After leaving Xie Lanzhou's courtyard, Cui Yihuan went to Menghua Pavilion.
She didn't go inside, nor did she send anyone to call Ye Zhen.
Ye Zhen was in the front yard with Feng Xing recording everyone's reactions to smallpox vaccination. Cui Yihuan waited in her yard for nearly an hour before Ye Zhen found out.
The rashes on her body have faded, she has fully recovered, and is in excellent spirits.
Upon learning that Cui Yihuan was looking for her, Ye Zhen returned to Menghua Pavilion. "What brings Aunt Cui here?"
Cui Yihuan stood up from the stone bench. "Young Madam, would you mind coming to the waterside pavilion with me to talk?"
The pavilion is surrounded by water on all sides, so no one can eavesdrop.
Ye Zhen nodded, roughly guessing what she was going to say.
Sure enough, Cui Yihuan spoke up, "Young Madam should have seen my hatred for the Old Madam, right?"
Ye Zhen nodded.
She continued, "A few months ago, I dreamed of Lady Lou of the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion, who was suffocated to death by her mother-in-law in the delivery room."
After that, I dreamed of many things intermittently, all of which were about Madam Lou's life.
The dream was so real that I couldn't tell whether I was Cui Yihuan or Lou Tinglan.
Therefore, upon learning that the old lady intended to choose a wife for the young master, I wanted to take the opportunity to enter the mansion and, with the help of the young mistress, I got my wish.
During my time in the manor, I've increasingly put myself in Lou Tinglan's shoes, wanting to avenge her and stay by her son's side.
She still didn't dare tell Ye Zhen about her rebirth and continued to use the excuse of a dream.
But he was much more honest with Ye Zhen than he was with the Marquis of Zhongyong.
She laughed, "Young Madam, doesn't this sound absurd?"
Ye Zhen wanted to say that it wasn't absurd at all, but it was also her secret, so she asked, "Does Father know too?"
She had been curious why the Marquis of Zhongyong had kept Cui Yihuan, but after she was taken into his household, he had not actually taken her into his own room.
Cui Yihuan then told her what she had said to Marquis Zhongyong.
“People’s hearts are fickle. I don’t know how much true affection the Marquis still has for Madam Lou, so I lied to him. But I have no intention of harming him. Please keep this a secret for me, young mistress.”
Ye Zhen agreed.
He thought to himself that Marquis Zhongyong might know that Cui Yihuan was lying, which was why he kept her under his watchful eye.
"You summoned me here today because you want me to reveal the truth about Madam Lou's murder to my brother?"
"yes."
Ye Zhen asked, puzzled, "Why didn't you tell him yourself?"
Cui Yihuan smiled bitterly, "I feel apprehensive as I get closer to home. What I've experienced is too fantastical. Tingzhou has never spent a single day with his mother since birth."
When he suffered greatly, his mother failed to provide him with the protection he deserved.
Now I dare not hope that he will have any maternal affection for my mother; I only wish to watch from afar, hoping that he will live a peaceful and healthy life and that he will no longer show kindness to the old lady.
She is now inside Cui Yihuan's body, a nineteen-year-old girl, a few years younger than her Tingzhou.
It was really difficult for Tingzhou to acknowledge her.
She wasn't greedy; as long as her child was well and she could stay by his side, she was content.
Moreover, she is now a concubine of the Marquis of Zhongyong. If her father's concubine gets too close to her son, it will only cause trouble for Tingzhou.
Seeing that she had considered everything, Ye Zhen felt a mix of emotions. "Alright, I'll find an opportunity to tell my brother."
She couldn't tell Cui Yihuan that Xie Tingzhou had risked his life to enter the fire for another reason: to gain a reputation for filial piety for the real heir.
The two had a very good relationship, and he was always thinking about the real crown prince.
The Crown Prince was previously falsely accused of being unfilial, so he wanted to ensure that the Crown Prince's reputation for filial piety would last forever.
But he was unable to find a mother for the crown prince.
Ye Zhen then asked about some details of Madam Lou's murder.
