Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Concealing the truth.
While calling for help, Nanny Wang was busy pinching Qin's Ren Zhong point.
She used great force in her hands and did not dare to hold back at all, for fear that if she was too gentle the person would not wake up.
The old lady got the news and rushed over immediately: "Why did he faint again for no reason?"
Nanny Wang's lips trembled, and after a long while, she gritted her teeth and said, "Our Second Madam made a mistake the other day, and was confined to the courtyard by the master. At noon, the nanny from the small kitchen went to bring lunch to the Second Madam, and the result was..."
"What's the result?" The old lady frowned and asked in a deep voice.
Nanny Wang's eyes welled with tears, but she suppressed her panic as she said, "It turns out it's the Second Lady from the Third House who's locked up in the courtyard. Our Lady Qingshu is nowhere to be found."
Although Xie Qingshu is the second daughter of the eldest son, she ranks fourth among her sisters and is the youngest girl in the mansion. She is overly pampered by her elders and her temperament is less restrained.
The old lady wasn't too surprised. Instead, she asked in confusion, "What about Ling Xi from the third house?"
"Madam Lingxi?" Nanny Wang's body froze, as if she was still in shock.
Qin fainted and the eldest house was in chaos. Who would remember Xie Lingxi who was locked in the yard?
Her pale face was covered in cold sweat, clearly frightened. She trembled and said, "Madam Lingxi is probably still imprisoned in Linxi Pavilion. We panicked and forgot about her."
“That’s just confusing!”
The old lady looked at Nanny Wang coldly and scolded her loudly, "Then what are you still standing there for? Why don't you go and release Ling Xi?"
Qin was still unconscious and the doctor was taking her pulse. Nanny Wang was extremely anxious, but under the old lady's stern gaze, she had no choice but to go out.
Xie Lingxi was still half asleep when someone gently nudged her. She opened her eyes and said, "Madame Wang?"
Nanny Wang felt guilty. While untying the ropes on her hands and feet, she asked tentatively, "How did you get in?"
"I don't know. When I opened my eyes, I was in Fourth Sister's yard." Xie Lingxi's face was flushed and her tone was soft. She didn't look like she had been locked up for a long time.
Nanny Wang's breath was choked in her chest. "You really don't know?"
"I don't know. I can't remember. Ma'am, your question gives me a headache." Xie Lingxi just shook his head, and a cunning flashed across his deer-like eyes.
Nanny Wang had no way to deal with Xie Lingxi. Even though she knew she didn't want to talk, she didn't dare to force her. She could only whisper, "The old lady is in the Grand Madam's courtyard, calling you over."
"I see."
"Then let's go." Xie Lingxi rubbed his red wrists and put force on his palms, trying to make the place that had been tied with ropes look redder and more pitiful.
In the main room of Tingtao Residence, after the doctor finished acupuncture, he had someone feed her some medicine. Qin finally coughed violently and slowly woke up.
"Mother."
"Where's Qingshu? Did you send someone to get her back?"
The old lady didn't answer with a sullen face. Instead, she stared into Qin's eyes and asked, "What are you chasing?"
Qin knew she had spoken out of turn, and it was like a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head. She was so frightened that she trembled all over. "I'm afraid Qingshu followed Dou to the hunting grounds outside the capital."
"Mother, Qingshu is confused. We can't let her act rashly in the hunting grounds. If she makes a big mistake, it will be impossible to remedy it."
"It's just winter hunting, why don't you let her go?" The old lady's brows furrowed deeper and deeper. She always felt that Qin was hiding something and there was something else in her words.
Qin opened her mouth, thinking wildly about how to hide it, when she saw Xie Lingxi following Nanny Wang into the house.
The two sisters have somewhat similar eyebrows and eyes, and are about the same height. At this moment, their small faces are against the light, and if you don't look carefully, you can really confuse them.
"Lingxi, where is your sister Qingshu?" Qin asked impatiently.
Before Xie Lingxi even approached, tears welled up in her eyes, about to fall, and she looked extremely aggrieved: "Grandma."
Seeing her crying, the old lady's expression remained serious: "What's going on? Where's your fourth sister?"
Xie Lingxi then lowered his head, blinked his eyes, and squeezed out tears as he said, "Fourth sister said she had found some beautiful jewelry and asked me to go see it. I went, and then she tied my hands and feet and locked me up in Linxi Pavilion."
