Golden lion embracing ball bronze cauldron, red fragrance swirling around.

  The more the fourth grandma hesitated to speak, the more anxious Zhang felt inside.

  "Isn't it that something will happen tomorrow?" This guess made him feel even more like that's what was going on.

  "Madam, although it's not about Fourth Master having an affair, it is related to him." Fourth Mistress Jiang hesitated and refused to speak, waiting for Zhang Shi to become flustered and anxious, otherwise she would have been scolded as soon as she opened her mouth.

  "Wife, you'd better tell me quickly." This was the second time he urged her.

  "Madam also knows that Ailian is now pregnant and it's not good for her to serve the fourth master anymore." Fourth Granny spoke half of what she wanted to say, waiting for someone else to finish it for her, really very clever.

  "Didn't you think of having another child for next year?" Although Zhang Shi was from a concubine's room, as a mother-in-law, she very much hoped to see her children and grandchildren fill the house.

  Jiang Suxin had been married for a few years without any news of pregnancy, while Ai Lian's pregnancy was not easy to come by. In order to have more children, Zhang Shi indeed thought about finding another woman who could bear children as a concubine for her son. However, she had already sent two older maids into the house and was afraid that if she spoke up again, her daughter-in-law would become dissatisfied. She relied heavily on this daughter-in-law and tried every means to win her over in order to secure benefits for her son in the future.

  Nowadays, listening to daughters-in-law talk about having a concubine for their husbands, how can they not be delighted?

  "The daughter-in-law is just what she means." Fourth Granny said in agreement with Mother's words.

  Although Zhang was delighted, she still had to maintain her composure. "Ailian is not easy to serve, you should spend more time with Ming'er from now on. In the past two years, you were still young and it's not easy to get pregnant. Now that your age has arrived, if you can have a child, wouldn't it be better than being the eldest son of a concubine?"

  "The daughter-in-law is useless, but the wife helps to worry. It's just that since the beginning of the year, the daughter-in-law's body has been a bit out of tune, and she's been taking medicine and getting treatment, so I'm afraid she'll have to keep eating for a while." Fourth Granny also wanted to give birth to her own child. As Zhang said, she was too young before. Now that she's found a fertility remedy, she's started nourishing and regulating herself. "Besides, if there are more sisters-in-law to help our family branch out, Fourth Master will have more people to take care of him. If the daughter-in-law is good, then Fourth Master is good."

  "It's time to take some tonic. Which doctor prescribed the prescription? Dr. Zou from Huatuo Medicine Hall is the best." Madam Zhang asked with concern.

  "It was the prescription he had given that worked, after taking three doses, she seemed to be getting better." Fourth Granny didn't want to say that her menstrual cycle was irregular, only saying that her body wasn't feeling right, and all the women understood.

  "That's good. After all, no matter how good the relationship between husband and wife is, they still need to have children to support them in their old age." The role of a concubine is to continue the family lineage when the legitimate wife cannot bear sons. Once the concubine's son inherits the family property, he will be more favored than his own mother. Therefore, whether it's a senior or junior wife, having sons is a means of support.

  "My wife knows." Fourth Granny replied cleverly.

  "You're thinking of taking a concubine for your son, but have you already chosen someone in mind?" Zhang looked left and right, feeling that the fourth daughter-in-law was elegant and likable. She was completely unlike the fifth daughter-in-law, who couldn't tolerate others, had a sour face, and was always complaining about her own misfortunes.

  "Ah, Mrs. Hui, that's right." Fourth Granny nodded her head, having just drunk tea, and lightly wiped her lips with a purple silk handkerchief.

  "Whose daughter is she?" Zhang put down her tea bowl and said seriously, "Since I'm a concubine, it's different from the maidservants in the house. We invited a matchmaker, and she was brought in properly. It doesn't matter if our family is poor; as long as she's a good girl from a good family, we'll even provide her dowry."

  "Madam, it's a maid from the mansion." Fourth Granny was very calm and continued slowly.

