"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Jia Tanchun understood this principle.
Besides, even her own mother, Lady Wang, hadn't helped Jia Baoyu, so she, as his younger sister, needed even less help.
Moreover, she had a lot of things to do. Today was a mandatory day off; her husband, Lu Ming, was worried she was overworking herself, so he let her rest. Otherwise, she wouldn't have come to Lin Wan's residence.
Yingchun played cards silently, saying nothing.
She was always submissive; unless it concerned her own interests as a concubine, she would never utter a word.
Such a woman, obedient and docile, was good for men.
But for women who wanted to be her sister, she was rather dull.
"I heard the opera troupe has recently added some plays; why don't we go see them later?"
Jia Tanchun changed the subject, not wanting to discuss the Jia family's affairs any further.
The two women she cared about, Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang, were both in the inner palace. She had often shared the bedchamber with Lady Wang, so she didn't really care much about the Jia family.
The four young ladies were still playing cards when a commotion arose in the distance.
At this moment, Yingchun's maid, Siqi, came over and said, "Master, it's Empress Dowager He and the Grand Empress Dowager."
Although Lu Ming had moved into the palace, Empress Dowager He was still Empress Dowager He.
Even though she was pregnant, she was still Empress Dowager He.
Even though everyone knew that Empress Dowager He was Lu Ming's woman, as long as Lu Ming didn't become emperor, He Wan was the Empress Dowager.
Siqi was very good at pleasing people and also quite shrewish.
Lu Ming had also given her the qualifications of a princess, which was one of the few advantages a maid could have.
However, Siqi was honest and remained Yingchun's maid, not considering herself a princess, but only enjoying the treatment of a princess.
The four women hurriedly rose to greet the two most powerful women.
Empress Dowager He and Empress Dowager Dong approached, arm in arm.
They used to be fierce rivals, but now they were close friends—a testament to the fickle nature of life.
"Greetings, Empress Dowager! Greetings, Empress Dowager!"
The four women bowed in unison.
Empress Dowager He quickly helped them up, her phoenix eyes smiling, seemingly lost in thought. "My four sisters, no need for formalities. We're all family. No Empress Dowager? I'm not Empress Dowager, I'm the First Madam."
The First Madam was Dong Ya.
Lu Ming's mother.
They had vaguely heard that Dong Ya had adopted a girl as her granddaughter, and rumors circulated that the girl was actually Dong Ya's child, conceived by their husbands—a shocking truth.
Incest between mother and son—this would cause a huge uproar anywhere.
Knowing is one thing, and rumors are another; unless the parties involved admit it,
they had to pretend they didn't know.
Since neither Queen Wang nor Wang Yi had said anything, they had even less right to say anything.
As long as Lu Ming hadn't ascended the throne, the Four Springs would certainly not believe it.
Seeing their respectful attitude, Empress Dowager He could only nod. "You all go about your business. Dong Tong and I will just take a stroll."
Empress Dowager Dong nodded slightly to them, acknowledging their presence.
She didn't say much, because their current status was still a barrier. In truth, if necessary, she could support Lu Ming's ascension to the throne.
The approval of an Empress Dowager and a Grand Empress Dowager was more important than anything else.
The Four Springs only breathed a sigh of relief after the two women left. After all, dealing with Empress Dowager He required caution.
Jia Yuanchun had spent a long time with Empress Dowager He and knew what kind of person she was.
Jia Xichun, still shaken, touched the mahjong tiles. "Elder sister, will Empress Dowager He still be Empress Dowager?"
"No, she'll be just like us, pretty much."
Jia Yuanchun saw things very clearly. If Lu Ming ascended the throne,
he certainly wouldn't let the two of them remain in their positions.
They would definitely become concubines, whether as beauties or imperial consorts, that would depend on Lu Ming's intentions.
After the palace banquet, Lu Ming went to Chang Le Palace, his mother's residence.
His elder sister, Lu Xue, and younger sister, Lu Qing, were also there, talking to their mother. They were holding babies, teasing them, and commenting on who they resembled and how they looked.
The younger sister, Lu Qing, still possessed a pure, girlish charm, even after childbirth, she remained as alluring as ever.
The elder sister, Lu Xue, had become slightly fuller, her serene face resembling their mother, Dong Ya, gentle and tender.
Her mother was still as beautiful as ever, with willow-leaf eyebrows and phoenix eyes. Her full face looked vibrant, and her lips were glossy with colorless lipstick, naturally lustrous.
Although she had a little more flesh on her waist and legs than in her youth, it didn't make her look overweight; instead, it added to her mature, voluptuous charm.
Moreover, the fat was mainly concentrated in her upper body; her breasts and buttocks were noticeably larger than the average woman's, and they were round and high, giving a plump appearance without any signs of sagging.
Every gesture, every movement, exuded the unique charm and aura of a mature woman.
"Mother, sister, little sister."
Lu Ming went over and hugged his mother, kissing her, his breath carrying a hint of alcohol.
"Don't drink so much; it's bad for your health.
Drink less; so many women are waiting for you."
His mother handed the child to the wet nurse, took the towel, and carefully wiped her son's cheeks.
Seeing her son, now a prince commanding hundreds of thousands of troops across three provinces, still so affectionate, she felt both happy and shy.
"Mother, I want it!"
Lu Ming stroked his mother's waist. He hadn't vented his anger elsewhere; he only wanted to make love to his mother upon returning home.
His mother blushed and poked him with her white finger. "Let your older sister and younger sister keep you company."
"They won't escape tonight either, hehe, Mother."
Lu Ming finished speaking and kissed his mother's red lips. The palace maids, under Aunt Yu's command, withdrew, leaving only a few obedient and sensible ones to serve.
After all, it was incest between mother and son; if word got out, it would be disastrous.
Although these were all carefully selected palace maids who could be trusted, Aunt Yu still only kept her confidants.
"Mmm, gently, son."
The mother was pushed down to the floor. A maid had already replaced it with a soft yoga mat—a soft, waterproof rubber mat, so there was no worry about contamination.
Lu Ming, his lips already dry, kissed his mother's luscious lips, using his tongue to part her teeth and slip inside her mouth.
Perhaps it was Lu Ming's intense and passionate kissing technique that made the mother quickly respond to his actions, clinging tightly to him and showering him with her saliva.
The passionate kisses continued down to her fair neck. Lu Ming rained down rapid kisses while pressing his hot body against his mother's.
The mother couldn't help but breathe heavily, passionately embracing her son.