Granny Zhao, holding a bowl of porridge, pleaded with the woman by the bedside, "Madam, you still need to eat something. Once the old lady has calmed down, she will surely let you out. Just bear with it for now."

Second Madam He Qingfang lay on the bed with her eyes closed, completely unmoved. These past few days, confined to the courtyard by Madam Zhang, she looked terribly haggard, as if she had aged ten years.

Once the outer gate was locked, the entire courtyard seemed to fall silent, deathly still, and even the maids and servants dared not utter a sound.

"Even if you don't think about yourself, you should think about the eldest and second young ladies. The eldest young lady is ambitious, but she doesn't have a mother to support her. The second young lady is still young. How can she manage if she relies solely on the old lady without her own mother's protection?"

Upon hearing Zhao Mama mention her daughter, He Qingfang's closed eyes shed two more tears. Zhang Shi had completely locked her up, and Lin Yuxuan and Lin Yumei were no longer allowed to visit her. The servants in the mansion were used to fawning over the powerful and bullying the weak. How could Zhang Shi possibly take care of her? She must have suffered countless grievances in secret.

Furthermore, she usually clashed with Li Shi when she was feeling triumphant, and now Li Shi was handling all the procurement of Lin Yuxuan's dowry. Li Shi was a vindictive person, and she would definitely try to cut back on Lin Yuxuan's dowry. If Lin Yuxuan, a young woman, didn't have a generous dowry, she would be looked down upon in her husband's family.

The thought of how smug Li must be right now made He Qingfang feel like she was living a life worse than death. She gripped the edge of the bed tightly, her pale skin revealing prominent veins, making her look utterly ferocious.

He Qingfang had disliked Li Shi ever since she first entered the household, regarding her as a thorn in her side. Now that she had been completely defeated, while Li Shi remained the glamorous Lady of the Marquis, He Qingfang could not swallow the anger that was stuck in her chest.

To be honest, Li Shi never knew the reason for their feud. She only thought that He Qingfang had stopped managing the household after she married into the family, and she held a grudge. Li Shi would never have imagined that, in the end, the root of the problem lay with Chen Lianghou.

He Qingfang had visited the Marquis's residence with her mother when she was a child. Because the two families were relatives and visited each other frequently, He Qingfang, who was still a young lady at the time, had met Chen Lianghou Lin Zirong a few times.

As a young girl who had never grown up, she rarely saw men outside her family. Her cousin, Lin Zirong, who was handsome and tall, and had already inherited a title before he was twenty, fulfilled all her fantasies about her future husband.

However, she knew that the age difference between the two was too great, and her cousin was already engaged, so there was no chance of anything happening. She could only think about it secretly at night and that was it.

However, Chen Lianghou's first wife, Chen, was not blessed and passed away early. Just then, He Qingfang reached the age for marriage and couldn't help but have her own thoughts, feeling that she and her cousin were not destined to be together.

Therefore, when Zhang invited He Qingfang and her mother to the mansion again, He Qingfang tried her best to please her aunt. Furthermore, judging from her mother's words, she guessed that her mother also wanted her to marry into the Marquis's household.

Later, seeing that Zhang liked her more and more, she became even more pleased with herself.

Unexpectedly, during the marriage negotiations, a relative mentioned the Li family's daughter to Zhang. Master Li was a fifth-rank magistrate who had previously worked with Chen Lianghou, the magistrate of Rencheng. He had even lent a helping hand when Chen Lianghou's family was in trouble, and was a kind and honest man.

Originally, Madam Zhang wanted her niece, He Qingfang, to marry into the family as a second wife. However, considering that Chen Lianghou had lost interest in pursuing an official career after being implicated in the witchcraft case, and that the second master was ambitious and would need someone to help him in his future career, and that nothing was closer than marriage, she decided after much consideration to marry the Li family's daughter.

Actually, she wasn't very satisfied when Chen Lianghou married Chen Shi. This marriage was arranged by the late patriarch, and at that time, the Chen family still had people in the court.

However, the Chen family had already fallen into decline before Chen married into the family. If it weren't for the fact that breaking off the engagement would give her a reputation for being mercenary, she wouldn't have wanted to marry a daughter-in-law from a poor family.

