Between Eqiao County and Shuiyang County lay Huangchi County. It wasn’t exactly close, but it wasn’t too far either.
Making a round trip in a single night was perfectly feasible.
Seeing the pleading look in her eyes, the clerk realized she truly looked like someone at the end of her rope. His heart softened, and he said quietly, “You can trust me. I will definitely do my best.”
Fang Li braced herself and handed him the box she was holding. “I must trouble you to go to Shuiyang County… Qinghe Village. There is a household surnamed Zhang in the village. Give the box to a man named Zhang Fuyong, and naturally, everything will be made clear.”
The clerk listened earnestly. Afraid he might forget, he repeated the instructions back to Fang Li to confirm after he finished listening. Upon receiving a positive answer, he locked the door, pulled his clothes tight around himself, and ran out.
Watching his silhouette disappear under the moonlit night, a boundless surge of worry rose in Fang Li’s heart.
She could not rest just yet.
Having completed the task Xu Zhihe had entrusted to her, Fang Li ran non-stop to the medical clinic and invited a doctor to the house.
Madame Lü had already been informed of Xu Zhihe’s sudden chill.
Magistrate Xu had been busy all day, drank heavily, and had already gone to bed early.
Madame Lü sat by Xu Zhihe’s bed. Seeing Fang Li return, she complained in an unkind tone, “Why did you take so long?”
She had originally wanted to reprimand her, but seeing Fang Li panting heavily with a face full of tear stains, she swallowed the complaint back down.
“The night is deep, we have troubled the doctor to make this trip,” she said to the doctor.
The doctor bowed slightly to Madame Lü, walked over to Xu Zhihe’s side, and, with the help of a mama, drew out her slender wrist. After placing a cloth underneath it, he began to check her pulse.
“A sudden exposure to cold, and stagnant energy in the heart.” After finishing his diagnosis, the doctor truthfully reported the cause of the illness to Madame Lü. Afterward, he was led away to write a prescription and boil the medicine.
The words “stagnant energy in the heart” lingered in Madame Lü’s mind. With a slight headache, she rubbed her temples and ordered the mamas and maids to take good care of Xu Zhihe.
Two mamas stood guard by Xu Zhihe’s bed like door gods. Fang Li was not allowed to approach and could only watch from a distance as Xu Zhihe dripped with cold sweat.
It was only after the medicine had been boiled, brought in, and fed to Xu Zhihe, easing the flush on her face and her rapid breathing, that Fang Li finally let out a true sigh of relief.
Her thoughts drifted outside. A whole night had passed; she wondered if the bookstore clerk had managed to find Uncle Zhang smoothly.
Before dawn the next day, Xu Zhihe woke up.
For the convenience of taking care of her, Fang Li had slept by her bedside. Her brows were furrowed tightly together as if something was heavily weighing on her mind.
As soon as Xu Zhihe moved, Fang Li, who had been sleeping restlessly, woke up as well.
Fang Li looked at Xu Zhihe with concern. “Miss, how do you feel now? Are you alright?”
Xu Zhihe shook her head at her, indicating that she was fine for now.
However, after suffering from a chill, her body was still somewhat weak.
Having little strength, she could only stare longingly out the window.
People were coming and going in the courtyard, and Fang Li knew exactly what she was anxious about. She stood up, stood on her tiptoes, and peered outside.
The two mamas guarding the door immediately turned their heads fiercely, glaring at Fang Li.
“If you aren’t watching the Miss, what are you looking around blindly for?!”
Fang Li’s heart jolted with terror. She staggered backward several steps before she managed to steady herself.
“The Miss is awake and wants to drink some water. The brazier in the room is empty, so I must trouble the mamas to think of a solution,” Fang Li lowered her eyes and said softly.
The mama guarding the door spat on the ground, complaining under her breath, “Day in and day out, there are too many damn chores!”
The mama had steady legs and feet and quickly brought the water over. Fang Li took the water, walked over to the brazier, pursed her lips, and began to light the fire to boil the water without saying a word.
The water gradually came to a boil, making a bubbling sound. Just as Xu Zhihe was staring at the steam rising from the spout, she suddenly heard a commotion outside.
The conversation outside was somewhat muffled, drifting in and out. Xu Zhihe focused her attention for a moment, and finally, the heavy stone weighing on her heart was lifted—Uncle Zhang had arrived!
Although the Zhang family came from a farming background, the eldest and second brothers were hardworking and willing to endure hardship, and the third daughter had married the County Vice-Magistrate at the time. Their days grew better and better.
