Caiyan smiled mysteriously and whispered something in Su Peng's ear.

Su Peng's eyes lit up. "Is that even possible? Will my father-in-law and aunt agree?"

Caiyan twisted her waist and said, "Why would I be unwilling? The master gives him a monthly allowance of one tael of silver, which is better than hiring outsiders. Besides, it's just a small stall. If we hire two old women to do odd jobs, Zhao Wu can do the work of two people."

"I'll listen to Yan'er, but are you sure that person is trustworthy?"

Su Peng had seen many instances of his uncle's subordinates embezzling their masters' money.

Caiyan put away her coquettish expression and said seriously:

“If he hadn’t begged me, he would still be on the estate right now. Oh no, he should have already gone back to his hometown to beg for food. He didn’t sign a death contract. I’m just mentioning it to you, young mistress. It’s most appropriate for you to say this.”

Zhao Wu's fate was not something a mere maid could decide.

When Caiyan went back to her parents' home with Jiang Jiaojiao last time, she learned that the estate had been sold and that the people left on it were all useless and had been dismissed.

After the passion subsided, the blood no longer boiled, and a chill gradually crept into the room.

Su Peng pinched Caiyan's buttocks. "It's too cold in this room. Once I make some money, I'll buy some good charcoal and sneak it over here."

Caiyan nodded shyly and leaned closer to Su Peng. "Yeah, I was too excited to feel anything just now, but it's actually a bit cold now."

"It's warm inside, so I can have more fun with you, Master. You can find a book on fire prevention, and I'll play all the bedroom arts in it with you."

"Good, Yan'er is truly my confidante." Su Peng lifted Caiyan's chin and planted a passionate kiss on her.

She spoke shyly and timidly, but her words were all wild and inappropriate.

Su Peng liked her just the way she was—unpretentious yet possessing a woman's shy charm, captivating and alluring.

Unlike Jiang Jiaojiao, who, despite not being a virgin, still pretended to be a lady in front of him.

Su Peng didn't know that Jiang Jiaojiao was even more wronged than Dou E.

She knew that Su Peng was bothered by the fact that she had lost her virginity to someone else.

Her husband was indifferent to that matter, so she dared not show too much enthusiasm, for fear of appearing too skilled and offending him.

Jiang Jiaojiao had seen the fire-avoidance diagram before and knew how to serve her husband well.

Su Peng wasn't very interested in that matter. She was like a seasoned general who had all the skills but no opportunity to use them.

Feeling more relaxed, Su Peng felt even colder. He pushed Caiyan away and got up, saying, "I'll go out first. You can go out later."

Just as Su Peng reached the door, Caiyan grabbed him from behind and hugged his waist.

She pressed her face against his back, reluctant to part, and asked, "Master, are you going to ask me out again tomorrow?"

Su Peng's back stiffened. "Let's wait a couple of days. Tonight I'm afraid I'll have to have sex with the young mistress again. My body can't take it."

"Yes, I understand."

The thought of her son-in-law and young mistress being affectionate made Caiyan's heart ache so much she could hardly breathe.

She suppressed the bitterness in her heart and obediently let go of his hand.

After Su Peng left, she drew water from the well to wash her cotton cloth and cleaned herself up. The well was covered with a stone slab, so the water was cool but not icy.

After doing all that, she belatedly realized that her lower back was aching terribly.

She rubbed it, but it didn't help.

Perhaps it's because the weather is getting colder, but the young mistress's afternoon nap is longer than before.

Thinking that there was nothing else to do in the manor, Caiyan simply took off her clothes and went to bed.

On the day it snowed, she quietly brought over two old cotton quilts to put on the bed, making it warm enough.

Exhausted, she fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

That night, after serving the young mistress and son-in-law their washing up, Caiyan placed a bucket of hot water next to the brazier in the room and then left.

Lying down on her small couch, she thought she might as well just cover her head and fall asleep.

But she was worried that the young mistress would not agree to the son-in-law giving her money.

I lay there for a while, but still couldn't fall asleep.

She simply perked up her ears, and heard Jiang Jiaojiao and her son-in-law talking inside the room.

Jiang Jiaojiao asked, "Are you sure everyone else made money?"

"If you're worried, my lady, you can go out and ask around tomorrow. There isn't a single barbecue stall in the capital that isn't making money."

Su Peng's voice sounded a little strange.

Caiyan knew it all too well; her son-in-law's hands must have been busy all the time.

"My wife, don't you trust your husband? All I do is try to make sure you can eat meat every meal. A little hardship is nothing."

"I believe you, I'll give it to you tomorrow, okay?"

Jiang Jiaojiao's voice was soft and gentle, as if she was having trouble breathing, which made Caiyan's heart jump into her throat.

A moment later, rapid, heavy breathing could be heard from inside the room. Caiyan then saw the candlelight flickering through the gap in the curtain.

A harlot, a vixen.

Caiyan simply covered her ears with both hands and buried her head deeply in the pillow.

She kept asking herself why she felt so sad.

She was merely a concubine; the young mistress and her husband were husband and wife. Their intimacy was perfectly natural.

No, that's not right. In other people's households, the wives and concubines may appear to be harmonious on the surface, but they are all secretly vying for the emperor's favor.

She wasn't the only one who was sad; the concubines in other households would be sad too.

Yes, we must fight for it, but how?

Caiyan fell into deep thought, seemingly ignoring the sounds coming from the inner room.

She didn't know how much time had passed when the sound of water coming from inside the house pulled her back to reality.

Then came Jiang Jiaojiao's voice calling her, and Caiyan quickly got out of bed and went into the room to serve her.

...

Inside the palace.

The Hall of Mental Cultivation was brightly lit, and Eunuch Ma and all the palace maids and eunuchs were standing in the front hall.

Inside the bedchamber, Xiao Jingzhao's nightgown hung loosely on his body.

His alluring abs were faintly visible on his chest, and his cold, aloof face betrayed no emotion.

A lock of black hair fell casually across his chest, giving him a somewhat languid appearance.

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