Chapter 94: Is it true that she is no longer perfect and wants to check her daughter’s innocence?
The commotion in Xilan Courtyard finally alarmed other people in the Marquis' Mansion. Qi rushed over, but didn't even see Old Madam Zhai. She only said that Old Madam Zhai accidentally fell when she got up at night. Although the head maid Daimao was quick to help her, the old lady was old and her body could not withstand the tossing and turning, so she inevitably dodged and was now lying in the room.
When Qi wanted to go in to tend to the sick lady, Daimao replied, "The old lady is well cared for by the servants here. Madam, you should go back first, lest you invite the whole family over to toss and turn all night long, which would only make the old lady sleepless."
Daimao was a close friend of Old Madam Zhai, so what she said was naturally what the old madam meant.
Qi wanted to be a filial daughter-in-law but could only nod her head after hearing this. She ordered the maids to take good care of her and serve her attentively in the future, especially when she got up at night. If one maid named Daimao was not enough, she could add another maid to keep watch. It would be bad to let the old lady suffer like she did today if something went wrong.
After Qi finished speaking, she sent someone to pass a message to the second wife, Bian, and the third wife, Gao, telling them not to bother coming here specially.
Bian had just finished dressing and was about to leave when she heard Qi's maid come over to pass on a message. She breathed a sigh of relief and told the maid to leave before saying, with a hint of fatigue, "Those senior maids in Xilan Courtyard are usually so complacent. They earn so much monthly salary, yet they can't even take good care of the old lady. It's a blessing nothing serious happened, just a slipped back. If the old lady had fallen, it would have alarmed everyone in the mansion. We, as daughters-in-law, would have served her well, but the problem is that the old lady herself would have suffered."
Nanny Yao knew that her wife was unhappy about being woken up, so she comforted her with a few words and helped Bian go back to sleep.
When the third wife, Mrs. Gao, heard the message, she said nothing and went back to bed.
On this side, Qi returned to Cuiwei Courtyard. Thinking about what happened just now at the old lady's place, she always felt that something was wrong.
She had been married into the Ningshou Marquis's Mansion for so many years, and she knew her mother-in-law, Old Madam Zhai's temperament at least 70% of the time. Even if the old lady had sprained her waist, she should have asked her daughters-in-law to go in and show some concern and filial piety.
But the old lady didn't even show up just now, and only asked the head maid Daimao to come out to pass on the message. Qi felt that this was not like the old lady's usual character.
Thinking about this, she couldn't help but frown, and her eyes showed some speculation and thought.
Nanny Jiang, who was serving beside her, asked with some confusion, "What's wrong? Does Madam feel that something is wrong?"
Qi couldn't figure it out, and since it was already night, she didn't continue to think about it. She just said, "It's okay, go back to sleep. You have to get up early tomorrow to go to the old lady."
Although the old lady said she didn't want to be taken care of, she was the daughter-in-law and the eldest daughter-in-law in the eldest son's family, so she always had to go to the old lady first.
Nanny Jiang also understood her wife's thoughts. She nodded and hurriedly helped Qi into the inner room to rest.
The next morning, just after daybreak, a carriage stopped in front of Guangfu Temple. Two old women and a maid in a light blue jacket got out of the carriage. It was Bitang, the head maid in the old lady's room, who was the old lady's favorite besides Daimao and Birou.
After knocking on the temple door and entering, the nanny who had returned home to report last night led a few people all the way to the courtyard where the eldest daughter Cui Linghui lived.
The second prince Xiao Ze did not come last night, and Cui Linghui felt a little unhappy. When he heard that someone had been sent from the mansion, his eyes showed a bit of annoyance.
Aunt Xie's expression changed as she spoke with some uneasiness, "Young lady, the palace sent someone here at this hour. Could it be that the old lady knows about your affair with the Second Prince?"
