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After discovering that the two martial arts masters had taken Sun Dalang to the north, Xiao Yuan repeatedly sent more people to search inside and outside the city for two whole days and nights, but still could not find them. She wanted to continue searching north, but Sun said, "There is chaos over there now. If it implicates the people who went to find him, I will never have peace of mind for the rest of my life. Besides, he went there recklessly. Even if something happens to him, it is what he deserves."

She was very understanding, but Ayun was so anxious that she jumped up and down: "How old is he? How can he be entitled to it? I think he was kidnapped by those two reckless martial arts masters, Lü Shiliu and Deng Shiwu. Let's go report to the authorities."

"That's not a bad idea." Xiao Yuan nodded slightly and ordered someone to file a report with the government. However, the imperial court had divided its troops into three routes to march north, and there was chaos in the war. No one cared about such trivial matters. More than a month passed in the blink of an eye, and there was still no news of Sun Dalang and the other two.

Madam Sun was never one to show her emotions. Even when she was worried about her son, no one could tell. She continued to take care of Xiao Si Niang as usual. However, A Yun was someone who couldn't hold back her feelings. She would mention Sun Da Lang hundreds of times a day. One day, A Cai couldn't take it anymore and blurted out, "A Yun, have you taken a fancy to Sun Da Lang?"

This Ah Cai is usually quiet and reserved, but when she opens her mouth, it's quite startling. Cai Lian was afraid that Ah Yun would be embarrassed, so she quickly pulled her aside and said, "Don't talk nonsense. How old is Sun Dalang? Besides, Ah Yun is two or three years older than him."

Unexpectedly, Ayun didn't appreciate it and said, "I've taken a liking to him, so what? What's wrong with being three years older? A woman three years older is like holding a gold brick."

Cailian panicked and quickly covered her mouth: "Grandma, you're a girl, don't you care about your reputation?"

Xiao Yuan watched in stunned silence. Despite her pride in being someone who had been influenced by free love, she wouldn't have dared to utter such bold words. Looking at A Yun, she seemed to see another version of herself hidden deep within her heart, so she stepped forward and inquired in detail. It turned out that A Yun had been teaching Sun Dalang to read since last year, and over time, feelings had developed between them. Furthermore, with Sun Dalang's journey north to fight against the Jin, she admired him immensely and secretly pledged her heart to him.

Ayun is a bit older than Cheng Sanniang, so it's normal for her to be experiencing her first love. But Sun Dalang still seems like a child, and it's hard to say whether he reciprocates her feelings. Xiaoyuan's heart pounded at the thought of the word "secretly" in "secretly harboring feelings for someone." After hesitating for a long time, she finally spoke up: "Ayun, does Sun Dalang have feelings for you? Don't misinterpret your feelings. You saw what happened to Caimei."

Ayun replied without hesitation, "Whether he knows or not, we'll find out when he gets back and we can ask him."

After listening for a while, Cailian said anxiously, "You're making such a fuss before anything's even started. What if he has no feelings for you? Everyone will look down on you."

Xiao Yuan sighed inwardly. If this were a thousand years later, she would definitely applaud A Yun's true nature. But for now, she stood by Cai Lian's side. "A Yun, your sister Cai Lian is right. Don't say those words again."

Ah Yun, with her neck stiff, asked, "Where did I say something wrong?"

Xiao Yuan smiled and said, "Not a single word is wrong. But I'm asking you, if you like something, why do you have to tell others what you think? Don't worry. When Sun Dalang comes back, I'll ask him myself."

Although Ayun was straightforward and outspoken, she was quick-witted. She understood immediately after a moment's thought. She knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "I will pretend I didn't say a word. Thank you, Madam."

Xiao Yuan saw that she wasn't as foolish as Cai Mei. Relieved, she couldn't help but sigh. Sun Dalang had rashly gone to the battlefield; who knew if he would return alive?

Cailian noticed her somewhat somber expression and quickly changed the subject: "Madam, Consort Chen is due to give birth next month. She has no family to rely on. Who will send a gift to encourage her to give birth?"

Xiao Yuan pointed to herself and said, "Why don't we have a maternal family? Let's start preparing gifts right now."

Seeing that she had successfully diverted her attention, Cailian breathed a sigh of relief and called several maids to work together. They filled a silver basin with millet stalks, covered it with a brocade handkerchief, inserted pith paper, and pasted on a pattern of five men and two women to symbolize good fortune. Xiaoyuan personally took a round plate, filled it with steamed buns, and had one hundred and twenty duck eggs added, which was called "sharing the pain".

