"Really? Sanlang, you must cherish me. My father was angered by our affair and didn't even give me a dowry."
"Let's go to bed first, and I'll have Aji bring you my little savings later."
After several sweet words and a night of passion, Jiang Jiaojiao saw hope again.
The next morning, Wei Mingzhou said he had to go to the government office. As soon as Wei Mingzhou left, Aunt Chen sent a servant to bring him a contraceptive soup.
"Just leave it there, drink it when it cools down."
The maidservant knew perfectly well what Aunt Jiang was thinking. She remained motionless, her gaze sharp: "Please don't make things difficult for this old servant, Aunt Jiang. Aunt Chen instructed this old servant to serve Aunt Jiang before leaving."
Seeing that she had no way out, Jiang Jiaojiao had no choice but to drink the contraceptive soup.
After the maid sent by Aunt Chen left, she began to vomit violently.
When Caiyan saw that she had gagged a few times but hadn't vomited anything, she anxiously called out from the side, "Miss, quick, quick, use your finger to poke her throat."
Caiyan's father was an alcoholic. She had seen him get drunk since she was a child, and he would induce vomiting when he felt unwell.
Caiyan was also a person with a bad fate. Her father was addicted to alcohol, and he would want to exchange even the last copper coin in the house for alcohol.
Her mother couldn't stand that kind of life anymore, and eventually ran away with another man.
Her father said he couldn't support her, so he sold Caiyan to a slave trader. She knew her father was selling her to buy alcohol.
Now, all she can do is hope that her mistress is well.
Upon hearing Caiyan's words, Jiang Jiaojiao indeed vomited, along with all the porridge she had just eaten.
"Cough cough... water."
Seeing that the servant hadn't replied for a while, Aunt Chen went to the corridor and looked outside.
A moment later, hurried footsteps sounded at the courtyard gate, and a maidservant rushed in.
"So? Did she drink it obediently?"
"Master, that little harlot tried to be clever. I watched her drink it before leaving, but she started vomiting as soon as I left. I don't know if this contraceptive soup will work or not," the servant reported truthfully.
Aunt Chen's alluring eyes were as cold as frost. She forcefully flung her handkerchief away and said, "You keep an eye on Wangchun Courtyard every day, especially remember the exact dates of that slut's menstruation. If there's even the slightest sign of something amiss, force-feed her an abortion pill."
"You vile woman, you ruined my son's good marriage and still want to give birth to a son born out of wedlock? You're dreaming."
Aunt Chen only learned this morning that Jiang Jiaojiao had been demoted to a concubine's daughter.
Having been immersed in the inner quarters of the household for many years, Aunt Chen sensed something was amiss yesterday. Today, she sent someone to inquire, and sure enough, the Minister's mansion did not treat her as a legitimate daughter in her marriage.
Lady Yang was demoted back to the status of a concubine, and her legitimate daughter was reduced to a concubine's daughter.
"Bah! And what's with all this talk about the legitimate daughter marrying down? She's already climbing the social ladder by becoming my son's concubine. You lot better keep a close eye on her. If she dares to get pregnant secretly, I'll kill her."
As she spoke, Aunt Chen turned and went into the house. Just as she lifted the curtain, she turned back to the maid and said, "Don't let that wretch into the courtyard. Seeing her makes me feel uneasy."
Aunt Chen was overthinking it. After a night of passion, Jiang Jiaojiao felt that she had once again captured Wei Mingzhou's heart.
She took out her private savings and asked Caiyan to go out of the mansion to buy her incense, rouge, and face powder.
She focused all her attention on how to please Wei Mingzhou. She understood the rule that concubines were not allowed to see their elders without permission, and her mother-in-law was a concubine who was not easy to get along with, so she avoided her at all costs.
No one cared about serving tea, and she didn't mind.
At noon, Aji brought eighty taels of silver, saying that this was all of Wei Mingzhou's savings. Jiang Jiaojiao almost vomited blood.
Before Jiang Jiaojiao could even put away Wei Mingzhou's eighty-tael little treasury, Caiyan returned with a look of anxiety on her face.
"Miss, something terrible has happened! When I went to buy rouge, I overheard people gossiping that the master is going to remarry, and all those matchmakers are looking for someone everywhere."
"It's over. With my stepmother in the family, my mother will never have a chance to turn her life around, and I'll have no one to rely on."
Despair descended like darkness, spreading throughout her body, and like countless vines, entangled Jiang Jiaojiao, making it hard for her to breathe.
...
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, two heavy rains fell in succession in Yannan.
The settled refugees, seeing the crops growing well, felt hopeful for life again.
Especially for families with children who have joined the military, receiving their children's military pay makes their lives much better than before.
The Prince of Yan's mansion is packed with guests today, all of whom are women.
Miss Xiao Dai was particularly busy today. The fifteen-year-old girl could hardly take it all in as she watched the pretty and charming girls arrive.
My mother said that she would be looking for wives for my eldest and second brothers today. My eldest brother is very talented, so naturally we should choose a girl who understands and respects him and is both beautiful and talented.
As the heir apparent, my second brother will inherit the title in the future, so he must find a dignified, virtuous, and wise girl.
Ah! The girls who came today are like flowers in a garden, all so beautiful and vibrant, each one lovely. I wonder which one my brother will choose to be with.
I wonder if my second brother's icy face will scare away the beautiful young ladies.
Ugh... my head hurts.
Xiao Dai's task today was to entertain the young ladies. She rubbed her forehead, cleared her mind, and led her maids to greet them.
Only then did Xiao Dai realize her mother's troubles and helplessness.
Ten-year-old Xiao Yun was like a bystander, sometimes running to the princess to act cute, sometimes grabbing a piece of pastry and putting it in her mouth.
Princess Yannan looked at her two daughters, one still and one active, and said to Aunt Cai beside her, "I don't know whose temperament Yun'er inherited. When she stands still, she is a reserved girl, but when she moves, she is as nimble as a rabbit."
Aunt Cai looked at Xiao Yun, who had run away, with a doting expression and smiled, "This old servant thinks that the Second Miss is lively and cute, and is most like the Young Master when he was a child."
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