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

Pei Zeyu was negotiating with Zhou Shizhang in the flower hall, while Liu Wenying was also invited by Madam Zhou to the inner courtyard.

Liu Wenying followed her maid through two corridors and arrived at the garden.

The garden is not large, but it features artificial hills, flowing water, and winding paths leading to secluded spots.

A hexagonal pavilion was built by the water, where Madam Zhou was already waiting. Tea sets and some snacks were laid out on the stone table.

Madam Zhou rose to greet her, "Please sit down. This is freshly picked Biluochun tea from this year. Please have a taste."

Liu Wenying nodded in acknowledgment, and a maidservant stepped forward to pour tea. The tea was emerald green and had a fragrant aroma.

"Good tea," Liu Wenying said, taking a small sip.

Madam Zhou smiled and said, "If you like it, that's good."

The two chatted casually. Madam Zhou was a talkative woman, and she talked about everything from the local customs of Qingzhou to the interesting things that happened in the government office, and then about the interactions between the women of various families.

Liu Wenying mostly listened quietly, occasionally responding with a few words.

"...Speaking of which, Madam Li from Wujiang County has been frequently traveling to Qingzhou lately."

Madam Zhou picked up a piece of osmanthus cake, seemingly unintentionally.

"She said she wasn't feeling well and wanted to see a doctor in Qingzhou, but her complexion looks very rosy; she doesn't seem sick at all."

Liu Wenying paused, her hand holding the glass still. "Seeing a doctor isn't a matter of a day or two. She came from out of town, where will she stay?"

"She is a cousin of the wife of Magistrate Zhao of Qingzhou, and she always stays at Zhao's residence whenever she comes."

Li Tingyu's wife and Zhao Dechang's wife are cousins.

Liu Wenying's heart stirred.

The Second Master came to Jiangnan to check the performance of officials. She didn't understand the ins and outs of officialdom, so she could only write down everything Madam Zhou said today, which might be of some help.

The two continued chatting casually.

Madam Zhou then changed the subject, "By the way, how many years have you and Lord Pei been married?"

"It's been three years."

"Three years? That means you could have a child or two?"

Liu Wenying shook her head, "Perhaps it's just not meant to be, it doesn't matter."

She and the Second Master were only pretending to be husband and wife, so how could they have children?

Besides, Luo Luo is her child, and the Second Master is indeed alone.

Madam Zhou frowned. "Please forgive me for being nosy, but you've been married for so long and still don't have any children. You should feel a little more pressure."

Liu Wenying didn't know how to respond, so she could only say, "Let nature take its course."

"Let nature take its course? Is Madam hesitant to say that?"

She leaned closer, covered her mouth with a handkerchief, and said, "Madam and I hit it off immediately. Please don't think I'm being presumptuous."

"I know a renowned doctor specializing in gynecology who lives in Cheongju City. If you need him, Madam, I can introduce you to him."

Liu Wenying quickly said, "No need, really no need."

Seeing her flustered state, Madam Zhou suddenly realized what was going on.

She sat up straight and said sympathetically, "I understand, it's because Lord Pei... isn't feeling well?"

A mouthful of tea choked her, and Liu Wenying coughed violently.

Madam Zhou quickly patted her back and handed her a handkerchief.

Liu Wenying took the handkerchief and covered her mouth, coughing until her cheeks turned red.

It took her a while to recover. She looked up at Li and saw that her eyes were full of sympathy and understanding.

The way she coughed made her look like someone had suddenly touched a nerve, causing her to feel guilty and short of breath. No wonder the other person was even more convinced.

"It's not what you think..."

Madam Zhou grasped her hand. "Madam, there's no need to say anything more. I understand. Lord Pei looks so dignified, I never expected... sigh."

No wonder Liu Wenying was so indifferent when the topic of offspring came up; it turns out she had her reasons.

Just as Liu Wenying was about to explain, Madam Zhou continued talking to herself.

"But don't worry, Madam, I won't tell anyone. This is indeed a difficult matter to discuss."

