Dad, open the door. I'll bring your mistress back for you.

"Aunt." Xiangxue gently pushed open the door and stepped into the room cautiously.

She immediately saw Old Madam Shen sitting on the couch with a gloomy expression.

Old Madam Shen glanced at Xiangxue coldly and said stiffly, "How many times have I told you not to call me aunt?"

Xiangxue's heart tightened, but she still forced a smile, turned around and gently closed the door, and said softly: "I only dared to call you like this because I saw that there was no one else in the room. Calling you aunt is closer."

"A while ago, the Third Master went hunting in the mountains and caught two gray mice. I specially asked for a piece of skin and made a pair of sleeve cages for my aunt."

As she spoke, Xiangxue placed the exquisite sleeve cage on the kang table in front of Old Madam Shen, her eyes full of anticipation and flattery.

"It's almost time for you to go to Daxiangguo Temple to burn incense. In this kind of weather, using a hand warmer is too hot. Using a sleeve warmer is just right." Xiangxue continued, with a bit of coquettishness in her voice.

However, Old Madam Shen ignored Xiangxue's courtesy and just looked at her sleeves silently, with no expression on her face.

Xiangxue saw that Old Madam Shen was unmoved and became a little anxious. So she mustered up the courage to speak again, "The Third Madam has been ill recently and will definitely not be able to accompany Aunt to the incense burner. I wonder if Aunt can take Xiangxue with her this time?"

After saying that, Xiangxue lifted her hair and tucked it behind her ears, revealing a shy look, her eyes full of desire for freedom.

Ever since the last incident at Tianxi Hall, she had been under house arrest and had not stepped out of the Shen Mansion for a long time.

More importantly, He Er used to pass messages to her through Shen Jingwan, but since Shen Jingwan was registered under the name of Madam Shen San, she came to her yard less and less frequently.

Even when he came, he was in a hurry and didn't even have time to say hello.

When she asked about He Er's situation, Shen Jingwan always hesitated and couldn't explain clearly.

Therefore, she had to find an opportunity to go out and meet He Er.

Seeing Xiangxue like this, Mrs. Shen became even more furious.

"Wan'er is about to be sent to the family temple, and you still have the mood to be here making sleeve cages, and you even want to go to Daxiangguo Temple!" Old Lady Shen scolded angrily.

Xiangxue smiled awkwardly and said, "Aunt, you also know that Wan'er is now registered under the name of the Third Madam. How can I, a concubine, control her?"

"Wan'er was about to be sent to the manor last time, but it was because of your pregnancy that Wan'er escaped. I took such a big risk to help you replace the sterilization soup, and now is the time when you can be of use."

As Old Madam Shen spoke, she twirled the Buddhist beads in her hand, her heart filled with dissatisfaction and anger.

Xiangxue said calmly, "How can you get pregnant just by saying so? The Third Madam has served the Third Master for so many years, and she only got a Ninth Miss."

There was a hint of helplessness and grievance in her tone.

"Qin Qimei was injured when she gave birth to Xiaojiu, which is why it's difficult for her to get pregnant." Old Madam Shen patted her legs, sighed, and said to Xiangxue.

She did not tell Xiangxue that Mrs. Shen San drank the contraceptive soup.

"Yes, I will try my best." Xiangxue answered obediently.

"What are you talking about working hard? It's a must! I'll delay it a little longer. You must get pregnant next month. Then you can say that you can't bear to see Wan'er run so far away. If she has a miscarriage, you want Wan'er to take care of you." Old Madam Shen said firmly.

"This...is this possible? Wan'er is now a legitimate lady, so it doesn't make sense for her to take care of her concubine. If I really do that, the Third Madam will eat me up." Xiangxue expressed her concerns.

Madam Shen waved her hand impatiently. "What's there to worry about? As long as Wan'er agrees, the Third Lady won't have anything to say. Besides, as long as Wan'er isn't allowed to go to the ancestral temple, there's nothing for her to disagree with."

Xiangxue's eyes rolled, and a plan came to her mind. She said, "Aunt, how about this? I'll pretend to be pregnant and leave Wan'er here. Later, you can take me to Daxiangguo Temple to pray for the unborn child. If I fall on the way, we can say that the baby has been lost, or that the bumpy road caused the fetus to die. This way, we won't arouse suspicion, and we can also let Wan'er stay in the mansion."

Furious, Old Madam Shen slammed the sleeves on the table to the ground, glaring and sternly saying, "How audacious you are! You dare to make a fuss about the Buddha? Aren't you afraid of retribution?"

Looking at Old Madam Shen's face, so gloomy it looked as if water could drip out, Xiangxue's heart tightened, her eyes reddened, and she said aggrievedly, "For the past two months, I have finally won over Third Master's heart. Having a child is not difficult, and we can plan it slowly. But with just one word from you, I have to risk losing favor and use a fake pregnancy to keep Wan'er, so that she won't have to suffer in the ancestral temple."

As she spoke, she gently wiped the corners of her eyes with her handkerchief and continued sobbing, "This Wan'er is so ignorant. Ever since she was adopted by the Third Madam, she has ignored me and doesn't even take me, her biological mother, seriously. I was thinking of ignoring her, but after all, she is my own flesh and blood, born after ten months of pregnancy. That's why I came up with this idea."

After hearing Xiangxue's crying, Mrs. Shen's originally tense face relaxed a little, and a hint of thought flashed in her eyes.

After a moment's silence, she slowly said, "Fake pregnancy... isn't impossible. Doctor Chen in the mansion is my man. As long as he's willing to help conceal it, and the pregnancy isn't obvious in the first three months, it should be possible to conceal it."

"Well, I will try my best to keep Wan'er at home first. If it really doesn't work, I can use the excuse that you have an unstable pregnancy. As for a miscarriage, you don't have to go to Daxiangguo Temple to fall down. You can fall down at home too." Old Lady Shen looked at Xiangxue and said.

Hearing this, Xiangxue felt sad.

After all, she was Madam Shen's niece, but Madam Shen could actually scheme to such an extent for a granddaughter.

She couldn't help but think of Shen Chuning. She heard that she was also very favored in the mansion before, but that was the favor of everyone in the Shen family; and now Shen Jingwan seemed to be treated even better by Old Madam Shen.

Especially after Shen Jingwan became the sixth princess's study companion, Old Lady Shen responded to all her requests.

Logically speaking, Shen Chuning was also the princess's study companion, and Princess Jiahe's status was more noble than the Sixth Princess. So the reason why Old Lady Shen treated Shen Jingwan so well was not because of the Sixth Princess.

Just as Xiangxue was lost in thought, trying to solve the mystery, there was a sudden knock on the door from Aunt Gui.

"Madam, the Sixth Young Master is here."