Chapter 51: The Human Heart (Middle)

  A faint sobbing sound came from inside the room. The child of the third house had fallen.

  This is Liao's first child to marry into the Tao family, and it's a boy. Although the third house has an eldest son, he is not the legitimate one. As soon as Liao's child was born, he became the legitimate eldest son of the third house.

  The child fell down, and Mrs. Liao wanted to keep the child's sex a secret from Mrs. Liao. When asked, she just mumbled that the month was still small and couldn't be seen yet. Who knew that the woman holding the basin was a big mouth, as soon as she went out, she shouted loudly, "What a pity, it looks like a boy."

  Liao heard this and couldn't help but cry. Once she started crying, she couldn't stop and let out all the grievances from tonight's encounter.

  The lady comforted the third lady while ordering someone to take that woman out and beat her. This caused a commotion throughout the Tao estate, and the old lady also sent over the eldest aunt to ask about it.

  The lady only said: "It's that old woman talking nonsense, the month is still young how can you see it clearly? My husband and I were both present, our words are more credible than hers?"

  The elder aunt had always been a steady and taciturn person, not one to speak much. She quietly listened and then said, "I'll go and inform the old lady right away, so she won't worry." As she spoke, the elder aunt raised her head and exchanged a glance with the mistress.

  The lady understood, found an excuse, and went with her sister-in-law to the western house to talk.

  The big aunt was originally the old lady's maid, and the old master had few descendants. The old lady sent the big aunt to the old master as a concubine. The big aunt was decent and soon became pregnant, giving birth to the fourth miss. After that, she became even more proper, never overstepping her bounds as a concubine, and rarely leaving the courtyard unless summoned. When the fourth miss got married, the big aunt asked to return to the old lady's side to serve her and show filial piety. Since the big aunt was originally from the old lady's household, the big madam discussed it with the old master, who readily agreed. From then on, the big aunt served the Buddha in the small Buddhist hall in the old lady's courtyard.

  Although the second lady was seven or eight years younger than the first lady, she looked older due to her habit of not wearing makeup and dressing in dark colors. Today, she wore a gray dress with a subtle pattern and no jewelry, making her appear even older than the first lady. When they arrived at the west wing, the second lady bowed to the first lady and said, "There's something I need to tell you, old madam said that Yu'er is weak and needs some nourishing food, so please prepare some ingredients and send them to old madam's quarters."

  The lady couldn't help but feel surprised, her eyes immediately fixed on the person, as if gritting her teeth and saying with hatred: "Fourth Aunt is in Old Lady's room?" No wonder she had people searching everywhere for Fourth Aunt but couldn't find her. Fourth Aunt was indeed good at finding a place to hide, actually hiding in Old Lady's room, but Old Lady had always disliked Fourth Aunt, so why was she now supporting her?

  Before that, she had pretended that the Fourth Aunt was ill and confined her to a small courtyard. The old lady must have known about it too. Why didn't the old lady take this opportunity to call her over for questioning?

  The old aunt continued: "The old lady also said that the big wife should invite the yellow gentleman who often comes to the mansion to see the illness, to take a look at Yu'er."

  Huang Langzhong? Madame immediately raised her eyebrows, Huang Langzhong was the best at making fetal calming medicine. In recent years, whenever anyone in the mansion became pregnant, they would let Huang Langzhong prepare a few doses of fetal calming medicine to take. Could it be that Fourth Aunt...

  The madam looked at the aunt, and the aunt did not avoid her gaze, slightly nodding her head.

  How could this be so coincidental? When I treated her illness before, she didn't mention that she was pregnant. How did it happen that just a few days later, there's movement in her belly?

  The old lady asked: "What did the old lady say?"

  The elder sister-in-law said: "The old lady says next year will be a good year."

  The old lady thought for a moment and then looked at Da Yiniang, "Doesn't she look like the fourth aunt?"

  The elder sister-in-law lowered her head and said, "The month is still young, I'm afraid even a good doctor would find it hard to tell, but Liu'er in Yuer's room said that this month Yuer's little day really didn't come."

  It seems like we can only wait to distinguish between true and false.

  The lady nodded and called Chen Mama, sending all the nourishing food from the house to Old Lady's room, except for one portion left for Third Lady to replenish her body.

  The elder sister-in-law took out another piece of paper from her sleeve and handed it to the mistress, "This is what Yuer wants, the old lady said to let the mistress prepare it well and send it over together."

  The lady took over the list and looked at it, her face suddenly sank, "She wants everything."

  The elder sister-in-law lowered her eyelids and drank tea. When she took the list from Yuer's hand, she was also startled. Everything was included in eating, drinking, dressing, and having, and some of them were even from the main wife's room, such as that pure gold-made Guanyin sending children. She didn't want to speak, but seeing these still couldn't help but advise Yuer a few words. Who knew that Yuer had made up her mind, smiling and telling her: "Maybe this life will only have this once, so I'll get enough."

  Fourth Aunt was thinking to herself, and Eldest Aunt couldn't understand why she had blown things up so big. What if the child born wasn't a boy? Fourth Aunt would be in trouble then. The Mistress wouldn't tolerate her. Even if it was a boy, what would happen to Sixth Aunt then?

  The lady smiled and temporarily suppressed the anger in her heart, "Whatever she wants, I will definitely give it to her. As long as she can give birth to a son for Master, even if she wants to move into my house, I agree."

