"If the Ji family knew that their mistress had lost her virginity in Tianxiang Tower, could Zhao Luoning still hold her position as the mistress?"
Hearing this, Zhao Luoyue's face fell.
"Father has given a strict order that none of us are allowed to say a word. Whoever does will be kicked out of the mansion. We might end up ruining ourselves instead of bringing Zhao Luoning down."
"We won't say a word."
"Then how will the Ji family find out?"
"The Ji family has already come to investigate. We just need to put a certain person in front of them."
"Huh? I don't understand, Mother."
"If Zhao Luoning really offended someone outside, her enemy would surely go to the Ji Mansion instead of asking the elders of the Zhao family for information. The only ones doing this now are likely from the Ji Mansion."
"But only a few of us know about this. Once outsiders get wind of it, Father will surely suspect us."
"Who says only we know?" Mrs. Zhao the Second tapped the table with a smile. "Isn't there someone else?"
"Mother, do you mean... Nanny Xu?"
Mrs. Zhao the Second nodded with a smile.
"Although Father doesn't like the Ji family, their power is undeniable. Now that Zhao Luoning is thriving in the Ji Mansion, you'll always be in her shadow. Only when Zhao Luoning falls can you, even if you marry into the insignificant Ning family, become our bargaining chip to control the Zhao Mansion."
"But if the Ji family comes to Father after learning the news, Father will surely suspect us."
"What if we're also in the dark?" Mrs. Zhao the Second's smile was chilling. "What if the Ji family hears that Zhao Luoning lost her virginity in Tianxiang Tower and secretly married into the Ji Mansion?"
"Then... the Ji family won't have any reason to come to the Zhao family." All the blame will fall on Zhao Luoning alone, and the Zhao family will be completely absolved. Based on her understanding of Lord Zhao, when things come to this, Lord Zhao will surely sacrifice the pawn to save the general.
Zhao Luoning will be that sacrificed pawn.
And this is exactly what Mrs. Zhao the Second wants.
Mrs. Zhao the Second wants to deal with Zhao Luoning partly to vent her anger.
The other part is for her own position in the Zhao Mansion.
People are afraid of comparison.
Back then, seeing that Lord Zhao disliked the Ji family, she tried every means to stop the childhood betrothal between the Ji and Zhao families.
She never expected that Zhao Luoyue was so useless that she chose the declining Ning family.
In contrast, Zhao Luoning's marriage was better than her daughter's.
Since her daughter was so infatuated with Ning Huaizhi and there was no changing her mind, she had to sacrifice Zhao Luoning.
Only when Zhao Luoning falls from grace can her daughter's good marriage stand out.
Only then can she gain the upper hand in this power struggle.
While the Zhao Mansion was in turmoil, the atmosphere in the Ji Mansion was no better.
A concubine - taking ceremony was being quietly arranged.
In Cihua Courtyard of the Ji Mansion
The old matriarch was taking a noon nap on the bamboo mat. The maids were whispering outside the room. The old woman was a light sleeper. Tossing and turning, she was finally awakened. She lifted the curtain and called out.
"Mumian."
The maids outside were then dismissed. Mumian walked in with a cup of tea and greeted the old matriarch gently.
"Mumian, did I disturb you, Old Matriarch?"
"I can't sleep. Sigh, as the day approaches, I feel more and more uneasy. How's the preparation going?"
Mumian helped the old matriarch sit up, picked up a ferret shawl, and draped it over her shoulders.
"It's really not easy to get everything ready in just a few days and keep it from Second Young Mistress. All the available servants in the mansion have been mobilized."
The old matriarch sighed. Mumian brought some water. After helping the old matriarch wash up, she picked up a pair of silver chopsticks and handed them to the old matriarch.
The old matriarch had a habit of having pastries after a noon nap. But when she picked up a pastry, she couldn't eat it and put it down again.
"Old Matriarch, how about some bird's - nest porridge? It's more flavorful than pastries."
The old matriarch waved her hand, not letting Mumian fuss around anymore.
At this moment, Mujin, another senior maid in the old matriarch's room, came in to ask a question.
"Old Matriarch, the steward sent me to ask which side - room should be allocated to Miss Lianxiang?"
The old matriarch rubbed her temples in distress. Mumian, who had served the old matriarch since childhood, quickly understood her dilemma. She gave Mujin a look. Mujin understood and withdrew with the tray.
The old matriarch had been having trouble sleeping and eating these days. Mumian was anxious and couldn't help but voice her concern.
"Old Matriarch, is it really a good idea to keep this from Second Young Mistress?"
"It's not about keeping it from her, but from the Zhao family."
"I don't understand, Miss."
"Now that Ning'er is newly married, if her husband takes a brothel woman as a concubine, what will the Zhao family think? So this matter has to be carried out quietly."
"Then... why not just let that woman stay outside and bring the child back after it's born?"
"Do you think that Lianxiang woman will be an obedient one?"
"What do you mean, Old Matriarch?"
"Su'er said he just found out she was pregnant on the Double - Seventh Festival, and the news reached our ears the next day. Someone must have deliberately let us know."
"Do you mean that Lianxiang herself spread the news in order to force Second Master to marry her in?"
"If we let her make trouble outside, God knows what will happen. Since she wants Su'er to marry her in, we'll fulfill her wish. Once she's in the mansion, she'll be under our control. I don't believe a brothel woman can turn the world upside down."
The old matriarch also had her own selfish motives in this matter.
On the one hand, she really didn't want Lianxiang to cause trouble outside. On the other hand, it was for the sake of the child.
Over the years, the old matriarch felt that her health was getting worse and worse. She felt that her end was near in the next couple of years.
If there was any regret in her life, it was that she hadn't seen the birth of the Ji family's eldest grandson.
Although Ji Shisu had many concubines, he didn't care much about them. Finally, she was happy to see that Shisu had taken a fancy to Luoning. But the news she got was that although the two of them slept in the same bed, they just covered the quilt and slept innocently every night.
This made the old matriarch can't help but wonder - was there something wrong with her grandson in some aspects?
The old matriarch was once very desperate.
It wasn't until she heard the news of Lianxiang's pregnancy that she regained hope.
If the child in Lianxiang's belly was a boy, her life would be complete.
But the old matriarch couldn't abandon her grandson.
She didn't like Lianxiang, but she couldn't give up the Ji family's flesh and blood in her belly.
Although she didn't believe that Zhao Luoning would do such a vicious thing as killing a concubine's child, having experienced so many ups and downs in the big mansion, the old matriarch had to assume the worst about people's hearts.
If Lianxiang was kept outside, even if Zhao Luoning didn't take action, with so many concubines in Ji Shisu's room, they might not sit back and do nothing.
It was really too dangerous.
So she acquiesced in Mrs. Ji's actions and let things proceed secretly.
By the time Luoning came back and everyone realized what was going on, Lianxiang would already be in the mansion. The old matriarch's people would secretly watch over her to ensure that the child was born safely.
...