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

As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Qinghe was forced to sit on his lap, and the food box was thrown aside.

Shen Qinghe instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. "This humble servant doesn't understand what you mean, Master?"

"Is there anything you don't understand?" Lu Jihan snorted, looking at the girl's expression. He had known her for quite some time.

If he still couldn't understand what her expression meant, he would be incredibly foolish.

Lu Jihan didn't know about the other women, but with Shen Qinghe, the more innocent her expression, the more it revealed how cunning she was.

It's like a little fox who, after doing something naughty, tries to open its eyes wide, wanting to prove its innocence.

"This servant doesn't know?" Shen Qinghe nodded heavily, looking at Lu Jihan in front of her, her words probing, "Does Your Highness... have something else to say? Or something else to do? If Your Highness doesn't tell, how would this servant know!"

As she spoke, Shen Qinghe fluttered her eyelashes, feigning ignorance: "I'm not a mind reader, how could I possibly know what you're thinking all the time..."

Before she could speak, Shen Qinghe's face was gently pinched by a large hand.

Her face was already small, and it looked even more delicate in his broad palms.

Lu Jihan pinched her cheek, lowered his head and slowly approached, only stopping when their noses were about a finger's width apart.

Shen Qinghe neither struggled nor spoke, but just watched him approach, waiting for his next words.

Lu Jihan said fiercely, "Don't think I don't know. You're just trying to trick me into admitting something."

"So you knew, Master!" Shen Qinghe feigned surprise, but her tone revealed no surprise that he knew she did it on purpose.

She did it on purpose; it was a calculated scheme from the very beginning.

Shen Qinghe looked at him, her fingertips lightly tapping his neck, deliberately slowing her voice: "Then, sir, will you tell me or not?"

For some reason, looking at the young woman in front of him, he felt that something had changed about her, but…

He couldn't say it.

It's like a tree full of yellow and green fruits. When they are nearing maturity, they are sweet and tempting, but they also have a touch of greenness.

Now, she is like a fully matured Yunchen, releasing waves of peach fragrance, a sweet and refreshing scent, with a ripe reddish-yellow hue.

Just looking at them makes you want to pick them.

It was precisely because the peach in front of him was fully ripe and constantly exuded its own unique fragrance that even Lu Jihan felt his desires becoming increasingly frivolous.

It's becoming increasingly easy to have uncontrollable impulses.

Is it that the young girl in front of him is becoming more and more alluring, or that he is becoming more and more lustful?

Lu Jihan's Adam's apple bobbed: "What do you want to hear? Do you want to hear me curse you? Or do you want to hear those vulgar things from someone else's mouth?? You're incredibly audacious..."

This time, Lu Jihan was speechless.

Shen Qinghe reached out and, even more audaciously, covered Lu Jihan's mouth as he was speaking.

Lu Jihan stared wide-eyed in shock at Shen Qinghe in front of him, his eyes seemingly saying four words: "What kind of behavior is this!"

Shen Qinghe gave Lu Jihan a reproachful look, "Master, even at a time like this, are you still going to be stubborn? Besides, think about it, how many mushy things have I said to you before? Why can't you say one? Even just to make me happy..."

The little girl's voice carried a hint of grievance, making her look pitiful.

Looking into Shen Qinghe's eyes, Lu Jihan completely forgot about the incredibly audacious thing this seemingly pitiful and wronged little girl was doing.

"Okay... I say, is that alright?"

Although Shen Qinghe covered Lu Jihan's mouth when he said this, it wasn't so bad that no one could completely misunderstand what he was saying. Based on the tone of his voice and the current situation, one could still guess some of what he meant.

Upon hearing this, Shen Qinghe looked at Lu Jihan in front of her with a hint of anticipation.

To everyone's surprise, what came out of Lu Jihan's mouth was a muffled, indistinct sound: "Mmm, mmm mmm mmm mmm..."

If it weren't for the intonation, Shen Qinghe would have thought that Lu Jihan was doing it on purpose, deliberately trying to appease her.