Childbirth has always been a life-threatening ordeal for women. Although a doctor would come to check Aunt Chen's pulse and fetal position every month, Xiao Yuan was still worried. She touched her six-month-old belly, which wasn't too big yet, so she took a few midwives with her to personally deliver a gift to induce labor.

Aunt Chen was both happy and worried when she saw her. "Why are you running around with such a big belly? Aren't you afraid Erlang will scold you?" Xiao Yuan touched her belly and said, "I brought some good midwives with me. I heard they have a way to deal with breech presentation." Aunt Chen smiled and said, "I just checked yesterday. They said it's perfectly normal. Besides, this isn't my first child, so it should be easy. But you, you're already six months along, why isn't your belly showing?"

Xiao Yuan didn't want to say that she was worried the baby would be too big for delivery, so she deliberately avoided eating oily and fatty foods. Instead, she used Cai Lian's Qiankun Shift technique to change the subject, saying, "Auntie, that girl A Yun has actually taken a fancy to Sun Dalang."

"Sun Dalang?" Aunt Chen thought for a moment. "Isn't that the child who went to the battlefield? Ah Yun, what... what if he doesn't come back?"

Xiao Yuan laughed and said, "Auntie, don't you think they're still two children? Who knows if it's true or not?" Aunt Chen covered her mouth and laughed as well, "Back when you and Cheng Erlang were secretly passing handkerchiefs in the back garden, you weren't even as big as A-Yun yet." Xiao Yuan was immediately embarrassed and wanted to pounce on her, but unfortunately, her waist was too thick to twist, which made Aunt Chen laugh again.

When Xue Wushi heard that Xiao Yuan had given Aunt Chen a facial and sent her a gift to encourage childbirth, he came to thank her in person. As he walked to the door, he happened to hear them talking about Sun Dalang. He pushed the door open and came in, saying, "Your Sun Dalang is young but ambitious, which is admirable. It's a pity that I'm worried about your aunt, otherwise I would have gone to the north too."

Xiao Yuan quickly stood up and bowed, saying, "My aunt is about to give birth, and Uncle Xue should be with her. However, serving the country doesn't necessarily mean going to the battlefield. Your family has practiced martial arts for generations. Why not open a martial arts school to teach people martial arts?"

Xue Wushi said with a wry smile, "Our Great Song Dynasty has always valued literature over martial arts, so who would want to learn it?"

Xiao Yuan thought of the Five Animal Frolics and Tai Chi, and said, "I wonder if Uncle Xue has any simple and easy-to-learn boxing techniques, without too many movements."

Master Xue nodded: "Of course."

Xiao Yuan originally wanted to directly offer to help him open a "gym", but she was unsure of the outcome, so she stood up and bowed: "My master has been ill lately and is looking to learn some simple boxing techniques to improve his health. I wonder if Uncle Xue would be willing to teach him?"

Xue Wushi was unaware of her ambition to do big business and thought she was just pitying him for having nothing to do at home. However, he had worked for the Cheng family before and had no reservations. He immediately thanked Xiaoyuan and agreed.

Chapter Sixty-Three: Li Wuniang Visits to Seek Advice (Part 1)

Xiao Yuan invited Master Xue to her home to teach her grandfather the modified Xue Family Boxing. The pampered old man was already lacking in exercise, so he practiced boxing once in the morning and once in the evening. After less than half a month of persistence, the effects became apparent.

People in Lin'an have always loved to follow trends. When they heard that Master Cheng had practiced some kind of boxing style and that his health had improved and his diabetes had been alleviated, they all came to inquire about it. For a time, the Cheng family's house was bustling with visitors, and the amount of tea and snacks prepared in the kitchen increased several times over.

Xiao Yuan wanted to help Master Xue open a gym, so she took advantage of Master Cheng's good mood and deliberately patted the account book to complain: "Dad, ever since you learned this boxing style, the expenses for entertaining guests at home have been increasing every day."

Master Cheng thought she didn't want to use the official accounts, and he was very anxious: "It's only a few dollars, you're too stingy."

Xiao Yuan calmly replied, "Compared to Dad, I am naturally stingy. You, on the other hand, are so generous, not bringing the money you bet on home but instead spending it out of your own pocket."

