If someone continued drinking the spiritual spring water after using it to conceive, it would gradually restore the pregnant woman’s body to its best possible condition and prevent all kinds of unpleasant pregnancy symptoms.
With long-term use, her physical condition would improve dramatically, and she would even become resistant to illness.
Madam Jia was not pregnant.
But Weisheng He had tested it before.
After her mother drank tea mixed with spiritual spring water for half a month, her physical condition had improved noticeably.
Weisheng He had six siblings and was not an only child.
After giving birth to so many children, there was no way her mother’s health could have remained particularly good.
Yet after drinking the spiritual spring water for half a month, her body had recovered to nearly the same condition as that of a woman who had given birth only once or twice.
Even the lingering effects of childbirth had disappeared completely.
If her mother had not begun to suspect something and complained that she felt uncomfortable staying at the Li residence, insisting on returning home, Weisheng He would have continued helping her recover.
Madam Jia had given birth before.
The spiritual spring water would definitely work on her.
But there was a problem.
When I helped Mother recover, I specifically brought her here alone.
Father and Mother weren’t staying together, so they couldn’t sleep together and there was no risk of her getting pregnant.
But I obviously can’t bring Madam Jia away from the Lin residence.
Madam Jia lives with Censor Lin. If I send her food mixed with spiritual spring water now and she sleeps with Censor Lin afterward…
I can’t possibly send her something every single day.
And even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t be able to.
What if she becomes pregnant? With how sick she is now, can her body really withstand the strain of carrying a child?
Weisheng He urgently needed to know what the relationship between the Lin couple was like behind closed doors.
She was observing mourning and could not visit personally.
So she summoned Shanhu.
“Go to the storeroom and take out that hundred-year-old ginseng. Wrap it properly and send it to the Lin residence.”
“Tell them that Madam helped me that day, and I have remembered her kindness ever since. I have never dared forget it for even a single day.”
“Now that I’ve heard Madam is gravely ill, I’m sending this medicinal herb. If it can help her condition even slightly, then at least I will have done something to repay her kindness.”
“Remember, you must see Madam Jia in person.”
“Once you do, pay close attention to everything around her. If possible, find out whether Madam Jia and Censor Lin have still been sharing a bed recently.”
Shanhu found that strange.
“Young Madam, why are you asking about something so private?”
Weisheng He waved a hand.
“I have my reasons. Just deliver the gift and tell me what you learn when you return.”
Shanhu did not dare ask any further questions and immediately went to the storeroom.
But less than four hours later, Shanhu came rushing back from outside, her face pale.
“Young Madam, something’s wrong.”
Weisheng He’s heart sank sharply.
“What happened?”
“Madam Jia is gravely ill. She may not have much time left.” Shanhu was still catching her breath. “I took the ginseng to the Lin residence to inquire after her health and clearly explained what you told me. I said I hoped to thank Madam Jia in person.”
“I said everything I could, but the gatekeeper still refused to announce me.”
“It wasn’t until I asked whether he looked down on Young Madam because you came from a merchant household that he finally explained the reason.”
“He said… Madam Lin is already so ill that she can’t even get out of bed.”
“The physician said…”
“She may only have another month or two.”
“If guests come to visit, Madam Jia has to get out of bed to receive them. Even setting aside the effort of entertaining guests, she still has to change clothes and have her hair done.”
“She went through all of that before, and afterward her condition became even worse.”
“So Censor Lin specifically ordered that Madam Jia be allowed to rest and recover in peace and that she no longer receive guests.”
“If someone truly cannot be turned away, the eldest young miss of the residence will receive them instead.”
“And if even that won’t do, Censor Lin himself is willing to set aside his official duties and receive the guest.”
When things had been put so plainly, who would still dare visit?
That would no longer be visiting the sick.
It would be making an enemy.
“The gatekeeper said that if you hadn’t sincerely come to inquire after Madam Jia’s health and if the gift you sent had been some flashy, useless thing, he would have driven me away immediately.”
“He said he wouldn’t have wasted time explaining any of this to me. If Censor Lin saw him standing around chatting, he might even get angry and throw me out.”
Weisheng He’s heart began pounding wildly.
Everything the Lin family was doing confirmed the same thing.
Madam Jia truly did not have much time left.
At that point, Weisheng He could no longer afford to worry about anything else.
“Shanhu, go invite my mother over.”
“Meigui, bring Young Master An and the eldest young miss here.”
The maids acknowledged her orders and immediately went to fetch them.
The two children thought Weisheng He wanted to play with them.
The moment they saw her, they happily rushed over and hugged her legs, both trying to climb into her arms before the other could claim their mother first.
Weisheng He stopped them from fighting over her and held each child for a while.
Only then did she speak.
“Be good and let your wet nurses dress you carefully. Put on the clothes you wear when going out to meet guests.”
“In a little while, you’ll go with Grandmother to the Lin residence and visit the sick Madam Jia. All right?”
The two children exchanged a glance and nodded together.
Their wet nurses quickly carried them off to the warm chamber.
The children were still young and continued living with Weisheng He.
The two younger ones stayed in the green-gauze alcove, while the older two stayed in the warm chamber just outside it. Only the central room and the small reception area separated them from Weisheng He.
They had just finished changing clothes when Weisheng He’s mother arrived.
Weisheng He repeated everything she had just learned.
Her mother frowned.
“From what you’re saying, Madam Jia is already so sick she can’t even get out of bed, and the Lin family has stopped receiving visitors.”
“Even if I take your two children there, they still won’t let us inside.”
“They will.”
Weisheng He took out a small wooden box about half the size of her palm.
“This is a pill I happened to obtain from a wandering Daoist priest.”
“He said it can strengthen a pregnant woman’s body and help prevent difficult childbirth.”
In truth, it was simply a pastry infused with spiritual spring water.
“Madam Jia is pregnant?” Weisheng He’s mother stared at her daughter in shock.
Weisheng He shook her head.
“Of course not.”
“Then…”
“This medicine also works on women who have given birth before.” Weisheng He looked at her mother. “The effect just isn’t as obvious.”
“Mother, you’ve taken it before too.”
Her mother stared blankly.
“When did I ever take it?”
But she quickly realized.
“You mean that time you specifically invited me to stay with you for half a month?”
Weisheng He nodded.
Her mother’s eyes immediately filled with delight.
“I knew it!”
“My health improved a lot after that visit. But whenever I mentioned it to your father, he refused to believe me.”
“Even when I showed him proof, he only said I must have eaten so much good food during those two weeks at the Li residence that I finally managed to nourish my body back to health.”
At that, she looked rather pleased with herself.
“Your father even complained that you weren’t close to him. He said whenever something good came along, you only thought of your mother and completely forgot about him.”
Weisheng He laughed.
“It was mainly because the medicine wouldn’t have suited him.”
“Besides, this is already the last one.”
“We have several sisters and sisters-in-law in the family. I couldn’t very well give it to one person and not another, so I decided it was better not to tell even you.”
“When you go home, it would be best not to tell anyone else either.”
“Don’t worry. I’m smart enough not to create trouble for myself!” Her mother leaned closer and asked quietly, “Can I tell your father? I can’t let him keep misunderstanding you forever.”
Weisheng He had no choice but to nod.
“You can tell Father, but make sure he doesn’t tell anyone else.”
Her mother immediately became serious.
“Don’t worry. We absolutely won’t cause trouble for you.”
Weisheng He returned to the main subject.
“This medicine probably won’t directly treat Madam Jia’s illness either.”
“But it should at least strengthen her body somewhat.”
“Even if it can’t cure her, helping ease some of her suffering would still be worthwhile.”