After drinking the warm soup, Su Tanghuan felt much more comfortable. Her mind remained active as she carefully pieced together the details to prepare for the vigilant Grand Tutor Ji.
She felt she needed to stay away from Grand Tutor Ji. Those deep, penetrating eyes seemed to watch her as if she were stripped bare, making it easy to give herself away.
A young maid entered and curtsied to Su Tanghuan. “Eldest Young Mistress, the Second Young Master has sent the House Physician to take your pulse. Please come with me to the West Hall.”
Su Tanghuan was taken aback.
Speak of the devil.
What a Grand Tutor—truly difficult to deceive.
…
Upon arriving at the West Hall, Lady Ji and Ji Yan were seated on either side. The moment Su Tanghuan appeared, their expressions shifted simultaneously.
Earlier, with her wet hair plastered messily to her face, crying uncontrollably, and her eyes swollen like walnuts, they hadn’t paid much attention to her appearance.
Now, upon closer inspection, her natural beauty was striking enough to captivate anyone’s gaze at first glance.
Her slender waist swayed gracefully with each delicate step, embodying the gentle elegance unique to women of the Jiangnan region.
With an innocent and obedient face, she carried no hint of frivolity but instead exuded an air of vulnerability that evoked pity.
Lady Ji understood.
With such looks, no wonder she could soften the heart of her eldest son, who was as unyielding as bronze and steel.
Ji Yan’s eyes were icy.
This woman’s appearance was unexpectedly like this.
She looked exactly like a restless, scheming swindler!
Su Tanghuan felt as if Grand Tutor Ji’s gaze was burning two holes through the top of her head, almost setting it ablaze.
She took a quiet breath, trying to steady herself.
Putting on an expression of suppressed grievance, she bowed to Lady Ji.
Lady Ji quickly said, “Yuzhi, help her up. Be careful not to strain her waist and harm the child. Good child, come sit by me.”
This was exactly what Su Tanghuan wanted.
She obediently walked over but dared not sit down, her body swaying slightly. With a pitiful, timid gaze, she looked at Ji Yan.
“I know the Second Young Master doesn’t believe me. Having someone take my pulse to confirm it is fine. It will also put my mind at ease.”
Her tone, filled with suppressed grievance, forced strength, and cautiousness, brought a tear with every word she spoke. Lady Ji’s heart ached at the sight.
She quickly took Su Tanghuan’s hand and comforted her, “Who dares not believe you? This old woman will drive them out immediately. The House Physician is one of our own. Taking your pulse is just to ensure you weren’t harmed during your journey. Don’t overthink it.”
“Alright, I’ll listen to Mother.”
Su Tanghuan forced a smile, letting a tear slip at just the right moment.
The young woman’s mix of grievance and obedience made Lady Ji feel both heartbroken and pleased.
She hurriedly called for the House Physician. “House Physician, take her pulse quickly so that…”
Suddenly remembering she didn’t know Su Tanghuan’s name, she turned and asked gently, “Good child, what is your name?”
Su Tanghuan choked back a sob. “In reply, Mother, my surname is Su, and my given name is Tanghuan.”
Every lie required countless more lies to cover it up. Grand Tutor Ji wouldn’t find it difficult to investigate her identity, especially since she wanted her Household Registration back.
She decided to use her real name.
“Good Huan’er, don’t worry.”
Lady Ji turned to Yuzhi and instructed, “Go and tidy up the Eldest Young Master’s Hemingxuan. Change the bedding and add a few more soft mattresses. Light a stove and use the imperial Sinking Water Incense to perfume the room. Once the pulse is taken, send the eldest young mistress to rest immediately.”
Yuzhi acknowledged and went to make the arrangements.
Su Tanghuan’s heart ached with sadness.
She missed her mother.
As she used to do when acting coy with her mother, Su Tanghuan gently leaned her head against Lady Ji’s arm.
“Thank you, Mother. You treat your daughter-in-law so well. I will fulfill my filial duties by your side on behalf of Eldest Young Master, so that he may rest in peace in the afterlife.”
Lady Ji thought of her poor eldest son, and her heart felt as though it were being torn apart by the sound of weeping. Unable to hold back, she pulled Su Tanghuan into her embrace.
“Oh, my dear, be careful not to cry yourself sick.”
