Xiqiu shook her head somewhat unsurely, then nodded and said, "I’ve read a few medical books in my spare time, but I don’t understand them." The First Master nodded slightly and said nothing more.
Although the pulse was a bit weak, in modern terms, the vital signs were clear, and there was no life threat.
She was relieved and returned to stand quietly beside Tong Xiyan, catching sight of several young maids huddled in fright in a corner, while Madam Luo and Madam Mei came out of the room, directing a few servants to bring water and quilts.
As soon as the two saw the First Master and Lady coming, they immediately approached with smiles and said, "Master, Madam." After saluting, the two sensibly stepped back a few paces, standing behind the Lady.
The Lady stood shoulder to shoulder with the First Master, watching the courtyard full of people coming and going in disarray. Coupled with the Second Master’s earlier talk, she couldn’t help but angrily reprimand, "What is all this chaos?" The servants in the courtyard immediately fell silent, each stopping where they were, with no one speaking or moving. The Lady continued, "Those who should be boiling medicine, go boil it. Those who should carry water, carry it. If you have nothing in your hands, stand by outside the door."
The servants dispersed again but were more orderly than before.
The courtyard quieted down, and the First Master frowned and looked at Xiuzhi, then said to the servant behind him, "Go see if the doctor has arrived." The servant responded and left, while another servant brought out chairs, and the First Master and Lady sat down in the courtyard.
Xiqiu silently stood behind the Lady, saw a young maid responsible for cleaning from the concubine’s courtyard, pulled her aside, and asked quietly, "How is the Madam now?" Since the First Master didn’t mention going inside to see the concubine, the Lady naturally wouldn’t bring it up, and she couldn’t go in either.
The young maid replied softly, "Just gave the Madam some medicine. It’s just that she hit her forehead on the door frame and scraped the skin."
Xiqiu frowned and nodded, then asked, "Who’s watching over her?" The young maid replied, "Sujin from Madam Luo’s side and Caitao from Madam Mei’s side are inside watching over her."
"There are too many people here, and they don’t need you. You go in and keep an eye on things. If the Madam needs anything, they can’t find it." The young maid nodded, then quietly returned to Madam Xia’s bedroom.
Tong Xiyan, overhearing the conversation between Xiqiu and the young maid, leaned over and whispered, "The concubine is fine now, so you don’t need to worry. I’ll accompany you to see her later." Xiqiu held her hand and nodded slightly.
The Lady cast a barely noticeable glance at Xiqiu, then frowned again. After a short while, Doctor Hu finally arrived, took Xiuzhi’s pulse, and said, "It’s nothing serious, just frightened and cold air invades, phlegm muddles the heart. After my acupuncture, rest for a day or two and she will be fine."
The Master smiled and cupped his hands towards Doctor Hu, "Thank you, sir." Doctor Hu was always familiar with the First Master, so he didn’t stand on ceremony, just nodded slightly to him, greeted the Lady, and said, "Please have someone carry this young lady into the room, for I need to perform acupuncture."
The Lady stood up, directed a few servants in the courtyard to carry Xiuzhi, and then said to Doctor Hu, "Thank you, sir."
Mr. Hu exchanged a few more polite words and then went into the room to perform acupuncture on Xiuzhi.
Since the person was fine, the Lady naturally didn’t want to stay longer, deliberately ignoring Madam Xia in the room. She turned to the First Master and said, "Master, you’ve had a long day. Why not rest first? I’ll have Nanny Fang keep an eye on things here, so you don’t need to worry, and any issue can be reported promptly." She thought the First Master would agree, but unexpectedly he waved his hand and said, "Since I’m here, I might as well take a look." Saying this, he took the lead and entered the main room.
The Lady stood like a stone statue in the courtyard, and the busy figures of the servants coming and going made her rigid back even more prominent. She was full of shock and disbelief as she watched the First Master’s tall figure disappear to the other side of the curtain.
In the past six years, every time the First Master returned to the residence, he never saw Madam Xia, and even in their regular correspondence, when the Lady occasionally mentioned Madam Xia, the First Master would tactfully avoid the topic as if, to him, this person did not exist and Madam Xia’s life or death had nothing to do with him.
Yet during this return, the Lady distinctly felt a change in the First Master’s attitude toward Xiqiu, and his gentler manner towards Tong Minzhi, until today, he himself proposed to visit Madam Xia.
Could it be that, after six years, the First Master had forgotten what Madam Xia did back then and forgiven her?
The Lady didn’t believe it, but she couldn’t explain the situation before her either.
Tong Xiyan blinked and nudged the stunned Xiqiu, and the two exchanged a glance, seeing the confusion and doubt in each other’s eyes.
Madam Luo’s gaze flickered, landing on the Lady’s back, and the smile on her lips grew wider. The one with the most intense reaction was Madam Mei. She turned pale, trembling as she pointed at the First Master’s back, stammering, "The Master... the Master went in?"
Tong Xiyu thought she was losing her composure and cautiously pushed her, and Madam Mei came to her senses, quickly lowered her face, and stood silently behind the Lady.
The strange atmosphere was noticeable to the entire courtyard staff. No one spoke, and they didn’t even dare to breathe heavily, waiting for the Lady’s reaction. After an indeterminable period, the Lady finally forced out a stiff smile and, supported by Nanny Fang, also went inside.
Xiqiu followed behind her and heard the Lady instruct Nanny Fang, "Have the doctor check on Madam Xia as well. Even if she’s sick, it’s still good to look in on her." Nanny Fang’s eyes flickered, and she went, smiling, towards the wing to fetch Doctor Hu.
The Lady’s response was swift, which Xiqiu secretly admired. No matter what she thought, she would never leave anyone room to doubt her facade.
The room was quiet. Caitao, Sujin, and the young maid from Madam Xia’s room were all kneeling by the bedside. The First Master stood at the foot of the bed with his hands behind his back, not waking Madam Xia, merely looking at her. His expression seemed somewhat blurred, as if he was looking at her or lost in some kind of memory.
Only when there was movement behind him did the First Master turn around, glanced at the Lady, lifted his robe, and sat down at a chair by the table. The Lady walked to Madam Xia’s bedside, quickly looking at the uneasily sleeping Madam Xia, then said to the three maids on the ground, "Get up." The three maids got up nervously. Original content can be found at novel(ꜰ)ire.net
The Lady then said to the First Master, "Doctor Hu will come shortly." She also sat down beside the First Master.
The First Master nodded slightly, then seeing Xiqiu standing at the door, after a brief pause, said, "You go attend her, fetch some water to clean her up." Xiqiu, having received the order, didn’t worry about the Lady’s reaction and immediately went to the bedside, her eyes reddening upon seeing Madam Xia lying there, her face pale, with an obvious red patch on her clean forehead, scraped skin with traces of blood around the wound.