Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Inside Changchun Palace, as the eunuchs brought in stacks of scriptures, Consort Li's expression was frighteningly gloomy.

"Hurry up, put them all away."

While directing the younger eunuchs to neatly arrange all the scriptures, the old eunuch of Chonghua Palace said to Consort Li, "Your Highness, the Emperor Emeritus wishes that all these scriptures be copied completely before the anniversary of the death of the Holy Empress Dowager."

"Bang!"

Consort Li clenched her fists and slammed it on the table, making the heavy table emit a dull thud.

The old eunuch narrowed his eyes, bowed to her, and then beckoned the other eunuchs to file out.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, they heard a series of crashing sounds as cups and plates fell to the ground, causing many of the young eunuchs to turn around and look.

"Keep your head down and keep walking."

The old eunuch gave a low shout and quickly left with his men.

Inside the room, everyone in Changchun Palace fell silent, trembling with fear.

The palace maids who bent down to pick up the broken cups and plates on the ground were all very careful.

A trusted old palace maid stepped forward and advised, "Your Highness, please calm down. Although there are many scriptures, the Emperor Emeritus did not instruct that no one else should copy them. With so many people in our palace, if we all help Your Highness copy them, we can definitely finish copying them before the anniversary of your death."

"What do you know! This is what the Emperor Emeritus wants, no, this is what that vile woman wants!"

She's deliberately humiliating me, forcing everyone in my palace to copy this damned scripture.

"So that everyone in the harem can laugh at me, and more importantly, so that everyone knows that she is the most important person in the Emperor Emeritus's heart, and anyone who offends her will suffer a terrible end!"

The old palace maid felt a chill run down her spine as she watched Consort Li's speech become increasingly out of control and her expression more and more distorted.

"Otherwise, let's just go all the way and do it like last time."

However, this time, we won't hold back; we'll definitely make her…”

As a trusted confidant of Consort Li for decades, he naturally knew how to please her. As he spoke, he made a throat-slitting gesture.

When Consort Li heard her suggestion, her eyes hardened, but she suddenly shook her head.

He waved for the others to leave, then beckoned to his trusted aides and said, "I heard that the Oirat prince has recently entered the capital?"

"Your Majesty, this is indeed true. The other day, the Oirat envoy presented many treasures to the Emperor Emeritus, and the Emperor Emeritus personally received the Oirat envoy for this purpose."

"Send someone to contact the people at the Court of State Ceremonial and ask them to do something for me!"

"Your Majesty means..."

Before long, the trusted confidant left to carry out the order. Consort Li remained seated, her eyes suddenly flashing with boundless jealousy and hatred.

"You worthless, childless wretch, I will make you lose everything you care about, and leave you to grow old alone for the rest of your life..."

……

The Jia family, comprising the Ning and Rong mansions.

The Ningguo Mansion was naturally busy preparing for the funerals of Jia Zhen and Jia Rong.

The Rongguo Mansion was simultaneously working on restoring the garden and anxiously awaiting the palace's response.

To everyone's surprise, there was still no further response from the palace after the seven-day period had ended.

It was as if the Empress Dowager had completely forgotten about this matter.

Jia Lian offered an explanation: the trouble caused by the two households had greatly displeased the Emperor, who was unwilling to marry his daughter to him again. With the Emperor's intervention and the Empress Dowager's understanding nature, she naturally wouldn't pursue the matter further.

However, Grandmother Jia and others were still not at ease and repeatedly asked Jia Lian to compromise with the Empress Dowager, but to no avail.

Several more days passed, and Prince Teng returned to the capital in triumph, receiving commendation from the imperial court.

Thanks to this happy event, many of the bad rumors about the Jia family in the capital were suppressed.

In Feng Jie's courtyard, it was another peaceful morning. Wang Xifeng, increasingly convinced that the matter was over, glanced at Jia Lian with tender affection as she helped him change.

Upon seeing this, Jia Lian couldn't help but laugh at her: "What's wrong? Still not over it?"

Wang Xifeng smiled sheepishly, then habitually asked, "Are you really alright?"

"If you want anything, I can grant your wish."

To be honest, the Empress Dowager hasn't treated me badly at all. That princess is just as beautiful as you, and she's a princess too—a golden phoenix with impeccable lineage. If I marry her, I'll be set for life."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xifeng immediately punched Jia Lian and angrily said, "Since she's so wonderful, why are you still paying attention to me? Go and beg the Empress Dowager now; maybe she'll even be willing to take you as her husband!"

