Chapter 56

Chapter 56

Madam Hou lowered her gaze for a long while before she spoke, "I see."

Madams Wu, Fang, and Wen looked at Madam Hou in surprise, then at the serene Madam Ning and the expressionless Madam Zhou. The three uninformed women were momentarily at a loss, unsure if this was the end of the matter.

When a family's daughter suffered a miscarriage, it was customary for her kin to immediately send someone to inquire about the circumstances—whether it was an accidental miscarriage or otherwise. It wasn't that they would necessarily make a fuss if the miscarriage occurred due to negligence; rather, it was a matter of attitude. The swifter the response from the maternal family, the more it demonstrated their concern for their daughter. The husband's family must not take them lightly. They had always doted on their daughter; how could such a significant matter be dismissed with a casual "I see"?

Lady Hou: "It's getting late. You should all return home."

Lady Ning: "Mother, we'll take our leave then. The matter has been settled today. Please rest early as well."

"Hmm."

Lady Zhou followed the group out. After ensuring that both her sister-in-laws had returned to their own courtyards, she turned back and approached Lady Hou. Sure enough, the door to Lady Hou's quarters remained ajar. "Mother."

"Sit down." Lady Hou leaned back in her armchair. "I'm not aware of what Huier did to provoke Lord Hou into forbidding me from interfering with her affairs. Regardless of the circumstances, the manor should send someone to visit her after her miscarriage. Are you here to volunteer for the task?"

Lady Hou: "Yes, I'll pay a visit early tomorrow morning."

Madame Zhou: "There are medicinal herbs in the storehouse. You should choose some tonight."

Lady Zhou: "Oh, then I'll go now."

"Go ahead."

Observing Lady Zhou's hurried departure, Lady Hou lowered her gaze. Li Hui must have done something detrimental to the first household, or else Ning would have come tonight instead of Zhou.

After casually selecting some warming and nourishing herbs, Madam Zhou instructed her servants to pack them up before returning to her own courtyard.

"Madam, Concubine Zeng is here," a young maid rushed over, whispering the news as soon as she entered the yard.

Concubine Zeng was none other than the birth mother of both her husband and Li Hui.

Anticipating this visit, Madam Zhou wasn't surprised. "Guard the courtyard and keep all unauthorized individuals away from the house."

"Yes, Madam."

Lady Zeng waited in the outer room where servants usually gathered. Upon seeing Madam Zhou's return, she promptly stood up. "Greetings, Madam." Her adherence to etiquette was deeply ingrained.

Madam Zhou couldn't help but sigh inwardly. How could such a clever and cautious woman like Lady Zeng have given birth to a fool like Li Hui?

"Please sit, Lady. All of you may withdraw," Madam Zhou instructed as she took her seat first. Only then did Lady Zeng sit down, leaving the two of them, the true mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, alone in the room.

"I understand your concerns," Madam Zhou began. "I will visit Duke Cheng'en's residence early tomorrow morning to see Fourth Sister."

Lady Zeng's face paled instantly. "This... this..." By rights, it should be the Lady of the Marquis, as the mother, who should personally make the trip. If not, it would be appropriate for Madam Ning, the eldest sister-in-law with status, to do so. If Madam Zhou, who was neither the eldest nor the legitimate wife, were to visit, the Marquis household would be openly declaring to everyone that they did not attach importance to this daughter.

Unable to conceal the matter any longer, Madam Zhou disclosed everything about what Li Hui had done without reservation.

Aunt Zeng's eyes rolled back, and she fainted. Alarmed, Madam Zhou sent for a doctor while trying to revive her by patting her back and applying pressure to her philtrum.

When Aunt Zeng regained consciousness, she looked at Madam Zhou and was unable to cry; "Why did I give birth to such a beast?"

Madam Zhou didn't console her, instead, she wept silently. She was also aggrieved. Why did they offend the first branch when they could have avoided it? It had caused her husband to constantly apologize to his elder brother these days, and she herself had to be cautious and fawn over the first branch, fearing that they would dislike their entire lineage.

Fortunately, the members of the first branch were not narrow-minded. They could distinguish right from wrong and treated the third branch as they always had. The couple finally sighed in relief.

Lady Zeng abruptly seized Madam Zhou's hand firmly. "Madam, don't be foolish. Don't compromise with the first wife's side for this brute. She has brought this upon herself. You mustn't soften your heart to plead on her behalf. It would only provoke the first wife further and it's not worth offending them over such a beast."

