Chapter 81 Abstinence and Health
Mother Li lamented, "I don't know if I can wait until that day. I just hope that the emperor can show mercy and spare the Li family. Otherwise, what is the point of us two mothers enduring humiliation for the past ten years?"
Li Chu's eyes were sore when he heard this: "Mother will surely live a long life. Don't say such sad words. Your Majesty is a wise ruler. My son will work for him, and he will clearly reward and punish me."
"I hope so." Li's mother was full of worries about the future.
In July, the corn planting area has expanded this year, and Rongyin has more corn to make starch. The bakery announced that it will hold a promotion recently, increasing the daily production of cream cakes from one to three, on a first-come, first-served basis.
This undoubtedly stimulated consumption again. The shopkeeper looked at the store crowded with customers who had reserved cakes and was counting the money until his hands were stretched. But when he thought of the bonus at the end of the month, the smile on his face suddenly became brighter.
Coincidentally, Li's mother's birthday was coming up soon, and Li Chu managed to grab a reservation and brought the cake to her on her mother's birthday.
The cake was topped with longevity peaches and Li's mother's zodiac animal. It looked so beautiful that Li's mother was reluctant to cut it with a wooden knife. In the end, she finally divided the cake amid the teasing of the guests.
Mother Li's birthday party was not a grand affair. Firstly, the Li family was not suitable for the limelight right now, and secondly, she was too lazy to spend time on those meaningless things that were a waste of time and energy.
She simply prepared a few tables of food and wine, and invited all the wives of officials with whom she had been in close contact recently to come over to have some fun and deepen their relationship.
Each person was given a piece of cake. Since Li Chu was a man, it was inconvenient for him to sit at the same table with the female family members, so he went to the next yard to entertain the few male guests.
Everyone was eating cake and chatting happily when a servant suddenly ran in hurriedly. Li Chu saw that he was from the main courtyard of the Li family, so he quickly stood up and walked over.
"But what's the matter, father?" Li Chu asked in a low voice.
The servant nodded vigorously and whispered something quickly into Li Chu's ear.
Li Chu's eyes widened, and he subconsciously asked, "Has the doctor been there?"
After he spoke, he realized that his voice seemed to be too loud. The guests next to him stopped talking and looked at him.
Li Chu showed a regretful expression, as if he had let the cat out of the bag because he was too surprised.
He waved his hand, told the servant to go back first, then turned around and bowed to the guests, saying, "Everyone is invited here, and I should have done my best to entertain you, but something unexpected happened in the mansion, and I urgently need to go and deal with it. I can't continue to entertain you, I hope you can understand."
Everyone heard what he said just now. It was serious enough to require a doctor's attention, so it must not be a trivial matter.
"Master Li, there is no need to be polite. Family matters are more important. You don't have to worry about us."
"That's right, Lord Li, just go and do your work."
"It just so happens that the banquet is almost over, so we will take our leave now."
A group of people politely comforted Li Chu, and stood up with interest, calling the family members next door who had not yet figured out the situation. Li Chu and Li's mother sent them out of the house one by one.
In fact, strictly speaking, what Li Chu and his mother did was extremely inappropriate.
When a wealthy family like theirs holds a banquet to entertain guests, unless someone has died, even if something goes wrong, out of their own face and respect for the guests, they should send someone to quietly handle the matter while quietly entertaining the guests.
Instead of doing something like chasing away customers like we are doing now.
So even if the guests didn't say anything in person, after they left, they would inevitably discuss the Li family's lack of manners behind their backs, saying that it was a real disgrace to the family.
But when they found out what had happened in the Li Mansion, they suddenly felt that being "driven out" was not such a bad thing.
The news spread throughout the capital - the head of the Li family fell on his concubine's belly in broad daylight. His life was saved, but he became paralyzed and could not even move his fingers. He was like a useless person.
It was broad daylight, and it was his wife's birthday, so he might as well do that. He even paralyzed himself. If this news gets out, others will feel embarrassed when they talk about it.