After becoming more prosperous, the Zhang parents deeply understood the importance of reading and understanding reasoning. They immediately sent their youngest son, the fourth child, to an academy to study. The fourth son did not disappoint the family’s expectations; he studied diligently and became the only person in Shuiyang County recommended to study at the White Deer Grotto Academy.
Having his mind opened by the guidance of his teachers, her younger uncle naturally possessed a much higher vision and breadth of knowledge. Knowing she had encountered such a situation, he absolutely would not sit idly by.
The water was boiling. Wrapping a cloth around the handle, Fang Li moved the kettle to an empty spot on the floor. She then filled a tangpozi and stuffed it into Xu Zhihe’s arms.
Outside, a servant of the Xu residence had a face full of piled-on smiles. “Young Master Zhang, what wind blew you here?”
While exchanging pleasantries with Zhang Fuyong, he waved his hand behind his back, signaling someone to quickly go and inform Da-niangzi, Madame Lü.
Last night, upon reading the letter Xu Zhihe had sent, Zhang Fuyong was furious. His older sister had married into the Xu family for less than three years before she passed away, leaving behind the infant Xu Zhihe. Da-niangzi of the Xu family had just given birth to the Fourth Miss; she certainly would not take good care of the concubine-born daughter his third sister had left behind.
He, his father, and his brothers pitied Xu Zhihe for losing her mother at such a young age and wanted to bring her back to the Zhang family to raise her.
Although they lived in a village, as long as he had a bite to eat, he absolutely would not let Xu Zhihe go hungry.
However, Magistrate Xu, who couldn’t take good care of her himself but was afraid of people gossiping, stubbornly stopped him. “The Third Girl is a daughter of my Xu family. I am still alive, and her legitimate mother above her is still here. Where is the logic in sending a child out for others to raise?”
At that time, Zhang Fuyong was only twelve years old, and his words carried little weight. His two older brothers shared his exact sentiments, only to be refuted by Madame Lü with a faint smile: “Following behind us, when the Third Girl goes out in the future, she will still be the daughter of a Vice-Magistrate, a young lady of an official family. Later, she can find a good husband and simply sit at home enjoying a life of leisure and comfort. If she follows you, she will spend her whole life with her face to the yellow earth and her back to the sky. And in the future, she’ll just be hastily married off to some brute in the village. What kind of future could she possibly speak of?”
The two Zhang brothers were indignant in their hearts, but they had to admit that Madame Lü was right.
Remaining in the Xu family indeed promised a better future for Xu Zhihe than living in the village.
The young Zhang Fuyong was led away by his eldest and second brothers, truly believing that this was for his niece’s own good.
Now, he wished nothing more than to point right at Madame Lü’s nose and ask: Is this the so-called ‘good marriage’ you spoke of? This is ‘enjoying a life of leisure’?
In the main hall, Madame Lü’s heart skipped a beat when she heard that the fourth son of the Zhang family had arrived.
She had only just discussed the Third Girl’s marriage arrangement with Magistrate Xu last night. How could the fourth son of the Zhang family have gotten the news?
Sun Mama beside her offered reassurance: “Da-niangzi does not need to be anxious. Perhaps Young Master Zhang has come over for a matter entirely unrelated to the Third Miss.”
Right, right! It was only mentioned last night. The fourth son of the Zhang family was not some omniscient immortal; how could he possibly know Magistrate Xu’s plan?
Madame Lü hurriedly took two sips of tea to calm her nerves, threw on a padded jacket, walked outside, and put on a smile. “Why has Young Master Zhang suddenly come over? Is there some urgent matter?”
Zhang Fuyong was dressed in an ash-blue long robe, his hair crown neat. At first glance, he did not look like an ordinarily frail and thin scholar; instead, he had a sturdy, strong build, clearly a capable hand at farm work in the fields.
While studying at the White Deer Grotto Academy, he caught the eye of Master Tang and was engaged to Master Tang’s daughter, Miss Tang. Then, he successfully passed the provincial imperial examinations to become a Juren. Although Madame Lü looked down on the Zhang family from the bottom of her heart, feeling they were all from a rustic background, now that he was at her door, she absolutely did not want to form a grudge with him.
Zhang Fuyong was not deceived by the gentle, peaceful smile on Madame Lü’s face. He had been so furious when he set out today, but Lady Tang had stopped him.
Lady Tang had said, “Zhihe asked someone to deliver a letter, carrying Third Sister’s token. She must be restricted at home. When you go, you absolutely must not speak directly of the marriage arrangement.”