Master Cheng sensed something was amiss and quickly asked, "Where is the money? Don't talk nonsense, wife."

Xiao Yuan pointed at Master Xue and said, "Since so many people want to learn boxing, why don't you open a 'fitness and strength training center'? With Master Xue in charge, even if you only get a few shares, you'll still make a big profit."

Master Cheng was skeptical: "Daughter-in-law, you're giving me this money to earn? Your dowry is quite substantial now, it's not like you're without capital."

Xiao Yuan laughed and said, "What do you mean 'you' and 'me'? Aren't we family? Dad earns money and spends it on us."

Upon hearing this, Master Cheng felt as if he had drunk a bowl of hot soup on a cold day, and his whole body felt warm and comfortable. He happily invited Master Xue into his study: "Master Xue, we are relatives after all, so let's discuss the matter of opening a school."

The gym is a business with very little capital. After deducting the cost of renting the venue and paying the wages of the employees, everything else is profit. In addition, the old men who come to learn boxing are all rich and don't know where to spend their money. They don't even haggle over the tuition fees. As a result, Mr. Cheng tasted the sweetness in the first month and was so happy that he praised his daughter-in-law to everyone he met.

Xiao Yuandi's good reputation spread far and wide. Even Li Wuniang, who was always overwhelmed with worries, had heard about it several times. One day, she had been scolded by her mother-in-law in the hall. When she returned to her room, she saw the concubine's big belly and felt quite resentful: "What do I lack compared to He Si Niang? Why is she always successful while I suffer every grievance?"

Old Master He's newlywed wife, Liu Qiniang, was cracking melon seeds as she passed by the door. She sneered, "If you're so capable, why don't you come up with a way to make money and offer it to the old lady? I guarantee you won't have to suffer anymore."

Li Wuniang knew that she was dissatisfied because she hadn't managed the household affairs. Hearing this, she wasn't angry. She laughed and said, "I'm a fool. I have the resources but I don't use them. Instead, I let the old man make a fortune on his own."

Several women basking in the sun overheard the sisters-in-law bickering. They secretly chuckled, "Two silly girls. No wonder one can't get the power to manage the household, and the other doesn't please the old lady—Fourth Sister wants to send money to her birth mother's family, but she can't do it openly. So she got her father-in-law to invest. Her birth mother got the benefits, and she gained a reputation for being virtuous. What a clever trick!"

The He family has never been known for its strict discipline. These words, passed through countless mouths, eventually reached Li Wu Niang's ears. In the past, this would have fueled her jealousy and resentment, leading her to try and seize her sister-in-law's property. But today was different. With her concubine's child about to be born, and as always, her mother-in-law and husband disliked her, she prioritized her envy of Xiao Yuan over her jealousy.

"Back then, I was so angered by the old lady that I lost my mind and offended Fourth Sister. Otherwise, if I had asked her for advice now, things might have been better at home." As she thought about it, a trace of regret arose in her heart.

Her maidservant advised, "Madam, you should go and see Fourth Madam. Right now, you still have Aunt Zhou to help you. Once Second Young Master gets married, he will be her own son. Who can you rely on? Besides, Fourth Madam is closest to our Third Young Master. If she doesn't help you, who else can she help? As for the past, just humble yourself and apologize, and it will be over."

Li Wuniang cheered again, "You're right. She's a close relative after all. How much could she hate me? If things get better for our family, it will only benefit her, not harm her."

Having figured things out, she hurriedly prepared gifts and took the money from the empty shops she had previously taken from Xiao Yuan before, and then rode in a sedan chair to the Cheng family.

Master Cheng now only cares about his daughter-in-law. When he saw that Xiao Yuan's family had come, he specially asked someone to come and tell her to invite the guests to stay for dinner. Li Wu Niang saw that Xiao Yuan's status at home was indeed extraordinary, and clicked her tongue and said, "You really know how to please your father-in-law. No wonder Sanlang asked me to come and ask you for advice."

Xiao Yuan chuckled inwardly. She knew her own third brother's temperament perfectly well. He Yaohong would never have sent his wife to ask for advice on how to appease her in-laws; it must have been Li Wuniang's own idea. It would be a lie to say she didn't hate Li Wuniang at all, so she didn't even lift her eyes, blowing on her tea as she said, "Third sister-in-law, you're joking. In terms of business, your shop is bigger than mine. In terms of management, even my eldest sister-in-law couldn't compete with you after she entered the family. You're better than me in every way. I should be asking you for advice."

