crack
However, the peaceful days in the mansion did not last long before bad news came from the Wen family again—Madam Wen's old illness had worsened.
Previously, Madam Wen had been unwell from time to time, but she had managed to stay strong because of Xiang'er's wedding. Now that the important matter was settled, she felt relieved, and her illness deteriorated rapidly, leaving her bedridden.
Upon hearing the news, Xuanji was extremely anxious and immediately informed Li Yi, intending to return to his residence to take care of her. Li Yi was busy with the Ministry of Revenue's reimbursement matters at the time. Hearing this, he merely frowned and said, "Your master's wife is seriously ill, and it is only right that you go back to visit her. However, now that you are a member of the Li family, frequent trips back and forth may cause gossip. Do your best to visit her briefly and then return. Do not linger, as it would be improper."
Xuanji was concerned about Madam Wen, so she took it as a casual remark and hurriedly returned to the Wen residence with Qingxing.
Upon seeing Madam Wen's sickly and haggard appearance, Xuanji's tears fell. She knelt before the bed, grasped Madam Wen's withered hand, and repeatedly called out, "Master's wife." Madam Wen opened her eyes in her drowsy state, and upon seeing her, a faint light flashed in her eyes. She laboriously grasped Xuanji's hand in return.
Wen Tingyun stood to the side, seemingly having aged considerably in just a few days. Although there were many servants in the mansion, Madam Wen was sometimes confused and sometimes lucid during her illness. When it came to feeding her medicine and wiping her body, she often refused to let her new servants get close, only occasionally recognizing Xuanji and her old personal nanny.
Seeing this, how could Xuanji possibly leave? He immediately decided to stay, personally serving her medicine and staying by her bedside day and night.
Watching Xuanji tirelessly serving medicine, Wen Tingyun was filled with mixed emotions. His wife was seriously ill, and his heart was breaking; his entire focus was on her. Yet, Xuanji's presence was like a gentle yet resilient light, supporting this crumbling family and illuminating the deepest vulnerability within him.
Xuanji sent Qingxing back to the Li residence to retrieve some personal clothing and belongings. She also specifically asked Shiliu to deliver a message to Li Yi, explaining that Madam Wen's illness was serious and that she needed to stay and take care of her, so she could not return for the time being.
Li Yi returned home that evening and, upon hearing that Xuanji intended to stay at the Wen residence for an extended period, his face immediately darkened. He paced back and forth in his study for a moment, then said coldly, "Nonsense! What is her status now? Doesn't the Wen household have servants and maids? To expect a married concubine to stay by a sickbed all day? What kind of decorum is this!"
Shi Liu, standing to the side, replied tremblingly, "My lady said... that Madam Wen only recognized her and a few old acquaintances during her illness, and it was extremely difficult for her to feed her medicine and food. She was really worried about her..."
"Still worried?" Li Yi snorted, his tone clearly displeased. "She's just too emotional! The Wen family has its own rules. How will others view the Li family if she oversteps her bounds like this?"
He grew increasingly irritated as he spoke. He had recently been promoted to the position of principal officer in the Ministry of Revenue, a time when he needed to cultivate his reputation and act cautiously. Xuanji's actions, if seen by outsiders, would likely lead them to believe that he was lax in managing his household and indulged his concubines.
Moreover, deep down, he harbored a selfish motive he was unwilling to admit—he had gone to great lengths to bring Xuanji out of Wen Tingyun's shadow and into her own territory, and now she had so easily and wholeheartedly returned to the Wen family mansion, which made him feel a sense of displeasure at having his possessions taken away.
Li Yi paused slightly, looked at Shi Liu, and softened his tone, "My lady has been troubled lately. If she says anything unusual, does anything out of the ordinary, or has any dealings with outsiders, you must keep a close eye on her and report to me immediately."
Shi Liu nodded.
Meanwhile, news of Madam Wen's serious illness reached Madam Pei's ears through a maid's report. At that moment, Madam Pei was being served a bowl of bird's nest soup. Upon hearing the report, her hand holding the spoon paused slightly, and then a barely perceptible sneer appeared on her lips.
"Oh? Madam Wen is so ill?" She slowly stirred the bird's nest soup in her cup. "Speaking of which, the Wen family has been incredibly kind to our master. Now that his wife is seriously ill, if she doesn't go to her bedside to show filial piety, wouldn't she be branded as ungrateful?"
She raised her eyes and glanced at her mother, who stood with her hands at her sides: "Pass on my message to the gatekeeper and the office: if Qiwu Pavilion needs to prepare a carriage to return to the Wen residence, do not obstruct them. Just do whatever you can to make things convenient for them."