She looked at Liu Wenying, her gaze softening. "It's such a pity that such a young and beautiful lady has run into such a scoundrel."

Isn't it said that women from Jiangnan are quiet and gentle? What kind of stereotype is this?

The Mrs. Zhou in front of her was... quite outgoing.

If the Second Master knew that he was being portrayed as a mere showpiece, I wonder what he would think.

Since it's unclear, let's leave it at that for now.

Liu Wenying forced a smile and said, "Thank you for your concern, Madam Zhou. Please keep this a secret."

"Of course, of course." The other person nodded.

Back in her room that evening, Liu Wenying recounted the most important things she had learned during the day.

"Are Li Tingyu's wife and Zhao Dechang's wife cousins?"

Pei Zeyu repeated it, and Liu Wenying nodded.

That makes sense.

"What does Second Master mean?"

"I have read Zhao Dechang's performance evaluation document. His achievements are well written, but there are traces of alteration, as if they were added later."

The candlelight cast a shadow on his profile, making his jawline even more defined.

"If it were just ordinary alterations, that would be one thing, but it's several key data points."

Pei Zeyu then pointed out the suspicious points in those data.

Liu Wenying didn't understand the intricacies of the conversation, but she could still sense the danger in the words.

Falsely reporting acreage for personal gain is already a capital offense; if it's also implicated in cheating on assessments...

"However, you did a good job, making up for the information I couldn't get."

Pei Zeyu suddenly spoke, pulling Liu Wenying back to reality.

She was startled, looked up to meet his gaze, realized what he had just said, and quickly looked away, feeling a little guilty.

Recalling what Madam Zhou had said to her during the day, about the "pewter head," she thought, "Second Master doesn't even know that his reputation is already half ruined since he just arrived in Qingzhou."

"What's wrong? Did Madam Zhou say anything else?"

Pei Zeyu keenly noticed her unusual behavior and took two steps forward.

"Ahem, it's just that Madam Zhou misunderstood."

"What's the misunderstanding?"

"The misunderstanding about us... that we haven't had children after three years of marriage, is because... Second Master is... is..."

Pei Zeyu pressed, "What is it?"

"A silver-plated spearhead."

Liu Wenying closed her eyes and forced herself to continue, as she always felt she had nowhere to hide in front of the Second Master.

After she finished speaking, she almost wanted to bury herself in the ground.

Pei Zeyu's reaction was unexpectedly calm. He sat down in the armchair next to her, looking relaxed.

"It is indeed unreasonable for a couple to be married for three years without having children, and Madam Zhou's thinking in this regard is quite reasonable."

Liu Wenying breathed a sigh of relief, but then heard him ask another question.

"What do you think of that 'silver-plated spearhead'?"

Caught off guard, Liu Wenying was about to blurt out "No."

But she stopped abruptly when she was about to speak.

No, he's setting a trap for her.

If she answers no, wouldn't that be indirectly admitting that she was one of the people at the birthday banquet?

At that time, he was severely confused, and if she revealed the truth now, it would be an admission of guilt without being asked.

The candlelight burst into a flame, and Liu Wenying, having figured it out, threw the question back at her.

"I believe exactly what Second Master said when he was at the Lin residence."

A flicker of emotion crossed Pei Zeyu's eyes, it was hard to tell whether it was disappointment or admiration.

He almost dug her out.

But she was too clever and alert, like a startled rabbit, retreating back into her burrow at the slightest sound of the wind or grass.

He didn't ask any further questions; he couldn't return to the capital anytime soon, and there was still time.

The two then returned to their business.

"I plan to go to Wujiang County tomorrow to see it for myself."

Liu Wenying asked, "Am I going too?"

Pei Zeyu looked at her with a smile, "You are my wife, how can we not go together?"

lady……

Touched once again, Liu Wenying pursed her lips and nodded.

Outside the window, the moon peeked out from behind the clouds, its light shimmering, and my heart swayed along with it.

…………