Seeing the barbed words in her voice, Li Wuniang quickly ordered someone to bring up the money: "Fourth Sister, I was ignorant before. I've converted those empty shops into cash and returned them to you. I only hope you won't hold a grudge and, for the sake of your Third Brother, teach me how to conduct myself. No matter what I've done wrong, I'm still wholeheartedly on your Third Brother's side. If those higher-ups seize power in the family, our Third Branch will have no good days ahead."

Xiao Yuan knew she was telling the truth. She was devoted to He Yaohong and hadn't even helped her own family. But as the saying goes, even an upright official can't settle family disputes, and besides, she was just a married daughter. So she vaguely said, "Third sister-in-law only sees my glory and doesn't see my suffering. In fact, every family has its own problems. I'm not much better off than you."

Seeing Xiao Yuan playing Tai Chi, Li Wu Niang was annoyed but helpless. She only regretted that she had offended her first. Unfortunately, there was no medicine for regret in this world. No matter how much she regretted it, she could only sigh and say goodbye.

As soon as she left, Cheng Mutian slipped out from the inner room and looked helplessly at Xiao Yuan's belly, saying, "Has my wife really become stupid? That's your third brother's family. This is the only person left in your family who can support you. If your stepmother takes over the family, you won't even have anyone to send you a gift to encourage childbirth."

Xiao Yuan felt a warmth in her heart when she saw that he was thinking of her, and smiled, "Then tell me, what advice should I give her? Should I teach her to be a vixen and keep Third Brother's heart so that she can have a son sooner? Or should I continue to suppress my stepmother and sister-in-law and not give them any opportunity to take advantage of me?"

Cheng Mutian felt increasingly helpless as she talked nonsense. He touched her round belly and said, "I think you should just focus on your pregnancy and wait to give birth to a son. You're giving me such bad ideas. Luckily, I already have a brilliant plan."

Xiaoyuan's Monologue (1)

The snow that year was so heavy! I never knew that it snowed in ancient Hangzhou. In fact, I had never been to Hangzhou.

That winter was really cold. Snowflakes were falling all over the sky, landing on my shoulders where I was only wearing a thin padded jacket. I suddenly missed the down jacket at home and instinctively reached into my pocket to take out my phone, but I only pulled out two pieces of sesame candy. Oh, my third brother, who was born to Aunt Zhou, once said that if you are cold, you should secretly take a bite of candy and you will feel warm. Don't complain, or the madam will sell me.

It's cold, so cold. I suddenly feel a little jealous of the original owner of this body. She must be hiding in my body right now, snuggling up to my mother, lying on my sofa, comfortably enjoying my air conditioning and watching my TV.

I stomped my feet hard, but they gradually went numb. There was no charcoal fire in the room, so it was all in vain.

The concubines here are still busy embroidering, hoping that the madam won't kick us out. I can only bury my head in the thin arms of this small body and silently shed tears. Mom, I want to go back so much.

At night, I lay in the cold, hard bed, my stomach growling with hunger. My third brother would only be able to secretly slip me two steamed buns the next morning, so for now, I could only go hungry.

It's cold, and I'm hungry. I can't care about anything else. Although time-travel novels all say not to be reckless in ancient times, I'm really afraid I won't survive this winter. I put on my aunt's coat, wrapped myself in a thin quilt, and got up. Shivering, I used my hands, which were swollen like buns, to draw a rough sketch of checkers.

How lucky I am! The Southern Song Dynasty was a period of relative peace and prosperity, where everyone loved luxury and pleasure. That checkers picture sold for a good price. Although Aunt Liu took two-thirds of it, I was still overjoyed. I think I won't die this winter.

I secretly gave the money to my aunt and asked her to buy cotton to make clothes. But my aunt hugged me and cried. She said that even if she had the money, she couldn't buy them. If the madam saw them, all the money would be confiscated.

So I continued to suffer from chilblains and runny nose, but at least I was able to eat my fill. My aunt bought some cakes and hid them under the bed, telling me to take them out and eat them when no one was around.

That morning, the madam didn't send anyone to bring me food. I was starving, so I crawled under the bed before it got dark. As a result, the madam caught me red-handed. I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth, ready for her to slap me. The sound rang out, but my face didn't hurt. It turned out that Ah Xiu had agreed to the matter and said that she was the one who hid the cake.

