Shen Hua slightly furrowed her brows, sensing the antagonism from He Yuan.
"Yuan, co here."
The Prefecture Magistrate’s wife called out softly.
He Yuan hadn’t taken it to heart when she learned that Yang Yu had a concubine.
She also prided herself on her beauty and dressed up especially for today, hoping to dazzle Yang Yu, yet she did not expect to be overshadowed with such ease.
This Shen Hua was so enchantingly beautiful, she truly looked like a fairy!
Suppressing her discomfort, she then moved to sit beside the Prefecture Magistrate’s wife.
Seeing her mind elsewhere, the Prefecture Magistrate’s wife pondered for a mont, then leaned in and whispered, "Your father will take this marriage proposal seriously. If he’s clever, he will naturally know how to act."
The official wife of Yang Yu, she never took seriously, let alone Shen Hua.
"A re concubine with a pretty face but lowly birth, what does it matter if she’s pregnant? My son can conceive too. Once you’ve entered our family, if it bothers you, just find a pretext to give her a bowl of abortion soup and send her away. Why worry over such a person and feel distressed?"
For Yang Yu to marry their Yuan is to marry above his station! How dare he have any complaints.
Only then did He Yuan feel relieved.
Thinking of Yang Yu’s handso looks, her face blushed with shy coyness.
Madam Qiu had been watching those at the head of the room all along, and seeing that all the ladies had gone to complint the Prefecture Magistrate’s wife, she spat out in disdain.
So arrogant, no wonder she can’t bear a son.
Who craves her greeting?
"If it weren’t for my husband serving under the Prefect, making these days difficult to bear, why would I dean myself thus? The forr Lord Prefect—"
Realizing she had misspoken, she abruptly fell silent.
When the Lord Prefect was in office, my husband was quite prestigious.
Now that troubles have arisen, a tiger fallen to the plains is bullied by dogs, let alone my husband; even the most amiable Prefect’s wife has aged more than a decade. After learning that Zhou Zhangping died in prison, she ca down with a severe illness and nearly didn’t survive.
Even if she wanted to visit, she could only do so in secret.
Now, their Qiu Mansion has to behave humbly and discreetly, not daring to openly maintain any contact with the Deputy Governor’s side
Zhou Zhangping has clearly beco a taboo subject.
Shen Hua’s brows twitched slightly.
She could sowhat speculate from Madam Qiu’s reaction.
Perhaps Hengzhou had long been split into two factions: one loyally siding with Zhou Zhangping, the other seditious, working for the Lord Prefect. A Prefect is only fifth-rank, naturally not comparable to a Magistrate, but the person backing him is of a much higher status.
The saying "evil cannot suppress the righteous" is all too rare and too upright.
Shen Hua even pondered.
In Hengzhou, not only the Prefect but perhaps most high-ranking officials had already pledged allegiance to the Fourth Prince long before Zhou Zhangping’s downfall.
And considering Madam Qiu’s resentful deanor, the Qiu Family most likely followed Zhou Zhangping.
When Zhou Zhangping fell from grace, his followers naturally had no good days left.
Madam Qiu, covering her mouth with a handkerchief, noticed no one was paying attention to her, and Shen Hua seed not to have taken her previous words to heart, so she finally breathed a sigh of relief and ate a pastry to calm her nerves.
But soon, she noticed that He Yuan’s gaze fell indirectly towards Shen Hua.
"Miss Shen, it seems you might be in so trouble."
Shen Hua earnestly replied, "To be frank, I am indeed trouble."
"Always joking, such a delightful person, no wonder Young Master Yang has taken a fancy to you."
Speaking as one with experience, she said, "You should be careful, I suspect that Lady He might have set her sights on your young man!"
Girls of He Yuan’s age have already married and given birth. Yet No one the He Family sets her up with ever catches her eye. Delay after delay, she has reached the age of eighteen—a spinster by now.
It wouldn’t be impossible for her to be interested in Yang Yu.
