Madam Bai's heart clenched, and her eyes welled up.
"Don't worry," she said, walking over and sitting by the bed. "I've already asked someone to look for a doctor. I heard there's a divine physician in Fengming County who specializes in skin conditions..."
"Mother," Wang Qinglin interrupted, still motionless. "It's no use. I'll never recover."
Madam Bai's tears streamed down her face. Her poor daughter, her only daughter.
"Mother, I want to invite a Buddha statue."
Madam Bai trembled, and the handkerchief in her hand fell to the ground. "Lin'er, you..."
She stammered, "Even if... I can still support you for a lifetime. Why must you become a nun?"
Wang Qinglin had no intention of becoming a nun. Even if her face was ruined, she wanted to live comfortably, waited on hand and foot, until she died. How could she endure the hardship of a life of abstinence and prayer?
She felt that Wang Qingyao's current good fortune was entirely due to the Imperial Advisor Feng Fu. The Imperial Advisor resided in the palace, and it was difficult to approach him. She could only try to seek favor when the opportunity arose.
Madam Bai breathed a sigh of relief, but her heart ached even more. Only when reality seemed hopeless would one turn to gods and Buddhas.
She quietly told Wang Qinglin about the bandits. "It was a close call. She can't always be this lucky. Mother will avenge you."
Wang Qinglin said faintly, "She is always lucky."
Madam Bai was taken aback. As she recalled, the more she thought about it, the more alarming it became. How could she escape danger every time? Could it be that the fate predicted by the Imperial Advisor Feng Fu was true?
Madam Bai could not admit it.
If Wang Qinglin's disfigurement hadn't happened, she would have accepted it after a few days of sadness. But now, her daughter's face was ruined, and the culprit was deemed "noble in destiny" and a "lucky star descended"?
Madam Bai could not tolerate it.
"We were not vigilant before. Now that we know she is lucky, we will be even more careful than before. I don't believe I can't bring her down!"
Wang Qinglin did not stop Madam Bai. She too had her own plans. In any case, she would not let Wang Qingyao marry into the Ding'an Prince's Mansion smoothly. Since her own life was ruined, she had nothing to lose.
Wang Da and Old Madam Wang had always believed Wang Qinglin's condition was ordinary skin allergies. They had inquired a few times and were told she would recover in a few days, so they didn't pay much attention.
Wang Qingzhen and Wang Qingzhu had glimpsed the truth but dared not speak of it, only whispering about it to their respective concubines. Wang Qingzhu and Concubine Hua were both timid. Although they felt a hint of schadenfreude, they dared not show it and harbored no ill intentions.
It was different for Wang Qingzhen and Concubine Ying. Concubine Ying had been the most favored concubine before. Now, with a steady stream of young concubines being taken in, she was no longer as favored. However, Wang Da, remembering their past affection, and her own charm, still spent three to five nights a month with her.
Wang Qinglin was Wang Da's only legitimate daughter. Now that her appearance was ruined, she was like a discarded pawn. When Wang Da and Old Madam Wang found out, wouldn't the resources originally meant for Wang Qinglin be diverted to Wang Qingzhen?
Wang Qingzhen and Concubine Ying rubbed their hands together, plotting to find an opportunity to expose Wang Qinglin's disfigured face to everyone.
With the portrait provided by Wang Qingyao, Xiao Yun quickly apprehended the six bandits. They were a group of newcomers to banditry, who had occupied a small hill and ambitiously aimed to become kings and develop their enterprise.
Xiao Yun didn't have to exert much effort. They confessed that a man named Xiao Bazi had paid them ten taels of silver to rob the Wang family's carriage, with another five hundred taels promised upon completion. Following Xiao Bazi's trail, they easily traced him to be a childhood friend of the nephew of the Wang family's outer courtyard steward. Peeling back the layers, they could eventually implicate Madam Bai.
However, even with irrefutable evidence pointing to Madam Bai, revealing it now would have little impact.
Firstly, she herself had not been harmed in the slightest. Secondly, the Wang family would undoubtedly side with Madam Bai and would not punish her. It was better to suppress this matter for now and use it later when Madam Bai committed a more serious offense.
Xiao Yun imprisoned the six bandits in the dungeon and sent people to keep a close watch on Xiao Bazi.
Wang Qinglin's "skin allergy" had not completely healed even by the beginning of May. By this calculation, she had not appeared in public for over half a month.
Madam Bai had invited a Buddha statue for her and set up an altar in the inner chamber. Every day, she prayed to Buddha, first for her face to be restored to its former beauty, and second for Wang Qingyao to suffer the consequences of her evil deeds. The scent of sandalwood pervaded Lijing Courtyard from morning till night.
Wang Da finally sensed something was amiss, further fueled by Wang Qingzhen's intentional or unintentional expressions of concern. He asked Madam Bai, "How is Lin'er's allergy being treated? If this doctor isn't good, find another. She hasn't paid her respects to Old Madam in a long time. It's just an allergy, not a broken leg."
Madam Bai detected his dissatisfaction and felt both anger and bitterness. She forced a smile and said, "She's almost recovered, but the doctor has ordered her to avoid the wind for now, which is why she hasn't paid her respects to Old Madam."
"If she can't be exposed to the wind, she can wear a veiled hat," Wang Da declared decisively. "Don't be too indulgent. She's destined to be the matriarch of the clan." He paused, finding it strange, and frowned. "Lin'er has always been the most sensible."
Why would she not pay respects to Old Madam just because she couldn't be exposed to the wind?
When Madam Bai heard Wang Da say that Wang Qinglin was destined to be the matriarch, her heart ached even more.
Wang Qinglin had been outstanding since childhood and was originally meant to marry the top scholar. Unfortunately, Tian Yu was useless. Fortunately, the engagement was broken. Now that her cousin was to become a princess, her own future wouldn't be too bad.
At this critical juncture, she had been disfigured.
Although a wife should be virtuous and appearance wasn't the most important thing, one couldn't be too ugly. Madam Bai sighed inwardly. She had already sent someone to fetch the divine physician from Fengming County. Whether it was useful or not, they had to try.
Thinking of this, her hatred for Wang Qingyao deepened.
She forced a smile and said, "Lin'er was supposed to pay her respects to Old Madam, but I held her back."
Wang Da gave her a displeased look. She continued, "It's also time for Yao Yao to pay her respects to Old Madam. Old Madam is still wary now and never lets her step into Rongtang Courtyard. But in the future, when she returns for a visit or is with the Prince, can Old Madam still stop her from coming in?"
Wang Da's attention was diverted. He frowned and pondered for a moment. "I will persuade Old Madam about this matter."
He didn't know what he said to Old Madam, but when the lamps were lit, a嬷嬷 (nanny) from Old Madam's courtyard went to Lengxiang Courtyard and subtly conveyed Old Madam's wish for Wang Qingyao to pay her respects the next morning.
Wang Qingyao outwardly agreed with joy, but inwardly she was extremely reluctant.
The elderly got up early. The younger generation of the Wang family had to arrive at Rongtang Courtyard around 6:30 AM. How could she possibly wake up at that hour?
She looked at Yin Zhu in despair. Yin Zhu patted her chest. "Miss, don't worry. I'm here for you."