Chapter 15: A Single Oversight Amidst a Hundred Precautions

Behind her, Madam Su and Bie Zhi were utterly stunned. Just moments ago, they had been worried about the eruption of Nan Yan Volcano; now, everything seemed as gentle and pleasant as a spring breeze.

Before the wine had even been poured three times, and scarcely any food tasted, the true intentions of the three sisters were laid bare.

“Sister-in-law, try this ‘Triple Blessing’ dish—it’s so auspicious! It promises the birth of a noble son!”

In Nan Yan’s bowl appeared an extra spoonful of lotus seeds, pine nuts, and melon seeds—quite the lucky mix of various seeds.

She smiled, then put down her chopsticks. “So, sisters, are you implying that I… can’t bear a son?”

The eldest sister’s face stiffened awkwardly. Hastily, she tried to cover up, “Not at all! We’re just worried for you!”

“You’ve been married into the family for three years without a child, and that’s why Xia Qingfei dares to eye your husband so covetously!”

“Oh, so all three of you have been worried about me?”

The other two nodded in agreement.

“Of course! We put a lot of thought into this meal—‘Three Joys at the Door,’ made with pomegranate, corn, and peas—all symbols of fertility!”

“Yes, yes! I chose the ‘Three Seed Reunion’ dish. Sister-in-law, please try it!”

Nan Yan’s face brightened with a knowing smile, while behind her, Madam Su and Bie Zhi’s expressions darkened.

After all the talk, it boiled down to their suspicion that Nan Yan could not bear children.

But Nan Yan’s radiant smile left Madam Su and Bie Zhi exchanging glances in confusion.

Could the lady be so angry she’d lost her wits?

Nan Yan was anything but foolish. Looking at the assortment of seeds in her bowl, she cast a glance at the three sisters.

“I didn’t expect Elder Sister Ying and Elder Sister Huai to have such clever ideas. Did you learn this from Elder Sister Lai?”

“Not at all!” Lai’s face displayed humility, but she was secretly pleased. “We three came up with it together.”

Nan Yan nodded silently.

Ah, so they had planned this from the start—a trap disguised as a feast.

“Then… why is it always ‘three’?”

At her question, the three exchanged a quick glance, their tone shifting subtly.

“Sister-in-law, listen calmly!”

“It’s not that we don’t support you, but consider—our eldest brother is the only son of the Meng family!”

“The continuation of the Meng family’s legacy depends solely on him! Bearing a child isn’t something that just happens; the more wives, the more chances…”

Hearing this, Nan Yan understood—it was the same old tune, the very words the four great aunts had repeated yesterday.

Really… couldn’t they offer her something new for once?

“Look, sister-in-law, eldest brother only took one wife, which is already better than other men with three or four!”

“From now on, three people will live together. She’s the concubine, you’re the wife. She has to serve both you and eldest brother, doesn’t she?”

“So, sister-in-law, your life will be much more comfortable. Three isn’t so bad!”

Nan Yan’s smile grew even brighter.

“I never thought the three of you would think this way…”

She paused, then suddenly whispered something to Bie Zhi, who covered her mouth and chuckled before quickly replying, “Yes!”

Madam Su was curious, but Bie Zhi said nothing and pulled her away.

The three sisters kept a close eye on Nan Yan. At first, they were pleased by her change in attitude but soon grew curious.

“Sister-in-law, why did you send Bie Zhi and Madam Su away?”

“No reason!” Nan Yan waved her hand. “Though the three of you prepared this feast so meticulously, there’s still one little oversight!”

The three exchanged glances.

“What oversight?”

They began searching and inspecting, almost looking under the table.

Nan Yan laughed at them but did not stop them.

Just then, Madam Su and Bie Zhi hastened back, each placing an extra pair of chopsticks beside the sisters.

The three sisters were stunned and looked at Nan Yan in unison.

“Sister-in-law… what does this mean?”

Nan Yan laughed like a silver bell. “Isn’t this your ‘one little oversight’?”

“This?!”

The three sisters each grabbed their three chopsticks, still puzzled.

“How is this… an oversight?”

Nan Yan looked at them, a sharp gleam mixing with her smile.

“Since the number three holds such auspicious meaning, and you three like it so much, how could you only use two chopsticks?”

The three swallowed hard, clutching their three chopsticks.

Nan Yan’s lips curled. “It’s not just me who’s to bear a noble son. You three are still in your prime; soon you’ll be wives yourselves, won’t you?”

Sound reasoning. The sisters exchanged looks, unable to retort.

Seeing their dumbfounded faces, Nan Yan had no intention of letting them off so easily.

Leaning back in her chair, she raised her voice, “From now on, the three of you must use three chopsticks at every meal. Understood?”

As the mistress in charge of the household affairs of the Meng family, Nan Yan’s word was law. The servants dared not disobey.

But anyone with eyes knew that eating with three chopsticks was impossible; the sisters’ maids exchanged helpless glances.

Nan Yan’s eyes flashed cold. She spoke sharply, “Did you all hear that?!”

The maids shivered. Bie Zhi and Madam Su stifled laughter, cleared their throats, and led the loud response, “Yes—”

The three sisters’ maids hesitated no longer and echoed faintly.

Nan Yan was very pleased, her gaze returning to the three sisters. “Sisters, do you like it?”

The three sisters stood frozen, chopsticks raised, speechless.

A sudden clatter erupted—Lai Sister had dropped her chopsticks onto the table.

Nan Yan raised an eyebrow. “Don’t like it?”

Her glance swept across them. The sisters shivered instinctively down their spines and quickly forced smiles.

“Wha… what a surprise!”

“Yes, yes! We like it! We do—”

They desperately cast looks at Lai Sister, who hurriedly retrieved her chopsticks and forced a laugh, “We like it…”

Nan Yan nodded in satisfaction, her eyes flicking to the table laden with food. “Since you like it, then eat.”

Thus, the table echoed with the sound of chopsticks knocking against plates.

Behind Nan Yan, Bie Zhi and Madam Su watched the scene, stifling laughter that made their bellies ache.

After the feast, the three sisters left, each trembling and retreating in defeat.

Nan Yan no longer pressed them. Once they were gone, her smile faded quickly, her hands clenched into fists on the table.

This was all forced upon her by the Meng family!

Bie Zhi and Madam Su applauded and praised Nan Yan for her cleverness and foresight.

But Nan Yan did not feel any joy.

Only she knew that her calm response just now was all thanks to the dream she had last night.

What foresight? It was her dream coming true again.

She truly did not know whether that was a blessing or a curse.

A wave of unease surged in her heart, and her eyelid twitched uncontrollably.

The next moment, steward Li Zhong hurriedly reported.

“Young Madam! Urgent news from the border: the general and his son have betrayed the country. The Young Master of Nanyang was executed on the spot, and the general… has defected!”

“What?!”

Nan Yan sprang up abruptly, gasping for breath but unable to recover, her vision darkening…

***

The Grand Madam, supported by Nurse Liu, hurried to the Meng Li household, just in time to see Bie Zhi kneeling in front of Meng Li, weeping.