Chapter 136 Necessary for the Wives and Concubines to Fight

Other than Zi You, Second Wangzi, and Shangguan LingRan, even Old General Mu did not know the truth of this matter. He really thought that Shopkeeper Xie was moved by his granddaughter.

He immediately reported this matter to the Emperor. “Emperor, you are wise! Your approval of Chen’s granddaughter forming the female medical team has positively affected the public. Yesterday, someone went to find Chen……”

The Emperor was someone used to acting. After Old General Mu told him what happened, the Emperor immediately summoned Shopkeeper Xie.

Shopkeeper Xie spoke more emotionally when the Emperor summoned him. “Emperor, this commoner is lowly, but is still a man. This commoner had not thought about joining the army, but a delicate female like Mu Xiaojie has. Once this commoner thought about Mu Xiaojie abandoning her reputation and an easy life for her family and the country, this commoner is ashamed.

“Providing a medical clinic for the female medical doctors as a place to practice their medical skills is really not too much. This commoner wants to establish a free clinic to provide free medical services for those who can’t afford it when this commoner has more money in the future.”

“En. Mu Xiaojie is admirable indeed.” The Emperor thought of that calm, slender, and beautiful figure, and smiled very ambiguously, making Old General Mu’s heart jump in fear.

The result was what Second Wangzi thought. The Emperor immediately issued a decree. He designated Yichun Hall as the sole place for the female medical team to practice their medical skills. He also said to Shopkeeper Xie, “Your vision is good. Zhen is also very worried that Zhen’s citizens can’t afford to seek medical treatment. Your proposal solved a very worrying matter for Zhen.

“A free clinic is a good idea! Zhen will not let you be responsible for all the expenses for the citizens to see a doctor. Every year, Zhen will send you some medical herbs from the Imperial Hospital.”

The Emperor calculated very well. The medicine warehouse would clean up a number of herbs that had been stored too long, expired, damp, or deteriorated. If he gave a portion of these herbs to the free clinic, even if Shopkeeper Xie was beaten to death, he wouldn’t dare to take all the credit for the free clinic.

He would certainly say, “This is what the Emperor has done for the sake of his citizens. The medical herbs are free for the citizens. The Emperor is always thinking of you. The person you should thank is the Emperor and not me.”

Using expired medicine to exchange for the people’s gratitude. This transaction was really a bargain.

This was the good luck that Mu Zi You brought to Zhen. If she didn’t form a female medical team, then there would be no Shopkeeper Xie to form a free clinic. Zhen doesn’t even need to send a lot of imperial doctors. As long as there are one or two imperial doctors around Mu Zi You’s female medical team to help treat citizens, all of the credit will be given to Zhen.

If anything happens, then the blame can all be pushed onto Shopkeeper Xie. Zhen will say that he used deteriorated medicinal herbs and replaced the court’s good medicine with that in his free clinic.

If the citizens need to look for someone to blame, then they wouldn’t blame Zhen. The one they scold will definitely be Shopkeeper Xie.

Old General Mu and Shopkeeper Xie naturally did not know the Emperor’s sinister thoughts. They expressed thousands of gratitude, before they bowed and left.

When he returned, Shopkeeper Xie reported the matter of the Emperor summoning him to Second Wangzi. After a discussion, the two people were very happy.

Second Wangzi thought that he would reveal at the last critical moment that he was the real owner behind Yichun Hall. Then he would establish prestige in the hearts of the citizens.

Second Wangzi thought of this and immediately said to Shopkeeper Xie, “Build the free clinic now. If you need money, Benwangzi will think of a way.”

When Old General Mu told Zi You the Emperor’s intentions, she immediately guessed the Emperor’s dirty thoughts.

She coldly smiled and did not tell her grandfather. They were about to celebrate the holidays. She didn’t want her grandfather to be in fear like she was and couldn’t even celebrate the reunion festival.

Now, let’s talk about what happened after Mu YingRui returned.

It must be said that Wang Yiping was a very difficult opponent. After suffering a series of attacks, she quickly changed her strategy.

It was especially so that morning. After the three yiniangs ridiculed her, she immediately guessed that the three banding together had something to do with Zi You encountering Second Yiniang and Fourth Yiniang in the garden that day.

She was alone without support now. It was even difficult to establish a foothold in the General’s Manor, so how could she actually punish the concubines and that dirty cheap wench?

