Another Scheme

Chunqing was taken aback, waving her hands repeatedly, refusing to accept the money from Matron Li: "This won't do. How can we use your money?" "Take it." Matron Li shoved the money into her hand, "Your mother takes medicine all year round, and the family's savings are gone. Yesterday, the madam got that medicine for you, right? She can get one dose, but can she get ten? I don't have much money, but it'll be enough to buy some ginseng and a few doses of medicine."

"Granny..." Chunqing's tears flowed instantly. Clutching the silver, she choked out, "Thank you. You've always taken such good care of me. Even now, while I'm still sick, you're already thinking of my mother. Our whole family is grateful to you. Don't worry, once my mother recovers, we'll definitely save up to pay you back."

The Second Madam usually had a bad temper, and she and her maid Chunfen often got scolded and punished. It was usually Matron Li who mediated and pleaded for them, so they were very grateful to Matron Li. But Chunqing had no gratitude towards the Second Madam.

Just as Matron Li opened her mouth to speak, a crisp sound came from the main room, followed by Lady Wei's angry rebuke.

Both Matron Li Chunjing trembled simultaneously.

It seems the second wife is angry again.

It was common for Lady Wei to lose her temper, Matron Li initially didn't want to get involved. But after thinking for a moment, she said to Chunjing, "Go and see what's wrong."

In matters like this, Chunjing would try to stay as far away as possible, not wanting to be implicated or blamed. But Matron Li had given the order, she couldn't very well refuse.

After she went out for a short while and came back into the room, she told Matron Li, "It's said that Concubine Wang is pregnant, and I heard she's already two months along. Madam smashed her most beloved vase and is now at Concubine Wang's courtyard."

Matron Li's heart skipped a beat, and her gaze involuntarily drifted towards the direction of the main house. However, she quickly looked away, glanced at Chunjing, and saw that she was lost in thought and hadn't noticed her actions. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief and lower her eyes to think about her own thoughts.

She always felt that Li Mu's family hadn't escaped the Marquis's mansion, but had been kept in the care of the First Madam. Otherwise, it was impossible for her ten-year-old grandson to have disappeared along with them.

It wasn't just her who guessed this; the second wife probably thought so too.

Unfortunately, the second wife later interrogated Wu Da and Granny Qian. One of them had been on guard duty for the first half of the night, and the other for the second half. Li Mu's family had probably escaped during the second half of the night. Wu Da was the one guarding the woodshed at the time, and she had fallen asleep. Now, the responsibility fell entirely on Wu Da.

Not long ago, the Wu Da had married their daughter to a servant in the Third Master's study. The Second Madam made a scene at the First and Third Madams, and the First Madam punished the Wu Da's servant and Granny Qian, and the matter was dropped.

The second wife couldn't obtain any evidence or find the person. Although she had her suspicions, she was helpless.

But after Matron Li fell ill that night, and someone approached her and delivered that message, her suspicions about the whereabouts of her children and grandchildren became even more certain.

After all, it was the First Madam who imprisoned Li Mu, and she was also the one who arranged the night watch. If she really wanted to tamper with things, even Wu Da and Granny Qian wouldn't find out—and even if they did, they wouldn't dare to say anything. After all, the First Madam was still in charge of this Marquis's mansion.

Now that the news of Concubine Wang's pregnancy has surfaced, Matron Li instinctively feels that it was the First Madam's doing.

The relationship between the second wife and the second master was strained. The second master rarely returned to the main courtyard to rest, instead staying either in the study in the front courtyard or at his concubine's place.

However, because of the second wife's formidable nature, the second master dared not cross her bottom line, which was to have more illegitimate children.

It's important to understand that when the Fourth Miss was born, the Second Madam's family wasn't prominent yet. She still managed to torment the Second Master to no end because of this illegitimate child. In the end, the Fourth Miss's biological mother was driven to suicide by hanging. To avoid being labeled as jealous and malicious, and because she was a girl, the Second Madam allowed the Fourth Miss to live.