Even with a combination of listening and guessing, Shen Qinghe could only vaguely decipher most of what was being said. She pouted at Lu Jihan in front of her, deliberately acting coquettishly, "What did you say, Master? I didn't hear a word you said!"

After saying that, Shen Qinghe immediately released her hand.

Lu Jihan shrugged, his tone nonchalant: "I've already said it, I won't repeat myself."

"Master!" Shen Qinghe said reproachfully.

This time, Lu Jihan remained silent, saying, "I didn't say anything."

"Master said!" Shen Qinghe seized the opportunity and cupped Lu Jihan's face in her hands. Her small hands could barely hold one side of Lu Jihan's cheek. "Master said he misses me and wants me to have dinner with him."

As Shen Qinghe spoke, she deliberately slowed down her voice, emphasizing each word, as if afraid that Lu Jihan in front of her wouldn't hear her or understand.

Shen Qinghe spoke these words lightly, but as each word was uttered, Lu Jihan's ears and neck visibly turned red.

As soon as Shen Qinghe finished speaking, Lu Jihan immediately grabbed her and pulled her to her feet. His face flushed, he glared at her, deliberately keeping a straight face. "Shen Qinghe, how dare you!"

Is he shy? Shen Qinghe couldn't help but chuckle. Facing Lu Jihan's reprimand, she wasn't afraid at all: "It's not like it's the first time you've known how bold I am, but... this is the first time I've seen you so shy."

"You!" Lu Jihan was so angry at her words that he was about to reach out and grab her, but his hand was instead held by the girl.

Shen Qinghe's expression turned serious, her gaze gentle yet fixed on him, as she cupped Lu Jihan's large hand and pressed it against her cheek.

The moment had finally arrived for her to reveal her purpose. After spending so much time cultivating his goodwill and seeing his emotions completely swayed by her, Shen Qinghe knew that the time had finally come.

Shen Qinghe obediently rubbed her cheek against Lu Jihan's palm, her gaze lingering: "Master, I just want to hear you say something. I'm a little uneasy. I don't know why, but I always feel flustered."

As she spoke, Shen Qinghe was pulled to sit on his lap. "I only feel at ease when I hear you speak."

"Uneasy?" Lu Jihan tilted his head, his words implying that he wanted Shen Qinghe to continue.

Shen Qinghe's lips moved slightly, and after a moment of silence, she said, "Last night when we were barbecuing together in the courtyard, I wonder what you were thinking. I was very happy. Perhaps it's because life is too good now, and I like it too much and it's too peaceful. I always feel that something might happen, so I wanted to hear more from you, Master. I didn't mean to tease you."

"What's wrong?"

Seeing Shen Qinghe's somewhat flustered expression, Lu Jihan's expression also turned serious. "Has someone bullied you?"

"No. The master protects me, dotes on me, and spoils me. The Marquis and the Old Madam are also reasonable and understanding masters, so naturally no one dares to bully me easily." Shen Qinghe smiled and shook her head, a hint of melancholy on her face.

"But... now it's because the Marquis dotes on me. If in the future the Marquis doesn't care about me anymore, or doesn't dote on me as much as he does now, I... I really don't know what to do."

"Don't talk nonsense." Lu Jihan reached out and rubbed her cheek, as if teasing a spoiled kitten, and gently stroked Shen Qinghe's back.

Shen Qinghe looked at Lu Jihan expectantly: "Then, Master, can you grant me one request?"

Lu Jihan raised an eyebrow: "Go on."

"If in the future anyone tries to slander me, or if the Marquis hears any gossip, rumors, or fabricated stories, no matter what they are about or what they are about."

As Shen Qinghe spoke, she cupped Lu Jihan's cheeks in her hands: "Your Highness promises me that I don't ask for your complete trust. No matter what happens or what gossip there is, before anyone else takes action, Your Highness must at least give me a chance to explain, a fair chance to explain."

