She hadn't forgotten that Li Yi had once looked for Jiang Changyang, nor had she forgotten the sudden appearance at the unnamed wine house two days ago, rushing to Zhu Guogong's place with Min Wang. She also hadn't forgotten what Jiang Changyang had said to her, and even more so, she hadn't forgotten the plum blossom craftsman in Fangyuan who was bought from Jing Wang at a high price. If Jing Wang wasn't actually the rumored person without presence, but rather the one who quietly replaced Qin Niang and drove Yan Balang to bankruptcy, then he would certainly know about her relationship with Jiang Changyang.

  If Qin Niang really was as she said, one day she would repay herself. Then, she had always refused to acknowledge herself and Lu Wu Lang, there must be a reason. And Lu Wu Lang had been asking the He family for help earlier, with a close relationship with the He family. Until he came into contact with Qin Niang, he never mentioned it to the He family. Now, he suddenly found them and told them about Qin Niang's pregnancy and the misunderstanding with Jing Wang. The change in attitude was so great that Peony couldn't help but suspect - of course, it wouldn't be aimed at her, but rather at Jiang Changyang and the people behind him.

  "Just these suspicions, Peony didn't dare to tell Mrs. Cen in detail, and could only say: "Some people, after they have risen to prominence, are most unwilling to see the people who saw them at their most miserable and downtrodden. If Qin Niang wanted to recognize me, she would have come long ago. She is willing to acknowledge Lu Wulang but not me, so I think it must be for this reason. So Lu Wulang's feelings are one-sided, even if I agreed to go with him, I wouldn't get a good face from Qin Niang afterwards. Moreover, this involves the struggle for favor among the concubines in the Wang mansion, and we'd better not get involved. Now that Father and Big Brother are not at home, it's still best to be careful."

  Madam Cen slightly hesitated, saying: "You're right, a steady sail makes for a long voyage. Since she was willing to let Jing Wang raise the child outside in the first place, she should have been mentally prepared and had a plan to deal with it. You going there would be of no use."

  "Mother, didn't you say the other day that the weather is getting cooler and your face and hands are getting drier? You need some cream. Today's a good day to make it. Let's make more, I'll give some as gifts." Mrs. Cen was not young, but she took care of herself well, with many beauty recipes at her disposal. Lately, she had been feeling somewhat tired and listless, so fiddling with these things that interested her helped alleviate the fatigue.

  "Ah, it's not difficult at all! Just do as I say. First, prepare two pig trotters and a dou of white glutinous rice, wash them clean, and then add five dou of water to cook over low heat until the trotters and rice are both tender. Set aside the clear broth for later use. This is the first step. Next, take two liang each of white fungus, lu jiao, and wu ling zhi, one liang of bai zhi, and two liang of yuan zhi, chop them up finely and decoct into a dou of medicinal liquid for later use. This is the second step. Finally, grind one sheng of peach kernel into a fine powder, mix it with the medicinal liquid and clear broth, and cook until reduced to one and a half dou. Strain out the dregs, pour into a porcelain bottle, add one liang each of gan song xiang and ling ling xiang powder, stir well, let cool, then cover the mouth of the bottle tightly with silk floss. Every night before bed, take some to apply to your face and hands."

  "Ah, it's the ancient version of collagen protein whitening anti-wrinkle night cream, truly all-natural. Peony excitedly told Kuang'er to take money to the kitchen and have someone prepare pig trotters, while Xu'er took money to the warehouse to fetch other medicinal materials."

  "Those who see have a share!" Wu Yiniang and Yang Yiniang came in hand in hand, laughing: "No wonder Mrs. has had such fair and tender skin for so many years, it turns out that there is a secret recipe. Since Dan Niang is taking out her own pocket money, then make some more to give us to use, let us also bask in the glory."

  "Shall we have one copy each?" Peony smiled and said.

  "Good, good," said Yang's wife, clapping her hands and smiling. Then she looked around, stroking her own cheek, and smiled ingratiatingly at Mrs. Cen: "Although I'm younger than you, madam, my skin isn't as taut, smooth, and fair as yours!"

  It's obvious that you're trying to curry favor, probably because you have a guilty conscience. Lady Cen smiled faintly: "You can't compare with me and Wu Niang, you're more than ten years younger than us, and on top of that, you're from Yangzhou, how can we possibly compare to you?"

  Madam Yang sneered: "The lady is bullying me again."

  When Peony looked at her, the golden hairpin with rhinoceros horn on her head had disappeared, replaced by a very ordinary silver-plated gold hairpin.

  Before long, Xue's family also arrived upon hearing the news. They all sat down together to grind the medicine materials such as apricot kernels with their own hands. The whole family chatted and laughed, making a lively scene. Only Sun's wife sat in the corner, holding a handful of apricot kernels and turning them over repeatedly, her mind wandering elsewhere.

  Peony walked up to her side and smiled: "What is Sixth Aunt doing?"

  Sun was startled and looked up at Peony with a faint smile: "Nothing, I just think such big apricot kernel is not common."

  Compared to Yang's wife who was in high spirits, currying favor and showing off everywhere, Sun Shi was still wearing a half-new everyday dress, with only a few pairs of double-strand hairpins and two pearl flowers on her head, without even any powder or rouge. Yet she looked much thinner, as if weighed down by worries. Peony asked, "Sixth Aunt, why have you lost so much weight?"

