Mama Cui never realized Minglan would bring that up all of a sudden and got lost at first. Minglan then added, “Concubine Xiang used to be Madam"s private maid and has served Madam from a very young age. I heard they were like sisters before. However, … After Concubine Xiang married my father, Madam started to guard against her, and their relationship went worse ever since then. Until Concubine Xiang gave birth to my Sixth brother, the sisterhood Madam and she had was long gone.”

“That"s right.” Mama Cui sighed, “Concubine Xiang truly is good at tolerating. Though Madam skimped on the spending"s on her food and clothing, she has never complained once and always praised Madam in public. Sixth Young Master also remained humble all the time. That"s why Madam was able to tolerate them.”

Minglan nodded. Concubine Xiang should be considered as the model of the concubines. She was prudent, dutiful and never dared to have any evil intention. Even the stewards or respectable Mamas lived more decently than she did. Minglan then asked, “However, can we call Madam a narrow-minded woman because of that? Once a woman gives birth to a child, everything is not so certain…”

Mama Cui, choked with words, knew that Minglan"s words made sense. It didn"t matter if a concubine gave birth to a girl since an illegal daughter was not a big threat and the concubine would behave herself then. However, if she gave birth to a son… any mother would want her son to have a better future and get more family property.

It was such a rare case that the wife and the concubine as well as the half-brothers would live together in peace.

Minglan said slowly, “When I need them, I order them to be my husband"s concubine. When they are of no use, I will have to guard against them. If they harbor evil designs, I won"t feel guilty. Otherwise… I can never do this to them, treating them like objects. Perhaps I am not broad-minded enough to treat the concubines of my husband like sisters.” The ancient education meant nothing for Yao Yiyi.

“Madam, what are you talking about? No woman in this world would treat their husbands" concubines as sisters. However, what… should we do now?” Mama Cui who was clumsy with words really didn"t know what to say now.

“We will find a way.” Minglan smiled, having no intention to continue. It was so easy for the men in the ancient times to cheat on their wives. The hard thing for them was resisting the seduce from all those pretty women. Minglan didn"t want to find troubles for herself right now and preferred to let everything run its course.

At this moment, Danju reported in a loud voice, “Master is Back.”

As Minglan came back to her sense, she saw Gu Tingye walking into the room with vigorous strides. Mama Cui, sensitive as she was, stood up reverently right away and gave her obeisance to Gu Tingye. After that, she dismissed herself. Minglan wanted to get up to help him get undressed but was held up by him. Then they both leaned on the bedside.

Gu Tingye smelled fruity milk scent from Minglan, then he sniffed her face and neck and asked, “What is this smell?” Minglan felt her skin quite itchy being rubbed by his stubble, then she grinned cutely, “I had some snacks just now. Since you like the smell, why don"t you have a taste too?” Gu Tingye shook his head. He didn"t have a sweet tooth actually. Only the milky smell on Minglan"s body made him very pleasant.

“Did you make everything clear with your aunt?” Minglan tried very hard to pull him round to face her as he kept kissing her neck.

Gu Tingye mumbled a yes. Minglan didn"t understand what he meant and asked, “You won"t egg someone on bringing your cousin Yang to the wh.o.r.ehouse, would you?” Gu Tingye put his large hand on her belly and said reluctantly, “Consider this as doing a good deed for this little beast.”

Minglan really wanted to say, "You call your son a beast, they you must be the father of a beast." However, it was a good thing that Old Madam Yang wouldn"t bother her anymore, so she then said nothing with a smile on her face.

“However,” Gu Tingye hesitated, “You are pregnant now. If Old Madam wash her hands off the family matters, how can you manage such a huge family…? Maybe we should wait for a while.”

Minglan pondered for a while and then said to him seriously, “Do you think I am the kind of person who would spare no effort in doing my job?”

If Zhuge Liang was able to live as long as Emperor Qianlong, the country might be the Liu"s kingdom. Sima Yi, Zhuge Liang"s foe, also had a weak body anyway. A healthy body was the strongest tool to fight.

Gu Tingye also thought about it carefully and then said, “Definitely not.”

His answer was too resolute, which made Minglan a bit annoyed.

Minglan wasn"t very worried actually. Now that she was pregnant, it was understandable that she couldn"t manage the whole family very well, and if she did a great job, others would admire her extraordinary performance. If anyone complained about her, she could complain to the outsiders that Old Madam Qin bullied her on purpose by handing the power of controlling the family right at the moment when she was pregnant. What an excellent excuse!

If the milk which had been sent from the estates was kept out for too long, it wouldn"t be fresh anymore. Then, Mama Ge made some curd and custard. Minglan ordered the servants to bring the snacks to every yard in the manor, including the House of Cardamon Fragrance.

“Wow, the custard tastes so good. It"s still warm, might be just out of the pot. Young Lady, you should have some.” After Qiuniang took a bite of the snack, she felt her mouth filling with tasty smell. Then she praised, “It"s very rich. I wonder how much fresh milk they added into this.”

Gong Hongxiao touched the embroidery of green pistil and yellow wintersweets on her sleeve, saying, “This must be presented to Young Lady Rong specifically, we shouldn"t taste it at all. If Madam knows, she might a.s.sume that we always take advantages of our lady.”

Qiuniang stopped eating the snack in her hands, seeming to get a bit embarra.s.sed. A maid behind her who was tidying up things couldn"t help saying, “Concubine Gong, don"t frighten her. When I took over the snacks from that servant, I heard clearly that the small box was for our lady and this one was for you two.” After saying that, the maid walked away in anger and even threw the curtains hard when she got out of the door.

