Madam Mu had not noticed that scene. She could only think that the four sons who had never been close to her might be impostors.
Her daughter had almost been replaced and eaten as well, and the thought immediately sent a chill through her from head to toe.
Originally, the fact that all four of her sons kept their distance from her had caused Madam Mu pain for a long time.
At first, she had thought it was because she had not raised them by her side, and that was why the children did not like her.
She had never imagined that those four sons might not have been her children at all.
Then where were her children?
And… were they still alive?
At that thought, Madam Mu felt a dull ache in her chest.
Every time she gave birth, she had suffered a difficult delivery. Madam Mu had originally thought that her mother-in-law had taken the children away to raise them because she felt sorry for her.
She had even been grateful to her mother-in-law, giving her many of her own fields and estates.
Now that she thought about it, she felt like a complete fool.
Madam Mu hated it so much that she nearly ground her teeth to pieces.
After not hearing Mu Niannian’s thoughts for quite some time, Madam Mu began to worry.
“Niannian, don’t be afraid. Everything will be fine once your father comes back!”
She absolutely had to tell Master about this and have him give her justice. After all, the children were Master’s biological children too.
Yet Madam Mu herself inexplicably felt somewhat guilty. Did her husband truly know nothing?
【Father? Mother had better hope he doesn’t come back! That human Teddy of his is no good either!】
【Ah, my poor beautiful mother… She’ll never know until the day she dies…】
【Forget it, I don’t want to think about it. Even a child’s mammary glands are still mammary glands…】
Madam Mu felt as if she had been struck by lightning. A chill spread through her entire body.
Her vision blurred, and she nearly fainted on the spot.
Mu Niannian did not notice anything unusual about Madam Mu. Recalling the scene she had witnessed, she gritted her gums and angrily grumbled inwardly.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Mu Niannian was so furious that she kicked a lump into her swaddling clothes.
Madam Mu hurriedly pressed down her daughter’s hands and feet and pulled her into her arms.
She softly soothed her daughter while tears pattered onto the swaddling clothes.
The Little Milk Dumpling sensed the fragrant warmth in Madam Mu’s embrace, and only then did she feel a little better.
But Madam Mu’s hands and feet were ice-cold, and her tears kept swirling desperately in her eyes.
【Beautiful Mother, don’t be sad. Come here and let me cuddle you…】
The Little Milk Dumpling reached out, wanting to touch her mother’s face.
Her little heart ached at the sight of this beauty shedding tears.
Nanny Liu had been muttering on and on.
After receiving no response from Madam Mu for such a long time, she grew even more impatient.
She shoved Caiyun, who had been standing protectively beside Madam Mu, aside and positioned herself beside the bed. Looking down at Madam Mu from above, she said, “Madam, you know that your family comes from a military background. I imagine people laughed at you for being ignorant of proper etiquette when you were young. Surely you don’t want the Young Miss to be laughed at by the capital’s young ladies just as you were!”
“I think you should hand the child over to me. That way, you can relax a little and serve Master properly sooner!”
Nanny Liu raised her voice. Anyone who did not know better would have thought she was Madam Mu’s actual mother-in-law!
【Serve your grandfather!】The Little Milk Dumpling immediately began hurling abuse.
【Is that dog of a man even worthy? If you want to serve him, go ahead! Oh, right, you already did. Tsk, tsk, that human Teddy really will do it with heaven, earth, and even the air!】
Madam Mu’s entire face turned black.
The look she gave Nanny Liu seemed to have been steeped in poison.
Nanny Liu was so frightened that she stumbled backward two or three steps before managing to steady herself.
What kind of thing had she married?
He had promised her a lifetime with only one partner.
That dog of a man had not even spared a woman in her forties!
He must have been starving!
He could swallow anything!
Madam Mu felt a wave of nausea. The thought of being touched by such a man made her feel utterly disgusted.
Her chest hurt from anger, but she forcibly suppressed the murderous rage that continued to surge through her.
For the sake of her children, she could not fall out with this old woman just yet!
“That’s enough!” Madam Mu shouted sharply.
“So what if I come from a military family? Liu, what is your status that you dare speak such insolent words before the principal mistress of the household?”
“What? Have you eaten all the rules of this residence?”
Madam Mu raised her head, and her eyes suddenly carried an imposing force.
Nanny Liu was startled, but fury rose within her.
She was someone trusted by the Old Madam. Even Master himself would not speak to her like this.
What right did Madam Mu, merely the daughter of a military man, have?
