High-class maid

Before the maid could answer her, she continued, "Probably not. She already has a son. If she wanted my son, he would be the legitimate heir. She shouldn't be that foolish."

Zhang didn't think too much about it. She had spent the whole afternoon choosing patterns and styles and was already exhausted. She couldn't wait to go back to the courtyard to have someone massage her.

After Zhang left, the second madam dismissed everyone in the room, leaving only Banjian and her personal nanny.

She asked, "So, is there any result?"

"Reporting to Madam, as you expect, the men I sent have captured Doctor Qian. He was hiding in his mistress's house, but our men have him under control."

"What about Zhang's cousin? Does Zhang have a cousin?" the second wife asked impatiently.

“Yes, our people found him at the casino, but there were too many people there, so I didn’t want to alert him. I just had our people follow him,” the old woman said.

"Good, you did the right thing. Banjian, give the order to have our people set up a trap so that Zhang's cousin loses all his money." The second madam quickly came up with a plan.

After hearing the instructions, Ban Jian quickly retreated to carry out the task. Time was of the essence, and he had to finish it as soon as possible to avoid any unforeseen complications.

Zhang's cousin, who had become obsessed with gambling at the casino, had a lucky day and won a lot of money. He was about to take the money to a brothel to have some fun when he was stopped by an inconspicuous man.

"Hey buddy, come gamble at our table. It's a new way to gamble. You're so good at it, you're sure to win. Just share some of the winnings with me."

Upon being flattered, Zhang's cousin immediately forgot that he was going home and said, "Alright then, I'll play for a little while longer. Don't lie to me, my brother-in-law is the second master of the Minister's mansion."

After Zhang's cousin arrived at another gambling table, he won several times in a row. Before the second wife's people could persuade him, he got so excited that he said, "Raise the stakes! Raise the stakes!"

After gambling for an hour, Zhang's cousin lost so much that he owed them a thousand taels of silver.

"Kid, hand over the money now, or we'll go to your house and kidnap your mother," the men threatened.

Although Zhang's cousin was proficient in all sorts of vices, including drinking, gambling, and womanizing, he was also extremely filial. "No, no, gentlemen, let me think of a way. Give me three days, and I'm sure I can raise the money."

"No, who knows if you'll run away? If you don't hand over the money today, we won't let you go," the group said menacingly.

"Here's what we'll do: you come with us. Our master is a well-known know-it-all in the martial arts world. You can tell him a secret, and if that secret is valuable, you won't have to pay back the thousand taels of silver."

Those people said it with reluctance.

Zhang's cousin was already terrified and didn't have time to think it through before nodding in agreement.

In the courtyard of the old lady of the Minister's mansion, after everyone had paid their respects, the second wife suddenly knelt in front of the old lady and said, "Your daughter-in-law is unfilial and has something to report to you."

Before the old lady could speak, the second master asked in shock, "Ruolan, what important matter has happened to you? Why do you have to tell me now? How come I don't know?"

The second wife kept her head down and didn't reply. The old lady waved her hand, and all the maids and servants in the room withdrew on their own.

"Speak, what is it?" the old lady asked wearily.

“Mother’s room is sacred; let’s not let such filthy people into your courtyard. Why don’t you come to my courtyard instead, and take a walk?” the second wife said.

The First Madam and the First Master seemed to think it was something important, so they wisely kept quiet. When the Old Madam saw that the Second Madam had everything prepared, she nodded in agreement.

The group followed the second madam to her courtyard.

After everyone was seated, the second madam gave Banjian a wink, and Banjian nodded and left.

A short while later, Zhang's cousin was brought over blindfolded.

The old lady looked at the second wife with a puzzled expression, and the second wife gestured for everyone to be quiet.

"Gentlemen, where have you led me? Can't I leave?" Zhang's cousin was already so frightened that his legs went weak.

"Now our master is right in front of you. Tell us the secrets you know again, and see if they're worth a thousand taels of silver," said the second mistress's subordinate.

"This matter, if it gets out, will be a matter of life and death. Is your master really not going to tell?"

“Our master makes a living by buying and selling information, and he would prefer as few people as possible to know,” the man comforted him.

“Alright, alright, I’ll tell you.” Zhang’s cousin hesitated for a moment, then hardened his heart and said, “The concubine of the Second Master of the Ministry of Rites is not carrying his child.”

The second master was shocked. How did he end up being the butcher in the gossip?

"Is this really true?" asked one of the Second Madam's subordinates.

“It’s absolutely true. I’m that concubine’s cousin. We met often before she entered the household, so I know,” Zhang’s cousin said with certainty.

The second master felt a terrible itch on his head, as if he was about to be cuckolded.

"Your information is only worth five hundred taels of silver. If you could tell us who the child's father is, that would be much better," the so-called master said.

“This…” Zhang’s cousin hesitated, after all, this matter was related to him.

"Yes, it's mine." He steeled himself and said it.

The second master was filled with disbelief, and even the first master and his wife went from being spectators to being shocked. Only the old lady remained relatively normal.

"Hmph, how can I believe it's yours? You're not trying to trick me for this thousand taels of silver, are you?" the so-called master asked.

"No, sir, it really is mine. That Zhang woman has a plum blossom birthmark on her waist. How would I know if we hadn't been intimate?"

Zhang's cousin told people everything in order to make them believe him.

The second master pointed at him, his trembling hand indicating that Zhang might indeed have a birthmark on her waist.

"You, you, you two, you're a real pair of adulterers!" The second master could no longer hold back and started cursing at Zhang's cousin.

Even if Zhang's cousin was stupid, he would realize at this point that he had been set up. He took off the blindfold, and when he saw where he was, his trembling legs betrayed his fear.

"Master, Madam, please spare me! I was just lying, please don't believe me!" Zhang's cousin pleaded, his legs trembling.

The old lady, who had been silent all along, snorted and said, "Hmph, as the saying goes, a beautiful concubine is a beautiful concubine. When you choose a concubine, you should at least choose one of good birth. You spoil this kind of woman who climbs into your bed like she's nothing. Does she even deserve it!"

"Mother, elder brother, is Zhang's cousin telling the truth or lying? Please have the doctor take Zhang's pulse to find out." The second madam did not look at the second master, but asked the old lady.

The old lady glanced wearily at the second master and said, "Invite Zhang here. Shen Mama, go."

The fact that the old lady sent her nanny, who had served her all her life, to invite Zhang Shi is enough to prove how important this matter was to her.