Four Seasons Brocade – CH 067

Chapter 67 ☆、

Ah Wu thanked Fifth Young Lady Rong and went back to tell Lady Cui about the temple fair.

On the fifteenth, Ah Wu had Zi-Shan prepare a veil for her face, went to the Daci Temple to offer incense, lingered for a while, and then set off back to the Duke of Anguo’s mansion.

Upon reaching Wenmiao Street, Ah Wu said to Zi-Shan, “Go tell Nanny Li to ask the coachman to take the detour through Xihua Gate. It’s the temple fair today, and there are too many carriages returning from Daci Temple; we might get jostled. It will be faster if we take a different route.”

Zi-Shan did not suspect anything, and Nanny Li agreed, telling the coachman, who naturally complied. They changed course and took the route through Xihua Gate and Luoguo Lane back to the Duke of Anguo’s Mansion.

In Luoguo Lane, a normally quiet alley, a commotion arose. It turned out there was a clinic ahead, and a little boy was being chased outside.

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The little boy looked about six or seven years old, wearing cropped trousers with a large hole in the knee, looking like a little beggar, but his clothes were clean.

“Go away, get out of here! What talk of saving lives? We do not charge for medical care. We are starving ourselves; how can we save lives? Stop causing trouble here, or we will tie you up and take you to the authorities!” A young apprentice in the clinic was scolding the child, and when the child would not leave, he started shoving him.

The child knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly, saying that his mother was bedridden and dying, begging the physician to have mercy and take a look.

Ah Wu told the coachman to stop the carriage and asked Zi-Shan to go and inquire about the situation.

Zi-Shan was very quick-witted in these matters and soon found out the reason. Feeling sorry for the child, she brought him to Ah Wu’s carriage. Ah Wu lifted the curtain and peeked out, vaguely seeing a resemblance to Liu Jingniang, but it had been too long to remember clearly. However, regardless of whether it was her or not, since she had encountered such a situation, she had to help.

“Zi-Shan, take the silver and ask the physician to go see his mother.” She added, “Go with Nanny Li. Judging from the child’s appearance, their situation is probably not good. You and Nanny Li take them to Old Nanny’s house in Chaoyang Lane for a few days. Tell her it was my order; once his mother is better, she can come back to the mansion to speak with me.”

Zi-Shan was stunned. She had not expected her young lady to be so kind, even arranging things afterward.

The child was clever. Hearing Ah Wu’s words, he knew he had encountered a great benefactor. He quickly knelt and kowtowed three times earnestly, each thud resounding. Ah Wu’s heart tightened. Seeing that the child’s forehead was already bleeding, she said, “Zi-Shan, ask the physician to put some medicine on the child’s head.”

Ah Wu then said to the child, “Stop kowtowing. Get up and go see your mother.” Ah Wu was a young lady of the Duke’s Mansion and could not stay outside for long, unlike Zi-Shan and the others, who had more freedom. Therefore, she could only entrust this task to Zi-Shan. Because it was an act of charity, the old women sent by the First Madam to accompany Ah Wu did not dare say anything. They waited until everything was settled before urging the coachman to return home.

That evening, Zi-Shan returned to report that she had settled Liu Jingniang and her son in the wet nurse’s home.

Ah Wu confirmed that it was indeed Liu Jingniang and her son and was relieved.

About a month later, Liu Jingniang recovered and came to the mansion with the wet nurse to thank Ah Wu. Naturally, she apologized for the trouble she had caused and said she would never dare to cause any more trouble for the Sixth Young Lady and the wet nurse.

Ah Wu did not respond immediately. After carefully inquiring about Liu Jingniang’s situation, she said, “Now that you and your son have no relatives to rely on, where else can you go? If you do not mind, my family has a shop that needs a helper. If you are willing to stay, you can go and help out.”

Liu Jingniang took Ah Wu’s words as mere politeness, unaware that Ah Wu genuinely needed her help. But Liu Jingniang knew in her heart that this was the best place for her and her child to go, and she was grateful to Ah Wu for saving her, so she agreed.