Su Tanghuan nestled into Lady Ji’s arms, and thinking of the tragic future she had seen in her dream, she could not help but burst into loud sobs.
Her weeping was utterly heart-wrenching, leaving her choked and unable to speak.
No one noticed that as her arms encircled Lady Ji’s waist, her fingers, hidden beneath her sleeves, quietly pressed against the Governor Vessel on Lady Ji’s back.
She channeled the flow of qi and blood, bolstering Lady Ji’s vitality and spirit.
She absolutely must not let Lady Ji’s heart be strained because of her.
At that moment, Lady Ji felt a surge of energy supporting her from behind, making her much more comfortable and less distressed than when she had first learned of her eldest son’s passing.
The servants also began wiping away tears.
Ji Yan lifted his eyelids, his brows furrowed and his gaze cold.
This female fraud could rival the famous performers on the southern opera stage!
It was infuriating to watch.
He feared his mother could not withstand such emotional turmoil, yet he could not expose the truth immediately.
A nameless fire raged wildly in his chest.
Unable to restrain himself, he snapped coldly, “Be quiet. Don’t make Mother cry. Her health is not good.”
Su Tanghuan trembled in fright, her sobs cutting off abruptly as she looked fearfully at the man with the darkened, handsome face.
Trembling, she stammered, “Y-yes, it was my fault.”
Lady Ji was so angry she hiccupped through her tears, glaring at her second son. “Why are you so fierce? If you frighten your sister-in-law and my grandchild, can you bear the responsibility?”
Ji Yan felt a surge of rage rising to his head, the first time he had ever struggled to control his emotions.
He was so angry he wanted to storm out.
Clenching his fists, he forced down his fury.
With great effort, he softened his tone and strained to produce a gentle smile.
“Mother, please don’t be angry. Your son was only afraid that her crying might harm… the child.”
His sharp eyes fixed directly on the young woman’s abdomen, ‘frightening’ Su Tanghuan into hiding further in Lady Ji’s embrace, one hand nervously clutching Lady Ji’s wrist.
Her fingers discreetly pressed against the inner gate acupoint, preventing Lady Ji from experiencing chest pain.
“Mother, your daughter-in-law has angered Second Young Master.”
That single word, “Mother,” melted Lady Ji’s maternal heart into a pool of tenderness.
Holding the young woman in her arms, she comforted her softly, “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. Second Young Master may seem cold, but his heart is warm. He held the utmost respect for his elder brother. This is him loving the crow for the sake of its nest—he is worried about you.”
Su Tanghuan’s voice was thick with tears as she obediently replied, “Mm.”
“Tanghuan lost both parents. Now, with Mother’s protection, it feels as though I have seen my own mother again.”
These words left Lady Ji at a loss for how to cherish her even more.
The House Physician was at a loss.
Earlier, Second Young Master had specifically instructed that this woman was a fraud and her pregnancy was certainly fake.
He had ordered him to report truthfully and expose the female fraud’s falsehoods.
But this situation…
The two of them were embracing and crying together, a sight that made even onlookers feel heartache.
What if she truly was the eldest young mistress?
Yet with Second Young Master watching, he could only coax her into having her pulse read to determine the truth.
If it were fake, she would surely be afraid of having her pulse taken.
“Eldest Young Mistress, please allow me to take your pulse first. You were caught in the rain, and I fear it may have harmed you and the fetus.”
Su Tanghuan nervously wrapped one arm around Lady Ji’s waist, applying a bit more pressure with the fingers pressing the Governor Vessel.
Trembling, she extended her other hand and obediently placed it on the Pulse Pillow.
The House Physician breathed a sigh of relief, laid a silk cloth over her wrist, and placed his fingers on her pulse.
He focused intently for quite some time, seemingly uncertain, then shifted his position slightly to carefully perceive the pulse.
He had intended to suggest switching to the other hand, but the young lady’s beautiful eyes were brimming with tears as she looked at him, pitiful and aggrieved like a helpless kitten.
The House Physician hesitated, words caught in his throat.
Lady Ji’s lapel was already dampened by the girl’s tears. Anxiously, she urged, “Well? Speak freely. She was caught in the rain and is trembling all over—she cannot bear any more fright.”
This…
She truly cannot be frightened.
So, should he continue with the pulse diagnosis or not?