There was also her fickle husband. If she could not get this heart back and become pregnant with a child, then everything was empty talk.

Wang Yiping was contemplating, so her performance when Mu YingRui returned with Fifth Yiniang and Sixth Yiniang that day, greatly surprised Zi You.

To be exact, this woman’s actions made Zi You felt that she was acting unusually.

The three yiniangs’ cold ridicule actually did not anger Wang Yiping. She actually did not vent her anger like Zi You envisioned. This was unexpected to Zi You.

Little spirit mouse Xiaobai soon told her what happened that day.

As she thought, the three yiniangs went to pay respects to Wang Yiping early that day. Second Yiniang first stoked the fire. “Furen, I heard that we have a new meimei. We really have to congratulate Furen!”

“Yes.” Fourth Yiniang followed and said, “Not only do we have a new meimei, but Xiaojie will soon get a new brother. The holidays are almost here too. It’s really a celebration of three events. It’s really worthy of celebration!”

Third Yiniang looked at the discontented Wang Yiping and remembered how she was scolded for no reason yesterday. She mercilessly ridiculed, “Perhaps when Laoye returns this time, Furen can conceive. If so, that is really four things to celebrate.”

If she heard this innuendo in the past, Wang Yiping would certainly hop with rage, but this time, she actually did not attack the three people. Instead, she faintly sighed and cried two crocodile tears. “I know that I’m usually a little harsh on you, but that’s because I was used by someone with ulterior motives. I am apologizing to you all here today.

“Let us sisters get along well in the future. Let’s not compete with each other anymore. Especially you, Third Yiniang. You and I share the same fate. We should take care of each other.

“Now, do you feel good when you say such words to me? If we sisters fight like this, won’t we let the new outsiders be proud? Laoye will be back soon. He will only stay about a month. Sisters should think of how to make Laoye stay. Or think about how to obtain Xiaojie’s favor. That can also give Lao TaiYe a good impression.”

Wang Yiping’s words made the three yiniangs feel a sense of sympathy. They not only didn’t attack her anymore, but pondered over what she said.

“Used by someone with ulterior motives.” Who was this person? They thought of Wang Yiping’s last meaningful sentences and immediately put the blame on Zi You.

They agreed that Zi You was so young, but she was so insidious and vicious. She incited them to fight with Wang Yiping and incited Wang Yiping to fight with them.

As a result, the relationship among the three yiniangs and Wang Yiping reached an unprecedented harmony now.

Wang Yiping had always treated Zi You as well as if she was her biological mother. She made new clothes for her, ordered custom jewelry, and organized invitation cards, prepared to invite Zi You’s friends over as guests for the New Year.

All this kindness made Zi You think of the idiom, “One who is accountably solicitous is hiding evil intentions.”

It was exactly as Zi You guessed. Wang Yiping was indeed brewing a big conspiracy. She was just waiting for Mu YingRui to return before she implemented it.

Wang Yiping knew that without that man’s support, Old General Mu would completely ignore anything that she said.

But Mu YingRui was different. He was Mu Zi You’s biological father. A biological father could make any decisions regarding his biological daughter. Even if Old General Mu disagreed, it was the father and son fighting. It would have nothing to do with her.

With such an idea in mind, on the day that Mu YingRui was returning, Wang Yiping changed into the bright red color that only main wives could wear. She had an elegant and light style.

She originally had a weak and enchanting allure about her. She appeared like a small white flower, but was, in fact, a vicious poisonous snake.

On the day that Mu YingRui came back, Wang Yiping had on a plain silver brocade white fox fur cloak. It enveloped almost her entire body. Only her green lotus-shaped skirt was revealed. It swayed with her every step.

Her black hair was rolled into a Chaoyun bun. She only had on a gold inlaid jade hairpin. The hairpin had a few crystal clear jade beads on top. They gently fluttered in the wind. It was a very picturesque and poetic sight.

She lightly curtsied to Mu YingRui. She tearfully and prettily said, “Bieqie pays respects to Laoye and wishes Laoye good fortune! Laoye, you’re finally back.”

Sure enough, Mu YingRui thought that this elegant and pure beauty was far superior to his other concubines.

Distance produced beauty! In regards to appearance, Shui YouLian won over Wang Yiping. But she was now pregnant. Her jade-like skin had spots now. In Mu YingRui’s eyes, she couldn’t compare to the current Wang Yiping.

