Chapter 5: Don’t You Think There’s A Ghost?
Madam He involuntarily pulled over the quilt.
In August when the summer heat had not yet fully receded, she clutched the edge of the quilt tightly, her face ashen white.
“Is Madam cold? No wonder. It’s only August, yet inside this room it’s already chillingly cold. By midnight, the wind howls outside the room like ghosts wailing and wolves howling, just like vengeful spirits seeking revenge. Who knows what ghost it is, with such heavy resentment.”
Yue Tang picked up the medicine bowl, gazing at the reflection of the sky light in the bowl, then scooped up a spoonful and brought it to her lips: “Drink the medicine quickly. Once you drink it, you’ll fall asleep. Once asleep, you won’t hear the ghost cries.”
“Get lost! Get away from me!”
Each utterance of the word “ghost” stabbed at Madam He’s sacral vertebra!
She pushed Yue Tang away with one hand and, in agitation, bounced from the bed to the floor.
The bowl fell to the ground, emitting a piercing sound.
Maidservants and old women rushed in, only to see Madam He pointing at Yue Tang in utter terror: “Throw this bitch out! Hurry, throw her out!”
Yue Tang was full of confusion: “Madam, earlier you said my medical skill was good and my service attentive. What’s wrong with you?”
Madam He’s eyes were bloodshot; how could she listen? She pointed at the old women again: “Throw her out! Didn’t you hear me? Hurry and throw her out!”
Hua Lin hurried in at this moment, took the pulse of Madam He who was being supported by the maidservants, and his expression changed instantly: “Madam was already ill, and has now suffered successive shocks. It seems her mind is on the verge of collapse, and her qi and blood can no longer return to position!” With that, he took out silver needles and inserted several into her neck and head. Then he called out: “Quickly go decoct calming soup!”
Mind on the verge of collapse—in other words, on the verge of going mad.
How could that be tolerated?
Since she had gone mad, if this medical woman were truly driven away, who would take over her care?
Who would even be willing to take over?
Fundamentally, no one paid attention to Madam He’s demands.
In the chaos, Yue Tang placed the medicine bowl she had brought onto the table and stepped into the small side courtyard behind the main chamber.
This was the temporary lodging that the He Family had provided for the household physician.
She pushed open the door, steadily entered the side room, and closed the room door.
A hand holding a gold lock extended before her: “Master, found it!”
Yue Tang took the lock in her hand and examined it closely, then walked to the window and held it up to the sky light, her gaze scrutinizing bit by bit the name engraved on the lock.
Her ten fingers, from gripping too hard, soon turned bluish white.
She clutched the gold lock to her chest, her fist pressing down on her heaving bosom. Beneath her tightly furrowed brows, massive waves surged in her eyes.
“Xiao Huo, A Li is three years, four months, and ten days old.” Her voice was hoarse.
This figure stepped forward timidly and murmured: “Master, please restrain your grief. Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet.”
Yue Tang looked again and again at the gold lock in her palm.
Standing under the window, she was like a rock, even her breathing falling silent.
On Huo Yun’s fists hanging at her sides, veins silently bulged one by one.
“Princess, we will make everyone pay the price, avenging the young heir apparent, the prince, and you—Xiao Huo will grind to dust the bones of all who have hands stained with Prince Duan’s Mansion’s blood, together with Master!”
Yue Tang opened her hand; the sky light climbed the window frame, inch by inch tracing her brows and eyes. “Any news of Wei Zhang?”
Huo Yun nodded, cupped tea in both hands, and offered it to her: “Master says at most three days and he will arrive in the capital.”
Yue Tang tucked the lock into her bosom and slowly asked: “How is the dispute between the He and Zhang families going?”
“Everything is proceeding as Master arranged. After the He Family reported to the government officials, Zhang Shaode immediately brought Zhang Shi’s corpse to Shuntian Prefecture and beat the drum of grievances. Then the He father and son arrived, both sides accusing each other of murder, each sticking to their own words in the court hall, arguing endlessly.
“The prefect, at a loss, separated the cases and first investigated He Xu’s cause of death overnight.”
