Chapter 19 The Bitter Meat Scheme
At this moment, a maid blocked her way: "Sister Qingyue, aren't you in a hurry to find the Second Master? The Second Master is at Aunt Liu's place now."
Qingyue was stunned, her face full of astonishment: "Second Master... is he at Aunt Liu's place?"
The maid nodded, "Yes, he went there at night. He must have rested by now."
Qingyue's face turned pale as paper in an instant. She looked back at Jiang Yingying's room nervously, gritted her teeth, and walked firmly towards Taoxing's residence, shouting loudly: "Second Master, Second Master, Aunt Jiang's hand is injured, please come and have a look!"
Zheng Chengyan was immersed in a moment of peace at this time. Hearing the call, he was inevitably irritated, but he quickly put on his clothes, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and replied while putting on his clothes: "I'll be there right away."
Tao Xing hurriedly put on his outer robe, her eyes full of reluctance and nostalgia: "Second Master, it's just a hand injury, just call a doctor, are you really going to leave?"
Zheng Chengyan stopped and looked at Tao Xing with a flash of displeasure in his eyes: "Ying'er is pregnant, how can I not go to visit her? Don't learn those jealous tricks."
Upon hearing this, Tao Xing quickly lowered her head, tears welling up in her eyes.
She had been looking forward to this moment for too long, but she never expected that all her fantasies would be shattered by Jiang Yingying in just a few cups of tea.
Zheng Chengyan dressed neatly, gently held Tao Xing's hand, said a few simple words of comfort, and then left the room without looking back.
"Second Master!" Tao Xing, wearing a thin coat, chased to the door, leaned against it, and looked at Zheng Chengyan with tearful eyes as he walked step by step towards Jiang Yingying's room.
She bit her lower lip and stared at the door until it closed mercilessly. Then, she turned around abruptly and ran back to the room in small steps. As soon as she entered the room, she fell on the bed and burst into tears, her tears soaking the pillow.
The maid next to her frowned, with a hint of indignation in her eyes: "Even with Aunt Jiang's shallow tricks, she can only fool the Second Young Master's gullible heart. She is as petty as a needle tip, even if the Second Young Master occasionally visits you for one night, she will be fussy about it."
After saying that, the maid quietly picked up a cloak embroidered with a green lotus pattern from the side and put it on Tao Xing: "Aunt, don't cry anymore. Maybe the Second Master is just busy for the time being, and he will change his mind soon and come back to you."
Tao Xing held her chest, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes tremblingly, and barely propped herself up.
"Never mind. It is a great comfort to me that the Second Master can take the time to come to my place today. Seeing him every day, even if it is just a quick glance, is enough to satisfy me."
The maid couldn't help but sigh when she heard this, "Alas, Auntie, you are always so soft-hearted. In this deep mansion, everyone is fighting for that breath. If you really value that affection so much, I'm afraid it will only hurt yourself. Why bother?"
"Never!" Tao Xing raised her head suddenly, her eyes firm, "I, Tao Xing, will never be as humble as her and beg for mercy from others. My love is deep and pure, I just hope that Second Master and I can be in love with each other and have a mutual understanding. She can't be compared with me at all."
After saying that, she wrapped the Qinglian cloak tighter around herself.
This green lotus is exactly what Taoxing loves, and it symbolizes her noble birth.
Her family was once a seventh-rank official family. When she was young, she learned calligraphy and study with her father, and was immersed in poetry, books and etiquette. Unfortunately, her family fell into poverty and she was forced to become a slave and was eventually sold to the Zheng Mansion.
Even in the face of adversity, she still maintains her extraordinary pride.
The maid looked at her master's resolute yet slightly fragile back, feeling mixed emotions.
What can outsiders do about those who are blinded by false sincerity?
They can only let themselves sink and float in the mixture of love and hate, and no one can save them.
Then, the maid turned around and took out a delicate handkerchief and wiped the tears from Taoxing's face.
On the other side of the courtyard, Jiang Yingying's mood was also in turmoil and she couldn't calm down for a long time.
She originally expected Zheng Chengyan to go find Su Wanyu tonight, so she cruelly used the self-torture trick, but she didn't expect that Zheng Chengyan actually left Tao Xing.
Jiang Yingying has always looked down on the two concubines in the courtyard and has never really regarded them as competitors. It is completely unnecessary to worry about them.
Fortunately, Zheng Chengyan knew how to make people happy. After personally treating her wound, the two fell asleep in each other's arms.
She was pregnant at the moment and it was not convenient for her to sleep with him, but Zheng Chengyan still held her tightly and spent the long night with her.
In the dark night, even though he was holding the beautiful woman in his arms, Zheng Chengyan tossed and turned.
Even though the lust in his heart had subsided, he was still concerned about the slender, white neck of his wife at home.
At this moment, he suddenly felt that the warmth and softness in his arms seemed to lack some interest.
Jiang Yingying had no idea what he was thinking. She thought she was in favor, so she snuggled up to him a little closer.
On the other side, Tao Xing was alone and immersed in sorrow, holding tightly in her hands the manuscript of poems left by Zheng Chengyan, studying them all night under the dim candlelight, tears silently falling until the first ray of morning light appeared in the sky.
The next morning, Zheng Chengyan got up early and prepared to go to the academy.
Before leaving, he left a few ingots of silver on the table as living expenses for Jiang Yingying during this period, after all, she was pregnant with Zheng's child.
Outside the door, Liu'er had been waiting for a long time. Seeing this, she immediately pushed the door open and walked in, saying coquettishly, "Second Master, you are biased. You only give Sister Jiang money. I have nothing here. Look at what I have eaten these days. It is almost like swill. If it continues like this, I will be as thin as a bamboo pole. If you hug me again, will it be uncomfortable?"
As she spoke, she did not forget to pinch her round cheeks, and her eyes seemed to be filled with clear water that was about to overflow.
Zheng Chengyan quickly comforted her, "I was in a hurry to go out today, so I took this little bit of silver with me. I will definitely have someone send it to you later."
However, Liu Er didn't buy it. She walked to the table carelessly and grabbed a few pieces of silver without any hesitation: "It's not that troublesome. These are enough."
She moved so quickly that there was very little money left.
Jiang Yingying had planned to use the money to curry favor with people in the mansion, but she didn't expect Liu'er to show up and easily take away most of it.
But she suppressed her anger and held Zheng Chengyan's hand softly, "If sister likes it, give it all to her. I don't mind. I asked Qingyue to leave a few steamed buns for me last night, so I can fill my stomach if I'm hungry at night."
Zheng Chengyan frowned when he heard this: "How can this be possible? You are pregnant and injured now, you need to take good care of your body."
After he finished speaking, he took out a fine jade pendant from his bosom and stuffed it into Jiang Yingying's hand: "Keep this for now, and let Qingyue exchange it for some silver for emergency use. I'll send you some more when I come back."
Jiang Yingying hesitated for a moment and wanted to refuse. After all, the jade pendant was Zheng Chengyan's personal belonging. "Second Master, this... this is your personal belonging. How can you give it to others casually?"