Feng Fu, the Imperial Advisor, was a god in the eyes of Old Madam Wang.
Upon hearing that Wang Qingyao was going to invite the Imperial Advisor Feng Fu, she visibly panicked.
He Rufang gave her a reassuring look, and she forced a few awkward smiles at Wang Qingyao, "In that case, we'll trouble the Imperial Advisor."
Wang Qingyao's impression of the Imperial Advisor Feng Fu was that he was a master of deception.
Old Madam Wang trusted the Imperial Advisor Feng Fu, and it would all depend on his silver tongue to dissuade her from sending He Rufang into the Prince Ding'an's mansion.
Thinking this, Wang Qingyao felt she needed to prepare a good gift for the Imperial Advisor Feng Fu.
She went back and searched for a while, but was not satisfied with any of the gifts. They were either too vulgar or too austere, not befitting the Imperial Advisor's status.
When Xiao Yun returned, he chuckled, "Giving gifts to the Imperial Advisor is easy, you don't need to rack your brains. A few large gold ingots will make him perfectly content."
"Is the Imperial Advisor that... that vulgar?"
Xiao Yun laughed heartily, "He's just being practical."
Wang Qingyao then had eight gold ingots prepared, packed in exquisite black lacquer boxes, and planned to present them to the Imperial Advisor Feng Fu the next day.
Who knew that early the next morning, someone from the Wang family came with news of a death, reporting that Old Madam Wang had died the previous night.
Wang Qingyao was stunned by the news. Wasn't she faking it? Hadn't the acupuncture changed her pulse?
Could it be that she had guessed wrong, and Old Madam Wang was truly on her deathbed?
Wang Qingyao put aside her doubts, quickly changed her clothes, and went to the Wang family with Xiao Yun.
The Wang family had not yet organized the funeral arrangements. Old Madam Wang had passed away suddenly, and the Wang family was completely unprepared. They were now hastily sending people out to make arrangements.
The mourning hall had been set up. Given Old Madam Wang's age, a coffin had been prepared long ago, made of the finest golden nanmu wood.
Now, Old Madam Wang lay in the coffin, dressed in a nine-piece silk burial suit. Her face was powdered white, and her lips were painted with rouge. At first glance, it was quite eerie.
Her cousin, He Rufang, knelt beside the coffin in mourning attire, weeping.
Her crying was also quite elaborate. Her face was filled with grief, her complexion pale, and tears fell from her large eyes like pearls from a broken string, one after another.
She looked like the female protagonist in a Qiong Yao romance drama.
She was so pitiful.
However, Xiao Yun didn't spare her a glance.
Gu Shi had not slept all night, and her complexion was even worse, her eyes swollen like walnuts from crying.
Upon seeing Wang Qingyao, she tried to speak several times, but hesitated due to the presence of others, and could not get the words out.
Wang Qingyao found an opportunity and took her to a less crowded place to talk.
"Princess Ding'an," Gu Shi was the second wife, only a few years older than Wang Qingyao. Although she was married to Wang Da, she never acted as an elder. Every time she met Wang Qingyao, she was respectful. "Previously, when the old madam was ill, two doctors were consulted. Both said it was not a serious illness, just overeating and poor sleep. But yesterday, Imperial Physician Lu said the old madam was critically ill, and she passed away in the night..."
Gu Shi was not sad about Old Madam Wang's death; on the contrary, she felt relieved.
It was just that the old madam's death was peculiar, making her unable to help but suspect something.
As soon as she finished speaking, she realized her words could be misinterpreted and quickly explained, "Princess, please don't misunderstand. I'm not suspecting Imperial Physician Lu. I just find it strange."
It was indeed strange.
Wang Qingyao nodded, "Aunt, you make a valid point. I also find it strange."
Wang Da, having lost his mother, was visibly grief-stricken, looking as dejected as a defeated rooster.
Xiao Yun quietly said to Wang Qingyao, "Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Lord Wang will have to observe a three-year mourning period."
Wang Da was completely unprepared. He had only recently taken office as the Minister of Revenue, and now he had to observe a three-year mourning period. After three years, who would remember him? How could he achieve his ambitions?
Wang Da unfilially complained that Old Madam Wang had died at the wrong time, wishing she had at least sent him a message so he could have made some arrangements.
He knew Old Madam Wang had been ill, and it was Gu Shi who had been attending to her. He had also met the doctors who had treated Old Madam Wang, and both had said it was not a serious illness and would be fine with careful recuperation.
How could she have suddenly died?
Wang Da did not find Old Madam Wang's death suspicious, just too sudden.
He still found it difficult to accept, feeling a lump in his throat and immense frustration.
Wang Qingzhen and Wang Qingzhu, the married daughters, also returned shortly after, accompanied by their respective husbands.
Regardless of their feelings towards Old Madam Wang, a period of crying was mandatory.
It was the kind of wailing where they cried and shouted, which Wang Qingyao had seen in dramas before.
Now that it was her turn, she absolutely could not bring herself to do it.
She could shed silent tears, though. She had prepared a bottle of peppermint oil and occasionally dabbed it near her eyes.
To her surprise, Wang Qingzhen's performance was remarkable.
Good heavens, she threw herself beside the coffin, weeping as if her heart were broken, recounting all sorts of "touching moments" with Old Madam Wang since childhood, until her voice was hoarse.
Wang Qingzhu was helped up by Pang Yan after a few cries.
"You are pregnant, no matter how heartbroken you are, you must take care of yourself."
Hearing this, Wang Qingzhen's crying paused.
Damn, she was pregnant again.
Wang Qingzhen was filled with envy and jealousy.
Wang Qingzhu, supported by Pang Yan, sat down with Bai Junya.
Wang Qingyao, while shedding silent tears, took a closer look at Old Madam Wang.
There were no unusual signs.
Could she have truly died of a sudden illness?