  Sun's family stroked her face, smiled faintly: "Is that so? Probably because I didn't put on powder?" Then she got up and shouted: "You think I'm thin, wait for me to take a look in the mirror, if it's really like that, eat more at night." She left and never came back, but was deliberately avoiding Peony.

  The Suns and Yangs obviously knew something, but they didn't want to say it. In the end, it was still because of the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children that they were being cautious. However, in reality, neither Madam Xun nor Dalang wanted the illegitimate child to be treated poorly. Peony tilted her head, thought for a moment, then continued working with her head down, grinding a bowl of almonds. Suddenly, Ru'er quietly slipped in and whispered in her ear: "The letter has been delivered to Gu, he's gone on horseback."

  Peony nodded, although everything was just her intuition, without any evidence or basis, and she wasn't clear about those complicated relationships either. Still, she hoped Jiang Changyang could grasp more of the situation and protect himself well.

  But Lu Wulang left the He family and rushed to Fenglefang. After entering Fenglefang, he made several turns and arrived at the back door of a large mansion. A young servant came forward and lightly knocked on the door with the handle of his whip. The door slowly opened a crack after a while, and an old man poked his head out, looked Lu Wulang up and down, and immediately became spirited and made way for him. With a smile all over his face, he stepped forward to hold the horse: "Master is here?"

  Lu Wulang nodded and gave a signal to the young servant, who hastily handed over some money to the old beggar and followed him silently as he led the horse away. Lu Wulang walked along a winding stone path, passing by elegant and secluded artificial hills and streams, until he stopped in front of a small building and coughed softly.

  The blue stone curtain was lifted, and Ahui poked her head out and smiled: "Is Brother-in-law here? The lady has been waiting for you for a long time."

  Lu Wulang entered the house and handed his cloak to Ahui: "Is Aunt upstairs?"

  Ahui helped him hang up his cloak and asked softly, "Are you watching the embroiderer make a small quilt? Is your trip going smoothly?"

  Lu Wulang shook his head and walked over to the windowsill where he sat down on a stool: "Please ask the lady to come down."

  Qin Niang's clear and pleasant voice came from upstairs: "Wu Lang, come up." Then two embroidery girls wearing stone-green skirts carried white rattan boxes full of needlework down the stairs quietly, their eyes cast down, and silently exited the small building. Ah Hui stood motionless at the door, playing the role of a door god.

  Lu Wulang lifted his robe and went upstairs, through the water crystal screen he could see Qin Niang lazily leaning on the window edge of the brocade couch, staring at the outside without moving. She was wearing a light purple lotus-patterned cloak, with four butterfly hairpins on her chignon, looking as if they were about to fly away. Her snow-white slender hands still held a cup of steaming hot tea, looking languid and enchanting.

  Cai Danniang lifted the curtain for Lu Wulang: "What tea would you like to drink?"

  Lu Wulang said: "Whatever."

  "I'll just give him a bowl of this purple bamboo shoots that I'm drinking." Qin Niang turned her head around, without adjusting her sitting posture, and complained: "This weather is getting cooler and cooler, making people feel sluggish."

  Lu Wulang sat far away on the crescent moon stool at the edge of the crystal curtain, holding a silver-plated gold double-ear tea bowl, and said somewhat awkwardly: "Aunt's body is different from usual, shouldn't sit there blowing cool breeze."

  Qin Niang smiled and tightened her cloak: "How did things go?"

  Lu Wulang said, "Indeed, she did not disappoint you, she refused." Then he told the whole story, and after finishing, he couldn't help but say, "Aunt, if she had agreed, what would you have done?"

  Qin Niang rotated the teacup in her hand, staring at the rising steam and said softly: "She's practically a stranger to me, and she just went through that ordeal, almost getting into big trouble. Hearing you say I'm pregnant and separated from Jing Wang, unless she's foolish, she wouldn't come. Don't worry, I keep my promises, if she really is foolish and comes, I'll try not to let her get taken advantage of."

  Lu Wulang remained silent for a long time before saying, "Aunt, this matter cannot be accomplished. What will you do about King Jing?"

  Qin Niang smiled and said, "What can be done? It's just a cold dish! The fish didn't take the bait, it's not my fault. He himself has made several moves, but they're all the same old tricks. If he blames me for this, he deserves to fail." She lightly and cleverly spoke a sentence that ordinary people wouldn't dare to hear or say.

  Lu Wulang nervously tightened his grip on the cup in his hand, he had inadvertently gotten mixed up in this matter and didn't know if he would be beaten to death by his mother when he returned home. But thinking that wealth and honor are sought after in danger, and if they were lucky enough to succeed, the prospects for the entire family would be bright, he felt a little excited again.

  "You don't have to worry, if he really wants to win that person over, he will think of another way and put in more effort." Qin Niang glanced at Lu Wulang and looked at his white finger joints, saying softly: "It's really hard for you to do this kind of thing. After meeting the lord tonight, you can set off back to Yangzhou tomorrow. If your mother asks, just tell her the truth, she will know what to do in her heart. I didn't want you to get involved in this matter at first, but unfortunately, we both had bad luck and ran into him. It's me who dragged you all down."

  Lu Wulang took a deep breath and said, "Aunt, it's not that the luck is bad, but rather it's inevitable." Once caught in the wolf's gaze, how could one escape? Unless the wolf itself gave up and changed its mind, or was killed.

  Qin Niang was taken aback for a moment, then smiled slightly: "I suppose so. The time is almost up, you go down and rest for a while, I also need to dress up."