Madam Zhou was initially taken aback. She had assumed Lady Zeng was asking her to intercede, but now realized she was concerned about her getting entangled in the strife. A wave of warmth washed over her, and her tears flowed more fiercely. "My lady, I understand. You can rest assured."

Madam Zhou had kept this matter from Lady Zeng precisely because of this concern – that she might soften and beg for mercy. To her surprise, Lady Zeng demonstrated such wisdom and judgment. Madam Zhou was genuinely moved, especially when compared to other situations.

She too was a concubine's daughter, and her birth mother was also a concubine. How many times had she advised her mother to behave more modestly, to avoid competing with the main wife? Such behavior could only harm her own brothers.

For her unyielding mother, she had been cautious and obedient before her legitimate mother, hoping that her good behavior would prevent her birth mother from being treated similarly.

Yet, what did she gain? Lady Zeng actually scolded her as an ungrateful wolf, only caring about climbing the social ladder and ignoring her brothers' wellbeing. She even said that Hui-er was indeed a daughter who favored her husband's family, blindly pleasing them without seeking their assistance for her own siblings.

Lady Zeng wept, and Madam Zhou, moved by her own emotions, joined in. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law cried together until it was time to light the lamps. Li Zhen returned home from work, and after Lady Zeng hastily met her son, she left.

Of course, Li Zhen also learned of Li Hui's miscarriage. Seeing his mother and wife with swollen eyes from crying, his dissatisfaction with this younger sister grew.

"Shall I accompany you tomorrow?" Li Zhen took the handkerchief from the maid and personally wiped away Madam Zhou's tears.

Madam Zhou replied, "Forget it. If people knew, they'd think you're supporting Fourth Sister. I'll go alone."

Li Zhen sat angrily in his chair. "I have a feeling there's more to this miscarriage than meets the eye. The Duke Cheng'en's residence won't neglect you, will they?"

Lady Zhou wiped away her tears with a smile. "Where did that thought come from? If Fourth Sister and Fourth Brother-in-law had a thousand times the courage, they wouldn't have dared to let Duke Cheng'en and Lady Cheng'en know about what happened back then. Fourth Sister's miscarriage this time is most likely due to issues within their own household."

"This time, I'll just make a formal appearance; no matter how improper Duchess Cheng'en may be, she won't show me any disrespect," Lady Zhou said with a smile. "Moreover, after what happened with Jin'er, news of Butterfly's reputation has spread throughout the capital. For all we know, Duchess Cheng'en might be afraid now, fearful that our Marquisate will send Butterfly to her doorstep."

Li Zhen also chuckled. "You know, it's quite possible that Duke Cheng'en's wife is indeed having a headache right now. Perhaps even Duke Cheng'en himself is troubled. Heh heh! I don't even know how to describe Butterfly's reputation throughout the capital these days. Just today, my colleagues were tactfully trying to inquire, curious if Butterfly behaves similarly at home."

"Scolding? Young Miss Butterfly is merely being protective of her own. Eldest Sister-in-law is truly blessed, both her daughter-in-laws are exceptional. If our future daughter-in-laws could be half as wonderful as Young Miss Yun and Young Miss Butterfly, I would surely smile even in my dreams."

Madam Zhou replied, "Then you'll have to put in some effort to choose carefully."

After sharing some intimate conversation, the couple retired for the night.

The next morning, Madam Zhou paid her respects at the main residence before hurriedly having a bite to eat and boarding the carriage to Duke Cheng'en's mansion.

Observing the ladies assembled in the main hall of the family compound, Madam Zhou barely managed to stifle her laughter. Her guess had been spot on – Duke Cheng'en's residence was indeed intimidated by Meng Die. Everyone was present and accounted for, all of them acting with great caution. The relief on their faces when they saw that only she had arrived was unmistakable.

Not wishing to lend support to Li Hui, Madam Zhou briefly greeted Duke Cheng'en's wife before making a beeline for the courtyard where Li Jin resided. She wanted to finish her visit as soon as possible; she had no desire to linger any longer than necessary in Duke Cheng'en's residence.

Chunni stood guard at the entrance of the courtyard early in the morning, eagerly awaiting someone from the Marquis household to intervene on behalf of her young miss.