The scratch marks that Zi You left on Wang Yiping’s face were covered with powder. It appeared that her skin was whiter than Shui YouLian’s.

Second, Third, and Fourth Yiniang were older than Wang Yiping. Sixth Yiniang was someone whom he looked at for the past three months. How could they compare to Wang Yiping’s novelty and freshness and whom he had not seen for half a year?

He hurried over and personally helped her up. He looked lecherously at her and said nauseatingly, “Furen has worked hard! But you still have time to yearn for me!”

Once he said that, Wang Yiping was proud. Her face pretended to be bashful and she glared at Mu YingRui.

Only, this glance was alluring and seductive and almost sucked out Mu YingRui’s soul.

He left behind everything and the other yiniangs. He put his arm around Wang Yiping and walked into her living quarters. They entangled for a while. “Good! Baby, Ye missed you so much……”

“Ye……” Wang Yiping panted and gasped. “The other sisters are still outside……”

When the nauseating sounds spread outside, the faces of all the other yiniangs’ changed.

This was especially true for Sixth Yiniang. She thought that since Wang Yiping was Duke Yingguo’s daughter, even if she was a Shu daughter, she would certainly be elegant and proper. How could she think that Wang Yiping was so frivolous?

Although she was wearing elegant and refined clothing, it could not cover up that her every move and word revealed a seductive allure.

To be honest, even she, a Shu daughter of a small seventh-rank official, was more dignified than Wang Yiping. In what way did she look like a noble and prominent family’s main wife? She was more like a prostitute. No wonder Laoye was so flirtatious when he saw her.

Sixth Yiniang angrily pierced her fingernails into her palm. The pain in her hands couldn’t compare to the pain in her heart. She cursed Wang Yiping and hated that she couldn’t curse her out loud.

The other three yiniangs were secretly cursing nonstop too. What nice-sounding words to let them take turns serving Laoye. Now, as soon as Laoye entered the door, she used a demoness’ techniques to seduce him away.

Only Fifth Yiniang stood at the very back and looked coldly at everything, as if it had nothing to do with her at all.

She was extremely disappointed in Mu YingRui after going with him to take up his post in these past three months.

One could say that he had no talent, but could not say that he was not handsome. But his character was not praiseworthy. One could ignore that he was lecherous, but he was also a corrupt official.

If not for Butler Zhou repeatedly advising him, she didn’t know how much trouble would have come up.

Shui YouLian quietly went to Zi You and told her everything that Mu YinRui did and encountered while on the road.

Then she said with red eyes, “Xiaojie, I was also a daughter of an official. If my father was not corrupt, I would not be in this situation today. Once a person has greed, it is really a terrible thing. Xiaojie, after the holiday, I don’t want to follow Laoye to take up his post again to live out dreadful days. I already have a child. I have to think for his sake.”

“Okay. Don’t speak of these things to anyone else. Only, you know what to say to those yiniangs right?” Zi You asked and nodded in agreement to Shui YouLian’s request.

Her mission was to stop Mu YingRui from bringing Wang Yiping when he took up his post and to fight with her for favor.

Now that she was pregnant, she wanted to think for the sake of her child and stay away from trouble to avoid her child being harmed. That was understandable.

Only, Zi You still needed Shui YouLian to fan the flames among the yiniangs.

Shui YouLian was not stupid. Zi You lightly advised and she already understood what she had to do.

She bowed and replied, “I understand. Rest assured, Xiaojie. As long as you can keep me and my child safe, I will do whatever Xiaojie says.”

Zi You smiled in satisfaction. It was easier to speak with an intelligent person.

Sure enough, when Shui YouLian handed out presents to the yiniangs, she also offered her “ancestral” (In fact, Zi You gave it to her) prescription that led to easy conception.

She smiled particularly sincerely, “Jiejies, meimei is pregnant now, so I understand your feelings even more. Of course, the more children are in the fu, the better it is. This prescription is passed down in my family. Of course, you don’t have to believe it completely. It’s best to find a doctor to ask about it.

“Medication is one thing, but Laoye’s cooperation is the most critical. Laoye is not back for a long period of time. You have to seize this opportunity and not miss it.

“In Quanzhou, I noticed that other laoyes will make preparations ahead of time before he visits his concubines. I heard that the previous furen also did this. Why don’t jiejies and Furen…… Meimei wishes jiejies to have children soon!”