Chapter 166 You've Got the Wrong Person

From the moment Qingling intended to publicly announce her pregnancy, she began to make arrangements.

Mei Ping was a maid sent to her courtyard by Madam Ma. Whenever Qing Ling showed the slightest "clue", Mei Ping would find out and inform the people in Dan Gui Courtyard.

Qingling has also been looking for a suitable benefactor to be her backer.

This powerful backer must be strong and influential, yet low-key, and someone who needs her.

She considered several candidates and finally chose the Marquis of Xincheng's residence.

When Qingling was forcibly taken away by the people from Dangui Courtyard, only Xia Chan was left behind.

As soon as they left, Xia Chan took Qing Ling's carriage and hurried to the Marquis of Xincheng's residence.

She told a story to Lady Zhou, the wife of Marquis of Xincheng.

"A distinguished person passed by a fisherman's stall, and a goldfish in the basin suddenly spoke. The goldfish said that if the distinguished person would buy it and release it, it would repay the favor handsomely when it returned to the Dragon Palace at the bottom of the sea."

Madam Zhou was interested in the story, so even when it rained, she was willing to come to the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence to see the big fish.

Qingling looked at Madam Zhou and said, "Madam, I am that fish, do you believe me?"

Madam Zhou frowned slightly and looked Qing Ling up and down again.

She laughed: "Miss Qingling is joking. You are the legitimate second young lady of the Marquis's mansion, and you are so capable that even the Grand Princess can't do anything to you. How could you be the fish trapped in the basin?"

Qingling patted her belly.

Mrs. Zhou stared at her belly: "What's this—"

Qingling lowered her eyes, her calm expression revealing helplessness and heartache. She said, "To be honest, Madam, I am pregnant and will give birth soon. But Madam should also know what the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion is like."

“I’m not afraid of being laughed at. To tell you the truth, I’ve encountered some difficulties and have nowhere else to turn for help, which is why I’ve come to you, Madam.”

Madam Zhou is a smart woman.

She had a general idea of ​​what the homes of the various noble families in the capital were like.

But Mrs. Zhou didn't concern herself with other people's business.

She made no comment, picked up her teacup and slowly sipped her tea, without even asking who the child was.

Unlike the Yao family, when Yao Qingling became pregnant, she didn't make a fuss, nor did she gossip or wonder who the father was; she kept her mouth shut.

Actually, it's obvious without even asking that this child must be Zhan Xingzhuo's.

No mother wants her child to suffer.

Zhan Xingzhuo favored a woman from another family while destroying his own wife. Yao Qingling hadn't wanted a divorce earlier or later, but suddenly made it public knowledge and was determined to leave, probably because she knew he was pregnant.

But her action was truly resolute.

No woman would do that; all women choose to endure it for the sake of their children.

Now she has to suffer for this child; it is the price she is paying for this choice.

Miss Thursday was still staring at Qingling's belly.

She suddenly spoke up, "I've seen you at the banquet at the Duke's mansion."

Qingling smiled at her: "Yes, I've met the Fourth Miss before."

The fourth young lady must have gone to the Duke's mansion with her brother, but she was still young and didn't play with Zhan Xingxiang.

Madam Zhou's eyebrows twitched slightly at this moment. She looked at Qingling with a distant expression: "Second Miss, your divorce from Second Master Zhan was decided by the Empress Dowager. Now that you are in trouble, why don't you go to her for help?"

"We, the Marquis of Xincheng, are afraid we can't handle such a big matter. You've come to the wrong person."

Meddling in this matter would offend not only the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion, but also the Duke of Zhan's mansion.

Who would deliberately pick fights with a few rivals?

To put it bluntly, the Empress Dowager issued an imperial edict at the time, granting permission for the descendants of the loyal ministers and generals to divorce.

But if she had known that Yao Qingling was already pregnant at the time, she would never have issued such an imperial decree.

If word gets out, even the Empress Dowager will likely be blamed by the Grand Princess Deyang.