Yang Yu may be a playboy, but after all, what man isn’t? And besides, he’s quite handso.
Even if he has a wife, she can still be divorced.
Madam Qiu couldn’t help but feel wary for Shen Hua!
Shen Hua managed to outlive the current Mrs. Yang, but that doesn’t an she could also outlive He Yuan!
Upon hearing this, Shen Hua’s brows instantly knitted together.
This cannot be tolerated!
What’s wrong with Cui Yun?
Does she co here to investigate cases by relying on her charm rather than her abilities?
One girl after another keeps falling endlessly. Have all the n in the world died off? Why do they have to covet hers?
However, she soon grasped the crux of the matter.
"Surna He?"
"Correct, with a single na ’Yuan’."
Shen Hua’s lips tightened firmly.
She loathed single numbers, as well as the na He.
Clearly, she was not a reasonable and rational girl.
He Chu was worthless, having called off their engagent! It seems He Yuan wasn’t a well-behaved girl either, actually daring to snatch her man!
On the other hand, Mrs. Lu was still flattering: "Our little Rou has been clamoring for cherries these days. Isn’t it just because the last ti she had the good fortune to taste a few at the Prefecture Magistrate’s mansion, even at a marriageable age, she still has such cravings!"
"Unable to resist her, but these quality cherries are not easy to buy without so connections. The ones we finally managed to buy at our mansion were so sour. May I ask from where Madam’s mansion procures them?"
The Prefecture Magistrate’s wife smiled faintly, her tone not lacking pride.
"Last ti they were a gift from the Military Governor himself."
"Without connections, I’m afraid only the nobles of Shengjing could enjoy them. How could I possibly have such access?"
Madam Qiu rolled her eyes.
No wonder!
The last ti she visited the Prefecture Magistrate Mansion, she didn’t get to taste a single one.
"Even with just a few dishes, I had the gall to bring them out, I didn’t even catch a glimpse. I only heard the ladies who sat closest to the front babbling about how tasty they were."
"Look at Lady Luo fawning with her flattering face. Anyone unaware would think she had invited two Bodhisattvas over to deliver salvation to all beings."
While saying this, she was about to continue pouring out her grievances to Shen Hua, planning to further teach her how to be a proper concubine. Then she saw her pulling out several plump and round fruits from her exquisitely pretty purse.
Shen Hua was seated near the door.
She glanced at the loquat tree outside the window. The loquats were not yet ripe; the fruits were small, hidden among the layers of overlapping leaves, displaying their green color.
Shen Hua weighed them, aid, launched, and tossed them over.
She missed.
But she continued.
Soon, soone caught sight and inhaled sharply.
"Cherries?"
"Those are cherries!"
All eyes swiftly turned in that direction.
What Shen Hua was throwing one after another were indeed cherries!
Everyone’s heart skipped a beat.
The Prefecture Magistrate’s wife felt as if she had been slapped across the cheeks twice, resoundingly.
The item she had proudly shown off was being casually tossed around by a concubine!
It was clear that Yang Yu truly favored her!
He Yuan also felt stifled. Her hands hidden beneath her sleeves clenched tighter and tighter.
Madam Qiu gasped, "What on earth are you doing?"
"Picking loquats."
"...But loquats are not ripe yet, they can’t be eaten."
Shen Hua really put on the airs of a an person.
She acted with excessive ekness and affectation.
"I want to eat sothing sour."
With these words, she deliberately straightened her flat stomach, as if willing it to protrude with the curve of soone eight months pregnant. She didn’t forget to pat it, provocatively glancing at He Yuan.
"After all, this child is a son."
"I prefer these greenish loquats."
"As for cherries, I’ve grown tired of them, yet my young man keeps buying them."
Everyone choked in their minds: ...Are you done yet! Can’t you stay quiet!
Shen Hua, suppressing nausea, emotively spat out five words.
"That detestable man, repulsive."
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