Chapter 23 You have to save me!
When the grandmother and grandson met, Madam Qin released Qin Xu's arm and instead grasped Liu Min's hand, asking repeatedly, "Are you alright? Were you frightened?"
Liu Min shook his head and laughed, "How could I be so timid?"
Seeing that he could talk and laugh, it was clear that he was truly alright. Reassured, Old Madam Qin clasped her hands together and uttered a Buddhist prayer.
Just then, a housekeeper ran over and reported, "They've been rescued; only the kitchen burned down."
Old Madam Qin asked, "Is anyone injured?"
The old woman replied, "It was only when Song Wu's wife was carrying the water basin that she twisted her ankle."
Madam Qin nodded, then asked, "Have you called a doctor?"
The old woman said, "We wanted to invite her then, but she declined. She said her husband knew how to set bones, and she would go back and have him do it."
Upon hearing this, Madam Qin frowned and said, "How can we not call a doctor? Even if her husband knows how to set bones, won't she need to take medicine later? Call a doctor for her, and don't let her worry about the medicine. Take care of everything for her, and send her some good medicinal herbs as well."
The old woman quickly agreed.
Madam Qin added, "Everyone who helps put out the fire will receive five hundred coins."
After the rewards were given, the punishments began.
His face immediately darkened, and he asked coldly, "Where is your goddaughter? Why isn't she coming to see me?"
Upon hearing this, the old woman's smiling face turned pale instantly. After a long pause, she stammered, "I...I've already had someone keep an eye on her, and we're just waiting for the old lady to decide what to do..."
The old woman's goddaughter was Li Hong's wife, who worked in the kitchen.
As soon as Madam Qin returned to Fuze Hall and sat down, a disheveled woman wearing a dark blue blouse, a sleek vest, and a jade-colored skirt walked in, sobbing. She knelt down as soon as she entered and cried, "Madam, please understand! Although I am in charge of the kitchen, you really can't blame me for what happened today!"
Madam Qin said sternly, "Since you say you are innocent, then explain yourself clearly. Where exactly are you wronged?"
Li Hong's wife wiped away her tears and sobbed, "Lin San bought a batch of seafood yesterday and it wasn't delivered until almost dark. A group of people were busy until midnight. They finished at noon today and got sleepy. I thought I had nothing to do, so I asked Sister Han to watch the place for me for a while so I could go home and get some sleep. She agreed, so I went home. But who would have thought... when I ran over, the fire was already raging..." As she spoke, she started crying again.
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Qin asked, "Is it from Han Cheng's family?"
Li Hong's wife nodded hurriedly, "It's her!"
Old Madam Qin then asked, "Has she arrived?"
Ru Hui went out upon hearing the sound, and after a while, she came back in and said to Old Madam Qin, "Han Cheng's wife has arrived."
Han Cheng's wife also knelt down as soon as she entered the door and kowtowed repeatedly, each kowtow making a loud thud.
Seeing this, Old Madam Qin couldn't bear it and said, "Stop it now!"
Han Cheng's wife stopped kowtowing and raised her head, revealing a swollen patch on her forehead.
"Tell me, what exactly happened?"
Han Cheng's wife started crying too, "I don't know how the fire started... I was preparing the fish when Sister Wang, who manages the garden, came running to me and said my daughter had fallen into the water. When I heard that, I was terrified and rushed over with Sister Wang. When I saw my daughter, half of her clothes were wet. I quickly took her home, and by the time I got back, the fire was already burning... I really don't know how it started, but I'm sure there was someone in the kitchen when I left..."
She also said she didn't know, and Old Madam Qin lost her patience.
"Call them all over here! Make them testify in person."
The flower hall was packed with kneeling people, all talking at once, making a noise louder than the fish in the pond.
"Shut up, all of you!" Ru Hui stepped forward and shouted at the crowd.
The noise stopped instantly.
Ru Hui pointed to a little girl in green, "You go first!"
The young girl started to chatter on and on, saying that she was picking vegetables when a familiar friend came by and said that she had a good bundle of thread and asked if she wanted to go and make knots together. She was very tempted, but then she thought that dinner was still early and the vegetables didn't necessarily have to be picked right away, so she went with her. As she left, she glanced at the kitchen and saw a single hanging stove with a fire burning underneath.
Ru Hui asked, "Who was in the kitchen when you left?"
The little girl thought for a moment and then named a few people.
Ru Hui looked at the crowd and asked, "Who is Lanxiang?" Lanxiang was the first name that the little girl had just called out.
A little girl answered in a trembling voice.
"You tell us, but what's your story?"
The little girl repeated what she said; someone came looking for her, and she went with them. She was perfectly fine when she left. At that time, who else was in the kitchen?
Then they asked her the name she gave them.
Finally, the question was directed to a girl named Yue'er.
Ru Hui said, "It's you. You're the last one."
Yue'er cried, "My stomach hurts, and I urgently need to go to the outhouse, but there's no one in the house. I'm so anxious... Just then, Sister Chunyan came in. When I saw her, it was like seeing a savior. I asked her to watch the stove for me, and Sister Chunyan agreed. So I rushed to the outhouse... As soon as I came out of the outhouse, I heard people shouting, 'Fire!'... I..." She lowered her head and sobbed uncontrollably.
At this point, things seem to be clear.
But Ru Hui didn't say anything.
Madam Qin, unaware of anything amiss, asked, "Which one is Chunyan?"
No one answered.