Lu Jihan raised an eyebrow, not expecting this little girl to want this. He thought she would ask for something bigger, like gold and silver treasures, or even a night of his favor.

All I wanted was a chance to explain.

He waved his hand and said, "I agree. No matter what happens in the future, even if there is a lot of evidence and witnesses, I will definitely give you a chance to explain yourself in a fair and square manner."

"Master..." Shen Qinghe's eyes reddened at just the right moment. She kissed Lu Jihan on the lips with gratitude and leaned against his chest.

When she opened her eyes again, they were completely clear. Shen Qinghe still felt that Chu Xingge's appearance was too strange, and it was probably related to her parents. She had to be careful.

Even though Chu Xingge hasn't done anything outrageous yet, and hasn't caused her any trouble or concern, no one knows what might happen tomorrow or the day after.

If someone were to use Chu Xingge's past relationship with her to spread rumors, plot against her, or try to sow discord between the Marquis and her, their scheme would be incredibly successful.

After all, it was a real betrothal arranged in black and white before.

When it comes to this kind of thing, Shen Qinghe has no way of ensuring that Lu Jihan will still wholeheartedly believe in her at that time.

Shen Qinghe knew he couldn't afford to gamble and was well aware that he absolutely couldn't gamble; human nature couldn't withstand the test of gambling.

"I'm hungry, let's have a meal."

The warm, crispy pot contains very simple ingredients and seasonings, but sometimes the simpler things are, the more flavorful they are.

The aroma of meat mixed with the fragrance of vegetables wafted through the air, making Lu Jihan, who was already starving, even more eager to eat.

While Lu Jihan and Shen Qinghe were having their meal in the kitchen, the aroma of the crispy stew had already wafted out of the study.

The sight of it made the people standing at the door drool.

"Miss Shen Qinghe's cooking skills are absolutely amazing, far surpassing those of the kitchen staff in the manor. No wonder the Marquis's palate has become increasingly discerning; it's all thanks to Miss Shen Qinghe's culinary expertise."

Lin Feng touched his empty stomach, took a deep breath of the aroma, and couldn't help but swallow.

Although Yun Chen, who was standing next to him, had not often tasted Shen Qinghe's cooking, he already had a general understanding of Shen Qinghe's skills after the barbecue last night.

In addition, Lin Feng often mentioned it to her, and now that she smelled this fragrance, she looked somewhat longing.

At this moment, Qing'er came over with a large food box, put it on the stone table on the side of the courtyard, lit the copper pot, and the aroma wafted out in waves.

This immediately lured Lin Feng and Yun Chen over.

Lin Feng looked at Qing'er with surprise and disbelief, asking, "This...is this for us? Can we also enjoy Miss Shen Qinghe's cooking?"

Although Yun Chen didn't ask, his eyes were similar to Lin Feng's, filled with longing.

Qing'er took out three sets of bowls and chopsticks and placed them in front of herself and the two women, explaining with a smile, "This older sister said that she couldn't let us go hungry, so she made three portions. One set was sent to the old lady first, another set was taken in by the older sister to share with the Marquis, and the last set was specially reserved for us."

"Qinghe, you're absolutely so kind!" Lin Feng picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks, put it in her mouth, and was completely overwhelmed by the aroma. The fragrance brought tears to her eyes, and she said, deeply moved:

"This cooking...it's so delicious it almost made me cry! Back when we followed the Marquis to the battlefield, or when the Marquis was working non-stop in the military camp, we were working non-stop too. We drank cold water and ate steamed buns with the Marquis. What kind of life haven't we had? Now we can eat such delicious food! No wonder the Marquis has become more and more spoiled by Miss Qinghe."

Yun Chen was also somewhat moved. After all, they followed the Marquis, and sometimes the Marquis himself didn't even have time to eat, so they would also go without food, and sometimes they wouldn't even have anything to eat.

Now someone has prepared food for the Marquis, and while preparing it, they even thought of saving some for them. It's truly touching to feel that someone is thinking of you.

Qing'er ate as she ate, already used to her older sister's excellent cooking skills.

