for Duan's reaction, and couldn't help but push her. "Are you in a daze? Can you give me an answer? I've been thinking about it for half a day."

  Duan's family came back to their senses, forcing a smile on their face, unable to conceal the pain in their heart. "You're not treating me differently for the first time, why must you say it out loud and hurt me? Not to mention Green Willow, even with you, it's incomparable."

  "This is nonsense, we two are half a catty and eight taels, neither of us is better than the other. Now there's even someone legitimate coming to share the favor, our lives will be even harder."

  Wu rubbed the corner of her eye and said, "My girl also heard some news, but it's hard to say how true it is. If it's really true, then..."

  "What's up?"

  Wu approached Duan, and Duan also leaned in closer. The two put their heads together and whispered, "I heard that last time, Lü Liu overexerted herself and ruined her own body. In the future, it may be very difficult for her to have children."

  Duan's eyes widened in shock, "This...this can't be, how could Lü Liu be so reckless, even if she was trying to curry favor or play a trick, it couldn't be this cruel! Losing the child is losing all hope, isn't Lü Liu destroying her own future?"

  "Who says it isn't? But this news is also unreliable, haven't you heard any rumors?"

  Duan's bitter smile, "These days Xiao Rizi came, people are lazy, didn't go anywhere, can't get any news, but judging from this, the news is probably true."

  "What?"

  "You think, if there wasn't some reason behind it, I would probably break the rules for her sake, just to comfort her? Originally, I couldn't understand why someone who values rules so much would do something that breaks them, but thinking about it this way makes sense."

  Wu's eyes widened in surprise, "You mean... this is true?"

  "It's almost certain." Duan Shi's pale face smiled like a white lotus flower, "If Old Master and the others found out, do you think Green Willow could still stay in the manor? Her body was ruined by herself."

  "So we..."

  Duan thought for a moment and shook his head, "No way, it's not about being heavy or light in love. Having one wife and three concubines is nothing unusual in a wealthy family like ours. Even if I don't sleep with any of the maids privately, if I were to send Green Willow away, Father might just give me a few more as replacements. Rather than having even more people competing for my favor, it's better to keep Green Willow and have her occupy that position. Even if she gets favored again and can't bear children, it's still a waste."

  Wu nodded repeatedly, "Still thinking far ahead, just do as said."

  "It's just a pity that we can't take this opportunity to suppress Green Willow, what a great chance."

  "Who says we can't?" Wu smiled, covering her mouth, with a charming expression, but the words that came out were not so friendly. "As for us, we can also go visit the patient, and when the time comes, who dares to speak up? We've been suppressed for two years, if I don't vent this anger, I'll suffocate."

  "That makes sense, shall we go now?"

  "Not, not, not, let her calm down first, don't get too angry and kick us out, we'll be in trouble."

  "Right, right, I'm too excited." Duan's face turned red with excitement, and anyone who didn't know what was going on would have thought that something romantic had just happened.

  Having achieved her goal, Wu stood up and said, "I shouldn't have disturbed your rest when I'm not feeling well, it's not right. I'll get the maid to send over some nourishing food later, don't refuse."

  "You're so polite, I wish you'd come more often!"

  "Okay, I'll come see you again tomorrow."

  Supporting Xiao Lan's hand to get up, Duan Shi directly sent the person out of the small courtyard. Watching as the person turned a corner and could no longer be seen, she then collected the smile from her face and entered the house with an expressionless face.

  "Xiao Lan, such a big thing happened and you didn't receive any news at all?"

  Xiao Lan was so frightened that her face turned white, and she knelt down with a thud. "Master, I only let in Big Aunt's relatives because I saw you were in a bad mood and didn't dare disturb you. It's my fault as your servant."

  Staring at her for a long time, Duan Shi finally hummed softly, "If there's a next time, I'll sell you to a brothel."

  "Yes, thank you, master."

  "Get up, sneak out tonight to find Wu Zhi and get to the bottom of this. If she doesn't know anything, then it's likely to be false. But if she's heard rumors, then it can't be hidden."

  "Yes, I remember."

  Green willow has been in a bad mood these days, and every day the little maids are beaten or punished. The little maids dare not even speak to each other, and the courtyard is filled with an unprecedented sense of oppression.

