Chapter 165

Chapter 165: Giving Birth to a Daughter After Nanny Zheng arrived at the estate, she kept thinking about what Nanny Qiu had said—she still wanted to return to the Marquis's residence to serve. Otherwise, spending the rest of her life at the estate would only grow more desolate. She had initially wanted her younger brother to approach the Eldest Young Madam, but her brother said, "The Eldest Young Madam is an outsider after all. No matter how you look at it, she can't compare to Zhuqing. Don't worry—as long as I get to see her, I'll definitely find a way to make her help you. That damned girl managed to dodge us once, but she can't dodge us every time." "I'll listen to you for now. Anyway, the County Mistress can't be relied upon—she's fickle and heartless. Just look at Wang Hechun's Wife, cast aside at a moment's notice. That's a lesson right before our eyes." Comparing the two, Nanny Zheng still felt the Eldest Young Madam was more dependable. Zheng Side went looking for Zhuqing several times in a row, but Zhuqing always found various excuses not to see him. It wasn't until this time that the page boy relaying the message added, "Steward Zheng, let me tell you the truth—it doesn't matter how many times you come. Concubine Zhuqing has explicitly said she won't see you or Nanny Zheng. She's greased palms up and down to keep you both far away." Zheng Side had already guessed as much. He pulled out some silver and asked the page boy to reveal something else. Only after taking the money did the page boy say, "A few days ago, Zhuqing was punished by the Eldest Young Madam to kneel. She's been lying in her room these past few days. But today, the Old Madame has sent her to offer incense. If you really want to see her, you can wait on the road to Shouan Tang." Zheng Side couldn't swallow this indignation, and since he held leverage over Zhuqing, he risked going to wait for her. He hid in the garden and indeed managed to catch Zhuqing. "The Old Madame still places great importance on the child in my belly. Once the child is born, it will be given to the County Mistress to raise. With the Rong Prince Mansion as the maternal grandfather's family, who could possibly surpass my child?" Zhuqing said smugly to her maid. She gave a snort. "Those Xuan-ge and Jin-ge can't compare to the child in my belly." Even if it were a daughter, it didn't matter—she could bear one, and she could bear a second. Lanxin had been sent away, Concubine Zhang was useless, so only Huadie was left to compete with her. Zhuqing was already envisioning her son inheriting the Marquis's residence, and by then she, as the birth mother, would surely hold more power than County Princess Rongjia. The corners of her lips curled up involuntarily—until a hand suddenly yanked her into the rockery. Before she could cry out, a man's warning came first. "Don't scream, or I'll make sure the entire Marquis's residence knows about the little affair between you and me!" Zheng Side covered Zhuqing's mouth and glared at the young maid. The young maid trembled in fear, while Zhuqing's legs went weak. "You... how are you here?" "What, surprised to see me?" Zheng Side stroked Zhuqing's face, from top to bottom. "It's been so long, and you're truly heartless. I sent people to find you several times, and you made excuses every time. Zhuqing, Zhuqing—have you forgotten that we were once husband and wife?" Zhuqing's heart raced with panic. She sent the young maid out to keep watch, then tried to coax Zheng Side. "What are you saying? I'm not that heartless—I really have been busy. Today the Old Madame summoned me. How could I not go?" She was terrified inside, especially as Zheng Side's hand had already slipped into her dudou, his rough palm rubbing against her skin. Zheng Side viciously bit down on Zhuqing's earlobe, a whiff of fragrance entering his nostrils first. He hadn't touched a woman in a long time, and now he was frantically pulling down his pants. Zhuqing hurriedly said no. "Brother Zheng, really, we can't. I'm the Marquis's concubine now. You... you can't do this." "Why can't I? When you were seducing me, did you remember you were the Marquis's woman?" As he spoke, Zheng Side had already dropped his pants. He knew Zhuqing had flown to a higher branch and looked down on him now—so what? He, Zheng Side, was not a man of decency or principles. "If you won't agree, then scream. I'd like to see if you're willing to give up your current wealth and status?" Zheng Side was certain Zhuqing wouldn't cry out. "Why are you playing the innocent with me? When you first crawled into my bed, weren't you the one being the slut?" Indeed, Zhuqing didn't dare call out. If someone saw them, and Zheng Side exposed the fact that they had slept together before, her reputation would be ruined. About a quarter of an hour