Cui Yihuan felt much relieved after revealing the secret, and she sincerely thanked her, "Young Madam, thank you."
Ye Zhen, thinking of her true identity, smiled and said, "Just call me by my name in private."
Xie Tingzhou is not the real heir, but the soul inside Cui Yihuan's body is the original wife of the Marquis's family, an elder.
Cui Yihuan was also willing to get closer to Ye Zhen, "Okay, then from now on we'll address each other by our first names in private."
After her rebirth, she paid attention to the Marquis's mansion and naturally learned about Ye Zhen's changes.
She had suspicions about Ye Zhen, especially regarding his hatred for Liu Shi and the old lady, but she didn't ask him anything.
Ye Zhen liked her sense of boundaries. After spending time with her, he also knew that Cui Yihuan had no ill intentions towards him, and had not lost her conscience in the name of revenge.
They were kindred spirits, and Ye Zhen had a good impression of her.
Now, she felt even more heartache. She said casually, "Old Madam Wang cares a lot about the household. She must be worried when she learns that there is a plague in the Marquis's mansion."
"Once I'm able to leave, I'd like to visit her at the manor and explain the situation at home so she won't worry. I don't have many friends in the capital. Would you be willing to come with me?"
Lou Tinglan grew up with her aunt, and in her heart, Madam Wang was like a mother to her. After her rebirth, she had long wanted to see Madam Wang, but she had no opportunity.
Ye Zhen presented her with the opportunity, and she happily replied, "Okay, I'll go with you."
She understood Ye Zhen's good intentions, and at the same time became even more certain of her suspicions about Ye Zhen.
Only those who have both been reborn can, beyond common sense, guess each other's experiences.
However, the two tacitly understood each other. While they were talking, a servant came to report that Taozhi, the maidservant of Old Madam Wang, was outside the mansion gate.
As Ye Zhen said, after learning that the Marquis's mansion had smallpox, Madam Wang was worried and sent Tao Zhi over to inquire about the situation.
Ye Zhen personally went to the gate of the mansion and informed Tao Zhi of the situation, asking her to tell Old Madam Wang not to worry, as the young master was also doing well.
No sooner had he finished speaking than Xie Tingzhou arrived.
"Tell my great-aunt that I am fine and ask her to take good care of herself."
"These days, the people of the manor should not go out casually, nor should they easily let anyone into the manor. I will send some people to protect the manor."
Taozhi heard that they spoke with great vigor, so she returned to the village reassured.
After Ye Zhen returned to the house, Xie Tingzhou followed her, and Ye Zhen relayed Cui Yihuan's words to him.
Once he confirmed that she was his friend's mother reborn, Xie Tingzhou was no longer so distant from Cui Yihuan. He would nod and greet her when they met, and occasionally, when Ye Zhen brought her along on business at the mansion, he would say a few words to her.
Cui Yihuan felt incredibly happy.
Days passed in this way, and the smallpox vaccination situation in the household improved more and more.
But things are going very badly for Ye Wantang.
Her method was ineffective and even resulted in deaths. Fortunately, she was cautious and first tested it on a few beggars, so the matter did not spread. However, the emperor sent someone to inquire about the progress.
The imperial physician sent by the emperor was one of Ye Wantang's men. She was furious. "I clearly remember that was the method. How could it have failed?"
The imperial physician, surnamed Li, had been used by Ye Wantang because of something she had found incriminating. Seeing that Ye Wantang's efforts were ineffective, he became anxious and said, "I heard that things are going very well at the Marquis's residence. Why don't we find out how they did it?"
After Ye Zhen took over as steward, the Marquis's mansion could not even get any news from ordinary people, so how could they possibly know about such a confidential matter?
Moreover, there were imperial guards outside the mansion, and Xie Tingzhou was also inside.
unless……
Ye Wantang's eyes sparkled as she said to the imperial physician, "Go and apply to His Majesty to enter the Marquis's residence. His Majesty will surely agree. At that time, find a way to pass on the method to me..."
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