Chapter 109

◎Someone died◎

For the first time, Lord Duan felt somewhat powerless. One person was dead, another seriously injured, and yet another had fainted in this room, leaving him with a belly full of anger that he couldn't vent.

The most urgent thing right now is to call a doctor. If something really happens to the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, then today's celebration at the Marquis of Dingbei's residence will turn into a funeral.

Duan Jingchuan was terrified, and his hands trembled as he held Feng Ran.

He was filled with remorse. Why did he take those things out in front of Feng Ran? Why didn't he stop her and let her kill him?

Feng Ran was different from others. If he were to suffer karmic consequences for punishing such a deserving person, he would gladly die a thousand deaths.

Before the doctor arrived, Duan Jingchuan knelt before Feng Ran's bedside, praying in his heart, "If there is any disaster, blame it all on me. I am willing to bear all of Madam's evil deeds. I hope Heaven will have mercy on me."

"My lady says that I have accumulated great merit and am extremely wealthy. If possible, I would like to give all of this to my lady. I do not ask for much, only for peace and health in this life."

As soon as Dr. Li entered the room, he saw Duan Jingchuan slumped on the floor as if he had lost his soul. His heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "What happened?"

Suppressing his curiosity, Doctor Li said from the side, "Excuse me, let me take a look first."

Duan Jingchuan quickly made way for her, curling up in a small corner, and reverently offered Feng Ran's wrist.

Doctor Li's lips twitched. He looked at Feng Ran's face and saw that she seemed fine. Why was she so nervous? Was she injured?

He became serious. If there were internal problems, they could be serious or minor, and there were many symptoms that he couldn't detect.

Upon taking his pulse, Doctor Li frowned. Duan Jingchuan was like a frightened bird; before Doctor Li could even speak, he broke out in a cold sweat.

"This is really bad; someone could die," Dr. Li said.

Hearing this, Duan Jingchuan felt as if Feng Ran was about to die. His long eyes filled with sorrow, and two streams of hot tears flowed down his face. Ignoring his disheveled appearance, he pleaded, "Please, save her."

Doctor Li was nearly scared out of his wits. He dared not keep them in suspense any longer and said repeatedly, "What do you mean, 'help'? The Marquis is going to be a father! The Marquis's wife is pregnant! Get up quickly, or you'll shorten my lifespan!"

Duan Jingchuan stared blankly, his mouth agape, the grief in his eyes still lingering. He asked incredulously, "The child?"

The sight was unbearable to look at. Doctor Li, not wanting to suffer any longer, roughly grabbed Duan Jingchuan's wrist, listened for a moment, and then turned to write a prescription.

Duan Jingchuan finally realized he had made a fool of himself. He casually wiped his eyes and, taking advantage of Doctor Li turning his head, lightly kissed Feng Ran on the cheek, his smile stretching from ear to ear.

Looking at the prescription in Doctor Li's hand, Duan Jingchuan hesitated and said, "This medicine is bad for the child..."

Doctor Li said with a stern face, "This calming medicine is for you. As long as Madam Hou is in good health, just keep a happy mood."

He had no idea what the young couple was up to. The one lying on the bed had a rosy complexion and was in excellent health, while the one on the floor, who was still awake, had clearly just experienced a great tragedy. If he didn't get proper care in time, he might develop headaches later on.

Meanwhile, on Lord Duan's side, after Duan Jingchuan took Feng Ran away, he coldly summoned a doctor for Madam Qin.

Qin was not seriously injured. The blood she vomited was due to her pent-up emotions. She only had some scrapes on her body, which shows that Feng Ran had shown mercy when she hit her.

After settling Qin Shi in, Old Marquis Duan looked ten years older, and the thin piece of paper in his hand seemed to weigh a ton.

He wasn't sure if what was written on the paper was true or false, but he figured that since Granny Feng had confessed, it was probably true. The only thing he wasn't sure about was whether Madam Qin had actually been involved.

Even a tiger wouldn't eat its own cubs. He couldn't believe it. If all of this was orchestrated by the Qin family, what could he do? How could he face Duan Jingchuan? How could he face Feng Ran?

Regardless of whether Qin Shi did it or not, he absolutely could not keep Qin Shi in the mansion any longer, not even for a moment longer.

