The old lady squinted her eyes and leaned on the couch, patting her knees from time to time. Xie Ayi stood beside her, fanning her.

  Lao Da and Bai Shi have known each other for so many years, and Ah Juan is someone they've raised with their own hands. He's always been such a well-behaved child, and no one has ever heard that he has a habit of flirting with girls.

  Today, Old Lady Zhang carefully inquired about her grandson and the Xiangxiang matter, only then did she find out that this eldest grandson of hers had actually learned from others to bid for the first night with a courtesan. How absurd!

  Xie Yun returned to the mansion, and just as he reached the shadow wall, a small servant from the gatehouse rushed after him to report that the old lady was waiting for him at Nurturing Harmony Temple to have a conversation. He immediately knew that the old lady must be coming to ask him about Qin Xiang's affairs.

  When he learned that Qingxiang was pregnant, he was extremely surprised. That night, seeing Qin Miao drowning his sorrows in wine, he felt extremely guilty and for a moment, he didn't know what to do. Today, when he was on duty, his mind was naturally elsewhere. He carefully thought back to his interactions with Qingxiang, except for that one time in the Ziwei Alley where he accidentally discovered her true identity, he had always been very cautious around her, afraid of making another mistake. Even after bringing her into the mansion, he never took the initiative to go to the Yu Suo Pavilion, every time it was Qingxiang who came to him with an urgent matter, and he would reluctantly go take a look. But how did they end up together again?

  Perhaps others wouldn't know, but he himself knew his own hidden illness. Even if they had become intimate, it was unlikely that she would get pregnant. He racked his brains for a whole day, but couldn't think of a way to explain this matter.

  After dismissing his attendants, Xie Xu still went to the Youyi Courtyard. As soon as Old Lady Xie saw her grandson arrive, she flew into a rage and scolded him severely.

  "You said you, once and again, twice and thrice, did ridiculous things. After I die, how will you face your grandfather!" The late Marquis Xie was a man of integrity, when he married Old Lady Xie, she only had one personal maid who grew up with her, no one else. After marriage, the couple got along extremely well, even after Old Lady Xie gave birth to two sons and lost her figure, the old marquis still stood by her and did not take a concubine. Now, among the three branches of the Xie family, they are all relatively clean, with few concubines, much cleaner than some back palaces in the capital.

  The old lady looked at her well-behaved grandson in front of her and sighed heavily: "You've been very steady in matters between men and women since you were young, so steady that your grandmother even suspected whether you... didn't like girls..." It's no wonder the old lady had such thoughts, as the beautiful ladies who served him in his room were all elegant and refined, attending to him daily without seeing him show any affection. Later, after many marriage proposals and meeting with numerous noblewomen, he still hadn't shown interest.

  "I originally thought you would be different to Anuan, after all these days you two have been getting along pretty well. Anuan also often says that you treat him very well. I heard it and felt at ease."

  Xie Xuan lowered his head and sat in the armchair, his heart suddenly sinking. He had no idea that Qin Miao would say in front of their ancestors that he treated her very well. To be honest, he had always been indifferent to her, not close at all, just able to get along with each other. If this was considered good, then why did she look so sad and depressed that night, making him feel guilty?

  "What are you going to do with this child, Xiangxiang? I mean, not keeping her." The old lady's eyes, which were bruised and swollen, turned towards Xieyan. "But still need to ask for your opinion."

  Seeing him purse his lips and remain silent, the old lady's anger flared up again. "It hasn't been long since you got married, and Ah Nuan is not even pregnant yet. You actually let a woman without a name, who came from a brothel, give birth to a child. How can Ah Nuan hold her head high in the future? In my opinion, we should get rid of the child and send her away. We cannot keep such a person in the Hou Mansion."

  Her hands clenched slightly on her knees, Xie Xun endured for a moment before finally saying, "Grandmother, Qin Xiang can't leave like this."

