Zhiyue was startled by the stern reprimand, which was almost the first time she had ever been scolded so harshly. She stood there blankly, "This servant...this servant has not forgotten."

Chu Yuan sneered, "So you didn't forget, which means you did it on purpose? I told you to slap yourself, and you pretended not to hear? I only had a miscarriage, I'm not dead. Are you all just ignoring what I say?"

Chu Yuan was not at all like a patient; she was full of energy and unleashed her full power, leaving Zhi Yue stunned by her shouts.

She used to be gentle and weak, and the servants in the mansion not only didn't remember her good deeds, but instead kept talking about how great the second young lady was.

Now, taking advantage of the anger from the miscarriage, it's only natural to deal with these maids.

Zhiyue thought so too, secretly cursing herself for running into Chu Yuan's wound. She had no choice but to kneel down and slap herself, stammering, "This servant was wrong, I will never dare to speak carelessly again."

Chu Yuan didn't even glance at her. "Keep hitting! I won't tell you to stop, so keep hitting!"

Chu Yuan only let her go after Zhiyue slapped half of her face until it looked like a pig's head.

The effect of making an example of someone was very good. For the next two weeks, no matter how Chu Ping appeared in front of Song Tangyin, no one dared to say a word.

Chu Yuan deliberately let them develop in this way, using a strategy of feigned indifference to lure Chu Ping into a trap. Only when Chu Ping's ambition and desire reached a peak would she fall.

In the past two weeks, Song Tangyin came to see Chu Yuan several times, but Chu Yuan always avoided meeting Song Tangyin, citing the bad luck associated with miscarriage.

She will remain silent until she makes a stunning debut. Once her body is fully healed by the recovery pills and her appearance and complexion are even better than before, she will naturally meet with Song Tangyin.

That day, Madam Chu finally sensed something was wrong and said to Chu Ping in a tactful way, "What's wrong with you lately? Have you been getting too close to your brother-in-law?"

Chu Ping held a piece of osmanthus cake in her hand, taking small bites, and said nonchalantly, "What's going on? My sister asked me to go. My sister and brother-in-law have been married for five years and still don't have children. Other married couples have children running all over the place. My sister is suffering, and my brother-in-law is suffering too. So my sister asked me to comfort my brother-in-law from time to time, especially during this period of her recuperation."

When she said the last sentence, Chu Ping's eyes clearly flickered.

This was because it was something she "understood" on her own, rather than something Chu Yuan explicitly stated.

But she thought, since Chu Yuan punished Zhi Yue for talking nonsense, that must be what she meant, right?

Perhaps my sister already has something in mind?

Madam Chu still looked worried. "Even so, you should know to avoid suspicion. Of course, our family knows what kind of person you are, but outsiders won't care about these things. What if your Aunt Song..."

Madam Chu dared not think too deeply about it, for her in-laws had long wanted to arrange a concubine for their son.

But Chu Ping and Chu Yuan are sisters, and no matter how unreasonable she is, she cannot make such an unreasonable request!

Inside Songhe Hall.

The table was laden with delicacies, and Madam Song was smiling as she served food to her grandson.

"My dear grandson, eat more if you like it, so you can grow tall and strong."

Although she is called Madam Song, she is old enough to be the Old Madam Song, because Song Tangyin was born late in life, and many people died when they fled their hometown during a famine, including Song Tangyin's two older brothers, one younger sister, and her father.

Only Song Tangyin, Song Xiuer, and Song Kangshi survived.

After that, Song Tangyin studied hard and went to the capital to take the imperial examination, all so that her family of three would never go hungry again.

He undoubtedly succeeded, and was surprisingly excellent at it.

Therefore, Song Kangshi gradually became more composed. From being timid and hesitant when marrying the county magistrate's daughter, she now found fault with Chu Yuan in every way, as if she had become a completely different person.

Looking at her lively eight-year-old grandson, Song Kangshi got angry again. "She couldn't keep him again! What a mess! Back when I gave birth to you all, I was still working in the fields, plowing and planting rice, doing all kinds of heavy and tiring work. How come I didn't miscarry? This little girl, raised so delicately, is pretty, but she's too pampered. When will this old woman be able to hold her own grandson?!"

Seeing her son struggling to eat, Song Xiuer quickly had a maid pour him water, as if her son were the most precious young master in the Song family. Then, her eyes darted around as she said, "Mother, isn't that because you spoiled him? I worked just as well when I was pregnant with Peng'er. If you ask me, it's just a health problem; she simply can't have children. If you want a grandson, you'll have to find a way to get your brother a concubine. Waiting for that woman to give you a child? Just wait!"

"Oh, how could I not want to help your brother find a concubine? But I've brought it up several times, and he's always turned it down!" Speaking of this, Madam Song felt even more frustrated. Her son was growing up and no longer under her control, and she didn't seem worried about having an heir at all.

Song Xiuer snorted twice, "Of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is to have no offspring. If I'm going to make him take a concubine, what can he do? Even if the Emperor finds out about the issue of offspring, he won't dare say a word against Mother. Besides, there are always drastic measures. Just lock him in that room, a lone man and a lone woman, who can withstand that?"

Song Xiuer didn't actually want Song Tangyin to have an heir, because if he didn't have a son, her son would be the only male heir in the Song family, doted on and loved by Song Kangshi, cared for by Song Tangyin, and would have a bright future.

However, she didn't mind giving Song Tangyin a concubine, both to give Song Kangshi more hope and to make things easier for herself.

The child's father had a niece who was very beautiful and was perfect for being sent to the Song family.

The child's father's official position has not changed for two or three years. He is still a minor general in the city garrison, not even a sixth-rank official. This is far inferior to his younger brother, Song Tangyin. Outsiders say that she has wasted her top scholar brother. Why doesn't she know how to help her own family?

She needed someone to whisper sweet nothings in Song Tangyin's ear.

Thinking this through, Song Xiuer shared her idea with Song Kangshi again. Song Kangshi hesitated, "Is this really going to work?"

Song Xiuer glared, "Why not? She can't have a baby herself, so why can't someone else have a baby? Besides, haven't you heard that Chu Ping has been hanging around Tang Yin lately? Maybe she's been thinking the same thing for a while, but she just wants to keep the good stuff in the family and have it all."

"You mean Chu Ping, the second daughter of the Chu family?" Madam Song was taken aback; she had never considered this possibility.

The main reason is that the Chu family has a strict family tradition. The magistrate of Chu County, oh, now he's the prefect of Chu, didn't he just benefit from his son's position? This man is serious, rigid, and upright, and he would never allow both of his daughters to enter the Song family.

"That's right, so you didn't know, Mother?"

Song Xiuer spoke loudly and clearly in front of Song Kangshi as if she were announcing some earth-shattering secret, as if she was afraid that others would not hear her.

In the warm spring of March, the weather is bright and the grass is lush and green.

Chu Yuan recuperated for half a month. Her deliberate actions half a month ago had caused the entire Song family to become restless, as if they had been wound up.

She herself finally got ready and made a vibrant appearance.