Thrown out of the house, the wet nurse enters the noble household and becomes a person of high statu

Lin Zhiyao had seen and remembered Liu Wenying.

Not only was she a capable maidservant by the old lady's side, but she also had a good way of raising children, and Sister Wen often praised her.

Suppressing the turmoil in her heart, Lin Zhiyao continued, "Where is she?"

"She left a few days before the lady returned."

When she was not around, Liu Wenying would serve the Second Master.

She came back, and Liu Wenying left.

What are the odds of such a coincidence?

She gazed at the osmanthus tree in the distance, its blossoms golden, yet a chill crept up from her tailbone, spreading down her spine, making her feel cold inch by inch.

"Prepare the car, I need to go back to the Lin residence."

Lin Zhiyao left the mansion quickly after saying that.

The carriage sped along and finally stopped in front of the Lin residence.

Without waiting for the maid's help, Lin Zhiyao jumped out of the carriage and walked inside, lifting her skirt.

He encountered several servants along the way, but didn't have time to pay them any attention.

Passing through the moon gate, one sees Madam Lin having afternoon tea with several familiar noblewomen in the garden pavilion.

The table was laden with exquisite fruits and snacks, and laughter filled the air.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up and saw her daughter burst in, her face full of surprise.

"Yao'er? Didn't you just leave home yesterday? Why are you here again today?"

Seeing everyone present, Lin Zhiyao's lips moved, but she forced herself not to say anything.

No one knows a child better than their mother. Seeing her mother's unusual expression, Madam Lin's eyes darted around, and she smiled at the other ladies, saying:

"This child has been homesick since she was little. Even though she's been married for so many years, she's still like a child who hasn't grown up. She runs back to her parents' home every few days. I'm sorry to have troubled you all."

"Children can never grow up, isn't it a good thing that the child's biological mother is there?"

"Yes, yes, the bond between mother and daughter is truly rare."

The ladies were all shrewd and quick-witted; after a few words of conversation, they rose to take their leave.

Before long, only Madam Lin and Lin Zhiyao remained in the pavilion.

Madam Lin pulled her down to sit, scolding, "What's wrong? You're all flustered; where's the decorum of a noble lady?"

Lin Zhiyao looked at her, her eyes gradually reddening.

"Mother, I know why Second Master wants a divorce from me."

Madam Lin frowned: "What's the reason?"

"I used to think he was just tired of me, but now I realize... there's another reason."

It had been so long since he returned to the Lin residence from the Xishan hunting grounds. Even the longest days spent visiting one's parents in the past were only two or three days. It was impossible for his mother not to notice something amiss.

Under Madam Lin's persistent questioning, Lin Zhiyao revealed that the Second Master wanted to divorce her.

Hearing her bring it up again, Madam Lin was not surprised at all.

Lin Zhiyao recounted everything that had happened in Chenshuang Courtyard.

How did Liu Wenying serve the Second Master? How did she stay by his side every day? How did she get into the main house to serve him personally?

"Mother, you don't know, the two attendants by the Second Master's side were carefully selected and personally trained before they were allowed to get close to him."

"But what right does Liu Wenying have? She's just a servant; what gives her the right to enter the main house?"

As Madam Lin listened, her brows furrowed even more deeply.

"Besides, Second Master came back from the cliff with her. They stayed at the bottom of the cliff for so many days, who knows if anything happened?"

In the desolate wilderness, where life and death depend on each other, it would be only natural for feelings to develop between them.

After hearing this, Madam Lin shook her head in disbelief.

"But I always felt that Master Pei was not that kind of person."

Even if you really like that maid, you could simply elevate her and take her as a concubine. Why go to the point of divorce? I really don't understand..."

Lin Zhiyao was too embarrassed to utter a sound, let alone mention her past relationship with her cousin.

That was a secret she couldn't let anyone know; if her mother had known, she would have been happy for her back then.

But now that she's married, the timing isn't right, and her mother certainly won't help her if she finds out...

When Madam Lin saw her like this, she assumed that she was indecisive and hesitant.

When will you grow up and stop feeling so lost?

Let's not dwell on whether Second Master Pei is that kind of person. Now that we've found the key, things will be much easier.

Lin Zhiyao lowered her eyes, letting the situation unfold as it pleased. "What does Mother want to do?"

"Aren't there enough men who change after marriage?"

"She's just a maid, what's there to panic about? If the Second Master really likes her, then you should go with the flow, help her elevate her status, and bring her into the household."

"mother!"

Lin Zhiyao's expression changed drastically. She hurriedly stood up and overturned the teacup on the table.

She never imagined that her mother's so-called solution was to have her take that woman into the family.

Her hand was pressed down, and Madam Lin pulled her back with a steady force.

"What's the panic? If you become the Duchess of the State and can't even tolerate a single concubine, how will you manage the household affairs and navigate internal and external matters?"

Lin Zhiyao's fingers trembled in disbelief.

After instructing the servants to clean up the broken cups and saucers, Madam Lin spoke again, each word hitting the nail on the head.

"I previously thought that it was because you had not had children that Second Master Pei had objections to you and wanted to file for divorce."

They had originally planned to wait until after Madam Pei's birthday celebration, or perhaps take advantage of the occasion, to visit their in-laws and discuss the matter properly.

"Now it's all good. The matter of having offspring can't be rushed in the short term, but taking a concubine is the easiest thing to solve."

Madam Lin's tone was cold and composed.

"Instead of letting the Second Master bring it up, why don't you take the initiative to help him make the payment?"

"This way, you can also gain a good reputation for being virtuous and generous, and no one can say a word against it."

Lin Zhiyao's chest heaved as she said unwillingly, "But she's not an ordinary maid; she's a widow with a child."

"So what? As long as Second Master Pei likes it."

After a pause, Madam Lin continued, "Besides, to put it bluntly, I'm just a maid. You are the lawfully wedded Second Madam Pei, whose family background, status, and manners surpass hers in every way. Are you afraid of being bullied by her?"

Lin Zhiyao was speechless for a moment, but the fear in her heart still couldn't help but surface.

"Didn't Mother ever consider what would happen to her if she were taken as a concubine and had children before me?"

Upon hearing this, Madam Lin smiled gently.

"Silly child, wouldn't that make things even easier?"

"The child born from her womb is also a member of the Pei family. He will be registered under your name from birth and will rightfully call you Mother."

"You take her in and raise her yourself; she will be your support in the future, and she will have nothing to do with you."

Lin Zhiyao was taken aback.

"As for her, she's nothing more than a tool for having children."

"In two or three years, when your looks fade and your favor has worn off, if you really can't stand it, just find some excuse to get rid of you, right?"

"By then, the child will be yours, and perhaps the Duchess's future will also be yours. A mere maid will not be able to cause any trouble."

Having lived several decades longer than her, Madam Lin saw further and more clearly.

Weighing the pros and cons is more effective than empty words of comfort.

Divorce means complete disgrace and losing everything.

Taking a concubine is about enduring temporary humiliation in exchange for a lifetime of peace.

Madam Lin patiently explained the pros and cons to her daughter, word by word.

Lin Zhiyao crumpled the handkerchief in her hand.

She wasn't unaware, but the resentment in her heart was something she couldn't suppress.

At the same time, she also genuinely liked the Second Master.

She truly didn't want a divorce, didn't want to fall from her position as the second wife of the Duke's mansion, and become a laughingstock among the noblewomen of the capital.

"Mother is right, daughter... understands."

The panic in his eyes had vanished, replaced only by the calm that comes from being driven to the brink.

Is it Liu Wenying?

Since she couldn't avoid it, she decided to welcome them in herself.

…………