  Seeing Mrs. Dai's smile, Big Aunt suddenly felt a chill all over her body.

  The big wife handed the paper in her hand to Chen's mother and asked Big Auntie, "Does she have anything else to say?"

  The elder sister put down the teacup and said, "Yuer said that she has been feeling unwell lately, especially missing Sixth Miss, and wants Sixth Miss to go to Old Lady's place to accompany her for a while."

  Surely will mention Innolux.

  The lady's face stiffened, "How can that be, the old lady likes quietness, and Fourth Aunt is gone, let alone Ranhua..." The lady paused, "Besides, with so many women in the mansion, Ranhua should also help me out."

  The elder sister-in-law's face was difficult to look at, but she still opened her mouth, "Madam..."

  The big wife saw the big aunt swallowing her words and said, "It's okay, you have something to say to me, I know you're a person without ideas."

  The elder sister-in-law nodded and then said, "The old lady has already taken the sixth young lady away. She also said that no matter how long the fourth sister-in-law wants the sixth young lady to stay, she will stay for as long as that, and no one is allowed to say a word of dissent."

  The lady's eyes widened and her hands clenched into fists. The old lady took advantage of the situation to interfere with the household affairs again.

  The thieves outside have finally been driven away, but now there is a commotion inside the mansion.

  The madam let out a cold laugh.

  Fourth Aunt was unwilling to let Yanhua marry into the Wang family, and she wanted to see just how capable Fourth Aunt really was.

  After seeing off the matchmaker, Chen's mother came forward and said: "What can be done about this? The Wang family will probably send out the betrothal gifts in a few days. If Old Lady does not agree at that time, Sixth Miss's marriage will not come to fruition."

  The madam furrowed her brow, slowly leaned back against the headrest and closed her eyes to rest, "Do you think it's true that Fourth Aunt is pregnant? I remember last month Master only stayed in her room for a day, how coincidental that she got pregnant?"

  Mrs. Chen said, "This is indeed strange, Fourth Aunt never made any requests to the mistress before, but now that she's pregnant, she's become so reckless." Moreover, Mrs. Chen looked at the paper in her hand, these things written on it were all valuable items, and Fourth Aunt couldn't even leave the house, what did she want these precious things for?

  The lady smiled coldly, "First give her all the things and see what she wants to do?" After a pause, she said: "Yan Hua goes to Lao Tai Tai's place, it's good that the mansion has such a big event, I alone can't bear it, the young ladies in the mansion have grown up, it's time for them to come out and help me. Since Yan Hua is accompanying Fourth Aunt, let Yao Hua and Rong Hua help me manage the household."

  Mrs. Chen nodded.

  Just as he was saying this, someone came in from outside and announced, "The Third Master has returned."

  The lady's heart has finally let go.

  With Tao Zhengchuan's arrival, Liao's emotions stabilized slightly. The old lady got up to greet him and met Tao in the small courtyard. As soon as he entered the courtyard, Tao asked about Liao's situation.

  Mrs. Liao's situation was told by Mrs. Tao, and Cao Zhengchuan rushed into the house to see Mrs. Liao. Immediately, the sound of Mrs. Liao sobbing came from inside the house again. Mrs. Tao followed him in, and Mrs. Anguo just happened to come out, lifting the curtain slightly. Through the gap, Mrs. Tao saw that Cao Zhengchuan was holding Mrs. Liao and comforting her in a low voice.

  The lady couldn't help but feel envious and sentimental as she watched, having once experienced such intimacy with her own husband. If only she had known that this beauty was fleeting, she would have cherished it even more.

  The wife of An Guo Gong and Da Tai Tai went into the side room to talk.

  The lady of the house had tea served, and Madame An Guo took a sip of tea. She mentioned Liao Shi again and couldn't help but shed tears. "With you as my sister-in-law, I can rest assured. My younger sister marrying into the Tao family is her good fortune." Madame An Guo paused for a moment before saying with deep meaning: "I will remember this kindness in my heart."

  Old Mrs. heard this and was suddenly delighted.

  Madam An Guo Gong asked again: "Are all the other young ladies in the mansion well?"

  "Second Miss Yaohua is ahead, taking care of the manor's affairs. The one you saw was Eighth Miss from the manor, and then there's Sixth Miss Yanhua. If not for His Excellency, they might have been kidnapped by bandits."

  Madam An nodded, "In a few days, Madam will bring a few young ladies to my mansion as guests. I must personally thank you, Madam."

  "Considering the relationship between your three younger siblings, it's not right for you to say that, madam." She then noticed that Madame An Guo already looked tired and suggested, "Why don't you take a rest first, madam? We can send you back to the manor when dawn breaks?"

  Madam An Guo said: "Thank you for your trouble, Madam."

  Mrs. Taotai hastily ordered Chen's mother to clean up a room and found several capable maidservants to attend to Mrs. Anguo. After going through so many things in one night, how could Mrs. Anguo sleep? She just lay on the bed with her eyes closed. As for the thoughts of the Tao family, she had known them long ago; otherwise, the Tao family was also a family of officials for generations, why would they be willing to marry a 28-year-old woman as their successor?

  Went for an infusion. The hospital was packed with people, all the beds in the injection room were occupied, and the air quality was extremely poor. Hopefully, old illnesses won't relapse and new injuries won't be added.

  Let's rush to finish writing tonight, try to update another chapter, if can't update then everyone please don't blame me, after all I'm a patient!