No wonder the Li family was in a hurry to see the guests off that day. They were probably busy rescuing people. If he hadn't been rescued in time, the head of the Li family would have died. There were many old men in the capital who died of horsetail disease.
After this incident, the Li family suddenly became the biggest topic of conversation in the entire capital.
"Tsk tsk, Mr. Li is already so old, but he is still imitating the youngsters' 100-day propaganda. Now he has lost half his life."
"If we talk about bad luck, it's Madam Li. I went to her birthday party, but I didn't see Mr. Li. I was a little suspicious. I didn't expect him to be in my aunt's room at that time. It's a good thing he was just paralyzed, but he's still alive. Otherwise, it would be unlucky for her husband to die on her birthday."
"Oh, if it were me, I would have been vomiting for three days and three nights."
"Which concubine are you talking about? Master Li has so many concubines, who is so powerful that he almost killed everyone?"
"Who else could it be? That person's mother passed away on the way to the border. She is the most favored one in the whole mansion. Only she has the ability to lure the old man to her own courtyard on the mistress's birthday."
"Isn't this a ruthless person? When her son was still alive, she was bullying Madam Li. Later, when her son died, other concubines bullied her, and it was Master Li and Madam Li who stood up for her. Not only is she ungrateful, but she actually did such a thing."
"I can only say that Madam Li and Young Master Li have raised an ungrateful person. However, she has made a serious mistake this time. Even if a concubine is not beaten to death, she will not end up well."
"Well, it's just what you deserve."
…
Li Mansion, in the firewood room.
My aunt's hands and feet were tied, her hair was disheveled, and she sat in the corner like a piece of wood, staring out the window with a blank look in her eyes.
She didn't understand. How come she was a pampered concubine just a few days ago and suddenly became a prisoner who murdered the master of the family?
Her maid had clearly assured her that the person who gave her the medicine had said that although the medicine was harmful to the body, it would not be life-threatening as long as it was taken in the right amount.
Mr. Li did not show any symptoms of discomfort before he collapsed, and everything was fine as before.
She was just jealous that her mistress's son was still alive, and didn't want the head of the Li family to celebrate her birthday, so she fed the head of the Li family medicine and asked him to stay with her.
This wasn't the first time she had done this, so why did something go wrong this time?
When the head of the Li family fell on her, she was almost scared to death. The maid heard the scream and ran in. After seeing the scene clearly, she screamed and ran away.
The aunt couldn't call her back, so she could only get up and dress herself trembling. She also took great pains to change the clothes for the Master of the Li Family, trying to make it seem like the Master of the Li Family had fainted on his own, and it had nothing to do with her.
The difference between fainting in her yard and fainting in her bed was different, as was the punishment she faced. Although my aunt was a little stupid, she was not too confused.
It's just that her plan was good, but the reality was completely different from what she expected.
Before she could drag Mr. Li off the bed and pretend to be at the scene, her maid arrived with the court doctor, followed by Li's mother and Li Chu, who were invited by the servant.
As soon as Li's mother arrived, she had someone arrest her, and then with red eyes, she anxiously told the doctor to save the head of the Li family at all costs, and she was willing to do so no matter what the cost.
Li Chu also showed his power as the head of the family. He tied up all the servants in the aunt's courtyard and made them kneel in the courtyard. After knowing that the head of the Li family fainted due to taking too many aphrodisiacs, he immediately interrogated all the servants in the courtyard. If he could not get any information out of them, he would beat them until they were willing to talk.
My aunt's personal maid couldn't stand the beating and confessed everything.
She said that her aunt was afraid of losing favor and wanted to get pregnant again, but her husband did not come to her courtyard often. So her aunt gave her money and asked her to find aphrodisiacs and bring them back. In the end, they were all used on the head of the Li family.
The medicine seller said that this medicine was harmful to the body and should not be used too much. However, the aunt, who was trying to have a child, did not care about the health of the master of the family and often gave him excessive doses. This is what led to the problem that the master of the Li family is having now.