Watching the two tall, burly men in front of me eat the crispy pot, I was moved to tears as I ate.

She couldn't help but chuckle.

Lin Feng seemed to remember something else and complained, "You guys have no idea how picky the Marquis has become. In the past, the Marquis was the least afraid of hardship or fatigue. As long as it was good for the country and the people, he wouldn't be afraid to eat grass and tree bark on the battlefield. Now, although the Marquis can still eat, his disgust for food is simply boundless."

Lin Feng got more and more excited as he spoke: "This morning, after the morning court session, Lord Chu suddenly invited the Marquis to his residence for breakfast, but the Marquis refused. So he came to freeload lunch. Later, His Highness the Crown Prince invited the Marquis to dine at the Eastern Palace. The chefs at the Eastern Palace were poached from the Imperial Kitchen, so naturally they couldn't be bad. But the Marquis could only eat a couple of bites before he couldn't eat anymore. When he came out, his brows were furrowed. Even the food at the Eastern Palace didn't suit his taste anymore. He didn't eat much this morning, so of course he's hungry now!"

Lin Feng sighed, "I really don't know what Lord Chu is up to. I heard he's coming again in a few days."

-

Soon, news of Chu Xingge's visit to the Marquis's residence spread to other parts of the Bamboo Garden.

"Are you sure? That man surnamed Chu really came to the manor?"

Wu Xiaoniang looked at Fangfei in front of her; she had specifically asked Fangfei to inquire about it.

Fangfei nodded, quite certain, and said, "Your Highness, I have already inquired carefully at the gatehouse. Today, a man surnamed Chu did indeed come to the door and specifically requested to see Shen Qinghe. I presume that this must be the person Your Highness and Miss Yun'er are looking for."

Upon hearing this, Wu Xiaoniang's eyes darted around, and she turned to Shen Yun'er beside her, asking, "Sister Yun'er, I didn't quite understand what I heard yesterday. I only know that Shen Qinghe once had a childhood betrothal man surnamed Chu. I don't know what kind of person he is, what his background is, or what his name is. We need to find out all of this before we can proceed."

"Chu Xingge! A cripple who can't walk. He's been unable to walk since he was a child. He used to be the son of a farmer. Because he was weak and couldn't walk, he bought Shen Qinghe to be his wife. Later, the Chu family became rich and powerful, and they simply didn't want Shen Qinghe anymore."

Shen Yun'er said nonchalantly, "Right now, he's probably just a rich young master!"

As Shen Yun'er spoke, she didn't pay much attention to Chu Xingge. In her previous life, whether it was her own or Shen Qinghe's life trajectory, Chu Xingge had never appeared since they were sold into the Marquis's mansion as servants.

Shen Yun'er then stopped thinking about it.

To everyone's surprise, Wu Xiaoniang, who was standing nearby, immediately frowned upon hearing this: "Chu Xingge?? Isn't that the top scholar from three years ago, now the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review!"

"What?! Chu Xingge is now the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review?!" Shen Yun'er froze upon hearing this, immediately grabbing her hand and asking, "Are you sure?! Is it true? Isn't he a cripple?! How could he possibly pass the imperial examinations and become the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review?"

"If the name you gave me is correct, then there is only one prominent Chu family in Chang'an. It's highly likely that it is."

Wu Xiaoniang frowned even more. Originally, she wanted to find a man who had a relationship or entanglement with Shen Qinghe in the past to slander Shen Qinghe for having an adulterer, thereby sowing discord between the Marquis and Shen Qinghe.

Little did she know that the person she was looking for would be a mere twenty-four-year-old Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, holding the rank of fourth grade!

He was a renowned talent in Chang'an, so although his background was inferior to that of the Marquis, he was still a powerful, influential, and talented young master!

Shen Yun'er, standing to the side, was even more dumbfounded. She had originally planned to find a villager to frame Shen Qinghe, but how…

Why do they all like that bitch Shen Qinghe?!

What exactly makes Shen Qinghe so special?

