Shen Yun Xuan said in a low voice, "It's not that I don't trust Miss Feng, but I'm afraid that the more she hears, the less she'll be able to play the role of His Majesty tomorrow."
"Can you tell me now?" Wen Yu Xi asked.
"Who do you think it is?" Shen Yun Xuan suddenly asked.
Wen Yu Xi replied, "Regarding the matter of Minister Li back then, His Majesty only dismissed Minister Li from his official post, and the others were merely demoted. I believe they must have been resentful towards His Majesty. However, Minister Li committed suicide out of fear of punishment; otherwise, they all should have been dismissed."
Shen Yun Xuan nodded. "Indeed. So, is it the Vice Minister of Works, Shi Lang of the Ministry of Rites, or the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue?"
"No matter who it is, we absolutely cannot let them continue to act with impunity," Wen Yu Xi said.
Shen Yun Xuan returned to his manor. Madam Zhou stepped forward to greet him. "My lord, you're back."
Shen Yun Xuan nodded and, seeing that Madam Zhou seemed to be in good spirits, couldn't help but ask, "What is it that makes you so happy?"
Madam Zhou smiled and said, "I spoke with Madam Min today. Didn't she adopt a child from Minister Shi's clan? That child is quite good, and Madam Min is very satisfied."
Shen Yun Xuan was slightly startled. He looked up at Madam Zhou. Madam Zhou blinked, then lowered her eyes. "My lord, I meant no harm."
"Madam Zhou, Mother is not in the capital. You don't need to be so reserved, nor do you need to distress yourself over baseless matters. There are plenty of brothers and sisters in the family; I don't need to carry on the Shen family line."
"I understand," Madam Zhou replied, bowing her head.
Shen Yun Xuan withdrew his gaze and said faintly, "I have matters to attend to today and may be very late. You should go to sleep first!"
With that, he turned and left.
A long time later, Madam Zhou let out a sigh.
She lowered her head, stroking her abdomen, and murmured, "It's not for the sake of continuing the family line that I want to have a child for you. I simply want to bear you a child, and that's all. But..."
She didn't finish, and called out, "Hong Yan..."
The young maidservant walked in and bowed. "Madam."
"Help me back to my room," Madam Zhou said faintly.
Hong Yan saw this and couldn't help but ask, "Madam, aren't you waiting for my lord?"
Hong Yan remembered that Madam always waited for my lord day and night, even when my lord sometimes didn't return at all.
"I'm not waiting anymore. Waiting is in vain," Madam Zhou shook her head.
"Madam..." Hong Yan couldn't help but say.
"Let's go back!" Madam Zhou said.
The next day, as soon as Madam Zhou got up, she heard that her mother had arrived. She quickly ordered someone to bring her mother in.
Seeing her mother, Madam Zhou almost burst into tears.
Madam Fan also looked at her daughter with tearful eyes. "Daughter, Mother has finally seen you."
"Mother, why did you think of coming to see me?"
Madam Fan heard this and was a little displeased. "What do you mean by that? Can't I, your mother, come and see you?"
"No, Mother, please don't misunderstand," Madam Zhou quickly said.
Madam Fan saw that Madam Zhou's complexion was not very good and couldn't help but ask, "Daughter, what's wrong? Did he bully you?"
"Mother, my lord did not bully me. It's just that I haven't been sleeping well recently."
Madam Fan took Madam Zhou's hand and said, "Daughter, tell Mother if anything is wrong. You don't have to tell your husband, but there's no need to hide it from your mother, is there?"
Madam Zhou heard this, and seeing Madam Fan's concerned expression, tears began to flow.
Madam Fan understood and realized that her daughter must have suffered some grievance to be like this. She turned to Hong Yan and said, "What grievance has your mistress suffered? If she doesn't say, you tell me."
Hong Yan was so scared that she quickly knelt on the ground. "I don't know either!"
"You don't know? Then what use are you to me? I'll have you sold..."
Hong Yan was so scared that she quickly cried out for mercy, "Old Madam, spare me. Madam, save this servant."
"Mother, this is not Hong Yan's fault; it's my own."
"Since it's your own fault, then tell me. Are you trying to make Mother anxious to death?"
"Hong Yan, go and guard outside," Madam Zhou instructed.
Hong Yan didn't dare to delay and quickly went out.
Madam Fan said, "Now you should tell me, shouldn't you?"
Madam Zhou bit her lower lip. "My lord and I have been married for half a year, but we still have no children. I am anxious."
Madam Fan frowned upon hearing this. "Is he resenting you?"
Madam Zhou shook her head. "No."
Madam Fan breathed a sigh of relief. "Then why are you anxious? This matter of having children cannot be rushed. You've only been married for half a year. What are you anxious about? Many couples have no children after three or five years of marriage. You are still young; it will happen eventually."
"Mother, I am anxious, very anxious. I just want to have a child. I..."
Madam Fan heard this and said slowly, "Are you only telling Mother this because of that?"
Madam Zhou was startled and then hesitated. Madam Fan said angrily, "I am your mother. Is there anything you cannot say to your mother?"
"Mother, half a year into our marriage, my lord has only slept with me twice."
"What?" Madam Fan looked at Madam Zhou in surprise. "Twice... twice..."
Madam Zhou nodded. "Yes, and each time it was a hasty affair."
As she said this, Madam Zhou couldn't help but lower her eyes.
Madam Fan thought for a moment and asked, "Doesn't he have an outside lover?"
Madam Zhou heard this and shook her head. "It's unlikely. I followed my lord before. Besides his manor and the palace, he hasn't been anywhere else."
"How can you be so sure he doesn't have an outside lover? You can't keep an eye on him all day, can you?"
Hearing Madam Fan say this, Madam Zhou also became a little flustered. "Mother, what should I do then?"
Madam Fan sighed. "Although Mother doesn't want to discuss these things with you so early, Mother has to say it. Your father's transfer back to the capital this time is all thanks to Yun Xuan. Daughter, you must firmly hold onto his heart. If you can't, then the position of the principal wife must not be given up."
Madam Zhou was stunned and looked at Madam Fan slowly. "Mother, you..."
"Since he is unwilling to touch you, why don't you take a concubine for him? You can choose the person yourself."
"Mother..." Madam Zhou could never have imagined that her mother would ask her to proactively take a concubine for her husband.
Madam Fan sighed. "Daughter, your husband is a third-rank official in the Ministry of Justice. So many people are eyeing him. If you are unwilling, many others are willing."
Madam Zhou clutched her chest, which ached, and asked, "Mother, do you have a suitable candidate?"
Upon hearing this, she said, "Your sister-in-law's mother has a sister named Wan Zhu. You've met her."
Madam Zhou thought for a moment. "I have met her, but I have forgotten."
"Daughter, if you agree, I will have someone send her over tomorrow to be your companion."
Madam Zhou lowered her head. After a long pause, she said, "Alright."
Madam Fan left contentedly.
Madam Zhou stood up, feeling a little dizzy and almost fell. Hong Yan quickly asked, "Madam, what's wrong?"
Madam Zhou shook her head. "I'm fine. Perhaps I'm just tired."