When the maid said these words, the aunt was kneeling beside her. When she heard her confusing right and wrong, she was so anxious that she wanted to crawl over and hit her.
It’s a pity that she was tied up and her mouth was blocked, so she couldn’t seek redress even if she wanted to.
She wanted to tell everyone that the maid was talking nonsense. It was clearly the maid who advised her to have another child for the sake of the future.
It was clearly the maid who recommended the medicine to her, and she believed her because of their many years of master-servant friendship.
She clearly gave Mr. Li family medicine according to the dosage told by the maid every time, so why did the doctor say that the dosage exceeded the limit?
She is obviously a victim too, why are you talking like she is the culprit?
Li Chu looked at his struggling aunt, his expression looking extremely disappointed: "Aunt, Dad loves you so much, how could you do this to him?"
Mother Li also shook her head and frowned, saying, "As a concubine of the Li family, you actually did such a dirty thing. If this gets out, where will our Li family save face?"
"Mmmm! Mmmm!" Mother Li shook her head, trying desperately to speak.
But Li Chu and his mother seemed not to see her needs. After sighing, they asked someone to lock her up in the woodshed to await her fate, and then they went into the house without looking back.
After they locked her up in the woodshed, they took away the handkerchief stuffed in her mouth. Then the aunt cried loudly to appeal for justice, saying that she did not do it on purpose and that it was the maid who deceived her and that the maid was the mastermind.
But her voice was hoarse from crying, and no one paid any attention to her. Finally, she was out of strength and could only shrink back into the corner, waiting for the head of the Li family to wake up or for Li Chu and his mother to come find her so that she could tell them about her grievances.
