northernbook Chapter 145 Killing Two Eagles with One Arrow
Chapter 145 Killing Two Eagles with One Arrow
"I'm afraid that won't work." Madam Cao said solemnly, "When I came back, the maid guarding the door said that Aunt Qiu had come by."
Shen Mingzhu felt a chill run through her body, fearing that Qiu Chan would hear the deadly news.
She carefully recalled her conversation with Zhongxia. She had not revealed that the child was gone, but only emphasized that there was a problem with the medicine she was taking.
Even so, it is still a great threat to her.
“Third Madam, the Duke’s mansion’s physician is sent by the Emperor and only obeys the Emperor’s orders.” Cao Mama continued, “You have already miscarried. If Aunt Qiu complains to Third Master and asks the physician to examine you, wouldn’t that expose the truth?”
Shen Mingzhu panicked.
“You are still young and can have more children. Aunt Qiu is a thorn in your side, and now you can take this opportunity to remove her.”
Madam Cao said earnestly, "Aside from Aunt Qiu, there are no other women in Third Master's harem, and he won't be taking any more concubines anytime soon. Second Master is in poor health and cannot have children. If you recover your health, you can still conceive a grandson."
Shen Mingzhu was slowly persuaded, a ruthless glint flashing in her eyes: "Aunt Cao, I'll listen to you."
"Third Madam, this old servant has a way to kill two birds with one stone," Cao Mama whispered in Shen Mingzhu's ear. "Before Qiu Chan became Third Master's concubine, she served by Second Madam's side. You've had several direct confrontations with Second Madam, and you've always suffered in silence. We need to start from another angle..."
After hearing what Cao's mother said, Shen Mingzhu felt a little calmer. Touching her lower abdomen, she felt a pang of sadness: "This child was ultimately not meant to be with me. I hope that if he is born into my womb again, I will definitely cherish him."
She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks, a hint of resentment lingering in her heart towards Madam Shen.
If it weren't for Madam Shen giving her the fertility medicine, her child would still be safely in her womb.
-
In Lanxue Garden, Shen Qingtan sat in front of the embroidery frame, embroidering scriptures to calm her restless mind.
The more critical the moment, the less one should be impatient, otherwise mistakes will be made in haste.
After an hour of embroidery, Shen Qingtan's mood calmed down, and her thoughts became clearer.
At this moment, Liuyue came in from outside and whispered, "Second Madam, Aunt Qiu wants to see you."
Shen Qingtan was taken aback: "She wants to see me?"
Liu Yue nodded.
Shen Qingtan said thoughtfully, "Please invite her in."
Liu Yue quickly went out and brought Qiu Chan in.
As soon as Qiu Chan entered the room, she bowed to Shen Qingtan and said, "Second Madam, when I went to Qingyun Garden today, I heard Third Madam say that there was a problem with the medicine she was taking to prevent miscarriage, and there is a high possibility that she will lose the baby."
She left Qingyun Garden in a panic, but quickly calmed down.
Once she enters the courtyard of Qingyun Garden, she will be unable to hide it from Shen Mingzhu.
Given Shen Mingzhu's vicious nature, she would definitely want to get rid of her.
After much deliberation, she decided to surrender to Shen Qingtan again, hoping to gain his protection.
"You yourself said there was a high chance you wouldn't be able to keep the child." Shen Qingtan didn't even lift her eyelids. "You came straight from Qingyun Garden to my Lanxue Garden. Are you afraid your Third Madam won't know you came to me to tell on us?"
Qiu Chan said with increasing respect, "I used to be your maid. Third Madam has harbored resentment towards you for a long time. Even if she wanted to get rid of me, she would think of a way to kill two birds with one stone and drag you down with her."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingtan put down her needlework and looked up at Qiu Chan: "Aunt Qiu, you are one of the few sensible people in the second branch of the family. Just this alone is enough for you to protect yourself."
Qiu Chan said sincerely, "I have made plans for my future and dare not forget the care that Second Mistress has given me in the past. I am not here today to seek your protection, but only to repay you. You know about Third Mistress's situation, so you can be wary of her and not fall into her trap."
