Who said the heir would die out? The concubine is pregnant again!

Yingzhu looked up in surprise, her face flushed with embarrassment.

"I didn't expect Aunt Zhou to be here too. I thought I could just come in and go inside since it's warm, so I didn't bring a hand warmer."

Liang Yunqian glanced at her indifferently, picked up the hand warmer next to him, but did not hand it to Yingzhu. Instead, he called out to Lian Chuan.

Lian Chuan took the hand warmer and handed it to Aunt Shen.

This small gesture alone shows that Liang Yunqian is still angry.

The warmth of the hand warmer gradually reached her palm. Yingzhu thanked her and stood silently to the side.

Liang Yunqian frowned slightly. "Speak your mind."

Yingzhu glanced at Aunt Zhou, and Zhou Zisu immediately became alert.

"Why are you looking at me? I'm busy treating the puppy's wound! It's deep and it's a real problem. I can't leave for a while, so don't even think about chasing me away."

The puppy lay there weakly, with a large wound between its hind legs that was still bleeding.

Yingzhu felt a pang of heartache seeing this. "The puppy is so pitiful. Treating its wounds is more important and can't be delayed. I'm here for some private matters, which I can't discuss publicly. It's alright, Aunt Zhou, you go ahead with your work. I'll wait a bit longer."

Yingzhu sat down beside her. The room was warm and cozy, so she stopped suffering and just waited.

Zhou Zisu deliberately slowed down her movements, taking a long time to bandage the puppy. Liang Yunqian immediately saw through her intentions and reminded her.

"If you can't handle it, then please find another doctor. Don't use the puppy's injuries to get angry with people."

When exposed, Aunt Zhou looked embarrassed. "Of course I can handle this little injury. I was just being extra careful because it's so small and fragile. I didn't mean to delay."

Seeing that Liang Yunqian was angry, Zhou Zisu didn't dare to delay any longer and quickly bandaged the puppy's wound.

"You've worked hard, go back and rest!"

Liang Yunqian spoke considerately, but his expression was icy cold.

If Shen Yingzhu hadn't been there, she might have stayed and talked with Liang Yunqian. But Shen Yingzhu was right there and said she had some private business to attend to, so Liang Yunqian told her to leave first.

Zhou Zisu was dissatisfied but didn't want to complain. Suddenly, an idea struck her, and she picked up the puppy.

"Although the wound has been bandaged, it doesn't seem to be in good spirits. Yunqian, you're so busy, you probably don't have time to take care of it."

"I'd rather take it home and take good care of it, observing it closely. If the wound bleeds, I can treat it promptly."

Yingzhu knew perfectly well that Zhou Zisu was plotting something!

Once she takes the puppy away, Liang Yunqian will visit the puppy at Xiuxuexuan and also visit her.

Liang Yunqian was thinking that Zhou Zisu knew medicine, so it would be more convenient to leave the injured puppy with her.

With that in mind, he didn't refuse.

As Zhou Zisu walked out carrying the puppy, she reached Shen Yingzhu and glanced at her.

"Being pregnant is really different! Everyone uses pregnancy as a bargaining chip. Since you can't stand up for yourself, just stay home and rest, and don't go out and bother others."

Liang Yunqian is still here! Yingzhu wouldn't argue with anyone in front of him.

When others are assertive, Yingzhu will only pretend to be weak.

"Aunt Zhou is right to reprimand me. From now on, I will try my best to avoid your presence."

She stood up and respectfully saw him off.

Zhou Zisu, holding the puppy, snorted coldly and turned away arrogantly.

After everyone left, Yingzhu turned around and faced Liang Yunqian.

"Last night...why didn't the young master go to Wenzhu Pavilion?"

"Who says I have to go?"

"..." Just a few days ago he came over on his own initiative and wouldn't leave no matter how hard you tried to get rid of him, but in just one day, he lost his usual gentleness and returned to his indifference.

"The Crown Prince perfectly embodies the meaning of being unpredictable."

She used this word to describe him more than once, and Liang Yunqian had gotten used to it and was even too lazy to argue.

"How can I possibly give a pleasant look to someone as fickle as you?"

"Is the young master angry about yesterday's banquet? Can't you at least ask why?"

Shen Yingzhu changed her tone in public and didn't tell Liang Xingzhou the truth, clearly indicating that she didn't want Liang Xingzhou to know her identity.

"Your actions contradict your promises, so what else do you want me to ask? You're two-faced, Shen Yingzhu, who do you take me for?"

Yingzhu did make a promise to him, but plans can't keep up with changes!

"There were many people yesterday, and you were busy entertaining guests, so I couldn't explain. I waited for you all night, but you didn't show up."

Today I came to explain myself, but you left me standing outside. I finally managed to get in, and then you yelled at me. Couldn't you give me a chance to clarify things before making a judgment?

Liang Yunqian had heard too many of her explanations. Every time he was moved by her sincerity and began to trust her a little, her behavior would slap him hard in the face, leaving him extremely embarrassed.

"An explanation is just a cover-up. You're just making excuses and trying to fool me with sweet talk? I'm not buying it!"

