Since Heaven had granted her a second chance at life, she would surely make those who harmed her pay the price.
Many puzzling questions surfaced in Yu Ying's mind.
Before her death in her previous life, Baochuan had said that Cui Yichu was unable to bear children.
During the first year of their marriage, the Shizi had hardly been in the capital. Why had Cui Yichu determined so early that she could not conceive? Why had she been in such a hurry to send Yu Ying to Zhao Xuanyou's bed?
Yu Ying suddenly shuddered, noticing a detail she had overlooked in her past life.
She had been a virgin. That morning, when Baochuan helped her to the side chamber to wash, she had cleaned away the bloodstains on her body.
There must have been virgin blood on the bed.
Zhao Xuanyou had gotten up before her. Even if the bed curtains were dim, as long as he went to bathe, he would have seen the blood on him.
Wouldn't he find it strange why his wife would bleed twice?
Cui Yichu was cunning and vicious, meticulous in her schemes. How could she leave such a glaring loophole unless… she deliberately let Zhao Xuanyou see Yu Ying's virgin blood?
Yu Ying's heart raced wildly.
Could it be that Cui Yichu was not a virgin?!
That was why, as soon as Zhao Xuanyou returned, she had eagerly drugged Yu Ying and sent her over, intentionally leaving traces of a first-time encounter.
Yet this matter was truly hard to believe.
Cui Yichu, the dignified daughter of a ducal mansion, had lost her virginity before marriage?
The deeper she thought, the more convinced she became.
Cui Yichu had been the princess's study companion, outstanding in both character and appearance. With her status, she could have married even a prince. Among so many noble sons in the capital, she had specifically chosen Zhao Xuanyou, who was often away leading troops.
The Marquise had passed away many years ago, and the Old Marquis, plagued by injuries, was recuperating outside the capital. In the Houfu in the capital, there was only the Old Madam who never left her quarters, who certainly knew nothing about Cui Yichu and would be unaware of her romantic affairs.
If Zhao Xuanyou knew she had lost her virginity before marriage, she would be utterly ruined.
How could she make Zhao Xuanyou suspicious of her…
Yu Ying bit her lip. To use Zhao Xuanyou's power against Cui Yichu, merely knowing her secret was not enough; she must also win Zhao Xuanyou's favor.
Recalling the events of the previous night, Yu Ying felt somewhat confident.
At the very least… Zhao Xuanyou was infatuated with her body. It was not entirely hopeless.
Last night, Yu Ying had been exhausted to the extreme, drowsy to the extreme, and thirsty to the extreme.
After thinking so much, Yu Ying was starving. She devoured everything in the food box. After putting down her bowl and chopsticks and freshening up again, just as she was thinking about asking about leaving the mansion, Baozhu pushed the door open and entered.
"Rested well?" Baozhu still wore a pleasant expression, appearing very kind.
Yu Ying asked, "Can I leave the mansion now?"
"I came to fetch you. Coincidentally, Cui Rong is going to buy rouge for the Madam. He will drive you to Yunshui Nunnery."
"Leaving the mansion in the Houfu carriage? How is that appropriate?"
Yu Ying looked overwhelmed by the unexpected favor. Baozhu secretly laughed at her foolishness and said gently, "What's the big deal about taking a carriage when leaving the mansion? The Madam specifically instructed that on the surface, you are still a Flower Room Maid, but privately, your food, clothing, and expenses will be provided according to the treatment of a Tongfang."
As she spoke, Baozhu took out a money pouch and handed it to Yu Ying: "Aren't you in a hurry to get money for your mother's treatment? This is the Monthly Allowance for a Tongfang. It's being given to you this month in advance, supplemented by the Madam. It's not taken from the public funds, and on the regular payday, you can still receive your share as a Flower Room Maid."
According to the Houfu rules, a Tongfang could receive two taels of silver per month, twice as much as a First-class Maid like Baozhu.
Yu Ying, having spent all her money on her mother's treatment, was penniless. These two taels of silver were crucial.
"The Madam's great kindness is truly beyond repayment."
"What's a Tongfang? If you can bear the Shizi a son or daughter and get promoted to Concubine, you'll get five taels a month."