Spotting a group approaching, Chunni's heart leapt with joy. But as they drew near, she almost lost control of her facial expression. Where was the Matriarch? And the Lady? Why was it Madam Third who had come?

Chunni bowed respectfully. "Madam."

Lady Zhou asked, "Is your Lady inside?"

Chunni replied, "Yes."

Lady Zhou: "Lead the way."

Chunni fought back her tears. What did Third Lady mean by this? Which relative would arrive without inquiring about the well-being of their young miss through the servants? How could she simply say "lead the way"!

Li Hui, lying in bed, also eagerly awaited, hoping that Meng Die would come today. She wanted her to give that new concubine of her husband a good scolding.

At the thought of that concubine, flames seemed to burn in Li Hui's eyes. Damn tramp, Duke Cheng'en had clearly ordered her to be sent to the manor, yet she managed to return, coming right back to Li Hui's own chambers!

Seeing Lady Zhou enter, Li Hui stood there, stunned.

Madam Zhou gave Li Hui a cursory glance and surveyed the maids in the room. "All of you, leave us."

The two young maids who had come with Li Hui as part of her dowry promptly turned to exit. However, the two unfamiliar maids from Madam Zhou's household stood their ground, seemingly oblivious to the command. Chunni approached them and, with a gentle pull, escorted them out of the chamber.

Li Hui asked, "Why has Third Sister-in-law come over?"

Madam Zhou casually took a seat on a chair. "Is something wrong? Aren't you glad to see me?"

Li Hui was stunned, unable to believe that her Third Sister-in-law would speak to her in such a manner. "Where is Mother? And Eldest Sister-in-law? Why aren't they here?"

Lady Zhou replied, "Your mother and eldest sister-in-law didn't come, so naturally, you wouldn't have seen them."

Li Hui muttered to herself, "They didn't come? How could they not come? Mother Chen and Eldest Sister-in-law didn't attend either." Li Hui turned to Lady Zhou. "Did Meng Die come? Is she perhaps scolding those heartless people in front?"

Lady Zhou was genuinely amused by anger. "Meng Die? You still have the nerve to mention Meng Die? She came? What did she come for, to be betrayed by you and outsiders?"

Li Hui was startled, unable to believe that Meng Die would dare reveal the truth.

"I'm not going to waste my breath with you. Li Hui, you know well enough what you've done. No one else will come today except me; I'm only here as a formality," Lady Zhou stood up. "Now that the formality is over, I'll be on my way."

Li Hui panicked, "Third Sister-in-law, Third Sister-in-law, please don't go, listen to me. It has nothing to do with me, truly nothing. I didn't do anything, I never intended to harm Butterfly Girl."

Madam Zhou replied coldly, "Your inaction is already a grave mistake. What else did you plan to do?"

Li Hui asked, bewildered, "Third Sister-in-law, are you blaming me for doing nothing?"

Madam Zhou harrumphed, "It's not me blaming you, but Father, Elder Brother's wife, and the concubines who blame you."

With each word Madam Zhou spoke, Li Hui's complexion grew paler: "Third Sister-in-law, I had no choice. Men's affairs are beyond my control. I couldn't stop him or manage his actions. Everything was his idea, along with his concubine and cousin."

Madam Zhou closed her eyes. Before leaving, her elder sister-in-law had subtly hinted that if Li Hui showed any sign of remorse, the Marquis household wouldn't push things to an extreme. After all, she was their own young miss, pampered since childhood—how could there be no affection involved?

Madam Zhou reopened her eyes. "You're right, who can control a man's actions?"

Li Hui: "Third Sister-in-law..."

Madam Zhou: "If you can't manage it, our Marquis household certainly can't. You're not carrying his child, and if he doesn't care, neither will our Marquis family."

Li Hui stared blankly at Madam Zhou.

"Li Hui, hear me clearly. Just as you stood by and watched him plot against the Marquis Manor that day, today the Manor can witness him plotting against you. It's a fair exchange, this give and take. From this moment on, your life, death, riches, or honor, Li Hui, shall bear no connection to the Marquis Manor." Lady Zhou finished her words with a resolute turn, disregarding Li Hui's repeated calls from behind.

"Madam Three." Chunni had been observing the two individuals and, upon seeing Lady Zhou emerge with a grim expression, she hurriedly approached her.

