The old madam's face was grim. "Madam Qi, do not try to evade the question. You know what I mean by 'serving'! You are with child and cannot attend to An Nian at night. When An Nian, who is in his prime, needs to release his vitality, are you asking him to become a monk? Madam Qi, proper wives, after becoming pregnant, proactively arrange concubines for their husbands."
Qi Zhenzhen's faint smile vanished. "Yes, I understand Grandmother's meaning. But so what? Because I understand, I must comply? I'm afraid I am unwilling. I am pregnant now, a time when I am prone to overthinking. Is Grandmother intentionally trying to upset me? Let me guess what you will say next: Disrespecting elders? Jealous? Unfit to be the principal wife? And further, are you going to ask An Nian to divorce me?"
How could the old madam have anticipated Qi Zhenzhen's words? Which junior dared to be so audacious in front of an elder? She trembled with anger.
"Anger harms the body. Your health is not good to begin with, so it's best to take good care of yourself," Qi Zhenzhen continued.
"Furthermore, such matters cannot be one-sided. Even if Grandmother arranges people, An Nian must want them. If An Nian doesn't want them, and Grandmother insists on forcing them upon us, isn't that being unreasonable?" Qi Zhenzhen said slowly.
The old madam was so enraged by Qi Zhenzhen's arrogant attitude that she was about to erupt. "An Nian doesn't want them because An Nian is considerate of you. But as his wife, you must also be considerate of An Nian. At such a young age, becoming a monk will harm his body. An Nian is only saying he doesn't want them out of politeness. If you truly arrange them, would he refuse? I have people prepared for you. If you obediently take them back, An Nian will surely praise you for your magnanimity. What does a principal wife seek if not magnanimity? You don't need to worry about these few people dividing An Nian's affection. They are merely playthings. After you give birth, you can dismiss them if you wish."
"There are so many monks in Taihe Temple, yet I haven't seen any of them suffer from ill health. As for your talk of magnanimity, I'm afraid that has never been my pursuit. Before An Nian and I married, we agreed that An Nian would only have me in this life. If he cannot uphold that, what use is it for me to be the principal wife?" Qi Zhenzhen stated calmly. "When people grow old, they should focus on enjoying their twilight years. Constantly worrying about managing this and that is too much for the body. Moreover, Grandmother's judgment in choosing people is truly concerning. Last time, you brought back that kind of girl, and what happened? I don't need to repeat it for you, do I?"
The old madam was stunned.
"I still remember Grandmother telling me how grateful she was for everything I did. So, is this how you repay your granddaughter-in-law?"
"I—"
Qi Zhenzhen stood up. "Grandmother has said what she needed to say. If there is nothing else, your granddaughter-in-law will take her leave."
With that, before the old madam could react, she gracefully departed from Yanniang Courtyard.
As soon as she stepped out of the courtyard gate, Gu Sinian greeted her. "Get ready, we're moving out now."
Qi Zhenzhen was somewhat surprised. "Why the sudden rush?"
"I am home today. If I weren't, and Grandmother kept bothering you like this every few days, how could you, being pregnant, endure it? Moreover, Gu Changwei and Gu Siya have aligned themselves with Li An. I truly cannot rest easy with you staying in the manor. As for Mother, all we need to do is inform her about Gu Changwei and Gu Siya's affairs, and she will make her decision. After all, if she insists on staying in the manor, she could easily be controlled and threatened by Gu Changwei. Mother will not allow herself to become my weakness," Gu Sinian said.