Old Nanny Peng was also happy. She was too busy with the shop’s affairs, her daughter-in-law was about to give birth, and Guihe was not good at business. Now that Liu Jingniang had come to help, she was glad.

Ah Wu had solved a major problem for the shop and planned to keep Liu Jingniang for a few more months before starting to make arrangements.

The sixth month arrived, and Ah Wu celebrated her ninth birthday. Suddenly, Zi-Shan knelt before Ah Wu, crying, “Please, young lady, save Sister Zi-Yan!”

Ah Wu was startled. “What’s wrong?”

Zi-Shan tearfully told Ah Wu about Zi-Yan’s situation.

It turned out that Zi-Yan was pregnant, but her cousin refused to marry her, and her aunt also disliked her. It turned out that a wealthy family’s daughter had taken a liking to Zi-Yan’s cousin and wanted to marry him, promising a generous dowry. Her aunt and cousin were swayed.

Zi-Yan’s cousin was indeed quite talented, handsome, and charming. Somehow, he had captivated the heart of the Xiang family girl at the end of the alley. The Xiang family even boasted of being distant relatives of the current Imperial Concubine Xiang, further solidifying Zi-Yan’s cousin’s desire for marriage. In reality, although the Xiang family was surnamed Xiang, they probably did not even know which way the Earl of Huating’s mansion faced.

Nevertheless, the Xiang family was indeed wealthier than Zi-Yan’s family. The girl also promised to help Zi-Yan’s cousin with his travel expenses if he returned to his hometown to take the imperial examinations. Zi-Yan’s aunt’s family was poor; otherwise, they would not have come to rely on her. Hearing the Xiang daughter’s promise, what could they not agree to? Now that they had a better option, they naturally looked down on Zi-Yan.

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Then, it was discovered that Zi-Yan was pregnant. Her aunt naturally said many hurtful things, implying that Zi-Yan was indecent and had seduced her son. Later, she moved out of her house. When Zi-Yan’s mother found out, she wanted to beat Zi-Yan to death. Although she could not bring herself to do it, Zi-Yan herself did not want to live anymore.

This was why Zi-Shan came to Ah Wu for help.

After listening to Zi-Shan’s words, Ah Wu calmly asked, “Does Sister Zi-Yan have a message for me?”

Zi-Shan was taken aback, not expecting the Sixth Young Lady to be so perceptive. She said, “Sister Zi-Yan said that after serving you for so many years, she wants to come in and kowtow to you.” This was a farewell gesture.

Ah Wu smiled coldly. Even in this state, Zi-Yan was still unrepentant. If she truly did not want to live, she would have ended her troubles with a white silk ribbon long ago. Why would she act like this, still remembering to kowtow to her former mistress? After all, she had served her for a time and helped her quite a bit later. Besides, she was a pitiful person, so Ah Wu nodded. “It’s kind of her to remember me. Let her in later.”

Outside, Zi-Yan heard from Zi-Shan that the Sixth Young Lady was still willing to see her. A ray of light finally shone through her gloomy heart. She quickly tidied herself up and found an excuse to enter the Duke of Anguo’s Mansion.

As for why Zi-Yan wanted to see Ah Wu one last time, the truth was that she was filled with resentment on her deathbed. That heartless man was about to have a bright future, while she was to die bearing the stigma of promiscuity, implicating her parents and carrying an innocent child in her womb. Zi-Yan, whose head was already hanging on the rope from the beam, could not bear to kick away the stool where she rested her feet.

Since one could not bear to die, one must start thinking of ways to live.

Zi-Yan immediately thought of Ah Wu. She did not know why, but she felt that if she truly wanted to survive, she could only rely on Sixth Young Lady—a child who was only nine years old.

The impression Ah Wu left on Zi-Yan over the past year was simply too profound.

