The Chief Executive also felt something was amiss and looked towards the Madam.
"Could it be that this pregnancy-securing medicine..."
Zhao Jiaqi didn't dare to finish her sentence, feeling a surge of fear.
"I will go investigate."
After the Chief Executive spoke, he left the room. No one could have designs on the child in the Madam's womb.
When the midday meal was served, Zhao Jiaqi lost her appetite. She dared not eat, fearing that they might have poisoned her.
Especially when she saw the bowl of pregnancy-securing medicine, a sense of revulsion washed over her. Even if the medicine wasn't poisonous, it had left a psychological scar.
The dishes were laid out on the table, untouched. When Wang Hui returned, she saw the spread of food.
She approached with concern and asked, "What's wrong? Why aren't you eating?"
Zhao Jiaqi shook her head listlessly, "I can't bear to look at this food, I feel like vomiting. My mouth is so bitter, I really want a piece of candy."
She noticed the empty medicine bowl on the table and immediately understood what had happened. "Medicine is always bitter. Besides, there's nothing wrong with your body, so there's no need to drink those things anymore."
As she spoke, she took out a bag of fruit candies from her bundle, with all sorts of flavors. She handed a piece to Zhao Jiaqi, "I bought a lot, and preserved fruits too. I'll leave them here for you; if you want to eat any, you can reach for them anytime."
Zhao Jiaqi blinked a couple of times. Wang Hui then took out the items from her bundle one by one, explaining each one to Zhao Jiaqi.
Finally, after explaining everything, she rubbed her stomach and picked up the untouched food Zhao Jiaqi hadn't eaten and began to eat, not minding if it had gone cold.
Seeing this, Zhao Jiaqi quickly tried to stop her, "Don't eat."
Wang Hui looked up at Zhao Jiaqi in surprise, "What… what's wrong?"
"This food has gone cold. Let the servants heat it up before you eat. What if you get a stomach ache?"
Unexpectedly, Wang Hui didn't take it seriously at all. "It won't hurt my stomach. When I was a child, I often ate cold food and sometimes even sour flatbread. This food now is good; it won't hurt my stomach, don't worry, Sister."
Zhao Jiaqi was truly unaware that this young girl had such a childhood. However, she mused, children living in the countryside were rarely so delicate.
Watching Wang Hui eat so heartily, Zhao Jiaqi let out a deep sigh and sat beside her, watching her eat.
"Let me tell you a story."
Wang Hui was a little surprised. She didn't know her sister could tell stories? She nodded eagerly, "Mmm-hmm, Sister, please tell me."
Zhao Jiaqi told her a story about a righteous son exposing his father's evil deeds. Although it was fabricated on the spot, the plot was quite fitting for their current situation.
"You tell me, if a son exposes his father's wicked deeds, do you think the son did the right thing?"
Wang Hui wasn't sure why Zhao Jiaqi was telling her this story, but she listened intently and pondered for a long time before giving her answer.
"In principle, the son did the right thing. But from the perspective of filial piety, the son was unfilial. Since ancient times, loyalty and filial piety are hard to reconcile."
This statement resonated deeply with Zhao Jiaqi. She subtly asked, "If this were to happen to you, what would you do?"
Wang Hui looked at her blankly. Her eyes darted around for a few moments, but she still couldn't come up with an answer. Perhaps, in her subconscious, she believed she would never encounter such a situation.
After asking, Zhao Jiaqi didn't say anything further. Even the answer she had received, Zhao Jiaqi didn't truly believe.
When faced with a major crisis, people's first thought is their own benefit.
Just like when someone closest to you dies, the living weep. But who are they crying for? The deceased?
Not necessarily. Perhaps they are crying for themselves, crying about how they will live the rest of their lives.
Time slipped by quietly. After Wang Hui finished her meal, she made two more small, personal garments for Zhao Jiaqi. Seeing that it was getting late outside, she then got up to leave.
Zhao Jiaqi stood at the doorway, watching Wang Hui's retreating figure. Her steps were light, without any heaviness. The more carefree she appeared, the heavier Zhao Jiaqi's burden became.
The Chief Executive came forward and persuaded Zhao Jiaqi back into the room. The next step was to plan for what would happen after they left.
Zhao Jiaqi gazed at the moon outside the window, feeling that time was passing incredibly slowly. Tomorrow, her husband would return.
Plans rarely unfold as expected. The next morning, Wang Yuanzhi invited people to the front hall, along with the Chief Executive.
The two went to have breakfast as usual, but what awaited them was not breakfast, but the ropes on the table.
Zhao Jiaqi looked at the people in the room. Besides Wang Yuanzhi and Wang Hui, there were many unfamiliar faces.
Zhao Jiaqi met Wang Yuanzhi's eyes, which were filled with malice and cruelty. Her heart tightened, and she had a premonition of what was about to happen.
She remained calm, without a trace of nervousness on her face. She smiled and turned to the Chief Executive, "Run."
The Chief Executive was stunned, but immediately understood his mistress's intention. In the next moment, he fled outwards. The people in the room were not ordinary men; they quickly surrounded him.
Having experienced battles and assassinations, what great storms had the Chief Executive not seen? Was he afraid of such a situation?
He soon broke through the encirclement and rushed out of the village, urgently sending a message to the Prince. Before long, an eagle spread its wings and soared towards the person it was seeking.
Zhao Jiaqi, left behind in the village, watched as the Chief Executive was beaten black and blue. She slowly sat on a stool and glanced at the father and daughter.
"Village Chief, what is the meaning of this?" Zhao Jiaqi, taking the initiative, asked.
Wang Yuanzhi smiled insincerely and looked at her, "Shouldn't I be asking you that? What is the meaning of this?"
Zhao Jiaqi raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding his words, but she couldn't discern any particular meaning from them.
However, upon careful thought, she was certain that she and her husband had not made any mistakes. Could it be that Wang Hui had told her father about what she said last night?
Or perhaps, because her husband hadn't returned yet, they assumed they wouldn't provide the silver notes?
Regardless of the reason, she had to try and find out why this was happening.
"Today is the third day since my husband left. He should be returning today to give you the silver notes. Surely, Village Chief, you wouldn't be impatient for even half a day, would you?"
The Village Chief waved his hand at her, with a look of indifference, and chuckled, "Madam, you are mistaken. I am a man who loves wealth, that is true. However, I am also a man who enjoys spending money, and that is also true."
"I truly don't care if your husband can bring back the money. If he can, we can still be friends and do business again. If he can't, then this is it. Besides, I won't lose any money, as this gold mine is mine."
His words were indeed bold and assertive, especially the last sentence, "this gold mine is mine," which gave him ample confidence.