Madam Zhou paused in her steps, casting a glance at Chunni and letting out an almost imperceptible sigh. She then led her maidservant straight to the main house to bid farewell to Duchess Cheng'en, hastily fulfilling the necessary etiquette before boarding her carriage without even pausing for a sip of tea.

Upon seeing Madam Zhou depart, Chunni hastily rushed back into the room. There, she found Li Hui weeping in bed. "Madam, what on earth has happened?"

Li Hui's sobs grew even louder.

"Ah, what grand airs these daughters and favorites of marquis households put on. They're not as impressive as I thought. So it's just a bunch of worthless trinkets. Tsk tsk tsk, is this ginseng really over twenty years old? This...?"

Chunni, fuming with anger, stormed into the outer room and shouted, "You slaves never learn your place, do you? How dare you touch your master's belongings without permission?"

"This is how your marquis household behaves? Insulting your masters? Fetch someone, quick, to shut this mouth!"

"You think you're some great master? At best, you're just a concubine or a secondary wife, something that will never be fit for high society..."

"I'll beat you to a pulp, you wretched maid..."

Amidst chaos, tables and chairs tumbled, sending the gifts piled atop them crashing to the floor.

Hearing the commotion outside, Li Hui wept uncontrollably.

Madam Zhou was unaware of the drama that unfolded after she left Li Hui's quarters. Departing from Duke Cheng'en's residence, she felt a newfound ease in her breathing.

Upon hearing of Li Hui's troubles, Meng Die also sent someone to gather information. Now, she looked at Nurse Fan with astonishment, "You're saying that Aunt Four's wet nurse, Nurse Zhang, requested to leave over a month ago?"

Nurse Fan replied, "Yes, the official reason given was that her son had been studying for a few days and wished to attempt the imperial examinations. It was deemed unsuitable for his family to still be registered as slaves, so she requested to depart."

Xing Huang scoffed disdainfully, "That tale wouldn't even fool a three-year-old."

Nanny Fan replied, "I agree, but we haven't been able to find out the reason behind her request. Instead, we've heard a rumor that she offered a redemption sum when she asked to leave. It's hard to tell if it's true or not."

Xing Huang responded, "Can it be true? When a wet nurse asks to leave, which family would demand a redemption fee? Not giving a parting gift would already be considered stingy."

Meng Die propped her cheek with one hand, "Then what about her recent miscarriage? How did that happen?"

Nanny Fan shrugged, "They say she was inadvertently jolted by a concubine in the house."

Meng Die's arm trembled, barely avoiding slamming her face onto the table. "He already has a concubine?"

Aunt Fan sneered. "Second Lady, can you guess who that concubine might be?"

Meng Die was astonished. "Could it be the niece of Gao Ling's birth mother? Didn't they say she was sent to the manor?"

Aunt Fan replied, "Oh my dear Second Lady, hasn't there always been pillow talk in this world? That old concubine managed to gain favor for so many years and compete with Duke Cheng'en's wife. Surely, she must have some tricks up her sleeve. I've heard that she was sent to the manor last year, but before the Dragon Boat Festival, her family was back at Duke Cheng'en's residence."

"No wonder Aunt Four is only now carrying her first child," Meng Die realized. It seemed that as soon as the woman returned from the manor, she and Gao Ling rekindled their relationship, leaving Li Hui alone in their chambers. It took nearly two years after their marriage for Li Hui to conceive.

Lu Wei, accompanied by Mei'er, entered with several large boxes in hand. "It doesn't matter which child it is; Second Lady should still take a look at what Headman Wang has sent. It's quite remarkable."

Nanny Fan pulled out a list from her bosom. "Look at me, I almost forgot the important matter Headman Wang entrusted to me. This list has the names and uses of three unfamiliar crops."

"Unfamiliar?" Meng Die took the list and unfolded it, her pupils dilating in surprise. "Where are they? Bring them to me quickly."

Lu Wei hastily located three boxes and opened them one by one. The first box revealed two light green gourds, resembling cucumbers but without any prickles. They were smooth all over, thicker and shorter than cucumbers – these were zucchini, which Meng Die recognized.

In the second box was what appeared to be a flower, or rather something that grew like a flower, with white petals and vibrant green leaves beneath.

Xing Huang leaned in curiously. "What kind of flower is this? It looks rather peculiar but appealing."

Meng Die chuckled. "This isn't a flower, it's a cauliflower."

Xing Huang responded, slightly puzzled. "Isn't it still a type of flower then?"