"That's a generalization. You have no idea about my difficulties. Actually, yesterday it was because..."

Since he lacked patience, Yingzhu could only blurt things out. However, she had only finished speaking when Lian Chuan suddenly came in to report.

"My lord, the prince requests your presence; it seems to be related to the Ministry of Revenue."

Since it was related to political affairs, Liang Yunqian could not delay, so he got up and walked out.

Yingzhu was left hanging after only finishing her sentence; he didn't even turn around or offer any explanation.

Yingzhu suddenly felt tired, but she still wanted to wait a little longer until he finished his work and came back before she could talk to him clearly.

However, she waited for another hour, but he still did not return.

As noon approached, Suifeng came over to ask, "Aunt Shen, it's almost noon, shall we have lunch here?"

"Where is the young master? Is he still with the prince?"

"It seems the young master has left the manor and hasn't returned yet."

Since Liang Yunqian was not in the mansion, she should not have stayed at Tingsong Garden for a meal.

Left with no other choice, Yingzhu had to leave.

After returning home, she felt increasingly aggrieved. She ate only a few bites of food before lying down to rest.

For the next three days, Liang Yunqian did not come over again. Yingzhu stood outside for a long time that day, and when she came back, she caught a cold. She felt unwell and had no energy, so she did not go to him to explain.

Qingfeng felt sorry for him and wanted to invite the young master over, but Yingzhu said it wasn't necessary.

"You mustn't go! He doesn't trust me anyway, and he thinks I'm two-faced. If you say I'm sick, he'll definitely think I'm playing tricks to gain sympathy."

He won't come. Even if he does, he'll just make things up and suspect me. Don't upset me. I'll be fine after a few days of rest.

Yingzhu repeatedly warned her not to go to Tingsongyuan, and Qingfeng dared not anger her, so she had no choice but to obey.

However, since the prince stopped coming here, the food has become increasingly perfunctory, and the porridge sent from the kitchen in the evening was even lukewarm!

When Qingfeng was serving porridge to Aunt Shen, she felt that the bowl was not hot, so she asked her maid Shuanglu to change it.

Shuanglu didn't move. "This is how it is when the kitchen sends it. Who would reheat a bowl of porridge? It's not inedible when it's lukewarm; it's just right so it's not too hot to eat!"

"Aunt Shen is not feeling well; she should have some hot porridge to warm her stomach, not something lukewarm."

"The kitchen is so far from here, wouldn't it be lukewarm by the time it's brought over?"

Shuanglu scoffed, and Qingfeng's expression darkened further. "It wasn't like this before. The porridge used to be hot. Don't make excuses to be lazy!"

Shuanglu rolled her eyes dismissively. "You said it yourself, that was before. Things are different now. The concubine-taking banquet has been canceled, so she is no longer a concubine, but still just a maidservant."

Since the prince doesn't come to visit her, there's no need to prepare such a lavish meal. She should be secretly grateful that even a concubine gets four dishes and a soup! Times have changed; it's best to keep things quiet!

Shuanglu deliberately raised her voice for Shen Yingzhu inside the room to hear the last sentence.

Yingzhu had already experienced the sycophancy and backstabbing among the people in her previous life.

They were all following Liang Yunqian's every move, which is why she wanted to win the title of concubine and Liang Yunqian's favor.

Everything was going in her favor, but then an unexpected event occurred, shattering the already fragile trust between her and Liang Yunqian.

When he stopped coming over, the servants started slacking off. Yingzhu called out to Qingfeng, signaling her to stop arguing with Shuanglu.

"It's no use. You're forcing her to change the porridge. Whether she can even get it is another matter. Even if she does, she might throw a tantrum halfway through and do something to the porridge."

"It's not just the porridge that's the problem. The underground heating hasn't been working well lately either. They've cut back on firewood and are slacking off. Everyone's not taking anything seriously. If this continues, how are we going to get through the winter?"

Qingfeng became increasingly worried. Yingzhu had truly experienced such suffering, and she did not want to repeat the same mistake.

Unfortunately, Liang Yunqian misunderstood her deeply and refused to see her. No matter what she said, he thought it was just sophistry, so she could no longer show her face.

But she wouldn't give up and suffer; she had to find a way to save herself!

After pondering for a long time, Yingzhu whispered a few words in Qingfeng's ear, which Qingfeng listened to silently and kept in mind.

The next morning, Qingfeng went to see Granny Yao. Granny Yao was lying on a rocking chair, basking in the sun. Qingfeng did not approach her. Granny Yao waited behind the rockery until the young master returned and passed by. Only then did Qingfeng go in.

"Granny Yao, could you please distribute some charcoal to Wenzhuxuan?"

Granny Yao, cracking melon seeds, frowned and said, "Doesn't Wenzhu Pavilion have an underground heating system? Why do we still need charcoal?"

"They haven't been keeping the floor heating on properly lately, and the house gets cold in the middle of the night. My aunt Shen even caught a cold from the cold!"

Liang Yunqian was passing by when he overheard someone mentioning Shen Yingzhu. He stopped in his tracks, but instead of entering the courtyard, he continued to listen.