Discovery

"Madam, her illness is progressing very slowly. Since she became Concubine, she hasn't been able to serve the Heir Apparent at all. I don't think she'll have the chance to serve Heir Apparent in the future."

Whenever Zhu Qing had the chance, she would come over and talk about Ge Bao'er, always with a gloating tone.

She took a sip of tea and smiled, "The Biluochun tea here is still the best, Madam."

The tea from the Wuding Marquis Residence was certainly of high quality, but Lin Yunwan had become picky, following her father's example; the tea she drank was always the newest tea of the year.

Seeing that Zhu Qing liked it, Lin Yunwan said, "I also have some Tianmu Qingding here, would you like to try some?"

"Want!"

Everything the lady has is good, and she accepts it all without hesitation.

Lin Yunwan asked Ping Ye to brew some tea and bring it over.

Zhu Qing drank it and was pleasantly surprised. "It's Tianmu tea before the rain!"

Lin Yunwan smiled, "You really do have a silver tongue."

Zhu Qing took a small sip and said, "It's because Madam stored the tea so well; I can still smell the fresh fragrance before the rain."

After exchanging a few words, the Stewardess approached, and Zhu Qing discreetly withdrew.

Lin Yunwan was quite casual with the housekeeper and quickly dismissed them. While taking a nap, she asked Ping Ye, "I haven't heard you mention Xiliu for a while. How is she doing?"

Ge Bao'er is ill and disliked in the mansion. Now that her status is lowly, Xiliu is probably not doing well either.

Ping Ye thought for a while and said, "It seems like nothing much has happened. I heard she doesn't cry as often anymore, but she's not as comfortable as she was back in Hall of Longevity. After all, Concubine Ge was such a mistress; she's nowhere near as easy to serve as the Madam."

Lin Yunwan said, "Keep watching her."

It would be understandable if Xiliu were someone else's maid, but it's rather strange that she, who served Ge Bao'er, committed suicide by jumping into a well.

After receiving instructions, Ping Ye helped Lin Yunwan rest, and then went to find Xiliu herself.

However, Xiliu is not in the Rain Apricot Pavilion at the moment.

Tong Liu and Ping Ye said, "Sister, why don't you ask Wu'er? Concubine Ge went out for a walk, and now that the wind has picked up, it seems Wu'er went to deliver a cloak to Concubine."

"Sister Ping Ye, what do you need her for? I'll pass on your message in a bit."

Ping Ye didn't say anything about what was going on. When she left, she just said to Tong Liu, "I think her name sounds better as Xiliu."

Tong Liu sighed, "I also like to call her Xiliu, but Concubine Ge changed her name. Even if we call her Xiliu now, she won't dare to respond. In this Courtyard, everyone still calls her Wu'er."

Ping Ye shook her head, disliking that Concubine Ge's humble origins and the way she named her maid!

The wind was strong in late autumn, Xiliu took her cloak and went to the Garden to find her master.

Suddenly, I heard voices coming from inside the artificial hill, but it wasn't a woman's voice!

Who's there?

She called out, but a gust of wind blew through the Garden and carried away her voice; no one answered.

She had just walked over when she overheard Concubine Ge talking. Who was Concubine talking to?

Ge Bao'er held Qing, her eyes swollen from crying.

"Are you silly? How could I blame you? I know you had no choice."

Qing felt extremely guilty. "Mother, are you really not angry that I ignored you?"

Ge Bao'er wiped away her tears and said with a smile, "Have you forgotten what your mother told you before? As long as you're successful, I'll do anything for you."

Qing burst into tears.

His mother is still so good to him, but how does he treat his mother?

"Mother, when I grow up and become successful, I will definitely Filial Piety of you. I will ask Father and Old Madam to treat you better, to give you nice clothes to wear and a nice Courtyard to live in."

With Lin Yunwan around, she would never have met with that day!

Ge Bao'er smiled with satisfaction and said to Qing, "My good son, Mother has been waiting for this day!"

"Qing'er, you can treat your mother however you want, but you still need to come and visit your mother here at the rockery whenever you have time. Your mother really misses you, Qing'er."

Anyway, it's just a secret meeting, so neither the madam nor the Old Madam will know.

The legal wife won't blame her, and the mother won't be sad; this is for the best.

Qing grinned and agreed, "Mother, I'll come over often from now on, and you need to get better soon too."

