Chapter 9

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The Third Lady wouldn’t let her own child be influenced by Jiang Ruohua.

She had to thank Prince Ying for coming by, completely eliminating any possibility of going back on the annulment.

“So, what’s wrong with Concubine Yuan?” Jiang Ruohua continued writing, casually asking, “Is she ill?”

Concubine Yuan was from the Third House, and she had given Jiang Ruohua’s third uncle a concubine-born daughter named Jiang Ruoqi. Concubines came and went in the Third House; if one died today, another would replace her tomorrow. Her third uncle had many women, and the Third Lady, seemingly magnanimous, allowed him to take one after another. Yet none of them bore him a son.

In the Qi Dynasty, the law stipulated that unless the household had no legitimate sons or the legitimate sons were sickly and unable to bear the family burden, only then could a concubine-born son be chosen as the heir. The Third Lady, being astute, was well aware of this. Her legitimate son had been frail since birth, constantly taking medicine. The Third Lady feared that if her husband inherited the Duke’s title, her son might have to yield it to a concubine-born son.

“She’s pregnant,” Hua Chan said, making Jiang Ruohua understand why Concubine Yuan had silently disappeared in her dream.

Concubine Yuan was pregnant, and it was likely a male fetus.

“Does the Third Lady know?” Jiang Ruohua asked.

“I rushed here, so she shouldn’t know yet,” Hua Chan replied. “When I brought the doctor to Concubine Yuan, she clearly seemed unwell. Normally, being pregnant with the Third Master’s child would be a joyous occasion.”

“Only if she carries the baby to term will it be a joyous occasion. If she doesn’t, it’ll be seen as a bad omen,” Jiang Ruohua mused. People wouldn’t blame poor care or a weak child. Concubines were considered lowly; failure to bear children would be seen as the concubine’s fault, a bad omen, lacking the fortune to bear the master’s child. This was common, especially in the Third House.

Such was the reality beneath the grand facade of noble families.

“This is actually a good thing,” Jiang Ruohua considered. “If she wants to keep it hidden, how can she?”

“Miss, are you saying Concubine Yuan doesn’t want anyone to know she’s pregnant? But when I saw the dropped medicine packet, it was full of supplements,” Hua Chan said, puzzled.

“It’s not that she doesn’t want the child,” Jiang Ruohua explained, resting her pen and massaging her wrist. “She just wants to hide it for a while longer, to keep it from the Third Lady. Although concubines are lowly, if she can bear a son, she can hope for a better future. However, with the Third Lady’s frail legitimate son, she would never allow a concubine-born son to threaten her own child’s position.”

“I understand,” Hua Chan nodded. “Miss, are you planning to do Concubine Yuan a favor?”

“She can’t do much. The Third Lady is of noble birth; a concubine with no support can’t replace her,” Jiang Ruohua said. Even if the Third Lady died, the Third House would simply bring in a new mistress, never allowing a lowly concubine to rise to the position of the legitimate wife. In essence, Concubine Yuan’s plans wouldn’t change her miserable fate. Even if she managed to hide her pregnancy and give birth to a son, it wouldn’t guarantee peace or success for him, especially under the Third Lady’s constant suppression.

“Still, sometimes you can’t plan everything,” Jiang Ruohua stretched lazily. “It’s not about doing her a favor. If Concubine Yuan is smart, she’ll know I won’t help her for nothing.”

She didn’t expect much from Concubine Yuan. But if she gave birth to a son, it would divert the Third Lady’s attention. No one could manage everything perfectly.

“Prepare some supplements. We’ll go tomorrow after the news spreads,” Jiang Ruohua said. “For now,” she sighed, “I need to finish these scriptures.”

She disliked copying books, much like a general who disdained the pedantic scholars.

But she had to. After waking from a vivid dream and realizing the stakes, she had to be more composed and mature. Learning hard lessons was part of growing up.

“I’ll grind the ink for you,” Yin Qiu said with a smile. “You’ve become much more composed, Miss. You used to resent copying books when the tutor punished you.”

“Now I have no choice but to endure,” Jiang Ruohua laughed, joking with her two maids. “I always felt something was wrong with my life, but I couldn’t pinpoint it.”

“After all, the Third Lady isn’t your birth mother,” Yin Qiu said softly as she ground the ink. “If your mother were still here, you wouldn’t have suffered so much.”

Thinking about what her mistress had said upon her return after breaking off the engagement with Prince Ying, Yin Qiu understood the situation with the Third Lady. Both the Third Lady and Prince Ying were no good, and it was fortunate her mistress realized it before it was too late.

“Miss, you said the Third House covets the wealth and glory of the Duke’s Mansion. But if that’s the case, why target you? Your mother passed away early, and the General didn’t remarry. Forgive me for saying this, but isn’t the Duke’s Mansion ultimately going to fall into the Third House’s hands?”

Even a maid could see this clearly, yet Jiang Ruohua had been kept in the dark. She bit her lip in frustration.

“Desire is insatiable,” Jiang Ruohua said, looking up. “Once you get a little, you want more. The next goal always seems within reach. The Duke’s Mansion is wealthy and powerful. Why wait for my father to pass away?”

The Third House was too greedy. Jiang Ruohua took a sip of tea before continuing. “Moreover, my mother came from a wealthy merchant family. Her dowry is substantial, but the Third Lady can’t touch it. When I marry, I’ll take it all with me.”

The Third Lady coveted this wealth. In high-ranking families, officials might not always be rich, but merchant families were guaranteed to be wealthy. Nearly half of the Duke’s Mansion’s wealth came from her mother’s dowry.

Seeing the astonishment on her maids’ faces, Jiang Ruohua softened her expression. “Do you know why the Third Lady uses such deceitful tactics to make me lose face in front of Prince Ying?”

“To prevent you from marrying well?” Hua Chan frowned. “But Prince Ying wasn’t a good match to begin with. What’s wrong with that? He didn’t like you, but why treat you this way? Does he think everyone should look like his ideal woman?”

“Exactly. We learned from you, Miss, about accepting differences. Prince Ying’s character is truly lacking,” Yin Qiu agreed.