Lord Duan tied up Qin Lianhua, carried the still unconscious Qin Shi, put her in a small carriage, and secretly left the capital. No one knew where they were taken.

Originally, Aunt Xu and Aunt Wang, who had been observing from the sidelines, did not feel relieved about Qin's fate when they saw the Marquis so angry. Instead, they felt a sense of impending doom.

Everyone was terrified, not daring to utter a sound, wishing they could stay inside their houses and never step out.

Exhausted, Lord Duan held the paper in his hand and called over Old Li, "Take a look!"

Old Li knew that apart from the bridal chamber, no place in the Dingbei Marquis's residence was peaceful tonight, and the root of the problem lay in this piece of paper.

Upon unfolding it, he exclaimed in shock, "This!"

Lord Duan rubbed his temples, which were about to burst. "It's probably true. Investigate as much as you can. I need to know the truth."

The writing on that piece of paper wasn't complicated, but its contents were chilling and sent shivers down my spine.

It states that when Duan Jingchuan was five years old, Qin Shi fell out of favor, and at that time Qin Shi's mental state had become somewhat abnormal and extremely paranoid.

Duan Jingchuan was still young and did not understand Qin's suffering. He clung to Qin every day and refused to leave no matter how much Qin scolded or beat him.

So, Granny Feng had a wicked idea. She secretly added something to the meals she prepared for Duan Jingchuan every day, which made Duan Jingchuan's spirits decline day by day, leaving him unable to pester Qin Shi.

Later, for some unknown reason, Granny Feng suddenly stopped administering the medicine, but Duan Jingchuan's condition did not improve after the medicine was stopped.

Being young and without companionship, his temperament became increasingly extreme until he completely shut himself off.

The second time Granny Feng made her move was a year ago, on Duan Jingchuan and Feng Ran's wedding night.

At that time, every piece of furniture in the room was made by Granny Feng herself, and many of the items were soaked in medicine. If people lived there for a long time, it would not only cause them to become mentally weak, but it would also hinder their ability to have children.

This drug affects not only men, but also causes great harm to women.

At this moment, Lord Duan couldn't say whether he was relieved or annoyed. He was relieved because, initially, Feng Ran had always lived in that room, and since she was healthy, she was naturally not affected by the medicine much.

When Duan Jingchuan moved back in, the whole house had been completely transformed. Presumably, all the dirt had been cleaned up, and Duan Jingchuan's condition improved day by day.

Unfortunately, Feng Ran has lived here for so long that she probably has no hope of having children.

After reading it, Old Li's knees buckled, and he immediately knelt down to repent, "It was this old servant's oversight that failed the Marquis's trust. This old servant deserves to die."

When Qin went to war for the second time with Lord Duan, Lord Duan entrusted Duan Jingchuan to Old Li. However, he was so busy guarding against his concubines that he neglected Granny Feng.

Lord Duan sneered, "I just want to know who gave her the guts."

Old Li understood what Lord Duan meant; he was being asked to investigate whether this matter had anything to do with the Qin family.

To be honest, he didn't dare to make a definitive statement. Qin Shi was just too crazy during that period. He didn't understand what was wrong with her that made her so determined to abandon her own son.

If Duan Jingchuan didn't look exactly like the old Marquis Duan, he would have doubted Duan Jingchuan's background.

"Feng Ran fainted from excitement just now. Go to Jinghua Courtyard and see if there's something wrong with her health." Old Marquis Duan was too ashamed to go see her, so he could only instruct Old Li to make the trip.

Old Li, filled with worry, headed towards Jinghua Courtyard under the rising sun.

As luck would have it, they ran into Xiong Qi, who was out delivering a message.

Old Li was filled with worry and asked with concern, "Princess Consort, Madam Bu Er, is she alright?"

Xiong Qi laughed, revealing all his teeth, and said with a silly grin, "Madam is fine. She just fainted because she was pregnant and got angry."

Old Li had just learned that Feng Ran might have inhaled medication that could harm her fertility, and he was feeling extremely guilty when he heard that Feng Ran was pregnant.