The mother and son dared not continue speaking. Ge Bao'er whispered, "Go back quickly. You go first, and I'll leave later, so no one sees us."

Qing nodded, reluctantly saying, "Mother, I'll be going now."

"Good child, go now. Study hard and listen to Mr. Zhang."

"Mother, I know."

As soon as Qing turned his head, a flustered face appeared on the artificial hill. Wu'er had been listening to the mother and son talk for a long time on the hill.

"Mother! Someone's eavesdropping!"

He shouted nervously.

Ge Bao'er rushed out, shielding her son behind her. Seeing it was Wu'er, she calmly turned to Qing and said, "It's alright, it's alright, it's my girl. You go first, I'll go talk to her."

Let Qing leave via another route.

Qing dared not leave, hiding behind a rock to watch his mother and maid talk.

Wu'er was terrified and took several steps back until there was nowhere left to retreat, her legs stiffening as she leaned against the artificial hill.

"Aunt, Concubine..."

How could that be!

Why would Young Master Qing call Concubine Ge "Mother"? She listened several times and couldn't believe her ears; Young Master Qing was indeed calling her "Mother."

Ge Bao'er came over and took Wu'er's hand, saying, "You heard everything?"

Wu'er, pale-faced, nodded.

Ge Bao'er said, "Wu'er, my dear sister, please don't tell anyone. If you do, I'll be dead. My life is in your hands. You must save me and Qing."

"When Qing grows up, he will repay you."

Wu'er wanted to shake her head.

She didn't want Young Master Qing's reward! She wished she hadn't heard it at all.

Wu'er cried. Why did she have to hear such a thing?

What should I do?

Ge Bao'er gently wiped away her tears. "Good sister, don't cry. Just pretend you didn't see anything, okay?"

Wu'er lowered her head, unable to refuse.

After comforting Wu'er, Ge Bao'er saw that her son was still there and went over to him, whispering, "Don't be afraid, she's my maid. I've already talked to her, she won't tell anyone."

Qing said softly, "Then I'm leaving." His voice was much softer than before, and his mother didn't dare to call out again.

"Let's go!"

After watching her son leave, Ge Bao'er said to Wu'er, "Weren't you here to bring me a cloak? Aren't you going to help me?"

Wu'er moved around in a silly way and put the cloak on her.

On the way back, Ge Bao'er held Wu'er's hand the whole time.

Wu'er couldn't help but ask, "Concubine, aren't you only twenty years old? How could you... be Young Master Qing's..."

Ge Bao'er said, "Being a few years older or younger isn't a difficult thing for the Lu family."

Wu'er lowered her head, feeling overwhelmed.

This was the first time she had ever heard of such a thing in her life.

Tong Liu noticed that Wu'er had been absent-minded lately, so she tried to chat with Wu'er: "What's wrong?"

Wu'er said, "No, nothing's wrong."

Tong Liu sighed and said, "Could it be that Concubine Ge's illness has affected you?"

Wu'er said no.

Tong Liu then told her, "Ping Ye, the lady's attendant, has come looking for you."

Upon hearing the word "Madam," Wu'er trembled in fright, her face turning pale as she asked, "What... what do you want with me?"

"How would I know? But Sister Ping Ye said it wasn't anything important."

"Oh."

Wu'er left with her head down, not daring to say anything more to Tong Liu.

While Concubine Ge was sleeping, she went out for a walk to clear her head, sighing all the way.

What should I do? This is such a big thing. Should I tell my wife?

If Young Master Qing were a son of Concubine-born Son, it wouldn't be so bad, but he's a son of a mistress! For Madam to have to support him is truly unfair to her.

But if she were to say it, Concubine Ge would most likely not survive.

"Well."

Wu'er was heartbroken.

Qing was even more worried than she was.

Mr. Zhang tapped the table with a ruler. "What's gotten into you? You're daydreaming!"

Qing stood up and replied, "Sir, I have a bit of a headache."

Zhang Feng'an felt that the class hours had been a bit too long lately, so he said, "I'll give you half a day off."

Thank you, sir.

Qing returned to his room, wanting to find his mother. Would the maidservant reveal what had happened?

He was so scared that he couldn't sleep well.

If his mother and brother knew his true identity, would they still treat him well?

He wanted them all to be good to him, and always to be good to him.