She knows how to please men, and she's been reborn, so she knows the course of most of her predecessor's events. She even stole Shen Qinghe's culinary skills. Isn't Shen Yun'er better than Shen Qinghe?

Shen Yun'er was both angry and resentful.

Wu Xiaoniang reacted quickly, looking at Fangfei beside her: "Quickly, go find some maids and servants and secretly spread the word that someone came to the mansion today specifically asking for Shen Qinghe."

-

Shen Qinghe's sixth sense was right; the Marquis's residence had indeed been very lively lately, with a steady stream of visitors.

Shen Qinghe was also a little troubled because Qin's birthday was approaching.

If it were the old lady's birthday or the marquis's birthday, that would be fine; Shen Qinghe would quickly think of what to give or do to please them.

But Qin Shi, Shen Qinghe was truly at a loss for what to do.

When Shen Qinghe first entered the bamboo garden, she was thinking of trying to please Qin Shi. At that time, she even specially made Qin Shi's favorite dishes and sent them over, but she was interrupted by Chen Shi halfway through.

Although it was Chen Xiaoniang who was targeting her at that time, Shen Qinghe also knew that Qin Shi did not like her either, otherwise she would not have indulged Chen Xiaoniang.

In this situation, Shen Qinghe didn't seek to stand out; she only hoped to get through it smoothly.

"Qing'er, go and find out what Madam usually likes to eat and what she likes to use."

As soon as Shen Qinghe finished speaking, she realized something was amiss. "Forget it, don't go. Whether you can find out anything is one thing, but you might also give others something to hold against you. Come with me to the old lady's courtyard."

At this point, it might be much better to ask the old lady directly. Firstly, it would be safer, and secondly, it would also help to gain favor with her.

Shen Qinghe was right. After Shen Qinghe explained her purpose to the old lady, the old lady was indeed very satisfied with Shen Qinghe's thoughtfulness. She not only gave Shen Qinghe advice but also praised her.

As we left the old lady's courtyard, we passed through the garden.

A servant boy, whose face was completely unfamiliar, appeared out of nowhere and carried a large basin of water, which he then splashed directly at Shen Qinghe!

Shen Qinghe was instantly soaked, and Qing'er immediately grabbed the servant: "Which courtyard are you from? How can you just splash water like that?!"

The servant boy had a pointed face and a cunning look. He didn't apologize to Shen Qinghe or answer Qing'er's question. He suddenly let go of her hand and ran away!

"Hey!" Qing'er wanted to chase after her again, but then she remembered that Shen Qinghe was soaking wet, and it would be terrible if others saw her like that. "Sister, let me take off my outer robe and put it on you!"

Shen Qinghe shook her head. "Even if you put it on me, you'll still look terrible."

Shen Qinghe looked around and said, "I'm going to hide in the artificial cave over there for a while. Hurry back to the courtyard and get me some new clothes."

"Okay." Qing'er listened to Shen Qinghe. As soon as she heard Shen Qinghe say that, she first helped Shen Qinghe into the rockery, and then ran back to her own courtyard.

Surrounded by artificial mountains, Shen Qinghe felt a little more relaxed and carefully crawled into the artificial mountain cave.

Suddenly, a strong hand reached out from the dark hole and yanked Shen Qinghe inside!

Shen Qinghe looked closely and was immediately terrified, shrinking back. The person in front of her was none other than Qin Linfeng, who had previously been following her!

Qin Linfeng chuckled, looking at Shen Qinghe, who was soaking wet and dressed in thin clothes, and grinned crookedly: "You think I can't do anything to you just because my brother-in-law is protecting you? Little lady, I advise you to behave yourself! If this gets out of hand, everyone will say you deliberately seduced me!"

As he spoke, Qin Linfeng reached out to stroke Shen Qinghe's face: "Why don't you agree to my terms? If you stay with my brother-in-law, you'll only be a concubine, with my sister above you keeping you in check. But it's different if you stay with me. I only want you for the rest of my life, my little wife!"