The Concubine's Daughter Travels Through Time and Space and Takes the Road of Confrontation

Rong Jie'er was about to finish school, and everyone in the house was looking forward to it. They saw Rong Jie'er jumping in from the courtyard gate, and Xiao Cui was also smiling. Everyone felt relieved.

"Mom, my second cousin apologized to me." Rong Jie'er's eyes sparkled. Zhang scratched her little nose and said, "Who wouldn't like a good girl like our Rong Jie'er?" Lu Rong was so happy with the praise that she turned around to tease Yun Jie'er.

Zhang looked at the pair of sisters in the hall with infinite love, and felt very comforted.

A few sounds of "dee-dee" were heard, and Huiger ran in breathlessly with small steps, saying "Sister, sister." Zhang held him in her arms, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said, "Run slower, your eldest cousin has already apologized to your sister." Huiger was happy and struggled to find his sister.

The servants saw the master from afar and came back to report. Zhang then ordered the servants to set the table. The second master walked into the room and saw Rong Jieer smiling and whispering to Yun Jieer. He looked at Zhang and said, "Is it settled?" Zhang replied with a smile, "Rong Jieer has a kind and honest character. Qin Jieer apologized to her and she is so happy to come back.

The second master also laughed, hugged his daughter and kissed her a few times, then turned back to look at Zhang and said, "It's all thanks to Madam's good teaching."

At night, the two sisters slept in the west wing. Rong Jieer looked at her sister's sleeping face and sighed. Bullying and being bullied were both bad feelings. Thinking of her second cousin crying and apologizing to her, Rong Jieer felt a little sad. She tilted her head and thought for a long time, but she couldn't figure it out. Finally, she fell into a deep sleep.

The next day, the maid who got up to clean replaced the empty dessert plates and teapots as usual. The head maid Jinhe came in and gently called the two young ladies to get up and have breakfast.

Rong Jieer rubbed her eyes and got up from the bed, pushing her sister with her hand, "Yunyun, get up, mother is calling us to have breakfast." Before she finished speaking, the little fat boy on the bed opened his eyes, slowly got up from the bed, and Caihe carried him to wash.

The three of them sat down at the table and ate their meals obediently. Yunjie'er's bowl was a bit larger, and she buried her head in it, absorbed in the food. Perhaps influenced by her sister's single-minded focus, the other two also ate with exceptional relish. Whenever this happened, Nanny Chang would look at Yunjie'er with an especially loving gaze, while the Second Master would glance a few more times at his youngest daughter's bowl.

Hui Ge'er was the first to finish his meal. "Mother, I'm going to school," he said, and ran off in a flash. The little maid ran after him. Zhang sighed, "I've told you so many times not to run after a meal, but you still can't remember. It seems like I need to find him a son."

Rong Jieer put down the spoon, broke the shredded pork bun in half, kept a small piece for herself, and handed the rest directly to Yun Jieer, followed by the egg and the golden steamed bun.

Everyone in the house was used to it, except the second master, Lu Lingcong, who kept staring at her. He once said that his little daughter was more gluttonous than any soldier he had ever seen. To this, Zhang said that being able to eat was a blessing, and that the child was still young and would be fine when she grew older.

After the children had left, the Second Master sat down beside his wife and watched Zhang work on the abacus. Recalling what had just happened, and knowing how much his wife valued the children, he carefully considered his words, "It seems—Sister Yun'er's job seems to be a bit bigger than before."

Zhang's men kept clacking the abacus beads without looking up. "As the children grow older, their appetites will increase too. It's inconvenient to always use small bowls." The second master smacked his lips and thought there was some truth to this.

In Yingchun Courtyard, Wang'er was finally well again, but the three-year-old boy looked timid, as if he would fall down at the slightest breeze. Aunt Yao was also worried, remembering what the mistress had said that day. She looked outside and saw that it was a sunny day. Cailian smiled and said, "Auntie, it's warm outside, without a single breeze."

After much hesitation, Zhang finally made up her mind to take Wang Ge'er out for a walk.

The group walked, stopping and starting, toward the small garden in the backyard. Wang Ge'er, led by his nurse, would stop every three steps to survey his surroundings with curiosity. It was early winter, and the garden was bare of flowers and trees, save for a few Scots pine trees that stood proudly. Beside the pond stood a rockery with a small waterfall, shimmering in the sunlight, tempting Wang Ge'er to reach out for it.

The group was walking breathlessly. Cai Lian saw Wang Ge'er's face flushed red, and saw a corner of the pavilion not far away. She smiled and suggested, "Auntie, I estimate that we have been out for half an hour. Why don't we go to the pavilion in front to rest before going back?"

Yao nodded. She had been planning to return immediately, but when she saw her son's eyes sparkling and looking more energetic than usual, she perked up and continued walking. As they reached the last path, they realized someone was already in the pavilion. It was none other than Mao, the subject of much discussion among the servants.

Only after getting the doctor's permission did Mao dare to go out with others. Who would have thought that this day she would run into an old friend? Mao's eyes flickered slightly, and she smiled and walked forward, bowed and said, "Hello, sister."

Yao looked strange and reluctantly returned the greeting, "Hello, sister."

Mao laughed again, "Sister, why are you so interested in strolling in the small garden today?" Concubine Yao, out of courtesy, replied perfunctorily, "It's a nice day today." Mao, however, didn't believe it. She tightened her rabbit fur cloak and stroked her slightly swollen belly with her right hand. "Sister, you're in a good mood, but it's a pity that I've been coming here for so many years and know it's the quietest place."

Aunt Yao had a hunch that Mao was up to something. What was she lamenting? Wasn't quiet good? She could only reply, "Sister, you've got good taste. You've found a quiet place where you can get some peace and quiet. Unlike me, my brother is so naughty that the yard is rarely peaceful. You'll know when you're pregnant."

Mao smiled after hearing this, her voice full of resentment, "As a concubine, I also want to have the same blessings as my elder sister. It's a pity that I'm not even a concubine."

She understood what he said, and Aunt Yao kindly comforted her, "It's okay. Although we are different, if you work hard, you will have the same day as me."

Mao: "——" Doesn't she understand what people say?

Mao continued, "If I become a concubine and have another child, I'll have someone to rely on. Although it won't be as good as a legitimate son, the mistress will give me some money, and if I give it to a wealthy man, I'll never have to worry about food and clothing for the rest of my life."

Aunt Yao imagined the scene and thought it was very feasible, so she added, "Buy a few maids, hire a good cook, and build a pen in the back to raise a few pigs—" She loved braised pork.

Hire a good cook! Raise some pigs! Mao couldn’t stand it any longer and got up and left without even looking back.

Yao was puzzled, "She was fine just now..." Caiping held back her laughter and helped Aunt Yao up. She finally understood why the lady chose Aunt Yao.

"This is really smart and afraid of stupid people. I didn't know Jinling was still thinking about raising pigs." Zhang was helpless. Nanny Chang, who knew the inside story, explained, "Jinling's family was originally a butcher and lived a wealthy life. Later, a plague broke out in her hometown, and her parents fell ill one after another, depleting the family's money. She sold herself to raise money for her family's medical treatment. I don't know if she recovered later."

Zhang sighed, "She's such a miserable person. It's hard for her to be so honest and straightforward." She then asked Yao about her origins. Nanny Chang shook her head and said, "She said she was only five years old at the time and can't remember it anymore."

Nanny Lu Yun calculated the time and found that this year was the eighteenth year of the Longqing Emperor's reign. Counting back the time, it should be the penultimate year of the Changping Emperor's reign, the twentieth year of the Changping Emperor's reign. Lu Yun silently memorized this time.