无翼乌工口里番无色无摭挡

Aunt Hua first handed over a key with both hands and looked respectful: “Madam, this is the key to the storeroom. I brought it specifically to return it to you.”

Lin Zizi seemed not to hear her, her gaze fixed on Jiang Ning.”

Jiang Ning asked, “You’re not the housekeeper anymore?”

Aunt Hua smiled somewhat awkwardly: “The Old Master said that from now on, the Black Bamboo Garden should handle housekeeping matters.”

“That’s good.” Jiang Ning stretched out her hand to take the key and put it into Lin Zizi’s hand.

Jiang Yuan looked on, gritting her teeth secretly, but she remembered what her mother had said— for the sake of becoming the Princess Consort of Yu, tolerate it.

She brought over the clothes and said to Jiang Ning, “Seventh Sister, it was my mistake before. We are blood-related sisters, don’t be upset with me.”

Jiang Ning knew it was because of her father showing his bias that they were now apologizing.

She laughed, “I don’t really care, but what do you say about slapping Chunlai?”

Aunt Hua quickly said, “It was Mother Liu who did it. If the young lady can’t vent her anger, just let Lady Chunlai retaliate.”

“All right.” Jiang Ning called Chunlai over, “Did you hear what Aunt said? Go and retaliate.”

Chunlai’s eyes sparkled, and she hurried off.

She took Xiaqu and Dongxie with her and several maidservants. They held Mother Liu down and severely punished her.

Mother Liu relied on being Aunt Hua’s wet nurse and had always been domineering in the house, causing many maidservants to be bullied. Now that Seventh Miss returned, this old woman finally met her match.

Aunt Hua’s smile was about to break, but she still beckoned Jiang Yuan to apologize to Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning accepted the clothing but didn’t respond to the apology.

Everyone knew if it was sincere or not, no one was blind to it.

Would they come to apologize if Jiang Ruobai hadn’t forced them?

After the apology, no one paid any attention to Aunt Hua and her daughter, leaving them standing awkwardly.

Lin Zizi’s eyes were fixed only on Jiang Ning. She brought a spoonful of egg custard to Jiang Ning’s mouth, speaking softly, “Look how thin you are, eat more.”

Jiang Ning opened her mouth to eat, and the taste of the egg custard immediately made her feel nauseous.

She retched, looking pale.

Lin Zizi became somewhat flustered, “Ningning, what’s wrong?”

“I’m fine, I just don’t have an appetite.”

Aunt Hua and Jiang Yuan exchanged glances.

“Madam, Seventh Miss, if there’s nothing else, we’ll leave now,” Aunt Hua said.

Lin Zizi didn’t acknowledge her, and Jiang Ning, who was drinking water to ease her rolling nausea, had no energy to do so either.

Aunt Hua led her daughter away from Black Bamboo Garden, looking back with a strange expression on her face.

“Mother, Jiang Seventh seems to be sick,” said Jiang Yuan. “I heard earlier that Father had specifically called a doctor to check her pulse.”

Aunt Hua replied, “You foolish child, I’ve been through this before.”

“What?”

“I think she looks like she might have a child in her belly.”

“Really?” Jiang Yuan was startled.

“Why not? Let me tell you, when I was pregnant with you, I was just like her. Every time I smelled something fishy, I wanted to vomit.” Aunt Hua sneered, “Such a shameless girl, she actually carried a bastard conceived in secret. Your father even invited her back as if she were a treasure. If he knew, he would be furious.”

Jiang Yuan was somewhat excited, “Mother, let’s tell Father now.”

“We can’t just tell him without proof, especially when we’re only suspecting at this point,” Aunt Hua pondered. “We need to present the evidence in front of your father so he has no choice but to believe.”

“How can we make Father believe it?”

“She just said she’s not feeling well, right? It’s only natural for us as a family to be concerned about her. Tomorrow, let’s invite a doctor from outside to check her pulse.”

“Mother, don’t we have a doctor in the house?”

“He’s from the household.. Who knows if he’s been bought by her? Otherwise, how come he didn’t diagnose her today?”