later, Zheng Side shuddered and bit down hard on Zhuqing's shoulder. "Next time you hide from me again, I'll do you just the same!" Zhuqing forced a smile. Since things had come to this, she could only keep placating him. "What are you saying? I really have been busy. Brother Zheng is still so virile—the Marquis can't compare to you." "Damned girl, finally saying something worth hearing. Let me ask you—when will you let your aunt return to the Marquis's residence?" Zheng Side hadn't forgotten the purpose of his visit. Zhuqing's eyes darted around. She absolutely could not let her aunt return to the Marquis's residence. If her aunt came back, wouldn't that mean one more person holding leverage over her? And Zheng Side—she was meant to be the mother of the future Marquis. She absolutely could not continue this affair with Zheng Side. But under the current circumstances, she could only fend him off for now. "Look at how anxious you two are. I'm pregnant now, but so what? A few days ago, I was still punished to kneel by the Eldest Young Madam. I knelt until my knees nearly broke, and the Marquis only asked a couple of concerned questions without giving the Eldest Young Madam any punishment at all." While Zhuqing was speaking, Zheng Side kept his eyes fixed on her, ready to catch any sign of deception. But Zhuqing's words were half-truths. "It's clear that my standing in the Marquis's heart is only so-so. You tell Aunt to wait a while—she's my aunt, after all, and I certainly want the Marquis household to have a capable ally. Once I give birth to a son, then I can casually mention it to the Marquis—that would be the right time." "That long?" Zheng Side felt his sister couldn't wait that long. "There's nothing to be done about it. Have you and Aunt forgotten? I'm only a concubine, not the Marchioness!" Zhuqing dressed herself. "Besides, we shouldn't do this anymore. If someone sees us, we'll both be ruined." Zheng Side refused to agree. The thrill of their stolen tryst still lingered in his mind. "You ungrateful thing—I think of you every day, but you don't think of me. Next time I come, you wait for me here. If you don't show up, I'll come find you myself." He grabbed her chin and kissed her hard. "And about your aunt's matter—don't drag it out too long. You know what we'll do if we can't wait." Zhuqing hummed in acknowledgment, hatred burning in her heart. She regretted ever getting involved with Zheng Side. But without Zheng Side, there would be no... "Cuizhi?" Before Zhuqing and Zheng Side could speak further, someone outside asked what Cuizhi was doing there—it was Nanny Qiu's voice. Zhuqing's heart leaped to her throat. She listened as Cuizhi managed to brush Nanny Qiu off, her chest still pounding wildly. She pushed Zheng Side away. "Alright, I really must go. I'll attend to Aunt's matter. You should head back now." What she was really thinking was that Zheng Side couldn't be allowed to live. If they continued like this, they'd be discovered sooner or later. Back at Qiushuang Zhai, Nanny Qiu recounted what had happened. "Just as we suspected—Zhuqing and Zheng Side have been carrying on for some time. The moment they met, Zheng Side was frantically pulling off his trousers, lost in their tryant as if heaven and earth ceased to exist!" At these words, Caiyue's face flushed red with embarrassment. Cui Lingrong remained composed. "Zheng Side is threatening Zhuqing. She'll likely resort to desperate measures. Keep watch—catch the thief with the goods, and ideally catch them red-handed." Caiyue asked, "Eldest Young Madam, since they're having an affair, why not just let the Marquis catch them? Why wait for Zhuqing to harm someone?" Cui Lingrong was buying time. If Song Shulan saw through Zhuqing now, County Princess Rongjia would surely arrange for someone else to serve him. And You Shuyi had said the medicine needed to be taken over a period of time to permanently sterilize Song Shulan. But the matter of the poison was known only to Cui Lingrong and Nanny Qiu. Facing Caiyue's question, Cui Lingrong offered a pretext: "Catching them in the act isn't guaranteed. If they're quick and slip away, it'll be much harder to catch them next time. I'm doing this to prepare for all contingencies—having an extra plan in place ensures we can completely eliminate the threat." "Eldest Young Madam is so clever—this servant could never think so thoroughly. Concubine Zhuqing is so smug now, but let her have her moment. She'll get what's coming to her!" Caiyue huffed, eager for that day to arrive. Cui Lingrong nodded, saying that day would come. From then on, the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion enjoyed a period of peace. It lasted until the end of the month, when Yuan Mingzhu successfully gave birth to a daughter, and Cui Lingrong arrived with congratulatory gifts.