Li Sinian left without even glancing at her.
Li Yaoqin collapsed onto the ground.
"Aunt Xin, the eldest miss has been confined by the master," Qing Er whispered into Suoxin's ear.
Suoxin opened her eyes and said, "Just confinement is too light."
"The eldest miss is, after all, the master's legitimate daughter. It's normal to be soft-hearted."
Suoxin asked, "Have you made arrangements with the doctor?"
Qing Er replied, "Auntie, please rest assured, your servant has made all the arrangements."
Suoxin looked up, her eyes filled with malice, "I will definitely make her disappear without a trace."
Qing Er took a step back, finding the current Suoxin somewhat frightening.
Chang Ning Palace
Looking at Xue Zining's increasingly enormous belly, Hua Yunjin couldn't help but exclaim, "I'm really afraid you'll burst your stomach."
Xue Zining glanced at him indifferently and said, "You'll have this day too."
"Then I'd rather not be Queen," Hua Yunjin said with a hint of disdain.
Xue Zining ignored him and, after drinking her miscarriage-preventing medicine, asked, "I heard Miss Li has been placed under house arrest by Master Li?"
Hua Yunjin was taken aback and looked at her, asking, "Your Majesty, how did you know?"
Xue Zining smiled, "I noticed Yun Jin seemed to be paying some attention to Miss Li, so I paid attention as well."
Hua Yunjin replied, "It's just that I felt this Miss Li bore some resemblance to Your Majesty in the past, so I paid a little more attention."
"Is that so?" Xue Zining asked.
Hua Yunjin nodded, "A little bit."
Xue Zining recalled her first meeting with Li Yaoqin. That persistent nature was indeed somewhat similar to hers.
"Yun Jin, at this time, if you were to appear while she is confined, she would probably be eternally grateful to you."
Hua Yunjin gave a wry smile, "Your Majesty, if I were to appear, wouldn't that arouse other thoughts in Li Sinian?"
"Then I'll go," Xue Zining said.
Hua Yunjin was startled and quickly refused, "Your Majesty, absolutely not. You are pregnant and cannot go out casually. If anything were to happen, wouldn't that person flay me alive?"
"What are you afraid of? Besides, I also want to confirm something," Xue Zining said slowly.
Xue Zining and her entourage arrived at the Li manor. Li Sinian should not have returned from court yet. At the manor gate, a flustered maid was looking outside.
After a while, a young servant walked over and dejectedly told the maid, "Miss Lin went out today and cannot come."
The maid then asked, "What about Miss Sun?"
"The steward of the Sun manor said Miss Sun is ill and cannot come either."
The maid stomped her foot in anger, "When the eldest miss was fine, they were all so eager to please. Now that they are needed, they are all making excuses."
"What should we do?" the servant asked.
The maid replied, "I'll go report back to the eldest miss first!"
When Li Yaoqin heard Lian Xin's report, she said indifferently, as if she had expected it, "I know."
Lian Xin was indignant, "How can they do this?"
Li Yaoqin smiled, "What's wrong with them? This is reality. If you are useful, they will come; if you are not, they will stay far, far away. After following me for so long, can't you see this clearly?"
"But..."
"Enough with the 'buts.' I am still my father's daughter after all," Li Yaoqin said indifferently.
Lian Xin bit her lower lip, "Eldest miss, your servant just feels it's not worth it for you."
Li Yaoqin sighed, "Where are there so many things that are worth it?"
"Eldest miss..."
"Alright, since the current situation cannot be changed, accept it," Li Yaoqin said.
Lian Xin, though unwilling, had no choice but to nod.
"Eldest miss, the steward requests an audience!" Yan Xin entered and announced.
Li Yaoqin looked up, "Let him in!"
The steward entered and knelt on the ground with a thud, "Eldest miss, please show me a way. I really cannot satisfy Aunt Xin's demands."
Li Yaoqin looked up and asked, "What about her?"
The steward said, "Aunt Xin wants to drink the finest bird's nest soup. But the bird's nest for this quarter has already been allocated. Moreover, given Aunt Xin's status, she can only drink bird's nest soup."
"Send mine to her," Li Yaoqin said.
"Eldest miss, you only have this much too," Lian Xin said unwillingly.
"Send it to her. Whatever she wants to eat, have it sent to her," Li Yaoqin said.
The steward withdrew with profuse thanks.
Lian Xin stomped her foot in anger, "They think the eldest miss is easy to bully."
"What's the big deal? It's just bird's nest soup. What does it matter if I drink a little less?"
"Eldest miss, Suoxin is simply going too far," Lian Xin said, almost in tears.
"Since I, the person involved, am not angry, why are you getting angry?" Li Yaoqin said dismissively. Da Feng Novel Network
Soon, news arrived that Aunt Xin, upon hearing it was from her, had poured out all the bird's nest soup.
"Eldest miss, isn't this too much bullying?" Lian Xin said angrily.
Li Yaoqin frowned upon hearing this, "She is favored by my father now, and whatever she does is considered right. I can do nothing about it."
"Eldest miss, something bad has happened! Aunt Xin claims her headache is caused by the madam praying in the prayer hall. She wants the servants to drive the madam out," Yan Xin said urgently.
Li Yaoqin stood up and said coldly, "I can tolerate everything else, but I cannot tolerate this now."
In front of the prayer hall, Suoxin sat on a soft couch, looking at Madam Li, who was undisturbed by the outside world, and rubbed her forehead, saying, "Madam, my head is hurting terribly. The doctor said Madam's chanting has disturbed my rest. I beg Madam to leave this place."
Madam Xu did not even glance at Suoxin, continuing to strike the wooden fish and chant Buddhist scriptures.
Seeing this, Suoxin bit her lower lip and said, "Since Madam does not reply, I will consider Madam to have agreed. Come, escort Madam away."
Madam Xu stopped her action with the wooden fish, looked up at Suoxin, and said faintly, "Your malevolent aura is too strong. If it is not controlled, you may face a bloody disaster."
Suoxin sneered upon hearing this, "Is Madam cursing me?"
"I am merely stating the truth," Madam Xu replied.
Suoxin's expression turned cold, and she said icily, "Escort Madam away immediately!"
Servants approached Madam Xu. Madam Xu looked at Suoxin indifferently. At this moment, a cold shout came from outside, "Who dares to touch my mother?"
Suoxin turned to see Li Yaoqin rushing over and chuckled softly, "Eldest miss, why have you come?"
Li Yaoqin sneered and said coldly to Suoxin, "Take your people and leave here immediately, or don't blame me for being impolite."
Suoxin smiled and raised an eyebrow, "How does Eldest miss intend to be impolite to me?"
"I have tolerated your past actions, but my mother is the Madam of this manor. Do not push your luck."
Suoxin sneered, "My head hurts, and the doctor said it's because Madam's chanting is causing me pain. I asked Madam to leave, but she refused, so I had to ask for her family to escort her away."
"Mother has always been here, and Father also agreed to it," Li Yaoqin said coldly.
"The master also agreed to let me do as I please anywhere in this manor."
"Suoxin, is it!" Madam Xu suddenly spoke.
Suoxin looked up at Madam Xu, "Yes, I am."
"You haven't even served me tea yet," Madam Xu said calmly.
Suoxin was stunned, and Madam Xu continued, "Do you not believe that without the agreement of the principal wife, you are not truly a concubine?"