Meng Zhilu's proposal seemed like a reasonable and beneficial solution for all parties. Li Lianshuang would gain both wealth and status and her child, if male, would become Shen Zhongting's heir. As the child grew, they would naturally be grateful to their birth mother. The only one seemingly disadvantaged was Meng Zhilu.

Her kindness made the servants and those present at the incident exclaim in disbelief again. Elder Tai Tai nodded with admiration at the thought of their granddaughter-in-law. Li Lianshuang looked as if she wanted to cry, unable to tell whether she should be happy or sad. But the servants all guessed that she must be secretly delighted, gaining ten additional dowry chests and a child who could potentially inherit the family fortune, even if she wouldn't be the principal wife.

“Zhilu, you're so understanding. Your solution is quite good” Elder Huyin said, feigning appreciation. She raised Meng Zhilu's hand in a gesture of gratitude for her daughter-in-law's supposed sacrifice.

When Elder Huyin finished speaking, Meng Zhilu gently withdrew her hand from her mother-in-law's grasp. She then took a key from her chest and turned to her trusted servant standing behind her. “Pi Qiao, go to my personal storage room and retrieve the third chest from the left side of the first cabinet. I will give it to Miss Li as a welcome gift”

Her generosity amplified the admiration in everyone's eyes. They practically revered Meng Zhilu as a saint. Such a virtuous woman was indeed rare. Shen Zhongting was so infatuated with his mistress that he failed to appreciate his wife's exceptional qualities. Not only was she not resentful, but she was also kind and generous to them both. Anyone who would discard such a wife must be truly foolish.

Pi Qiao curtseyed in acknowledgment and hurried away. Then she returned shortly with a small wooden chest, which she carefully presented to her Lady Boss.

Meng Zhilu took the chest, opened it, and offered it to Li Lianshuang. “This is a small welcome gift, Sister. Please accept it.”

When everyone saw the contents of the wooden chest, their eyes widened in surprise. Even Shen Zhongting raised his eyebrows in astonishment. He hadn't expected Meng Zhilu to be so generous as to gift such precious jade to his mistress.

Elder Huyin was inwardly displeased to see her daughter-in-law bestow such an expensive gift upon Li Lianshuang, whom she considered undeserving. Her base is a greedy person. So, she knew her daughter-in-law's weakness for kindness and hoped to exploit it.

She wanted that item, so she pretended to feign surprise, she exclaimed, “Oh my god! Isn't this Zheng Yang Gong's green jade? Look at the exquisite red rubies adorning it on Pomegranate! Is it truly appropriate to give such a precious gift for a mere first meeting?”

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The green jade from Zhengyang City is renowned for its beauty. As for the red rubies, more than a hundred are in existence. Each ruby on it is worth at least 500 taels. Isn't it excessive to give such a treasure to a mere concubine's son?

And it seems that Shen Zhongting knows his mother's thoughts. So, he turned to Li Lianshuang and said to his beloved, who was still staring at the things in her eyes without blinking. “Shuang'er, thank Shen Huyin.”

Li Lianshuang eagerly responded, “Shuang'er is deeply grateful for Sister's kindness. Thank you so much for this gift.” Her voice was filled with joy, all traces of her earlier frustration forgotten as she beheld the magnificent jade pomegranate, the size of a fist, exquisitely carved and adorned with sparkling red gemstones. She reached out to take it from Pi Qiao's hands.

But then, a sharp pain pierced both of Li Lianshuang's palms, causing her to gasp in shock.

“Ah!” she cried out, instinctively jerking her hand. The precious pomegranate slipped from her grasp and shattered on the floor.

“Smash!”

“What was that? How clumsy can you be!” Elder Huyin shouted, rounding on Li Lianshuang in fury.

“Oh, it's ruined!” Elder Huyin cried, her expression filled with dismay. She summoned several maids to help gather the scattered fragments of jade and rubies. Inwardly, she lamented the loss of Meng Zhilu's precious gift. Glaring at Li Lianshuang, she spat out accusations in a venomous tone. “Are your hands crippled? Can't you even hold onto something properly? You're so useless, and yet you still dare to make demands!”

Li Lianshuang's face paled under the onslaught of insults. “Mother, I didn't mean to drop it. I felt a sudden, sharp pain in my hands as if hundreds of needles were pricking me, so…” She held out her hands, her voice trembling.

Elder Huyin said angrily “Pi Qiao held that wooden chest for a long time, yet found no needle. Look at the servants, has any of them found the hundred needles you claimed fell to the ground? All we see are the rubies and jade fragments you had dropped!”

Scolding her, she directed a dissatisfied expression at her daughter-in-law. Then, turning to Pi Qiao, she said, “You go and grab that wooden chest to show me. Is there a needle embedded in it, as she claims?”

Pi Qiao obeyed. She walked in, picked up the wooden chest that had fallen at Li Lianshuang's feet, and presented it to Elder Huyin.

Of course, the wooden chest was devoid of any needle, despite Li Lianshuang's claim of hundreds.

Elder Huyin stroked the bottom of the wood chest with her hands, then turned to look at Li Lianshuang, her eyes full with anger

Li Lianshuang’s face paled, her gaze alternating in shock between her mother-in-law's white hands and the wooden chest. She had exactly remembered, that moment, she felt a prick, as if a needle had pierced her hand from beneath the wooden chest. she was sure that both of her hands were pricked by the needle.

The expressions on their faces made Meng Zhiru secretly laugh. The hundred needles Li Lianshuang spoke of were a trap she had set. She had ordered her close servant to apply frost scales from the Pungma tree (nettle with thin, needle-like hairs that cause a burning pain upon contact, removable with heat or water). This weed has countless sharp, thin spines like ice crystals, covering its stem and leaves. Pi Qiao sprinkled these onto the jade pomegranate before being brought to. When Li Lianshuang touched them, she therefore suffered pain, causing a stinging sensation. Then the heat of her hand melted all tiny spines. Those stuck on the jade pomegranate's surface had likely dissolved long ago due to the air's warmth outside the wooden chest. Leave no evidence for arrest, Because Li Lianshuang hadn't touched any actual real needles.