Once she reached her courtyard, she felt that all the tension that had arisen as a result of being accused left and she could now comfortably enjoy the rest of the day. 'I will now enter my bed and sleep even though it is only evening.' Bai Lianhua opened her big quilt and immediately snuggled herself within it. She also dismissed the maids and remained in her bed relaxing.
The system was slightly distressed because she'd done nothing to help the Empress at all. Even sending the letter about all of Long Aotian's plans were not sent.
'Hey. why don't you warn the empress in advance so that she could be prepared?' It asked.
Bai Lianhua rolled her eyes: "Do you think it's that simple? How could l guarantee that Long Aotian won't read the letter? How are you sure that the empress won't suspect me when l send her the letter? How did l know? Am l acting as a double agent? These last two questions would reduce the trust that she has in me. She might even do some drastic measures and have me killed. The thing is, if this dynasty was good in the first place, then how could Long Aotian succeed in the first place? It's one thing to have to speak to people about rebellion but another to actually succeed in doing it."
She shifted slightly in bed and marvelled at the system's lack of understanding. Still, she knew that was the best way to approach that problem and she couldn't do anything now so she decided to just go with the flow. Still, the man from before came back to mind many times.
'I wonder who he is?' Bai Lianhua thought about it seriously because he may be an outlier in her plan. "Hey system, could you give me that man's identity?"
"Not for free. You'd have to give some points - it costs about 15 points to reveal his identity. Did you want to use your points or use your time?" Bai Lianhua decided it was worth not knowing if she would have to spend basically all her points and go back to poverty.
She tried to think about who he could be but someone who was allowed into the mansion, especially a strange man, had to be someone Long Aotian knew and trusted. But Bai Lianhua knew that Long Aotian did not trust people easily so it couldn't be someone who lived in the capital. 'Maybe it is someone from his original village?' But that also wouldn't make sense.
While Bai Lianhua was busy pondering someone's identity, Long Aotian and Li Zhenzhen were having a strangely intimate moment. Long Aotian initially wanted Li Zhenzhen to keep the baby but then he wasn't sure that this would work well in his plan. He didn't have time to be a father and he needed to whittle down the competition between his wife and concubines because they were giving him a headache.
He continued comforting Li Zhenzhen but he was slightly distracted. He found it slightly strange that Bai Lianhua's favorability increased. 'Was she happy because no one could have my baby yet? That's very strange seeing as she doesn't like me very much. Even having the favorability of 15 is like seeing an acquaintance. There isn't much feeling towards the person.'
Li Zhenzhen saw that Long Aotian was distracted and her hands curled into fists. Her nails dug so deep into her palms that blood dripped down her palms. She couldn't help but blame Bai Lianhua again: 'She is such a Hu Meizi!'
Still pretending to be ok with everything, Li Zhenzhen smiled softly at Long Aotian and reassured him that she could have another baby and that everything would be fine. She found it laughable that she was the one who was distressed yet she was comforting her husband who was thinking about another woman. "Zhenzhen", Long Aotian said as he clasped her hands, "You are my wife, you don't need to feel threatened. You will always be firmly placed in your position and no one can shake you. You manage things in the house as you like. Of course, now you are ill so I'll assign the management of the house to someone else."
"No!" Li Zhenzhen quickly refuted what Long Aotian said. If she transferred management rights to someone else, wouldn't her life be over? How could she give rights over her life to someone else to manage? No way! "I am fine, it won't be too tiring. I need something to do so that l won't get bored."
Long Aotian stroked her hands, then her hair and softly kissed her forehead. "I don't want my wife to be too tired from everything. Once you recover, you can regain the management of the house." Li Zhenzhen wanted to refuse again but she knew that it would annoy Long Aotian so she just nodded docilely. However, in her mind, she already had plans to make all the people under her hands not to accept any of the orders made by those concubines. Why should the people of the main house have to listen to those little concubines?
A maid walked in and announced that dinner had been served, she also mentioned that Wen Lili had had no food served at all today because of the punishment. Long Aotian waved the maid away and then a group of maids walked in, putting places of steaming food on the table.
Long Aotian was feeling gracious so he decided to feed his wife slowly. He picked some pickled shredded radish and put them in Li Zhenzhen's bowl. Even though she was allergic to radishes, sweetness permeated in Li Zhenzhen's heart and she ate the radish in her bowl. She was even reminded of their earlier married life when it was just the two of them. She looked at the expensive, extravagant food on the table and wondered where things had changed.
She looked at Long Aotian and still felt deeply in love with him. I mean how couldn't she? He was exceedingly handsome and he treated her very politely. He respected her position as a wife, something many men didn't do in the dynasty. They ignored their wives and spoiled their concubines but she admitted that Long Aotian was fair. He spent time with everyone.
She was still jealous though!
Li Zhenzhen spotted Long Aotian's favourite sweet and sour crucian carp on the table and immediately put some in his bowl. Long Aotian smiled and ate it eagerly.
There was an immediate contrast when you looked at Wen Lili's situation. Wen Lili was locked in her courtyard and no dinner was brought to her at all from her small kitchen. She only had small snacks like melon seeds but melon seeds could not be eaten for dinner. And she'd already eaten some earlier so she felt sick looking at the seeds.
Her maids had all left to the servant quarters except her dowry maid who was still patiently served her. Her teeth were so itchy with hatred because she realised that no one was concerned about her except Long Aotian and her own dowry maid.
She remembered that she'd begged her father to marry Long Aotian and her father was all for it since he had a lot of political influence within the capital city. Wen Lili really wanted to be a secondary wife instead of a concubine but Long Aotian refused and she was crazy in love so she just accepted to come in as a concubine.
Now, she had no authority and power. She couldn't even ask her father for help because married daughters were like spilt water. They already left the family and are no longer important anymore.