Mrs. Huang had been worried that Wei Changying might become very ill because of a bowl of frozen yogurt. Instead, she had found out that Wei Changying was pregnant. Perhaps since Mrs. Huang had said her pregnancy was fragile, people throughout the entire Jintong Courtyard were anxious, thinking that there was one more person to worry about now.

Wei Changying had been looking after the household since Shen Cangfeng had left and had attended several weddings in a row. At the weddings, she had been disturbed a lot because of Wei Changjuan. The irregular periods were actually due to her exhaustion. As she had been learning martial arts since she was young, she was stronger than ordinary ladies, so she hadn't felt bad, only saying her period didn't come on time.

It was summer now. It was common that women from wealthy families didn't get their periods regularly at this time of year. It often happened to women after having a lot of frozen yogurt.

Therefore, not only Wei Changying herself but also the maidservants who washed her underwear hadn't thought much of it.

Although Mrs. Huang, who had a good knowledge of medicine, was with her every day, Wei Changying always looked "fine". Soon after Shen Cangfeng had left, she took over Duanmu Yanyu's work because Duanmu Wuse had become divorced. She had been so busy that there hadn't been time for Mrs. Huang to examine her. She had to act cautiously with her sisters-in-law, look after the household, and think about how to deal with Wei Changjuan during these days. How could she remember the joke Shen Cangfeng had made before he had left?

If she hadn't been thirsty tonight and hadn't wanted to have frozen yogurt, nobody would have found out that she was pregnant. Mrs. Huang and Mrs. He scolded Qin'ge and the others afterward. But actually, Qin'ge and the others felt they were wronged. They thought the mistress they served was not as delicate as any other ordinary young ladies. Wei Changying had always been healthy since she was young. Every summer, she would eat a lot of frozen yogurt every day and had never seemed ill.

They thought they knew their mistress. Although it was autumn, there was a saying that "even if it's autumn, it might still be hot". This was exactly what was happening these days. Not all the iceboxes had been removed from her room and Wei Changying who believed she was always healthy had behaved as if it had been summer, wanting to eat frozen yogurt. After that, she was sick. If it hadn't happened or Qin'ge and the others couldn't have got what Wei Changying wanted to eat at this late hour, Mrs. Huang and Mrs. He would have scolded them for not serving her properly, saying that they couldn't even find a bowl of frozen yogurt when young madam wanted.

In the end, this bowl of frozen yogurt was the last straw for Wei Changying's health, which was already on the edge, even though she had been unaware of it.

She lay uncomfortably in the bed, worried about the baby in her womb, and wept copiously in her fear. The entire Shen family could not sleep well, worrying because of her.

Mrs. Huang was so shocked by the news Wei Changying was pregnant that she didn't think of doing anything else for a while. After she had sent someone to fetch hot water to warm Wei Changying, she realized what she should do. She immediately ordered Qin'ge, who had just got changed, to go to the main room to inform Madam Su.

Although there were several grandchildren in the Shen Family, there was only one grandson, Shen Shuming. Shen Cangfeng had a special place in the family, so the Shen Family would attach great importance to his first lineal child. If this were just a normal pregnancy, Mrs. Huang wouldn't be so worried. However, the situation was not so good, so Mrs. Huang didn't dare to wait until the next day to report things!

When Madam Su heard the news, though she had been in bed for a while, she got up hurriedly. She didn't even bother to comb her hair, only tidied her hair up slightly with a hair clasp, and went to the Jintong Courtyard in a sedan chair. Seeing Wei Changying lying weak in the bed, she was so worried, keeping asking what was going on.

Wei Changying never knew she was pregnant. She had been careless and working too hard and had eaten some frozen yogurt in the night. All of these were told to Madam Su. Knowing her pregnancy was fragile, Madam Su was angry but still worried. She had wanted to scold her, but Granny Tao grasped her hand. Seeing her daughter-in-law scared, she only scolded Mrs. Huang and the others with a serious look, "Changying is young and ignorant, but you grannies are experienced! How could you be so careless? She is pregnant, but you let her have frozen yogurt at this time of the day. Are you crazy?"

Mrs. Huang and the others, who knew they had failed in their duties, didn't dare to protest that they had only found out that Wei Changying was pregnant after she had eaten frozen yogurt. All of them kept quiet.

Madam Su scolded them some more and then asked, "How many months is it?"

"Not yet three months." Mrs. Huang said cautiously.

Madam Su realized that she must have got pregnant half a month ago before Shen Cangfeng had left home. Wei Changying had only been married into the family a few months ago, but she was pregnant already. Madam Su thought she, who had learned martial arts since she was young, was really healthy and was clearly fertile. Though it didn't look good now, perhaps her healthy daughter-in-law would be able to get through this herself? Thinking about these things, she softened her look and her angry tone, asking, "How is she now? This period should be the most perilous time, shouldn't it?"

Mrs. Huang said, "I'm not very knowledgeable, but I think we should stabilize her condition for the time being. We will ask Miracle Doctor Ji to come here to examine her after daybreak." She said with a wry smile, "Thanks to young madam's good health, she can still hold on for now. If this were someone else..." She could tell that Madam Su was now very displeased with Wei Changying's carelessness, thinking she could indirectly put in a good word for Wei Changying and calm Madam Su down first.