"Hahaha……"

Jia Lian let out a smug laugh, turned Feng Jie around who had turned her back, and asked with a smile, "Just kidding, are you angry?"

Looking at Jia Lian's grinning face, Wang Xifeng couldn't help but chuckle as well.

Then she looked at Jia Lian and whispered, "You heartless wretch, thank you..."

A normal word of thanks, spoken by her, sounded like a young girl confessing her love to her sweetheart—softer than a mosquito's buzz.

At this moment, Wang Xifeng was truly grateful to Jia Lian.

Thinking back to that day in Weiyang Palace, being reprimanded by the Empress Dowager from her high position felt like the sky was falling.

However, Jia Lian actually helped her to put the sky back up after it collapsed.

Therefore, she was sincerely grateful to Jia Lian.

She knew that she hadn't exactly been a virtuous wife and loving mother in the past. During that time, Jia Lian had countless legitimate reasons and opportunities to abandon her.

Jia Lian pulled Wang Xifeng's slender waist into his arms and laughed, "Instead of saying thank you, let's get down to business."

"What are you planning to do now?"

Wang Xifeng had clearly thought of something unpleasant, and glared at Jia Lian with a mixture of shame and anger.

"For example, listen to me more in the future, and don't cause me trouble outside."

"I didn't..."

Wang Xifeng has a flexible personality, and upon hearing this, she instinctively wanted to argue.

However, when she recalled how her unauthorized lending had led to Jia Lian's dismissal, and how Jia Lian not only didn't blame her but also took responsibility for her in front of everyone, including the palace and Grandmother Jia, she finally felt moved and abandoned her usual attitude, admitting defeat to Jia Lian: "I was wrong about lending money."

I have already instructed Wang'er and his wife to collect all the loaned money, and we don't need to collect the rest.

I promised Second Master that from now on I would never interfere in outside affairs again. If I absolutely had to, I would inform Second Master in advance. Is that alright?

"Not enough."

"You... what else do you want?"

Wang Xifeng was somewhat annoyed.

"Simply ignoring external affairs is definitely not enough."

And regarding internal matters, you also have to listen to me, for example…”

Perhaps because she has been trained by Jia Lian too much, Wang Xifeng's thinking is now often going astray.

"Bah! You've come up with all those tricks to bully me and Ping'er, and you're still not satisfied? You... well, you can forget about it!"

Wang Xifeng's face was flushed red, making her extremely cute.

Jia Lian pretended to be taken aback: "What are you thinking? I just wanted to say that, for example, you have to listen to me about things at home."

The eldest sister-in-law is a good manager, so you should take this opportunity to rest and recuperate.

I was doing this entirely for your own good, and you've already connected it to those kinds of things.

Little Fengfeng, you've become naughty...

"Look at you, I've been watering you so diligently, and you still can't have a son. I'm worried for you. Aren't you worried at all?"

Jia Lian's sarcastic voice, especially the repeated use of "Little Fengfeng," really disgusted Wang Xifeng.

As for irrigation projects, she's become quite used to them these days.

In the past, I've heard even more intimate and embarrassing things in bed.

She felt a mix of shame and anger, but eventually sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed, "Even if you hadn't said anything, I didn't intend to get involved in household affairs anymore."

His words betrayed a sense of despondency.

As a person with exceptional management skills, Wang Xifeng naturally knew that to manage a large group of servants, prestige was paramount.

She just made such a huge fool of herself; if she were to be put in charge of the household again, the servants would surely gossip.

She really needs to rest and recuperate for a while.

but……

Looking at Jia Lian approaching, Wang Xifeng hesitated and said, "Are you really in a hurry to have a son?"

Wang Xifeng was somewhat serious.

Jia Lian sat down with her, took her hand, and became serious: "I'm not in a hurry to have a son."

However, whether you are in a hurry to have it and whether you can have it are two different issues.

Like I said, we've been doing all this every day, but your stomach still hasn't reacted at all. Don't you find that strange? I think you really should see a doctor to get it checked out.

"Tch, how come it's my problem? Maybe... humph."

Wang Xifeng was no fool; she knew a thing or two about these things.

She knew that the inability to give birth to a son was not solely a woman's problem; it could also be a man's problem.

Jia Lian smiled but remained silent.