After the lady left, I held Ah Xiu's face and cried until dark. Ah Xiu said it didn't hurt and asked me to swear not to tell anyone else. She didn't want anyone to know she was a glutton. I promised her through tears that I would never tell anyone about it in my life. When I grew up, I would definitely open a pastry shop so I would never have to sneak food under the bed again.

Chapter Sixty-Four: Li Wuniang Visits to Seek Advice (Part Two)

Xiao Yuan didn't believe that her brain was less sharp than his because she was pregnant, but after thinking for a long time, she still couldn't come up with a solution. She had no choice but to admit defeat and pester Cheng Mutian to tell her about his brilliant plan. Cheng Mutian patted her back gently: "Go and tell your third sister-in-law to hand over the power of managing the household without worry. I guarantee that within half a month, your stepmother will return this power to you with both hands."

Xiao Yuan naturally didn't believe that Madam Jiang was such a kind person, and wanted to ask for details, but Cheng Mutian refused to speak again. It was the first time she had seen her husband being so mysterious, and her curiosity was piqued. She couldn't wait until the next day and invited Li Wuniang over to explain his so-called "secret plan" in detail.

Li Wuniang was both happy and worried after hearing her plan. She was happy that her sister-in-law was willing to help her out of family affection; she was worried that if the plan failed, it would be difficult to regain control of the household. She was conflicted and didn't quite believe Xiaoyuan's words, but she still wanted to try. When she got home, she nervously handed over all the account books. Madam Jiang was overjoyed when she received the account books. She and her daughter-in-law, Liu Qiniang, locked themselves in the room for three whole days to check the accounts. However, on the fourth day, the family's income began to decline sharply. When she asked someone to inquire, she learned that the Cheng family's ship at sea had encountered a storm and would have no income for several months.

"Fortunately, we still have the shop, so we won't starve." Madam Jiang was feeling relieved, but then she saw Liu Qiniang clumsily fiddling with the abacus and became somewhat annoyed. She complained, "I was thinking of handing this family business over to you, but you can't even keep proper accounts. Go and call Li Wuniang to use the abacus, and while she's at it, go over the shop's accounts."

Li Wuniang had already handed over her accounts, so she didn't care about this anymore. After receiving the news, she lay down on the bed and started pretending to be sick, only uttering "ouch" sounds. Madam Jiang was furious, but she couldn't drag her out of bed, so she could only sit in the room and scold her. Liu Qiniang had quite the demeanor of Li Wuniang back then, and she comforted her mother-in-law with a pout, saying, "It's just managing a shop, what's so difficult about it? Mother, just let me do it, and I guarantee we'll make a fortune in less than half a year."

Madam Jiang, having managed the household for many years, was not as muddle-headed as she was. She summoned the steward and asked where she could find a good matchmaker. The steward, being loyal, replied, "Madam, if we were opening a new shop, it wouldn't hurt to hire someone knowledgeable to give us some pointers. But our shop is an old one; where are we going to find someone who knows everything about it all at once?" Seeing that he had a point, Madam Jiang had no choice but to grit her teeth and call out to Liu Qiniang, "Wife, let's manage the shop ourselves."

They usually watched Li Wuniang manage the shop with a cold eye and thought it was normal, but when they actually tried to do it themselves, they found it difficult at every turn. After only a few days in charge of the shop, a manager came to complain: "Old Madam, Young Madam, the foreign goods in our shop are more expensive than those in other shops. Who will come to buy them?"

Liu Qiniang raised her eyebrows. She scolded, "Useless thing. Can't you just lower the price tag? Why bother us with such a trivial matter?"

The manager was stunned by the scolding. "Young Madam, the capital is so high. If you rashly bid too low, won't you lose money?"

Madam Jiang wished she could disappear into the ground. She had been blind to have chosen such a foolish daughter-in-law. Unable to contain her anger, she first chased the disgraceful Liu Qiniang out before asking the manager, "Didn't you used to say our shop had the cheapest foreign goods in Lin'an? How come it's suddenly the most expensive?"

The steward, looking distressed, said, "Before, when we bought goods from the Li family, we always got the cheapest price. Now... now..." He hesitated, unable to finish his sentence. Madam Jiang had already figured it out. It must be because the Li family saw that Li Wu Niang was no longer in charge of the household, so they stopped giving us those discounted prices. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She cursed, "No wonder they're such profit-driven merchants; their revenge is so swift!"