  "What's going on in the mansion?" Zhang Shi was taken aback at first, then said, "As long as it's not someone who has been directly involved with you, just come to me and I'll take care of it. Why are you being so evasive? It's just a maid, after all. Let's follow Elan's example: first, we'll keep her in the house, and then later, when she gives birth to a son, we can promote her to concubine."

  "Madam, I've discussed with Si Lang and we think it's time to make some noise this time, not only for the sake of that little girl but also for our own dignity." Fourth Granny stopped at just the right moment.

  Zhang heard that his own son had already nodded, raised an eyebrow, and asked curiously, "Which daughter-in-law has moved the eldest son's heart? I didn't know." He thought that Fourth Son's wife mentioning taking a concubine was probably for Old Fourth's sake.

  Qiu Si never touched the maids in the mansion, and Ai Lian was forced on him by Zhang Shi. The mansion spread rumors that he favored Ai Lian, but every time Ai Lian came to pay respects, Zhang Shi didn't notice any signs of being favored. Now, her son is voluntarily asking to marry a maid, how unusual.

  "Madam, please don't get angry." Fourth Granny brought up her husband as a shield, still speaking with caution, "It's Third Madam's maid, you also know, the one called Mozi."

  The tea lid is broken, and the teacup rings out a clear, sharp sound.

  "Who did you say it was?" Zhang's face suddenly lengthened and her eyes narrowed.

  "Madam——" Fourth Granny got down from her chair, and Yan Yan stood up, her expression unchanged. "It's Mozi from Third Madam's room."

  "Tomorrow's daughter-in-law, you know I've always doted on you, why is this?" Zhang's mouth corners drooped downwards, her eyes stern.

  Fourth Granny lowered her head and didn't speak, because she knew that Mother-in-law wasn't expecting an answer from her.

  "It's precisely because you're sensible and know my heart that I didn't expect you to say such nonsense. You clearly knew I'd be angry, yet you still want to marry that oily-tongued little vixen for Ming'er. It seems the slap I gave was in vain, and so was my fainting spell. Who else could it be but someone from that house, probably some unscrupulous goods bought from who-knows-where?" Zhang's face turned red with rage as she slapped the table, "I'll pretend you never said that. If Ming'er is to take a concubine, I myself will find a matchmaker and select a good girl."

  "Madam, you said that I understand your intentions, and that's absolutely right. If there were other ways to resolve this, I wouldn't have brought it up with you. It's not that I have complaints, but Madam knows that Fourth Master has always been more fond of those outside the household who are skilled in music, dance, poetry, and painting. He finds the women at home dull by comparison. That night, when Madam was scolding Mozi, I saw Fourth Master persuading Madam to rest, and it seemed like he was helping that maid get out of trouble. That's why I paid attention. Indeed, when I mentioned taking Mozi as a concubine, he agreed right away. I thought to myself, someone from our own household is better than someone from outside. Now that Ailian is pregnant, it's really difficult for me to take care of everything on my own. If he were to marry some woman from the pleasure quarters, wouldn't that ruin the reputation of our estate? Moreover, since he likes Mozi so much, even though I knew Madam would be displeased, I had to muster up the courage to ask for his sake."

  Zhang's eyes were cold, recalling that night, her son had indeed spoken like he was helping Mozi. If her son liked Mozi, it would really make her hesitate. As for seeing one and loving one, she wasn't worried about Laowu, but Laosi's personality was completely different.

  Fourth Granny took in Eldest Lady's expression, then said, "Milady, the daughter-in-law is not a spoiled person. Having spoken with Mo Zi twice, I see that although she is from Third Madame's household, she is very well-behaved and obedient, her manners are also very proper."

  "She's just pretending." Zhang's smile was demure and proper? But her cold laughter and sharp gaze weakened by two points.

  －－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－

  In PK, it's hard to get what you want, but with various supports, you can still get it.

  Thank you!