The Marquis's line has ended? The pregnant maid is pregnant again!

The old lady's smile froze on her face as she spoke, her gaze sweeping over Shen Qinghe's face before she smiled again.

The old matriarch looked at the old lady and asked, "Madam, could it be that this young lady...?"

The old lady didn't say it very clearly, nor did she say it directly in front of everyone, but those present who understood this subtle exchange all understood what she meant.

The ladies nearby also turned their gazes to Shen Qinghe's face, their eyes filled with scrutiny.

The old lady patted the seat next to her: "Come sit down, Qinghe girl."

The old lady pulled Shen Qinghe to sit next to her, making her sit with her.

This simple action alone has made it clear to many people, leading to some speculation about its underlying meaning.

The old lady patted Shen Qinghe's hand with great satisfaction, then smiled and said to everyone, "Let me introduce you all. This is my grandson's concubine. She was recently found to be pregnant, and our Marquis's mansion now has an heir."

I didn't announce this matter first; I was waiting to tell everyone at today's birthday banquet. Please come to my residence for the feast!

The old lady's words caused a change in the expressions of everyone present. Most of the guests who came to offer their congratulations smiled and flattered her, saying that they would definitely bring generous gifts to congratulate her.

The old ladies, led by the matriarch, only managed a smile after their expressions turned somewhat strange.

The guests and ladies all vied to ask questions and make jokes, praising Shen Qinghe with smiles on their faces. They praised her for her good looks and elegant demeanor, making her seem like a goddess. The old lady's smile grew brighter and brighter.

Qin Shi's face turned extremely ugly. The Zhenguo Marquis's mansion does indeed have an heir, and Lu Jihan has indeed fulfilled the task of continuing the family line. However, in front of so many guests, her grandmother was praising Shen Qinghe, a concubine, to the skies.

Where does this leave the face of Madam Qin, the legitimate wife?

Moreover, in wealthy and powerful families, what kind of logic is there in having the concubine become pregnant before the principal wife?

Isn't this blatantly telling the entire city of Chang'an that Lady Qin is infertile, or that she is out of favor, neglected by her husband, and has few children?

Even if those wealthy and powerful families had such children, they would never announce it to the public. The most common practice was to have the children born to a concubine raised under the name of the principal wife.

But when her grandmother announced in front of so many people that Shen Qinghe was pregnant, she would inevitably be the mother of the child.

Does that mean she has no way to take Shen Qinghe's child away?

How could Qin not be angry and jealous at this moment?

At the same time, Shen Yun'er was extremely angry and jealous. In Shen Yun'er's mind, all of this should belong to her, but she had no choice when she was reborn.

Furthermore, the cold treatment Shen Yun'er received from Lu Jihan in her previous life is completely opposite to the way Shen Qinghe is now surrounded by the old lady and everyone else; they are two extremes.

Seeing that Shen Qinghe had not suffered any of the torment and pain she had endured in her previous life, how could Shen Yun'er not be jealous and hateful?

But amidst her jealousy, Shen Yun'er also felt a touch of smugness. No matter how favored or glamorous Shen Qinghe was now, in two years, it would be her, Shen Yun'er, who would be the one enjoying the glory.

As the wife of the Grand Secretary, and the Grand Secretary himself, who held an extremely prestigious position in the entire court, and who also inherited the title of Marquis of Zhenyuan, she would be both the wife of the Marquis and the wife of the Grand Secretary.

When that time comes, no matter how much Shen Qinghe is loved, she will never be as glamorous as her.

The third, different gaze came from Ye Shu.

Ye Shu's gaze kept shifting between Lu Jihan and Shen Qinghe. She was no longer angry. Looking at Shen Qinghe's favored appearance, she couldn't help but laugh and felt that Shen Qinghe was really pitiful.

She was just a stand-in. If it weren't for the fact that she had a face that looked somewhat similar to hers, her cousin would never have given Shen Qinghe a second glance.