It was as if one moment he was trapped in the snow-capped mountains, and the next moment he discovered a hot spring behind the mountains. He couldn't tell if it was hot or cold, and he was extremely surprised, his expression contorted.

Xiong Qi understood that Lao Li was just too happy to think straight. He wanted to say a few more words to share his joy. Lao Li jumped three feet high, not at all like someone over fifty years old, and ran away.

His speed was almost the same as that of a strong young man. Xiong Qi helplessly scratched his head and said, "I guess I've delivered the message, right?"

It was almost dawn, and Lord Duan tidied himself up, trying to make himself look as presentable as possible, since his new bride would be serving tea in the morning, and he couldn't be impolite.

But so much had happened that night that he couldn't muster the courage to speak.

The news that Old Li brought back was a real shot in the arm for him, and he became much more energetic. If it weren't for the early hour, he would have wanted to rush into Jinghua Courtyard to take a look.

"Heaven has mercy on me! Heaven has mercy on me! Jingchuan has an heir; he has not been treated too poorly after all." Old Marquis Duan was overjoyed.

The next day, when the new bride was to have tea, according to custom, Qin Shi and Duan Jingchuan and his wife should have been present. However, Old Marquis Duan was afraid of upsetting Feng Ran's pregnancy, so he sent a message to Jinghua Courtyard long ago, telling them that they did not need to come.

Fearing that Duan Qingyin would make a scene, he placed her under house arrest, intending to explain the situation himself once it was over.

Early in the morning, Duan Yuze, who came to pay his respects with his newlywed wife, was puzzled. He felt that the atmosphere was unusual. He did not see Qin Shi in the main seat. Just as he was about to speak, Aunt Xu gave him a sharp look.

The newlywed wife, Madam Wang, was also very perceptive; she knew not to ask questions she shouldn't.

Duan Yuze was not surprised that Duan Jingchuan and Feng Ran were not present. After all, these two not only had special personalities, but also special identities, so their absence was not considered impolite.

Just as Duan Yuze and Madam Wang were preparing to serve tea, a loud voice suddenly shouted from outside, "Sorry, sorry, I overslept."

Feng Ran strode straight towards the front hall, with Duan Jingchuan chasing desperately behind her. The sight made the old Marquis Duan's heart pound with fear, and he could no longer sit still. He shouted, "Stop right there!"

Feng Ran suddenly braked hard and almost fell forward due to inertia, but fortunately Duan Jingchuan arrived in time to help her steady herself.

Seeing Feng Ran's blank expression, Old Marquis Duan couldn't help but think that his voice was indeed too loud. What if he frightened his grandson? He spoke as softly as possible, "Walk slowly, don't rush."

Then, with an extremely unfriendly expression, he roared at Duan Jingchuan, "Aren't you going to help her up? What kind of husband are you?"

Duan Jingchuan gave an awkward smile and steadily helped Feng Ran sit down to the side.

Feng Ran felt that the two men were making a fuss over nothing. It's just a baby in her belly, why is she so fragile?

Seeing that Duan Yuze and his new wife seemed a little reserved, she smiled apologetically and said, "Brother and sister-in-law, I'm sorry to have disturbed you. Please continue."

Wang thought that this Lady of Le'an was difficult to deal with, which was why she had offended her at this critical juncture. She was just thinking about how to handle the situation in the future when she was stunned by Feng Ran's gentle smile. She smiled sweetly and continued to serve tea.

Lord Duan simply explained that Madam Qin was unwell and had gone out to rest, and then said no more.

Then, Wang got something she had never dared to dream of: managing the household affairs of the Marquis of Dingbei's mansion.

She felt like she was holding a hot potato, and quickly explained to Feng Ran, "Second sister-in-law, I feel really guilty taking this. How about you teach me in the future, and I'll help you?"

Feng Ran had a good impression of her sister-in-law and said directly, "Sister-in-law, don't overthink it. There must be a thousand rumors about me outside, but one thing is absolutely true: I'm ignorant and incompetent. If I were to manage the household, I'm afraid the Dingbei Marquis's mansion would have nothing to offer except for the cook."

Seeing that Feng Ran's expression was completely genuine, Madam Wang breathed a sigh of relief and smiled happily.

Feng Ran insisted on coming today not because she valued etiquette, but because she felt a little guilty.

