Chapter 65 Li Rou's Secret

"The flowing-cloud brocade that the Second Miss mentioned last time, I found it in the Han Dan Courtyard," Li Rou stood respectfully aside and said softly to Pan Yueqing. "I've already had someone send it to the Dongfeng Pavilion of the Second Miss."

Pan Yueqing's eyes flickered. She raised her eyes and accidentally dropped ink on the paper. Pan Haiyun slapped the book on the table with a snap, looking at her with some displeasure. Pan Yueqing gave Pan Haiyun a flattering smile, boldly put down the pen and was about to speak to Li Rou. Just then, Liu Yingwei's eyebrows shot up and she angrily said, "Sister Rou! Although you're in charge of the household now, how can you just go to my Han Dan Courtyard and take things?"

Pan Yueqing looked at Liu Yingwei and couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Liu Yingwei had really been too smooth sailing these years, making her so unable to hold her temper. Pan Yueqing had originally thought that she would turn over a new leaf and come up with some new tricks when she came back. But it turned out that there were no new tricks, and her personality was still the same as before.

"Sister, you're wrong," Li Rou's expression remained calm. Even when faced with Liu Yingwei's instinctive accusation, there was no sign of anger on her face. She even bowed slightly. "The flowing-cloud brocade was originally on the late mistress's dowry list. According to the rules, the late mistress's dowry should remain untouched and be added to the legitimate daughter's dowry list when she gets married. But now it's in Sister's Han Dan Courtyard, which is really unexpected."

Liu Yingwei had never expected that the usually dull Li Rou would be so unyielding. Her long speech was like a loud slap in the face. In other words, it was accusing her of embezzling the late mistress's dowry during the time she was in charge of the household affairs! Her face changed immediately, and she forced a smile. "When we were checking the warehouse, I thought it was a pity that these beautiful fabrics were just gathering dust, so I moved them to a better place for storage. As time passed, I forgot where they were."

Pan Haiyun didn't comment. Pan Yueqing picked up a piece of osmanthus-scented lotus root starch pastry, took a bite, and praised Li Rou, "Auntie, this pastry is just right, sweet but not greasy. I like it. You can teach me how to make it another day."

"It's very simple. If the Miss wants to learn, you can come to me at any time," Li Rou also avoided Liu Yingwei's topic and always maintained the respect and deference that a concubine should show to a legitimate daughter towards Pan Yueqing.

Pan Yueqing directly said that she was going back to the Dongfeng Pavilion to see the flowing-cloud brocade. Since there wasn't much time left and she had to prepare a birthday gift for the Empress, Pan Haiyun helplessly shook his head and agreed to Pan Yueqing's disguised plea for mercy, allowing her to go. And Li Rou also took her leave and followed Pan Yueqing to the Dongfeng Pavilion.

"Thank you, Auntie Li, for finding that flowing-cloud brocade today," Pan Yueqing said casually. Although she didn't look back at Li Rou who was following her, she could imagine Li Rou's smiling and calm expression.

"It's me who should thank the Miss for protecting my right to manage the household today," Li Rou smiled.

"Now that she's pregnant, I'm afraid that it won't be long before Father, under the pressure of the Old Madam, will ask you to hand over the right to manage the household," Pan Yueqing closed the door, motioned for Li Rou to sit on the warm kang covered with lamb's wool, pushed aside some plums on the small table, and dismissed the maids respectively. "You have to be prepared. Although Father is reasonable, he can't get around the word 'filial piety'."

"Over the years, the Old Madam has been favoring Liu Yingwei both openly and secretly, which has spoiled Liu Yingwei so much that she's become lawless. Back then, she committed the serious crime of harming the legitimate daughter, but because she was pregnant, she was let off easily. The Miss is right. As long as the Old Madam is around, Master won't really be able to make up his mind to punish Liu Yingwei," Li Rou picked up a plum stewed with green tea, put it in her mouth, and frowned slightly. "I know that the Miss doesn't want to become a target of theirs, and I also don't want to hand over the power that I've finally obtained."

"To deal with Liu Yingwei, why don't you and I join hands, Miss?"

Pan Yueqing glanced at Li Rou's eyes and keenly caught the fleeting ambition in Li Rou's eyes. The corners of her mouth curved into a smile. "Auntie, you also have a daughter by your side. You and your daughter can just deal with Liu Yingwei and her daughter. Why do you want to join hands with me?"

She knew that Li Rou must have other reasons for saying this. One reason was that she wanted to protect her daughter, and the other reason was presumably that she had someone else to protect, so she didn't want to hand over the power.

It seemed that she had never really understood the people around her. The originally impression of Li Rou as weak and gentle actually had such ambition. She raised her eyebrows slightly. "Auntie, since we want to join hands, we might as well be honest."

"Actually, I..." Li Rou raised her eyes and met Pan Yueqing's. Her originally firm gaze softened at this moment. She raised her hand and touched her slightly protruding belly under her loose clothes. "I'm actually pregnant too, for four months now."

"I shouldn't have only had Lian'er as my daughter originally. Not long after giving birth to Lian'er, I got pregnant again. But it was only two months before I had a miscarriage. And several times after that, it was the same. The doctor that Liu Yingwei invited for me said that I didn't take good care of myself after the miscarriage, so I'm extremely prone to having a miscarriage and it's very difficult for me to have children again," When Li Rou said this later, she gritted her teeth. Pan Yueqing picked up a plum and put it in her mouth, instinctively feeling that things were not that simple.

Li Rou clenched her fists and hammered the small table resentfully. There were tears in her eyes involuntarily. "I originally believed it... But two months ago, I realized that my period didn't come again. At that time, she had a miscarriage and had no time to pay attention to me. So I secretly invited a folk doctor to take a look. Unexpectedly..."

"I had a faint sign of pregnancy... I told the doctor about my doubts. The doctor said that I wasn't originally a person prone to having a miscarriage. It was because the sachets that Liu Yingwei sent me every time I was pregnant contained musk," She closed her eyes in pain. "I originally came from a humble background and didn't know what musk smelled like... All these years, I've been in the dark about it..."

"Miss, you must be able to protect this child. I don't ask for much. I just hope that this child can be born safely, and I also hope that Liu Yingwei won't be the only one in power in this family!" Her lips were trembling slightly. "I can imagine that if I don't do anything and she continues to be in charge of this family, to whom she will marry my Lian'er!"

"Every mother wants to protect her child, Miss..." Li Rou stood up, supported herself on the kang, and slowly knelt down in front of Pan Yueqing, kowtowing deeply. "I beg you, Miss!"

"Auntie," Pan Yueqing sat upright. She stared at Li Rou for a long time and finally smiled. "Get up. I also don't want to see Liu Yingwei being proud. But my strength is limited, and I can only do my best." She got off the kang and reached out to help Li Rou up, and said with a slightly reproachful smile, "Since you value this child so much, you shouldn't have done this. And this matter can't be hidden. You must find an opportunity to tell Father, while Father hasn't rekindled his old feelings for Liu Yingwei yet."