Probably no one in the world would have thought that it was Zhao Luoning who leaked the news that Miss Lianxiang of Tianxiang Tower was pregnant.
Yesterday was Qixi Festival. Instead of spending a romantic night with his confidante in Tianxiang Tower, Ji Shisu actually came back to scare her!
Zhao Luoning was not someone to be bullied so easily!
She immediately went to investigate what had happened in Tianxiang Tower.
Since Ji Shisu had made her worried, she would surely pay him back in his own coin.
She would cause some trouble for Ji Shisu so that he would have no time to bother her in Furong Courtyard.
He had been staying in Furong Courtyard every day recently. As time went by, her secrets would surely be exposed.
Since her mother - in - law had come to see her, this matter must have spread throughout the whole mansion.
Thinking of this, a smug smile appeared on Zhao Luoning's lips.
Madam Ji saw the smile on Zhao Luoning's face and sneered inwardly: What a pitiful woman! A woman outside is pregnant and has come to bully her, yet she still doesn't know and can even smile.
Zhao Luoning paid her respects to Madam Ji. Madam Ji nodded faintly in response.
"Ning'er, you've been married into our family for some time, but we mother - in - law and daughter - in - law haven't had a good chat yet."
Was her mother - in - law going to talk to her about that woman from the brothel?
It was the first time she had encountered such a situation. To be honest, Zhao Luoning was a little bit looking forward to it.
Hearing this, Luoning quickly responded.
"It's my fault. I will surely come to pay my respects to you more often in the future."
"That's not necessary. Just manage the affairs in the mansion well. Don't worry about other things."
This was going in an unexpected direction.
Did mothers - in - law always start like this when trying to persuade their daughters - in - law to be magnanimous?
Zhao Luoning listened with her head bowed, waiting patiently for Madam Ji to continue.
"Before you got married into our family, I made a wish in front of the Bodhisattva in Zhaoming Temple, hoping that the Bodhisattva would bestow a virtuous daughter - in - law upon me.
Now my wish has come true. But I haven't been feeling well recently and don't have the strength to climb up to Zhaoming Temple to fulfill my vow. So I hope you can go for me."
Fulfill a vow?
Just this?
There was no expected confrontation between mother - in - law and daughter - in - law.
She had even prepared many speeches to express her determination as an open - minded and magnanimous main wife.
Now all these were useless?
Could it be that Madam Ji didn't know about the news she had ordered to spread?
It couldn't be. Cai Xue had always been reliable in handling things. She clearly reported to her that the news had been spread and the Ji family had even sent people to suppress it.
Zhao Luoning was completely confused. But of course she wasn't stupid enough to directly ask Madam Ji, "Aren't you going to talk to me about Ji Shisu taking a concubine?"
She thought that maybe Madam Ji was just using this as a prelude to give her some psychological preparation, and might talk about Ji Shisu next.
But after waiting for a long time, Madam Ji didn't say anything else. Zhao Luoning looked up suspiciously and happened to meet Madam Ji's equally surprised expression.
"Do you have anything else?" Madam Ji asked.
Zhao Luoning was stunned and asked, "Do you have any other instructions, mother - in - law?"
"Oh, I'm done. Go and prepare."
"..."
When Zhao Luoning walked out of Chenxiang Hall, her mind was in a daze.
It couldn't be. Such a big thing had happened, but both Madam Ji and the old matriarch seemed to be indifferent.
Could it be that it wasn't Madam Ji but Ji Shisu who sent people to suppress the news?
Cai Xue also found it strange after hearing that Madam Ji had only asked Zhao Luoning to go up the mountain to pray to Buddha.
"Miss, based on my understanding of them, they must have something else in mind. There must be something hidden behind this."
Zhao Luoning was also completely at a loss.
"Don't think so much. We'll cross the bridge when we come to it. It's good that she asks me to go up the mountain now. Since there are things in the family that need my attention, I can just take this opportunity to leave the mansion."
Cai Xue nodded and supported Zhao Luoning as they rushed back to Furong Courtyard.
They didn't come to Chenxiang Hall often. Unexpectedly, as they walked, they got lost in the yard. They felt that the further they walked, the more off - the - beaten path it became and the more unfamiliar the environment was.
"Miss... What should we do?"
Such a prosperous and bustling mansion as the Ji Mansion actually had such a weedy and messy place.
It looked quite creepy.
"Let's ask someone for directions."
Zhao Luoning wasn't very good at finding her way. Not only that, she sometimes even got lost in the Zhao Mansion.
This was also the reason why she didn't like going out.
Cai Xue looked around and suddenly her eyes lit up. She pointed at the small courtyard deep in the bamboo forest.
"Miss, look! There's a courtyard over there. There must be someone living there."
Cai Xue happily ran over. But when she was halfway there, she stopped when she saw the plaque hanging on the courtyard gate.
Zhao Luoning walked closer and also saw the plaque clearly.
"Canglang Garden? Where is this? Who lives here?"
When Hongshao was still in Furong Courtyard, she often ate and lived with Cai Xue and had explained the complicated relationships in the mansion to Cai Xue.
So Cai Xue immediately answered.
"She's the concubine of the third young master. Her maiden family name is Liu and her name is Qingyun."
Ji Shijian only had this one concubine. It was said that the third young master doted on her very much.
Everyone secretly guessed that the reason why the third young master hadn't married a main wife yet might be that he was reserving the position of the third young mistress for this Liu Qingyun.
So everyone secretly called her the prospective third young mistress.
But what Cai Xue didn't expect was that such a favored concubine lived in such a remote and secluded place.
This was not at all what a favored concubine should be like.
"Since we know who lives inside, what are you afraid of? Go in and ask for directions."
"Hongshao said that this mistress is very proud because of the third young master's favor and is very hard to get along with."
"We're just asking for directions. There's nothing to worry about."
Seeing that the courtyard gate was ajar, Zhao Luoning pushed it open and walked in.
This was a very unique small courtyard. There were more than a dozen pots of orchids planted in the yard. It was the blooming season of the orchids, and the whole yard was filled with them.
There was a sweet - osmanthus tree planted on the left. Under the sweet - osmanthus tree, there were several bamboo chairs and an old sandalwood table.
On the table, a gilded stove was boiling a pot of hot tea. Such a strange combination seemed extremely harmonious in this small courtyard.
The woman who was chanting poems was standing in the orchid bushes, holding a small wooden bucket and an old wooden ladle, sprinkling water on the orchids. As the water droplets fell, the sunlight was split into rainbows.
The woman was wearing a lotus - red embroidered dress with ruffled edges. Standing among these rainbows, she looked like a fairy descending from the sky.
"Who are you?"
The woman finally noticed these two unexpected visitors who had suddenly barged in. She walked out of the orchid bushes, put the wooden bucket aside, gently removed the orchid petals on her body, and looked at the two visitors curiously.
"We're sorry to bother you. My maid and I got lost in the mansion, so we came to ask for directions."
The woman glanced at Zhao Luoning indifferently. Her expression was cold, and it was hard to tell what she was thinking.
This look sent a chill down Zhao Luoning's spine.
Sure enough, the rumors were true. She was really a hard - to - get - along - with woman.