“Little Lotus is right. Madam wouldn"t fuss about this.” Qiuniang watched the maid leaving while letting out a sigh of relief.

Hongxiao threw a glance at her and closed the door with a smile. Then she turned around and said, “Sister, I got the wrong idea. I have worried that Madam was not easy to get along. You would be just fine since you used to be close to Master, but I am just a lonely girl who could be trampled by anyone. However, after we have lived here for a long while, I found Madam truly is great to us!”

Qiuniang started at the candles in a daze and sighed, “That"s right, Madam is the kindest person.”

With a meaningful look flashing in Hongxiao"s eyes, she sat beside Qiuniang and said intimately, “I know that Madam is a gentle woman. I guess she wouldn"t bear in mind the minor mistakes we made.”

Qiuniang blushed at once, knowing what Gong Hongxiao was referring to, then lowered her head.

“Now that Madam is pregnant, you have to share her burden.”

Qiuniang asked confusedly, “How?”

“Stupid girl. You can serve Master now.” Hongxiao laughed so hard that the pearl hairpin by her temple kept shuddering, “Sister, think about it, Master is a censorious guy and won"t be used to others" service. However, considering of Madam"s condition, he also wouldn"t want her to get tired.”

After staying in the big family for a long time, any innocent girl would get tactful more or less. No matter how dull Qiuniang was, she could still tell that Hongxiao was up to no good by saying that. However, sometimes the most obvious schemes were the most useful ones.

Thinking that Gu Tingye didn"t have any considerate maids around him, Qiuniang started to get worried at once. Then, the same old idea came to her mind again. She thought that she was the best choice for serving Gu Tingye now instead of those scheming maids and that Minglan would understand her.

Hongxiao observed the look in Qiuniang"s eyes, knowing that the latter was already getting itchy feet. Then Hongxiao stopped talking and went back to her own room.

Qiuniang went back to her room, looking preoccupied. As she watched at her still pretty face the mirror on the dresser, she couldn"t help getting excited. At the moment, Little Lotus came in with a basin of hot water, behind whom was a little maid who brought the towel and nightwear.

“Little Lotus, come here.” Qiuniang bit her lips and said, “I want you to give obeisance to Madam with me tomorrow morning. I know that you are close to the maids in her yard, I need you to inquire about something for me…”

“My lady!” Little Lotus interrupted Qiuniang in anger, “My position is lower than yours indeed, but I have served you since I was ten. If you want to seek your own doom, please don"t bring me with you for the sake of my loyal service to you for so many years!”

“What the h.e.l.l are you talking about!” Qiuniang, having been retorted, thumped on the dresser and scolded back.

After Little Lotus put the copper basin on the shelf violently, she turned around and said with her hands on her hips, “Please don"t get muddleheaded because you a.s.sume our madam is a kind person! Don"t you remember what has happened to Wu"er? After she had tried to seduce Master in his study, she was beaten fiercely by the steward and got one of her legs broken. After that, she was transferred to the estate to heal her wound. Even so, she might still become a cripple in the future. I heard from the Mama in the estate that Wu"er has already been betrothed to someone! Now that the woman next door stays quiet, why do you start to make troubles?”

Qiuniang, face turning purple and red, grabbed her clothes tightly and huffed, “I haven"t said anything yet! You are the one who kept talking! Don"t forget who the lady in this room is!”

“All right, all right!” The other maid tried to mediate the dispute right away. She closed the door and then held Qiuniang"s hand, saying in a tender voice, “My lady, don"t take it personally. You know Sister Little Lotus well. She just has a sarcastic tongue. After spending so many years with her, you should know that she only meant for your own good!”

Qiuniang cooled down a bit after hearing that. That little maid was young, but actually very good at persuading others. “Master has already made himself very clear. He only sent Young Lady Rong here as an act of grace to you! He wanted you to have someone to depend on in the future. So, the only thing you need to do is taking a great care of Young Lady Rong. If Master comes to find you by himself, you can still serve him. However, if you spare no efforts in seducing him, not only Master would find you annoyed, but all the people in our mansion would laugh at you.”

After that, Little Lotus said in a low voice, “My lady, it"s all my fault. I should have controlled my speech! I was only afraid that you would be fooled by that evil woman next door. She only wanted to use you. Young Lady Rong trusts you and likes you a lot. Living a quiet life is the best for us. Madam has said that she would make you a concubine after Young Lady Rong is ten years old. She even said that she would a.s.sign tasks to your father and brother if there are any posts available.”

The two maids, one being tough and the other being soft, both tried their best to convince Qiuniang. Although the latter was reluctant to agree to them, she still balked at her idea.

After Qiuniang went to sleep, the two girls went out. Only after they had walked a dozen steps away did they start to talk.

“Phew, Sister Lotus, you are so brave to say that. Otherwise our lady would get confused again.” The little maid patted her chest and said that.

Little Lotus sighed and said, “Alas, our lady is a clever person with a good mind. She just couldn"t let go of her affection toward Master. She always dreams that maybe one day G.o.d would pity her. However, why couldn"t she remember that she would be thirty years old in a few years? How could she fight for Master"s favor against other young women! She"ll only bring humiliation to herself! Even if Madam wants to find a concubine for Master, she has so many capable and reliable maids to choose. Why does she have to pick our lady? I have served our lady for so many years and really don"t want her to make fool of herself!"