If he mentioned it, it would mean that the rumor of Xu Zhihe being made someone’s concubine had already leaked out. Magistrate Xu and Madame Lü would inevitably suspect Xu Zhihe of leaking the news.
In that case, having provoked the anger and disgust of Madame Lü and Magistrate Xu, what good days could she possibly have to speak of in the future?
Lady Tang paused for a moment and said gently, “Husband, take these three sets of silk clothes first. Wait for me a moment, and I will go with Husband.”
While Zhang Fuyong certainly had the heart to help his niece, the winding twists and turns of the inner courtyard were ultimately not something he was as skilled at handling as Lady Tang, who had been exposed to them since childhood.
Lady Tang was born into a scholarly family, and her way of speaking and handling matters was thoughtful and meticulous. Zhang Fuyong naturally listened earnestly to her advice.
He had originally been burning with anger, ready to disregard everything and demand a clear explanation. Hearing Lady Tang’s words, he calmed down and said earnestly to Lady Tang, “Many thanks to my Lady for the guidance.”
Zhang Fuyong reached out and picked up the stack of clothes Lady Tang casually gestured toward. These clothes had been custom-made by Lady Tang a few days ago and were brand new.
…
Zhang Fuyong looked at Madame Lü, forcing a smile onto his face. “I hope the Da-niangzi of the Xu family is well. My wife and sister-in-law have been weaving at home recently, and they made a few new outfits to bring to Zhihe. I wonder if Zhihe is currently at home?”
It wasn’t about the marriage arrangement.
Madame Lü secretly breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. Immediately, a hint of worry surfaced on her face. “Young Master Zhang has come at a bad time. There was frost last night, and Zhihe accidentally caught a chill. I have been worrying about it in my heart as well.”
As she spoke, she looked up at Zhang Fuyong and smiled. “Now that Young Master Zhang has come over, it actually allows me, as her legitimate mother, to breathe a sigh of relief. Shall I accompany Young Master inside to take a look?”
Grown sons should avoid their mothers, and grown daughters should avoid their fathers. Furthermore, Zhang Fuyong was only an uncle; naturally, he could not enter an unmarried young woman’s bedroom alone.
If word got out, what would it look like?
It was necessary for her to accompany him to make it proper and justified.
As long as she was watching from the side, the Third Girl would certainly not dare say anything she shouldn’t.
Zhang Fuyong held back a breath of anger in his heart, but for the sake of his niece’s reputation, he forcefully endured it. “I must trouble Da-niangzi.”
The two of them walked into the west wing one after the other.
Inside the west wing, upon hearing the noise, Xu Zhihe pulled up the quilt and covered herself with it.
On her forehead were drops of water she had intentionally dabbed on, scattered about, making it truly look as if she were having a nightmare and breaking out in a cold sweat.
As Madame Lü entered the room, she raised her voice and said, “Zhihe, good girl, look who has come to see you…”
Before she finished speaking, she saw Xu Zhihe with her eyes half-closed, lying weakly on the bed with feeble breath.
Fang Li bowed deeply to Madame Lü from afar and said respectfully, “Da-niangzi, the Miss has just fallen asleep.”
As if to echo Fang Li’s words, Xu Zhihe whimpered twice on the bed, seemingly sleeping extremely fitfully.
Madame Lü was suspicious in her heart, but with Zhang Fuyong standing right there, she couldn’t exactly go up and reach out to investigate the truth herself.
She let out a low sigh of pity. “It seems Young Master has come at a bad time. If Young Master has urgent matters, please go ahead and attend to them. I will keep the clothes safe on your behalf, and when Zhihe wakes up, I will give them to her.”
Before Zhang Fuyong had time to respond, he saw Xu Zhihe lying on the bed trembling. As if sleep-talking, she cried and murmured, “I… I won’t marry…”
Madame Lü’s face instantly turned cold.
Exchanging a glance with Sun Mama beside her, she tightly clenched her hands hidden within her sleeves: How could this be a nightmare! She is clearly using a fake nightmare to intentionally complain to an elder!
Only unfortunately, she knew it in her heart, and Sun Mama knew it too, but right in front of Zhang Fuyong, they couldn’t do a thing to Xu Zhihe.
How come she never knew before that the Third Girl had such deep, scheming thoughts?
T/n: The New chapter is up! Enjoy the ride and do join us on this adventure 😍🎉🎊. If you want to support me, do check my other novels on my Translator’s Page🫶. You can support the original author here. Please vote on NU here. If you’re interested, you can also buy me a Ko-Fi. Happy Reading 🤓 💅.