Forcing me to become a concubine? Remarrying the Ninth Prince, she'll be pregnant all over the

In her previous life, she did not understand Chen's actions.

In this life, she had taken notice of Chen Shi on the day she broke off the engagement. Unfortunately, Chen Shi's feelings for her were as genuine as those for Lin Qinglian's own mother. This was truly... too absurd, and too ironic.

Chunhen paused for a moment, then said, "This servant doesn't know these things, but this servant feels that Mother is the person who loves her children the most in this world, and there must be a reason for what she has done."

"A predicament?"

Lin Wantang frowned, intending to delay her return to the manor for a while. She hoped that everything would turn out as Chunhen had said, that Madam Chen truly had her own unavoidable difficulties, which was why she had been so scheming and plotting against her.

With the wedding on the agenda, Lin Wantang didn't need to worry about the arrangements, as Jiang Fulu and the Imperial Household Department were in charge of the preparations. She continued to select herbs, consider prescriptions, and think about how to cure Wei Wujiu's old illness step by step.

Two days passed in this way. As the autumn rains approached, winter had completely arrived in the capital. The last light rain even brought snow, and the underfloor heating in the mansion was turned on.

The room was warm and cozy, and I didn't feel cold even wearing just a single layer of clothing.

Lin Wantang buried herself in ancient books, searching and compiling several prescriptions. She still needed to consider them further, but she managed to spare some time to ask, "Has the Commander been very busy these past few days? Are his meals being served at regular times?"

Chunhen thought to herself, "You finally remembered after you finished your work," and smiled, "Reporting to Miss, the master went to the palace the day after returning to the manor with you that day, and hasn't returned yet. He's probably too busy."

"But the meals will be overseen by Eunuch Jiang and will be served on time, so Miss doesn't need to worry."

Qiu Ying presented several snacks and said with a smile, "The master also asked someone to inquire about the young lady. He learned that the young lady has no signs of catching a cold and is in good health with proper care. He also instructed us to prepare bird's nest and ginseng soup for the young lady every day, which is absolutely essential."

Lin Wantang nodded, but after a moment it dawned on her: "Bird's nest?"

Blood bird's nest was always offered as tribute to the emperor and the concubines in the harem. When she was in the Grand Tutor's mansion, she only drank ordinary white bird's nest every day.

"Miss, please don't worry. This blood swallow's nest was a special gift from His Majesty to you," Chunhen quickly said.

Qiu Ying added, "The master doesn't usually like these things, and right now he's instructed us to give all these bird's nests to Miss. In addition, Eunuch Jiang has also sent a lot of black-boned chickens and quails from the estate to make soup for Miss."

Lin Wantang then realized why soups and broths had been constantly being brought to her courtyard these past few days, and why Chunhen and Qiuying had been coaxing her to drink more. It turned out that...

"Miss, with the wedding approaching, it's perfectly good that the master wants you to be healthy."

After Qiuying finished speaking, Chunhen stepped forward again to help Lin Wantang up and bring her to the bronze mirror. "Miss, look quickly. When you first came to the manor, your complexion was... I dare to say that your complexion was sallow and you looked really haggard."

After recuperating in Jingyuan for two months, Lin Wantang's complexion became rosy. Although she had not gained weight yet, her slender body was well-proportioned. Not only had she not been weakened by the poisoned darts, but her complexion had also improved considerably.

Lin Wantang looked at herself in the mirror and couldn't help but smile slightly: "It seems that the feng shui of Jingyuan Garden is very nurturing."

"Governor, you need not worry about state affairs," Lin Wantang said, walking back to the desk. Listening to the howling wind outside the window, she added, "It's quite cold today. How about we make a soup pot tonight?"

The beef bone broth, simmered over low heat for more than ten hours by the kitchen cook, is placed in a copper pot and roasted over charcoal. Various kinds of meat and vegetables can be cooked in it, making it not only a delicious dish but also a warming and cold-resistant food.

Spring Trace and Autumn Shadow looked delighted and quickly agreed in unison.

Lin Wantang watched the two run out to make arrangements with a smile, and her mood was unusually pleasant. She then gave the order to slaughter pigs and sheep, and for the whole mansion to have hot pot for dinner that night.

The whole mansion was filled with joy. Jiang Fulu did not object and could see from this that Lin Wantang's ability to manage people was no less than Wei Wujiu's.

"If Miss Lin has no ill intentions or suspicions towards you, then this marriage is a match made in heaven and truly a perfect couple. From now on, you can just focus on planning and leave the household affairs entirely to Miss Lin."

Jiang Fulu sighed softly and went back to his work.

Lin Wantang stood by the window inside the room, listening to the sound of the wind and the servants' hurried work outside. She slowly pushed open the window, letting the cold wind brush against her face, but she could not hide the coldness in her eyes.

As winter approaches and the year draws to a close, the palace will soon host a banquet, presided over by the Empress, to pray for blessings and honor Heaven. This is what Lin Wantang is waiting for.

Yong'an was being used, but she could overlook it.

But how could she let Shen Huai'an and Lin Qinglian have their way for too long?

Meanwhile, Lin Qinglian's days were not easy, because Yong'an was being willful and unreasonable, and even wanted the emperor to bestow her upon Wei Wujiu. On the eighth day of the third month of the following spring, she was married to Wei Wujiu as a secondary wife, along with Lin Wantang.

Regardless of how absurd this idea was, before Yong'an could even go to the Emperor, he informed Shen Huai'an of the matter. Shen Huai'an was immediately furious and took his anger out on Lin Qinglian.

"Nonsense! A princess, a widow who died after being married off for a political alliance, wants to be married off to a high-ranking official by the Emperor under the rules of equal wives? Listen to this! Is this even reasonable?!"

Shen Huai'an was already troubled by the corruption in Luzhou. Li Huaimin, the prefect of Luzhou, was someone he had personally appointed and recommended. Everyone knew that Li Huaimin was his man. Therefore, when the corruption came out, the emperor did not summon him to meetings in order to avoid suspicion.

After all this dragging on and on, the emperor still suspected Shen Huai'an of being involved in corruption and remained indifferent to him. Shen Huai'an was already on pins and needles, and Yong'an still had to cause trouble.

Shen Huai'an looked at Lin Qinglian with a hint of annoyance: "She's confused, and you're going to be stupid along with her? I've already sent Yong'an back, and she's still under house arrest in the palace. You mustn't go see her again."

"You need to let me know that you have connections to the matter, or that you're trying to mediate for Yong'an..."

Shen Huai'an lowered his voice, looking down at Lin Qinglian and grabbing her chin with one hand. His gloomy expression deepened: "I'm not finished with you!"

Lin Qinglian trembled with fear, having never seen Shen Huai'an like this before. Her panicked voice trembled slightly as she said, "Yes... Your Majesty, I will remember."

Shen Huai'an shook her off, feeling annoyed that nothing was right, and then turned and left with his men.

Lin Qinglian collapsed to the ground in fear. Before her maid could help her up, a palace servant rushed in to report: "Your Highness, we have just received news that Princess Yong'an has disregarded her confinement and gone to the Hall of Mental Cultivation."

"What?"

Lin Qinglian was suddenly horrified. Using Yong'an was no longer part of the plan, and she was afraid that Yong'an's recklessness would implicate her.

What you fear most is exactly what happens.

Lin Qinglian angrily helped her maid to her feet, gritting her teeth as she said, "That fool! He's good for nothing and good for making things worse! What if he implicates me and angers His Highness again?"