CHAPTER 41: CHAPTER 41: KEPT A MISTRESS

"What did you say? He went to that small courtyard under the Huang Jue Tree in town again?"

"Yes, Miss." A maidservant replied, "I disguised as a needlework seller and followed the third son of the Zhao family. I saw him go there twice today."

"He went there yesterday too?"

"Yes, he went yesterday and the day before as well."

"Isn’t that courtyard supposed to belong to Old Master Zhang?"

"It is, but there seems to be a woman living there. I saw a pregnant woman closing the door today, judging by her belly, she should be due soon."

"What?"

Xiao Chunlan was shocked.

"Is it Zhao Minghua’s lover? And she’s about to give birth?"

No wonder the Zhao family hasn’t proposed!

He had already gotten involved with another woman and was supporting her outside?

"I must see for myself which shameless hussy dares to seduce Zhao Minghua."

Xiao Chunlan felt her world collapsing!

Fuming with rage, she was about to leave the courtyard.

"Miss, Madam has instructed you to stay in your room and embroider the dowry. You’re not allowed to go anywhere."

In fact, Wen Shi thought her daughter was too rambunctious, ready to die for Zhao Minghua, which would be shameful if spread. So she directly put her under house arrest.

"The groom has been lured away; what am I embroidering the dowry for? Who am I marrying?" Xiao Chunlan pushed away the gatekeeper maid in anger: "Don’t stop me. I must see where this vixen comes from..."

The young lady was out of the gates!

The maid couldn’t stop her and rushed to report to Madam.

"What are you all good for?" Wen Shi was both angry and annoyed: "Don’t you have hands and feet? Hurry and get her back, and none of you will have it easy if something happens."

"Madam, the young lady said..."

"Is it true? Zhao Minghua has an outside mistress who’s about to give birth?"

"The maid doesn’t know for sure, but someone saw it..."

"But it has nothing to do with Chunlan. The marriage with the Zhao family has long been off the table." Wen Shi was both angry and anxious, and quickly ran out: "What does a young maiden rushing to the scene mean? On what grounds would she cause a scene and disgrace?"

How did I give birth to such a stubborn daughter?

Wen Shi was furious beyond measure.

"There isn’t just one man like Xiao Minghua in the world. Besides, he hasn’t even married a legitimate wife yet he’s supporting a mistress, making a child older than a legitimate heir. Such a person isn’t worth her anxiety, truly blinded by misjudgment."

Mrs. Xiao personally led people in pursuit.

They caught up with Xiao Chunlan right before she knocked on the small courtyard door under the Huang Jue Tree.

"Mother, he’s keeping a mistress. The reason he ignored me was because he was with an outside mistress, who lives here and is about to give birth..."

Crying as beautiful as a pear blossom in the rain, heartbroken.

"What he keeps doesn’t concern you." Wen Shi had a headache, instructing the maid to hold Xiao Chunlan tightly: "The Zhao family has already clearly said they won’t discuss this marriage, and moreover, my Xiao family wouldn’t marry my daughter into such a family of questionable conduct."

"No, I want to marry him." Xiao Chunlan acted like she was going mad: "I just want to see what kind of woman this is and what she has that’s better than me..."

"Nonsense, get back quickly."

"No, no matter what you say, I must see this vixen today."

The group of seven or eight gathered at the courtyard entrance, crying and cursing.

Inside the courtyard, Chun Nuan stopped her herbal processing work.

"Sister-in-law, is someone quarreling outside?"

"Probably."

Zhu Ling had actually heard everything clearly long ago, about another case of some nobleman getting a woman pregnant and keeping her outside. These dramas were not uncommon in the Capital, thinking of how her husband didn’t even have a close concubine, and since their marriage, they had been lovingly united... Perhaps even the heavens were jealous of their happiness, hence the separation, thousands of miles apart, longing every night.

"These people probably have nothing better to do."

Chun Nuan smiled bitterly, picked up her work again: "If they were like us, worrying about food and clothes, and unable to finish their work, they would become indifferent to everything."

"Indeed, when people are full and comfortable, they think of lust." Zhu Ling shook her head, sighing while making the child’s small clothes: "People sometimes cannot enjoy a smooth life; they always have to find something to stir up."

No matter how noisy it was outside, Chun Nuan and Zhu Ling continued their own peaceful days behind closed doors.

"Today’s weather is stuffy, there might be a heavy rainstorm." Chun Nuan wiped her sweat after finishing her work: "Sister-in-law, I’ll go back to the village to pick some vegetables."

"Alright." Zhu Ling said: "Not to jinx it, but if there’s a heavy downpour I’m afraid the roof in the village won’t hold up..."

"I’ll go check it out, and if necessary, I’ll persuade Grandma and them to move here first."

"That’s what I mean. No matter what, safety is the most important thing." Zhu Ling said: "You should go quickly."

"Okay, I’m leaving. Sister-in-law, be careful alone at home, don’t leave the house."

"I know." Zhu Ling felt the fetus dropping these last few days, causing pain in her lower body. She was too embarrassed to tell Chun Nuan; she wasn’t unable to go out, rather she really couldn’t.

Chun Nuan picked up a bamboo basket and left the courtyard, reminding her sister-in-law to lock the door.

"Only open the door if I call."

"I know, I know, go quickly, and be safe on the way."

When passing by the Huang Jue Tree, Chun Nuan saw the needlework-selling maid still sitting there, pausing for a moment: Is this place suitable for setting up a stall?

Then she thought, perhaps she just wants to rest, after all, the Huang Jue Tree is thick and leafy, business isn’t good in the hot weather, sitting here to shade and rest a bit is normal.

The maid saw Chun Nuan walking with a bamboo basket and then took her needlework basket and turned into an alleyway.

Before long, she reached the backyard of the rice shop.

"Back to Madam and Miss, there are two people living in that courtyard, a pregnant woman and what seems like a maid. That maid went out with a bamboo basket, and the pregnant woman locked the door."

"Mother, look..."

"What is there to look at? Why don’t you listen to advice?"

"Daughter doesn’t care, in any case, I will marry him."

Wen Shi really wanted to slap her twice.

"Even so, you can’t rush to create a scene. What identity do you do it with?"

"Then what should be done? Just watch as she gives birth?"

"Chunlan, go back with me and continue embroidering your wedding dress. Leave this matter to me."

"Mother..."

"Enough! If you listen to me, there’s still a chance to marry into the Zhao family. If you don’t listen, you’ll only bring trouble upon yourself."

In the end, Xiao Chunlan had no choice but to compromise, being sent back to the Xiao family’s boudoir by several servants.

"Nanny Chen, why do I have such an unruly daughter?"

"Madam, marriage is predestined, perhaps Mr. Zhao is destined for the young lady?"

"But Zhao Minghua clearly doesn’t care about her?" Mrs. Xiao rubbed her temples in distress: "Tell me, what should I do now?"