“Madam, you’ve misunderstood me…”
Nanny Liu still wanted to say more, but Madam Mu cut her off directly.
Madam Mu gave Nanny Liu a cool glance, her expression becoming somewhat more restrained.
“I have already made my decision regarding this matter. You need only return and inform Mother.”
Madam Mu’s voice remained soft, but her tone had become considerably more forceful.
Her beautiful face was utterly calm, making it impossible to tell what she was thinking.
Seeing her like this, Nanny Liu felt an inexplicable tightening in her chest.
Just as she was about to speak, Madam Mu’s voice softened slightly as she continued, “I have given birth to five children… and only one of them is a daughter. Now, I want to raise my only daughter by my side.”
“If Mother still refuses, then I can only go to my elder brothers and have them stand up for this useless little sister of theirs!”
Madam Mu spoke gently, but Nanny Liu’s expression changed at once. She hurriedly tried to dissuade her.
“Madam, there’s no need to go that far. This is only a matter within our own family. There’s no need to trouble the General’s Residence, is there?”
At the thought of Old General Mu’s sons, Nanny Liu replied stiffly.
For the moment, she could no longer take Mu Niannian away.
After watching Nanny Liu leave, the tears Madam Mu had been holding back burst forth like a breached dam.
“Madam, you’ve only just given birth. You mustn’t cry. It will harm your eyes.”
Caiyun looked at her mistress with concern and gently wiped the tears from the corners of Madam Mu’s eyes with a handkerchief.
【Ah, my poor mother… Don’t cry now. Once that dog of a man comes back, you’ll have plenty more days to cry…】
Was her daughter trying to comfort her?
Why did it feel as if she had not been comforted at all?
【Ah, Dog Taidi is going to trick Youngest Uncle into visiting a brothel today… and also…】
Her younger brother?
Madam Mu’s tears caught in her eyes, and she instinctively pricked up her ears to listen.
Her younger brother was the most promising young man in the Mu Family and the one most likely to pass the metropolitan examination and become a Presented Scholar.
What did that dog of a man intend to do to him?
Madam Mu listened intently, but in the next moment, she realized that her daughter had fallen silent.
She was startled and hurriedly looked toward her daughter.
She saw that the child’s eyes were tightly shut, her little lips pursed as she softly snored.
Madam Mu was frantic, but there was nothing she could do. She could only call Caiyun over first.
“Caiyun, in this household, you’re the only person I can trust now. Go back to the Mu Family at once and find Young Master. Tell him… tell him that I suffered a difficult delivery and ask him to come see me one last time!”
Madam Mu gritted her teeth, yet her heart was filled with terror.
Someone who could send his own biological daughter to be eaten by her maternal grandmother was truly terrifying!
Thinking of this, Madam Mu worried that her younger brother might not believe the message.
She took out her personal jade pendant and gave it to Caiyun to bring to him.
“Remember, you must hurry. If he isn’t at home, have someone from the family secretly search the… brothels nearby!” Madam Mu said through clenched teeth.
Her younger brother was a man of impeccable conduct. He had never even kept a personal maid, so how could he possibly linger in such places?
The only possibility was that the man surnamed An had set him up.
The more Madam Mu thought about it, the more frightened she became. Her body trembled slightly as hatred and fear twisted together in her heart.
“Madam, you’ve only just given birth, and I don’t feel comfortable leaving you alone. Why don’t I call Caidie in to look after you?” Caiyun asked worriedly.
She began to resent Caidie inwardly. Nanny Liu had already come over, yet Caidie still had not returned.
The midwife hired by the household had suddenly left yesterday because of an emergency. Who could have known that Madam would go into labor that night?
Caiyun had gone to look for Master, but he was not at home.
The Old Madam claimed to be ill and said she could not come over.
The main gates of the residence were tightly locked, so Caiyun could not leave either.
If Madam had not already given birth to four children and Caiyun had not learned a little by following along, something truly might have happened to Madam during this delivery.
Madam had only just given birth when all these people came over, and Caiyun was furious.
She felt uneasy and did not dare leave Madam’s side at all.
“How about you send Caidie instead? I’ll stay here and watch over you!” Caiyun hurriedly suggested.
【Cai what? Caidie? No, Mother, don’t send her! She’s an ungrateful traitor who spends all day thinking about climbing into his bed…】
【Huh? This little scumbag actually succeeded in climbing into his bed last night. Dog Taidi was even making whoopee with her in the ancestral hall…】