Shen Qinghe's current favor is all stolen from her.

Why would someone get angry at a fake when it's a genuine product?

At the birthday banquet, after the initial pleasantries, it was time for everyone to take turns flattering the old lady. The wives of the officials used all sorts of clever words to please her and make her happy.

Shen Qinghe's face stiffened from smiling, and her ears ached from listening.

After noon, the birthday banquet finally came to an end.

As everyone gradually dispersed, the old lady kept Shen Qinghe and Qin Shi behind for a private talk. Looking at Shen Qinghe, she smiled radiantly, repeatedly saying "good!"

The old lady's eyes were practically sparkling with joy; she was clearly delighted. "No, no, I have to reward you with something!"

As she spoke, the old lady seemed to be thinking, but she quickly came to an answer and immediately instructed Kang Mama, who was standing beside her, "Quickly, quickly bring out that small box from the table in my room."

Granny Kang was taken aback, somewhat surprised: "Wasn't that box the old lady originally prepared for Miss Cousin?"

"Shu'er, there's no rush. She's not leaving until tomorrow anyway, so you can prepare today. But I'm just too happy right now, and I have to give this girl something to reward her before I can feel at ease."

As the old lady spoke, she watched as Kang Mama went to fetch the small box, then turned to Qin Shi beside her and said, "You should also think quickly about what to reward Qinghe with. If it weren't for Qinghe today, Jihan would probably have lost face. Granddaughter-in-law, you are a sensible and good child, you should know what should be rewarded and what should be punished."

Having said this much, even if Qin was still unhappy and angry, she could only nod with a smile. Despite her anger and jealousy, she still had to prepare some rewards for Shen Qinghe against her will.

The reason Qin can still manage a smile now is entirely due to the excellent upbringing she received in the Duke's mansion.

Upon hearing the conversation between the old lady and Kang Mama, Shen Qinghe quickly said, "Old lady, there's no need. It's my duty to share the burdens of the Marquis and you. Besides, if it weren't for the old lady's special opportunity to let me be by the Marquis's side, I wouldn't be where I am today. Moreover, the reward was originally intended for Miss Biao, so I can't accept it."

Since Shen Qinghe is currently in a precarious position, the old lady specifically instructed her that she did not need to perform a formal ceremony with her luggage, but only a token gesture. If she was alone in private, she did not need to perform the ceremony and could simply sit and speak.

As Shen Qinghe spoke, her eyelashes, thick and black like raven feathers, curled gently and trembled like the fluttering wings of a butterfly.

Seeing Shen Qinghe's honesty and humility, and knowing she wasn't arrogant because of her favored status, the old lady liked her even more. "Good child, you don't need to refuse. Although those things were prepared for Shu'er, it's not that you can't accept them. You are now a great contributor to my Marquis's mansion, and you deserve to be rewarded. My Marquis's mansion should be fair in its rewards and punishments, otherwise how will we establish our prestige in the future? If you refuse again, then you will be going against my wishes."

Shen Qinghe quickly got up, intending to kneel down to express her gratitude.

But Shen Qinghe had just stood up when the old lady noticed her and helped her up: "This servant thanks the old lady for her kindness, for taking such good care of the Marquis."

The old lady smiled, her eyes sparkling like a flower in bloom.

Soon, Granny Kang brought over the things that the old lady had asked for.

With a smile on her face, the old lady opened the wooden box and took out several account books and a stack of contracts.

"Come and sit down." The old lady patted the embroidered stool next to her.

Shen Qinghe sat down as instructed, and Granny Kang placed another sandalwood box in front of her lap.

Once the box was opened, several yellowed contracts were neatly stacked inside, with the vermilion stamp clearly visible on them.

"I'm getting old, and these things will just gather dust if I keep them."

The old lady picked up her teacup, slowly blew away the foam, and pushed the land deeds to Shen Qinghe's side: "You have brought me honor and the Marquis's mansion honor. I cannot let you work hard in vain."

