"I'm old, I can't do it anymore, you all have to do it."
Grandmother Jia shook her head. She didn't want to work so hard anymore, and with her daughter to care for, she didn't have that much time.
"Hehe, my husband is absolutely right.
Old Madam, you're just being modest."
A silvery laugh rang out.
That signature laugh was unmistakably Wang Xifeng's.
Sure enough, a beautiful figure appeared around the corner.
She was about thirty years old, with a pretty face, a curvaceous figure, and her arms, exposed from her short-sleeved suit, were fair and delicate.
Her cheongsam accentuated her mature and alluring charm.
With each step, her ample breasts, encased in the cheongsam, rose and fell, creating waves of movement.
Her lips were red, her teeth white, her eyes alluring, and her moist lips were slightly parted.
Her bright eyes held a clever smile, and her powerful aura accentuated her superiority and unapproachability.
The former "Xifeng," now "Consort Feng"—this was no joke.
Wang Yi gave birth to a 'son,' so she was the Queen; the other women gave birth to daughters, so they weren't Queens!
"Xifeng, what brings you here?"
Grandmother Jia had hot tea served, smiling as she looked at Wang Xifeng, who was now her granddaughter-in-law.
She had always admired Wang Xifeng, for managing the Rongguo Mansion so well.
The only pity was her illiteracy; she wondered if that had changed.
"Oh dear, Grandmother, you flatter me. I come to pay my respects every few days."
Wang Xifeng swayed her ample waist as she approached, picked up the teacup, and took a sip without ceremony.
"Hahaha, Feng-mei, how thoughtful of you to come and see this old woman like me."
Grandmother Jia chuckled, handing her daughter to a maid. She finally felt a sense of relief, picked up her teacup, and slowly began to drink.
Wang Xifeng covered her mouth and giggled, teasingly saying, "My husband stayed at your place for quite a while yesterday!"
"Pah! You little Feng-mei, I think you're asking for it, even teasing me!"
Grandmother Jia cursed inwardly. Lu Ming had indeed come yesterday, and regardless of whether she was taking care of the child, he had taken her to bed and had sex with her.
And ignoring her pleas, he ejaculated inside her.
After Lu Ming left, she quickly asked a maid to fetch water, and then reached in to scoop out the semen, squatting on the ground for a long time to expel it all, afraid of getting pregnant again.
So when Wang Xifeng brought this up, she felt a blush creep up her face—it was so embarrassing!
"Hehe, Madam, I wasn't teasing you.
My husband knows you won't accept it, so he sent me to persuade you."
Wang Xifeng was honest; after all, it wasn't a secret.
She loved her current life. She could use her abilities, demonstrate her value, and enjoy a high social status.
Most importantly, she could go out shopping in small groups, not bound to the palace.
Even the Queen would go out for walks, and the concubines could naturally bask in her company.
Grandmother Jia fell silent. After hearing Lu Ming's name, she said angrily, "Wouldn't he have told me himself?"
Wang Xifeng and Madam Wang exchanged a helpless glance. And how to put it? Women shouldn't be too assertive in these matters; they had to learn to obey.
Lu Ming's personality was such that he responded better to gentle persuasion than force. A soft, pleading tone and courteous service were usually enough to win him over.
"Madam, as women, we need to be a little more yielding.
You know your husband's temperament; why be angry?
The fact that he came to see you means he likes you.
Madam, not to be nosy, but look at Yang Lian. She's still living in the Yongxiang Palace.
If it weren't for her brother-in-law's help,
she would have already been demoted to a palace maid."
Wang Xifeng gave an example: Yang Lian had indeed tried to play tricks, and as a result, she was punished.
The Yongxiang Palace was practically the same as the Cold Palace, the only difference being that there was still a sliver of hope for release.
If Yang Lian hadn't been pregnant, she probably wouldn't have even been seen by Lu Ming before she died.
This is the consequence of palace intrigue. Therefore, there's no real palace intrigue, not even for Empress He. Such a jealous woman had to find other forms of entertainment, like playing cards or mahjong.
Grandmother Jia was quite angry upon hearing this. She was already so old, yet she was still expected to serve men.
However, thinking of the consequences, she fell silent.
"Old Madam, if you don't think about yourself, you should at least think about your daughter, right?"
Lady Wang seized the opportunity to add, as a woman herself, she felt a certain sympathy, just as she felt sympathy for Empress He for Empress Dowager Dong.
After a lifetime of fighting, they found themselves transformed from mother-in-law and daughter-in-law into sisters—it was utterly absurd!
"I understand, I agree."
Grandmother Jia only needed to think for a moment before she knew what to do.
There was no other way.
You can't fight city hall; sometimes you just have to accept your fate.
Upon hearing this, Wang Xifeng breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "That's perfect, Madam. I'll go tell my husband now. If you're too busy tonight, I can help out."
Seeing Wang Xifeng's winking and gesturing, Grandmother Jia waved her hand dismissively, "Go away, go away. This old woman isn't that pathetic."
Shanglin Garden, Wild Animal Park.
This place houses many wild animals, such as peacocks and tigers, which are rarely seen.
This place was originally intended for the Emperor and Empress Dowager's entertainment; besides the wild animals, it also served a role in maintaining order.
Jia Yuanchun, Jia Yingchun, Jia Tanchun, and Jia Xichun, the four sisters, were playing cards here. Yuanchun was the eldest, much older than the others.
"I heard Baoyu is back, working at the Five City Garrison."
Jia Yingchun started the conversation while playing cards.
The Jia family—that was an unavoidable issue; they had to learn to face it.
Jia Yuanchun thought of her younger brother, whom she had only met a few times. "That place is tough. Only those who can endure hardship can achieve something in the future.
My husband also said that the prosperity of the Jia family depends on them, not on us."
"Don't worry," Jia Tanchun replied. "Xue Pan is always there to help, so it'll be alright.
Besides, the Shi family's generation is also in the Five Cities Garrison. That place is a good place for training, much better than being a spoiled brat."
Jia Tanchun casually played a card. She had a good relationship with Jia Baoyu, but as good as it was, there were some things she couldn't interfere with.