But that's the Empress Dowager. She can tolerate a few complaints, but she can't afford to offend others.

This is a mess.

Qingling gave a bitter smile, lowered her eyelids, and said, "What the Lady of the Marquis says is true."

"It was only because the Empress Dowager helped us when we finally sought her help that we were able to."

She made such a grand plan to invite the Empress Dowager's personal maid to attend the memorial service at Yongning Temple.

But now that the Ministry of Works has taken over the temple's reconstruction, she can't create a major incident for no reason and attract the Empress Dowager's attention again.

She went to the Empress Dowager with her pregnant belly to beg for help, but instead had to endure the Empress Dowager's wrath.

"But I didn't ask for your help empty-handed."

Lady Hou's eyes flickered.

She was willing to make this trip because she wanted to know what the goldfish's reward would be.

Qingling asked Louyue, who was beside her, to take the fourth young lady to have some snacks.

The flower hall quieted down.

Qingling spoke softly, "Madam, Her Majesty the Empress needs the Marquis's mansion's assistance, and perhaps I can share Her Majesty's burdens."

The world only knows that the empress is virtuous and capable, but no one has promoted her own family just because she became empress.

The reality is that the empress has not yet given birth to a child.

The Marquis's family was not as powerful as the families of the other concubines in the harem. Forcibly elevating their status would only invite gossip and displease the Emperor and Empress Dowager.

To elevate the status of the Marquis's mansion, a legitimate reason must be given, and the Empress must be given an opportunity.

Only when the Marquis's mansion has enough power can the Empress's position be secure; once the Empress's position is secure, the Duke's mansion will follow.

Lady Hou glanced at her lightly, her eyebrows slightly raised, a hint of mockery in her eyes: "You?"

Qingling, no longer displaying her pitiful demeanor, nodded calmly and composedly.

"Madam, you should know that I own a general store selling goods from both the north and south of China, and I also run several rice and oil shops."

Madam Zhou didn't even blink; these shops were beneath her notice.

"Madam, my shop is frequented by all sorts of people, from the powerful and wealthy to ordinary citizens. If I were to say that this shop deals not only in goods, but also in information, what would you say?"

Madam Zhou then raised her eyes to look at her.

She remained calm and said, "Oh?"

Qingling's eyelids twitched slightly, and she mentioned a seemingly insignificant little thing.

Madam Zhou frowned: "Is this really true?"

Qingling nodded: "Yes, I sent someone to verify it."

Madam Zhou took a deep breath and made calculations in her mind.

Qingling didn't say anything more, and played with the red pomegranate flower embroidered on her sleeve.

After a while, she smiled slightly and said, "To be honest, I am very grateful to you, Madam."

She stroked her round belly, her face softening.

“Today, my family learned that I am pregnant, and they all suspected the parentage of my child. But when Madam looked at me for the first time, she had no doubts. Madam is a chivalrous and kind-hearted person, unlike others who follow the crowd and make wild guesses, and she did not easily accuse Qingling of being promiscuous and immoral.”

"Your gaze is like a ray of light shining down in the cold moonlight, making people feel warm."

Madam Zhou glanced at her belly and said calmly, "You were chosen by the Grand Princess of Deyang. The Grand Princess is very picky about people, and you are not that kind of person."

She wouldn't waste her time on this at all.

Besides, everyone has eyes.

Although Yao Qingling and Zhan Xingzhuo moved to the new residence, how could the Grand Princess of Deyang allow her to act recklessly?

Even if she could only ask outsiders for help, she was too weak and alone to do something as foolish as stealing someone else and courting death.

Qing Ling smiled faintly.

Outsiders can see through her facade at a glance, but her blood relatives harbor the most malicious intentions when trying to understand her.

But she had already come to terms with it and was no longer dwelling on it.

She said, "Madam trusts the judgment of the Grand Princess of Deyang. Then, Madam, I wonder if my little ability can secure the protection of the Marquis of Xincheng and Her Majesty the Empress?"