"Madam, it's windy, be careful not to catch a chill." Ru Mo came out of the house, took a woven silk cloak and lightly covered Qin Miao with it.

  It has been three days now. The lady has been sitting alone in the corridor, speechless and silent, watching the autumn wind blowing fiercely and the leaves withering.

  Qin Miao gave a low order to Ru Mo, "Today is a rest day, go and ask the front courtyard if Master Hou's lunch will be served in the front yard or here. After you've asked clearly, you can also let the kitchen prepare."

  Like ink responding to a sound, she went away. Before long, Jade Dew came in from outside, shaking off the raindrops.

  "How did it go?" Qin Miao asked her intently.

  Xiao Yu adjusted her sleeves and leaned in to reply, "Everything is fine, the silver tickets have all been collected by Second Master. It's just a pity about those farms, they were just harvested and sold at a really low price."

  Qin Miao dimmed her eyes, lightly exhaled, and said, "This is also helpless, it's for emergency use." Seeing the little girl's regretful expression, she patted her head and smiled: "In the future, your young lady will still be able to earn it back, don't worry." Only then did Xiaoyu reveal a faint smile. As for her own young lady's skills, not to mention anything else, when it came to earning silver, that was a gift from heaven, she was clever.

  Qin Miao checked the inventory, and there were still some large items that were difficult to convert into silver, so she could only let Yu go out and entrust someone to sell them, and whatever price they could get would be fine. Originally, Qin's family had given her a dowry of about 10,000 taels, and in the past half year, they had also made some silver. Now, if they could recover around 7,000-8,000 taels, it would already be a stroke of luck.

  She was still pondering when a young maid who guarded the courtyard came to report that Xiangxiang, the young lady from Yuxu Pavilion, had invited her over for a chat.

  "What is she up to now?" Li Ayi came in from outside and reported the news to Qin Miao, with a face full of disdain and incomprehension.

  These past few days she had been busy dealing with her dowry and had put off the strange matter that Yueniang had reminded her of on that day.

  "Mother, go find a reliable doctor who is well-versed in women's pregnancy matters. And tell Yuxu Ge that I'm busy for now and will go over later."

  "Madam, why must you give that woman such a big face and personally bring the imperial physician to examine her. People who don't know any better would think that our Chao Lui Yuan has acknowledged her." Li Mama had always been dissatisfied with Yu Su Ge, not to mention Xiang Xiang's background, just thinking about how she shamelessly seduced Master Hou and privately became pregnant made Mama feel very uncomfortable.

  Qin Miao wasn't unaware of Li's concerns, but thinking of Yueniang's suspicions, she still thought it necessary to verify them. Whether human or ghost, they would know once they saw each other.

  After lunch, Qin Miao finished dealing with the accounts and took Zi Xuan, Li Jiu and Zheng Daifu to Yu Suo Pavilion.

  This was Qin Miao's first time formally entering the Rain Fragrance Pavilion. Lao Tai Tai saw her coming and hurriedly went forward to welcome her, instructing the servants to prepare tea. Xiang Xiang, as expected, was lying on the bed, and when she saw Qin Miao enter the inner chamber, she put on her clothes and got down from the bed to pay her respects.

  "Don't be busy, or people who don't know would think I'm setting rules for you. Sit down." Qin Mo smiled and nodded to let Xingxiang bow her head, then let Doctor Zheng come forward. "You've been pregnant since the beginning, and I haven't had a chance to take a look. Today is just right, I've found the gynecological expert Doctor Zheng, to take a look at you."

  She didn't want to give Xiangxiang too much room for argument, so she directly let the doctor come forward and take her pulse.

  Qin Xiang and Liao Mama were both shocked in their hearts, and Liao Mama even subconsciously blocked Zheng Daifu's way by sidestepping.

  "Madam, no need to worry, the doctor has already examined me and my mother is fine. Thank you for your concern." Xiang was determined not to let any other doctor touch her, otherwise the matter would be exposed and the consequences would be unbearable. She didn't expect Qin Miao to make such a move, did she know something?