Madame Su didn't pay attention to the latter part of her sentence. Having heard "Ji Qubing", she frowned slightly less. Although this bad-tempered doctor was famous throughout the country, he was truly an excellent doctor with a worthy reputation. When he was needed, just hearing his name could make people feel relieved.

Madam Su nodded, saying, "Be thankful for our relationship with him! Otherwise, this could have become a lifelong regret!"

She then went in to comfort Wei Changying, telling her to relax and stop worrying. However, Wei Changying was so distressed, scared, and regretful that she didn't pay attention to her mother-in-law or what she said. She replied perfunctorily and started to cry again.

Seeing her like this, Madam Su sighed and said to Mrs. Huang and the others, "Serve her well. Don't let anything else happen!"

After Madam Su left, nobody in the Jintong Courtyard could sleep, praying anxiously. When it was almost dawn, Wei Changying was so exhausted that she fell asleep. Mrs. He went to her to tuck her in. Seeing the glistening tears on her cheeks, Mrs. Huang was sad. She went out, whispering to Qin'ge, "It should be good news, but how did it become like this?"

Qin'ge was about to say something but Mrs. He knew the reason, saying with hatred, "It's all the second branch's fault! If Wei Changjuan hadn't caused trouble, how could our healthy young madam have become like this?"

Mrs. He was thinking that way and she wouldn't only say it to Qin'ge. Later, Mrs. Huang took Ji Qubing to the mansion. He examined Wei Changying and prescribed her medicine. She drank her medicine and heard Ji Qubing say that although her condition was fragile, she would be able to keep the baby. Though this was what he meant, it didn't sound great when being said by this reputable doctor.

Mrs. Huang, on the verge of tears, begged Ji Qubing to say something nice, in case he made Wei Changying angry and ill again. However, Wei Changying couldn't care less whether what Ji Qubing said was nice or not! Holding onto her breath, she could finally be sure that her first child was safe. She felt she was brought back to this world again. She then not only ignored the sarcasm in Ji Qubing's words but was also eager to get up to kowtow to Ji Qubing.

Having gratefully seen Ji Qubing off, the relieved Wei Changying whose stomach had stopped hurting finished her medicine and fell into a deep sleep. Mrs. He who was now free went back to her place and started to write a letter filled with exaggerated facts in tears.

The next day, Mrs. Huang's and Mrs. He's letters were carried by the same servant who had come as Wei Changying's dowry to be delivered to Fengzhou with the greatest urgency.

In Ruiyu Hall, Old Madam Song and Madam Song became very happy but then sad while reading the two people's letters. Having finished reading, both the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law were furious!

Madam Song said with tears streaming down her face, "Mother, the second branch is so nasty to Changying!"

In Mrs. Huang's letter, she wrote what had happened in a relatively fair manner. However, Mrs. He put all the blame on the second branch. She also especially said that Madam Su looked really upset when she knew Wei Changying might lose her child. Granny Tao kept hinting to her so that she didn't say anything mean to her.

Although Madam Song knew that Mrs. He must have exaggerated in her letter, she thought the same way as Mrs. He, "My daughter is pregnant, but now she may just be able to keep it. She left her mother-in-law with an impression of being careless. So, I must find someone to blame, right?"

Her close servants were people who were useful to her, so why couldn't she put the blame on the second branch?

Besides, the second branch wasn't entirely blameless in this! Mrs. He had said that "The Seventh Miss was told by her parents to keep causing trouble for our young madam, making her anxious and worried day and night. When she visited the mansion of the Wei Family to talk to the Second Master and Second Madam, the Second Madam mentioned the Old Madam in a very disrespectful manner to make our young madam furious. If these things had never happened, how could our healthy young madam have been harmed by a bowl of frozen yogurt?" This made Madam Song want to go to the capital immediately and skin the people from the second branch alive!

Old Madam Song looked serious, not saying anything immediately. After a long time, she said. "After all, Wei Changjuan is your father's child. She is young and doesn't seem very bright, so she won't be a problem. You father must be thinking that it is not worthwhile to ruin Changfeng's future for the sake of something trivial."

Although last year Wei Huan had promised to train Wei Changfeng to take over the Ruiyu Hall, it was something said in private. If the situation changed, such promises would not be valid. This matter concerned the prosperity of the whole family and the hundreds of years of glory of the Wei Family in Fengzhou. Even though Wei Huan usually gave in to Old Madam Song, when it came to important issues, there was nothing Old Madam Song could do.

Just yesterday, the Ruiyu Hall had received a letter from Wei Shengyi apologizing for his lax discipline towards his daughter. Words in the letter said that Wei Changjuan, who had caused trouble for her cousin privately, had been seriously injured. Probably, she wouldn't be able to leave home for months. He had also added that Wei Changjuan had wanted to return to Fengzhou to serve her elders, but she couldn't do so now.

