That's what they said, but the two children were only 10 years old at most, and Ye Yunniang was worried, so she urged Jiang Mingzhe to go out.

Unable to dissuade Ye Yunniang, Jiang Mingzhe instructed Qiushuang to take good care of Ye Yunniang before leaving the room.

No sooner had Jiang Mingzhe left than Baise entered.

"Yunniang, I've come up with a few good ideas,"

Ye Yunniang didn't answer; she was vomiting by the bedside.

"What's wrong?" Baise stepped forward and patted Ye Yunniang's back. "How has Jiang Mingzhe been taking care of you? Go and fetch a doctor quickly."

Baise urged Qiushuang, who was standing to the side, to hurry up.

The people Jiang Mingzhe assigned were simply incompetent.

"No, uh~"

"You're already like this. And you're still stopping us from calling a doctor." Baise took the water cup that Qiushuang handed her and fed Ye Yunniang a sip of water.

After rinsing her mouth, Ye Yunniang paused for a moment before speaking.

Morning sickness.

"You're pregnant?"

"Um."

“There’s no need to call a doctor.” Baise grabbed Ye Yunniang’s wrist and massaged her Neiguan acupoint. “When I was first pregnant, I also vomited. Tie Yi often massaged this spot for me, and it helped a lot. You can ask Jiang Mingzhe to massage it for you more often.”

"Okay," Ye Yunniang replied.

"Don't just say it's good, you have to let Jiang Mingzhe do it. Pregnancy is very hard and harmful to our bodies, and men need to know that. After you give birth, you should let him take care of the baby and focus on recuperating. It's your own body, and you have to bear the consequences yourself, good or bad. No one can take any of it for you," Baise nag.

Ye Yunniang responded to Baise with occasional "hmm".

Seeing that Ye Yunniang looked tired, Baise stopped lecturing and left the room.

Tie Yi held the child and waited on the side.

"Have you discussed it with Madam Ye?"

"Alright, let Jiang Mingzhe go today." Baise touched her son's little face. "Let's go home."

Tie Yi was puzzled as to why Baise had suddenly stopped its antics.

However, this is for the best.

"Let's go back and I'll give my wife a massage."

"Yes, my back is sore and aching from sitting in the carriage."

"Okay." Tie Yi, carrying his son, followed Baise and left the Jiang family home.

Baise tried many ways to torment Jiang Mingzhe, but she didn't expect Ye Yunniang to be pregnant.

Let Jiang Mingzhe off this time, considering Ye Yunniang's pregnancy.

Jiang Mingzhe was soon informed of his departure from Baise.

Jiang Mingzhe breathed a sigh of relief.

Baise was Ye Yunniang's good friend, and Li Ping was also involved.

Jiang Mingzhe really can't do anything.

Jiang Mingzhe, accompanied by his two sons, entertained the guests and introduced them to Li Pan and Li Ping.

The main focus was on Li Ping, who was told that his youngest son was the young master of the Yunhua Chamber of Commerce.

The head of their family.

Seeing Jiang Mingzhe leading two children surnamed Li around, introducing them as his sons.

The other members of the Jiang family who attended the wedding banquet did not look happy.

Having witnessed Jiang Mingzhe and Li Ping's methods, they dared not say anything.

Despite his young age, Li Ping's methods are no less than Jiang Mingzhe's.

When Madam Jiang thought of Li Ping's threat to her, her body trembled involuntarily.

"What should we do?" Old Madam Jiang asked Old Master Jiang, wanting him to make a decision.

She didn't want to live a life of eating coarse food and wild vegetables anymore.

If Grandpa Jiang had a way, he wouldn't be sitting alone in the corner.

"I'll go find Ye Yunniang and talk to her," Lu Xueying tentatively suggested.

“You’re just making a fool of yourself by talking to a widow,” Jiang Mingde said, looking down on Ye Yunniang.

"What is our status now?" Lu Xueying asked with a wry smile.

Jiang Mingde was no longer the former official in the Ministry of Works, and she was no longer the wife of a fifth-rank official.