The mother responded with a "Yes," but then hesitated, saying, "Madam... if you indulge her like this, won't she use it as an excuse to run around outside every day? Wouldn't that disrupt the rules of the household..."
Madam Pei chuckled lightly. "Rules?" A sharp glint flashed in her eyes. "When has Yu Xuanji ever followed any rules? If she wants to go, let her go. It'll be a good opportunity for outsiders to see who is the proper and dutiful matriarch who manages the household affairs, and who is the one who disregards propriety and spends all her time showing her face in public."
The next day, Li Yi, who had just left court and discovered a mysterious secret, did not return home. Instead, he went to the Wen residence in person.
When he arrived, Xuanji was carefully feeding Madam Wen spoonful by spoonful of freshly brewed medicine. She had faint dark circles under her eyes and looked tired, but she was unusually focused and patient, as if her eyes were only on the person on the sickbed.
Li Yi stood by the door for a while, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper. Only after Madam Wen finished her medicine and fell asleep did he cough lightly and go inside.
Xuanji looked up when she heard the voice, and was slightly taken aback when she saw it was him. She stood up and bowed, saying, "Why have you come, sir?" She quickly got up and went to the outer hall with Li Yi.
"Hearing that Master's wife is seriously ill, I came to visit her." Li Yi softened his tone, his gaze sweeping through the screen over the sleeping Madam Wen on the bed before returning to Xuanji. "You have been working hard these past few days, it's time for you to go back."
Upon hearing this, Xuanji replied softly, "My master's wife's illness has relapsed, and she cannot be left alone at the moment. All matters in the manor will be managed by my wife; I..."
“Xuanji,” Li Yi interrupted her, his voice deepening and carrying an undeniable air, “You are one of my people, Li Yi’s person. It is improper for you to linger in the Wen residence for so long. Does the Wen residence have no one else available? Why must you do everything yourself here?”
He spoke bluntly, his voice slightly raised. The old nanny standing nearby looked somewhat embarrassed upon hearing this.
Xuanji looked at him, a slight prickling sensation in her heart, and an indescribable chill crept over her.
She remained silent for a moment, ultimately unwilling to argue with him at her master's wife's bedside, and whispered, "Please allow me to serve you for two more days. Once your master's wife's condition has stabilized, I will return home."
Seeing that she refused to comply immediately, Li Yi's face darkened further, but since they were in the Wen residence, he could not lash out. He simply said coldly, "Two days at most," and turned to leave.
Xuanji stood there, staring blankly at his departing figure.
In fact, Madam Wen did not fall into a coma that day.
The bitter aftertaste of the herbal medicine still lingered on her tongue. In her dazed state, she heard the curtain rustle, followed by Li Yi's deliberately lowered but barely concealed displeasure.
"...You are one of Li Yi's men. It is improper for you to linger in the Wen residence for so long. Does the Wen residence have no one else to use? Why must you do everything yourself here?"
The coldness and impatience in his tone made Madam Wen's heart tighten.
She watched Li Yi's retreating figure, then looked at Xuanji, who stood there dejectedly, and felt a tightness in her chest, so she couldn't help but cough violently.
"Master's wife!" Xuanji turned around hurriedly upon hearing the voice, quickly came to the bedside, gently patted her back, his eyes full of worry.
Madam Wen grasped Xuanji's hand. This child had ultimately suffered injustice. She had originally thought Li Yi was a good match, capable of protecting Xuanji's intelligence and purity. Now it seemed that beneath that seemingly affectionate possessiveness lay an equally unyielding desire for control.
However, what weighed heavier on Xuanji's heart than her current grievances was her anxiety about her husband Wen Tingyun's future. She knew that her days were numbered, and once she passed away, she would leave Changqing alone... He seemed aloof and cold, but in reality, he was deeply affectionate.
As her thoughts drifted back to this, a deeply buried idea resurfaced: Back then, when she strongly urged her husband to choose a husband for Xuanji, hastily severing that budding romance, besides considering family reputation, did she also harbor a degree of selfishness as a wife? She feared that the soulmates resonated too deeply, and she feared losing her importance in her husband's heart. She feared that their vow of a lifetime of monogamy would become a joke.
But now it seems that if Xuanji were still in the manor, even if she were a disciple in name only, given the child's sentimental and grateful nature, she might still be able to offer Changqing some spiritual comfort after she left, so that he wouldn't be completely alone.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
