They've all separated, so what does it matter to me if they get poorer and poorer?

Chapter 273 Vicious
Zeng Mingzhu has figured it out.

Young Master Qi smiled and embraced her affectionately, teasingly asking, "What made you see the light?" Zeng Mingzhu glanced at him with a deep look in her eyes, her eyelids lowered, suppressing the hatred and malice in her heart, and sighed, "You are my husband. What I want, as your wife, I should naturally satisfy you. Anyway, there are already two concubines in the manor. What difference would it make if there were one more? It wouldn't shake my position as the principal wife. Why should I be so petty about it and hurt our marital relationship?"

Young Master Qi was overjoyed. He took her hand and kissed it repeatedly, laughing happily, "You truly are a virtuous wife. No one else is as insightful as you. I knew you would understand, and sure enough, you did. Don't worry, with your virtuousness, the bond between us will only grow stronger, and I will value you more and more. No concubine can compare to you."

Although she knew that at least 80% of her husband's words were empty flattery, Zeng Mingzhu was still somewhat pleased and her mood improved considerably. She couldn't help but glare at him and chuckle, "You're just a smooth talker, always trying to flatter me."

Seeing her charming and adorable demeanor, Young Master Qi couldn't help but hug and kiss her affectionately. "I won't coax you, really. I wouldn't coax such a good wife as me."

Zeng Mingzhu giggled, but before her laughter subsided, she heard her husband, whom she relied on for life, kissing her while asking with a chuckle, "My dear wife, how do you plan to help me with this, haha?"

Zeng Mingzhu's dreamy and restless heart instantly turned to ice.

She gritted her teeth, suppressing her hatred, and smiled, "That's simple. Let's go to Qingshan County and see what happens there. She's just a country woman with no knowledge. I'll go to her personally and explain things to her. She won't be so ungrateful."

Young Master Qi hurriedly said, "Then you must talk to her properly, don't scare her, and don't threaten her."

Zeng Mingzhu secretly wished she could tear Xu Zhichun to pieces, but she pretended to be nonchalant and teased him with a smile: "My husband is already feeling sorry for you?"

Young Master Qi couldn't help but think of Xu Zhichun's cold words and resistant expression towards him, and his heart fluttered and itched. He chuckled and said, "Don't be jealous. What I want is for her to be willing. That's what's interesting. What's the fun in threatening her?"

Originally cold and resistant to me, but in the end I changed my mind and became devoted and passionate towards you. How exciting!

Zeng Mingzhu smiled and said, "My husband is really thoughtful."

They didn't put this much effort into her.

Young Master Qi took it as a simple compliment and laughed heartily.

After a night of passion, Zeng Mingzhu woke up the next morning and unconsciously placed her hand gently on her lower abdomen. How wonderful it would be if a little life were already growing there.
Cuixiang was indignant on her behalf, "A country widow, yet she puts on airs. Doesn't she know who she is? She's lucky enough to earn a pittance, but whether she can hold onto it is another matter. Our Qi family is related to the provincial magistrate, and the eldest son is the future head of the family. It's a blessing that she's taken a liking to her. The fact that she doesn't want servants to look after her is just because she's unlucky and can't handle it."

Zeng Mingzhu sneered: "Young Master is in high spirits right now, why spoil his fun? Let's not say such things."

"Yes, Madam."

Zeng Mingzhu initially felt that her husband's interest in such a disreputable woman was a disgrace to her as well, but now she has come to terms with it.

Once you bring someone into your mansion, you can do whatever you want with them, right?

Then everything she has now will become hers, right?
By then, no matter how good the second sister-in-law is at pleasing her mother-in-law, it will be useless.

Ultimately, whoever has the money calls the shots.

Once everything in Xu's hands becomes hers and she has no value anymore, then she can be dealt with severely.

It's too easy to deal with a concubine who has no background or powerful connections and whose origins aren't exactly respectable.

As for her husband's words like "Don't threaten her, don't scare her" and "Take it slow," ha, she doesn't believe him for a second!
How could she possibly coax and fawn over Madam Xu? One packet of medicine, and everything would be settled. Isn't what men really thinking about just those things in the bedroom? No matter how sweet their words are, isn't that what they ultimately want? Just give it to him, and no matter what he says, he won't object.

Back to that day, when Xu Zhichun and the others returned to Qingshan County, Liang Mingxuan said, "Sister-in-law, you should go back to the village first. The master asked me to go to the yamen to give Lord Lu a message when I have time. I'll ask Master Shao to help me hire a carriage. We've been away for so many days, so you should go back early. You don't need to see me off."

Xu Zhichun was a little worried. "Isn't this a bit inappropriate? It's alright, we're not in a hurry. Let's take you back to the county school first."

Liang Mingxuan insisted on refusing.

Xu Zhichun couldn't persuade him in the end. Knowing that he was a steady and sensible child who wouldn't be easily tricked by a piece of candy, and that the county school wasn't far from the county town, she could only tell him to be careful, and the four of them went back first.

Zeng Xiaoyan praised with envy: "This little prodigy is so sensible, considerate, and capable. Sister-in-law Zhichun is so lucky!"

Xu Zhichun is never modest about this, and laughs heartily.

Liang Mingxuan did not go to the county government office. After watching Xu Zhichun and the others drive away in a mule cart, he turned around and walked towards a group of houses on the north side of the county town.

Following the address his elder brother had given him, Liang Mingxuan walked through the crisscrossing alleys and arrived at a small door, where he knocked.

Luckily, the door opened, so we didn't have to come back a second time.

"Mingxuan!"

"Brother Yu."

Under Magistrate Lu's rule, all was peaceful and there were very few criminals. Constable Yu was also quite idle. For most of the month, he would go to the yamen in the morning and go home to rest at noon. If there was any official business to do, his underlings would run to fetch him.

He happily invited Liang Mingxuan into his home, saying, "Come in, come in quickly, let's talk."

Officer Yu is from out of town. He befriended Liang Minglang, who used to work as a镖师 (bodyguard/escort). Liang Minglang saved his life, and the two got along well. Before Liang Minglang enlisted in the army, he solemnly entrusted Liang Mingxuan to Officer Yu, hoping that he could help him if anything happened.

Officer Yu patted his chest and agreed.

Even Xu Zhichun was unaware of this matter.

Previously, when Liang Mingxuan passed the imperial examination, Constable Yu was happy for him, but he did not publicly associate with him, and no one knew about their relationship.

Sometimes, relationships are easier to manage and more supportive when kept hidden.

This was Liang Mingxuan's first visit, and Officer Yu knew he wouldn't come all this way just for no reason. He invited him inside, poured him a bowl of tea, and then hurriedly asked, "Mingxuan, what happened?"

Liang Mingxuan looked at him, his dark eyes clear and calm, trusting yet hesitant.

(End of this chapter)