  Although she tried her best to conceal the unease in her heart, a hint of worry flashed across her eyes and was captured by Qin Miao without exception.

  This woman is indeed problematic!

  "I don't know what kind of doctor the mansion has arranged for you. This Dr. Zheng is one of the best in Pingyang City, specializing in women's medicine, and many aristocratic families have invited him to their homes to ensure a safe delivery. Besides, having multiple doctors take a look will also make you feel more at ease."

  "Master Zheng, your time is precious. Why don't you take our girl's pulse for us earlier?" Qin Miao turned around and said with a smile to the doctor.

  Just as Qin Miao had said, Zheng Dafu often came and went from the homes of wealthy families, and was most familiar with the struggles between wives and concubines. Today, Madame Hou had invited him with a large sum of money, so he naturally didn't dare to be slow. However, he had already vaguely sensed that the pregnant woman in front of him had a special hatred for Madame Hou, at least she refused to let him take her pulse, which was very suspicious. But since he took someone's money, he had to do the job. He withstood Liao Yiniang's fierce gaze, and took out a thin cloth from his medicine box, intending to cover Xingxiang's hand, but it was slapped open by Liao Yiniang.

  "Madam Hou, no need to explain. I invited you over today because there's something specific I wanted to discuss with you privately. As for the doctor's matter, we can talk about it later, it won't be too late." At this moment, Qingxiang was already 80% certain that Qin Miao had discovered her fake pregnancy. For now, she didn't have the heart to guess where the leak was, her top priority was not to be exposed by Qin Miao in public.

  Qin Miao also believed in the suspicions of Yueniang from what Xingxiang had done and said. Seeing that Xingxiang still looked as if it was a matter of course, she wanted to see what made her so bold. She immediately let the doctor and the people who came with her leave the room, and Lao Lao also retreated and closed the door.

  "It's all right, everyone has left, so stop pretending." Qin Miao was too lazy to play along with her and directly pierced through her act.

  Qin Xiang hummed softly and poured herself a cup of tea, looking unconvinced. "How did you know?"

  "If you want to keep it a secret, don't do it yourself." Qin Miaosheng's petite figure couldn't hide her intimidating gaze. Her cold demeanor was enough to make people tremble with fear. Just like now, her stern expression mixed with disdain made Xiangxiang, who was already nervous, quiver slightly.

  She turned her head and didn't look at Qin Miao, saying the words she had prepared for a long time: "Regardless of whether it's true or not, if Master Hou thinks it's true, then it's true. What belongs to me will still belong to me, no matter who temporarily occupies it, in the end it will still be mine."

  Qin Miao had always known that Xin Xiang was ambitious, but she really hadn't expected that a courtesan like her would actually aspire to be the legitimate wife of the Duke of Wei Yuan. She couldn't help but find it amusing: "You're dreaming a bit too big, aren't you? You even dare to think of my position. Let's not mention that I'm still here, even if Xie Yan hadn't married yet, how would you even be in line for consideration? Tell me, Xin Xiang?"

  For over a decade, the greatest stain on Xiangxiang's life was being punished and forced into prostitution. A life that should have been lofty and admired had suddenly fallen to the ground. On countless nights, she cowered in the corner of her room, listening to the sounds of women in the building being humiliated and crying after being ravaged, as if tormented by a ghost from hell. Those greasy dirty hands, the lewd laughter of men, every time she thought about it, it was like a nightmare. Why did she, a noble lady, have to suffer such an inhumane fate? Why couldn't she return to her former glory and enjoy the honor that rightfully belonged to her?

  She slowly got up, turned her back on Qin Miao, polished the lighter in her hand, and ignited the flames one by one. At this moment, there was nothing more beautiful than these flames. The sparks wildly crawled from the dresser to the bed curtains, and then climbed onto the bed, swallowing the sea-pink quilt. The flames spread further and jumped higher, just like her emotions at this moment, ecstatic to the point of madness, quickly engulfing the entire room in a sea of fire.

