Chapter 159: Scheme

**Chapter 159: Calculations**

A Yuan shook her head. "She wouldn’t dare."

Now that the Anning Marquisate had divided the family assets, the second branch received only a few shops and estates, while the real fortune remained with Wei Xun.

Wei Xun still hadn't married, and without children, there would be no heir to the title.

That made Wei Chengye of the second branch the heir presumptive.

So if Zhao Wan knew about the pregnancy, she’d sooner hide it than spread the news.

Chun Tao didn’t grasp the complexities behind it, but seeing her mistress’s certainty, she reluctantly let it go.

After leaving the general’s residence, Zhao Wan entered a perfumery. The room was draped in black cloth, blocking all light. Though it was bright daylight outside, a lone candle burned inside.

"Mrs. Shen."

Zhao Wan dipped into a respectful bow toward the woman on the bed.

The door behind her closed silently, and the woman on the bed slowly pulled the blanket tighter around herself. When she opened her eyes, they glinted with venom.

"Where is she? Why haven’t you brought her?"

Shen Qiuyu had given Zhao Wan a fortune in gold—ten thousand taels—to lure out A Yuan and her daughter, yet neither had appeared.

Zhao Wan offered an ingratiating smile. "Mrs. Shen, it’s not that I didn’t try—it’s out of the question now. A Yuan is pregnant again!"

"What?"

Shen Qiuyu’s face stiffened. "When did she conceive? Whose child is it?"

Zhao Wan shook her head. "I don’t know, but from the look of her belly, she’s nearly due."

"If we could get her out, that child alone would make Xie Zheng comply. But the general’s household won’t let her leave easily. You’ll have to find another angle, Mrs. Shen."

Originally, they had planned to use Madam Wei to bring A Man to the marquis’s estate, drawing A Yuan out. But now, with A Yuan heavily pregnant, she would never go there.

Shen Qiuyu narrowed her eyes, flickering candlelight carving sharp shadows across her gaunt, spiteful face.

It had been over a year since Zhao Wan last saw Shen Qiuyu. The gentle, amiable girl from her memory now resembled a hell-spawned wraith—shunning people, shunning light.

Zhao Wan furtively brushed away the gooseflesh on her arms and lowered her head.

If not for the second branch’s dire need for money, she would never have agreed to Shen Qiuyu’s demands.

As her thoughts wandered, Shen Qiuyu hatched a scheme.

"I’ve heard A Yuan is close to Lin Qingshuang. If Lin Qingshuang wished to see her before her wedding, A Yuan wouldn’t say no, would she?"

Ordinarily, A Yuan wouldn’t agree just based on her friendship with Lin Qingshuang. But Shen Qiuyu knew full well about Xie Zheng’s past feelings for Lin Qingshuang.

Back when Xie Zheng served as her bodyguard, the shadow guards had reported everything to Prince Jing.

And at that time, Shen Qiuyu had been naked in the man’s bed, catching every word.

She knew Xie Zheng once loved Lin Qingshuang—and that A Yuan had hoped Lin Qingshuang might marry her brother.

So if Lin Qingshuang asked to see her before her wedding, A Yuan would never refuse.

"Mrs. Shen is the clever one—otherwise how would I ever come up with such an idea?"

Zhao Wan buttered her up. Shen Qiuyu sniffed dismissively, "Enough. Go handle it. If you mess this up again, forget about the ten thousand taels of gold."

"Yes, yes, I’ll go right away!"

Zhao Wan backed out with a forced smile, but as soon as she stepped outside, she spat on the ground. "A bitch riding on someone else’s coattails!"

With Prince Jing exiled to the imperial mausoleum, what right did that cast-off mistress have to act so high and mighty? If not for her urgent need for money, she wouldn’t have gotten involved with her.

A Yuan waited for days, but there was no news from the Anning Marquis estate.

......

Chun Tao gradually relaxed. "Just as our lady predicted. Second Madam Wei really didn’t dare speak up."

As for Madam Wei’s condition, no one came to inform them, so whether she was truly ill remained unknown.

"Don’t worry about them. Wash these little clothes and hang them out to dry—air them out in the sun for a few days."

A Yuan hadn’t stopped sewing during her pregnancy. A Man’s old clothes were all left behind in Suzhou, and with twins coming, A Man’s old clothes alone wouldn’t be enough.

She refused to let anyone else do it, making swaddles and tiny outfits herself. In just a few months, she’d made a whole stack.

The doctor had warned her that with twins, premature birth was highly likely. Now nearly seven months along, she might go into labor any day now.

A Yuan was extra careful, never leaving her own courtyard. But when she received Lin Qingshuang’s letter, she hesitated.

"Mistress, should I turn her down?"

Chun Tao’s immediate thought was to decline the invitation—meeting Lin Qingshuang could wait until after the birth.

But A Yuan had more to consider. Lin Qingshuang was about to marry Qin Erlang. She couldn’t stop the wedding, but she had to clear up her brother’s true intentions, so Lin Qingshuang wouldn’t marry with the wrong idea.

"No, I’ll meet her."

"Mistress?"

Chun Tao clearly didn’t like the idea, but A Yuan had already decided.

"Lin Qingshuang arranged the meeting at her family’s villa. No one else will be there, and we’ll only talk briefly before returning. We’ll be fine."

She knew going out while heavily pregnant was risky, but she couldn’t stand the idea of Lin Qingshuang marrying without clearing things up first.

"Fine."

Unable to change her mind, Chun Tao reluctantly agreed.

Once the reply was sent from the General’s estate, Shen Qiuyu immediately got the news.

A wicked grin twisted her pale lips. "Get ready. The moment she arrives, grab her—don’t screw it up!"

"Yes."

A Yuan and Chun Tao entered the Lin family’s villa together. The servants must have been told beforehand—they were nowhere to be seen.

......

Chun Tao helped her walk deeper into the villa. In the garden pavilion sat a woman with her back turned. A Yuan stepped forward for a better look, but before she could get close, something sharp hit the back of her neck. Everything went black.

When she woke up, she was already in a speeding carriage.

The carriage rocked violently, and the pain in the back of her neck, combined with the dizziness, made A Yuan feel nauseous.

"Chun Tao..."

Her voice was hoarse, and she realized her throat felt parched, burning like fire.

She didn't know how long they'd been traveling. The carriage curtains were sealed shut on both sides, making it impossible to see outside.

Chun Tao wasn't with her, and panic rose in A Yuan's chest.

Weren't they on their way to meet Lin Qingshuang? How did they end up here?

Sitting in the carriage, A Yuan frantically tried to understand her situation, while the jostling caused a dull ache in her lower abdomen.

"We're here."

After what seemed like forever, a voice finally called from outside.

A Yuan held her breath, protecting her stomach as she waited for someone to lift the carriage curtain.

"Master!"

Chun Tao appeared outside, held by two tough-looking matrons who eyed A Yuan with disdain.

"Since A Yuan is awake, come with us to meet our master."

"Who is your master?"

The matrons looked unfamiliar, and A Yuan was certain she had never seen them in the capital. Could they be from the Lin family?

The two matrons sneered. "You'll find out soon enough."

They refused to say more, leaving A Yuan clueless. She stepped down from the carriage, and Chun Tao hurried forward to support her.

"Master, we've been held captive for two weeks now."