Madam Yin glanced at her personal maid, Granny Shi, who understood and quickly brought over an eight-treasure box.
The box was opened, and inside was a brand new headdress.
Madam Yin smiled and said, "I specially asked the craftsmen at Duobao Pavilion to make this. Ah Sheng, you are usually busy with household chores, but you should dress yourself up more often."
This old lady Yin is not usually this generous.
Qin Sheng glanced at the jewelry in the box. Duobaoge was the largest jewelry shop in the capital. Such a set of jewelry would cost at least four hundred taels of silver.
It's truly heartbreaking that she suffered such a severe hemorrhage for her son's sake.
Qin Sheng did not refuse and had her maid, Emerald, accept it.
Madam Yin added, "Don't worry, if Jiao Niang really did get pregnant before you, I'll let her raise the child in your name after it's born. You're a lady from a respectable family, proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and songs. I'm sure you can teach the child well."
"I'm afraid my sister and the master won't agree." Qin Sheng lowered her eyes.
Raise those two bitches' children? No, she wouldn't be that stupid.
Old Madam Yin always thought of Yin Wenxiao and Ye Jiaoniang, and she probably never imagined that one day she would be killed by these two people.
In her previous life, because she had been married for three years without having children, the old lady became increasingly dissatisfied with her daughter-in-law, Qin Sheng.
On the contrary, Ye Jiaoniang became pregnant soon after entering the mansion and gave birth to two sons for Yin Wenxiao, both of whom were very intelligent.
Madam Yin was delighted and had considered transferring one of her sons to Qin Sheng's name more than once, wanting to give her eldest grandson the status of a legitimate son.
However, Qin Sheng, who seemed easy to manipulate, was surprisingly stubborn on this matter. No matter how her mother-in-law and husband tried to persuade her, she just wouldn't agree.
As a result, Qin Sheng became increasingly disliked by her husband and mother-in-law in the household.
Knowing that Qin Sheng was unhappy, the old lady Yin sat with her daughter-in-law for a while and told her that if Qin Sheng was not feeling well, she should go back and rest early.
Qin Sheng then rose, curtsied, and left with her two maids.
The front yard was still bustling with activity.
Qin Sheng led her maid out through the side door and turned onto the path leading to the backyard.
The noisy sounds gradually faded away until they finally disappeared.
Jade worriedly said, "If Madam goes back like this, those people will surely spread rumors about her being jealous."
Another maid, Qiao'er, who was always outspoken, snorted upon hearing this: "What jealousy? What wife would be happy if her husband took a concubine? What kind of status does that Ye Shi have? Our mistress is already giving her face by drinking her tea, let alone sitting in front of her. That's giving her too much credit!"
Qin Sheng smiled but didn't say anything.
In her past life, because she cared about Yin Wenxiao, she always put him first.
Even though her husband had been cold and indifferent to her for three years of marriage, Qin Sheng still diligently played the role of the legal wife, managing all the affairs of the household.
She always thought that one day, her husband would see everything she had done.
But later she realized she was wrong, terribly wrong!
Qiao'er was still indignant on behalf of the madam: "I heard that the old madam has prepared a lot of things for this concubine Ye, who is just a concubine..."
"Yes, she's just a concubine," Qin Sheng said indifferently.
"That's right, no matter what she does, she can't surpass Madam!" Qiao'er snorted.
They returned to Zhefang Courtyard.
Qin Sheng looked at everything in the courtyard, even the few hibiscus flowers planted in the corner looked so familiar.
Qin Sheng was the wife of the Marquis of Pingyin. In addition to her two maids, Emerald and Qiao'er, who came with her as part of her dowry, there were four second-class maids, four third-class maids, and two old women in her courtyard.
Today, the Earl of Pingyin is taking a concubine, and all the maids in the courtyard have been assigned to help in the front yard since early this morning.
Qiao'er pushed open the door, walked to the table first, poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to Qin Sheng: "Madam, please have some tea."
Qin Sheng took the teacup and drank the hot tea.
Jade was placing the box of jewelry that Old Madam Yin had given her in the side hall onto the dressing table.
Qin Sheng doesn't have much jewelry; most of it was prepared for her by her mother before she married into the family.
After marrying into the Pingyin Earl's Mansion, her husband was always cold and indifferent to her. Gradually, Qin Sheng gave up the idea of dressing up. If she was not going out of the mansion, she would just wear a pearl flower in her hair, looking elegant and simple.
Qin Sheng walked over, her gaze sweeping over the jewelry boxes on the table before landing on the bronze mirror that gleamed with a yellowish light.
She sat down in front of the mirror.
Actually, Qin Sheng's appearance is not bad.
With arched eyebrows, red lips, a delicate nose, and fair skin, her phoenix eyes were clear and bright, with long, narrow corners that, when turned up at the corners, exuded a charming and alluring aura.
From a young age, Qin Sheng was taught how to be a proper wife and matriarch. Nothing she learned or thought about taught her how to please her husband.
Looking at herself in the mirror, Qin Sheng couldn't help but think of Ye Jiaoniang again.
With tears streaming down her face, she looked pitiful and delicate, like a willow swaying in the breeze.
Men, in fact, mostly prefer that type of woman.
Seeing that Madam's face was somewhat gloomy, Emerald couldn't help but say, "Madam, don't be sad. If that Concubine Ye really did get pregnant before you, wouldn't the child be born and still respectfully honor you as the mistress? Besides, you've already agreed to the Earl taking a concubine. Even if the Earl appreciates Madam's magnanimity, he wouldn't do something like forgetting his wife just because he has a beautiful concubine."
Qin Sheng snapped out of her daze, a cryptic smile playing on her lips: "How do you know he can't do it?"
Yin Wenxiao is really capable of doing such a thing!
On his first night of marriage, he stayed in the study. Later, although he would occasionally return to his room to rest because of Madam Yin, he always lay properly in bed and never overstepped his bounds.
It's not appropriate for Qin Sheng, a woman, to take the initiative in this kind of situation.
She had also subtly inquired about Yin Wenxiao's health, but Yin Wenxiao frankly stated that he was not feeling well and could not consummate their marriage.
Qin Sheng then believed it to be true.
To save face for Yin Wenxiao, she would spend her free time reading medical books, trying to research medicinal diets to improve his health.
But later, Ye Jiaoniang entered the mansion.
The man who kept saying he was unwell and not fit to have sex was actually spending his days and nights with Ye Jiaoniang.
During those three years, Old Madam Yin only blamed Qin Sheng for not being able to produce a proper grandson for the Yin family.
Little did she know that in her previous life, it wasn't that Qin Sheng didn't want to have children, but rather that after three years of marriage, after her few sexual encounters with Yin Wenxiao, he secretly had someone add contraceptive drugs to her food.
"..."
Jade originally intended to comfort the lady, but instead, she was rendered speechless by the lady's words.
The liveliness in the front yard continued into the evening.
In the evening, the Earl sent someone to summon the Madam, but Qin Sheng did not go. She only told the messenger, "Just say that I am not feeling well and cannot go."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
