High-class maid

At this time, Zhang was completely unaware of the matter. She was in her room, extremely worried about Doctor Qian.

She sent people to invite the second master, hoping to ask him for some money, but he didn't come no matter how many times she asked.

Just as she was considering whether to hire someone to get rid of Doctor Qian, Granny Shen, who was by the old lady's side, arrived.

"Madam, the old lady requests your presence," said Granny Shen.

"Why would the old lady summon me at this time? Granny, is there something wrong?" Madam Zhang tried to get some information out of Granny Shen.

"This servant doesn't know, and it's not something we servants can fathom," Shen Mama emphasized the word "servant." She looked at Zhang Shi as if she were looking at a dead person.

Zhang was speechless after being told off by Granny Shen. Instead of going to the inner room to change her clothes, she simply smoothed her hair with her hand and followed Granny Shen away.

When Zhang arrived at the Second Madam's courtyard, she saw her cousin kneeling on the ground and the extremely angry Second Master. She immediately understood what had happened.

She silently told herself, "It's okay, this is my cousin's child, he will definitely protect us." But her legs felt like lead as she walked forward.

"This servant greets the Old Madam, the First Madam, the Second Madam, and the Master. May I ask why the Old Madam has summoned this servant?" Zhang asked, feigning confusion.

"Mrs. Zhang, do you know this man? Is he your cousin?" the old lady asked.

"Reporting to the old lady, this man is indeed my cousin. May I ask what crime he has committed and how he came to be in our household?"

"Your cousin said that the child in your belly is his. Do you have anything to say?" the old lady asked, turning the prayer beads in her hand.

"Nonsense! I am an innocent woman, and my only man in this life is the Second Master! It's my cousin who harassed me relentlessly when I was still a young woman. Perhaps he sees that I'm doing well now and wants to disgust me." Zhang Shi explained hastily without even looking at her cousin.

When Zhang's cousin saw her, his reaction went from joy to shock to anger. He never imagined that his once innocent little cousin would become a shameless liar so quickly after only a short time in the household.

He originally wanted to take all the blame upon himself, but seeing his cousin's state and the second wife's confident demeanor, he knew that everything was under someone else's control.

"Reporting to the old lady, my cousin and I met secretly in the eastern part of the capital. The proprietress there already recognizes us. You can ask her if you don't believe me."

"No need to ask anymore. Someone, bring Doctor Qian up." The second madam had long since lost her patience.

When Zhang saw Doctor Qian, she seemed to lose all her strength and collapsed onto the maid behind her.

Because the mistress and his illegitimate child were controlled by the second wife, Doctor Qian confessed how Zhang bribed him to admit that Zhang was three months pregnant.

Then, the old lady summoned another physician from the household to take Zhang's pulse. The physician concluded that Zhang was four and a half months pregnant. Clearly, the child in her womb was not the second master's.

The second master looked at Zhang Shi with disappointment and asked, "What else do you have to say in your defense? Haven't I been good enough to you? How dare you cheat on me!"

Zhang, abandoning her usual virtuous demeanor, knelt on the ground, grabbing the second master's trouser leg and crying out, "Master, listen to me! I was forced into this! I have my reasons!"

The second master could no longer tolerate it and kicked her to the ground.

Finally, the master decided to reward Zhang with a bowl of abortifacient medicine and sell her to a brothel three days later.

Zhang's cousin owed the second wife's subordinates a thousand taels of silver. They reported him to the authorities, who seized all his property and gave it to the second wife. Unable to stay in the capital, the cousin took his elderly mother and returned to his hometown.

From then on, Zhang's dream of becoming a concubine was shattered, and Zhang was no longer a person in the mansion.

Pantry

"Xing'er, have you heard? Second Master's beloved concubine has been sold to a brothel," Shan Tao whispered mysteriously in Shen Xing'er's ear.

"Ah, wasn't that favored concubine pregnant? How could she have been sold? She was carrying the Second Master's child." Shen Xing'er asked, puzzled.

“I heard from my mother that because she conspired with her cousin to fake a pregnancy to win favor, the second wife found out, and the master was angry and sold her off.”

"She's really bold, daring to fake a pregnancy to win favor. Luckily, the Second Madam is wise," Shen Xing'er said.

"Times have really changed. She has enough love and affection, why would she pretend to be pregnant?" Shan Tao asked, puzzled.

"Who knows? Maybe she just wants more pampering," Shen Xing'er replied while pouring water.

"By the way, the Qixi Festival is in a couple of days. Every year, the old lady goes to Lingshan Temple to stay for a few days on Qixi Festival. Will she go this year?"

"Probably. I actually hope the old lady goes, so we can also have a chance to broaden our horizons," Shen Xing'er said.

This wealthy family is very particular. Someone like the old lady needs several carriages to go out by herself. Although she eats vegetarian meals at the temple, she brings her own afternoon tea and pastries from her own home.

Meanwhile, the old lady was also hesitating about whether or not to go to Lingshan Temple.

"Mother, are we going to Lingshan Temple again this year? Should I give the order and have the servants make preparations?" the First Madam asked.

"Sigh, there's so much going on in the second son's courtyard every day. I've been so angry with him these past few days that I haven't been able to eat or drink, and I have no mood for sightseeing at all," the old lady said, rubbing her forehead.

"Mother, who would have thought that Zhang would be so bold? After this incident, I suppose my second brother will no longer dare to pursue those frivolous women," the First Madam comforted her.

"Alright, go ahead. Go tell the second son that he's not allowed to bring any of his concubines with him," the old lady said.

The people in the old lady's courtyard were the happiest when the news came out that they would be going to Lingshan Temple in two days.

Because in addition to bringing a personal nanny, two head maids, and two second-class maids, the old lady also brought two more cooks and two more tea maids than the first and second wives.

Shan Tao and Shen Xing'er happened to be on the list. The two girls were overjoyed and spun around several times when they found out.

It is well known that Lingshan Temple is very efficacious, and only high-ranking officials and nobles can go up there. Ordinary people can't go at all and can only sell things at the foot of the mountain.

Although ordinary people cannot go to Lingshan Temple, the Qixi Festival is very lively every year because people can see many people they don't usually come into contact with, and the money earned from setting up stalls during those days is several times that of usual.

These past two days, Shan Tao and Shen Xing'er have been counting down the days since they took office. Shen Xing'er has never been there before, while Shan Tao is thinking about the peaches at the temple, saying they are so sweet.

Shen Xing'er even laughed at her, saying that mountain peaches should eat mountain peaches.

On the day of the trip to Lingshan Temple, Shen Xing'er felt like she had forgotten something. It wasn't until she followed the group to the foot of the mountain that she remembered a major event that had occurred in the book.