The Marquis's line has ended? The pregnant maid is pregnant again!

Lu Jihan wasn't the only one who couldn't keep his composure.

In Chen Xiaoniang's courtyard.

On the daybed, a young woman dressed in a green silk dress sat upright, holding a lotus and koi-shaped fan in her hand. She watched Chen Xiaoniang walking back and forth in front of her without saying a word.

On the contrary, the woman in the blue dress sitting on the carved wooden chair opposite—Wu Xiaoniang—couldn't stand it any longer:

"Fanghua, don't be anxious. Shen Qinghe is just a maidservant. Even if she is favored, her status will never be as high as yours. We were all sent in by the Lady of the Marquis, and we are noble concubines. Even if she climbs up from the maidservant, she will at most be a lowly concubine. Your status will always be higher than hers."

"Yes, Sister Chen," said Cao Xiaoniang, waving her fan. "She's only been here for less than a month. Why are you so angry? It's beneath your dignity to argue with a mere maid like her, a concubine of high status."

Chen Xiaoniang was the most impatient: "My two sisters, you've both been here longer than me, so naturally you're more composed. But look at that vixen, she succeeded in sleeping with the master as soon as she arrived. And what about us? Ever since that sedan chair was carried in through the side gate, has the master even visited anyone? She, a new concubine, beat us to it and already got into his bed. Now the old lady has even specially allowed her to move next to him; she's probably going to stay in his room and never come out!"

"My two elder sisters, it's not that I can't stand seeing someone serve me in bed, it's just that Shen Qinghe, that vixen, is too sharp. If we let her continue like this, what will we do once she gets pregnant, whether it's a boy or a girl? Won't we have even less hope then? Will the Lady of the Marquis and the Old Madam still protect us then?"

Although Chen Xiaoniang was domineering and superficial, her words really hit the nail on the head.

Wu Xiaoniang clicked her tongue. "Fanghua is right. We absolutely cannot let her get pregnant. If she does, wouldn't the three of us look like a joke?"

"Yes, that's true. I'm fine, I've never been as pretty as my two younger sisters, and I'm past my prime now. But my two younger sisters are in their prime, especially Sister Chen, who is eighteen years old, and someone beat her to it."

Cao Xiaoniang maintained a faint smile throughout, as if she was neither angry nor worried. She gently comforted her, "But my two sisters, don't worry. I've heard people mention her. I heard that her cooking skills are unique and have won the master's favor. Once the master gets tired of her, he'll probably lose interest."

As Cao Xiaoniang spoke, her tone was very calm, as if she was not affected by the matter at all.

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiaoniang, who had been anxious, actually had an idea and a smile spread across her face.

-

It was past midnight.

The entire city of Chang'an was shrouded in darkness, with only one or two lights still on in the Zhenguo Marquis's mansion.

One of them was Lu Jihan's study.

Shen Qinghe, who was sitting next to the study, was not asleep. It wasn't that she wasn't sleepy, but the opportunity was right in front of her, and she had to seize it.

"Sister, it's almost midnight, why aren't you asleep yet?"

Qing'er opened her eyes groggily and saw Mango sitting at the table, holding a calligraphy brush and drawing something on a piece of paper.

Thinking she was seeing things, Qing'er rubbed her eyes: "Sister, can't you sleep?"

Shen Qinghe relied on drawing Buddha images to stay awake, but she couldn't draw properly, and she only aimed to make sure she could understand what she drew: "Honey, I'm fine, you go to sleep."

She was certain that Lu Jihan wouldn't go to bed early tonight.

If he works late into the night, or even all night long, he will definitely go hungry at night.

Isn't this her chance?

A man like Lu Jihan is all talk and no action; she has to seize the opportunity herself.

Shen Qinghe actually got what she was waiting for.

At the fourth watch of the night, the sky was beginning to lighten, unlike the previous pitch-black darkness.

Shen Qinghe stepped out of the room and, as expected, saw Lin Feng still guarding outside the study next door.

Lin Feng was dozing off, his eyes opening for a moment before drooping again, then he would suddenly wake up. Upon seeing Shen Qinghe, he quickly asked, "Miss Qinghe, why aren't you asleep yet?"

"I can't sleep," Shen Qinghe lied through her teeth, asking, "Does Master have a lot of official business today?"

"Isn't that right? Besides office work, there's also troop training, patrols, and bandit suppression. Even though the country has been peaceful and prosperous these past few years without war, I'm still incredibly busy."

Lin Feng nodded, "But I'm always efficient, so it should be ready soon."

Upon receiving the confirmation, Shen Qinghe went to the kitchen without stopping. She didn't do much; she simply kneaded the dough and cooked a bowl of noodles.

It's past midnight.

Lu Jihan finally finished processing the last booklet, stood up, stretched, and rubbed his temples.

I'm tired, but even hungrier.

He walked to the door and asked coldly, "What time is it?"

"Reporting to you, sir, it's past four in the morning." Lin Feng hurried over and asked, "Are you hungry, sir?"

Lu Jihan had intended to serve the meal, but upon hearing that it was already past four o'clock, he simply gave up and said, "Never mind, you should rest."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Jihan walked to the table, poured himself two cups of tea and drank them, but he was still hungry.

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and he thought it was Lin Feng.

To everyone's surprise, Shen Qinghe walked in carrying a tray. "This servant was worried that Master might be hungry, so I made some noodles. Would you like some, Master?"

There was nothing else but a large, open bowl, steaming hot as it floated into the air. Shen Qinghe stood by the table, her figure slender, her smile gentle and considerate.

Lu Jihan walked over, the steaming hot noodles blurring his vision.

A few ounces of noodles, a few drops of pork fat and crisp scallions floating on the clear soup, with three or four pieces of braised beef on the side.

It was just a simple bowl of plain noodles, nothing particularly special, but at that moment, Lu Jihan found it incredibly fragrant.

His stomach rumbled, and the tea and pastries he had just drunk tasted bland.

"In one's position, one should fulfill one's responsibilities." Lu Jihan believes that since he has taken this position, he should shoulder all the duties and do things that contribute to the country and its people.

When he gets busy, he often works late into the night, sometimes until the early hours of the morning or even later.

Whenever he felt hungry, he would think that the servants were all asleep, so he didn't bother to go through the trouble and usually just ate some pastries and snacks to fill his stomach.

I'll just go to sleep when I'm no longer hungry.

There was never a day when a bowl of hot soup noodles awaited him.

Lu Jihan looked at her, his expression softening considerably, though he seemed less energetic than during the day, and his voice became gentle:

"Why aren't you asleep yet?"