Chapter 95 Misfortune Comes One After Another
Madam Ning couldn't help but clutch her chest and mutter, "They really dare to think of anything, even my Yun Chu. It's too much."
Granny Wang said, "In my opinion, next time Third Aunt comes over, the old lady should just send her back to her husband's family. I've never seen a married aunt spend the New Year with her children and grandchildren at her parents' house all year round, freeloading off them."
Madam Ning pounded her chest but didn't reply. She couldn't wait to get her sister-in-law to move back to her husband's family home, but she just couldn't bring herself to say it.
Having served Madam Ning for many years, Granny Wang knew her mistress's temperament well; she would never do something like kick someone out.
Even if these servants were very willing, they could not overstep their bounds and send the person back without their master's permission.
The people Yu Qingci sent out to scout returned quickly, and Lu Yun Chu was so angry after hearing their reports that she almost cried:
"Sister-in-law, they really dare to bring that up? They're talking nonsense. When did my cousin and I grow up together? When we were little, my cousins often stayed at our house, but my cousin Yang Qi always liked to play pranks on me and bully me. I rarely paid any attention to them, sob sob sob."
Yu Qingci held her hand and patiently persuaded her: "Of course I believe you, and Mother has already rejected them. Don't worry, Mother will definitely not agree to this."
Lu Yun Chu still frowned: "But, my third aunt has always been domineering. What if she refuses to give up?"
Yu Qingci sneered: "Don't worry, this is the General's Mansion, not their home. How can we let them talk nonsense?"
However, we still need to find a way to prevent them from having that idea.
Lu Yun Chu: "Sister-in-law, do you have any ideas?"
Yu Qingci thought for a moment and said to Granny Pei, "Yang Qi is such a grown man, yet he does nothing all day. I heard from the servants that he often runs around outside. Granny Pei, go to the front yard and find Steward Lu. Ask him to send someone to find out what Yang Qi does outside, who he associates with, and find out everything, big or small. Only by knowing yourself and your enemy can you prescribe the right medicine."
And Yun Chu, it's right that you bring more servants with you when you go out in the future. Bring maids and old women too; put on the airs of the general's legitimate daughter. This will prevent anyone with ulterior motives from taking advantage of the situation.”
Lu Yun Chu looked at Yu Qing Ci with trust and nodded repeatedly: "Yes, I will listen to my sister-in-law."
Just as Yu Qingci had finished comforting her sister-in-law, servants in the mansion began to spread rumors that Young Master Yang Qi and the seventh young lady of the mansion were childhood sweethearts and had a very deep relationship. The third young lady had personally gone to Madam Ning to propose marriage, so it seemed that the two were about to get married.
Yu Qingci was immediately furious. She went directly to find Granny Wang and searched the entire mansion. She found several servants who were spreading rumors and punished them severely, which made those servants dare not spread rumors about their masters anymore.
They thought the matter had been suppressed, but to their surprise, the servant who went out to buy supplies returned the next day and said that people in the capital actually knew about it, and the news had spread outside.
Upon hearing this, Lu Yun Chu was so angry that she hid in her own courtyard and cried until her eyes were swollen. Old Madam Ning was also worried and didn't know what to do. Meanwhile, the Third Aunt came to the door again triumphantly to discuss the marriage between the two families.
"Everyone outside knows about the two children. Sister-in-law, you should agree as soon as possible. Wouldn't it be perfect if we could strengthen our family ties?"
When it came to her beloved daughter's reputation, Old Madam Ning, who was usually not easily angered, almost got into a fight with her third aunt this time.
Yu Qingci was furious at her third aunt's smug look, but she didn't say much. Instead, she called over Granny Wang and whispered a few words in her ear. Granny Wang nodded in understanding and said:
"Don't worry, young mistress, this old servant will take care of it right away."
When Yang Qi came back from his evening stroll, he was walking unsteadily, probably because he had been drinking. He was also humming a little tune.
Through his hazy, drunken eyes, he seemed to see a slender girl standing by the lotus pond in front of him. Although he could not see her face from behind, her soft hair, flowing skirt, and delicate figure immediately captivated him.
Which courtyard does this girl belong to? Why isn't she going home to sleep so late, instead of wandering around in this deserted place?
Yang Qi stared at the figure with suspicion for a moment, then laughed. Who cares which courtyard she's from? Judging from her clothes, she's just a maid.
His favorite pastime was teasing the young and beautiful maids in the mansion. If it weren't for the strict rules of the General's Mansion, he would have already taken action.
He glanced around warily and, finding no one else, immediately felt much more alert. His heart pounded with excitement; how could he miss such a golden opportunity? So he tiptoed toward the girl who was still standing there.
Just as he was about to reach out and hug the girl, perhaps because of the alcohol, he suddenly felt his legs go weak and his body fell forward without warning.
Just then, the girl moved aside, and Yang Qi didn't even have time to touch the hem of her clothes before tragically falling headfirst into the lotus pond.
The lotus pond at this time of year isn't deep, but it's still about waist-deep, with withered lotus leaves floating on the water. However, at night when the weather gets cold, a thin layer of ice forms. Soaking in it like that would either freeze to death or leave you half-dead.
Yang Qi fell in headfirst, and the icy water in the pool immediately jolted him awake. It took him quite a while to free himself from the mud at the bottom of the pool.
He finally managed to pull his head out of the water, but he was already dizzy and disoriented, and he didn't even have the strength to swim ashore. It was quite a while before a passing servant "accidentally" discovered him and pulled him out.
At this moment, Yang Qi was no longer the young master he once was. He was soaking wet, smelly, and covered in mud, making people want to vomit.
The crowd hurriedly carried him back to his third aunt's courtyard and also helped call the family doctor.
Unfortunately, he had been soaking in the water for too long, and that night he developed a fever, his whole body burning up and he fell into a coma, which frightened his great-aunt so much that she almost fainted as well.
Everyone thought that Yang Qi had accidentally fallen into the lotus pond. The Third Aunt had no mind to think about anything else except to accept her bad luck. She stayed by her son's bedside every day to take good care of him until Yang Qi's fever subsided and he regained consciousness a few days later, when she was finally relieved.
But misfortune seemed to strike one after another. Yang Qi hadn't left the house for several days when people came knocking on his door. It wasn't just one group; these people made it very clear that the young master Yang Qi owed debts at their gambling den.
Furthermore, a pimp from Fangfei Tower came to collect a debt, saying that the young master of the Yang family had come to Fangfei Tower for drinks that day, and that the debt for the drinks should be settled as soon as possible.
The gatekeeper's servant ran into Third Aunt's courtyard shouting to report the news. Third Aunt was furious and gave the servant a good scolding.
But that servant was also an oddball; despite the insults, he still urged the Third Aunt to hurry up and settle the bill for these people at the gatehouse, otherwise the young master's reputation would become even worse.
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