Fortunately, after marriage, Chen's good qualities gradually became apparent. She was not only filial and considerate, but also quite capable in managing the household affairs. She also won over her son's heart. When the household was in danger, she single-handedly supported the family. Zhang grew to like her even more.

Because the second wife was of a higher social standing than the first wife, and fearing that the household would be in turmoil, and also grateful for the benefits that Madam Chen had brought to the Marquis's mansion, Madam Zhang and Marquis Chen Liang decided that Madam Li must be kept in check and not allowed to have any other thoughts so that she could rest in peace in the afterlife.

To ensure her grandson's position as heir and his safe upbringing, Zhang also personally raised the son left behind by Chen.

So, although He Qingfang eventually married into the Marquis's household, she was the second wife. The second master was also a talented young man with a kind and gentle nature, but in He Qingfang's eyes, he was far inferior to Marquis Chen Liang, who had already inherited the title.

At first, He Qingfang always disliked Li and tried every means to make things difficult for her. Later, when Li managed the household smoothly and gave birth to a child, He Qingfang wanted to live better than Li and completely suppress Li in order to prove that Li was no match for her.

He Qingfang felt increasingly suffocated, even finding it hard to breathe. She coughed, her throat feeling congested, but nothing came out. Granny Zhao quickly put down her bowl, helped her up, and patted her back.

Knowing that He Qingfang had been targeting Li Shi all these years, in order to make things easier for her, Granny Zhao whispered in her ear, "Even if Aunt Jiang has a son, you are still the child's legal mother. The old lady is also getting old and doesn't have the energy to take care of the son, so she can't keep you locked up forever. When you can go out, you can raise the child well and have him earn an imperial title for you in the future. You won't be any worse off than the Lady of the Marquis."

"Furthermore, the Third Young Master failed the provincial examination, which shows he's not a promising talent. Now that the Heir Apparent's wife has entered the household, and after a couple of years when they have a son, the Marquis will have even less regard for the Second Young Master and the others."

He Qingfang perked up a bit when she thought about what she had heard before Zhang imprisoned her: that Lin Yufeng had failed the provincial examination.

That's right. What's the use of Li having so many sons? Only Lin Yucheng is somewhat successful. But Zhang knows best what she's thinking. The more successful Lin Yucheng becomes, the more Zhang will suppress Li and the others.

Once she finds an opportunity to be released, she can join forces with the Crown Prince's wife to seize control of the Li family's household affairs. What will the Li family have left then?

He Qingfang felt hopeful, and her eyes lit up. It was too early to talk about winning or losing; the Li family wouldn't have the last laugh.

"If I had a son, that little bitch Jiang wouldn't have a chance to cause trouble. Just wait, let her live a few more days, and I'll get my revenge."

He Qingfang now hates Jiang Shi to the core, even more so than Li Shi, who is a thorn in her side.

Mentioning Jiang was something she had no choice but to do. Considering He Qingfang's hatred for Jiang, Granny Zhao had no choice but to persuade her again.

"Madam, Aunt Jiang is just a concubine, she can't cause any trouble. Why bother getting angry with her? Once she gives birth to a son and brings him to your side, she'll have to fawn over you every day!"

Granny Zhao really felt that the Second Madam's actions were very inappropriate. What was a concubine worth? Even a good concubine was just a plaything. Why did the Second Madam have to target her?

"Granny, I regret it! I should never have let that scourge Jiang into the family! Now the Second Master is bewitched by this slut. If I don't get rid of her, what will I have left!"

She threw herself into Zhao Mama's arms and cried loudly, truly regretting her actions. She had only wanted the maid Zhang had given her, which meant she couldn't leave her mother and keep her child. This angered Zhang, so she brought in her cousin to make up for it. Who knew that she would get away with Zhang but would stumble again with Jiang.

Now that Jiang has harmed her so badly, He Qingfang vowed that she would never let Jiang die a peaceful death!

Just as He Qingfang was plotting to get rid of the Jiang family, the Li family also decided to join forces with the Jiang family.

If He Qingfang's little scheme before Lin Yuqi's marriage hadn't been discovered, she would have been stuck with the blame. Although the Jin family would definitely not be close to her, she didn't want to openly antagonize her from the start.