Cui Linghui glanced at her and shook his head. "How could that be? Only a few people know about the Second Prince and I. If you and Yulan didn't tell anyone, how could I possibly go out and tell everyone about it? Guangfu Temple is so far from the capital, how could it have reached the old lady's ears by such a coincidence?"
"It's probably because Qi or Bian said something bad about me in front of the old lady, and she wants to make me go back. But I said I want to stay in the temple copying scriptures, and it's okay to go back after a while. Now the old lady probably doesn't like me being around and staying in the mansion all day. She hopes I can live in the temple permanently."
Nanny Xie felt a little uncomfortable when she heard her daughter's words. She had finally accepted that her daughter had an affair with the Second Prince just for the title of his concubine and was hanging out in the temple.
Although he accepted it, he couldn't help feeling a little guilty, especially when facing the people sent by the mansion.
Nanny Xie helped Cui Linghui dress up, and then asked Yulan to call the guest in.
Seeing that the person who came in was Bitang, the maidservant beside the old lady, Aunt Xie was not surprised, but felt a little happy. The old lady sent Bitang to deliver a message, which seemed to show that she still valued their granddaughter who was her legitimate daughter.
Bitang came in, greeted, and explained her purpose: "Young lady, the old lady accidentally fell when she got up to go to the bathroom last night, and she ordered the servants to take you back. I think the ladies are all gone to attend to the sick. After all, you are the legitimate granddaughter, and if you don't stay by her side, there will be no room for criticism."
Cui Linghui was deeply annoyed when she heard Bitang say this. She thought the old lady had stopped caring for her. She was so partial to him that she even sent her, her legitimate granddaughter, back home to tend to her when she was feeling unwell. If she wanted a granddaughter to keep her company, she could just go to the Duke of Wei's mansion and call Cui Lingyan back. That was the granddaughter she would be satisfied with.
As he thought this, Cui Linghui's face showed a hint of surprise and worry: "Is Grandmother okay? Have you asked the imperial physician to come over?"
Birou replied, "Don't worry too much, young lady. I just twisted my waist and am feeling a little uncomfortable. I'm also a little dizzy. The old lady is old and when she's not feeling well, she's not feeling well at all. The second young lady is busy preparing for her own wedding and it's not convenient for her to stay by her side. So the old lady is thinking of asking the eldest young lady to return home."
When Cui Linghui heard Bitang say this, he sneered in his heart and became more dissatisfied with the old lady's favoritism.
But she was the granddaughter after all, and the mansion had sent someone to pick her up, so she couldn't just refuse outright. So, even though she was reluctant, she still said to Bitang, "Okay, in that case, let's go back home quickly. I'm really worried about my grandmother."
As soon as Cui Linghui gave the order, people packed the luggage and loaded it into several boxes. Two carriages drove out of Guangfu Temple.
Around noon, the carriage stopped in front of the Ningshou Marquis's mansion.
Cui Linghui got off the carriage and took Nanny Xie and Yulan directly to Xilan Courtyard where Madam Zhai lived.
When he lifted the curtain and went in, there was a strong smell of medicine in the room, which was very pungent. Cui Linghui couldn't help but cover his nose with a handkerchief.
Nanny Xie, who was following behind her, smelled the strong smell of medicine and felt a pang in her heart, wondering if the old lady was really seriously injured.
In the room, Madam Zhai was sitting on a soft couch, with only the head maid Daimao serving her. Qi, Bian and Gao's daughters-in-law were nowhere to be seen taking care of her.
Cui Linghui was a little surprised, but she quickly stepped forward and bowed to Madam Zhai. With some concern, she said, "Granddaughter pays her respects to Grandmother. Are you feeling better? I heard that you fell and sprained your ankle last night. I've called the imperial physician. What did he say? Is she seriously injured?"
Cui Linghui asked anxiously, her eyes full of worry, looking like a filial granddaughter.
However, Old Lady Zhai's eyes were fixed on Cui Linghui, as if she didn't hear Cui Linghui's worried words. She saw the worry on Cui Linghui's face and felt a little uneasy in her heart.