They are no more noble than street vendors now.

"Eldest daughter, what are you saying?" Old Madam Jiang was displeased with Lu Xueying's words.

In Madam Jiang's mind, Jiang Mingde was capable and would be given an important position sooner or later.

Jiang Mingzhe should bow down and fawn over Jiang Mingde.

Old Madam Jiang couldn't see clearly, but Lu Xueying could.

It's impossible for Jiang Mingde to be reinstated in this lifetime.

Their two sons endured the confiscation of their property and seven years of hardship on the frontier. Their health was ruined; they should be grateful they lived to old age.

If their family wants to live a good life, they can only rely on Jiang Mingzhe.

Lu Xueying understood, so how could Jiang Mingde not? He just couldn't bring himself to admit defeat to his younger brother, who was inferior to him.

"You go if you want, I'm not going."

"Okay, I'll go." This was exactly what Lu Xueying had been waiting for. She got up and walked towards the backyard.

Madam Jiang tried to stop him, but Grandpa Jiang stopped her with a gesture.

Inside the new house, Ye Yunniang vomited again.

"Madam, please have a plum." Qiu Shuang handed her a plum.

Ye Yunniang took it and put it in her mouth.

"Sit down and talk to me," Ye Yunniang said to Qiushuang.

Qiu Shuang pulled up a stool, sat on the edge of the bed, and massaged Ye Yunniang's Neiguan acupoint.

"Madam, is the force appropriate?"

Ye Yunniang hummed in agreement. "Qiushuang, when did you start working for Jiang Mingzhe?"

"Madam, I was found by Captain Chen when I was 10 years old."

The Captain Chen mentioned by Qiu Shuang is Chen Xiang, the bodyguard captain of Jiang Mingzhe.

Qiu Shuang had no name; she was called "lowly girl" and "dead brat" by her parents at birth.

Children as young as 3 are forced to do chores, and if they don't do them well, they are beaten or starved.

She was 5 years old and taking care of her younger brother. If her brother cried even once, she would be met with a double whammy of scolding from her parents.

When she was nine years old, her younger brother wanted to eat candy. Since the family had no money, her parents sold her.

The traffickers were taking them to other places when they encountered bandits and were kidnapped to the mountains.

Chen Xiang led a team to wipe out the bandits and rescued her.

"I had nowhere to go, so I clung to Captain Chen's leg, crying and shouting, 'You saved me, so you have to take responsibility for me.'"

Qiu Shuang recalled how she had cried while hugging Chen Xiang, looking all dark-skinned, and felt both embarrassed and that she had done the right thing.

Now she has a name. She receives a monthly allowance, which she can use to buy what she likes to eat and wear.

"You like Chen Xiang?"

"Yes, I like him." Qiu Shuang openly admitted her love for Chen Xiang.

Then, with a sneer, he said, "Captain Chen doesn't think much of me."

"Does he have someone he likes?"

“No. He said he’s a man who belongs to you in life and in death. He won’t get married.” Qiu Shuang said, sounding very disappointed.

Qiu Shuang quickly smiled again, "In this life, he will protect Grandpa, and I will protect him."

Thinking of his current responsibilities, he said, "I will protect the lady."

"I won't send you away." Ye Yunniang noticed Qiu Shuang's worry.

"Madam, you are so kind. You are the second kind person Qiushuang has met."

Ye Yunniang was amused by Qiushuang.

When Qiu Shuang first came to Ye Yunniang's side, she was serious and meticulous in her work.

Ye Yunniang thought Qiu Shuang was serious and difficult to approach.

Now she knows that all of this is Qiu Shuang's protective coloring; in reality, she is just a simple girl without any guile.

"Do you want to marry Chen Xiang?"

"Yes." Qiu Shuang nodded vigorously.

"I'll teach you." Ye Yunniang's words made Qiu Shuang's eyes light up.

"Madam, what should I do?"

"Come closer."

Qiu Shuang moved closer to Ye Yunniang and listened to what she was saying.

Qiu Shuang's startled expression was particularly amusing.

Knock knock knock!