Chapter 49: Already Two Months Pregnant

She grabbed her daughter-in-law and granddaughter by the arm, wanting to slip back into the house.

But Zhang Jinlan blocked her directly:
“What are you running for? Let the doctor take her pulse. What, do you have a guilty conscience?”

“Utter nonsense! I already said my granddaughter is fine. What doctor? Get out of my way!”
Old Madam Zhou tried to push Zhang Jinlan aside.

But the Jiang family moved quickly, instantly blocking off her doorway completely.

Two tall grandsons now stood in front of Zhang Jinlan, upright like door guardians.

“Seize Zhou Yuanyuan! Let the doctor take her pulse. I’ll warn you, Village Chief Zhou—your family is clearly guilty and afraid of being exposed. If you try to block this, I’ll report it to the magistrate tomorrow. Once the truth comes out, you won’t escape punishment either!”

Jiang Shoujia’s voice carried such force—
even tinged with authority—
that Village Chief Zhou froze in shock.

The Jiang family seized the chance.

Zhu Yingqiu and Sun Pingmei each grabbed one of Yuanyuan’s arms. Madam Chen tried to rescue her daughter, but Zhang Yanzi clung to her tightly, while Zhou Xiufen and Jiang Sanhe also pitched in.

The physician extended his right hand, placing two fingers on Yuanyuan’s wrist.

“Let me go! Help! The Jiangs want to kill me—help!”

Yuanyuan struggled with all her strength, but as a young woman with child, she was frail.

How could she compare with women hardened by daily labor?

Held fast on both sides,
she couldn’t move at all.

Physician Xu’s skills weren’t superb, so he took longer than usual with the pulse.

But he was careful, shutting out the noise around him, half-lidding his eyes in full concentration.

The Zhou family cursed and shouted, their matriarch’s insults growing nastier—
yet beneath her fury, her voice trembled.

“This girl has been pregnant for two months. Her fainting earlier was due to a disturbance in the womb. She must rest well. I’ll prescribe some medicine—fetch it from the town’s pharmacy, take it for half a month, and she’ll be fine. Diagnosis fee: five copper coins.”

Doctor Xu knew nothing of the Jiang-Zhou feud. He thought he had simply treated a patient—
and expected his fee.

He lowered his hand and spoke calmly.

His words weren’t loud—
yet they stunned everyone into silence.

Because what he said was explosive.

“What? Pregnant? But how could she already be two months along if her chastity was supposedly lost only just now?”

“Could it be… they were meeting secretly two months ago?”

“You fools—it’s obvious! That Yuanyuan girl was abandoned by that scholar. Carrying his bastard, she then got engaged to the Jiangs, trying to trick a fool into raising it as his own. Good thing the Jiangs investigated, or else their boy would’ve been ruined!”

“Didn’t that little child earlier say she had a brother in her belly, and that he’d be born at the first snowfall? Count the months—it lines up exactly. That’d be eight months from now, when the snow falls.”

“Heavens! That child’s a reincarnated diviner—what she said is so accurate.”

“So the brat in her belly must be a boy. If he really belongs to that scholar, then once she gives birth, she might rise in status through the son…”

“…”

In the crowd, voices erupted one after another—
speculating about the child’s father,
praising Jiang Fubao as a reincarnated fortune-teller,
or gossiping that Yuanyuan could gain status if she birthed a son.

“You wicked old hag! You nearly ruined me! You swore your Yuanyuan had nothing with that scholar in town, only a few words exchanged. Because we were close, I trusted you and recommended her to the Jiangs. But you—you—you!”

The matchmaker Aunt Zhou jabbed a trembling finger at Old Madam Chen, scolding furiously, then turned to Zhang Jinlan apologetically.

“Jinlan-sister, I’ve wronged you. This was my mistake, matching the wrong girl.”

But Zhang Jinlan didn’t even spare her a glance.

“Ha! Heaven truly has eyes. Evil cannot triumph over good. Your Zhou family tried to pass off a tainted girl as a pure maiden to marry into the Jiangs. When we withdrew, you even slandered my grandson, accusing him of defiling her.

But lies won’t hide the truth—your granddaughter carries a bastard! Now, return our betrothal gift, and beyond that, pay us five taels in compensation! Otherwise I’ll go to the authorities, and your whole Zhou family will rot in prison with your reputation destroyed!”

With all her strength, Zhang Jinlan slapped Old Madam Chen across the face, venting her fury.

Old Madam Chen tried to strike back,
but the Jiangs held her down firmly.

“This…”

Village Chief Zhou stood dumbfounded.

A pregnant girl trying to marry into another household, passing off her bastard as a legitimate heir—
such vile, shameless behavior.

Even if he wanted to protect his clan, he had no face to defend this.

If it were his family, he’d have beaten them dead.

“I want no part of this. Do as you please. Everyone disperse—get back to your fields. Xiufen, watch over them, don’t let the Jiangs go too far.”

The village chief left.

The crowd, seeing the show was over, also dispersed.

Half an hour later—

The Jiangs emerged from the Zhou house, beaming.

Zhang Jinlan’s money pouch now held five full taels of silver.

Two were the returned betrothal gift,
two more were compensation from the Zhous,
and one from the matchmaker.

Neither family dared let the Jiangs take the matter to court—
so they paid heavily to silence it.

As for Doctor Xu, he had long since left with his five-coin fee, paid by Zhang Jinlan.

“Grandma, won’t Big Brother be marrying that sister anymore?”

Fubao asked softly from her grandmother’s arms.

“She’s a bad person. Fubao, remember—stay far away from her. Grandma will go find another matchmaker from a different village and get your brother a better wife!”

Zhang Jinlan spoke angrily.

“Right, in-laws, don’t go home yet. Come with us to Jiangjia Village. Dahe and Eryong will fetch the three children. It’s nearly lunchtime anyway. Stay and eat with us.”

Though the families had their disputes, the Suns had indeed helped the Jiangs—
and besides, it had been a while since Zhang Jinlan saw her granddaughters.

She decided to stew egg custard at noon, to nourish the girls.

“Well, well! Rare to see you being generous. Since you invite us, I won’t refuse. Let’s go!”

Zhou Xiufen agreed eagerly—
even striding ahead, as if afraid Zhang Jinlan would take it back.

Zhang Jinlan rolled her eyes behind her.

“Oh ho, look at all the chickens you’ve raised.”

Arriving at the Jiangs’, Zhou Xiufen wandered around, spotting eight chickens in the back courtyard.

Her eyes bulged wide—

She had thought the Jiangs were dirt poor, but in fact, they were living better than her own family.

She stepped into the kitchen, her words dripping with sourness.