Especially Aunt Zhao, who had taken away the power of managing the household that originally belonged to her. She was furious and would make things difficult for Aunt Zhao whenever she had the chance, taking advantage of her unborn child to show off her noble status in the mansion. She did this every day with great pleasure.
"Master is seriously ill. Those bird's nests are for his health. No one else can enjoy them. Your unborn child is precious. You can eat ordinary bird's nests. Do you want to steal Master's bird's nests?" Aunt Zhao glanced at Aunt Jin's protruding belly and secretly curled her lips. Having guts is one thing, but whether she can give birth is another.
Aunt Jin's face flushed red and then turned pale. Those bird's nests were for the seriously ill master. Aunt Zhao didn't tell her because she wanted to see her make a fool of herself. How despicable!
"I'm in a good mood today and don't want to argue with you anymore. From now on, if the Prime Minister's residence has anything good, remember to send it to me first, otherwise..." Aunt Jin held her head high, happily stroking her protruding belly, "Even if I don't blame you, Master will still punish you!"
"Xiao Hong, help me back to my room!" Aunt Jin snorted, turned around, and, supporting Xiao Hong's hand, swayed as she walked towards her room.
Behind her came Aunt Zhao's conflicted and angry gaze. Aunt Jin was so happy she almost laughed out loud. Aunt Zhao was a barren hen who dared to compete with her for power in the Prime Minister's mansion. She was overestimating herself.
The woman in black glanced at Aunt Jin's protruding belly, a cold glint flashing in her beautiful eyes, as she thought of a way to deal with Shen Lixue.
Aunt Jin returned to her room. With the help of Xiao Hong and Xiao Lü, she took off her outer and inner clothes, changed into a loose nightgown, and lay leisurely on the bed. She gently stroked her lower abdomen, her eyes full of calculation. In a few months, the baby would be born, and then she would surely be able to gain status through her child...
"Whoosh!" The tightly closed window suddenly opened, and a black figure rushed in.
"Who goes there?" Aunt Jin was startled and was about to shout in a high-pitched voice when a sharp dagger was pressed tightly against her neck.
Aunt Jin was terrified, her face turned pale, her body trembled like a leaf, her teeth chattering, and she pleaded tremblingly, "Please spare me, you can take whatever you want from this room..."
The man in black glanced at the shabby furnishings in the room and sneered at yet another coward who feared death: "The things here are not to my liking. I'm not here to kill you, but to make a deal with you!"
Seeing that the man in black slowly sheathed his dagger and truly had no intention of killing her, Aunt Jin breathed a long sigh of relief. She touched her neck, looked around the familiar room, and tried to bolster her courage. This was the Prime Minister's residence; he wouldn't dare do anything to her. "What kind of deal do you want to discuss with me?"
"Do you want to become the mistress of the Prime Minister's mansion and wield great power?" The man in black looked at Aunt Jin with a seductive gaze, his every word and action carrying a hint of enticement.
The mistress of the Prime Minister's residence!
Aunt Jin's mind raced. She dreamt of this: "I am already pregnant with Master's child. When the child is born, he will be the only heir of the Prime Minister's mansion. I can rise in status because of my son!" She stroked her lower abdomen, her eyes full of pride.
"You are just a lowly concubine. In an ordinary family, you could rise to the position of principal wife by having a son. But this is the Prime Minister's residence. Shen Minghui is the head of all officials. Would he support a concubine to become the principal wife?" The man in black spoke sharply, with a mix of sarcasm and mockery.
Aunt Jin's sore spot was hit, and her face changed instantly. Her beautiful dream of many days was ruthlessly shattered.
Shen Minghui is a high-ranking prime minister, while she is a concubine, powerless and without a strong family background. She is qualified to compete with Concubine Zhao and Concubine Li, but she has no chance against the daughters of noble families.
Seeing that Aunt Jin was starting to understand, the man in black continued to provoke her: "Shen Minghui is the Prime Minister, and many officials will come to curry favor with him, vying to marry their daughters to him. If his future wife gives birth to a son, the child in your womb will become a stumbling block. With your lowly status as a concubine, how can you protect him..."
A chilling glint appeared in Aunt Jin's beautiful eyes: "Who are you, and why do you want to help me?"
The man in black chuckled coldly: "You don't need to know my identity. Just remember, I can make you the wife you've always dreamed of. As for whether you want to make a deal with me, think it over carefully and give me your answer in three days!"
Aunt Jin's eyes darted around as she weighed the pros and cons repeatedly. Gritting her teeth, she hardened her heart and said, "There's no need to wait until three days later. I can cooperate with you right now. Tell me, what do you want me to do!"
"You're a smart person, and I love working with decisive and intelligent people!" The man in black narrowed his eyes, which were visible through his black mask, into crescent moons, his gaze flashing with a sharp glint. He was halfway to success in dealing with Shen Lixue!