Madam Zhai then spoke, "I'm old, and this slight injury is just a matter of recuperating for a while, so don't worry too much about me. I asked you to come back, little girl, because I thought you'd been living in Guangfu Temple for some time, and I was afraid you'd feel that I, as your grandmother, didn't care about you, and that by not sending someone to bring you back, you'd been wronged. It wouldn't be easy for you to come back directly, so I took this opportunity to send Bitang and the others to bring you back."
"Are you used to living in Guangfu Temple? What do you do on weekdays? Are you copying scriptures to pray for our mansion?"
Cui Linghui felt a little guilty, but faced with Madam Zhai's question, she suppressed her guilt and uneasiness, bowed, and replied, "Grandmother, you care about me, and I am truly grateful. I have been copying scriptures every day in Guangfu Temple these days, praying for the family and for you, hoping that you will be healthy and have a long and prosperous life."
Old Madam Zhai listened to Cui Linghui's words without showing any emotion. Instead, she revealed a hint of sarcasm and anger in her eyes: "Really? I wish I could live a long and healthy life, but you did such a shameful thing in Guangfu Temple. As your grandmother, I am so ashamed. It's a blessing from heaven that you didn't kill me!"
Madam Zhai’s words suddenly exploded in Cui Linghui’s mind. She stood there in a daze, her face turning pale in an instant.
Seeing her like this, Madam Zhai was confused. The last bit of hope in her heart was extinguished. She ordered with a sullen face, "Go, take the young lady into the inner room and examine her thoroughly to see if she is still innocent!"
As the old lady finished speaking, two maids came out from behind the screen. They were both serving the old lady.
Cui Linghui's face turned pale, he was filled with shame and anger. Seeing the two men walking towards him, he unconsciously took a few steps back.
Nanny Xie and Yulan now realized why Madam Zhai asked their daughter to return home to take care of her sick daughter. It turned out that the request to take care of her sick daughter was fake, and she really wanted to check her daughter's innocence.
Yulan's face turned pale, and she was so scared that her legs went weak and she collapsed to the ground.
The girl's affair was exposed. She might still have a chance to survive, but as a servant, she would inevitably be the target of the old lady's anger.
Nanny Xie was older after all, and had come with the dowry from the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion. Seeing this scene, she stood in front of Cui Linghui without a second thought and said to Old Madam Zhai, "Old Madam, this is absolutely unacceptable. The eldest girl is of noble status and is the legitimate daughter of the Marquis' Mansion. How can she allow two maids to humiliate her like this?"
Madam Zhai's face turned grim as she spoke, "She's so dishonest as to hang out with men in the temple and yet she blames me, her grandmother, for not giving her respect. I do want to give her respect, but does she deserve it? If she remembered that she's the eldest daughter of the Ningshou Marquis's mansion, how could she do such a shameful thing?"
Cui Linghui's face flushed and paled at Madam Zhai's humiliating words, and she wished she could find a hole to crawl into. At the same time, she was filled with hatred, thinking of her past life when she married Lu Bingzhi and lived such an unhappy life in the Duke of Weiguo's mansion. Madam Zhai, her grandmother, not only did not pity her, but instead found fault with her in every way.
She felt that in her previous life, she was forced to marry Lu Bingzhi by her family members, including Old Madam Zhai, and the grievances she suffered in the Duke of Weiguo's Mansion were also because the Ningshou Marquis' Mansion refused to protect her.
Now she has lived her life again and broke off her engagement with Lu Bingzhi for herself. What's wrong with thinking about finding a good future for herself? Does it mean she is shameless and despicable for living for herself?
Cui Linghui's expression changed again and again. Suddenly, she looked up at Madam Zhai and said coldly, "Grandmother, if you want to know if I am still a virgin, there is no need to ask the maids to check. Your granddaughter can tell you in person that I am no longer a virgin. Grandmother, please tell the maids to leave."
