Mother-in-law Meng didn’t wish to make things difficult for the doctor, her expression softened a little, and she said, "My granddaughter is not sick, no need for a diagnosis; you may go back." After that, she had Shuxin give the doctor his consultation fee. Shuxin, who knew how to handle the situation, cheerfully said it was hard work for the doctor, who had made the trip for nothing.
After taking the fee, the doctor didn’t say much, simply bowed to the elder madam and said, "Then, I will take my leave first."
But before he could leave the yard, he was stopped by Wang Miaoshuang, who had rushed over with a group of people.
"Doctor Lin, you are a well-known doctor in Beiyu City, why are you in such a hurry to leave? Could there be an illness you can’t treat?" Wang Miaoshuang inquired.
The doctor bowed to her and responded, "The elder madam of your Residence said the miss has no illness and no need for my services; perhaps there has been some misunderstanding. You should sort it out among yourselves."
Doctor Lin’s tone was somewhat blunt; he did not know what the Meng Residence was up to, but he was quite displeased that Wang Miaoshuang had challenged him upon her arrival, dragging him into this whirlpool.
Wang Miaoshuang huffed coldly. She had specifically invited a well-known doctor in Beiyu City, hoping he would contest Bai Ruozhu, but to her dismay, this person did not play into her hands, not cooperating at all.
Yet, since it was she who had invited him, now was not the time to turn against him. She looked to the elder madam and said, "Mother, why don’t you go and rest properly? I can take care of matters concerning Xiaxia. This is Doctor Lin from Anhe Hall, a top medical practitioner in Beiyu City. Having him examine Jinxia is also a way to ensure no oversight."
Bai Ruozhu stole a glance at Wang Miaoshuang and thought, eh, how come she’s playing the wise one now, not calling her a quack who’s delaying Meng Jinxia’s recovery?
"Xiaxia is already resting and should not be disturbed. What are you doing bringing all these people over? Besides, as an unwed girl, it is inappropriate for her to be seen by a male doctor. Have you forgotten all this? You’re being much too careless in your duties as her mother," the elder madam retorted, leaving Wang Miaoshuang at a loss for words, while Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but applaud silently.
Wang Miaoshuang’s face changed colors; she struggled to suppress her rage and forced a smile, saying, "Mother, you’re taking it too seriously; I am just concerned about Jinxia and therefore invited a reputable doctor. When it comes to seeing a doctor, there’re not that many concerns. Moreover, Jinxia hasn’t even reached the coming-of-age ceremony yet. Please, Doctor Lin, go and take Ruozhu’s pulse. Even ordinary families don’t rely on only one doctor. Besides, Ruozhu isn’t exactly a fully fledged doctor; what if she makes a mistake?"
Bai Ruozhu secretly curled her lip; she was only looking for an excuse to find fault with her.
"Madam, on the way here someone dressed as a Meng Residence guard attacked me, claiming they were following your orders to apprehend me for a confrontation. I told him that was ridiculous, if you wanted me, you would have simply called for me. Why would you send a guard to ambush me? It’s surely a thief who snuck in from outside. So, I had the guards break his arms and asked granny to send him to the Government Office to be interrogated by Magistrate Lu, to find out where this crook came from who dared to infiltrate the City Lord’s Residence," Bai Ruozhu said with a smile.
Wang Miaoshuang’s face grew darker and darker, finally turning iron blue. She was biting her teeth so hard, she seemed as if she wanted to bite Bai Ruozhu to death.
The ladies who had been brought along by Wang Miaoshuang understood the subtext well; Bai Ruozhu was openly challenging Wang Miaoshuang. Some felt refreshed by this defiance, having often suffered under Wang Miaoshuang’s influence, while others thought Bai Ruozhu was being too impulsive, too young despite the rush.
Bai Ruozhu did not feel that she was acting impulsively. She had always insisted that there was no need to tolerate the intolerable. Of course, this did not mean that she would recklessly challenge those who were too powerful, but people like Wang Miaoshuang were not beyond her ability to contend with. One must know that even though Wang Miaoshuang might be formidable, she was merely a princess, and one that had been appointed by the Former Emperor, at that. Her time had already passed.
Her true identity was that of Meng Liangshen’s wife, the daughter-in-law of the old Lady Meng.
Wang Miaoshuang was so choked up by Bai Ruozhu’s words that, gnashing her teeth, she finally said, "To think that such a thing has happened, it should indeed be dealt with properly. However, we’ll discuss this later. Since Xiaxia fainted for no reason, it’s only proper to have a qualified doctor take a look. Doctor Lin, please go."
Doctor Lin looked at Wang Miaoshuang, then at the old lady, and to tell the truth, he couldn’t afford to offend the wife of the City Lord, nor could he afford to offend the City Lord’s mother. He felt that it wasn’t his place to make a decision and simply stepped forward, saying, "I heard that the second young Miss was sleeping. Although I am advanced in years, I am still a man, and really dare not act inappropriately."
"You..." Wang Miaoshuang was so angry she wanted to give Doctor Lin a thorough tongue-lashing.
The old lady had already straightened her face, saying, "Even the doctor knows the proper etiquette, you, as the birth mother here, should stop causing a scene. Today’s feast was organized by me. Everyone can go back and continue eating and drinking; there’s no need to stand around here idly."
The ladies who had been called over by Wang Miaoshuang already felt as if they were sitting on pins and needles. With these words from the old lady, they hurriedly took their leave, fleeing as if it were a matter of life and death. Bai Ruozhu almost couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
Once the ladies had gone far away, the old lady once again glared fiercely at Wang Miaoshuang and said, "Do my words carry no weight in this Residence anymore? Even if you are a princess appointed by the Former Emperor, is this how the Wang Family teaches their daughters filial piety? Do I even exist in your eyes as your mother-in-law?"
The old lady’s words were already very severe, and what’s more, they were said in the presence of Bai Ruozhu, Meng Jinse, and Doctor Lin. Wang Miaoshuang couldn’t hold back any longer and shouted, "Mother, what do you mean by this? I am your legitimate daughter-in-law. How can you shield outsiders and humiliate me ?"
"Hmph, you think I don’t know what you’re planning? I advise you to let go of that notion. If you harm any child in this Residence, don’t blame me for being ruthless. I am not dead yet, and no single person has the final say in this Residence!" the old lady scolded loudly, her face flushed with anger because she was so upset.
Meng Jinse hurriedly tried to calm her down, crying as she said, "Grandmother, please don’t be angry. You must take good care of your health." Then, turning to Wang Miaoshuang, she said, "Mother, please don’t make grandmother angry."
Wang Miaoshuang was furious, but she was certainly no match for the old lady. The nanny also whispered some advice to her. With so many guests present that day, if she were to seriously upset the old lady, Wang Miaoshuang wouldn’t be able to maintain a good reputation either.
In the end, Doctor Lin left as if pardoned from a death sentence, and Bai Ruozhu breathed a sigh of relief. The matter was finally over for the time being.
Actually, she had already heard Meng Jinxia waking up in the house, even quietly sobbing. At this moment, she must be feeling very sad and very guilty, but what wrong had she committed? She was just an unfortunate child.
The maids in the Yard saw that the old lady was upset and hurriedly brought over some tea, offering it to the old lady, who was indeed a bit thirsty. She took the tea and brought it to her lips.
The maid beside her bowed her head low, her eyes darting around...