Because Chunyan did not come to Fuzetang.
Chunyan is currently at Yangshengxuan.
After Liu Min left, only Mr. Lian and Tong Shan were left at Yang Sheng Xuan.
As Mr. Lian gazed at the girl's slender back, delicate and pitiful, he couldn't help but think of his own worries.
How can one bear to see such a beautiful jade trapped in the mire?
Mr. Lian made up his mind and took two steps forward.
“You are a rare genius. If you remain here for too long, you will surely be buried. You should go to a wider world.”
Shan thought that these words must have been said to her, so she turned around.
Mr. Lian continued, “In my life, I’ve failed at everything except calligraphy and painting. I’ve gained some insight into these arts. If you want to depict the world on paper, you must have truly seen it. You can’t create anything good by simply imagining things on a wall. Would you like to become my student? I can redeem you from your servitude and take you away from this place. You have great talent. As long as you study diligently, you will surely achieve great things in the future, leave your name in history, and be remembered for generations to come…”
The future described by Mr. Lian is extremely beautiful. To be remembered for generations is the lifelong pursuit of countless people throughout history, and only the most outstanding can achieve this. However, Shanlai was not very moved.
She wasn't someone who sought fame or fortune; she picked up a pen because she was captivated by the sense of peace that writing and painting brought her. When the pen was in her hand, her mind was blank except for the paper before her—no pain, no panic, only comfort… Whether she would be remembered in history, Shanlai didn't care.
“I can’t leave. My home is here, I have a father who is sick and can’t be without me. What will happen to him if I leave? He’s my only family, and I can’t be separated from him.”
Mr. Lian thought that although she had extraordinary talent, she was still just a child and did not understand the weight of his words. He was unwilling to give up on her, so he tried to persuade her again.
Just then, Chunyan arrived crying, calling Shanlai's name repeatedly, anxious and frightened...
Shanlai hurriedly turned around to look.
Chunyan was a kitchen maid who tended the fire, so she couldn't possibly be clean. As a result, she always had a grimy face and dark eyes. Shanlai was already familiar with her, but no matter how much fire she tended, she couldn't end up like this.
His face was covered in patches of ash and white, his hair was singed beyond recognition, and his clothes were burned and torn to shreds.
When Chunyan saw Shanlai, her first words were, "Shanlai, you have to save me!" She cried and stumbled to Shanlai's side.
Shanlai was startled and hurriedly tried to pull her up, but couldn't. So he pounced on her and asked urgently, "Sister, what's wrong with you!" But as soon as he finished asking, his heart skipped a beat, and the answer was immediately obvious.
Sure enough, Chunyan cried, "I didn't want to either. She gave me a glass of wine, and I drank it... really just one glass! I never expected to fall asleep like that, and then the kitchen caught fire... burned to the ground..."
Shan Lai was startled and thought, "How can I save you?"
Old Madam Qin was quite old, and Chunyan had only visited Fuzetang twice. Once was when she recommended Shanlai to Old Madam Qin, and the other was on the day Shanlai arrived at the Liu residence, when Chunyan accompanied her to see Old Madam Qin. It was only the first time she spoke to Old Madam Qin, and naturally, Old Madam Qin didn't remember who Chunyan was. She asked Chunyan in the crowd, but no one answered. She asked again, but still no one came. Only one daughter-in-law whispered, "Chunyan didn't come; she's not here." Old Madam Qin became angry.
"What a show of power! She doesn't even come here. My family can't afford such a haughty girl! Who brought her here? Take her away immediately!"
Ru Hui thought for a moment and decided to remain silent.
Qin Xu spoke up, smiling, "You can't chase her away. She's from the same hometown as Shanlai. For Shanlai's sake, please calm down, old lady."
Ru Hui couldn't help but peek at this restless young lady from her cousin's side, thinking to herself, "I shouldn't have said that. I was too hasty. She's always like this, never patient."
Upon hearing Qin Xu's words, Old Madam Qin was stunned for a moment.
It's true that Shanlai had a fellow townsman in the Liu family. Old Madam Qin knew about this and vaguely remembered that the name was indeed Chunyan. But even if she was Shanlai's fellow townsman, so what? She had caused such a big mess, how could she let her off so easily? She was a kind person, and no matter how angry she was, she wouldn't beat or kill a servant. So, kicking her out was the best she could do. No matter where she went in the future, she would never have to see her again.
But Qin Xu brought up Chunyan's relationship with Shanlai in the open, and that made a difference.
Since it wasn't said openly, this matter had nothing to do with Shanlai and wouldn't affect her. It's only natural to kick out a girl who made a mistake. If it were said and she was still kicked out, then "Shanlai's face" would be gone.
Madam Qin was somewhat ingratiating towards Shanlai, but she was also always strict in managing her subordinates and clear in her rewards and punishments. If she showed favoritism, the rules would be broken. But Shanlai... she didn't want to offend her.
At this moment, Liu Min said, "She has made such a big mistake. Let alone a little girl, even mothers with respectable reputations would not be able to tolerate it. Letting her go home is already a grace. What more do you want?"
After listening, Madam Qin pondered for a moment and nodded gently.
Chunyan's fate was thus sealed.
Qin Xu didn't say anything more; she had achieved her goal.
If her fellow villager is driven away, Shan Lai will also lose face. Moreover, everyone else in the mansion will know that she is nothing special, and the old lady will not show her any mercy.
This was the idea Yunping came up with for Qin Xu.
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