The second master knew that if he had illegitimate children, given Lady Wei's cruelty and ruthlessness, not only would the children not survive, but his concubines or maids would also perish. Therefore, he kept forcing his women to drink contraceptive soup.

But now, Concubine Wang is pregnant, and she has kept it a secret for two months. Unfortunately, the news has reached the ears of the Second Madam at this very moment, and Matron Li suspects that the First Madam deliberately had the news leaked.

As for the reasons why the First Madam did these things, based on Lady Wei's attitude towards the Fifth Miss and the hints she inadvertently revealed some time ago, Matron Li could vaguely guess a few things. It's possible that the Fifth Miss isn't even the Second Madam's biological child. As for where her biological child went...

Thinking about her own guesses, Matron Li couldn't help but shudder.

Chunjing asked in a low voice, "Matron Li, tell me, why did Concubine Wang dare to do this even though she knew the Second Madam wouldn't tolerate it?" She also knew the Second Master was unreliable.

Matron Li chuckled, "What else could it be? Fortune favors the bold. That Concubine Wang is no pushover either; do you think she's someone to be trifled with?"

"She won't die, will she?"

Matron Li shook her head, leaned back against the pillow, and said, "Recently, why do you think she kept going to the Old Madam's courtyard? It was to find a backer. She thought that the Old Madam and the First Madam were both kind people and wouldn't let the Second Madam take her and her child's lives so easily."

That's probably why the First Madam passed the news to the Second Madam at this juncture. After all, pregnancy can't be hidden forever. In four or five months, the belly will inevitably grow bigger. If the news comes out now, Concubine Wang might face these challenges a month or two earlier, but the First Madam, having received this favor, will surely be able to protect her safety.

Thinking of this, Matron Li became even more determined to obey that person's orders.

If the lives of her children and grandchildren were truly in the hands of the First Madam, then she would have no reason to hesitate.

The First Madam is not without means; otherwise, she wouldn't be able to manage such a large Marquis's mansion, and the Second Madam wouldn't dare to truly bully her. However, she is kind-hearted and generous. If she helps the First Madam, the First Madam will surely give their family a way out.

Conversely, if they help the Second Madam, no matter the outcome, she will definitely hold a grudge against them and will not let them have a good ending.

"Besides, do you really think the Second Master is so cowardly that he wouldn't protect Concubine Wang?" Matron Li added.

The young girls like Chunjing couldn't see it, but Matron Li felt that the Second Master had truly fallen for Concubine Wang, and might even confront Lady Wei over it.

That Concubine Wang, on the surface, appears pure and gentle, but in reality, she is extremely cunning. The Second Master, who has been severely oppressed by Lady Wei, is most susceptible to her charms. Lately, it seems that he has been staying at the homes of several concubines about the same number of times, but in reality, he is protecting Concubine Wang.

Matron Li had repeatedly advised Lady Wei not to be so harsh on Zhao Yuanliang. Even if she couldn't treat him gently, she could at least offer him some incentives and ask Old Master Wei to find him a job.

After all, regardless of whether Zhao Yuanliang was born out of wedlock, he was still a son of a duke's family, raised in luxury and never having experienced hardship—a complete spoiled brat. Such a person had never suffered any humiliation, and his wife's family hadn't given him a single benefit; how could he possibly allow his wife to dominate him?

But Lady Wei wouldn't listen, and argued with her husband for years, like two squinting cocks. In the end, she couldn't stop Zhao Yuanliang from taking a concubine, and Zhao Yuanliang even stopped visiting his principal wife.

Now things are really messed up. Because of her pregnancy, Concubine Wang has instigated a conflict between Zhao Yuanliang and Lady Wei, with the First Madam adding fuel to the fire from behind. When the First Madam goes after Lady Wei, Lady Wei can't even rely on Zhao Yuanliang, her natural ally, and is left isolated and helpless.

If it's true that she switched the children, and this gets exposed, and without Zhao Yuanliang protecting her, the Wei Family might choose to abandon her for the sake of their reputation, and she'll be completely ruined.