Chapter 244: Chapter 244: Evil Ghost (4)
She grabbed Tong Xiyu and hurried to the second gate, pulling the gatekeeper, Nanny Cai, to ask, "Who went to the Marquis Mansion with the carriage this morning?"
Nanny Cai hadn’t drunk today and was very clear-headed: "It was Nanny Zhang and Wang Gui’s wife who went along, Madam, is there something you wish to know?" Her attitude was noticeably less attentive than before!
Madam Xia leaned close to Nanny Cai’s ear and asked, "Do you know what Lady went to the Marquis Mansion to discuss with the Grand Dowager this morning? Why did she suddenly fall ill?"
Nanny Cai’s eyes flickered, showing a hesitant look. Madam Mei thought she was unwilling to speak, so she unhesitatingly took out five hundred coins from her pocket and tossed them to Nanny Cai: "Speak quickly!" Nanny Cai inwardly sneered, her expression subtly changing: "I’m not really sure, but I heard Lady and the Grand Dowager had a disagreement. This matter is probably... difficult!"
Madam Mei felt a jolt in her heart upon hearing this. A disagreement? Lady’s intention has always been to marry off the Eighth Miss. Could it be the Grand Dowager wanted to marry the Sixth Miss, which led to the disagreement with Lady? Although marrying off a daughter requires you to submit, while receiving a bride means you dictate, but the Grand Dowager is, after all, the Grand Dowager of the Marquis Mansion. No matter how much Lady tries to maneuver, she cannot possibly overrule the Grand Dowager, right?!
She thought again of Lady’s appearance...
This way, wouldn’t the Eighth Miss’s engagement fall through?
She stood there upright, the recent days of excitement and secret joy shattered to pieces instantly, as if all her strength was drained from her body, causing her to sway unsteadily. Nanny Cai immediately took a step back without a sound, and the other gatekeeping nannies also retreated, abandoning their recent efforts to curry favor with her and her daughter.
Tong Xiyu, listening from afar, was already stupefied and covered her face with a handkerchief, as if all the gazes that fell upon her were sharp thorns piercing and making her feel uncomfortable, unable to remain there any longer. She lifted her skirt and hurriedly retreated without minding Madam Mei.
Madam Mei’s legs went weak, and she collapsed straight to the ground!
Xiqiu and Tong Xiyang stood shoulder to shoulder by Lady’s bedside. Madam Xia cautiously assisted Nanny Fang with the tea tray. Lady looked at her three daughters and said, "You all should go back, I’d like some quiet." Tong Xiyan worriedly said, "Let me stay with you!" Lady was about to respond when Nanny Fang lifted the curtain and smilingly said to Lady, "Madam, Second Lady has arrived."
Lady straightened up and called towards the door, "Please come in!" As she finished speaking, Second Lady walked in swiftly, her eyes filled with concern, and asked Lady, "Why are you suddenly ill? What did the doctor say?"
Nanny Fang placed an embroidered stool by the bedside, as Xiqiu and the others greeted Second Lady, who smiled and sat down. Only then did Lady say, "It’s nothing serious, just overworked these days." Hearing this, Second Lady remained looking worried, but couldn’t help but think mockingly that it was clearly the engagement at the Marquis Mansion that hit a snag. The marriage went downhill because she insisted, leading to this current state: "Big Sister should take care of yourself, with so many people and matters in this mansion relying on you. If you fall ill, what will happen to the children!"
Lady sighed, and Second Lady then looked at the young ladies and said, "Let me have a word with your mother, you all should go and rest." Lady nodded at them, and Xiqiu, along with Tong Xiyang and Tong Xiyan, stood up to pay respects to Lady and Second Lady, unintentionally leaving a small pocket on the back of the chair as she stood, unaware as she left with the others, and Nanny Fang followed closing the door behind them.
"Big Sister!" Second Lady held Lady’s hand and asked, "I heard you went to the Marquis Mansion this morning? How did the marriage discussion go? Have you set the date?" The engagement at the Marquis Mansion was supposed to be for her daughter Tong Xixue. Had Tong Xixue not been frail and passed early, it would not have fallen to Tong Xihua.
The more intimate the sisters-in-law, the harder some things are to say. Lady smilingly replied to Second Lady, "It hasn’t been decided, I’ll let you know once it is." Second Lady took a sip of tea and continued, "Last night, Master mentioned to me how busy you’ve been with both Sixth and Eighth Girl’s engagements. We fear you might be overwhelmed, so he suggested I lend you a hand. Though I might not be of much help, two hands are better than one, right!" She paused, "Now that you are ill, I wonder how angry Master might be once he returns, accusing us of exhausting you while Brother isn’t in the Capital. We couples will find it hard to explain when he comes back."
Lady’s eyes narrowed, her expression growing gentler than before: "I wouldn’t dare trouble you and the Second Master; the affairs in this mansion, whether inside or out, are limited. Though I am ill, there’s Nanny Fang, and should worse come to worst, the young girls are old enough. With marriage ahead, they must learn to manage the household at some point!"
Second Lady hid her smile behind her sleeve and nodded, "Big Sister speaks sensibly, perhaps I overthought!" She finished, pleased to have said enough. Yet, returning home in the evening, she vented her displeasure to the Second Master: "You had me inquire if Big Sister needed our involvement for the marriage, and she treated our good intentions as insincere, making it seem like I was begging her."
Second Master also shook his head slightly. With such a significant matter, Brother not being in the Capital, Big Sister should at least discuss it with him and Shenzhi. Making decisions alone was one matter, but now it’s become so tangled, it’s even led to the Grand Dowager being offended, halting Shenzhi’s lessons...
However, Lady didn’t see it that way. After forcing herself to talk with Second Lady for half a day and finally sending her off, anger took hold as she flung the tea cup from the stool by the bed. Before she spoke, dizziness overcame her, and she collapsed into bed. Nanny Fang supported her, helping her breathe steadily until Lady, face still pale with anger, said, "She and the Second Master are uneasy, reminding me that this marriage is not merely a matter for the main house. If not for the Second House, we wouldn’t have secured such a good match, harumph... They fear I might bungle it and ruin their big affair!"
"I reckon Second Madam may not mean it that way; today, even the Grand Dowager wasn’t utterly decisive, so perhaps there’s room for negotiation. You should focus on recovering - once you do, I believe today’s difficulties will resolve themselves."
Lady closed her eyes, resting against the bed. Nanny Fang took a spoon to feed her medicine, but Lady took a sip and waved her hand: "My head aches, put the medicine aside and help massage me!" Nanny Fang set the medicine down and rubbed Lady’s temples. Shortly after, Lady drifted into a light sleep.
Late at night, half asleep, Lady suddenly heard a shrill scream reverberate through the quiet courtyard. She jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat, fumbling for the edge of the bed and calling for Nanny Fang. Nanny Fang, with her coat hastily donned, rushed to light a lamp: "Madam, what’s wrong?"
Lady, uncertain and alarmed, asked, "What was that sound just now?" Nanny Fang looked puzzled and replied, "I didn’t hear anything, perhaps you had a nightmare?" She then poured a cup of tea from the teapot warmed at the bedside for Lady: "Have some tea!"