Chapter 187
The family of four enjoyed their farewell dinner together.
Ye Yunniang suddenly remembered the promise she had made to Lu Xueying, which she hadn't yet mentioned to Jiang Mingzhe.
The shops were all in Li Ping's hands. Jiang Mingzhe didn't plan to intervene; he let Li Ping handle them.
"How can Pingping handle the Jiang family's affairs?" Ye Yunniang worried that Li Ping would be bullied.
"Mother, I won't be bullied." Li Ping felt that Ye Yunniang was underestimating him.
"No matter how smart you are, you're still just a seven-year-old child."
Those from the Jiang family had been immersed in the business and political worlds for years. Their life experience was plain to see. No matter how clever Li Ping was, he definitely couldn't outsmart them when it came to human scheming.
Jiang Mingzhe understood Ye Yunniang's concerns.
However, if Li Ping wanted to become the true master of the Yunhua Chamber of Commerce, he had to experience these things.
If Li Ping suffered a loss, Jiang Mingzhe wouldn't just stand by. He would definitely make those who bullied his son pay the price.
"Mother, I will be careful," Li Ping promised from the side.
"Listen to others' opinions when you encounter issues. Don't just act on impulse," Ye Yunniang instructed. She was truly worried about Li Ping.
Li Ping obediently agreed.
After dinner and some conversation, they returned to their respective rooms to rest.
Jiang Mingzhe held a few sheets of paper filled with names.
Ye Xiyun, Ye Yuan...
"Why do they all have the surname Ye?"
Jiang Mingzhe was still afraid that something bad would happen if the child took his surname. Taking the surname Li wasn't suitable, so taking the mother's surname was the same.
Thinking of how poorly her biological father and stepmother had treated her, Ye Yunniang didn't want the child to have the surname Ye either.
Ye Yunniang didn't argue further with Jiang Mingzhe, deciding to determine the child's surname after she was born.
They slept dreamlessly until dawn.
After having breakfast with the children and sending them off to school, Ye Yunniang and Jiang Mingzhe left Jiangcheng in a carriage.
The carriage had been specially modified so that Ye Yunniang wouldn't feel any bumps inside.
Listening to the sound of Jiang Mingzhe reading, she gradually fell into a deep sleep.
Jiangcheng was thousands of miles away from the capital. A normal carriage journey would take a month and a half.
Considering Ye Yunniang's pregnancy, Jiang Mingzhe slowed the carriage down.
It took them nearly two and a half months to reach the capital.
After lining up to enter the city gates, the carriage stopped at a residence Jiang Mingzhe had arranged to buy in advance.
Ye Yunniang stepped down from the carriage looking quite well.
In Jiangcheng, Ye Yunniang had lain in bed every day, suffering from terrible nausea. Yet, during the carriage ride, she hardly threw up at all.
"Our daughter is an active one," Ye Yunniang joked with Jiang Mingzhe.
"We should go out for walks more often in the future," Jiang Mingzhe suggested.
Ye Yunniang happily agreed.
After resting at the residence for a night, Ye Yunniang couldn't wait to go to the Bao family. She wanted to see Cai Damei, Li An, and Cai Shuyi, whom she hadn't seen in over two months.
Upon arriving at the Bao residence, she was stopped.
The Bao family's gatekeeper said flatly that no one could enter without a calling card.
Ye Yunniang realized she had been reckless; she should have had someone send a calling card first.
"Madam, it was my oversight not to prepare a calling card," Qiushuang blamed herself.
"I didn't think of it either. Let's go back for now." Ye Yunniang turned to get back into the carriage.
"Ye Yunniang, why are you here? You came to the capital? When did you arrive? Why are you standing at my door? Why not go in?" Tong Mo strode over.
Seeing Ye Yunniang about to return to the carriage and the somewhat nervous look of the gatekeeper nearby, Tong Mo understood.
"I'll take you inside. Aunt will definitely be thrilled to hear you're here."
Ye Yunniang followed Tong Mo into the Bao residence, arriving at the backyard courtyard where Bao Min lived.
The guard was nowhere to be found.
The maids and older female servants assigned to serve Cai Damei weren't keeping watch in the room either.
Pushing open the door to Cai Damei's room, a faint foul odor reached her nose.
