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

"Brother Lie, Brother Lin, what do you think about my intention to hand over the military command?" asked General Zhou.

Zhou Lie glanced at Zhou Hongqi, who was sulking alone, and said firmly to General Zhou, "Grandfather, I respect your decision. Even if the Zhou Army is handed over to outsiders, I am confident that I can take charge of it again within five years."

"Brother Lin, what about you?"

Zhou Lin looked at the thick bandage wrapped around his right wrist and said, "My grandson can't go to the battlefield anymore. I can't do anything about this either."

General Zhou sighed and said to Zhou Hongqi, "Lin Ge'er was involved in this incident when he and Ji Anbang went to suppress bandits. When you investigate him, you can also investigate whether Lin Ge's incident was intentional and whether Ji Anbang was involved."

"Grandfather, don't bother. I checked it out when the accident just happened. It's really my fault." Zhou Lin said in a low voice. He can now face this matter calmly.

General Zhou frowned and said, "What can those Miao people under your command find out? From now on, you will be in charge of the Zhou family's secret guards in the capital."

"Father? Father looks down on his son so much that he wants to seize power from him?" Zhou Hongqi jumped up.

"The burden of the North is now on you. Just focus on taking care of the North."

Zhou Hongqi said "yes" reluctantly.

"Brother Lin, I won't let you express your opinion. But tell me whether your grandfather should hand over this military order." General Zhou said calmly.

"No matter who is behind Ji Anbang now, on the surface, he is a member of our Zhou family army, and it was my grandfather who recommended him to the Beijing suburban camp."

"So, His Majesty must be informed of Ji Anbang's situation in advance. Otherwise, when something goes wrong in the Jingjiao camp, it will be the day when my Zhou family is destroyed."

"Besides, having His Majesty investigate the people behind Ji Anbang is more legitimate and more effective than us doing it ourselves."

"Grandfather, the military token in your hand represents the attitude of our Zhou family. In return, we have the Zhou family's safety."

General Zhou listened to Zhou Lin's words and glanced at Zhou Hongqi. "Did you hear that?"

Zhou Hongqi nodded like a quail.

……

In the main room of the third branch of the Shen family, Old Madam Shen sat at the top with a gloomy face, while Third Madam Shen stood beside her with her head lowered and her chest hunched.

Aunt Gui ran in from outside, "Madam, Doctor Chen has given the acupuncture and the medicine has been given, and the bleeding has stopped."

Old Madam Shen had just breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Nanny Gui continue, "Madam Xue's abdominal pain hasn't subsided. Doctor Chen said... that his ability is limited, so he asked us to think of other solutions."

Madam Shen slammed her palm on the table angrily. "Every year, the mansion spends hundreds of taels of silver to support him, and he only has to treat a few masters. When he took the money, he didn't say that his ability was limited. Now he says his ability is limited when he is asked to save people."

Mrs. Shen San, who was standing nearby, trembled and said, "Mother, now is not the time to be angry. There is a gynecologist in my mother's family, the Duke of Qing's mansion. Should we send someone to invite him?"

Old Madam Shen glanced coldly at Madam Shen San. "I dare not use the doctor you invited until we have figured out what exactly happened. Ah Gui, take the master's card and ask for Han Yuanzheng from the Imperial Hospital."

"Mother," Madam Shen San said in surprise, "None of us three sisters-in-law ever hired an imperial physician for our childbirth. Even when my daughter-in-law had heavy bleeding during Aning's birth, we only hired an ordinary imperial physician to prescribe some medicine for her recovery during the confinement period. Now, you're actually using your father-in-law's name to hire the director of the Imperial Hospital just for a concubine?"

What Old Madam Shen was thinking was, how can you guys compare with my niece from my mother's side?

But what he said was, "When you three were giving birth, your father-in-law was only an assistant minister in one of the six ministries. How could he afford to ask the director of the Imperial Hospital? Later, he was promoted to minister and then prime minister, so I finally had the nerve to ask him. Now you're even fussing about this. What's your intention in dragging it out like this?"

"Daughter-in-law...daughter-in-law just...just unwilling."

"Unwilling? If it was you lying there right now, I would have asked Han Yuanzheng to come over for you as well!"

……

"Old... old lady, Aunt Xue... Aunt Xue... the child can't be saved." Aunt Gui said while panting from running.

Madam Shen stood up from her chair and clutched Nanny Gui's hand tightly, "How could it be that the child couldn't be saved? Doctor Chen was able to stop the bleeding, so why did Director Han say that the child couldn't be saved the moment he arrived?"

"Madam, Han Yuanzheng said...that the child has been gone for a while. Doctor Chen's forced hemostasis will cause the dead fetus to rot in the womb. By then, I'm afraid even the mother won't be able to be saved. Concubine Xue's fever is a sign of this. Please make a decision quickly, Madam."

At this time, Shen Qingjiang, the third master of the Shen family, hurried back from outside. He heard these words when he lifted the curtain. His body swayed, his Adam's apple rolled, and he finally said, "Why should we protect the child if he is gone? Let's protect the adult."

After hearing what Shen Qingjiang said, Nanny Gui looked at Old Madam Shen, wanting to wait for Old Madam Shen to make the final decision.

Madam Shen pursed her lips and nodded with difficulty, "Let's do as the Third Master says. After all, it's the Third House's business."

Nanny Gui handed Old Madam Shen to Shen Qingjiang and ran out again.

Old Madam Shen glared at Shen Qingjiang with her dim eyes. "Such a big thing happened in your room. Where did you go? Why did you come back just now?"

Shen Qingjiang helped Madam Shen sit on a chair in the main hall and said nonchalantly, "Son has to go to the government office."

"My family sent someone to the government office looking for you, but your colleagues said you showed up early in the morning and left."

"That's just nonsense from the government. They said my son wasn't there because they didn't see him." Shen Qingjiang tried to change the subject quickly and said to Mrs. Shen San who was standing beside him, "Qimei, he was fine when I left this morning. How could he be like this? You couldn't even keep an eye on someone at home? Did you do this to Xiangxue?"

Mrs. Shen's eyes suddenly turned red. "Third Master, Concubine Xue stayed in her yard all day and didn't even leave the house. I, thinking she was pregnant, exempted her from visiting me every morning and evening. How come she didn't keep the child and it became my fault?"

"Hmph, if it's not you, then who else would this child pose the greatest threat to? You vicious woman, you can't give birth to a son yourself, so you want to end your husband's lineage."

"How could Third Master think so of me? I am also the child's biological mother. I know that I am in poor health and cannot carry on the Third Master's family line. Ever since I knew that Concubine Xue was pregnant, I have had people take good care of her. The best food, clothes and daily necessities were sent to Concubine Xue's room. In Third Master's mouth, I have become a vicious woman." Mrs. Shen sobbed.

Old Madam Shen interrupted their pointless quarrel. "Alright, I'll definitely find out who it is. Qin, if it's not you, I'll definitely clear your name. If it's you, then you've committed one of the seven grounds for divorce..."

"Mother." Mrs. Shen San suddenly called out, "A Ning once said that this child cannot be kept."