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

-

In the small courtyard.

Looking at the kitchen wall that was being built in her corner, Shen Qinghe felt a sense of relief and couldn't help but hum a little tune.

Fang Yu was helping the servant with his chores, while Qing'er was pouring tea for him.

At this moment, Green Sleeves walked in from the courtyard, carrying a food box in her hand, looking hurried.

Shen Qinghe glanced at her and called her over specifically: "Lvxiu, what have you been doing? Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Ah, young lady." Green Sleeves looked unnatural for a moment, but quickly recovered and said half-deadly, "Young lady, seeing that it was getting late, I went to the kitchen to get you some food, afraid that you would go hungry."

As she spoke, Green Sleeves was about to take something out of the food box.

Shen Qinghe didn't speak, but stared at Green Sleeves in front of her, smiling as she scrutinized her without saying a word.

Green Sleeves' expression stiffened.

Shen Qinghe waved her hand and said, "It's still early, put it in first."

Seeing Green Sleeves carrying the food box inside, Qing'er hurriedly followed, until Green Sleeves came out and began sweeping the yard.

Shen Qinghe asked, "What has she been doing these past two days?"

"They seem to be doing normally right now; they're mostly just sweeping, cleaning, and fetching water in the yard."

Qing'er recalled carefully, as if a child asking for a reward: "I never let her near the room, but whenever she went in, I followed her."

"That's great."

Shen Qinghe was praising him when suddenly someone appeared at the door.

She said the master wanted to see her.

-

When Shen Qinghe arrived at Fuhua Hall, she saw Wu Xiaoniang kneeling, while Lu Jihan and Qin Shi sat upright on the daybed.

She stepped forward and bowed.

"Sister Shen has arrived, please sit down!" Madam Qin smiled gently. "Sister Shen, you may not know, but some rumors have been circulating today. To protect your reputation, I invited you here. Sister Wu, please speak."

Shen Qinghe: ?

Her gaze shifted, meeting Lu Jihan's in mid-air. He simply glanced at her calmly and said nothing more.

Wu Xiaoniang chimed in, "Sister Shen, you've been here quite a while now, how come you don't even know these basic rules? It's forbidden to leave the manor late at night without permission, especially for us women in the inner quarters. And it's absolutely forbidden to meet with men outside the manor!"

Madam Qin, who was standing nearby, spoke up at the opportune moment: "It's like this, Sister Shen. The gatekeeper reported today that you left the Marquis's residence late at night and even had a secret rendezvous with a man. I heard that a man escorted you back to the residence. Is this true?!"

Before Shen Qinghe could even defend herself, Wu Xiaoniang, who was standing to the side, couldn't contain herself any longer. Her eyes were like knives: "Meeting with an outsider is a crime that can be serious or minor. If Sister Shen confesses honestly, she might be given a lighter punishment. But if she denies it to the death, once it's found out, she'll probably be drowned in a pig cage!"

Qin also said, "But sister, don't be too afraid. This matter hasn't been investigated yet. If you can explain it clearly, everything will be fine."

After speaking, Madam Qin glanced at Lu Jihan beside her.

Shen Qinghe looked at Wu Xiaoniang and sneered, "Fool."

Why not be a little smarter at putting a spy in the doorman's room?

She didn't even find out who brought her back, but she rushed over to complain.

If she was having a secret rendezvous with another man, then wouldn't Lu Jihan sitting in front of her be that other man?

Shen Qinghe's mind raced. But this was an opportunity, since Lu Jihan didn't know what kind of life she was living in the mansion.

Today's a good day to let him see!

"Reporting to Madam, Young Marquis, this servant did not have a secret rendezvous with any other man." Shen Qinghe's eyelashes trembled, and her voice shook as she looked at Wu Xiaoniang.

"If Sister Wu has evidence, she can present it, or Sister Wu can find out who that wild man is?"

"The servants are spreading all sorts of rumors!! Once we have all the evidence and witnesses, you probably don't even know how many things you've done?!"

When Wu Xiaoniang saw Shen Qinghe's expression, she thought she had finally found a useful handle against her, and immediately became excited, kneeling down in front of Lu Jihan:

"My lord! You dote on Sister Shen so much, yet she couldn't resist the temptation to be alone while you're away. She's a disgrace to our manor!"

"oh??"

Lu Jihan raised an eyebrow and asked, his gaze falling on Madam Wu, his tone seemingly nonchalant: "Are you sure she... is having an affair?"

In truth, Wu Xiaoniang was already feeling uneasy, the oppressive feeling making her uneasy. She looked up and forced a smile:

"Yes! I didn't believe it when I heard it either. After all, Qinghe is the most well-mannered. How could she do such a thing? Besides, Qinghe isn't stupid. Who knew that the servants would say such things so convincingly? I was just thinking about Qinghe's reputation."

"Then tell me, what should we do?" Lu Jihan tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, his movements slow, as if he were deep in thought.

"This matter... I can't say for sure. I'm willing to believe Sister Qinghe, but this kind of thing involves a woman's reputation, so it's best to call someone over and investigate thoroughly."

As Wu Xiaoniang spoke, her voice was soft and gentle: "If there isn't, then the gossip among the servants in the mansion will naturally be silenced; if there is, then..."

Lu Jihan's voice was icy, his tone cold as he asked, "If there is, then what should we do?"

Seeing Lu Jihan's expression, as if he believed her words, a ruthless glint flashed in Wu Xiaoniang's eyes, and her voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement:

"Well... that doesn't mean we've wronged Sister Shen. Naturally, we should follow the rules and drown her in a pig cage to uphold discipline!"

It was as if he could see Shen Qinghe being drowned in a pig cage.

Shen Qinghe stole a glance at Lu Jihan's increasingly dark face, then immediately lowered her eyes and silently counted for Wu Xiaoniang in her mind—

One.

two.

three.

With a loud "bang!", Lu Jihan slammed the teacup in his hand down in front of Wu Xiaoniang.

Wu Xiaoniang hastily snapped out of her preconceived notions and looked up to find Lu Jihan staring at her with a cold glare.

"I haven't been to the inner quarters in ages, and yet you, such a stupid and heartless woman, have been raised in my courtyard! You claim she's having an affair, but aside from the servants' gossip, there's not a shred of evidence, yet you want to have her drowned in a pig cage and lose her life?!"

Lu Jihan sneered, his murderous aura almost tangible: "I had no idea when I became a wild man?!"

A sharp, angry shout landed on the ground. Qin raised an eyebrow, her hand still moving the prayer beads.

Just moments ago, Wu was smug and triumphant, but now she was terrified, her face turning pale as she looked at Shen Qinghe in disbelief: "You!!"

Shen Qinghe blinked and said honestly, "Sister Wu, I... I was just worried that Master wasn't eating or sleeping well outside, so I brought him some food. How did that become what you call meeting with another man?"

As she spoke, her voice trembled, and she wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

Lu Jihan was an upright man who detested all this scheming and backyard filth.

This time, Wu Xiaoniang directly accused him, which naturally enraged him.

All she had to do was add some firewood to the fire.