Her fierceness was useless. Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. The money in the accounts dwindled daily, and the small shop was already on the verge of bankruptcy. It seemed the family was about to starve. Madam Jiang couldn't bear to use her own savings, so she had to return the accounts to the third wife. Li Wuniang regained control of the household, feeling smug and self-satisfied. She openly took the deed to a small shop and gave it to a small round cake as a thank-you gift.

Xiao Yuan was startled by the generous gift. This Li Wuniang was a shrewd businesswoman, but otherwise quite ordinary. Giving away the public property as a gift—was she thanking her or trying to harm her? She hurriedly pushed the burning contract back, saying, "Third Sister-in-law's ability to manage the household is her own skill; what does it have to do with me, a married sister-in-law?" Li Wuniang tried to shove it into her hand, but she quickly excused herself, saying that Aunt Chen had just had a daughter and she needed to prepare for the three-day celebration. She then quickly walked out, her pregnant belly protruding, and hid in the east wing.

After a while, Cailian persuaded Li Wuniang to leave and came to invite Xiaoyuan back to her room, laughing, "There are probably not many people in the world who would refuse a gift." Xiaoyuan looked outside, patted her chest, and said, "If it weren't for Third Brother, I wouldn't associate with such people and get myself into trouble." Then she laughed, "Go and call your young master back quickly, and tell him that the storm at sea has stopped."

Cailian couldn't help but laugh: "Madam forgot one thing. In order to appease Madam Jiang, the half-month's dividend that was kept secret still had to be sent over secretly."

With a strong family backing her up, Xiao Yuan was just waiting to receive the gift to encourage childbirth in two months. She had nothing to worry about herself, but she was worried about Aunt Chen: "Aunt Chen is already thirty-two years old, but she has given birth to a daughter. I wonder if the Xue family will give her a hard time."

Seeing that there was no one around, Cailian smiled gently: "Madam is just worried. When the wives of wealthy families get pregnant, how many don't take the opportunity to take concubines? Even if they don't want to, their parents and relatives will try to force them to have a few. Why is it that our family doesn't do that?"

Xiao Yuan laughed and said, "No wonder Erlang said my brain doesn't work well when I'm pregnant. I have my maternal family backing me up, and my aunt is naturally there too. Even if I have a few more daughters, how dare the Xue family look down on me?"

She wanted to change her mind and wholeheartedly serve Aunt Chen as a good family member. Despite being seven months pregnant, she brought millet, charcoal, and vinegar and personally delivered the three-day celebration gifts.

She arrived at the Xue family home in a sedan chair, but because she was pregnant, she couldn't enter the maternity ward. So, she was accompanied by Xue Wushi's two sisters-in-law to eat soup dumplings at the soup dumpling feast. Seeing the worry on her face, Xue's eldest sister-in-law reassured her, saying, "Your Uncle Xue is a father for the first time, he's overjoyed, he doesn't care whether it's a boy or a girl." Xue's second sister-in-law added, "My sister-in-law and I both had sons. It's the first time our parents have held their granddaughter, they're so happy, they say your aunt is a great hero."

Regardless of whether these words were sincere or not, it was already rare for them to be spoken to comfort someone. On her way home, Xiaoyuan was still marveling at how there were still families in the world that didn't make things difficult for their daughters-in-law. Her aunt had truly finally found happiness after all her hardships.

The sedan chair swayed along the way, and the pregnant woman couldn't withstand the fatigue. She leaned against the side of the sedan chair and was drowsy when she suddenly heard someone exclaim outside. She groggily lifted a corner of the curtain and saw A-Yun pointing to a magnificent pavilion, while Cai-Lian was busy covering her mouth.

There must be a reason for the two girls' behavior. Xiao Yuan didn't ask, but rubbed her eyes and looked ahead. It turned out that Cheng Mutian was sitting by the window on the second floor, drinking with someone.

Businessmen have plenty of social engagements, so what's so strange about having a drink? She was a little annoyed that the maids were making a fuss, and she was also afraid that Cheng Mutian would see her on the street. She was busy about to lower the curtain when she caught a glimpse of the big characters on the signboard—Hua Yue Lou (Flower Moon Pavilion).

Upon seeing the glittering signboard, even someone as composed as her couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, just like Ah Yun: "Isn't this a place that hires male prostitutes to solicit customers?"

Chapter Sixty-Five: The Concubine Scandal (Part 1)