Thoughts

"Madam, the Old Madam still dotes on her Niece. As soon as she heard she was ill, she instructed the Kitchen staff to prepare medicine for her, and it was Nanny Yan's daughter-in-law who personally oversaw the process."

"She's sick?"

Lin Yunwan found it strange; last time in the Side Courtyard, Ge Bao'er had used illness as a pretext to attract attention.

Hopefully, they won't resort to the same tactics again this time.

Zhu Qing nodded and said, "I went to see him; his face was as white as a dead person."

Lin Yunwan said, "Then it seems you are truly ill."

She also told Zhu Qing, "Since the Old Madam has already instructed someone to prepare medicine for her, we don't need to worry about it."

Zhu Qing couldn't be bothered with Ge Bao'er.

She said, "To be frank, if I were in charge, I would definitely force-feed her a bowl of Safflower!"

Lin Yunwan frowned. "Safflower?"

Zhu Qing said, "Madam, you don't know about this kind of dirty stuff. When I was on the estate, some women who were pregnant with unwanted children would be given a bowl of Safflower to drink."

"I don't know what kind of medicine it is, but if you drink it, you're guaranteed to miscarry."

"Babies as young as seven or eight months can be delivered."

Ping Ye got goosebumps and was a little scared. "Concubine, please stop talking!"

Zhu Qing felt she might have said something wrong. She glanced at Lin Yunwan, then stood up and said, "I'll head back now. I don't know if it's the cold, but I feel sleepy."

Lin Yunwan said, "If you feel unwell, take my invitation and ask a Physician to come to your residence to take a look."

Zhu Qing said, "No need, I know my own body." She was just living too comfortably and getting lazy.

Lin Yunwan nodded.

As soon as Zhu Qing left, Ping Ye shivered and said with lingering fear, "How could there be such a thing as Safflower? It's really scary."

Lin Yunwan wondered, was it only the manor that possessed such a thing, or did the Lu family also have it?

She murmured, "I never heard of any of these things when I was with the Lin Family."

Even in her past life, she never used any abortifacient drugs on her Concubine.

Ping Ye, ever outspoken, said, "That's because our Lin Family doesn't own a estate!"

Tao Ye thought deeply and said, "Although the estate belongs to the master, unless there are special circumstances throughout the year, the manor only inquires about matters concerning the estate the Zi hour collecting rent. If the Estate Steward is negligent, it wouldn't be surprising if some dirty deeds happen."

"With the men of the clan managing the estate, and now that the Heir Apparent has returned, Madam, you don't need to worry too much."

Lin Yunwan said, "I'm not worried."

She just had a feeling she couldn't quite put her finger on.

However, she didn't want to say any more. Remembering that there was still a vegetarian taro stew and a meat-based braised Pork Trotter Suanhuo simmering in the Kitchen, she said, "When the young master arrives, have the Kitchen send them over while they're still hot."

Tao Ye personally went to the Kitchen to oversee the process.

When Lu Chang'gong and Qing arrived, two steaming bowls of soup were already on the table.

Lin Yunwan smiled and said, "Meat or vegetarian, choose whichever you like."

Qing immediately picked out Pork Trotter Suanhuo, even picking up a spoon, but then suddenly remembered that this wasn't Hall of Longevity, so he quickly went back and said, "Elder Brother, you pick first."

Lu Chang'gong smiled faintly and picked out a bowl of vegetarian food.

Qing happily ate a bowl of meat.

When the two left Lin Yunwan's place, the servants witnessed a scene of brotherly affection and respect.

After that, the two of them came together every day to pay their respects to Lin Yunwan.

One day, Lin Yunwan took the two of them together to Hall of Longevity to pay their respects to the Old Madam.

As I passed by the Rain Apricot Pavilion, Ge Bao'er was standing at the entrance.

Zhu Qing also came out from inside to pay her respects. "Madam."

A smile inexplicably appeared on her face.

Lin Yunwan could tell at a glance that Zhu Qing must have timed it perfectly and deliberately brought Ge Bao'er out.

Of course, she would cooperate with Zhu Qing.

Lin Yunwan stood at the entrance of the Rain Apricot Pavilion and spoke warmly to Zhu Qing: "Didn't you say you weren't feeling well yesterday? Why are you up so early today?"

Zhu Qing walked over and said, "I wasn't feeling well last night, but I felt better this morning. I was just thinking about whether to go and pay my respects to you when I heard you coming over."

