The old lady weighed the pros and cons.
Of the three sons, the eldest was a good-for-nothing who spent his days drinking, carousing, and collecting antiques; he was utterly useless. The youngest son was timid and indecisive, also not destined for greatness. Only the second son had made some achievements in the court.
After weighing the pros and cons, the old lady finally relented: "I can spare Fourth Sister's departure for now, but all the things she used must be burned. If Fourth Sister is lucky enough to survive, that would be best. If she is unlucky, don't blame your mother for coming again."
An Chaoli responded solemnly, "Yes."
The old lady waved her hand, and all the guards in the courtyard withdrew.
Before leaving, looking at her haggard second son, the old lady realized that she had indeed been too harsh on him and said, "You must take care of yourself during court rites. After all, you are the second master. You don't need to do everything yourself. Just leave it to the servants."
An Chaoli seemed to be thinking about something, and asked with a wry smile, "Sometimes I can't help but wonder, when Mother tells me to take care of my health, is it really for my health, or... just so that the An family doesn't lose a tool in the court?"
The old lady was slightly unsteady on her feet. Over the years, she and her second son had become so estranged.
However, she quickly hardened her heart and returned to her original demeanor, saying in a serious tone, "Mother naturally cares about useful people."
An Chaoli laughed self-deprecatingly: "Mother is right."
"However, I have another concern. Mother rushed here today to drive Yuan'er away. Whose words did she take? This person only sees the immediate gains and losses and completely disregards the overall situation of our An family. Shengjing attaches great importance to human relations and morality. If it is discovered that our An family has abandoned its grandchildren, such a contemptuous act of human relations could be used by someone with ulterior motives to make a big fuss. Not only will I be impeached, but I'm afraid even Father's position in the court will be shaken."
An Chaoli's words struck a chord with the old lady.
The old lady then realized that she had listened to her eldest daughter-in-law's instigation without thinking things through, and had almost caused a disaster.
Fourth Sister's life may be insignificant, but the century-old foundation of the An family must not be allowed to collapse in her hands.
Feeling ashamed, the old lady hastily gave a few instructions and left in a hurry.
*
With the old lady gone, the ceremonial hall was sealed off, and finally, it was quiet again.
For three days in a row, An Chaoli and Yunniang took turns watching over An Yuan'er and taking good care of her.
However, An Yuan'er's condition did not improve. One day, she vomited up all the medicine she was given.
The maids and servants below, sensing that things were going badly, began to whisper among themselves.
"It seems the Fourth Miss's illness is not getting better. I estimate she only has two days left."
"The Fourth Miss is ultimately an unlucky person. The Second Master cares for her so much, but what good is it? She is ultimately useless."
"It's pitiful. The fourth young lady is only five years old. She's been without a mother since she was little, and her brother isn't around either. Now she's going to leave us too. Sigh..."
A somber atmosphere permeated the hall, but An Chaoli did not give up and searched far and wide for famous medicines in order to save his daughter's life.
At this time, Yi Chenli was also recovering from a serious illness.
That day, the princes were playing around when snowballs hit them, soaking their clothes and socks. When they returned, Yi Chenli also caught a cold and took three days to recover.
The palace was vast, and no one paid any attention to a prince with a broken leg.
Until Yi Chenli recovered from his illness, no one knew that he had once been seriously ill and suffering, let alone that anyone had come to see him or take care of him.
One person gets sick, the other gets better; Yi Chenli has become accustomed to this indifference.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com