可都過去好幾天了，除了偶爾會有人給她送點吃喝，讓她不至于被餓死渴死外，家裏其他人都沒有來看她，像是完全忘記她這個人的存在了一樣。
她問送飯的下人老爺是死是活，那人卻一個字都不肯說，只會掰開她的嘴強行喂她吃東西。
漸漸的，姨娘絕望了。
她多麽希望這只是一場夢，醒來以後她的傲兒還沒死，李家主也還好好的，她繼續做她的貴妾，無憂無慮。
“人還沒死吧？”
屋內，李母喝着果茶，神情裏沒有半點對丈夫病倒在床的痛苦，臉色反而比之前還紅潤了幾分，像是遇見了什麽大喜事似的。
負責看管姨娘的婆子彎腰道：“夫人放心，叫了半天就沒力氣叫了，這幾日灌了水和吃的，餓不死她，但也不會讓她有力氣逃跑。”
李母嘴角的微笑恬靜，像是跟婆子談論的不是一個人，而是無關緊要的小貓小狗。
“明天就把人送到莊子上去吧，畢竟之前我兒承諾過會把她當半個母親對待，總不能将人送去官府，或是直接杖斃了，她做下如此錯事，能在莊子裏安享晚年，也不算我兒違背了誓言。”
至于到了莊子上是怎麽個安享晚年法，那就由不得姨娘做主了。
婆子心領神會：“是，都聽夫人你的。”
“對了。”李母想起大夫的吩咐，說這幾天最好不要再刺激老爺子，不然容易加重病情，“她與老爺好歹夫妻一場，明天她走之前，帶她去老爺屋裏道個別吧，到時也不用堵她的嘴，愛說什麽就讓她說吧。”
婆子愣了一瞬，恍惚間明白了什麽，趕緊低頭應了一聲是。
婆子走後，李母擡頭将整個房間環視了一遍，想到以後那兩個玩意兒再也不能來煩自己了，她眉眼間的笑意根本掩飾不住。
不過，她現在也不用再刻意隐藏自己的情緒了。
如今李家就是她和她兒子的天下，又有誰能管得了她？
俗話說家醜不可外揚，可李家主偏癱一事，卻是李家母子倆刻意宣傳出去的。
他們等這一天等了那麽多年，當然得讓衆人都來與他們分享這份喜悅。
所以壽宴那天知曉李家主出事後，母子倆才故意“趕客”，好讓最近所有人的目光都集中在李府身上，後面再傳出李家主的風流禍事，這樣做，不僅毀了李家主的身體，更是毀了他的名聲。
雖然李府也會因此被帶累，但母子倆根本不在乎。
其實當時李家主情況緊急，只要他們拖住府醫一會兒，李家主很快就會命喪黃泉，但他們偏不讓他死個痛快，偏要留他一條命在，讓他只能眼睜睜看着他們母子将整個李家牢牢抓進手裏。
為了将李家主從鬼門關拉回來，母子倆花了不少銀兩。
如今京城誰不可憐他們母子，覺得李楚孝順，李母識大體。
即便是李家族長來了，也說不出母子倆有什麽錯處。
第二日，姨娘被拖去家主房間時，李楚和李母就坐在屏風後面看熱鬧。
曾經風光無限的李家主和他的貴妾，如今一個只能如同木頭一般躺在床上，唯一能動的就只有眼珠子，嘴巴張開就合不上，口水順着嘴角淌到了枕頭上。
而另一個，經過幾天的關押，已然沒了當初的矜貴傲氣，頭發衣衫淩亂，眼神呆滞，身上還有食物腐爛的臭味。
是以兩人看見對方的第一眼，都差點沒能認出彼此來。
姨娘在知道下人要帶自己去見老爺後，就默默在心裏醞釀讨饒的說辭，她覺得李家主那麽寵愛她，只要她說了是丫鬟栽贓陷害她的，李家主就一定會原諒她。
可當她看見李家主如今這副連口水都兜不住的慘樣，想說的話忽然就卡在喉嚨裏，半個字都吐不出來了。
她畏懼了。
那個藥居然将李家主害成了這樣，自己怎麽還可能被原諒呢？
姨娘的心情是絕望的，但李家主在看見她的那一刻，卻是克制不住地激動了起來。
他不是心疼姨娘蓬頭垢面，而是恨不得立馬爬起來一掌把她拍死！
他醒後都聽說了，是姨娘給他下藥，才害得他中風，并且再也恢複不了曾經的健康。
“呵！呵！”
李家主連說話都做不到，喉嚨裏只能發出呵呵的氣音，他睜圓了眼睛瞪着姨娘，目光兇狠地像是要将她生吞活剝了！
姨娘驚恐地跌坐在地上，下意識往後縮，顫聲道：“老爺，我不是故意的，那個藥是丫鬟給我的，我每次都用得很少的，我不知道為什麽會變成現在這樣，嗚嗚嗚嗚……”
聽見姨娘承認自己用了藥，李家主的表情更加猙獰，像是地獄裏爬出來的惡鬼。
姨娘被吓了一跳，再也不敢看李家主，聲音都帶上了哭腔：“老爺，你不要怪我，我只是想早點把傲兒生出來而已，傲兒還等着回家呢，不然他就只能做孤魂野鬼了。”
人都是自私的，就如姨娘提起李傲是為了減輕罪責，而李家主聽見李傲的名字，想起自己淪落至此都是因為他，原本對他的喜歡全部化成了厭惡，連帶着對姨娘也恨到了極點！
“呵……呵……滾！”
李家主胸膛劇烈起伏着，氣得面紅耳赤，費盡全部力氣才從喉嚨擠出一個不算清晰的“滾”字。
但這也足夠将本就戰戰兢兢的姨娘吓破膽，再也沒了在老爺這裏為自己申冤的想法，她只想趕緊離這個恐怖的男人遠遠的，哪怕再被關回柴房她也樂意。