Originally, Wang was supposed to have a perfect tea ceremony for her mother-in-law, but she accidentally injured her mother-in-law yesterday. This resulted in the absence of a respected female elder in the household, which would make Wang feel uncomfortable. People's words can be a fearsome thing, and she didn't want to hurt an innocent woman, so she came here to express her apology.

As for regretting hurting Qin Shi, that was simply not the case. If it weren't for Duan Jingchuan's sake, she would have wanted to beat Qin Shi up to vent her anger.

As for managing the household affairs, she had already discussed it with Duan Jingchuan. Letting her manage the accounts would be tantamount to killing her, and Duan Jingchuan must have also expressed her opinion to the old Marquis Duan.

With Qin Shi leaving the mansion, the most suitable person to take charge of the household is undoubtedly Duan Yuze's new wife.

The tea ceremony ended peacefully, but when Duan Yuze arrived at Aunt Xu's place, he learned of the earth-shattering events that had transpired the previous night.

Everyone knew that Madam Qin had suddenly left the mansion, but they did not know the real reason behind her departure.

Aunt Xu had only guessed a thing or two from yesterday's argument, but even this small guess made her heart pound.

Facing Duan Yuze and Wang Shi, Aunt Xu dared not say anything more to encourage them to improve themselves. She could only repeatedly admonish them, "You two must be careful with your words and actions in the mansion from now on, remember your status, and do not have any unrealistic thoughts. Wang Shi, your honor and disgrace depend on Yuze. Do not hold him back. As long as he does his job properly, you will have no trouble making a living."

Aunt Xu was truly terrified. She hadn't expected the old Marquis Duan to be so heartless, sending her away so easily. If her ulterior motives were exposed, would she and her son even have a chance to survive? She didn't want anything anymore.

With Wang Shi right in front of her, she couldn't explain much, so she could only mention it briefly.

Duan Yuze wanted to say something more to Aunt Xu when Old Li came over.

When Aunt Xu saw Old Li, she suddenly breathed a sigh of relief and said softly, "What's meant to happen will happen."

Duan Yuze had a bad feeling and said worriedly, "Auntie..."

Aunt Xu shook her head. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. You all go back now."

Duan Yuze's brows furrowed tightly as he turned to Wang Shi and said, "I'm sorry, I can't go back with you for the time being."

Wang nodded obediently and left.

Duan Yuze then asked Old Li, "May I go with my aunt?"

Old Li hesitated for a moment, but still agreed.

Duan Yuze would find out about this sooner or later anyway, so it's better for everyone to sit down and talk things out to avoid misunderstandings and irreversible harm. If it weren't for Duan Qingyin's young age, she would have been there.

Feng Ran and Duan Jingchuan had been waiting on the side for a long time. After seeing Aunt Xu and Duan Yuze, neither of them spoke, waiting for Old Marquis Duan to speak for himself.

After a long period of contemplation, as if he had prepared himself mentally, Lord Duan asked, "Madam Xu, you should know my purpose. Tell me everything you know, without hiding anything."

Aunt Xu really didn't want to hide it anymore. She hadn't done anything wrong back then; at most, she had just turned a blind eye and even helped Duan Jingchuan. So, she had nothing to feel guilty about and told him everything she knew.

Besides Madam Qin, Concubine Xu was also among those who stayed in the Marquis's mansion back then. The wife and concubine rarely saw each other. Madam Qin never interfered with Concubine Xu's upbringing of Duan Yuze, and Concubine Xu was also a sensible person who never caused Madam Qin any trouble by bringing Duan Yuze along.

Life should have continued peacefully like this. Aunt Xu was very envious of Duan Jingchuan's beautiful and clever appearance, but she could only watch from afar and never dared to approach him.

One day, Aunt Xu suddenly heard Qin Shi throwing a tantrum, speaking harshly to the child and forcing the little boy to cry uncontrollably. From then on, Qin Shi's attitude towards Duan Jingchuan became increasingly hostile. As a mother herself, even Aunt Xu couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

Later, Duan Jingchuan moved out of Qin Shi's courtyard and into the neighboring Mo Courtyard, looking as if all his energy had been drained. Aunt Xu, curious, secretly went to the Mo Courtyard to check on him. What she discovered was that Granny Feng had been adding something to Duan Jingchuan's food.

