Zhizi, among the maids, was considered steady and composed. Normally, no matter how big the event, she wouldn't be like this, which indicated the seriousness of the situation.
"What happened?" Wang Qingyao asked as she hurried towards Jingwu Courtyard.
Zhizi followed behind her, anxious but still articulate, explaining the situation clearly as they walked.
It turned out that after Wang Qingyao and Xiao Yun left that morning, Yin Zhu, thinking she wasn't on duty, decided to try making the dessert Wang Qingyao had taught her before, to give to her master, Jintiao.
Kangping Courtyard had a small kitchen. When Yin Zhu was almost done, Yun Zhu, who served Consort Fang, arrived.
As if by chance, Yun Zhu mentioned that Consort Fang had been lacking an appetite lately and wanted to try something novel. Hearing from Xiao Mo that Yin Zhu could make pastries they had never seen before, she came to ask Yin Zhu to make some for Consort Fang.
Consort Fang was a mistress and Wang Qingyao's mother-in-law. Yin Zhu figured she could make more for Jintiao later, so she handed over the freshly made pastries to Yun Zhu.
Not long after Yun Zhu took the pastries back, she returned to summon Yin Zhu. It turned out Consort Fang had enjoyed them greatly and wanted to bestow rewards.
This was good news, so Yin Zhu went without much thought.
Consort Fang rewarded her with a pair of gold-topped plum blossom gemstone hairpins, a red gold bracelet, and two bolts of fine fabric. She also had tea and pastries there.
Yin Zhu mentioned that the pastries were taught to her by Wang Qingyao, not claiming the credit herself.
Up to this point, everything was normal, without any issues.
However, when she took her leave, she suddenly fainted.
Coincidentally, Old Consort had called Imperial Physician Lu to the manor, intending to ask Wang Qingyao for some prescriptions to nourish her body and aid fertility.
The two courtyards were not far apart, so Consort Fang sent someone to fetch Imperial Physician Lu.
The result was that Imperial Physician Lu diagnosed a pregnancy!
Yin Zhu herself was stunned.
Everyone assumed Yin Zhu was Xiao Yun's concubine, carrying his child.
But Yin Zhu vehemently denied it, stating she was still a virgin and could not possibly be diagnosed as pregnant.
Imperial Physician Lu examined her again, and it was still a pregnancy.
Consort Fang sent someone to summon Nanny Nian and, upon learning that Yin Zhu was not Xiao Yun's concubine, pressured her to reveal the adulterer.
How could Yin Zhu reveal anything? She could only cry injustice.
But Imperial Physician Lu was a renowned gynecologist; how could he be wrong?
Consort Fang was furious and ordered Yin Zhu to be tied up and imprisoned, waiting for Wang Qingyao's return to deal with her together.
Unexpectedly, before Wang Qingyao returned, Jintiao arrived, claiming the child in Yin Zhu's womb was his and begging Consort Fang for her blessing!
At this time, Yin Zhu was still locked away, while Jintiao knelt in Jingwu Courtyard.
Consort Fang had intended to deal with Yin Zhu directly, but Old Consort said that since Yin Zhu was the Princess Consort's dowry maid, it was inappropriate to deal with her without consulting Wang Qingyao. Only then did Consort Fang relent.
Wang Qingyao and Xiao Yun exchanged a glance. Xiao Yun didn't know how to react. Jintiao was his man, after all. He awkwardly said, "How about I grant some leniency?"
Leniency for what?
Wang Qingyao strode into Jingwu Courtyard and indeed saw Jintiao kneeling upright in the center of the courtyard.
She walked past Jintiao into the side hall. Old Consort, Consort Fang, and Imperial Physician Lu were seated there, with only Yun Zhu, the maid, present. It seemed they were trying to save face for Wang Qingyao by not keeping too many irrelevant people.
Seeing her enter, Consort Fang's anger flared. With a "clang," she slammed her teacup onto the table: "Princess Consort, what kind of filth have you brought into the manor? You're ruining the manor's reputation!"
Consort Fang cared most about reputation. Unwed pregnancy and illicit affairs were, in her eyes, crimes punishable by being drowned in a pig cage.
Furthermore, Yin Zhu had grown up with Wang Qingyao. Proximity to vermilion makes one red, proximity to ink makes one black. Consort Fang dared not even imagine what kind of character Wang Qingyao possessed.
Imperial Physician Lu stood up to pay his respects to Wang Qingyao and Xiao Yun.
Wang Qingyao ignored Consort Fang's immense fury. After bowing to Old Consort and Consort Fang, she asked, "Where is Yin Zhu?"
"Bring her here."
Yun Zhu went out to give the order. Soon, two wet nurses brought Yin Zhu in.
Yin Zhu was bound tightly, her cheeks red and swollen, clearly having been slapped.
The moment she saw Wang Qingyao, tears streamed down her face, and she stammered, "Mistress, I didn't, I didn't..."
In her distress, she used Wang Qingyao's pre-marriage address.
Wang Qingyao trembled with anger, reaching out to touch Yin Zhu's injured face, but fearing she would hurt her, she hesitated.
"Zhizi, untie Yin Zhu."
"Yes." Zhizi's eyes were also red. Hearing Wang Qingyao's command, she quickly went to untie the ropes binding Yin Zhu.
"Princess Consort, what do you mean? Are you protecting this lowly maid?" Consort Fang exploded in anger.
Old Consort said calmly, "Calm down. You've been devoted to Buddha for years, why has your temper worsened?"
Consort Fang: "..."
Wang Qingyao ignored Consort Fang and scanned Yin Zhu's abdomen several times with her clairvoyant eyes. Good, there was nothing.
Yin Zhu was not pregnant at all.
Her eyes turned cold, and she asked in a steady voice, "Yin Zhu, who hit you?"
Yin Zhu sobbed. Though she didn't speak, her eyes flickered towards Yun Zhu.
Yun Zhu smiled awkwardly and explained, "It's like this, Princess Consort. Maid Yin Zhu refused to reveal who the adulterer was, so Consort Fang ordered this servant to slap her..."
Before she could finish, Wang Qingyao slapped her twice in return.
With two crisp "pats," delivered with force, Yun Zhu's face immediately swelled.
She was stunned.
Consort Fang was also stunned.
Yin Zhu and Zhizi looked at Wang Qingyao with gratitude and admiration.
The side hall fell into a deathly silence.