眼看李家主都快被氣咽氣了，李楚母子也懂得見好就收，示意婆子把姨娘拖下去，然後才讓站在旁邊的府醫上去救治李家主。
沒過一會兒府醫就回來禀報，說李家主暈過去了，而且病情可能還會加重。
李母問：“死不了吧？”
已經知道母子倆對李家主态度的府醫老實道：“死不了，就是得難受很長一段時間。”
李母閑得差點打哈欠：“無趣。”
李楚笑道：“母親去送送姨娘吧，她應該很想見你。”
李母笑了：“這個主意不錯。”
說着，她便興致勃勃地出了屋子。
她到時，姨娘正哭着說自己不去莊子上，下人要拖她上馬車，還被她推開了。
多久沒正經吃頓飽飯了，居然還有力氣推人，果然人在危機時刻的爆發力是無窮的。
看見李母出現，姨娘立即撲了過去，卻不是想傷害李母，而是跪下來給她磕頭。
“夫人，我錯了，我當初不該侮辱您，不該縱容傲兒欺負大少爺，要殺要剮您都随便，就是不要讓我離開李家，求您了求您了……”
姨娘雖然傻但不蠢，明白她要是被送到莊子上去，以後誰還會記得她，過段時間李母派人把她弄死了，往山上随便一丢，誰也不會知道。
至少留在李家，還能有一線生機。
李母冷漠地看着她，道：“不想去莊子上，也行。”
姨娘停下磕頭的動作，仰頭眼含熱淚期待地看向她。
李母冷冷道：“下藥謀害家主，我們其實是有理由将你送到官府去的，只不過到時候會被判死刑還是打板子，我們說了可不算，而且你覺得如果讓家主知道你還在府裏，他會放過你嗎？”
聽見李母的話，姨娘愣住了，她想起方才李家主那張可怖的臉，後背立馬爬上了冷汗。
她跟了李家主這麽多年，是知道他對付起厭惡的人來是有多狠辣的，府裏那些見不得光的私刑，要是在她身上來上一遍，她絕對活不到第二天。
姨娘打了個哆嗦，臉色慘白如紙。
李母見狀笑了：“現在還想留在府裏嗎？”
姨娘愣愣地搖了搖頭。
李母道：“我兒既對外說過會好好待你，就不會要你性命，你就放心去吧。”
姨娘看着她，不知是信還是沒信，但總共沒有再鬧騰，乖乖被下人扶上了馬車。
等馬車駛離了視線，李母才轉頭回去。
“走吧，去看看老頭子喘勻氣兒了沒有。”
戎音最近忙着給店鋪添新品，李家的熱鬧還是宗政逍告訴他的。
聽見李家主居然因為縱欲過度而中風，戎音覺得嘴裏的冰淇淋都不香了。
他咽了咽口水，看周圍沒人，就湊到宗政逍身邊小聲道：“咱們以後還是少幹點那種事吧，我不想年輕輕輕就去見閻王，唔，要不一個月一次吧，我感覺這樣比較健康。”
宗政逍跟他解釋：“李老頭是因為年紀大了，再加上吃了太多藥，天天都做那檔子事，身體才出問題的，這幾項前提我們一項都不沾，沒什麽好怕的。”
“不怕一萬就怕萬一。”戎音道：“養生要從年輕時就抓起。”
宗政逍沉默了幾秒，然後道：“阿音說的有道理。”
說完，他忽然将戎音手裏的一整盒冰淇淋拿走了。
戎音一臉懵：“旁邊不是還有嗎？你幹嘛搶我的？”
Zong Zhengxiao smiled: "The imperial physician said that we should not eat too many cold things in summer. It is not good for the body. You want to stay healthy, so why not give up ice cream, popsicles and iced drinks and drink cool tea with me."
Rong Yin was shocked, summer ice was his life, how could he give it up!
"I was wrong." Rong Yin quickly admitted her mistake and grabbed Zong Zhengxiao's sleeve and acted coquettishly, "From now on, Your Majesty, I will accompany you whenever you want, as many times as you want, and for as long as you want. Please don't deduct my snacks, okay?"
Zong Zhengxiao shook his head: "A gentleman's word is as good as his bond. I will listen to Ayin, and Ayin will listen to me. It's settled."
Rong Yin: “…”