cold clothes

Even in the dead of winter, the news of Yunqiu's pregnancy caused a huge stir, like hot oil being poured into a pot. Lengyi had a premonition that Yunqiu was going to do something big, but the reaction around her was still beyond her expectations. In the past, no matter how big the event was, it could not affect Zhuoyu Pavilion. But now, both the nanny and the maid were surprised and astonished. Zhuoyu Pavilion was like a pot that had exploded.

Leng Yi hid in her room while Ling Cao went to gather information. Ling Cao returned and said that Yun Qiu's pregnancy had become the talk of the town. First, there were rumors that Fu Zi from the Duke's mansion was about to be born, and now it was revealed that Yun Qiu was pregnant with the child of the Duke's second son, making it obvious that Fu Zi was Yun Qiu's son. Originally, everyone in the Duke's mansion was overjoyed to hear the news of Fu Zi, and almost every woman in the mansion thought that she was about to become pregnant with Fu Zi. But unexpectedly, the Duke's mansion's Fu Zi was in the belly of a prostitute.

"Doesn't anyone think that Fu Zi is made up?" Leng Yi asked sincerely. As soon as she heard it, she felt that this was a trick played by Yun Qiu to climb the social ladder. Could it be that she really believed there was such a thing as Fu Zi?

Lingcao's panicked expression answered her doubts; people really do believe things. "How could that be? The person passing by the Duke's mansion was a reclusive master from the Daoist sect! I heard there really were auspicious seven-colored clouds in the sky above the Duke's mansion that day!"

"You saw it with your own eyes?" Leng Yi raised an eyebrow.

"No, but that's what everyone says."

Just because everyone says so, does that mean it's true...?

Leng Yi rolled her eyes in disdain. Ling Cao continued, "The second son of the Duke's mansion is a lover of Qing Chun, the top courtesan. He actually had an affair with Yun Qiu, the top courtesan, and even got Yun Qiu pregnant. So the rumors that we had been vaguely talking about before were true."

These women already knew about this, and she was even an accomplice. However, judging from Lingcao's expression, it seemed like this was a serious matter, so she couldn't help but ask in confusion, "Is this something serious?"

Lengyi always thought that the relationship between a client and a prostitute was simply a transaction of money and sex. But Lingcao told her that the courtesan was special. Ordinary prostitutes formed a fixed relationship with their clients called "shulong," while the courtesan's relationship was called "zhaomu." The courtesan could choose multiple men as her clients, but the chosen men could not have intimate relationships with other courtesans.

This left Leng Yi completely stunned. Was the courtesan's status really that high?

Then, Lingcao asked worriedly, "I don't know what Madam Hu will do with Yunqiu the courtesan. If she has an abortion, it might be a blessing, but can Yunqiu the courtesan marry into the Duke's mansion?"

Leng Yi was surprised: "You can't even come in if you have a child?"

“Ordinary families might be able to have a concubine, but the Duke’s mansion is a royal family, how could a woman of the night possibly aspire to such a position.”

"You're making me so confused," Leng Yi exclaimed in astonishment, somewhat annoyed. "When you talk about the courtesan's beauty and popularity, she's unattainable, but when you talk about marriage, she becomes a woman of the night..."

Lingcao could tell that Lengyi was angry. Although she didn't understand, she immediately became cautious and dared not say anything more.

Yunqiu's pregnancy is getting more and more serious. Today, Zhuoyu Pavilion suspended classes. Lengyi felt upset and told Lingcao that she was going out to clear her head.

"Miss, I'll go with you."

"Need not."

She put on her cloak and left without looking back, leaving Bellflower behind.

Soon after, Breeze and Moon returned to the room and found Bellflower idly knitting a handkerchief. Breeze asked her where her clothes were, and Bellflower stammered that they had gone out.

"Ha, she always likes to go out, I really don't understand it in the dead of winter. But you're so pitiful, you're supposed to be a personal maid but you're always acting like a watchdog," Breeze said sarcastically, making Bellflower feel ashamed.

Nongyue glanced at them sideways before lowering her head in thought, her expression gradually becoming playful.

-

"Here I come again!"

Leng Yi casually opened the wooden door of the herbal medicine shop and exclaimed loudly with a hearty laugh.