There is no doubt that Granny Feng and Madam Qin are of one mind. Aunt Xu dared not make a fuss, but when she looked back at her own child, who was about the same age as Duan Jingchuan, she felt a pang of sympathy and wanted to warn Duan Jingchuan, but she didn't know how.

Finally, she discovered that Duan Jingchuan would be in the backyard every day, holding a stone and often talking to himself. Somehow, she had a sudden inspiration and smashed the stone. Sure enough, Duan Jingchuan was furious, assuming that Granny Feng had done it secretly, and he never allowed Granny Feng to enter the Mo Courtyard again.

Later, Old Li took over the care of Duan Jingchuan. Aunt Xu observed for a while longer and found no discomfort in Duan Jingchuan, so she thought she was being petty.

However, she had been unusually familiar with smells since childhood. Many years later, after Duan Jingchuan and Feng Ran got married, she smelled that familiar scent again the first time she saw Feng Ran. In order to hide her surprise, she pretended to be stupid and even got kicked by Feng Ran. She resented Feng Ran even more and secretly vowed to pretend that she knew nothing about the matter.

"That's how it is. I don't know if this information will be of any use to you, Lord Marquis, but I have certainly not done anything immoral." Many things become blurred over time, even the deepest memories. However, this is the closest we can get to the truth.

Feng Ran suddenly said, "So it was you."

No one took Feng Ran's casual remark to heart.

Lord Duan knew that what Aunt Xu said was mostly true, though she might have some hidden motives. But there was one thing that, apart from the deceased Granny Feng and Madam Qin who was sent away this morning, no one could answer for him.

He couldn't help but ask Aunt Xu with a glimmer of hope, "Did Madam Feng do these things on Madam's instructions?" As he said this, Lord Duan was extremely flustered, afraid of hearing even a single word.

Aunt Xu knew that if she gave a definite answer, Qin Shi would never be able to recover her fortunes. But the truth was, she really didn't know, and for Duan Yuze's sake, she couldn't just make baseless accusations.

If you look into it carefully, you really can't blame Aunt Xu. It's only natural for a concubine to be prudent and protect herself. Besides, she did have a moment of mercy. So, both morally and logically, Duan Jingchuan owes her a debt of gratitude.

Having said that, Aunt Xu understood that the death of Granny Feng and the departure of Madam Qin were both related to this. She hoped that by telling the whole story, Duan Yuze would be able to take better care of her in the future.

Lord Duan nodded weakly, then turned to Feng Ran and said, "There are no female elders in this mansion. Xu Shi has at least given birth before. If you trust her, you can have her take care of you for a few days. In less than a month, I will find a nanny with a clean background to serve you personally. How about that?"

Lord Duan swore that this was the first time in his life he had ever spoken so frankly and respectfully to a woman. He felt indebted to Duan Jingchuan and couldn't help but feel a little less respectful towards Feng Ran.

Only then did Aunt Xu realize that Feng Ran was pregnant. She quickly said, "Congratulations..." But when it came to the form of address, Aunt Xu hesitated for a moment, as it was really inappropriate for someone of her status to address her like that.

Feng Ran was also magnanimous. Although Aunt Xu smashed her, she was, after all, a stone at that time. She couldn't reason with others and say that smashing a stone was a heinous act!

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Aunt Xu. Just call me by my name."

Seeing that Feng Ran had agreed, Lord Duan breathed a sigh of relief.

He rarely paid attention to the inner quarters, and he rarely kept any nannies. Now that Duan Yuze is married, it seems that he really needs to find some nannies with clean backgrounds and quick hands and feet to take care of the younger generation.

When Aunt Xu wasn't hiding her talents, she was quite shrewd. She led several maids and servants to thoroughly clean Jinghua Courtyard, removing all the sharp corners and plants that were bad for pregnant women.

Finally, she went to the small kitchen to give some pointers. After finishing, she felt that she had interfered too much and said awkwardly, "Auntie is an impatient person and made a few too many requests unintentionally. I hope Ran'er will not take offense."