Seeing the provocation and the indirect accusation at the end of the letter, Old Madam Song naturally would not allow Wei Huan to think her lineal granddaughter was bad, saying casually, "If they really have this intention, why have they never mentioned it all these years? Now she can't make it, they just started to talk about it." This made Wei Huan frown. Then to ease the situation, he said, "Maybe he wants us to worry about the granddaughter more, so he added this. He might not be saying Changying is bad."

Old Madam Song sneered, "The old saying says there are five kinds of women people shouldn't marry. One of them is that you should not marry the eldest daughter whose mother is dead, in case they have no manners. Changjuan's parents are alive but she still behaves badly. Thankfully, we're not in the capital. Otherwise, how could we ever go out? She will embarrass us! We know that she is Mrs. Duanmu's child. Otherwise, I might have thought that Mrs. Duanmu deliberately praised her so much that she could make Wei Changjuan ruin herself! The girl isn't so young now but she has no discipline and is insensitive. Aren't Shengyi embarrassed? People should improve themselves and discipline their families, so the country could be ruled. But seeing Shengyi's ability, I don't think he can even do a good job of disciplining his family, can he?"

Wei Huan couldn't answer yes or no, thinking Old Madam Song's words clearly had another meaning. If he said that this concubine's son could not properly discipline the family and had allowed his youngest daughter to make trouble for her cousin, things would look less serious. But it looked like a conflict between the two granddaughters. It would be he himself who said Wei Shengyi could not discipline the family. "The family" could mean the entire Wei Family.

Although Wei Huan spoke highly of his grandson Wei Changfeng whom he had educated personally, Wei Changfeng was too young. The Ruiyu Hall was in decline these years. To stop Wei Zhengya, Wei Huan had had to resign and return to his hometown to look after the family when he had been successful. This led to a situation that the second son of the family, Wei Shengyi, became the only person of the clan, who spoke for the family at the Royal Court.

Even though there were collateral branches, such as Wei Yu, Wei Yu wouldn't possibly do anything out of line as Wei Huan was still in charge. If Wei Huan passed away, would Wei Yu, who was old enough to be Wei Changfeng's grandfather, respect Wei Changfeng as much as he respected Wei Huan? That would be impossible!

Although he had many descendants, there weren't many who were gifted. People from the Zhiben Hall had been eyeing the power covetously, and Wei Qi had retired, but... If Wei Qi was still capable by the time when Wei Huan died, he would start a coup! Duke Jingping who was not a threat at the moment had several children. Wei Shanshi and Wei Shangui, who were still young, were beginning to display their talents and show great filial obedience. So in ten or twenty years, they would become strong rivals for the position of Family Head.

Compared with his peers or people who were at most ten years older than him, Wei Changfeng was outstanding. Because of his inexperience, he was naive when compared to those who were one generation older. Wei Huan knew that he could not blame his lineal grandson for not being brilliant enough. Wei Changfeng had grown up in a rather peaceful and beautiful environment, so what he had achieved today was good enough and he had also worked really hard.

However, without years of experience, only possessing the enthusiasm and talents that a young person usually had, he shouldn't be entrusted with great responsibilities.

Therefore, even though Wei Huan preferred Wei Changfeng, he didn't want to announce this choice until the last moment, so as to leave a way out for the family. Since Wei Shengyi was the backup choice, Wei Huan didn't want to eliminate this possibility. He knew his wife very well. As soon as he said Wei Shengyi might not be the next Family Head, Old Madam Song would definitely exaggerate what he had said, so as to make Wei Shengyi's hopes evaporate completely.

If Wei Huan said that Wei Shengyi could discipline his family, then it would be saying it wasn't because Wei Changjuan was so young and ignorant that she had caused trouble for Wei Changying. Instead, it was because Wei Shengyi had ordered her to do so. Anyway, the fights between the lineal children and children from concubines were truly troublesome for Wei Huan, even though he was capable and smart.

Having thought about it, Wei Huan started to talk about Wei Changfeng's homework, leaving the matter aside. As he did so, Old Madam Song knew that Wei Huan was still hesitant to choose the candidate for the next Family head. She wouldn't want to push Wei Huan towards Wei Shengyi.

That was a private conversation between Old Madam Song and Wei Huan, so Madam Song didn't know about it. But she knew that Old Madam Song loved Wei Changying as much as she loved her, and she was farsighted. When she heard her mother-in-law speaking, she stopped crying and wiped her face, saying, "Mother, what you mean is?"

"Mrs. Duanmu cannot stay any longer." Old Madam Song said expressionlessly, "Didn't Qianxiu say Duanmu Wuse from the Duanmu Family has only just become divorced? If the Duanmu Family doesn't want to have another daughter divorced... They will know what to do."

Madam Song didn't want to let it go, saying, "There's also Wei Shengyi. He is the head of the family in the second branch. I don't believe he did nothing."

"Don't worry." Old Madam Song said unhurriedly, "He's still useful now. When he's no longer useful, I'll let him pay the price for what he did to Changying!" Old Madam Song spoke in a relaxed tone as if she had been having a casual conversation, but everyone in the hall, including Madam Song, suddenly felt a shiver run down their spines.