Shen Yaozong squinted, pounding the table in approval. “Brilliant! Shuangshuang, your mind works fast. This way, Mom doesn’t have to take risks, and the matter reaches Grandpa. Even if Lady Zhou is ruthless, she’ll have to show face before the Marquis.”
“What about my wound…”
He touched his backside. After just the second bowl of spiritual spring water, the fiery pain had dulled to a mild itch.
Looking down, he noticed the split wound slowly closing. “This spring water is unbelievable! In just a quarter of an hour, it’s almost healed.”
Shen Shuangshuang leaned in to check. Indeed, the scabbed area glowed a healthy pink. She quickly pressed her hand against Shen Yaozong’s.
“Dad, don’t let anyone know! The wound healing this fast will give us away. When you go out, just say you can’t get out of bed—you need to lie down and recover. I’ll find some gauze to re-bandage it, and we’ll say it’s festering. The worse it looks, the better.”
Xiang Meimei caught on. “Yes, we need the full performance. When I leave the space, I’ll first return to the courtyard. Pearl can deliberately tell the First Branch’s maids that I’m worried sick about our daughter, pacing anxiously. Then I’ll ‘sneak’ to the ancestral hall. That way, it’ll look natural.”
With roles clear, Shen Shuangshuang dug out some fever medicine from the kit, crushed two tablets, and mixed them in warm water.
The medicine temporarily raises body temperature without harming the body.
She drank it, and within minutes, felt warmth spreading through her body. Her cheeks glowed bright red.
“Mom, feel my temperature. Is it enough?” she asked, holding her flushed face close.
Xiang Meimei touched her and immediately recoiled. “Enough! You’re like a furnace! Any higher and you’d be delirious.”
Shen Yaozong’s part was also prepared. Shen Shuangshuang deliberately bandaged his wound thickly, smearing a reddish-brown ointment on the gauze to simulate oozing blood. From a distance, it looked gruesome.
“Dad, just moan in your room. Don’t get out of bed for anyone. If necessary, say you fainted.”
“Don’t worry, I know how to act sick,” Shen Yaozong winked. “When Grandma was ill, I stayed at her bedside and learned to cough exactly like her—down to every detail.”
Xiang Meimei exited the space first. Returning to the Third Branch’s dilapidated courtyard, she immediately saw Pearl pacing anxiously at the gate.
“Madam, you’re back! Just now, Cui’er from the First Branch came by and said… said that the Young Mistress is unwell again and told you not to plead for Fifth Miss anymore.”
“My daughter is still kneeling in the ancestral hall. How can I care about anyone else?”
Xiang Meimei instantly fell into character, her voice cracking as she grabbed a handkerchief to cover her face.
“I must go check on Shuangshuang! My heart is about to jump out of my chest!”
Pearl grabbed her. “Madam, you’re pregnant! Lady Zhou said if you go to the ancestral hall again, you’ll be punished too!”
“Punish me if you dare! If something happens to my daughter, I’ll fight them!”
Xiang Meimei threw off Pearl’s hand, stumbling forward. She intentionally made her footsteps loud. Passing the First Branch’s courtyard, she sighed dramatically. “My poor daughter… if she burns up and something happens, how could I survive…”
Cui’er, coming out to fetch water, overheard and immediately ran to the main house to embellish the story to Shen Jiaojiao.
Xiang Meimei snuck to the ancestral hall. Pushing open the door, she saw Shen Shuangshuang lying on the floor, flushed, lips chapped, and weakly murmuring, “Waa… ter…”
“Shuangshuang! My Shuangshuang!”
Xiang Meimei rushed over and held her. Feeling her forehead, she immediately burst into tears.
“How could you have such a high fever? That venomous woman, Lady Zhou, locked you in here and neglected you!”
Shen Shuangshuang squinted, weakly whispering, “Mom… cold…”
“No, no, you’re not cold. Mom will get you out.”
Xiang Meimei tried to lift her, only to find her daughter completely limp, unable to stand.
She stomped anxiously, running outside. “Pearl! Pearl, fetch the doctor! If we delay a second, Fifth Miss will die!”
Pearl was already waiting outside and dashed off upon hearing her.
At that moment, Cui’er brought Shen Jiaojiao to the scene. Seeing the ancestral hall, Shen Jiaojiao frowned. “Fifth Sister, what happened? She was fine just a few days ago.”
“Fine?” Xiang Meimei sneered, pointing at her. “All because of you! You fell in the water yourself but blamed my daughter. You had her locked in that cold, damp ancestral hall for three days without food. Now she’s nearly dead! Happy?”
“How dare you!” Shen Jiaojiao turned pale with anger. “She pushed me in, so Grandma punished her. What does it have to do with me?”
At that moment, Lady Zhou and Aunt Liu arrived.
Entering, Lady Zhou barked, “What’s all this noise? The ancestral hall is sacred—how disgraceful!”
“Madam, look at what you’ve done!” Xiang Meimei held Shen Shuangshuang, letting her lean against her. “She’s delirious from fever! If you don’t treat her now, she could die! Even if you don’t care for her, think of the Marquisate’s reputation! If it spreads that a granddaughter was left to die in the ancestral hall, what would people think of the Marquis?”
Lady Zhou’s face changed. The one she feared most was the Marquis.
She approached and touched Shen Shuangshuang’s forehead—scorching hot—panic rising in her chest. Yet her voice remained stiff: “It’s just a minor cold. Nothing serious. A physician from the mansion will suffice; no need to call one from outside.”
“Mansion physician?” Xiang Meimei held Shen Shuangshuang, stepping back. “Last time I had severe morning sickness, the mansion physician called me fussy, and the medicine made it worse! This time, my daughter’s life depends on calling Master Zhang from outside!”
Master Zhang was a famous doctor in the capital, trusted by nobles and officials. He kept secrets well.
Lady Zhou hesitated, about to agree, when footsteps sounded outside—the Marquis had returned.
Pearl had encountered him while fetching the doctor and immediately knelt, reporting everything.
Hearing this, the Marquis was furious. The ancestral hall is sacred. Locking a seriously ill girl there—if word spreads, it shames the house.
“What’s going on?”
The Marquis entered, seeing the chaotic scene, face darkening like water about to drip.
His gaze fell on Shen Shuangshuang, nearly lifeless. His frown deepened.
Lady Zhou hurried forward. “Marquis, she’s pretending to be ill for sympathy. I was about to have her taken back to the courtyard.”
“Pretending to be ill?” Xiang Meimei, holding Shen Shuangshuang, knelt and said, “Marquis, Shuangshuang’s fever is nearly deadly. How could this be an act? If you don’t believe me, wait until Master Zhang arrives!”