We must not let He Qingfang find another opportunity to be released. Li secretly sent a nanny to convey a message that she wanted to support Jiang as the second wife.

Jiang was originally a good concubine, so it wouldn't be difficult for her to be promoted to a second wife. Besides, the second master also liked her very much. He could just whisper some words in her ear and it would be done. All she had to do was say a few words for Jiang to Zhang.

Although the second wife was still a concubine, she had more dignity than a madam, and she could take care of her own children in the future.

Jiang was already reluctant to give her child to He Qingfang, and preferred to stand on her own two feet rather than be controlled by her. Jiang had also had enough of being oppressed by He Qingfang, who was a distant cousin. Did being a concubine mean she wasn't human?

If it weren't for the family's dire situation, and the fact that He Qingfang had promised her mother that she would come to the manor to enjoy a life of comfort and that she would be treated like a younger sister after giving birth to a son, she wouldn't have come to the Marquis's manor.

Jiang was a cautious woman. In order to have more leverage with Zhang, she took good care of her health and decided to tell the Second Master after she became pregnant. By then, Zhang might not really believe that the Second Madam could raise someone else's child well, and Jiang would have a better chance of winning.

Life went on, and before hearing the news of Jiang's pregnancy, Li heard that a maid in Lin Yuqi's courtyard was pregnant.

Thinking back, Caihe and Lin Yuqi have been having an affair for quite some time now, and now that the Crown Prince's wife has entered the family, Caihe probably can't wait to get a formal title.

Looking at Caihe kneeling before her, weeping with tears streaming down her face, Jin was so angry that her hands trembled. She clenched her fists tightly and hid them under her sleeves.

Lin Yuqi was a little at a loss, never expecting Caihe to be pregnant, let alone faint in the courtyard by sheer coincidence. Calling a doctor revealed everything.

“Madam, it has nothing to do with the young master. It is my fault. I have admired the young master since I was a child and wanted to serve him. Now I don’t ask for anything else, I only ask that you have mercy and let me continue to serve the young master.”

Caihe looked up at Lin Yuqi, her eyes filled with deep affection, tears welling in her eyes. Biting her lower lip, she then bowed deeply to Madam Jin, looking both humble and pitiful.

Enraged by Caihe's behavior, Jinshi believed that since Lishi had given her this person, Lishi must have been plotting to use Caihe to cause a rift between the couple.

Jin kept repeating to herself, "Don't fall for the trap, don't fall for the trap," suppressing her anger, and together with Lin Yuqi, they took the person to Li's place.

"My daughter-in-law didn't know that Mother had already given herself away. Mother, you really are something. If you had told my daughter-in-law earlier, things wouldn't have turned out like this. It's also unfair to Caihe. I wonder what arrangements Mother has in mind?"

Although Jin said this in a tactful way, she was actually implying that Li had secretly used tricks to instigate Caihe to sleep with her and make things difficult for her.

Hearing Jin's words, Li admired her greatly. With just a few words, she had passed on this hot potato to her, which made her appear generous and also revealed her own ulterior motives.

However, she is no longer the person she was in her previous life, and the Jin family's methods are no match for her now.

"Look at what you're saying. Our young master is very disciplined. He never lets anyone go before the wedding, so I wouldn't dare to make any arrangements. Caihe is a second-class maid, and she shouldn't need to serve him closely unless necessary. Now that she has done such a disgraceful thing, you don't need to worry about me. You can do whatever you want with her."

Hearing Li's casual words, Jin almost gritted her teeth in anger. Seeing the pity in Lin Yuqi's eyes for Caihe, she felt even more strongly that it was all Li's scheme.

“My daughter-in-law is also new here. Caihe is someone Mother has favored. How can she act on her own? Mother must make the decision.”

It seems Madam Jin is determined to make Caihe her own. If Caihe truly becomes a concubine, Lin Yuqi might harbor resentment. Madam Jin has a good plan, but she has no desire to get involved in Lin Yuqi's bedroom affairs.

"Since that's the case, then I have no choice but to uphold justice for you. That maid Caihe has wicked intentions and has corrupted a perfectly good young man. In a little while, I'll have Granny Wu give her a bowl of medicine, and once she miscarries, she'll be sold off."

