"There are also a few other maids. When they reach marriageable age, I will find them good families to marry into."
"From now on, any maid with wicked intentions will not be allowed to stay in the manor."
Yun Duoduo felt a warmth in her heart. "Did Qingdai like the family she was assigned to?"
"Don't worry, it's her cousin. The two have known each other since they were little."
"Qingdai also agreed."
"Okay, that's good."
As they talked, the two got dressed and went to the front hall for dinner.
Upon arriving at the front hall and sitting down at the round wooden table, Yun Duoduo noticed that all the dishes on the table were her favorites.
Sweet mung bean porridge, osmanthus, white fungus and lotus seed soup, crispy fried pork, pomegranate cake, stir-fried sweet potato root, fried rice with cured pork, etc.
"This was specially made for the Princess by Aunt Wu." After saying this, Qingdai quietly withdrew.
Wow, so many dishes! That's great!
Jin Jinzhi scooped a spoonful of soup and placed it in front of Yun Duoduo. "Seriously, Duoduo, let's have a baby!"
"I want a daughter, as beautiful as you!"
Jin Jinzhi gently pinched Yun Duoduo's nose. "I would also like a son. Besides, it is said that boys look like their mothers."
"Cough, cough."
Yun Duoduo almost spat out the fried rice with cured pork in her mouth; the fragrant, spicy, and oily meat suddenly lost its aroma.
"You know, we've done this so many times, shouldn't the princess be pregnant by now?"
She threw down her chopsticks and bowl, her eyes asking him what he meant.
"I still have a lot to do!" Jin Jinzhi shook his head gently, pondered for a while, and then looked down at Yun Duoduo.
What kind of insolent and lewd words are these?
"Your Highness, please don't be anxious. We are still young, and we have a long time ahead of us."
Yun Duoduo composed herself and spoke slowly.
"Well, if it's a girl, we'll name her Qingduo; if it's a boy, we'll name him Muyun."
"You've even thought of a name? Well, it's a pretty nice name."
Yun Duoduo savored the two names, two very gentle and warm names.
"I haven't decided to have a child with you yet. Childbirth is very painful!"
Yun Duoduo recalled the painful screams of the First Princess Consort Shangguan Qin'er during childbirth, which could be heard throughout the entire Prince Rui's mansion.
At that time, the maids carried basin after basin of bloody water, and it took quite a while before the child was born.
"Duoduo! I will stay by your side. Please hire the best midwife!"
Don't you want a child that belongs to us?
“I…” Yun Duoduo hesitated.
Of course she wanted children, but if she really wanted to give birth, she would avoid everyone and go to the upgraded medical system in the medicine box to give birth.
There, you can have a painless delivery.
"Oh, right, I made you a few summer clothes. Aunt Xiang should have put them in the bedroom. Try them on in a bit."
"good."
"I'd like to go to Shengze tomorrow or the day after," Yun Duoduo continued.
"Go to Shengze?" Jin Jinzhi was quite surprised.
Yun Duoduo nodded. "I heard that there have been several tragic deaths of young girls in Shengze. Also, when you went to Jiangning to quell the rebellion, I went to Wuta Temple and met the old woman who was looking for her daughter there."
After Honghua and Ping'er were whipped and left in a corner, she suspected that there might be a bigger conspiracy behind this.
"Then be careful on your journey. Let Military Advisor Cao go with you."
Jin Jinzhi didn't ask any further questions. She knew that Yun Duoduo had her own reasons for leaving the capital.
Jin Jinzhi placed a piece of pomegranate cake into Yun Duoduo's bowl. Pomegranates symbolize many children and many blessings.
"No need," Yun Duoduo shook her head.
“Cao Canjun is your capable assistant, don’t worry, I can do it myself. Aunt Xiang can come with me.”
"good."
...
The next morning, Yun Duoduo and A Xiang packed their things and prepared to set off for Shengze.
"Aunt Xiang, let's go to Huichuntang."
She always felt that Honghua and Ping'er seemed to be connected to this matter. If Honghua knew something, they could also get some information in advance.
When they arrived at Huichuntang, Ping'er's mother was wiping Ping'er's sweat in the inner room. When she heard the noise and saw Yun Duoduo come in, she knelt down on the ground with a thud.
"Thank you so much for saving my life!"
"If it weren't for the help of a benefactor, this old woman would never have seen a girl in her life..."
As she spoke, the woman began to sob, crying very sadly.
The apprentices at Huichuntang felt a pang of sorrow upon witnessing this scene.
"Get up quickly, Xiaoying, help Ping'er's mother to rest." Yun Duoduo was worried that Ping'er hadn't recovered yet, and her mother had also fallen ill.
Xiaoying quickly stepped forward, helped Ping'er's mother up, and let her sit on a stool to rest.
Seeing Honghua standing there blankly watching, Yun Duoduo took Honghua's hand, and the two of them walked through the clinic to the backyard.
Yun Duoduo looked around to make sure no one else was there, then squeezed Honghua's hand and whispered, "Honghua, would you be willing to tell me what happened before?"
"Nowadays, more and more girls are being tortured to death. Look at Ping'er, she was beaten until she was barely alive."
"Also, I've heard that there are similar murder cases in Shengze and Yangzhou, but the killer has never been found."
Honghua remained silent for a long time, her expression shifting from fear to anger, and finally settling into calm.
Seeing that Honghua didn't seem inclined to speak, Yun Duoduo sighed inwardly.
“If the past makes you sad, it’s okay if you don’t talk about it. I plan to go to Shengze with Aunt Xiang tomorrow to find out the truth about this matter.”
Yun Duoduo patted Honghua on the shoulder and was about to turn and leave when Honghua bit her lip and spoke.
"I, I'll talk..."
"Because this matter is too distant and complicated, I don't know where to begin."
"When I was six years old, my younger brother was born, and my family was so poor that we didn't even have enough rice to make ends meet, so my father sold me to Yangzhou."
Yun Duoduo was puzzled. Compared to the capital, Yangzhou was not wealthy, so why would it be sold in Yangzhou?
However, she did not interrupt Honghua's narration.
“Yangzhou was a gathering place for salt merchants from Huainan and Huaibei, and there were many wealthy merchants. I was sold to Mama Liu, who specialized in dealing with wealthy merchants and high-ranking officials.”
"When I arrived in Yangzhou, I discovered that, besides myself, there were many other women being imprisoned in Madam Liu's courtyard."
"We were forced to learn dance, musical instruments, and seductive tricks to seduce men and skills to please them."
"In order to maintain our slim and thin figures, we never have enough to eat."
People like us are called "Yangzhou Slim Horses".
“In those dark days, I watched helplessly as my sisters were sold by my mother to wealthy merchants as playthings, or sold to brothels.”
"A few days later, I heard the news of one of the older sisters' deaths. These wealthy businessmen treated us like livestock, trampling and abusing us at will."
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