Cough, cough, cough, suppressed and dull coughing sounds rang out in the house.
Madam Qin sat at the head of the bed, holding a medicine bowl, frowning and asking worriedly, "Why did you start coughing out of nowhere?"
"Cough, cough, it's because my son wanted to stay cool last night and didn't ask the servants to remove the ice in time. I didn't expect that he would start coughing this morning! Cough, cough, it's because my son is not in good health and has caused his mother to worry!" After saying this, Qin Ming couldn't help but reveal a bitter smile.
Born prematurely, he was weak and often suffered from asthma attacks during the change of seasons. Therefore, even living in such a cold and harsh place could cost him his life, let alone following his father to lead troops in battle.
Thanks to his mother's careful care over the past decade, the supply of warming and nourishing medicinal herbs to him has never been interrupted.
He sometimes thought that if he had been born into a commoner family, he might have died long ago!
Seeing her son's dejected expression, Mrs. Qin felt very sad. No one could empathize with her son's pain more than her mother. "Just take care of him and don't let your imagination run wild!"
The mother and son were talking when the old butler outside the door came over with a message, "Madam, the Second Prince's wife has sent a letter requesting an audience!"
Mrs. Qin frowned slightly. She had always lived in seclusion and did not like to make friends with the powerful. She wondered why this man came uninvited. Mrs. Qin was just about to ask the old housekeeper to politely refuse.
The old butler continued, "The Second Prince's wife also brought a hundred-year-old ginseng, saying it's very good for warming and strengthening the body."
If someone shows you kindness without any reason, he is either a traitor or a thief.
Qin Ming also heard that the Second Prince's wife came prepared. Leaning against the headboard, he shook his head at his mother and said, "Mother doesn't like these things. Let's just push it off!"
Madam Qin finally changed her mind and instructed the old butler, "Go and invite the Second Prince's wife to the reception room first. I'll be right back!"
Although the Qin Mansion was not short of ginseng, century-old ginseng was hard to come by, and its medicinal effects were naturally unmatched by other wild ginseng.
After receiving the order, the old butler immediately went to do it!
"Mother, you don't have to do this for me..."
"Don't think too much. The Second Prince's wife wouldn't come to my house for no reason. I'll go take a look first and come back to see you later. You should have a good rest!"
The Second Prince's wife sat down in the reception room. After the maids served snacks and tea, they filed out. The Second Prince's wife took a quick look around the reception room with its simple and elegant furnishings. Suddenly, a beautiful woman with a plump figure walked in.
The woman had picturesque eyebrows, bright eyes and white teeth. Her black hair was simply tied up with a jade hairpin. She wore a dark green silk long skirt, and the hem of the skirt swayed slightly with her steps, like a lotus leaf blown by the wind, making people unable to take their eyes away for a moment.
Compared with Madam Qin's beautiful face, the Second Prince's wife can only be described as a pretty girl from a small family.
When Madam Qin reached the reception room, she was about to bow to the Second Prince's wife. The Second Prince's wife tactfully stepped forward and helped Madam Qin up. "Madam, there's no need to be so polite. I'm sorry to bother you with this sudden visit!"
The two sat opposite each other, drinking tea and chatting.
The other party did not speak, and Madam Qin did not ask the other party, so she just chatted with the Second Prince's wife.
In addition, Madam Qin had a cold and distant air that kept people at a distance, which prevented the Second Prince's wife from asking about the real business.
The tea was almost finished, but I still hadn't found out what I wanted to know.
The Second Prince's Consort didn't care about that anymore. She took a sip of tea and asked casually, "I heard that last year the eldest son of the palace was engaged to the daughter of Mr. Han, the editor of the Hanlin Academy. I wonder if the youngest son is engaged?"
Madam Qin paused for a moment and said calmly, "Yue'er is now in the main camp. His father wrote to me a while ago saying that he had found someone for him. As for whether he has decided on anyone or not, I still don't know!"
The Second Prince's wife was momentarily distracted, but quickly recovered. He pretended to be unintentionally testing her, "The young master is a very handsome man. I was thinking of introducing my niece to him. It seems that our girl doesn't have such a blessing!"
What kind of reputation does Qin Yue have in the capital? How could she, as his stepmother, not know?
He spent the whole day hanging out with those playboys, drinking and listening to music. When the ladies of the capital wanted to choose their husbands, they would exclude him first.
If she remembered correctly, the Second Prince's wife's father was a third-rank official in the capital. He wanted to choose a good husband for his granddaughter, and there were many candidates.
Madam Qin knew that the Second Prince's wife was testing her with this matter, so she just smiled faintly and did not respond.
The Second Prince's Concubine tried a few more times, but received bland answers. Well, since she wouldn't get anything out of him if she continued asking, she stood up and said goodbye.
Madam Qin sent the person out the door and walked back to the mansion with a heavy heart.
Madam Qin wondered in her heart whether the Second Prince was planning to marry into their family?
Although she was indifferent to Qin Yue and could not treat him as her own son, this matter concerned the Qin family, so when the Second Prince's wife tested her, she also covered it up.
I just don't know if what I said just now can dissuade those people from wanting to marry into the Qin family.
"Ahem, ahem, mother, is the Second Prince's wife here planning to take advantage of my second brother?"
Mrs. Qin came back to her senses from her thoughts. She quickly walked to her son's side and frowned, "Why did you come out? Didn't I tell you to have a good rest?"
"Mom, you haven't answered my question yet!" Qin Ming asked stubbornly.
Mrs. Qin sighed, stepped forward and grasped her son's thin arm. "Go back to the house first. I'll tell you more when you get back!"
Mrs. Qin helped her son sit down on the bed. Just as she was about to leave, Qin Ming grabbed her sleeve and said, "Mother, some things aren't Erlang's fault. Don't hold a grudge against him. That winter, we both fell into the pond. It was actually me who slipped first. I was so panicked at the time, just trying to steady myself, that I dragged him into the freezing water with me!"
"When we were rescued to shore, I vaguely remember him standing in the cold wind, shivering in his wet clothes, while I was escorted back to the inner room by the maids and servants. I don't know what my mother said to Erlang, I only know that Erlang never came to play with me again after that."
Mrs. Qin recalled the situation at that time. When she heard that her frail son fell into the water, her first thought was to ask Qin Yue to stay away from her son in the future.
There was no comfort, no care, only serious reprimands and punishments.
Mrs. Qin's mouth twitched a few times, but she ultimately did not answer her son.
Qin Ming didn't want his mother's answer, so he continued, "I know you're doing this for my own good. I also know you feel bad when you see Erlang, so I've gradually distanced myself from him. But, mother, Erlang hasn't done anything wrong. He's not even... he's not even your child. Can you let go of your previous prejudice?"
Mrs. Qin looked at her son in shock. It turned out that her son had already known about this!
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