Meng Die explained, "It's a vegetable, just one that resembles a flower in appearance."

Lu Wei opened the third box. Meng Die instantly held her breath, her eyes fixated on the object inside that resembled a water radish.

"Second Aunt?" Lu Wei called softly.

Meng Die let out a long sigh. "Perhaps I truly am the chosen one!"

Lu Wei responded, "Huh? Why are you talking in riddles again, Second Aunt?"

Meng Die chuckled foolishly and reached into the box to retrieve the sweet vegetable. She examined it thoroughly, then reluctantly passed it to Xing Huang. "Cut it open, let's all taste it."

Xing Huang asked, "This is meant to be eaten raw?"

Meng Die: "It can be cooked and eaten too."

Xing Huang took it and dashed towards the kitchen with quick steps.

Everyone received a small piece, and Meng Die savored it carefully. It wasn't as sweet as the beetroot she had tasted in her dreams, but that was to be expected. Not only did livestock need domestication, but crop cultivation also required the same process of taming and refining.

In her dream world, beets had been cultivated for many years, with specialized varieties even bred for sugar production. They were far from the wild-like beets they had now.

Moreover, the climate in the capital was not particularly suitable. Beets thrived in fertile soil and cooler temperatures, whereas the summer in the capital was excessively hot...

Meihong: "Huh? Why do I seem to taste sweetness?"

"It is sweet," Xing Huang declared confidently. "There's a very unique sweetness to it, quite distinct from fruits."

Meng Die raised an eyebrow. As expected of a master chef, her sense of taste was far more acute than the average person's. Fructose and sucrose were indeed not the same: "Then, what does it remind you of?"

Xing Huang took two more bites and frowned.

Meng Die prompted, "How about compared to sugarcane?"

Xing Huang's brows unfurled as she said, "It's similar, this sweetness is akin to that of sugarcane."

Meng Die felt that with Xing Huang's palate, if she had been born in that world, she would undoubtedly have been a renowned culinary expert. Here, however, her talents were not fully utilized; she could only cook for herself, spoiling herself with her skills. "Mama Fan, reward Headman Wang with five hundred taels of silver. Let him search for a suitable location this year to cultivate a large quantity of sweet beets next year. Also, increase the planting of zucchini and cauliflower, just for the novelty of it."

Mama Fan instantly wore a look of distress.

Meng Die asked, "What's the difficulty?"

Mama Fan replied, "This sweet beet is a biennial plant. Headman Wang doesn't have many seeds in his possession."

Meng Die sighed, having momentarily forgotten a crucial detail — that sugar beets stored nutrients in their first year and only blossomed and produced seeds in the second: "There are many idle fields in the mountainous areas, aren't there? We can start by gradually preparing and selecting the land. When merchants come around again, have Headman Wang inquire if they have any sugar beet seeds."

"Well,"

Meng Die: "The soup business has been running for over two years, so I assume he's well-versed in its operations. Ask him to send a manager up here. I have another task for him, something rather intricate. I'll write a letter detailing it for him."

Nanny Fan: "Then I shall await Madam Second's presence."

Meng Die promptly took up her pen and wrote a letter. She instructed Fan Youxin to find someone skilled in sugar production and asked him to locate a secluded area within the estate to build a large sugar refinery.

Meng Die was well aware that the current beetroot couldn't compare to its improved version in her dream world. However, a beet was still a beet; it could surely produce sugar.

Sugar had countless uses. Not mentioning its high price, Meng Die needed a large amount of sugar for her plans to cultivate a substantial crop of oyster mushrooms. Previously, due to the cost of sugar, she hadn't intended to scale up production. Now, however... hehe! Most importantly, if this endeavor succeeded, sweet beetroot would flourish in Ganzhou, and the Meng family could regain their position in the capital through this achievement.

"Second Aunt."

Just as Meng Die put down her pen, Hulu reported, "Li'er has just returned with news that Second Aunt has come back. She's now with Grandmother in the main residence."

Meihong promptly walked over to the dressing table. "Second Aunt, we might receive word from Grandmother's quarters soon. Should I start combing your hair and adding some accessories?"

Meng Die methodically placed the finished letter into an envelope and handed it to Nanny Fan. "There's no need. I doubt Grandmother will send any messages."

The young maids in the room exchanged glances.

Meng Die smiled but said nothing. It was highly likely that Li Zhi had returned this time for Li Hui.