Before Shen Qingtan could speak, Qiu Chan curtsied, bid her farewell, and left Lanxue Garden.
Because she knew that Shen Qingtan didn't like owing favors, and if she did, she would find a way to repay them.
She conveyed the message: Shen Qingtan remembers her kindness and will take the initiative to protect her.
If he doesn't remember her feelings, her eagerness to beg Shen Qingtan to remember them will only annoy him.
Qiu Chan hadn't served Shen Qingtan for long, but she knew very well that Shen Qingtan disliked people who didn't know their place and had no sense of propriety.
As Shen Qingtan watched Qiu Chan's departing figure, she sighed softly in her heart, "This is not repaying a debt of gratitude, it is clearly making me remember her kindness."
“Qiu Chan has been cunning since childhood. The Lady of Chengen Marquis had someone train her, along with Wan Dong, Zhong Xia, and Chun Jiao. They were originally meant to be your dowry maids, but in order to control you.”
Liu Yue curled her lips: "Who knew that when Third Madam returned to her ancestral home, how could the Lady of Cheng'en Marquis dare to casually assign maids to serve her? So she sent the few maids that were prepared for your dowry to serve Third Madam."
Shen Qingtan's eyes were tired from embroidering for a long time. She pinched the corner of her eye and said, "Qiu Chan thinks she has my mind under control, so I should help her even more and teach her what it means for people's hearts to be fickle."
Liu Yue: "..."
Seeing Liu Yue's astonished expression and wide-open eyes, Shen Qingtan couldn't help but laugh.
"Alright, enough joking around." Shen Qingtan said seriously, "You should pay more attention to news about the second branch of the family."
"Yes," Liu Yue replied.
-
Chengenhou Mansion.
Marquis Chengen and Madam Shen were having a meal when the steward came to report that Shen Shaobai had returned to the mansion.
"Why is this little rascal back?" Madam Shen frowned. "He's always causing trouble. We're trying to keep a low profile right now, so he might drag us down and implicate Huai'er."
Marquis Chengen had other important matters to ask Shen Shaobai, so he strode over to Shen Shaobai's courtyard.
The servants were seen carrying water into Shen Shaobai's room, while the man himself was standing in the outer room taking off his robes one by one.
Marquis Chengen's eyelids twitched. He dismissed the servants and closed the door.
"I'm asking you, did Shen Shaoheng go to the Liu family's ancestral home?"
Shen Shaobai replied, "He went to see me."
Marquis Chengen then asked, "Did he take anything from his ancestral home?"
"I'm not very bright, so just say what you want to say directly. Don't beat around the bush, I don't understand." Shen Shaobai sniffed the clothes he had taken off, and the sour smell made him nauseous.
The thought of himself walking around in front of Shen Qingtan dressed like this made him want to crawl into a hole in the ground.
So shameful.
Marquis Chengen asked in a different way: "Where did the grain he donated come from?"
"Oh, you suspect he stole it from the Liu family's ancestral home?" Shen Shaobai shrugged and said, "Even if it were stolen, it's still returned to its rightful owner. It was my uncle who embezzled the official grain from Guanzhou, and my elder brother simply returned it."
Marquis Chengen was so angry that his face turned ashen.
Shen Shaobai stroked his chin and looked Chengen Hou up and down: "Don't say you stole it. With your meager salary, you couldn't afford so much grain."
Marquis Chengen was so angry that his nose twisted, and he pointed at Shen Shaobai: "You, you unfilial son!"
"I'd like to take a bath. Please make yourself at home."
Shen Shaobai pulled down his pants, intending to pull them down further.
Marquis Chengen's forehead veins throbbed; he simply couldn't bear to look at this scoundrel and left with a pale face.
Stepping out of the courtyard, he instructed the steward: "Arrange for someone to guard Shao Bai's courtyard and not allow him to leave the manor."
The attendant was ordered to arrange for people to guard Shen Shaobai's courtyard.
Marquis Chengen was so enraged by Shen Shaobai that he went to bed early in the front yard that night.
"Bang bang bang!" There was a rapid knocking on the door, and a trusted aide outside said urgently, "My lord, something terrible has happened. Someone has gone to your mentor's grave."