Lu Chang'gong and Qing were also very polite to her, bowing their heads and calling out, "Concubine."

Zhu Qing smiled and said, "Eldest Young Master, Second Young Master."

She looked them over carefully and said with delight, "It's been a while since I've seen you two, and you two young masters look more and more alike!" She then looked at Lin Yunwan and said, "You also resemble Madam. As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together, and you two young masters have certainly chosen the right family!"

Lu Chang'gong looked very proud upon hearing this.

To be like his mother was something he longed for.

At first, Qing was a little hesitant, but in the end, he couldn't help but laugh. He looked at Lu Chang'gong, then at Lin Yunwan, and was very happy.

Lin Yunwan chatted and laughed with the two of them.

"Alright, you two, hurry up and come with me to see the Old Madam. It'll be troublesome if it starts raining soon."

Lin Yunwan held one child's shoulder with one hand, and two others surrounded her, accompanying her to the Hall of Longevity.

Ge Bao'er leaned against the door, staring intently at their retreating figures.

From beginning to end, Qing didn't even glance at her.

Only when they were about to leave did he hurriedly turn back to look at her, as if afraid of being discovered, and quickly followed beside Lin Yunwan.

Is that still her son?

He's almost as old as Lin Yunwan's son!

Qing was born after she carried him for ten months!

"Hey, little sister, why are you crying?"

Zhu Qing, being a Concubine, didn't often go to pay her respects to the Old Madam. When she turned around, she saw Ge Bao'er with tears streaming down her face.

Ge Bao'er didn't say anything to Zhu Qing, and went back to her room in a sullen voice, closing the door tightly and not even letting Wu'er in.

Zhu Qing sat by the window, looking at Ge Bao'er's room.

"That's strange, why is she looking at the madam and the two young masters like that?"

She still couldn't understand it.

Hall of Longevity.

Lin Yunwan and her two sons paid their respects and left quickly.

It was Old Madam Lu who sent them away, saying, "Don't let the rain interfere with their studies." So she didn't let them stay there.

When Nanny Yan saw them off, it started to rain as she returned.

She hurried back, wiped the raindrops from her forehead, and said with a smile, "Old Madam, can you finally rest easy now? Look, in less than a month, the young master has completely changed. Madam has done a wonderful job training him. And Young Master Qing is now very close to Madam."

"Yun Wan really knows how to raise children."

Old Madam Lu leisurely fiddled with her Buddhist prayer beads, pondering for a long time before sighing, "Only Yun Wan is fit to be the mistress of this household."

"Isn't that right?"

Nanny Yan said with a smile, "Old Master had great foresight back then, finding such a matriarch for the Lu family."

Old Madam Lu was still somewhat worried, so she asked, "How is she now? Is Qing distancing himself from her? Has she caused any trouble?"

"He hasn't caused any trouble, he takes his medicine every day, and he's been very well-behaved."

Nanny Yan added in a low voice, "It's all because Concubine Ge's health is so poor. Normally, she could take this medicine for a year or two without any problems, but when she gets sick, the medicine takes effect very badly. This old servant dares not give her too much, and only lets her take it once every few days."

"Don't worry, it will gradually disappear over a year or two, and the Physician won't be able to detect it."

Old Madam Lu's face was cold. "It was her fate to die of illness."

Thinking about what would happen after Ge Bao'er's death, she was very happy. "Qing grew up with his stepmother, so he'll forget about her in a few years. When Qing grows up and becomes successful, he'll be just like Yun Wan's own son."

Everything fell into place naturally.

She longed to see that day come even with her eyes closed.

Nanny Yan smiled too.

But she still voiced her final concern. "Now that we've abandoned Concubine Ge, but we can't let her die immediately, aren't you afraid she'll go mad and reveal Young Master Qing's identity to Madam?"

Old Madam Lu frowned and said, "Qing stubbornly refuses to admit it, and everyone just thinks she's gone mad."

Unless Qing himself is willing to acknowledge his biological mother's identity.

But they could all see that Qing had no intention of acknowledging his mother.

Old Madam Lu sneered, her eyes flashing with malice. "If she really dares to have such a thought, I'd be more than happy. If she dares to ruin Qing, Zhengliu's last shred of affection for her will be gone."

"From now on, this Matron really doesn't need to worry about them anymore."