They are all concubines, so of course they choose the future emperor.

The Ghost Festival is coming soon, and my mother recites scriptures every day, saying that she is praying for my uncle and younger brother.

Xiao Yin'er has gotten used to it.

She walked back to her room with a cheerful step. Feeling a little hungry, she sent the maid to the kitchen to get something to eat.

Aunt Jiang sent some blood swallows two days ago. She has always wanted to eat them, but her mother said that blood swallows are precious and can only be eaten during festivals.

Today is a festival, so Xiao Yiner asked someone to call the kitchen early in the morning. After waiting for most of the day, she can finally eat.

Little Yin'er sat on a round stool, her short legs swinging back and forth, her eyes sparkling, looking forward to the maid's return.

She waited and waited for a long time before she saw the figure of the little maid.

But the little maid's eyes were red, as if she had been crying.

The little maid's face was also red, and there was a large red mark on her left cheek, which looked very much like a palm print.

The little maid didn't dare to come in and hesitated at the door.

Xiao Yin'er already understood what was going on. She supported herself on the round stool with both hands, jumped down, and ran to the door.

"Who hit you?"

The little maid hurriedly shook her head.

"No, no one hit me. I just bumped into you by accident..."

Xiao Yin'er frowned.

"Although I'm young, I'm not stupid. Who could get into this kind of situation?"

She pointed at the palm print on the little maid's face and was extremely angry.

"The nurse said that the maidservant is the face of the master. Whoever hits my maidservant hits my face. Let's go! Take me to find someone!"

As she said this, she was about to walk out.

The little maid hurriedly hugged her.

"No way! Miss, that's the maidservant next to Aunt Guan, you can't go."

Xiao Yiner stopped and looked distressed.

Aunt Guan is my father's concubine, so she is half an elder. Does beating her maid count as disobeying an elder?

The little maid was still persuading her.

"Listen to me, don't go. I'll be fine after a slap. It will go away in two days. Even though the blood swallow was snatched away, there's nothing we can do. Aunt Guan is pregnant, and the imperial physician said it's a boy. That's the future little master, and we can't afford to offend him, young lady!"

Xiao Yin'er knew that Aunt Guan was pregnant.

She also knew that she was a girl and was naturally inferior to boys.

When my younger brother was still alive, my father, the princess, and the servants around him all cared more about him.

They would say that their younger brother is their support and only their younger brother can carry on the family line. Girls will get married and belong to someone else's family in the future. If they don't want to be bullied by their in-laws, they must love their younger brother.

At that time, Xiao Yiner didn’t understand, she just felt that her brother was very pitiful because he was always sick and had to take medicine.

Now, she actually doesn’t quite understand the meaning of these words.

But she knew that she couldn't compete with a boy.

Xiao Yin'er suddenly became dispirited.

She hung her head, very sad, and her eyes were filled with tears in an instant.

At this time, there was a burst of voices coming from the direction of the main house.

Xiao Yin'er heard her mother's voice.

She didn't dare let her mother see her crying, so she grabbed the little maid's hand and ran out.

After running to a deserted place, Xiao Yin'er squatted down, tears streaming down her face, instantly wetting the ground beneath her feet.

Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice above her head.

"Is this the little Weaver Girl from heaven coming down to earth? Why is such a lovely fairy hiding here crying alone?"

Xiao Yin'er raised her tearful face and saw a blurry but familiar face.

"Aunt Jiang!"

She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, stood up, and saluted crookedly.

"Aunt, don't tell my mother."

Jiang Wanyue bent down and wiped her tears.

"Auntie won't tell you, but you have to tell me why you are crying."

Xiao Yin'er twitched. At this moment, the little maid ran over, bowed to Jiang Wanyue breathlessly, and told her what had happened.

The little maid's thought was simple: her young lady could not compete with Aunt Guan, but Aunt Jiang was also pregnant and was more favored by the prince than Aunt Guan!

If Aunt Jiang came forward, there would be no problem.

So the little maidservant exaggerated what she said.

Jiang Wanyue listened quietly and did not get angry as the little maid expected. She just took Xiao Yin'er's hand.

"Why don't you go to your aunt's place for a while? Wash your face and then go back to Nianyun Pavilion, okay?"

Xiao Yiner nodded.

Jiang Wanyue turned and gave instructions to Mier.

"Mi'er, go to Nianyun Pavilion and tell Madam Consort that the Second Miss has gone to my place, so that she doesn't have to worry."

Mier bent her knees and ran away quickly.

The little maid became anxious.

"Aunt Jiang, are you not going to do anything? Aunt Guan is going too far. She doesn't even take our Second Young Miss seriously. This is really too much!"

Only then did Jiang Wanyue have time to look at her.

"I have my own ideas on this matter. You can't get anything done just by being anxious."

Jiang Wanyue could tell at a glance what this little maid was thinking.

She didn't mind helping Xiao Yin'er.

Xiao Yin'er is well-behaved and sensible, very lovable.

But before doing anything, you must find out the truth of the matter.

Jiang Wanyue has never been an impulsive person.

She took Xiao Yin'er back to Wutong Courtyard, called Qiongzhi and Xuzhi, and asked them to go to the kitchen to inquire about the situation.

She has been eating in the small kitchen recently, but most of the maids still eat in the big kitchen. Usually, either Qiongzhi or Xuzhi goes to get the food, and they are more familiar with the kitchen.

Qiongzhi was steady and Xuzhi was clever. When they arrived at the kitchen, they did not ask questions directly, but took a piece of silver and asked the kitchen to help make some snacks.

The second chef who was most familiar with them asked with a smile: "Girls, are you going to ask for wisdom? There are a lot of fruits here! Feel free to take them."

As he said that, he called a boy to help him get the things.

Xuzhi thanked him and followed the boy to the next door, during which time she asked two gossipy old women and the helpers a few questions.

On the other side, Qiongzhi was chatting with the second chef, and they seemed to casually talk about Aunt Guan.

The second chef curled his lips and said, "That master is arrogant, but he is very stingy when he spends money."

There is a lot of money to be made working in the kitchen, but there is a chief chef above the second chef, and the big share of the profits goes to the chief chef. He can't make much, so he cares more about the rewards from his masters.

Jiang Wanyue usually doesn't eat in the big kitchen, but the small kitchen can't make complicated dishes. Occasionally, when she wants to eat, she will pay the big kitchen to cook.

All the money went into the second chef's pocket.

He was particularly attentive and flattering to the people in Wutong Courtyard.

After asking a few questions, Qiongzhi got the answer.

At the same time, Xuzhi finished her questions and returned with two plates of snacks.

The two of them hurried back to Wutong Courtyard and told their master everything they had learned.

After listening to this, Jiang Wanyue just said, "I understand."

She played jigsaw puzzles with Xiao Yin for a while, then took out beads and asked her to string them together, and finally she coaxed the child into submission.

At this time, the guests outside gradually dispersed. The banquet was over. Jiang Wanyue stood up, changed her clothes, and took Xiao Yin'er out.

"Aunt, where are you going?"

Xiao Yiner looked at the road ahead, not going back to Nianyun Pavilion, and couldn't help asking.

Jiang Wanyue touched her head.

"Go find the princess."