Rumors Rise Again
But how should she deal with Lily Evans?
If it was about fighting on the battlefield or carrying out a mission, Sophie White was top-notch.
But when it came to inner-court intrigue... Sophie had never even set foot in the inner quarters, let alone knew how to handle the women there.
Just as Sophie was racking her brains, wondering how to deal with Su Li, a sudden idea flashed through her mind—she remembered two people.
Gregory Gu Jr. and Princess May!
Sophie had deliberately let them go and formed a secret alliance with them, so now was the perfect time to use them.
So Sophie immediately wrote a secret letter and quietly sent it out. The message was carried by carrier pigeon, flying straight to the State of Chu...
While Sophie was waiting for a reply, Mrs. Penny went into labor.
Although it was Mrs. Penny's first child, she was strong and skilled in martial arts, so giving birth was much easier for her than it had been for Belle or Lily Evans.
It only took her one afternoon to deliver, and just as Simon Yu had predicted, she gave birth to a healthy pair of twins—a boy and a girl!
Xiao Yun was overjoyed to have both a son and a daughter at once, grinning so widely he looked absolutely silly.
Twins—a boy and a girl—were considered an auspicious sign. With their arrival at the Prince of Qin's Manor, the whole estate was filled with joy.
Now, there were suddenly four children in the manor—two boys and two girls. It was truly lively!
When Lily Evans heard about Mrs. Penny giving birth to twins, she was genuinely happy for her and sent plenty of gifts.
With days passing in such a bustling fashion, Lily Evans soon finished her postpartum confinement.
She recovered well during her confinement, thanks to Xiao Zetian helping to care for the child. By the end, Lily Evans's skin was radiant and her figure had become a bit fuller than before marriage, exuding the unique beauty of a young mother—like a juicy, ripe peach.
Under the careful care of his parents, Xiao Chang'an also grew much stronger and was no longer as prone to illness as during the confinement period.
Once Lily Evans's confinement ended, she not only took care of her child, but also resumed managing her business.
She hadn't paid attention to business matters for quite a while, so when she took over again, there was a mountain of work waiting for her, which would take some time to sort out.
Just as Lily Evans was focused on caring for her son and managing her business, rumors in the capital about her being a blood-sucking demon began to spread more and more wildly.
Originally, the rumors had died down and everyone had stopped talking about them. But out of nowhere, someone brought up the old story again and reignited the gossip.
"Me, a blood-sucking monster?" Lily Evans was both amused and exasperated when she heard the rumor, turning to look at Lin Xiaowu.
Lin Xiaowu looked unhappy and said, "Those ignorant people are just talking nonsense! Sister, don't pay them any mind!"
Lily Evans was broad-minded and nodded, "It's just rumors. Let them talk. I'm swamped with work—who has time to care about gossip?"
Lily Evans didn't take the rumors seriously at all. With Xiao Zetian handling things outside, she didn't need to worry—she just had to take care of her child and manage her business.
The spices in the plantation were nearly ready for harvest, and Edward's fleet was about to return. Lily Evans still had plenty to prepare.
While Lily Evans remained unfazed by the rumors, Sophie White was so anxious she was practically tearing her hair out.
"That demon girl is truly brazen! Everyone outside knows she's a monster, so why does she act so fearless, not even a bit afraid?" Bai Susu slammed the table, fuming. "Her skin must be thicker than the city walls—rumors can't do a thing to her!"
To make things easier, Bai Susu had already moved out of the Lin family and was living in her own house in the capital. Just as she finished her rant, she saw a snow-white pigeon fly in. She recognized it as a messenger from the State of Chu.