As Xie Yao walk over holding her lower abdomen, hatred flashed through Du Yinger’s eyes.

Her cousin had already promised to marry her. They just had to wait for Xie Yao to give birth and then they could start the procedures, since he wanted the baby in Xie Yao’s womb who might be a boy. Losing her position would make Xie Yao wish she were dead. However, Du Yinger was unwilling. It would be alright if the child was a girl, because a girl would eventually marry away and it would just cost a small dowry, but if it were a boy, they would have to raise it for a long time.

Her cousin’s everything belonged to her, including the first wife position.

Otherwise…

She formed a plan. Du Yinger pretended not to see the pair of mistress and servant. She looked down with a red face, pursed her lips, and said seductively, “I’m not going. Last time I- I had to wash my hand for half a day before getting the smell off…”

For a beauty, who hadn’t yet fully matured, to say such innocent words really made others lose control. Fang Ze resisted the fire rising in his body, and leaned towards her ear, “Alright, this time cousin won’t bully you. Let’s…”

“What are you two doing!”

Although he was only whispering, from Xie Yao’s point of view, it looked like they kissing. The blood in her lower abdomen began to roil. He actually dare act so intimate in front of his daughter. Did they already secretly perform those illicit activities?

Her heart boiled with anger. Xie Yao fiercely glared at the two who quickly separated. If glares could kill, Fang Ze and Du Yinger would have already died a thousand times over.

“Cousin-in-law, you’ve misunderstood. Cousin was only teaching me to fish. Really. If you don’t believe, you can ask A’ling.” Du Yinger said, standing beside Fang Ze with a pale face. She looked guilty, as if she had just been caught in the act and was trying to cover it up.

The 7 year old Fang Ling had went over to her mother as soon she began shouted, and was looking nervously at the adults. When her aunty mentioned her, her father and mother began focusing their gazes on her. The little girl instinctively nodded her head and said to her mother, “Mother, aunty didn’t know how to fish. Daddy…”

“Shut up!” Hearing her daughter help the outsiders, Xie Yao became even more angry. She glared at her daugher and shouted, “Did I let you speak? You’re doing whatever she tells you to, do you also want me to die earlier so she can be your mother?”

Being scolded in such a way, Fang Ling didn’t really understand. She only knew that her mother was scolding her and started crying.

Du Yinger quickly rushed over to console her, holding the little girl in her embrace. She frowned at Xie Yao and said, “Cousin-in-law, if you don’t like me, whatever angers you, just take it out on me. What are you scolding A’Ling for?”

This person was seducing her husband, and now even dared to deceive her daughter. It was like she was the one in the wrong. Xie Yao was so angry she wanted to strike out. She stepped forwards and attempted to pull her daughter back. “A’Ling is my daughter. However I want to treat her is my problem. Mind your own business!”

Hearing her mother’s tone, Fang Ling was afraid of being beaten, so she lowered her head into Du Yinger’s bossom. Xie Yao froze, then began to pull harder and scold even more ferociously, “You damn girl. I’m your mother. Get over here!”

Looking at the woman who was so angry her eyebrows were standing vertically up, Du Yinger bit her lip and used all her strength to pull Fang Lin, who was about to let go, towards herself, while looking pleadingly at Fang Ze. “Cousin, what are you hesitating there for. You… Eek!”

Xie Yao had fiercely clawed at her hands. Du Yinger didn’t even have a chance to worry. She took the opportunity to step on Xie Yao’s dress, causing Xie Yao to fall backwards. She then started running away, looked terrified at the four bloody scars on the back of her hand.

Fang Ze, this big, strong man, didn’t feel like fighting with the women. He was going to wait until they separated before consoling them. Who could have known that the situation would get so out of hand? His pregnant wife was falling down while pulling his daughter with her, and his darling cousin’s hand was wounded. Fang Ze could no longer stay uninvolved. He gave his cousin a comforting look, and saw her nod tearfully, before going to help his wife.

“It hurts…” Xie Yao felt like needles were stabbing into her stomach. She no longer looked at Du Yinger, only at her husband who had come to support her. She held onto his hand tightly, “The child, hurry and call a doctor…”

Fang Ze looked down at his wife’s lower abdomen with great alarm.

The bottom half of Xie Yao’s outfit was white, but the parts toucher her were now dyed in red, as if it had been splashed. The red was still spreading too.

~

Jiang Family.

Having taken a nap after eating her fill, Xie Lanyin got up to get dressed. She walked to her wardrobe and personally chose a sea-blue outfit adorned with a cherry-apple design.

“You should wear that ruby red, flowering-crabapple hairpin.” Yingge said, opening a the jewelry box. Xie Lanyin looked, and selected the most dazzling hairpin.

Xie Yao had always used her status to mock her mother. She didn’t even let them three sisters off because she was secretly envious of their family’s wealth. The more Xie Yao envied, the more Xie Lanyin would want to show it off. If she could make Xie Yao unhappy, she would be satisfied.

“Don’t cause trouble when you get there. Come back as soon as you can.” Madam Jiang said, worried about her two daughters.

“I know, we still have to come back to help aunt.” Xie Lanyin, smiling adorably.

Madam Jiang was worried about her the most. She only felt a bit better after receiving Xie Lanqiao’s guarantee to watch over her, then together with Madam Li, they sent the two girls off.

