"My husband actually wants to bring that woman's child to my side to raise; this is clearly a knife to my heart."
At first I thought, let it be, what husband doesn't have a concubine.
But one day, I suddenly discovered that he was keeping a mistress.
The man who dared to jump into the moat to save me, the man who wholeheartedly promised to grow old with me, actually kept a mistress behind my back.
I secretly followed him to the outer room and watched the three of them enjoying a happy time together.
I watched as the child called his father and the woman his mother, while I stood there like an outsider, until my husband noticed me. I thought he would explain and apologize!
He just told me to stop making trouble.
I didn't say a word... and all I got was a "Stop fooling around."
Madam Ren chuckled softly, "My husband brought his mistress into the mansion that very day and arranged for her to live in the west courtyard... becoming a concubine of the Ren family."
She took a deep breath and looked up to see two people staring straight at her.
Madam Ren gave an awkward smile. "I'm sorry... I've made you all laugh. I've kept these words to myself for years, and I don't know why I suddenly said them today. Perhaps it's because my husband went to the outer courtyard again last night."
Jin Shanyao lowered her eyes in deep thought. Could this be what they meant by repaying a life-saving debt with one's body, as described in storybooks? What if the dog had saved her, or he had saved the dog?
Uh... Jin Shanyao grinned, "Animal brains are indeed different from plant brains."
Jin Shanyao quickly told Meng Anzhi to get a pot of hot water, lest she be misled by such remarks.
After Meng Anzhi left, Jin Shanyao, adhering to her principle of solving problems for customers, leaned close to Madam Ren and whispered, " Limp Talisman Paper is five hundred taels, Instant Hardness Talisman Paper is six hundred taels."
Don't be fooled by the mere difference of one hundred taels; the last one strikes right at the soul... What's most important to you? A man's dignity. Trust me, choose the six-hundred-tael one."
It took Madam Ren a while to realize what she had said. Her face flushed red, and she stammered, "No, no... I still cherish the feelings between us. I think if I get pregnant, he will definitely come back to me."
Jin Shanyao stared at her blankly, trying to understand the meaning behind her words, "You mean... it's not his problem that he's seeing other women, it's your problem?"
Madam Ren nodded.
The Jin Shanyao its head and exploded.
She covered her head, waving her right hand, "No, no..."
Madam Ren asked suspiciously, "Something's not right?"
Jin Shanyao her head to clear her mind. "Do you want a child, or a husband?"
"I want to have my husband's child?"
Hiss... Jin Shanyao a deep breath.
She stared blankly at Madam Ren, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly said, "Put your wrist up here, let me take another look."
Madam Ren placed her hand on the pulse pillow.
As her pulse beat, Jin Shanyao with absolute certainty... Madam Ren was in good health.
That means there's something wrong with their brain.
She withdrew her hand and said seriously, "You haven't bumped your head before, have you?"
Madam Ren was taken aback. "What do you mean? Is a ghost going to knock on my head?"
Jin Shanyao explained very patiently, "It's not a question of ghosts anymore. It's a question of mind."
"Is there something wrong with my brain?" Madam Ren instinctively straightened her body. She couldn't be mentally unstable; she still had to bear children for her husband.
Jin Shanyao her head reassuringly, "Don't panic, let me analyze this for you. First of all, there's nothing wrong with your health, and there's nothing wrong with your husband's health either. Besides, he's had a child with another woman."
Madam Ren nodded.
"Do you want to have your husband's child?"
Madam Ren nodded again.
Their eyes met, Jin Shanyao looked at her encouragingly, hoping she would realize that there was something wrong with her mind. After a long while, there was no reaction from the other party.
Got it, it's all about avoiding the problem and seeking medical help!
Jin Shanyao up on treating her brain and switched to treating infertility.
She slammed her hand on the table, confidently declaring, "Five hundred Limp Talisman Paper, five hundred taels for exorcising a ghost. One thousand taels will suffice."