Listening to Baozhu painting this grand picture for her, Yu Ying felt like laughing but deliberately asked, "With the mistress not having borne a legitimate heir, how dare I think of such things? I'm already content to serve as the Shizi's Tongfang. By the way, will the mistress grant me Anti-conception Decoction?"
The food in that lunchbox just now was all laced with Fertility Potion—how could she possibly be given Anti-conception Decoction?
Baozhu's eyes flickered as she evasively replied, "Don't talk nonsense. The mistress is broad-minded and eager for the Houfu to expand the family tree. When you go to Yunshui Nunnery later, burn an extra stick of incense and pray for a child."
"Really?"
"Of course."
Yu Ying sneered silently.
However, after a momentary lapse, Baozhu quickly regained her composure. She chatted with Yu Ying for a few more words, reminded her to return to the mansion early, and then left.
Yu Ying put away the silver and exited through the Houfu's side gate, where a blue-curtained carriage was waiting.
"Are you Yu Ying?" asked a young servant standing by the carriage—Cui Yichu's attendant, Cui Rong.
"Yes."
"Let's go."
Cui Rong appeared to be in his twenties, with a lean and efficient build. After Yu Ying boarded the carriage, he quickly drove toward Yunshui Nunnery.
Yunshui Nunnery was located in a remote town west of the city. The abbess, Master Hui Jing, had been a female physician before becoming a nun. Using the nunnery's incense money, she built an almshouse to shelter women with nowhere to go, providing them with porridge and low-grade medicine.
After getting off the carriage, Yu Ying noticed Cui Rong following closely behind. Knowing it must be on Baozhu's orders, she said nothing and walked straight into the nunnery.
The nuns in the nunnery were all familiar with Yu Ying. Seeing her visit her mother, they kindly led her to the almshouse.
The almshouse was small, crowded with over twenty people, each with only a wooden plank as a bed.
Yu Ying's mother lay at the very back, just as Yu Ying had seen her last time—motionless and withered.
"Mother," Yu Ying knelt beside her mother, tears welling up.
Many in the almshouse were critically ill women like Yu Ying's mother—homeless, unable to work once ill, and left to await death.
A foul smell permeated the surroundings. Yu Ying noticed Cui Rong covering his nose and deliberately sat before the wooden plank bed, wiping her tears. Watching Cui Rong's expression grow increasingly unpleasant, she eventually rose and left Yunshui Nunnery.
"The almshouse is full of women. It might be inconvenient for you here. There's a teahouse over there—why not order a couple of dishes? I need to fetch medicine for my mother and brew it, which will take quite a while."
Cui Rong certainly didn't want to stay in Yunshui Nunnery, but Baozhu had instructed him to keep a close eye on Yu Ying, so he hesitated.
Seeing his indecision, Yu Ying gave him ample money for drinks, finally sending him off.
Only after Cui Rong entered the teahouse did Yu Ying go to the town's clinic.
Her outing today wasn't solely to visit her mother but to address a more urgent problem.
If she did nothing, she would be pregnant within a month. Cui Yichu would immediately send her to her maternal family's manor estate, and from then on, she would have no chance to turn her fate around.
Yu Ying prepared a scented pouch to refresh her mind and several doses of anti-conception medicine. The physician, seeing how young she was, was initially reluctant to provide them, but Yu Ying's ample silver persuaded him. Returning to Yunshui Nunnery, she immediately brewed and drank a dose.
This trip was precisely for the anti-conception medicine.
As for her mother, her illness couldn't be cured by mediocre physicians or inferior medicine.
Yu Ying paid sufficient incense money and moved her mother from the dark, dismal almshouse to an adjacent meditation room.
As she left, Yu Ying glanced back at her unconscious mother, silently vowing that the next time she came to Yunshui Nunnery, she would definitely take her mother to see a renowned physician.
Yu Ying did not stay long at Yunshui Nunnery. On the way back, she pleaded with Cui Rong to take her to the dock.
Cui Yichu had assigned her to tend the flowers and plants behind the Main Courtyard, clearly intending to isolate her from others.
This time, she had managed to go out under the pretext of visiting her mother. Whether she could leave again next month was uncertain, so she first needed to find someone outside the Houfu who could assist her.