The bad premonition in Ye Yunniang's heart grew stronger. She took a few quick steps to the bedside.
Cai Damei's already pale face was now completely devoid of color.
"Mother," Ye Yunniang grasped Cai Damei's hand. "Mother, I'm here. I've come to find you."
As Ye Yunniang spoke, she smelled the stench of urine.
Forcefully throwing back the blanket, she saw that the bed beneath Cai Damei was completely soaked.
Ye Yunniang turned her head and demanded, "Is this how Bao Min takes care of my mother?"
"I... I didn't know it was like this." Tong Mo silently cursed Bao Min for his negligence, while also blaming himself for getting angry with Bao Shao and staying at the prince's mansion all day instead of visiting Cai Damei more often.
Ye Yunniang didn't want to hear any more from Tong Mo. "Qiushuang, carry Mother out."
Qiushuang stepped forward and scooped up Cai Damei, blanket and all.
"Aunt can't leave." Tong Mo tried to stop them. If Cai Damei left, Bao Min would kill him when he found out.
"Tong Mo, get out of the way," Ye Yunniang said with a chilling tone, her eyes filled with murderous intent.
"Ye Yunniang, Uncle will give you an explanation."
"I don't want any explanation right now. I just want to take my mother home. Tong Mo, don't force me to get physical. Move." Ye Yunniang's voice deepened.
Tong Mo took a step back, making way.
Ye Yunniang strode out, with Qiushuang following closely behind her.
Tong Mo watched as Ye Yunniang took Cai Damei away, leaving the Bao residence.
"Tong Mo, what are you doing here?"
"Where have you been? How have you been taking care of Aunt?" Tong Mo vented all the frustration he had received from Ye Yunniang onto Bao Min.
"Tong Mo, how are you speaking to your uncle?" Bao Shao frowned. This was all Tong Tiemei's teaching—no manners, completely disrespecting his elders.
"Aunt was taken away by Ye Yunniang," Tong Mo stated, then turned and left.
"Tong Mo, come back! Why did she take Madam away? What happened during the few days I wasn't home?"
"Go inside and see for yourself," Tong Mo tossed back over his shoulder as he walked away.
Hearing this, Bao Min strode into the courtyard.
He pushed open the door and smelled the foul odor. Walking to the bed, he saw the mattress was soaked.
The maids and older servants who were supposed to be guarding the door returned in high spirits after chatting with others. They saw Bao Min standing in front of the bed.
"S-S-Second Master,"
"Luo Xin, drag them out, give them thirty strikes with the heavy board, and sell them all off," Bao Min ordered before striding out.
"Second Master, spare us! Second Master, Second Master..."
Ye Yunniang brought Cai Damei back to the Jiang residence and had hot water brought in. Refusing any help, she personally washed Cai Damei and changed her into clean clothes.
Once the room was tidied up and Cai Damei was settled in bed, a doctor came to check her pulse.
Due to lying down for a long time without adequate massages, her hands and feet were somewhat swollen.
Jiang Mingzhe brought in two women skilled in therapeutic massage to rub Cai Damei's hands, feet, arms, and legs.
Ye Yunniang leaned against Jiang Mingzhe and recounted what she had seen at the Bao residence.
"The master's words were very accurate. If I had arrived a few days later, my mother might have..." Ye Yunniang choked up, her tears falling in heavy drops.
Furious with herself, Ye Yunniang raised her hand to strike herself hard.
Smack!
Ye Yunniang's hand landed heavily on the back of Jiang Mingzhe's hand instead.
"Don't hit yourself, it breaks my heart."
Ye Yunniang was filled with remorse. How could she have believed Bao Min's nonsense and left her mother and the two children in his care?
The children?
"An'an and Shushu are still at the Bao residence. I have to go get them." Ye Yunniang stood up to head out.
"Mother / Sister-in-law," the voices of Li An and Cai Shuyi rang out from behind her.
Ye Yunniang turned around to see the two children running toward her.
As they got close, Li An controlled himself and didn't pounce on her. Cai Shuyi was small, so Jiang Mingzhe reached out to stop her.
"Your sister-in-law is having a baby; you can't throw yourself at her."
"I'm going to have a little sister."