Dark, ominous clouds rolled over the sky. A maidservant hurried over to the windows and closed them down.
"Furan, Eldest Young Lady, the weather's not looking good. It's going to rain soon. What shall we do with the exotic plants Master Li gifted Furen?"
"No need to bother much." Li Shuren laughed while reading the content of the letter she held lightly. "Just put them under shelter."
"Mother cherishes her plants as if they were her children yet today, she appears so unconcerned." A bright, mesmerizing voice said. A pair of beautiful eyes lifted and looked at Li Shuren. "Mother appears to be in a very good mood." Jiang You You smiled while pouring out tea for her Mother. Her fair hands grabbed onto the teapot, her movements were restrained and elegant. Slow and enriched with grace, such that it could make a person look endlessly as if bewitched under her innocent charm.
Steam rose above the liquid and obscured her fair, pretty face. She looked even more elegant, ethereal like some otherworldly fairy. "What's the occasion?" She asked, her voice even and soothing to listen.
Li Shuren took in the manners and appearance of her daughter and a feeling of pride swelled her heart. In the entire capital, no one could compare to her daughter when it came to looks or talents.
And if there was someone who could compare in terms of looks, after today 'that person' would be no more.
Thinking about that, her mood elevated. "Just received news from the countryside. The people I employed didn't disappoint." Li Shuren folded the letter in her hands and put it over the candle's flame. As the paper caught fire and the fire illuminated Li Shuren's face, a subtle hint of viciousness flickered across her face. It looked particularly bone-chilling under the contours of reddish-orange light. "Madam Zhang said Fourth Youngest Lady might not survive the night."
Such words were spoken regarding her own younger sister, yet after being said they didn't evoke even a trace of worry on the beautiful, gentle elder sister. Instead, her response was a small smile.
"In front of everyone, she bared her feelings for the Eight Prince. Truly knows no shame. Eight Prince is above the heaven, the handsome, talented dragon blood. Did she not consider her status as a shu daughter? On what basis did she gather such courage to confess to him? That, too, in front of everyone. She truly embarrassed the Eight Prince. The whole capital is laughing ay her." Thinking of her beloved being vied by the likes of Jiang Miao, Jiang You You felt endless contempt. "Mother is letting her off rather easily. In my opinion, she doesn't deserve to die with an intact corpse. Fine, I won't complain on the grounds that she is related to us by blood."
Suddenly the ethereal, gentle fairy didn't appear gentle anymore. She could speak such cold words. Her outer appearance hinted at a pure, kind heart yet her words revealed the opposite. The contrast was shocking and eye-opening.
However, her smile was quickly replaced with a look of concern. "But, Mother, what if father finds out? After all, he still favors her because of her mother."
As Jiang You You eyebrows knitted in worry, her Mother said. "Don't worry, I didn't leave any loose ends." The thinking of Jiang Miao's mother, a particular scowl appeared on Li Shuren's face. "That wench had been dead for so long. There isn't anyone in the Prime Minister's household who will object. I'm the Furen, I call the shots. Your father will find nothing but Jiang Miao's luck to blame."
After hearing this, Jiang You You anxieties settled down, her expressions eased and the same gentle smile graced her face. "Mother is wise, I should not have doubted."
After this, the pair of daughter and mother no longer discussed that ominous, forgotten Fourth lady of Prime Minister Manor. There were occasional sounds of laughter and joy coming from inside. Today, the worsening weather couldn't dampen their particularly bright spirits.
At the same time, in a distant farmhouse in the countryside.
Pitter Patter.
Few droplets of water fell down, quickly being absorbed by the dry Earth and disappearing from sight. Few droplets became many droplets and in a matter of seconds, a heavy shower enveloped the vicinity. Time passed, from evening to late night yet the rain showed no signs of slowing down.
A thunder crackled outside a streak of violent lightning illuminated the dark night sky.
Inside the small wooden hut, a slim figure was coughing, violently shivering under the thin quilt while struggling to hold onto her life. The lightning also happened to illuminate her pale, weak face and filled her maidservants with endless worry.
"What should we do? The Young Lady fever is already like this. I don't know how long she can hold on!" Xiang Qiao cried out in despair.
"Xiang Qiao, have you not sent a word to Master Jiang?" Gu Yu asked in anger, "Why has no one come back from Manor?"
"I already sent letters four times! You know how far is capital and who knows if the letters even manage to reach Master's hands!"
"No matter what, Fourth Young Lady is still Prime Minister biological child his flesh and blood! If he had heard the news, he would have definitely not sat quietly. How can these people treat our Young Lady so trivially? They even refuse to send for a Physician!" Gu Yu voiced the grievance in her heart.
"Yu'er, did you tell her how severe our Young Lady was?"
"It's useless," Gu Yu spat in anger, "I already did that, In fact, I went down on my knees and begged. I tried everything but that old Zheng wench said that servants couldn't be bothered to be sent at night."
"What did it mean? If Fourth Young Lady was harmed and Master or Old Madam heard this, she would be severely punished, possibly flagged to death." Xiang Qiao thoughtfully said.
"I can't wait till the day when we return. I'll not hesitate and tell everything to Old Madam and Master. Let's see how this Zhang wench will be so arrogant then!" Though Gu Yu said this in anger, they both knew that going back to the Manor was easier said than done.
This time their Young Lady had really angered the Master.
"For Madam Zhang to be this fearless, I'm afraid she received instructions from 'someone'" Xiang Qiao said quietly. She wasn't as hot-headed as Gu Yu who was consumed with anger; she could look through things objectively.
Hearing her say this, Zu Yu fell silent. They both knew that someone was none other than 'Furen' yet they dared not say a word. They couldn't
They were just servants.
Too worried about 'how to help their Young Lady' and in a lack of light, they didn't notice when the slim figure on the bed started moving.
Jiang Miao opened her eyes, finding herself in an unexpected place. She placed a hand over her head and felt her mouth painfully dry. "Water..." She blurted out without thinking, her voice came out weak and parched.
"Young Lady is awake!" Xiang Qiao almost jumped in joy and didn't waste a second to bring a glass of water to Jiang Miao.
"Young Lady, ease down. How are you feeling?" Gu Yu worriedly asked while supporting Jiang Miao and helping her to drink.
After getting a few mouthfuls of water in her mouth, Zhang Miao felt a little better.
Yet her words came out shattered. "Xiang Qiao.. how, you... Zu Yu... where am I?'
Her big eyes stared into the two maids in confusion.
Did she die? Was this afterworld?
However, seeing her awake and talking had both maids heave out a breath of relief. "Young Lady, you have run a high fever that must have caused you delirium." Xiang Qiao quickly explained. "We are in the countryside, in the farmhouse under Madam Zhang."
However, when Jiang Miao heard her, her face changed colors. "What?! In farmhouse... how is this possible?"
Glossary.
Furen: Main wife of a household who handles all matters.