Li's ruthlessness startled even Lin Yuqi. The punishment was far too harsh. Looking at Caihe kneeling there, looking pitiful, he felt a surge of protectiveness.

“It’s all my fault. I got drunk earlier and dragged Caihe to serve me. Since I’ve ruined her reputation, I should take responsibility for her.”

Hearing Lin Yuqi speak up for Caihe like this, Jin's eyes practically pierced Caihe with a murderous glare.

"Qi'er, what's wrong with you? It's all Caihe's fault. Now that Jinshi has just entered the family, how can you take a concubine so soon! It's better to deal with her as soon as possible to avoid ruining your relationship as husband and wife."

Li's words conveyed the image of an impeccable mother-in-law, completely distancing herself from Caihe's affairs, leaving Jin with no choice but to continue handling the matter.

Perhaps Li wanted to ruin her reputation by immediately branding herself as a jealous woman who couldn't tolerate her husband and concubines. The more Jin thought about it, the more convinced she became. She calmed herself down and realized that Li was overestimating her; she had no intention of clinging to Lin Yuqi.

“Since you have served your husband and he wants to keep her here, then let her stay. In a couple of days, I will have the nanny perform a facial massage on Caihe so that she can be properly taken care of as a lady of the house.”

Jin still had no intention of promoting Caihe to a concubine. That vixen was a menace to her. If she hadn't been so determined not to fall into Li's trap, she wouldn't have let her into the household.

"You're still too kind. I know you're a good person, but we can't just let it go like this. We should sell it. This Caihe isn't a good one. You're newly married; don't ruin your relationship over something like this."

Because Li kept saying she was going to sell her, Caihe was terrified and leaned even closer to Lin Yuqi, her eyes glistening with tears as she looked at him.

Lin Yuqi had always liked Caihe's charm, and thinking of Caihe's deep affection for her, she couldn't bear it. She looked at Jin Shi with her eyes, hoping that she would insist on keeping Caihe.

Jin was furious, but still tried to persuade Li again and again for the sake of her reputation.

“I know my mother loves me, but a daughter-in-law is never one to tolerate others, so let Caihe stay.”

Seeing that Jin was becoming more and more insistent on keeping Caihe, Li was happy inside, but she didn't show it on her face.

"Since you insist, I can't say anything. But the eldest son is definitely yours. What is Caihe anyway? She still has to drink the medicine that Granny Wu brings later."

She had never intended for Caihe to give birth to the child; she only wished she could ask her to abort it herself. Now that Li had taken care of it for her, Jin was happy to accept it.

As for Caihe, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that Madam Li had finally relented. Fortune favors the bold, and she hadn't initially thought the child could stay. Now that the child was officially in the public eye, although she couldn't be a concubine now, Madam Jin wasn't as beautiful as her, and if the heir favored her in the future, he might very well help her improve her status.

When Zhang learned of this in the evening, she didn't suspect Li. She just thought Jin was generous and a good person, so she gave Jin a box of jewelry.

Upon receiving the jewelry that Zhang praised, Jin felt somewhat better; she was right that what she had made hadn't turned out as good. Although Li had used underhanded tactics, she had neither fallen into Li's trap nor failed to improve her reputation.

However, by the time Jin realized what had happened, Caihe had already become a proper concubine, and Lin Yuqi doted on her, spending half the month at her place. This angered Jin so much that she gave her own dowry to Lin Yuqi to secure her favor and counter Caihe.

It was later revealed that Jiang was pregnant again, and the second master doted on her even more. Without Li having to say much, Jiang was promoted to the second wife. Thinking that He Qingfang would no longer be able to cause any trouble, Li happily added an extra layer of makeup for Lin Yuxuan.

Lin Yuxuan got married at the end of the year. The second wife was not allowed to come out on the wedding day, but claimed to be sick. Li and Jin entertained the guests together.

Things went incredibly smoothly. After secretly chuckling to herself, Li hugged Lin Yuqiao and admonished her, "Reputation is important, but sometimes it's better to lose face than to lose substance. After all, you can only be truly comfortable if you're doing well yourself. What's the use of what others say?"