The maid, hearing Madam Wang’s piteous cries, rushed into the inner room and saw Madam Wang collapsed on the floor, already unconscious.
Nan Yujin sent for an imperial physician from the Southern Dynasty.
“Physician Zhou, how is my mother?” Zhou Tianqing had just finished examining Madam Wang’s pulse. Hearing Nan Yujin’s anxious inquiry, he replied, “Madam’s condition is due to excessive grief triggering an old ailment. However, for her pulse to be in this state now is nothing short of a miracle. I am at a loss for what to do. I heard that someone from Medicine King Valley treated Madam before. Young Master Nan, why don’t you seek out Divine Physician Feng?”
Zhou Tianqing knew that Feng Luan possessed a compassionate heart. Her actions when they were treating disaster victims together in Yuzhou had deeply impressed him. Moreover, she was a direct disciple of the Poison Elder, her medical skills were surely far superior to his as an outer disciple. Zhou Tianqing couldn’t understand why Nan Yujin would go to the palace for an imperial physician when a better option was so close.
A wry smile flickered across Nan Yujin’s face. “There was a misunderstanding between myself and Divine Physician Feng regarding this matter, so…” Nan Yujin didn’t elaborate, and Zhou Tianqing didn’t pry further. He had only heard rumors of a discord between him and Feng Luan, and his smile faded slightly. After a moment’s thought, he asked, “Is your mother still taking medicine?”
Nan Yujin nodded. “Yes, the prescription was personally written by Divine Physician Feng, and she takes it every half month.”
“In that case, have the maids prepare the medicine. Madam’s current condition is beyond my diagnosis. To avoid ruining Madam’s hard-earned recovery with my untrained treatment, it would be best to have Madam continue with the prescription left by Divine Physician Feng!”
“Then my mother…”
“Madam is merely overcome with grief. She will wake up gradually. However, I must remind you, do not let Madam’s emotions fluctuate so drastically again. Otherwise, her body might truly collapse.”
“Alright, I understand. It is late and the dew is heavy; I am truly grateful for you coming all this way!”
“Young Master Nan, you speak too kindly. I am ashamed that I could not be of more help.”
Nan Yujin took out a money pouch from his怀 and pressed it into Zhou Tianqing’s hand. The pouch was filled with gold leaves. Zhou Tianqing politely refused for a moment before accepting it. Nan Yujin escorted him all the way out of the manor. Only after Zhou Tianqing’s carriage had departed did Nan Yujin return, a chilling aura enveloping him.
“Speak, what exactly happened!” Nan Yujin questioned the maid on duty.
The maid truly had no idea what had occurred, but facing Nan Yujin, who radiated a chilling presence, her voice trembled with fear. “Young Master, I, I truly don’t know what happened. I only suddenly heard Madam’s mournful cries from the inner room. When I entered the inner room from the outer one, Madam had already fainted before the dressing table. However… however, I did hear what Madam was shouting.”
“Speak, what did you hear?”
“I, I heard Madam shouting for Qing’er, ‘Qing’er, take me away,’ something like that.” After speaking, the maid glanced at Nan Yujin nervously. She had always served Madam Wang and naturally knew that the young lady’s death was Madam’s greatest pain. That was why, upon first hearing what Madam was shouting, she hadn’t dared to rush into the inner room immediately.
She recalled the ghostly rumors from Liwan Pavilion. Could it be that what was seen there was the young lady?
She moved her lips, wanting to voice her suspicion, yet fearing reprimand or even punishment. Before Nan Yujin could fathom the expression on the maid’s face, he heard Madam Wang’s whimpering groans.
He leaped up abruptly and reached Madam Wang’s bedside.
Madam Wang seemed to be trapped in a nightmare, struggling to climb out of an abyss of despair. She opened her eyes and first saw the ceiling. Feeling the warmth transmitted through her hand, her grip tightening slightly, she then turned her head. The moment she saw Nan Yujin, Madam Wang suddenly shed hot tears.
“Yujin, I saw your sister, I saw Qing’er. She was sitting at the dressing table, holding my jewelry and asking me if she looked good. She also told me, told me she was cold, that she was in pain, that she was scared, that she felt insects biting her.”
“Jin’er, Jin’er, I couldn’t hold her, I couldn’t save her. My heart felt as if it were being cut inch by inch with a blunt knife. My Qing’er, she was so young when she died. She had a great life ahead of her, a vast future, but it’s all gone, all gone. Jin’er, I want Liu Shi to die, no, no, I want her to live a life worse than death, I want to grind her and her daughter’s bones to ashes!!!”
“Mother!”
Nan Yujin tightly grasped Madam Wang’s hand, urging her not to speak such nonsense. They could scheme in their hearts, but how could they say such things in front of a maid?
Sensing Nan Yujin’s gaze, Madam Wang noticed the maid kneeling beside them. A sinister glint flashed across Madam Wang’s face. She pursed her lips, her voice as if drilled from between her teeth, or spreading from the depths of an abyss, “What you’ve heard today, it’s best to keep it buried in your gut. Otherwise, the wild dogs outside the city might have a feast!”
The maid, understanding Madam Wang’s threat, hurriedly kowtowed in supplication, saying, “Your servant heard nothing.” as she repeatedly bowed her head.
Only when blood began to spread from her forehead did Madam Wang let out a soft hum from her nose.
“Get out!”
“Yes, yes!”
After the maid left, Madam Wang said to Nan Yujin, “Kill her!”
“Mother?”
“What I’ve said today, you must not let it leak out. Your mother is not afraid of Liu Shi, but of your father.”
“That father of yours will definitely protect Liu Shi, he definitely will!”
“So, Jin’er, silence her!”
“You must do it cleanly and swiftly, without anyone noticing!”
“Yes, your son understands!”
Madam Wang raised her hand to wipe away the tears from the corner of her eyes. Suddenly, she remembered the rumors of hauntings in the manor. She instinctively tightened her grip on Nan Yujin’s hand. “Yujin, tell me, is this a nightmare, or has your sister truly returned?”
Nan Yujin was stunned for a moment, then replied with a bitter smile, “Mother, ghosts and spirits…” He stopped mid-sentence. Recalling the matters in Liwan Pavilion and Nan Yuan’er, Nan Yujin’s voice couldn’t help but rise slightly. “So, the ghosts Liu Shi and Nan Yuan’er saw, do you think it was Qing’er?”
“Yes, Mother truly feels she wasn’t dreaming. Mother truly saw Qing’er, saw her very clearly. Saw her holding Mother’s hairpins, hairpins… Yujin, look, look at that!”
Madam Wang’s eyes suddenly widened. She trembled with excitement. “These hairpins, these hairpins weren’t on Mother’s dressing table before. It’s Qing’er, it’s truly Qing’er. My Qing’er has returned, she has returned!!”