The third young master, Jiang Huaizhou was in charge of leading the way. Since the Fang family’s residence was on the east, near King Qin’s estate, he deliberately brought the girls along a street which passed by the back of the estate. While passing by, he explained to his two cousins, “Shanxi once had it’s own king, but he was found guilty for something and the place became empty. After renovating it, it will be passed to his highness, King Qin. It’s the city’s most impressive mansion.”

Since they were going over as guests, Xie Lanqiao was wearing woman’s clothes and was sitting with Xie Lanyin in the carriage. The two sisters both poked their heads out to look at the awe-inspiring mansion, but only saw the towering outer walls. The silence in this street further emphasized the mansions magnificence.

“What’s so good about looking at a wall.” Xie Lanyin quickly put down the curtain, then secretly peeked towards the other side. That side had many residences belonging to government officials. Xie Lanyin was used to the famous Jiangnan landscape, so wanted to see how Shangxi’s people lived. She turned and told her sister about it.

It was a pity that the doorways were too narrow. With a few turns of the wheel, they would pass right by. On the other side, there was nothing but a wall. Xie Lanyin quickly got tired of it, and decided to just take one last look.

When the cart passed by the next house’s doorway. Xie Lanyin peered inside, and actually saw some people. There was three of them. The man in front wore a grey embroidered robe, with a jade crown on his head. He had a healthy glow and radiated elegance. Their eyes met. Xie Lanyin felt like those clear and cold eyes could see right through into her heart, making her quickly close the curtains, feeling flustered.

The curtains closed, and the carriage continued moving forwards, quickly increasing the distance.

Ge Jin didn’t notice the young lady peeking out of the carriage, but recognised the driver. It was one of the men from that time. In a low voice, he spoke to his master, “Young master, it’s the Xie family carriage.”

Xiao Yuan, who had already turned and walked away, grunted in acknowledgement.

Ge Jin looked at his master’s cold face, and suddenly felt like he had guessed wrong. Perhaps their master only liked hearing the Xie family’s 5th young lady’s voice, but didn’t have much interest in the person herself, otherwise, why would he act so cold? Earlier, when the carriage had passed by, his master hadn’t slowed down even half a step.

Realizing that he had been overthinking things, Ge Jin promptly shut his mouth, no longer bringing up the Xie family.

His ears finally finding peace and quiet, Xiao Yuan continued forwards. That pair of watery peach blossom eyes that he had seen through the window kept flashing through his mind. She was like a deer that had left the mountain forest for the first time, curiously looking around. When they met eyes, she had appeared surprised and a bit panicked, immediately hiding.

What was she panicked about?

Once again turning around, Xiao Yuan looked towards the street where they had gone.

However the carriage had already turned a corner, leaving the street quiet and empty once again.

Somewhere where Xiao Yuan couldn’t see, Jiang Huaizhou was guiding the horses while leaning towards the window and whispering to his cousins, “It’s right in front.”

Inside the carriage, Xie Lanyin looked as if she didn’t hear it. She appeared bored out of her mind and was fiddling with her bracelet. From her cousin, she heard the recent news. It turned out that Fang Ze’s little sister had married one of Shen Jie’s trusted officers as a second wife in order for their family to get on better terms with Shen Jie. No wonder he became Xi’an’s magistrate so quickly. Looking at it this way, Xie Yao’s foresight was pretty good. At the time, the Fang family’s status couldn’t match up to the Xie family’s. Fang Ze had relied on his outstanding appearance and bearing to earn the approval of grandfather and Madam Chen.

It’s a pity that he ultimately depended on his family to rise the ranks.

Knowing this, Xie Lanyin no longer had a very good opinion of this uncle Fang that she rarely sees.

The carriage stopped, and the two sisters got off. A pretty and graceful woman in silk led the servant to greet them.

Xie Lanyin looked towards her sister, confused as to what was going on. Who was this? Normally, Xie Yao would have sent elder lady Liu to come greet them.

“Are you two Lanqiao and Lanyin?” Looked at the two lovely young ladies, Du Yinger didn’t conceal her surprise. She said with a smile, “I’ve long since heard that the Xie family women are beautiful, but it really isn’t empty words. Come, come, come, let’s go in and take a seat. Your aunt isn’t feeling well, so I’ve come to receive you in her place. I’m… A’Ling’s aunty. If you don’t mind, you can also call me aunty.”

Xie Lanyin smiled bitterly. “You don’t look much older than us, calling you aunty is… a bit difficult.”

Du Yinger smiled with closed lips. They didn’t know what she was thinking, but her smile quickly disappeared, and she sighed, “Alright, I’ll take you two to see your aunt first. We can chat some more after.” She extended her hand, inviting them in.

Xie Lanqiao nodded, and gave her little sister a glance.

Xie Lanyin followed obediently behind her sister. Looking at Du Yinger’s seductive figure in front of them, she wasn’t able to realise that this was Fang Ze’s little cousin.

They quickly arrived at the house, and heard the Xie Yao was in bed and wouldn’t be getting up. Jiang Huaizhou chose to wait for them in the main hall. The Xie sisters followed behind Du Yinger as she led them further inside to the back. Suddenly, they heard Xie Yao shouting between clenched teeth, “You want to take her in? Fang Ze, you must be dreaming. Let me tell you, I’d prefer to divorce you rather than let her in!”

“Then let’s divorce.” The man’s voice sounded calm, neither high nor low.

Xie Lanyin’s steps stopped.

Wasn’t Xie Yao pregnant? Why are they suddenly divorcing?