"My Lord, I… I really don't know anything, neither did I do anything to her! I treated the Lady to the best of my ability without delay!"
"You're revealing doubts about yourself with your declaration." The physician's panic did not escape Lord Fourth's eyes. With an abrupt turn of the thumb ring, the man ordered, "Men, take this man out for a fierce beating!"
"Understood!" Su Peicheng responded almost immediately as he got his henchmen to drag the physician away.
He barked another instruction. "Su Peicheng, go to the palace and invite the chief physician to take a look at madam. Get two of them here!"
His man gave another response and left the room, intending to make a personal trip to the palace this time.
The atmosphere inside the room turned chilling.
The woman realized that he could be terrifying when he was stern!
After a long silence, he asked, "How did you know that the aromatic mix contained musk and oleander?"
This seemingly harmless question had contained a trace of doubt that set off an alarm in her heart.
Suppressing the nervousness inside her heart, she put on a pretense of calm demeanor and replied, "Master, I have to admit that I have encountered such things in the past. My mother started to train me in housekeeping when I was six. Due to the constant exchanges between the ladies, I do know a thing or two about poison, although I didn't expect to encounter it personally." As the man did not press her for an answer, she did not reveal whom she believed to be the culprit. "I wasn't paying attention at first. However, I had a dream recently in my drowsy state. I dreamed that someone wanted to harm me… and that was when I finally noticed it."
Her voice trailed off into a trembling, hoarse whisper.
Nanny Liu had remained quiet by her side all this time. Without expressing any outward emotions, the middle-aged lady was exclaiming inside her heart, Why did my mistress become so capable today?
Lord Fourth was startled as well. His wife was always prim and proper in front of him, and a lady who never shed a tear.
He knew that most well-to-do ladies were taught accounting and housekeeping from a young age.
He had often heard stories of courtyard intrigues in these respectable families, too.
He knitted his brow ever so slightly and then consoled her kindly, "You must be in luck if even the heavens are helping you. Now, what you need to do is to recuperate well. Consort Li is currently taking care of the household in your absence, but I'll get her to pass you the key when you're better."
"My Lord, I know my constitution well, but I don't know how long it will take for me to recover. If Consort Li is doing well maintaining the house, then just let her continue with the role. I don't wish to be involved in the future." As she spoke, she started to sob quietly. She felt so much relief after getting off the hook.
God knew how frightened she had been earlier when the man was suspicious!
In all honesty, not only was she not keen on the power, but she was not thrilled to be the wife either.
Nevertheless, she had to watch her steps carefully. If she were to disappear, the Fujin's family would be implicated. A family massacre was no laughing matter.
The title of Fujin might sound noble, but in reality, her role was to clean up the mess inside the man's household.
For one, she had to observe due decorum toward her in-laws and learn to be on good terms with the harem. On top of that, she was expected to maintain all things within the household.
When it came to nighttime, she was expected to service the man himself with the eventual outcome of an offspring!
How demanding!
Now, this was not the end of her woes. If anyone were to succumb to a terrible ailment such as a miscarriage or if someone were to be poisoned, she would be the number one suspect. What a tough life!
"Nonsense! I see that your ailment has rendered you crazy. Do you think it is your call to determine who is the caretaker of this household?!" He slammed the table in a fit of anger.
By then, the woman was wrapped in the covers, with only her side profile visible to him.
Her long and curly eyelashes were trembling, together with her body.
Translucent teardrops were flowing down her fair cheeks.
At last, pulling his lips taut, the man remarked stiffly, "I'll pretend that I didn't hear that, but this is the only exception. Don't let me catch you spouting nonsense again!"
This wife of his used to act tough before him. Never once had she appeared weak as she took care of all matters, big and small, in her stride.
As to the house-key, she had clung to it for as long as he could remember. She would not give it up even as she lay sick on the bed.
This time around, her illness had been too much to bear and that was the reason she'd allowed the Li side of the family to take charge.
He guessed that she must be very depressed to want to give up her most treasured possession. Looking at her tear-streaked side view, he actually found her lovely.
The woman continued to sob quietly without a word.
Ruoyin's character was different from the real Fujin. She believed that it was better to admit one's weakness earlier rather than later. This would be better than subsequently becoming a target of suspicion.
Besides, she was a patient right now, and it was perfectly normal to be temperamental.
But her tears scared her servant out of her wits as Nanny Liu hastily helped to wipe them away. Ever since her missy had married into the imperial court, she had never seen her cry.
The chief physician came to take a look at her that very day.
After all, they dared not tarry for the wife of Lord Fourth.
The verdict was as suspected. Apart from musk and oleander, there were a few other essences mixed in that had caused chronic harm to her.
It was fortunate that the real Fujin had been exposed to the aromatic essences only for close to a month. Consort Li might have orchestrated this incident after she received the key when the Fujin was sick.
The physician gave her a few prescriptions and reminded the lady to have a good, long rest to recuperate. This would even help to resolve the depression that she was suffering from.
The man's face was black and sullen by the time the doctor finished his speech.
His expression softened slightly only after he knew that she was fine.
After placing a gag order on the physician, he made sure this piece of news stayed within the four walls.
He did not want to become a laughingstock in front of his father, Emperor Kang Xi, and his brothers. They would mock his inability to control his household.
How can you possibly take care of the nation in this way?
The resident physician confessed by noontime. He had been the one to concoct the aromatic essences.
He listed his accomplice as well, a young maid who was working for Consort Li.
The man ordered the two to be executed by beating without hesitation.
As for Consort Li, she was placed under a month-long house arrest for failing to discipline her servant.
Everyone knew the inside scoop, even though none said it out loud.
How else could a mere lady's maid order the resident physician to carry out such an audacious task, without powerful backing?
Likewise, Ruoyin did not mention anything else either.
In any case, there was no point engaging in cycles of vengeance.
The Fujin must have launched an offensive against Consort Li when the latter bore her first child, and so the vindictive concubine had retaliated!
Still, the woman would not forget the Lis.
It was true that the real Fujin had passed away from depression because she was unable to bear any children for her lord, despite marrying the man in her youth. This did not excuse the ill intention of Consort Li nor the circumstantial occurrence that resulted in her death.
However, she really cried innocence for the real Fujin.
As a young lady who had yet to be well developed, how was she to be able to bear an offspring?
Was there a need to hurry in the first place? The day was still young and, surely, there was more than enough time to make out?
Nevertheless, now that she had transcended into the identity of his wife, she would carry out the obligations properly as required.
As Lord Fourth was a man destined for big things, she would do her part to ensure that he need not concern himself with the affairs of his house.
This was what she was determined to do, despite the fact that no one could tell whether he would eventually become the emperor, as the Qing era that she was currently in differed from the one she knew.
But that shouldn't stop me from borrowing factual history, right? After all, this is my only advantage here.
Her philosophy was simple. Harm no one. If someone were out to get her, she would tolerate as much as she could. If it were to happen again, the second time, she would then return an eye for an eye. And in the extreme, she would exterminate once and for all any third-time offenders!
The reason she gave in was not that she was afraid, but because she did not want the family to be burdened with bad feelings.
However, if someone were to give an inch for a yard, then neither would she give face.
She could understand why Lord Fourth had been lenient with Consort Li.
Right now, the man had only a daughter whose mother was Consort Li.
In fact, she would have deemed the man cruel and heartless if he were to penalize the concubine with a death sentence.
Perhaps the man was driven by guilt, but he chose to dine with her later that day and settled in at her place for the night.
She was totally unprepared for this scenario, where she would share the same bed with the man on the very day that she had transmigrated.
Her little heart pounded loud and fast.