Chapter 318 - 267: Smashing One’s Own Foot (Part 3)
Chapter 318: Chapter 267: Smashing One’s Own Foot (Part 3)
"The thing he treasures and looks forward to the most is this child. Perhaps that woman possesses some seductive skills, but sitting in his position, what kind of women hasn’t he seen? Such plain and vulgar women aren’t enough to make him favor a concubine over his wife. From the very beginning, she relied on this child to gain her current status. If the child turns out to be a worthless piece, she will be of no use."
"First Madam, do not underestimate this woman. The fact that she has survived to this day is definitely because she is ruthless enough," Su Yaoguang said. "If you knew what she’s done in the past, you wouldn’t underestimate this opponent. Besides, if I’m not mistaken, this child is not the Marquis’s. If she can borrow someone else’s seed to have a child once, she can do it twice. Anyway, as long as the child is born and claimed to be the Marquis’s, he will be pleased, and her status remains secure."
"Do you have any evidence that the child is not the Marquis’s?"
"The child is not a premature baby," Jiang Jing said. "That’s the biggest evidence."
"He clearly wasn’t a premature baby, but Jiang Yihuan insisted he was. If not for a guilty conscience, then for what?" Zhang Zhaodi said. "That woman has previously not adhered to the virtue expected of women, having ambiguous relationships with several men. There’s a saying that a leopard can’t change its spots; can you expect someone like her to change?"
"If that’s the case, then I just need to sit back and wait for her to dig her own grave," the First Madam said. "By the way, Doctor Jiang, can you check if my body is suitable for childbirth?"
"Madam’s body is too weak, not suitable for now, but after half a year’s nurturing, it shouldn’t be a problem."
"But it’s been so many years, and I’ve never had a child. In the previous years, my health was not as weak as it is now, yet I still had no children."
In the earlier years, her relationship with Marquis Jing’an was quite good. It was only in recent years, as her health deteriorated and she couldn’t satisfy him physically, that their relationship grew colder.
In fact, she hadn’t stopped him; there were several concubines in the back residence. None of those concubines had given birth to a child, either. Three years ago, one concubine got pregnant, and at that time, everyone was delighted, including her as the matron. She thought the issue of having no heir in the Jing’an Marquis Mansion was finally resolved. Despite her bitterness and discomfort, she wholeheartedly arranged for the care of that concubine, but in the end, the concubine miscarried.
Because of that, Marquis Jing’an grew colder towards her. He believed that as the proper wife, she couldn’t accept a concubine’s child, so she caused the child’s death. In fact, it was only much later that she learned the truth. That concubine hadn’t conceived the Marquis’s child; instead, while visiting her family, a moment of weakness with an old flame and cousin led to that night, resulting in the pregnancy. The concubine, timid and unwilling to blur the lineage, eventually sought every way possible to abort the child.
Besides that incident, only Jiang Yihuan had given birth to this child in the entire back residence. But as it seems now, even this child is not the Marquis’s.
Could it be boldly speculated that the real infertility issue lies not with these women, but with Marquis Jing’an, the man who needs to sow the seeds?
"Madam, childbirth relies not only on women; men are also important. If there’s an opportunity, I’ll check the Marquis’s pulse to see how his health is," Jiang Jing’s words further solidified the First Madam’s suspicions.
However, those men are always proud; they would never admit the problem is theirs.
"The Imperial Physician should have arrived by now. I wonder what the diagnosis is," the First Madam mused. "Someone come..."
She called out.
A servant came in.
The First Madam instructed a few words, essentially to inquire about the situation there and ask what the Imperial Physician said.
Before long, the servant returned with news.
"First Madam, the Imperial Physician said the young master’s condition is indeed abnormal, appearing to be lacking intellect."
"If the child is abnormal, it should have been discovered long ago. The fact that it hasn’t indicates that the Second Madam is not very well-liked," Su Yaoguang said.
"That’s right. Generally, wet nurses are experienced women who have had their own children. They can notice something off during feeding. If the wet nurse doesn’t dare to speak, it shows that the household head is not friendly towards them."
"If I’m not mistaken, with this diagnosis, that vile woman Jiang Yihuan will once again place the blame on others, such as those wet nurses," Su Yaoguang said. "Pity those wet nurses; I wonder if they can escape this disaster."