  "What did you say! Are you really going to take her in, Xie Yun? Where has your brain gone!" The old lady hastily picked up the dragon-headed cane in her hand and was about to swing it over, fortunately, Auntie Xie blocked it quickly.

  Xie Yan saw the old lady panting, and even though Xie's nanny helped her relax a bit, she still had some ups and downs. She could only force herself to kneel down for the elderly and honestly clarify things.

  "Ancestors, Qinxin is not an ordinary person. She is the granddaughter of Liu Biyuan, the former crown prince's mentor. Back then, it was Taizong Wang who entrusted his grandson to take good care of her."

  The old lady had not yet caught her breath from the previous remark when she heard this unbelievable statement.

  "What?!"

  Liu Biyuan was the enlightenment mentor of the deposed crown prince, and had always assisted the heir with all his heart. In those years, someone accused him of forming a clique for personal gain, embezzling money, and he was beheaded by the current emperor. The Liu family's men above 15 years old were exiled to the southwest, and women above 13 years old were made into official prostitutes.

  Xie Xuan gazed ahead, his expressionless face stating: "After she was sold into the official brothel, due to a chance encounter with Yu Zhang Wang, who was still the crown prince at that time, he originally wanted to directly take her out. However, as you also know, after Lord Liu's incident, the crown prince quickly angered the emperor and was deposed, directly banished to his fiefdom. Therefore, before leaving, he could only entrust me with handling this matter."

  At that time when she met Xiang, she was still being trained by the aunt and had not yet come out to receive guests. After buying her first night, he coerced and induced her to leave with him.

  "I have promised the King of Yu Zhang, and I naturally cannot go back on my word. However...” He never thought that he would end up having a physical relationship with Xing Huan. What was originally an act to save someone had instead led him into a quagmire.

  The old lady didn't know there was such a reason and was worried that the heir she had personally cultivated would become warped. Now it seems that there is still room for forgiveness, so she can temporarily put aside her recent anxiety.

  "No matter what you say, have you ever thought about how to account for your actions to Anuan?"

  The old lady's heart, which had just been put at ease, was once again lifted when she thought of Anu's sickly face.

  "Son, will personally explain to her and hope she can be tolerant. Moreover, Sunzi has no intention of being a man with Xiangxiang." He paused silently for a moment, although he was deeply suspicious of Xiangxiang's pregnancy in his heart, but if he spoke out his conjecture, it would seem that he was shirking responsibility.

  "I think... Ah Nuan will understand."

  His last words were somewhat weak. Actually, after seeing Qin Miao's heartbreaking and tearful appearance that day, he was really a bit timid and didn't know how to face her.

  "Alright, alright, I'm tired too. Go and have a good talk with your wife, she's still ill, remember not to let her worry too much. And you must remember what you said today, don't touch that Xiang again."

  Is she sick?

  When he left Yang Yi's house, he only remembered the old lady mentioning that Qin Miao was ill in her last sentence, and didn't notice anything else. Thinking of this, his footsteps quickened involuntarily.

  It's no wonder I got sick after going through all that last night. The bit of fear and hesitation in my heart also disappeared without a trace when I heard that Qin Miao was ill.

  In the Chaolou courtyard, Qin Miao was about to be served with medicinal soup. Upon hearing that Xie Lin had arrived, she felt a little uneasy in her heart and thought of sending someone to the front to say that she had already gone to sleep. But before long, the person had already arrived in front of her.

  Xie Xun had been wearing his court attire since he returned to the manor and hadn't had a chance to change, his dark blue robe was stiff and handsome, but the anxiety in his eyebrows and eyes showed that he had just rushed over.

  I had thought of countless words to say along the way, but when I really saw Qin Miao's pale cheeks and blue eyes, I suddenly lost my language and didn't know what to say.

  Qin Miao didn't even bother to lift his head to look at him, but instead leaned against the pillow and stared blankly ahead, his gaze vaguely passing through the hem of his official robes, looking somewhat empty and lifeless.