She raised her chin, gesturing for Shen Qinghe to see for herself.

Shen Qinghe vaguely guessed something, but dared not believe it. She unfolded the contracts one by one, her fingertips trembling slightly—

The first one is the land deed for a shop in the East Market.

The old nanny Kang immediately explained, "The East Market is adjacent to Xingqing Palace and Taiji Palace. The surrounding area is inhabited by imperial relatives and high-ranking officials. Although the shop is not large, its location is excellent, facing the main street. It is frequented by women from prominent families. Therefore, this shop now sells rouge and face powder, and its monthly revenue is quite considerable."

Shen Qinghe has had very few opportunities to leave the city over the years, and his knowledge of Chang'an is limited to what he accumulated in his previous life.

But Chang'an is the capital city under the emperor's nose, full of grandeur and prosperity. It is lined with shops and covers a huge area. Even if you want to ride a horse or carriage to circle the entire city of Chang'an, it will take a whole day.

Although Shen Qinghe didn't know the exact name of the cosmetics shop, Qin Shi did!

Qin never expected that the old lady would be so willing to bestow such a fine shop upon Shen Qinghe!

They were all wives and daughters of high-ranking officials and nobles; which one of them didn't need rouge and face powder?

The revenue of this cosmetics shop cannot be simply described as "considerable."

That's practically overflowing with wealth!

Previously, Madam Qin had tried several times to get the shop from the old lady, but each time she was rebuffed and the matter was dropped.

As a result, it easily ended up in Shen Qinghe's hands.

Shen Qinghe suppressed her excitement and joy, trying her best to appear poised and elegant. She turned to the second page, which was the land deed for a silk shop in the West Market.

Granny Kang said, "The West Market is more bustling than the East Market, attracting merchants from all over. 'The market has 220 trades, with shops on all sides, and rare treasures from all directions are gathered here.' This silk shop specializes in Shu brocade and Jiangnan light silk, and has a stable customer base. It's unlikely to suffer losses."

Shen Qinghe gripped the paper tightly, then turned to the third page, which was a deed for a two-courtyard house in Xuanyangfang.

At this moment, it wasn't Granny Kang who explained, but the old lady who spoke up with a smile: "Xuanyang Ward is only two streets away from the Marquis's residence. It's quiet amidst the hustle and bustle. Although it can't compare to the grandeur of the Marquis's residence, it has a well and trees in the courtyard, with blue bricks and gray tiles, and each house is its own. It's very neat and tidy. It's quite presentable."

Shen Qinghe held the contracts in her hands, her palms sweaty.

In her previous life, she became the wife of the Grand Secretary and owned businesses, but Lu Huai'an was unreliable. She earned all of those businesses step by step over more than a decade.

The old lady pushed the few sheets of paper in front of her over without even blinking.

Shen Qinghe was overjoyed, but she could only maintain a proper demeanor and said softly, "Madam... this is too precious, I cannot accept it."

Shen Qinghe's voice was a little hoarse. How could she not want so many shops?

Is there anyone in this world who doesn't like gold and silver treasures?

The old lady clicked her tongue and looked at her, saying, "Can't accept it? You're carrying Jihan's eldest son now. You just announced your pregnancy in front of so many people. Now that those high-ranking officials and nobles know, don't you have a couple of decent shops and land deeds? Won't they laugh at my Marquis's mansion for being stingy and miserly?"

Shen Qinghe choked, "This servant..."

"Don't overthink it. Since I've given it to you, you should accept it." The old lady put down her teacup, her tone becoming more serious, and made a definitive conclusion: "I didn't give you these things for nothing. I hope that you'll have something to rely on in the future, so you can feel more at ease and have a smooth delivery."