Yue Tang gazed at the bright sky outside the window: “They’ve been questioning for half the night. According to procedure, the government officials should come to the He Family to investigate the scene. I need to go meet Liu Shi.”
At this point, she suddenly frowned and looked outside through the window.
A maidservant, draped in the morning light, stepped through the courtyard gate, looked around left and right, and called out: “Where did this little widow go? —Lin Niangzi! Lin Niangzi?”
Yue Tang paused, her lips curving up: “Speak of the devil and he shall appear.”
She went to the window and showed her face: “I’m here.”
The maidservant’s voice rose three degrees: “You’re good at slacking off. Second Mistress is so busy her feet don’t touch the ground, and here you are. Hurry up, Grandmother is calling you!”
“Got it.” Yue Tang responded calmly.
Huo Yun was extremely angry: “What tomcat or mongrel dares to step on top of you, Master! This subordinate said we should handle trash like the He Family ourselves!”
Yue Tang smiled: “Since you know it’s an unimportant person, why do you care what she does?”
With that, she saw the bundle still slung over his shoulder: “What’s that?”
“The rest of the items found in Zhang Shi’s room, all belonging to you, Master!” Huo Yun opened the bundle for her to see, a shine of gold gleaming.
Yue Tang glanced at it twice and covered it up: “Take it back and give it to Qin Niang.”
Huo Yun acknowledged, obediently picked up the bundle, and went out.
Yue Tang silently gazed at the dark sky outside the window for a moment, then went out the door.
The maidservant was still waiting for Yue Tang outside the courtyard gate.
Huo Yun, seeing this from the wall top, thought for a moment, turned back two steps, crouched on the wall behind her, dug out a pebble, and accurately flung it at the back of her knee.
The maidservant cried out in pain and knelt to the ground!
Yue Tang, walking alongside, stopped and raised a brow: “Why perform such a grand salute?”
The maidservant glared at her, grinding her teeth: “Someone sneak-attacked me from behind!”
Yue Tang turned her head to glance at the wall top, then nonchalantly said oh: “I see no one around. If there really was a sneak attack, then it must have been a ghost.
“Right, Eldest Young Master and Eldest Young Mistress met tragic deaths. They might not be willing to leave—who would be, with such good fortune gone in an instant?
“They must drag a few along as scapegoats!
“Eldest Young Mistress was treated as the murderer by the He Family before she died. No wonder Madam was acting so strangely earlier; it must be Grandmother’s vengeful spirit at work.”
Before she finished speaking, the maidservant had already screamed and scrambled up to run away.
……
When Yue Tang arrived at the second house, Liu Shi, who had just taken initial control of power, was seated on the bed issuing orders to the servants reporting back throughout the room.
Madam He had not been well in recent years, and household management had long been handed over to Zhang Shi.
Liu Shi had been appointed in this crisis.
Once Liu Shi dismissed the people, Yue Tang congratulated her: “Congratulations to Second Mistress for getting what you wished for and taking power.”
Liu Shi glanced around and said solemnly: “Who taught you to say that?!”
Yue Tang smiled: “I just feel that this position was meant for Grandmother to sit in.”
Liu Shi paused, her expression obscure: “I just came back from Madam’s side. Tell me, since entering the mansion today, have you messed around anywhere?”
“Of course not.” Yue Tang said, “I was able to enter the mansion to work all thanks to Grandmother’s support. If I acted recklessly, wouldn’t that betray Grandmother?”
Hearing this, Liu Shi relaxed: “Good that you know.”
Three days ago, Hua Lin had requested Madam He to allow him to add a helper to serve the herbal medicine.
The task of serving herbal medicine should originally have been assigned by selecting someone from the mansion.
With household management in Zhang Shi’s hands, Liu Shi originally had no desire to interfere.
But that day when Hua Lin came to take her pulse for peace, he had brought this Lin Shi to beg her. Seeing this face, Liu Shi, who had originally not planned to pay attention, changed her mind.
(Rushing new book rankings, begging for all kinds of votes~)
