Liu Menghan's heart sank again. She found the many women in the manor vexing.
During the morning greetings according to custom, one room was filled with people, leaving no empty space. Just the expenses for adding new members to the household made them constantly struggle each month.
Despite her pregnancy, she had to worry about these trivial matters daily. Yet, it was precisely at this time that she had to tightly grasp all the affairs of the manor. She absolutely could not let Feng Ruoyan interfere, even if it meant using her dowry, she had to persevere.
Once she safely gave birth to her嫡子 (son of the principal wife) and stabilized her position, dealing with these little bitches would be as easy as turning her hand over.
All she needed to do now was endure. As long as she endured, everything would be fine.
"With more sisters in the manor, it's naturally lively. Now that you're about to give birth, having others to serve His Highness will allow you to rest easy, won't it? I heard that His Highness is very fond of the newly acquired Sister Li, summoning her to his bed for several consecutive days. Does she possess the same elegance as you did back then?"
Feng Jin rested her chin on her hand, watching their verbal sparring with interest. Her gaze, however, occasionally fell on Feng Ruoyan's visibly bulging belly.
Given Feng Ruoyan's condition, the fetus should not have remained in her womb for this long.
Moreover, her diagnosis indicated absolutely no problems. So, where had something gone wrong?
This puzzle continuously troubled Feng Jin. She truly wished to take Feng Ruoyan's wrist and conduct a thorough examination.
"It's getting late. I've asked the kitchen to prepare the meal early. We can all eat together and chat."
Liu Menghan smiled at everyone and rose, leading them towards the dining hall.
"Sister Feng Jin, do we really have to go with them?"
Lin Yuwei felt that this Third Prince's manor was truly a place of contention. If she stayed any longer, she was genuinely worried that something would happen.
"We'll watch the excitement later. Don't worry, nothing will happen as long as I'm here."
Feng Jin gave Lin Yuwei a reassuring look and then pulled her hand as they walked forward.
As soon as they were seated, a clamor of voices came from the entrance.
Feng Jin looked up towards the source of the sound. A line of women, all dressed up in their finest, walked in uniformly. Feng Jin estimated there were at least ten of them.
This was truly not a small number. They could form three or four tables for mahjong. Just the daily food and drink for these people was no small sum.
She also admired Liu Menghan's tolerance. If Ling Mohan had also kept so many concubines, she would have surely exploded, leading to either the concubines' deaths or Ling Mohan's death.
Then she would have packed her bags and fled with the money, absolutely refusing to endure such humiliation here.
"Sisters, you've arrived. Please sit down quickly and eat."
Feng Ruoyan, looking at the small team she had assembled, said with a smile, inviting everyone to sit.
Now, whenever she had nothing to do, she would take them to wander around the manor. If they happened to encounter Liu Menghan, she could seize the opportunity to disgust her.
If they didn't encounter her, she would just treat it as a leisure stroll. In any case, as long as these people remained in the manor, it would make Liu Menghan feel uncomfortable. She hoped the child in Liu Menghan's womb would be miscarried from anger, saving her the trouble of acting.
Liu Menghan, also suppressing her anger, smiled and said, "Please sit first."
However, a wet nurse standing behind Liu Menghan stepped forward and reprimanded, "Hold on!"
A voice filled with extreme authority immediately startled the concubines who were about to sit down.
"A mere concubine, not showing respect to the principal wife upon meeting her, is already a great disrespect. Now you still wish to sit with the principal wife? Delusional! Are you tired of living and wish for death?"
The speaker was Granny Yu, appointed by the Empress to care for Liu Menghan. She was an old servant of the Empress and had often assisted her.
"Granny Yu, what you say is incorrect. His Highness has long stated that everyone in this manor is equal. We are all sisters serving His Highness together. Why must you create such an unpleasant situation?"
Feng Ruoyan's mind had indeed been foolish. Knowing the Empress disliked her, she still insisted on running into a collision, and for these purchased concubines, she dared to oppose Granny Yu. This was simply courting death.
Feng Jin watched coldly, also wanting to see how Granny Yu would deal with Feng Ruoyan.
"Side Consort, speak cautiously. The Empress, out of consideration for your loss of a child, bestowed upon you the title of Side Consort. However, you are ultimately still a concubine. Your duty is to bear heirs for His Highness and to diligently serve His Highness and the Crown Princess. A concubine dares to be presumptuous before the Crown Princess and dares to use His Highness as a shield for herself."
"If this matter reaches the Empress's ears, your position as Side Consort will also be untenable!"
Feng Ruoyan's heart skipped a beat, and she began to panic slightly, her tone becoming a little hesitant. "Granny, please forgive me. I am pregnant and spoke nonsense for a moment. Please do not blame me."
"It is good that the Side Consort understands. The Crown Princess is, after all, the principal wife, and you are merely a concubine. Bestowing upon you the title of Side Consort is already giving you the utmost courtesy. But you must remember, a wife is a wife, and a concubine is a concubine. They are as different as heaven and earth. Wife and concubine can never be spoken of in the same breath, at any time or in any place!"
As Granny Yu finished speaking, Feng Ruoyan hastily stood up from her chair, her expression extremely unpleasant.
After a pause, she suppressed her anger, coughed lightly, and said, "I am feeling unwell at the moment, I will be leaving now."
Having said this, Feng Ruoyan left in embarrassment. Those who followed Feng Ruoyan's lead also hurried away when they saw their leader had already left.
Feng Jin, watching Feng Ruoyan's frustrated expression, couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle. This Granny Yu was indeed a formidable person. However...
After a pause, Feng Jin fabricated an excuse and hastily got up to leave. She asked someone for Feng Ruoyan's courtyard and then hurried off.
...
The sound of porcelain shattering on the ground filled the entire room. Broken porcelain shards were scattered everywhere inside.
Feng Ruoyan threw a porcelain vase heavily onto the ground, her anger not abating in the slightest. She casually grabbed a teapot and smashed it onto the ground again.
The maidservant trembled, shrinking into a corner, not even daring to breathe loudly.
"Madam, please calm down. Getting angry like this is not good for the fetus in your womb. The imperial physician warned you that you must not get angry now."
The personal maidservant mustered the courage to speak, then quickly lowered her head, afraid of being caught in Feng Ruoyan's wrath.
"Go back to the Feng family and invite my mother. Go quickly."
The most pressing matter was that she had to discuss with her mother how to proceed. If this continued, once Liu Menghan gave birth to her child, she would truly have no place to stay in the Third Prince's manor.
"This servant obeys. This servant will go and invite Madam now."