“Hurry! Summon the physician quickly!”
“Consort Lin has attempted suicide!”
The surroundings erupted into chaotic noise and commotion.
Lin Ruochu felt someone helping her onto the bed. After a brief spell of dizziness, her tactile sensations grew increasingly distinct.
She moved her fingers, genuinely grasping Jinque’s hand.
Jinque trembled, clutching her cold hand in return, tears welling in her eyes:
“Concubine, life is the most precious thing. Nothing matters more than living well. Why would you think this way…”
No matter how troubled Jinque was by Consort Lin’s unreliability, she could still recall her kindness.
House-born servants lived better than those low-status maids sold by human traffickers, but even they were trampled underfoot by the nobility. Consort Lin was the only one who ever told her “we’re all the same.”
However willful Consort Lin might be, seeing her small face stained with blood made Jinque’s heart ache with pity.
The long-lost sensation spread through her fingertips and palms. Lin Ruochu slowly flexed her fingers, her muddled thoughts suddenly becoming exceptionally clear.
She could move!
She could control her body!
She sat up from the bed, repeatedly moving her arms and legs, surprise emerging in her indifferent eyes.
“Jinque,” she called out—no longer the woman’s voice in her mind, but her own genuine voice!
Seeing her looking around like this, Jinque thought she had gone mad from the impact, feeling even more sorrowful:
“Concubine, don’t move. The physician will be here soon. Let him examine you—you’ll be fine.”
As she spoke, she pulled out her handkerchief and pressed it against Lin Ruochu’s forehead, trying to stop the bleeding.
Lin Ruochu took the handkerchief and pressed it against her numb, painful temple, speaking softly:
“I’m fine. Go fetch me some plain outer garments to change into. Have Jinlan and Jinyu come in to clean the blood at the foot of the bed and tidy the bedding and curtains.”
Her voice was gentle, slightly weak, yet carried a sense of calm.
Jinque felt a small doubt, thinking Consort Lin seemed different from before.
She used to speak like a lark, always in a high pitch, like a blazing sun that stirred one’s emotions. But now, the Concubine was like the moon hanging high in the night sky, calming one’s thoughts.
Unable to understand what was happening, she immediately complied and called Jinlan and Jinyu from outside to follow Lin Ruochu’s instructions and set to work.
Lin Ruochu had brought no dowry when she came. All her clothing and belongings were bestowed by Shao Mu.
She particularly loved bright, vibrant colors—her wardrobe was filled with peach pink, light yellow, gold-trimmed, and silver-embroidered satin.
After searching for a long time, Jinque finally found a set of dark blue winter dress and brought it to Lin Ruochu.
At the sight, Lin Ruochu’s eyes reddened—this was the very outfit she wore the day she was expelled from her family, made by her mother who personally selected the fabric.
Seeing her sorrowful expression, Jinque assumed the plain style displeased her and turned to fetch another set.
Lin Ruochu spoke: “This one is perfect. Help me change into it.”
Jinque responded “Yes” and, together with Jinlan, removed the peach-colored sheer gauze dress worn to please the Heir Apparent, replacing it with the dark blue gown.
After changing, they followed Lin Ruochu’s instructions, redoing her loose bun into a simple Lovers’ Knot Bun.
Just as the sandalwood hairpin was inserted, a servant’s announcement came from outside the door:
“Physician Liu has arrived.”
The most senior physician in the mansion was Doctor Zhao, who had previously served in the imperial palace.
In the past, under Shao Mu’s orders, Lin Ruochu’s health had always been attended to by Doctor Zhao.
Yet on this night of such significant events, it was Physician Liu who came, suggesting Doctor Zhao was likely still busy in Shao Mu’s courtyard.
That evening, it was she who had pushed Shao Mu.
The female ghost possessing her had been agitated for months over Sun Yiniang’s pregnancy, enduring three months of scorn until finally unable to bear it. Tonight, she had deliberately worn sheer garments and humbled herself, hoping to reconcile with Shao Mu.
As they spoke by candlelight behind bed curtains, the topic turned to Sun Yiniang. In the heat of argument, they began quarreling again. When Shao Mu pressed down on her, Lin Ruochu struggled and pushed as usual within her cage-like existence, but unexpectedly, she suddenly regained control of her body.
The burst of momentary strength sent Shao Mu tumbling backward, his head striking the bedpost and immediately drawing blood.