Moreover, now that I've given away these two shops, my people will naturally no longer interfere. You'll manage the shop in the East Market yourself, responsible for its profits and losses. As for the silk shop in the West Market, the manager will reconcile the monthly profits and send them to you; you can verify them yourself.

As for that house in Xuanyangfang—" she paused, "you are now pregnant and Jihan's concubine. Whether you want to give it away or have someone else live there is entirely your own prerogative. Understand?"

Shen Qinghe knelt down without hesitation and kowtowed heavily: "This servant understands, thank you for your kindness, Madam."

"Get up." The old lady waved her hand. "You must be tired after all this commotion. Go back and rest. Remember—these things are yours, but they also belong to the Marquis's mansion. Don't make me regret giving you these things today."

The last two sentences were a warning to Shen Qinghe, urging her not to harbor any disloyalty.

"The Confucian school has not failed the old lady's trust and affection." Shen Qinghe put the contract back into the box, hugged it to her chest, and left.

As Shen Qinghe stepped out of Yuhetangtang, the midday sun was blazing, causing her to squint.

The sandalwood box in her arms was heavy, like carrying a piece of red-hot iron, but Shen Qinghe held it tighter and tighter.

She glanced down at the box, then looked up at the azure sky above, and suddenly smiled silently.

The old lady is right. These things belong to her, and also to the Marquis's mansion.

But at least from today onwards, Shen Qinghe finally has her own roots and a real support in this Chang'an city.

Her reliance was no longer on any particular person, but on these cold, yet reassuring, house deeds.

Shen Qinghe's steps became lighter and lighter. This was the first time since her rebirth that she had owned her first house property.

Even if something unexpected happens between her and Lu Jihan in the future, even if she falls out of favor, she won't be without options or nowhere to go in this vast city of Chang'an.

Shen Qinghe hadn't even returned to her own courtyard yet; she had just stepped into the garden when she bumped into Ye Shu.

Even if Shen Qinghe didn't really like Ye Shu, she still had to follow the proper etiquette.

Shen Qinghe smiled and bowed, "This humble servant greets Miss Biao."

"If my sister-in-law were here, I should pay my respects to her." Ye Shu had a gentle smile on her face, but her pretty face was still a little pale, as if she had just recovered from a serious illness. "I just came out of my cousin's study and learned that the first day my sister-in-law came to my cousin's side was the same day I cleared things up. What a coincidence!"

Ye Shu's words weren't exactly harsh, but every sentence carried a hidden meaning that made people uncomfortable.

"The ways of fate in this world are indeed very mysterious," Shen Qinghe replied calmly. "It's fortunate that the old lady dotes on Miss Biao, otherwise I wouldn't be standing here talking to her."

Ye Shu's gaze swept over the busy woman several times, scrutinizing her: "Sister-in-law, there's no need to be angry. I didn't mean to compete with you. If I really wanted to, you would never become my cousin's woman. After all, why would someone who already has the genuine article want a fake?"

At this point, Ye Shu smiled and moved closer to Shen Qinghe, placing her slender, fair hand on Shen Qinghe's shoulder. "But let me remind you again, I usually prefer to wear plain-colored clothes and I never like overly flashy or eye-catching colors. I enjoy playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but I never go into the kitchen. If you want to continue to be favored, you must learn from me and study even more diligently."

As she spoke, Ye Shu's hand caressed Shen Qinghe's shoulder: "Don't worry, I won't compete with you for anything, nor will I use any means to fight you. I'm already married, and of course, the only person I care about is my husband."

Every word was a stab in Shen Qinghe's spine, every sentence implying that Shen Qinghe was just a substitute, a stand-in.

Ye Shu seemed certain that as long as she returned, Lu Jihan would definitely abandon Shen Qinghe and choose her instead.

Meeting Ye Shu's arrogant gaze, Shen Qinghe clenched her hands, thinking to herself that this was intolerable.

She repeatedly backed down, genuinely not wanting to have a conflict with Ye Shu, and indeed to avoid trouble.

