As Lanqin listened to the sounds of slaps outside, she felt that although the blows were hitting Nianxue's body, they were clearly hitting Lanqin's heart.
"I'm fine, go out!" Lanqin said, opening her eyes.
"No, Master. How can you move now!" Cui Niang's hand trembled so much that she almost touched Lan Qin's belly with the moxibustion.
“She did it on purpose. If I don’t go out, will she beat Nianxue to death? Cui Niang, go out and bring Nianxue and Xicha in. Don’t give the Fujin a reason to beat them. If she wants to come in and see, let her see.” Lanqin had long regarded Nianxue as a sister, and there was no way she could tolerate seeing Nianxue being humiliated like this by the Fujin.
"Doctor Liang, my mistress can't move right now, can she?" Seeing Lanqin's resolute expression, Cui Niang turned to ask Doctor Liang behind the screen.
“Master, there’s no need to see her. I’ll go and call them in. I’m not a servant of this household, and I can disobey her.” Doctor Liang suddenly said.
To be honest, he wasn't really a servant in the manor. Lanqin had taken a liking to him and kept him by her side. He received his monthly salary from Lanqin, not from the Fourth Master, and he wasn't on the list of servants under the head nanny.
Lanqin thought about it and realized that was indeed the case, so she said, "Dr. Liang, thank you for your trouble."
Dr. Liang did not show much enthusiasm for Lanqin's appreciation; he simply needed a place and people where he could apply his Western medical knowledge and conduct research, and he would serve her wholeheartedly.
Lanqin perfectly fulfilled Doctor Liang's needs, never bothering him or even inquiring about them. Doctor Liang would directly tell Cui Niang what he needed, who would then relay the message to Lanqin. Lanqin, in turn, would tell Cui Niang what she needed, who would then relay the message. The two almost never had direct contact.
"Blind Liang" is just a nickname; he's not actually blind, but one of his eyes was injured in a fight, affecting his vision to some extent. His real name is Liang Qiu, and he's over twenty-six years old. He comes from a wealthy merchant family, but the family has declined by his generation. However, he has studied in Britain and France.
The door opened, and Lingxiu's hand hovered in mid-air as she saw a man's face emerge.
"Nianxue, Xicha, you two go inside immediately to serve the concubine. Right now!" Liang Qiu coldly glanced at Lingxiu and said.
The princess looked at the calm-faced man, who seemed to ignore her presence, and said angrily, "You are Doctor Liang?"
Liang Qiu glanced at the woman dressed in a light blue qipao, with her hair styled in a qitou style and adorned with a jade hairpin, and gave a slight bow, saying, "I am indeed Liang Qiu."
Wu Youcai slowly walked up and said to him, "Bold Liang Qiu, why do you not perform the proper etiquette when you see the Princess Consort?"
Liang Qiu seemed not to have seen the person behind the Fujin (principal wife), and said, "I am not a member of the Fourth Prince's household, and I have never even bowed to the Fourth Prince. I am only here to treat the concubine's illness; this is the order given to me by the Fourth Prince. Nianxue, what are you all standing here for? If anything happens to the concubine, can you bear the responsibility?"
Xi Cha, quick-witted, grabbed Nian Xue's hand and pulled her inside. At that moment, five finger marks were clearly imprinted on Nian Xue's face. She had been slapped by Ling Xiu more than a dozen times, but she endured the pain on her face and the tears in her heart, stubbornly refusing to let them fall.
"How dare you! I heard you studied Western medicine? Can those things the Japanese devils use really save people?" The Fujin watched as Nianxue was rescued, yet she felt powerless to do anything, and a murderous intent rose in her heart.
"I only know how to treat illnesses and save lives, but I don't know the difference between Chinese and Western medicine," Doctor Liang replied neither humbly nor arrogantly.
“You’re talking nonsense. When we examined that woman’s body last time, I clearly saw you take out that Western thing,” Wu Youcai said to his wife.
"My eyesight is poor, and I need a magnifying glass to see clearly. Now, I must go inside to continue administering acupuncture to Consort, and I really cannot stay here to talk with her. Farewell," Liang Qiu said curtly, then turned and walked into the house without paying any attention to her.
The princess was left standing there, feeling as if a fishbone was stuck in her throat.
“Madam, why don’t we sit here and wait? The concubine has had an accident, and you’re staying outside to help ensure the safety of the master’s offspring,” Lingxiu reminded her.
Upon hearing this, the Princess Consort understood the situation and entered the main hall, sitting directly in the head seat. The others followed. This was the first time the Princess Consort had sat in this position. The first time she had come was to search for the red flower; that time was at night, and she hadn't come in and sat like this.
The Fujin (Prince Consort) couldn't help but take in the furnishings of the entire room, growing increasingly astonished with each glance. Everything here was in no way inferior to her main courtyard; all the furniture was made of huanghuali wood, the walls were adorned with calligraphy and paintings by famous figures, and the display shelves held countless rare treasures. She looked at the empty seat opposite her—had the Fourth Prince always sat opposite her like this?
Inside the room, Cui Niang and Si Hua took turns burning moxa for Lan Qin as instructed by Doctor Liang, silently doing their own thing regardless of what the people outside were doing.
Nianxue dared not stand in front of Lanqin anymore, afraid that Lanqin would feel uncomfortable if she saw her, so she just covered her face with a hot towel.
After the moxibustion was finished, Lanqin felt much better, but she still couldn't get up.
"Have the people outside left?" Lanqin asked.
"No, Your Highness, please lie down. I'll go out and report to the Princess Consort." Cui Niang instructed Xi Cha and Si Hua to start packing their things, while Doctor Liang also packed his medical kit and followed Cui Niang out.
Doctor Liang walked out of the inner room and saw that the Fujin and the few people she brought were still there. He simply bowed slightly and then left.
Cui Niang bowed her head and quickly walked to the Fujin, curtsied and said, "The concubine is much better now. Your Majesty instructed me to tell you that you are very grateful for your concern, but Your Majesty is still unable to get up."
The Fujin sighed and said, "The Concubine is too careless. Cui Niang, you and Nianxue have failed to serve the Concubine properly, so go to the head nanny and get twenty lashes yourselves."
Cui Niang paused for a moment, then lowered her head and agreed.
The Fujin helped Lingxiu to her feet, walked past Cui Niang, and headed straight for the bedroom. Cui Niang turned around to stop her, but it was too late.
When the maids in the room saw the princess and her entourage enter, they had no choice but to stop what they were doing and bow in greeting.
"I still want to come and see Sister Niu. She's been so careless. If the Fourth Prince finds out, he'll be worried sick." The Fujin walked to Lanqin's bedside and said, looking at the person leaning against the bed.
Lanqin was resting with her eyes closed when she heard the familiar sound of the flowerpot bottom tapping on the bluestone floor, and she couldn't help but frown.
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