When Zi-Yan was working for Ah Wu, she was caught up in the situation, completely bewildered, not knowing what the Sixth Young Lady’s true intentions were. Only after everything settled down did Zi-Yan suddenly understand, and a sense of fear grew in her heart towards Ah Wu.

At first, when Concubine Wang entered the Third House, not only did she seduce the Third Master, but she also secretly sowed discord between the Old Madam and the Third Madam. Judging from her appearance, Zi-Yan thought Sixth Young Lady would hate Concubine Wang to death, but to her surprise, Sixth Young Lady secretly helped Concubine Wang.

Now, thinking back, Concubine Wang probably never caught Sixth Young Lady’s eye from the beginning; she was merely a pawn she used to teach the Old Madam’s side a lesson. The Sixth Young Lady completely exploited her, and in the end, Concubine Wang was expected to be grateful. Now, the Sixth Young Lady had planted Concubine Wang as a hidden pawn by the Eldest Master’s side. Although Zi-Yan could not guess what Ah Wu would do in the future, it was certain that it would involve the First Madam and the Eldest Master.

As for Concubine Wang, the Third Master completely despised her because of the witchcraft incident orchestrated by the Sixth Young Lady. The Sixth Young Lady did not force her but instead lured Concubine Wang deeper into the trap step by step. Because of Concubine Wang’s supposed bewitching of him, the Third Master completely loathed concubines. Zi-Yan overheard from the Si-Hua that the Third Master privately promised the Third Madam that he would never take another concubine.

Zi-Yan could not help but applaud the Sixth Young Lady; what a clever tactic! She was so daring as to lure Concubine Wang into witchcraft, even using her own father as a scapegoat. Otherwise, she would not have been able to solve the problem once and for all, relieving the Madam of her worries.

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As for the Second Master’s affair, Zi-Yan now realized that when the Sixth Young Lady asked her to persuade Concubine Wang to visit the Second Master’s household more often, she probably already had the intention of getting her involved with the Second Master. She truly understood the intentions of both the Second Master and Concubine Wang. After the witchcraft incident, Sixth Young Lady even protected Concubine Wang, which was clearly not out of kindness.

This was to drive Concubine Wang into a corner, leaving her no choice but to submit to the Second Master. The witchcraft incident was, in essence, a two-pronged plan.

Afterwards, the Sixth Young Lady did not expose Concubine Wang’s affair with the Second Master. Zi-Yan had suspected this at the time. Logically, Sixth Young Lady should have used the opportunity to thoroughly destroy Concubine Wang and ruin the Second Master’s reputation, but instead, she indulged her, even having Zi-Yan secretly cover up Concubine Wang’s misdeeds. Zi-Yan suspected that Ah Wu’s reason for keeping this under wraps was probably to allow Concubine Wang to also seduce the Eldest Master. Otherwise, it would have been exposed then and there. Even with Concubine Wang’s considerable abilities, the Eldest Master would never have touched his own brother’s woman.

Thinking back, the Sixth Young Lady then asked her to persuade Concubine Wang, saying that the Second Master was unreliable. Zi-Yan had initially thought the Sixth Young Lady was genuinely kind, but now she realized it was all a ploy to lure the Eldest Master out.

In the end, it was through her that the Second Madam was led to catch Concubine Wang and the Second Master in the act. The Sixth Young Lady, through the Second Madam, exposed the affair, and instead of kicking Concubine Wang while she was down, she helped Concubine Wang prove she was forced, claiming Concubine Wang was always a very honest person.

Thus, Concubine Wang damaged the brotherly relationship between the Eldest and Second Masters and even caused the Second Madam to shoot herself in the foot, becoming seriously ill with anger.

Later, through her own efforts, she released Concubine Wang, allowing her to leave the deep pool of the Duke of Anguo’s Mansion and enjoy a life of luxury with the Eldest Master outside. But the witchcraft incident was investigated by the First Madam, and because of that, Concubine Wang had long hated her. Now that she was by the Eldest Master’s side, who knew what would happen to her? She would ultimately become a pawn in the Sixth Young Lady’s hands.