But she can't just let Ye Shu shit on her head!

"Miss Biao is so unassuming and gentle, it's a pity..." Shen Qinghe said with a smile, "But I, on the other hand, am always vying for everything."

After saying that, Shen Qinghe grabbed Ye Shu's hand that was on her shoulder and cried out in panic, "Help! Someone help me!! Miss... Miss, I was wrong!!"

Before Ye Shu could react to Shen Qinghe's two shouts, her expression changed and servants had already heard the commotion and rushed over from outside.

Seeing a servant approaching, Shen Qinghe grabbed Ye Shu's hand and jumped into the pool behind her!

In the eyes of the maids and servants, it was clearly Ye Shu who pushed Shen Qinghe down!

Ye Shu was stunned for a moment. The maids and servants beside her were in a panic, shouting and running to report to their masters. Soon, Lu Jihan arrived.

"My lord...my lord, help..." Shen Qinghe struggled in the water, occasionally popping her head up to call for help in a panic.

Shen Qinghe knew very well that even if Lu Jihan chose Ye Shu over her, he would definitely ensure the safety of her child.

Lu Jihan's heart clenched at the sight, and he was about to rush down to save the person when someone grabbed his sleeve.

He turned his head and looked.

Ye Shu, her face pale, looked at Lu Jihan in terror: "Cousin, I didn't do it! I really didn't push her down! It really wasn't me!"

For the first time, Lu Jihan frowned sharply at Ye Shu, abruptly shaking off her hand, his tone irritated: "What time is it?! You're still worrying about this?! What will you do if something happens to her?!"

After saying that, Lu Jihan immediately turned around and rushed down to save the person.

Ye Shu took two steps back helplessly, completely unexpected that her cousin would treat her this way.

What crime should be punished?

How could her cousin say those four words to her?

Cousin, are you really that worried about Shen Qinghe?

While Ye Shu was lost in thought, Lu Jihan had already rescued Shen Qinghe from the water. The slender and delicate woman was already soaking wet.

Lu Jihan stared at Shen Qinghe, who was weakly clutching her sleeve and whispering, "My lord, please...please don't blame Miss Shen. She's just...just a child."

"Don't..." Lu Jihan was about to speak when he saw Shen Qinghe's eyelids droop completely as soon as she finished speaking.

"Ahe!!"

Lu Jihan growled worriedly, his brows furrowed as he looked at the unconscious girl in his arms.

"No, no, I won't let anything happen to you." He suddenly stood up and strode off to find Doctor Lin.

As he passed Ye Shu, whose face was pale, his gaze was as cold and sharp as a knife. "You saw it. She was speaking up for you before she fainted. If anything happens to her, don't blame me for disregarding blood ties."

After saying that, Lu Jihan carried Shen Qinghe in his arms and strode away, his soaked clothes leaving water stains on the road.

Soon, they arrived at Doctor Lin's courtyard. Doctor Lin immediately had Lu Jihan place Shen Qinghe on the bed, and she would treat her herself.

When the old lady arrived, Doctor Lin had not yet come out.

In the entire hall, only Lu Jihan, who was sitting in a chair, gripping the armrest so tightly that it turned white, and Shen Yun'er, who was pale-faced and silent, were present.

"Jihan!! How is Qinghe!? How is the baby!? Did Doctor Lin say anything?"

The old lady frowned deeply, her face filled with worry, wishing she could rush in and examine Shen Qinghe herself.

"What on earth happened? How did Qinghe end up falling into the water?"

"Dr. Lin is still inside; she just went in. As for what exactly happened," Lu Jihan paused for a moment, his gaze falling on Ye Shu beside him, "Grandmother, ask her."

"Shu'er?? Shu'er, what does this have to do with you?" the old lady asked, her brows furrowed, completely baffled.

Lu Jihan looked at Ye Shu, frowning, not even realizing the change in his attitude towards her.