Shao Mu’s face instantly turned frosty. He straightened his clothes and left with his attendants.
The female ghost had retreated to what she called her “Dimension,” allowing Lin Ruochu to fortunately regain control of her body.
As for the severity of Shao Mu’s injury, in the chaos, she hadn’t seen clearly.
But whether the injury was minor or serious, drawing blood from the master’s face was a grave taboo—something Zhang Jingwan would never let slide.
Lin Ruochu lowered her gaze in contemplation. When the physician finished cleaning her wound and prepared to apply medicine, she raised her hand to stop him.
“Concubine, the wound on your temple is deep. Without timely medication, it may leave a scar.”
Physician Liu, having long treated women in the inner quarters, well understood that nothing mattered more to them than their facial beauty.
Since Consort Lin entered the mansion, she had enjoyed the Heir Apparent’s abundant favor, largely owing to her lotus-emerging-from-water beauty, peerless in its delicate elegance.
She must be one of those inner quarter women who valued appearance more than life itself.
Thinking this, he voiced his advice.
“It’s fine. Please just bandage the wound for now, Physician. We can discuss medication later.”
Lin Ruochu insisted, so Physician Liu didn’t press further. He simply followed her instructions, wrapping cloth around her forehead twice.
After completing the treatment, he picked up his medical kit and left. Before departing, he reminded Jinque to persuade her mistress not to delay treatment out of anger and to apply medicine soon.
Jinque took his advice to heart. Lifting the curtain to enter the room, she intended to persuade her further.
For someone of the concubine’s status, her face was her only reliance.
But upon entering, she saw Jinlan and Jinyu already helping Lin Ruochu into her outer garments and cloak. With the blood-stained bandage still on her forehead, she appeared ready to go out.
“The night is deep with heavy dew, and it’s freezing outside. Where is the Concubine going?”
Jinque first guessed she regretted pushing the Heir Apparent and wanted to coax him back.
But the Heir Apparent had either gone to Sun Yiniang’s place or returned to his study.
The main wife had forbidden Lin Ruochu from approaching Sun Yiniang’s quarters, and the front courtyard where the study was located remained off-limits to a mere concubine. Where could she possibly find the Heir Apparent?
As Jinque thought to dissuade her, Lin Ruochu spoke first:
“To the Marchioness’ He Xi Courtyard.”
Jinque’s heart skipped a beat, thinking: Has the Concubine gone mad? Does she not want to live??
But when she looked up, she saw Lin Ruochu striding forward, her clear, graceful eyes gazing directly into the night outside, filled with unprecedented determination.
No longer like before, with drifting gaze and anxious spirit.
Somehow, Jinque’s perpetually anxious heart suddenly settled.
She thought: The Concubine must have her own plans.
Jinlan and Jinyu remained in the courtyard, while she followed Lin Ruochu all the way to the He Xi Courtyard where the Marchioness resided.
He Xi Courtyard was located in the eastern corner of the rear estate. Marchioness Zheng Shi had always disliked Lin Ruochu, ever since her entanglement with Shao Mu was exposed. She had stubbornly refused to acknowledge this shameless seductress.
Lin Ruochu’s ambiguous entry into the manor, being kept in the inner quarters as a lowly concubine, was closely tied to Zheng Shi’s opposition. Otherwise, given Shao Mu’s affection for her, she should at least have been granted the status of a respectable concubine.
After her arrival, Zheng Shi paid her no attention whatsoever. For two years, she had never once summoned Lin Ruochu for an audience, acting as though both she and the entire Linlang Pavilion did not exist.
However, Lin Ruochu had come this time to beg for her life.
He Xi Courtyard was silent as Lin Ruochu walked through it, knowing that the matter concerning Shao Mu had not yet reached Zheng Shi’s ears.
The servant guarding the entrance scowled at her, blocking the doorway, and said coldly, “The Marchioness has already retired for the night and is not receiving visitors. Please return, Concubine Lin.”
This was a polite dismissal. During the day, he would have said, “The Marchioness is taking a nap,” to send her away.
Of course, Lin Ruochu had no intention of entering.
Escape? Return to the General’s Manor? At this moment, the most crucial thing was to prevent her body from being taken over again!
To that end, she must not let herself be entangled in the trivial affairs of Yong’an Marquis Manor before the female ghost returned.
She took two steps back, faced the main gate of He Xi Courtyard, and knelt straight down.