Feng Ran forced a smile at Aunt Xu. It wasn't that she was dissatisfied with Aunt Xu, but rather with the delicious food that had just left her.

Duan Jingchuan neither accepted nor rejected Aunt Xu's overtures. As Aunt Xu was leaving, he handed her a letter and said, "Give this letter to my elder brother. He will understand after reading it."

Aunt Xu tightened her grip on the letter in her hand, bowed to Duan Jingchuan, and said, "Thank you for your forgiveness, Marquis of Le'an. I will certainly behave myself and take good care of the Marquis's wife in the future."

Duan Jingchuan simply nodded slightly and then ignored Aunt Xu. At most, they could live in peace; there was absolutely no way they could get along harmoniously.

Aunt Xu took the letter and went straight to Duan Yuze's courtyard. Duan Yuze was shocked when he saw the letter.

"Aunt, where did you get this news? Is it true?"

Seeing Duan Yuze's excited expression, Aunt Xu felt even more at ease, knowing that the letter was indeed helpful to him. "This is a thank-you gift from Marquis Le'an to you, Aunt Xu."

Aunt Xu changed how she addressed Duan Jingchuan, and Duan Yuze was taken aback. Yes! Even if people tried to ignore him, it wouldn't change the fact that Duan Jingchuan was already the Marquis of Le'an.

He held the letter as if it weighed a ton, and said gratefully, "Thank you so much, Auntie, for planning this for me. This news is of great help to me. If things go well, I will be promoted by the end of the year."

Aunt Xu was not as excited as Duan Yuze. She just sighed and said, "Since Marquis Le'an was able to give you this news in time, it proves that he has your every move under control. Yuze, I need to give you some advice on what to do in the future."

Duan Yuze understood this principle perfectly well, but he was unwilling to admit it.

He had schemed for years to become the heir apparent of the Marquis of Dingbei's household and inherit the mantle of the Marquis. But now, who would become the heir apparent, and whether he could even remain in the position, was no longer up to the Marquis of Dingbei's household to decide.

What else is he still unwilling to give up on? Is he going to fight against the emperor?

After a busy morning, Duan Jingchuan finally had a chance to talk to Feng Ran properly. He immediately transformed into a mother hen, repeatedly giving Feng Ran instructions.

"Madam, please walk slowly and don't skip around, or you'll hurt yourself."

Feng Ran deliberately puffed out her chest at the one-month-old baby, and said unreasonably, "What, now that you have a little brat, you want to exploit the baby's mother? Don't you love me anymore?"

Duan Jingchuan could never bring himself to say the word "love," so he could only try to coax her by saying, "Of course, the child's mother is more important."

Feng Ran nodded in satisfaction. In just one day and one night, she felt more tired than she had in several years. She just wanted to eat something to reward herself, so she started ordering food.

"I want to eat fish, braised fish, steamed fish, sweet and sour fish, and fresh fish soup."

Whether it was psychological or not, after learning that she was pregnant, Feng Ran was initially happy, but later she became extremely hungry for the baby.

Just now, she saw those koi in the pond and thought they were so beautiful that her mouth watered. If Duan Jingchuan hadn't repeatedly warned her that koi had too many bones and tough flesh and wouldn't taste good, she would have wanted to catch a couple to try.

If Feng Ran wants to eat fish, then her request will certainly be granted. However, Feng Ran didn't eat fish much before, and there weren't many chefs in the mansion who knew how to cook fish.

So when Feng Ran started clamoring to eat koi, Duan Jingchuan had already sent a message to Xiong Qi, asking him to find two chefs who were good at cooking fish.

When Xiong Qi left the mansion, he ran into Old Li again, and Old Li told the news to Lord Duan.

Old Marquis Duan then slapped his thigh and said, "That's right. Women with morning sickness tend to be picky eaters. The courtyard on the north side of the mansion is still empty. Go and find some chefs from all over the country who are good at cooking, and turn that area into a large kitchen. We can't let my grandson go hungry."

Old Li's lips twitched. Just two months ago, Lord Duan wanted to demolish the courtyard in the north and build a martial arts training ground. Why is he thinking of building a kitchen now?

However, it's understandable. As for what Lord Duan said, this child was an unexpected joy, so he naturally favored and doted on him.