"Why did she lock you up?" the old lady asked with narrowed eyes.
Xie Lingxi raised his head, his eyes red, and said matter-of-factly, "My fourth sister wants to go winter hunting, but my aunt doesn't agree."
"Lingxi, stop talking nonsense!"
"How old is Qingshu and how old are you? Can she tie you up by herself?"
Facing Qin's murderous gaze, Xie Lingxi was obviously not afraid. She tilted her head and stretched out her hands towards Qin.
Her wrists had been tied up with ropes all night, and there were several deep and heavy red marks on her fair skin. In addition, she had rubbed them secretly for a long time on the way here. The red and blue marks now looked shocking.
The old lady was startled and repeatedly asked the nanny to go to Yishou Hall to get the ointment given by the palace. She looked at Qin Shi in confusion and said, "Winter hunting is very lively. Your second wife rides well and has gone every year. You were willing to go. Why are you so reluctant this year?"
Qin had a hard time expressing her feelings, so she could only evade the main issue by saying, "This year, the Saint is selecting a Crown Princess for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Qingshu has a lively personality, so I wanted to restrain her to prevent her from causing trouble."
"But who would have thought she would be so bold as to run away on her own."
At this point, Qin Shih was so angry that she coughed violently again. "There are maids guarding Linxi Pavilion from front to back. How did you get in, Lingxi?"
Xie Lingxi raised his eyebrows and suddenly curled his lips at Qin: "I climbed over the wall to see Fourth Sister's beautiful jewelry."
Her attitude was too matter-of-fact. Qin leaned back on the couch, feeling as if she had been slapped in the face from a distance. She couldn't find her voice for a long time.
The old lady had someone pour water for Qin and softened her voice, trying to appease her: "Take good care of yourself. By this hour, the emperor's carriage has already entered the East Suburbs Villa. Even if you don't want to, Qingshu can't come back."
At this point, she paused and said, "Our Xie family married the Saint's favorite sister, Princess Shoukang. It is impossible for Xie's daughter to marry into the palace. Winter hunting is in full swing, and Zhiyan is also at the hunting ground in the eastern suburbs. Why are you so worried?"
Qin had many things to worry about.
Since my husband has decided to send Lingyi to the Eastern Palace, I am afraid that even if she cannot be the principal wife, she will definitely be a concubine.
Although the conflict between the first and second houses had not yet reached the point of a life-and-death struggle, as Xie Juyuan's first wife, she could more or less guess her husband's desire to fight.
The only thing she couldn't understand was that the prince's status was already extremely noble. Could it be possible that her Qingshu could marry a man with a status even more noble than the prince?
Now she just hoped that Qingshu wouldn't do anything stupid. Qin's heart was beating like a drum, and her face turned pale and blue.
The carriages and horses entered the East Suburb Villa in order.
The villa is very large, and maids are waiting outside with matching cards early in the morning to take care of the guests' food, clothing, housing and transportation. The guests are arranged in different courtyards according to the level of each mansion. Because there are so many people, the two mansions are basically divided into the east and west sides, each occupying half of the courtyard. The extra maids are arranged in the farm outside the villa.
Xie Qingshu, wearing a veiled hat, jumped off the carriage and saw a nanny respectfully approaching Sheng Puzhu and heading towards the more exquisite courtyard inside. "Second sister, isn't my sister-in-law coming with us?"
Xie Lingyi turned her head and said calmly, "Princess Shoukang has her own courtyard in the East Suburbs Villa, so she doesn't have to squeeze in with us."
Xie Qingshu suddenly said with some dissatisfaction: "How can sister-in-law be so partial and not take us with her?"
Xie Lingyi heard this and suddenly sneered: "Sister-in-law doesn't owe you anything, why should I take you with me?"
Xie Qingshu was speechless and couldn't help but widen her eyes and asked suspiciously: "When did your relationship with sister-in-law become so good? We are sisters with the same surname, and you actually defend her?"
Xie Lingyi was tall, and looked rather arrogant when she wasn't smiling. She snorted coldly, "Do you think I'd be nice to you?"
"That's not what I meant." Xie Qingshu was a simple-minded person. Thinking of what her third sister had said to her while climbing over the wall a few days ago, she felt guilty and angry.
Her mother knew that she had been in love with the prince for a long time, but in order to make her give up, she sent her elder sister to run for the election.