Hearing her speak so bluntly and with such shameless words, Old Lady Zhai was so angry that she almost fainted. She pointed at Cui Linghui for a long time before questioning, "You really have no regard for your dignity. You can even say such a shameful thing. Tell me, who is the man you are hanging out with? I want to see. He is having an affair with a girl from the Marquis' Mansion in the temple. How can he be the son of a good family?"
In Madam Zhai's guess, most of those who were hanging out with Cui Linghui were there to pray for blessings and stay for a while at Guangfu Temple. They were probably not commoners but came from a prominent family. However, they were probably not legitimate children, otherwise they would not do such a shameless thing.
Therefore, he is most likely born out of wedlock, or this illegitimate child is good-looking and can coax people with his mouth, otherwise, how could he have coaxed Cui Linghui's innocent body away, and now he still doesn't feel that he is wrong and has no shame!
When Cui Linghui heard the old lady's question, she suddenly smiled, a hint of pride in her eyes, and she said word by word, "Grandmother, please don't speak carelessly. The lowly man you mentioned was having an affair with your granddaughter is actually the Second Prince, Xiao Ze, the biological son of the current emperor."
"Your Highness and my granddaughter are deeply in love with each other. He has promised that after my granddaughter marries Zheng, the legitimate daughter of the Kangshou Marquis, he will take her into his residence and give her the status of a concubine!"
Cui Linghui spoke one sentence after another, and Madam Zhai's face changed again and again, and she was unable to utter a word.
Although there was still some contempt and disdain in the eyes of the two maids, they became more cautious when they heard that the man who had had an affair with Cui Linghui in the temple was actually the second prince Xiao Ze, and they did not dare to continue to step forward and force her.
The room was silent for a moment. Old Madam Zhai spoke after a long moment, "You're quite calculating. Well, go back to your courtyard first. Don't tell anyone about this. Let me think it over carefully." Cui Linghui saw that Old Madam Zhai had stopped shouting for war and knew that Xiao Ze's identity as the Second Prince had intimidated the old lady. A flicker of satisfaction flashed through her heart. She bowed to the old lady and said, "My granddaughter has been exhausted from the journey and I'm worried she might have offended you, Grandmother. I'm going back to Yingyue Courtyard to rest. If you want someone to stay to tend to you, why not ask Mother to come over, or send a message to Third Sister at the Weiguo Mansion? I believe Third Sister understands filial piety and won't mind the fact that the mansion sent her to the Qi family before. She will definitely come to tend to you and please you."
Madam Zhai's face looked extremely ugly. She opened her mouth and wanted to say something, but she didn't say anything. She picked up the teacup on the table and started drinking.
Cui Linghui bowed and stepped back, taking Nanny Xie and Yulan out of Xilan Courtyard and heading straight to Yingyue Courtyard.
Duke Wei's Mansion
Cui Lingyan heard that Qi had sent someone over, and from the visitor she learned that Madam Zhai had fallen and sprained her ankle last night. Qi wanted to ask her to go back and visit her, but after a slight hesitation, she nodded in agreement.
The last time Qi sent someone over, she used the excuse that her mother-in-law, Cen, had caught a cold and didn't go back. She also said that she would go back home when she had time. Naturally, it was not easy for her to refuse to go back today, lest people would accuse her of being too unfilial.
She told Bi Tao to go to Song Xue Tang and tell Lu Bingzhi about this. Then she took Bi Rou to Qing De Yuan to report to Old Lady Dou. Old Lady Dou said hurriedly, "Then you should go back quickly. People in their old age can't stand being beaten up. They're not comfortable with bumps and bruises. You're someone's granddaughter, so you don't want people to point out your mistakes."
As Mrs. Dou spoke, she ordered someone to bring a bottle of all-purpose ointment for treating bruises and injuries, as well as a bottle of medicinal wine for external use.
Cui Lingyan thanked him, took the things, and took Birou out of the Duke of Weiguo's Mansion and took a carriage to the Marquis of Ningshou's Mansion.
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