  Qin Miao never thought that this woman would be so paranoid and crazy. Is it that once the fake image is exposed, she wants to perish together with herself?

  "Are you crazy!!!" She rushed over and knocked the lighter out of Xiangxiang's hand, using her foot to stomp it out. But it was too late, the flames had already surrounded them, and the thick black smoke made her eyes burn so much she couldn't open them.

  Someone outside was shouting "Fire!", but the door and window had been splashed with oil, which ignited fiercely as soon as it met fire, and people outside did not dare to approach.

  In a daze, Qin Miao heard Xingxiang's faint voice: "Qin Miao, is it fun? Didn't think so. But wait a bit, something even more unexpected will happen. Hahaha!"

  Qin Miao was crawling on the ground, barely breathing, and didn't want to pay attention to that crazy woman. She struggled to crawl towards the door. In her heart, she kept repeating: Come quickly, come quickly. Qin Miao, you must survive, the Qin family still needs you, you can't die, absolutely cannot die!

  Just then, she faintly heard a crash, was the door kicked open? The chaotic footsteps pierced through the thick smoke and into her ears that were about to lose consciousness, someone had come, she was saved! She exerted herself to crawl in the direction of the footsteps, bit by bit, getting closer and closer.

  "Master Hou, save me!" Unbeknownst to her, Xiang had also crawled to her side, just a few steps away.

  It's Xie Yan, Xie Yan is here! Qin Miao held her breath and struggled to get up, searching for Xie Yan in the smoke. She saw that familiar figure, tall and straight, covering his mouth as he walked towards her.

  Qin Miao shouted with difficulty: "Xie Yan! I'm here!" She stretched out her hand, desperately waving towards the black smoke, trying to grasp this only chance of survival.

  The dark figure slowly approached her, still waving her arms and swaying, the thick smoke choking her throat, hoarse and unable to make a sound.

  Just as the black shadow was about to reach her, her hands fell empty and grasped nothing. Qin Miao shouted with all her might, shouting desperately, but the black shadow rushed out even faster.

  At that moment, Qin Miao suddenly remembered Xingxiang's words "something even more unexpected", and her mind was clear...

  "It's out! It's out!" The people in the yard all stirred up.

  Mrs. Li rushed excitedly towards Xie Yun, but when she saw who was in Xie Yun's arms, she was stunned!

  She knelt down on the ground and shouted desperately towards the sea of flames: "Miss! Miss!"

  Xie Xuan put down the fragrance and hurriedly put on the wet quilt with Po Feng, rushing towards the sea of fire.

  "Master, the fire is too fierce, it's dangerous!" The windows of Yuxu Pavilion had been burned out and only holes were left. With the help of the wind, the fire was spreading wildly, much more fiercely than when they came out earlier.

  Po Feng grabbed Xie Yun, who was running towards the fire scene, and held him tightly, not letting him move. A wife can be remarried if she dies, but if the marquis dies, there will be no master in the Hou Mansion.

  As the fire was about to get out of control, Xie Yun's heart was anxious, and he roared: "Let go!" But Po Feng was half-dragged away and wouldn't let him take risks again. In desperation, Xie Yun could only knock Po Feng unconscious with a palm strike, grab the quilt in his hand, and rush towards the door.

  But the next moment, he stopped in his tracks. A frail figure stumbled out of the eerie firelight and walked towards him step by step. The originally pale face was dirty beyond recognition, and the outer garment had been stripped off, revealing a thin body that swayed unsteadily in the autumn wind, looking even more lonely.

  But her eyes, like pearls in the dark night, shone with a crystalline luster. As she gazed in his direction, it seemed as if she had pierced through his body, and when they passed each other by, he saw the crystalline sparkle in her eyes flash across her cheek and fall to the ground.

  Perhaps at the moment of choice, he had expected such a result. But when the result arrived, his heart really hurt...