The mistress has no feelings, why do you provoke her?

Gu Huaizhou took the silver from Zhou Shi, and Song Wenjun found out as soon as he did.

Xiao Tao looked puzzled: "The First Madam is actually willing to give the Marquis money, and so much at once. What is he planning to do with it?"

Song Wenjun tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said, "I'm afraid he's after the soap."

Yesterday, Xue Qingwan's soap was indeed very eye-catching.

It has a nice shape, can clean dirt, and most importantly, it leaves a fragrance.

These conditions are enough to attract those rich young ladies.

Since Gu Huaizhou couldn't get any money from the accounting office, he must have set his sights on Zhou Shi.

He must have made some promise to the Zhou family, otherwise that miser wouldn't have plucked feathers for him.

"Does Madam mean that the Marquis wants to sell the soap for money?" Xiao Tao pretended to think. "Then wouldn't we have to discuss it with Miss Biao?"

Song Wenjun smiled slightly and praised, "You're quite clever; you guessed the point right away."

After saying that, she stood up, took two bars of soap from the table and put them in her hand: "Let's go and add some more firewood for them, and take these bars of soap to my sister-in-law."

Xiao Tao nodded excitedly: "Okay."

She called out, "Chunhua, Qiuyue, you two stay inside and keep an eye on the young master."

Before long, a maid dressed in green and a maid dressed in yellow came in from outside.

The two of them answered in unison, "Yes."

Chunhua and Qiuyue were part of Song Wenjun's dowry, but Gu Huaizhou later transferred them to another courtyard. He had just gotten them back.

The indentures of the two were also in Song Wenjun's possession, so they were absolutely reliable.

Seeing that the child was still asleep, Song Wenjun quietly got up.

It was a bit cold outside, so Xiao Tao draped a cloak over her shoulders before following her out of Qiufeng Courtyard.

As Song Wenjun walked, she asked Xiao Tao, "How's Qingshan's surveillance going these days?"

She was referring to Jiang Miaoyin. Xiao Tao immediately understood and said, "Don't worry, Madam, she's been drinking her medicine every day without missing a single dose."

“These days she has been waiting for the Marquis every day, but the Marquis seems to be deliberately avoiding her. She made herself sick just to see the Marquis.”

Song Wenjun paused in her steps: "Are you falling ill?"

"That's right, taking a cold bath in the middle of the night just to see a man feel sorry for her." Xiao Tao looked puzzled as she said this: "Madam, what do you think she's after? Would a man really degrade her like this?"

Song Wenjun smiled bitterly. How similar Jiang Miaoyin was to her in her previous life!

She didn't seem to have the right to laugh at Jiang Miaoyin.

As they spoke, the two arrived at Jiang Miaoyin's courtyard.

She didn't like being served, and there wasn't even a maid in her house.

Perhaps he was ill, which is why he called for someone to serve him tea and water.

When Song Wenjun arrived, a maid was serving Jiang Miaoyin water.

She lay on the bed, looking sickly, with disheveled hair and bruises under her eyes.

Upon seeing Song Wenjun appear, a hint of unease flashed in Jiang Miaoyin's eyes.

She hurriedly tidied herself up and forced a smile: "Why are you here? I'm sorry to have made you laugh at me like this."

Jiang Miaoyin used to be glamorous and beautiful; even without makeup, you could tell she had taken great care of herself.

Back then, she and Gu Huaizhou were deeply in love, and even as a widow, she looked radiant.

Jiang Miaoyin considered herself exceptionally beautiful and felt superior to Song Wenjun.

But now, she feels somewhat inferior.

Song Wenjun pretended not to notice the evasive look in her eyes and stepped forward with concern, asking, "It's been a few days. How did you fall ill, sister-in-law? Have you called a doctor?"

The maidservant replied, "We've already invited them, and they've taken the medicine, but they're still not getting better."