Even if she couldn't become the Crown Princess, she naturally didn't want her sister to enter the Eastern Palace. Otherwise, it would be like swallowing a knife.
A few days ago, Aye confined her to her room because of a trivial matter like clothes. His ultimate goal was to prevent her from participating in the winter hunt and missing the opportunity to be selected as a concubine.
Xie Qingshu felt aggrieved at first and cried for half the night. Then she decided that if her parents didn't give her a chance, she would create one herself.
So he conspired with Xie Lingxi for a whole night and came up with this "big plan".
It's just climbing the wall. Although the young lady from the Duke of Jingguo's Mansion is very well-mannered, as a girl from a military family, how could she not have any strength and means? It is absolutely impossible for a few maids to lock her up.
Xie Qingshu decisively exchanged identities with Xie Lingxi. It was not until the carriage was halfway there that Dou realized she had brought the wrong daughter.
It was too late to send the person back, and it was even more impossible to abandon him on the way.
Dou's personality was gentle and virtuous, but she lacked in resourcefulness. After Xie Lingyi coaxed her with a few words, she felt relieved.
After entering the north courtyard, Xie Qingshu was still distracted, and Xie Lingyi was packing clothes with her maid.
Dou slept in a room shared by two sisters.
Aunt Du came in from outside and said with a smile, "I pay my respects to the two ladies."
"Second Lady Lingyi, my wife wants you to come over and talk."
Xie Lingyi nodded and was about to turn around when Xie Qingshu quickly grabbed her sleeve and said, "Second sister, what about me?"
Aunt Du must have received Sheng Puzhu's instructions earlier, so she added with a smile, "Then Madam Qingshu should come too."
Xie Qingshu then gave up and followed Xie Lingyi contentedly.
Sheng Puzhu was led into this secluded yet exceptionally beautiful courtyard by the nanny who served the Empress.
She had rested for a while, and the yard was tidy and clean. A charcoal brazier was placed in the house early, and the rooms were fumigated with incense. Even the snow under the corridor was swept clean, and there was no place that needed worrying.
Lunch had not yet been taken and now was not the time to rest, so Sheng Puzhu sat in the flower hall drinking tea to refresh himself.
Xie Zhiyan came here a quarter of an hour ago and just drank a cup of hot tea without saying a word. Before leaving, his eyes passed heavily over her lips, with a meaningful depth.
Sheng Puzhu licked her gums with the tip of her tongue, feeling the sweetness and sourness of the candied fruit still lingering on her lips and tongue. The winter noon sun seemed to be drying her out.
Fortunately, at this time, Nanny Du came with Xie Lingyi and Xie Qingshu.
"Sister-in-law." Xie Qingshu hid behind Xie Lingyi feeling very guilty.
Sheng Puzhu saw it all but didn't point it out. He lowered his eyes, took a sip of tea, and said calmly, "If you can't get used to living there, you can move to my yard. There are vacant rooms on both sides."
Xie Lingyi knew that her eldest sister-in-law was talking to her because when she was at home, her eldest sister-in-law had promised to take her with her and then pretended to be sick to avoid running for election.
But the situation is obviously different now. Someone is willing to stand up for her, so she naturally can't let her eldest sister-in-law worry about it anymore.
Xie Lingyi shook her head and refused. "The place where my mother and I live is very nice. It just happens to be in the same courtyard as the wife of Shangshu Ling's family. I am also a close friend of hers, Miss Wei San. I won't bother my brother and sister-in-law."
Xie Qingshu opened her mouth several times and swallowed her words back several times.
Sheng Puzhu smiled and looked over: "What does Fourth Sister want to say?"
"Nothing." This was the first time Xie Qingshu felt so insecure.
"Why didn't you ask, sister-in-law? I was clearly under house arrest, so why did I come to the East Suburb Villa?"
Sheng Puzhu finished his cup of tea and gently put it down. The sound of the cup falling on the table was a bit heavy.
Xie Qingshu was frightened.
"Fourth sister, just make your own decision."
"But please think carefully, sister. Once the arrow is shot, there is no turning back. If you force it once and it doesn't work, please don't force it again and again."
Sheng Puzhu seemed to be just talking about a trivial matter that was not worth mentioning, with a gentle tone and soft eyes.
Xie Qingshu was inexplicably afraid of her: "I will take responsibility myself. I just ask my sister-in-law not to let my father know."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