  When she was finally allowed to see her family, Green Willow's excitement was beyond words. She had a premonition that something big was going to happen, and she felt an unprecedented sense of certainty, or else she would have broken all the rules for her.

  "Hasn't my mother arrived yet?"

  "This is already the eighth time you've asked, Zhi Ruo lowered his head and replied to Master's words, 'The old lady hasn't arrived yet, don't be anxious, it also takes a little while from home.'"

  She, of course, usually doesn't have to wait so long, does she? But today she can't wait a moment longer, thinking only of hurrying to see her mother. Her mother always has many ideas and will surely come up with a solution.

  The curtain was lifted, and Xiaoyao panted slightly, saying "Auntie, the old lady has arrived."

  "Hurry, help me get out."

  Zhi Ruo Xiang Quan's words reached the tip of her tongue but she swallowed them back, supporting her master as they walked out. As a personal maid, she had also suffered greatly over the past few days. If she were to stop her master again, she feared she would be beaten mercilessly.

  At the gate, an energetic old woman wearing a nearly new dark blue long gown walked quickly with the support of another woman. Seeing her daughter's pale face, she was anxious and didn't know what to do. As they walked in, she said, "Come on, let's go inside, I'll explain later. It's only been over a month since we were allowed to meet. On the way here, I kept guessing that you might be pregnant, but it turns out you're sick."

  He went in and helped his daughter lie down on the bed, without even thinking about all those formalities, and asked her repeatedly what was wrong.

  Green willow bit her lip and didn't dare to say it clearly, only saying that she had contracted a serious illness and her body had suffered from severe chills. "Mother, the doctor said that my current physical condition makes it very difficult for me to conceive a child. You have to help me, mother, you have to think of a way to help me. If I can't get pregnant, there's no hope for me in this Qi manor for the rest of my life. Mother, you must help me."

  Green willow finally couldn't bear to bow down in her mother's arms and cry bitterly. In her heart, she didn't have much regret, but she blamed that cow horn for making things this way, unable to have a child, what else could she do? Could she still be pampered all her life?

  At the mere thought of those dismal days ahead, Green Willow's whole body trembled with fear.

  The old lady was usually a decisive person, but this matter came too suddenly, and she also lost her composure. She could only gently pat her daughter's back to comfort her, while letting her calm down. Her daughter had helped the family a lot in recent years, and now the family's life was better. If she could give birth to the young master of the Qi family, her daughter would have hope for this life.

  "Zhi Ruo, tell me what the doctor actually said?"

  If she were to reveal the doctor's diagnosis, one by one, ten by ten, without daring to hide a single thread, she would say that the people in the house who fear her most are not her true masters, Green Willow, but this old lady. Green Willow's success today is inseparable from the old lady's warnings every time she comes, and the old lady has a great hand in grasping men's hearts. The master can completely suppress the two concubines who entered the house later, and the old lady has made great contributions to this, and she has also benefited a lot from it.

  "Liu'er, don't worry, mom will think of a way. You just focus on recovering your body for now, and don't bother with anything else. If you don't take care of your body, no matter how many ways I come up with, it won't be useful. Remember?"

  Green willow cried and felt a bit better inside, nodded repeatedly, "Remember, mother, you must help me think of a way."

  "Can't your mother help you? Don't cry, if you must cry, go cry in front of your father. Have you forgotten everything I taught you?"

  "He hasn't forgotten, it's just that he rarely comes to our hospital, if I hadn't fallen ill, he would probably have forgotten about me by now."

  "He used to come here most often, didn't he?"

  "Not long ago, Da got married. Mother, do you think he will forget old friends after getting a new wife? Da and I are of the same age, but his new wife is only seventeen, much younger than me, she must be more to his liking."

  "Silly." The old lady tapped her daughter's forehead, "This joy is only temporary, as long as you're still the same as before, Da will definitely come back to you. Although you've aged a few years, your face is still tender and doesn't show age. The relationship between you and Da is something that no one can compare to, don't think wildly and get confused."

  After hearing this, Green Willow finally had some confidence and wiped away her tears, saying "I'll do it, Mother."

  Today is Qingming Festival, but it's raining heavily here, so I didn't go to sweep the tomb. (If you like this work, welcome to subscribe and reward, your support is my greatest motivation.)

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