"It's nothing..." Jiang Miaoyin coughed violently again before she could finish speaking.

His face was deathly pale.

Song Wenjun sighed and advised, "Sister-in-law, you should try to think more positively. Your elder brother has been gone for so long. You should live for yourself now. You have to look forward."

Jiang Miaoyin was taken aback for a moment, then gave a perfunctory "oh".

Then, her eyes reddened: "I'm not like you. You have someone to rely on, but I don't."

“I understand how you feel, sister-in-law.” Song Wenjun put the soap in her hand on the table and said with feigned joy, “My cousin made some soap a few days ago and gave me a few bars. I like them very much, so I’m giving them to you to try.”

Jiang Miaoyin's eyes fell on the soap, her delicate brows furrowing slightly: "What is this?"

“It can be used for washing hands, face, and clothes. But it’s a real waste to use such a precious thing for washing clothes. It’s fine for washing hands and face.” After saying that, Song Wenjun added, “The Marquis has been extremely busy these days. He just wants to open a shop with his cousin.”

Jiang Miaoyin's expression immediately tensed up: "What, open a shop with Miss Biao?"

The grievance in her eyes almost welled up, but was then swallowed up by anger.

No wonder Gu Huaizhou hasn't come to see her these days; it turns out he's been hanging out with Miss Biao.

Song Wenjun sighed, looking very distressed, and said, "Yes, Mother is very supportive."

"Wenjun, does Mother have some other idea in mind?" Jiang Miaoyin didn't want to be direct with Song Wenjun, so she probed indirectly, "Do you think Mother is planning to betroth Miss Biao to the Marquis?"

A mist welled up in Song Wenjun's eyes, and she nodded: "Mother does have this idea."

"So, you agree?"

“What can I do if I disagree? You know I can’t make that decision.”

Jiang Miaoyin looked at her with a disappointed expression: "You are the Marquis's wife, so whether or not to take a concubine is of course up to you to agree."

"But my body is not cooperating and has not gotten better. My mother said it is normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines."

Song Wenjun's timid appearance made Jiang Miaoyin secretly curse her for being useless.

On the surface, he still had to comfort her: "Even so, how can you take a concubine right after giving birth? Even if you want to, you have to wait."

Song Wenjun nodded obediently, looking completely indecisive, which made Jiang Miaoyin roll her eyes so hard they almost reached the sky.

After seeing Song Wenjun off, Jiang Miaoyin threw the soap on the ground and stomped on it until it was smashed to pieces.

She kept cursing: "You little bitch, you little bitch, you slut, you dare steal my man."

After cursing Xue Qingwan, she cursed Gu Huaizhou: "You dog of a man, you said you'd treat me well, I must have been blind to follow you."

Jiang Miaoyin cried and cursed until she stomped the soap into powder before she stopped.

She sat in the chair, her eyes red and lost in thought, thinking to herself, "I can't keep pretending to be sick like this."

She needs to find an opportunity to see Gu Huaizhou.

That evening, Jiang Miaoyin took advantage of a moment when no one was looking and hid in Gu Huaizhou's study.

It wasn't until it was completely dark that Gu Huaizhou came in from outside.

As soon as he entered, he was embraced tightly.

Gu Huaizhou was startled. Just as he was about to see who it was, he heard Jiang Miaoyin's voice, trembling with tears, say, "Huaizhou, it's me, it's Miaoyin."

"Miaoyin?" Gu Huaizhou looked nervous and said in a low voice with displeasure, "Why did you come to my study? What if someone sees you?"

Jiang Miaoyin cried pitifully, her voice choked with sobs, "Why haven't you come to see me for so many days? Are you with Xue Qingwan?"

Gu Huaizhou froze, unable to see Jiang Miaoyin's expression because it was too dark.

He thought Jiang Miaoyin was talking about his business dealings with Xue Qingwan, and said excitedly, "Miaoyin, you know about it, right? You'll support me, won't you?"