Fifteen years ago, the Wu State Duke's Mansion was renowned throughout the capital. However, it lost power overnight, causing much discussion. Lin Yan saved the emperor and was rewarded with the title of Wu State Duke. This caused a sensation throughout the city, and the Wu State Duke's Mansion once again became a topic of conversation.
Upon receiving the imperial decree, Lin Yan, at Shen Lixue's suggestion, doubled the number of people involved in the repairs. After about half a month, the Duke of Wu's mansion was restored to its original state.
On an auspicious day, Lin Yan was promoted to Duke of Wu and hosted a banquet for court officials and noble families at his newly renovated Duke of Wu's mansion.
When Shen Lixue arrived at the Duke of Wu's mansion by carriage, the area in front of the mansion was already bustling with people, and all kinds of gifts were piled up like mountains.
She stepped down from the carriage and entered the Duke of Wu's mansion. The road was paved with bluestone and the ground was smooth. Every now and then, maids in green dresses carrying cups and plates would walk gracefully. The garden was full of overlapping peaks and vines, which were very elegant. The exquisite carvings in the corridor were like flowing clouds and water, noble and grand.
The pavilions and pavilions beside the rockery were filled with guests, chatting and laughing. The flower hall and living room were also filled with family members of noble families.
"Where is Cousin Yan?" Shen Lixue casually called out to a maid in green and asked softly.
"Your Highness, the Duke is in the drawing room!" The maidservant curtsied and replied respectfully, "Does Your Highness wish to go to the drawing room?"
Shen Lixue smiled and said, "I'll just take a walk and won't go to the living room for now!"
With some time to spare before the banquet began, Shen Lixue slipped past the bustling crowd and quietly went to the backyard.
Lin Yan was not yet married, and Lin Qingfeng and his wife were both stationed at the border. The backyard was quiet, and there was not a single person in sight.
Shen Lixue walked slowly among the houses with green bricks and red tiles, casually looking around. She must be almost there.
Just then, a white figure leaped in from outside the high wall. A white hat with a semi-transparent veil hung down, obscuring her face, making her hazy and alluring. Her long white robes fluttered in the wind, like a celestial maiden scattering flowers, mesmerizing the eyes and making her seem like a fairy.
"Shen Lixue, why did you bring me here so mysteriously?" A white figure landed gently beside Shen Lixue, the voice rough and hoarse, completely at odds with her slender figure under her clothes and the alluring face beneath her veil.
The person who came was Qin Ruoyan. When Shen Minghui and Lei Hong were poisoned by Gu, she was imprisoned in the water dungeon of Nangong Xiao's villa, and Qin Junhao was under close guard. They did not have a chance to make a move, which indirectly proves that there are other people who know about the Gu poison of the Southern Frontier. The huge poison of the Southern Frontier that wanted to harm the emperor was not administered by the two of them.
Shen Lixue cleared her name, and she agreed to do something for Shen Lixue.
"Come with me!" Shen Lixue walked quickly into the small courtyard where the kitchen was located. Inside the courtyard, cooks and servants were washing and folding vegetables, busy back and forth.
Shen Lixue frowned slightly. He was very clever and knew how to seize opportunities. Wherever there was excitement, he would be there. The Duke of Wu's mansion had reappeared in the capital, and it was bustling with activity. He would definitely take the opportunity to deliver the food. Why was he still nowhere to be seen?
Just then, a small car wobbled into the courtyard, and a familiar male voice rang out: "The vegetables have been delivered!"
Shen Lixue smiled. They've come, just as expected!
Mu Zhengnan stopped the car, looked up, and immediately saw Shen Lixue three meters away. Today, she was wearing a purple Ruan Yanluo dress, her black hair was tied into an exquisite bun, and she wore a green snow-white hairpin and teardrop earrings, which complemented each other perfectly. Her silk sleeves flowed down, making her look fresh, lovely, noble and elegant.
He was momentarily dazed, then quickly lowered his head, afraid that Shen Lixue would recognize him. He was filled with regret. If he had known that Shen Lixue had such a noble status, he would never have strangled her for that thousand taels of silver!
"Princess, Princess Qin, the kitchen is a bit messy, please be careful!" The steward's reminder rang out, and only then did Mu Zhengnan notice that there was a woman in white standing next to Shen Lixue. She wore a white bamboo hat and a white dress with large vines embroidered on the hem. She was beautiful and enchanting, and with her slender figure, she looked like a fairy.
Is she the mysterious Princess Qin Ruoyan from the Southern Frontier?
"Princess Qin, the banquet is about to begin outside. You've already toured the Duke of Wu's mansion enough. Let's go back to the banquet hall for our meal first, and then we'll accompany you to see the beautiful scenery of the Prime Minister's residence!" Shen Lixue said softly, winking at Qin Ruoyan.
The banquet begins, and the Prime Minister's residence is toured. What exactly is Shen Lixue talking about?