Madam Ren was puzzled, "What would I do with Limp Talisman Paper?"
Jin Shanyao her head with an expression that said, "You wouldn't understand." She continued, "Since it's childbirth, his strength will naturally be used on you. Stick the Limp Talisman Paper on him."
"If you want to have a child with him, take it off; if not, hang it back up... Then I'll find the little devil for you, and getting pregnant will be just a matter of time."
Madam Ren was terrified and hurriedly waved her hands, "No, no... He injured his body when he saved me when he was young, what if he gets sick from holding it in?"
Jin Shanyao looked at her silently for a long while, then suddenly spoke, "I have a question for you."
Madam Ren looked up.
"Your husband is having affairs. Do you think it's his problem or yours?"
Madam Ren was stunned for a moment, "Yes... it's because I didn't give him a son..."
Jin Shanyao silent again, staring at Madam Ren for a long time, and concluded in her heart... she must have injured her brain when she fell into the water as a child, and she couldn't deny it.
When Madam Ren noticed that she was being stared at, a chill ran down her spine. She glanced around and lowered her voice, "Shopkeeper, is there something unclean behind me?"
"The ghost isn't on you, it's in your house. Five hundred taels to catch the ghost."
Five hundred taels represented most of Madam Ren, but thinking of her husband... she gritted her teeth and said, "Alright... what do you think I need to do?"
At this moment, Meng Anzhi walked in from the backyard. Jin Shanyao took the teapot from her hand, poured a cup of water for Madam Ren, and handed it to her, saying, "You don't need to do anything, just take me for a tour of your residence."
Madam Ren was filled with anxiety.
Five hundred taels of silver was no small sum, but what she cared about wasn't the money. It was her fear... her fear that the other party was a swindler, and that if this matter got out, it would tarnish her husband's official reputation.
She knew better than anyone how sharp the gossips in the capital could be. If people found out that the wife of the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices had been deceived in her quest for a child, how could her husband ever hold his head high in court again?
She gripped her handkerchief tightly, her palms already soaked with cold sweat.
But then I thought... what if? What if this method actually works?
She closed her eyes, and suddenly the scene of their marriage in their youth flashed into her mind. At that time, he had a gentle look in his eyes and smiled as he told her that he wanted to have a son and a daughter with her, a boy who would look like him and a girl who would look like her.
When I opened my eyes again, they were already red.
Even if it's just for him, even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, she's willing to try.
"Okay... when are you leaving?"
"Let's do it now. My child is taking the imperial examination in February... I need to make time for him." Jin Shanyao turned to Meng Anzhi and said, "Go get the cloak, we're going out for a bit."
Meng Anzhi turned and went to the backyard. Madam Ren seized the opportunity to ask, "Does your family have a scholar who passed the imperial examination?"
Jin Shanyao and gave a soft "hmm".
Upon receiving a response, Madam Ren felt a great weight lifted from her heart. Now that there was a scholar among them, she had nothing to fear... The title of scholar was worth more than five hundred taels of silver.
Meng Anzhi came out with two mink cloaks. She handed one of them to Jin Shanyao. When the two of them finished dressing and walked out of the shop, an oxcart was already parked next to the Ren family's carriage.
Seeing Qing He standing by the oxcart, Madam Ren guessed what was going on and said with a smile, " Shopkeeper Jin can ride in my cart."
"I appreciate your kindness, Madam, but I'm used to riding in an oxcart..." Jin Shanyao said as she and Meng Anzhi got into the oxcart. Seeing this, Madam Ren didn't say anything more and turned to get into her own carriage.
The oxcart followed the horse-drawn carriage and soon arrived at the Ren residence.
A layer of black fog shrouded the Ren residence. Jin Shanyao followed behind Madam Ren. The fog grew thicker the further they went in, until they stopped in front of a courtyard gate.
The black mist was billowing out through the doors and windows, and outsiders could not see anything unusual.