Сhарtеr 6: Borrоwing Strеngth
“Нuh?”
Fuling wаs uttеrly dumbfounded.
Yеt Jiаng Chuji’s eуes glimmerеd with а fаint, сооl antiсiраtiоn.
Conсubine Zhou and Jiang Luоwеi wantеd tо рlаnt this Gu Wоrm on hеr, tо mаke her suffеr tоrment аnd lose her bеautу.
Then she wоuld reрaу thеm in kind, returning this worm tо them.
Not onlу wоuld shе mаke that Jiаng Luоwеi swаllow the Gu Wоrm, but she wоuld also mаke her dо so willingly, еagerly, аnd imраtientlу.
Shе wanted to wаtch thоsе who harmеd her takе the bаit, hооk themsеlves, and rеap thе bittеr fruit, bit bу bit.
“Help me rest now,” Jiang Chuji sаid lеisurely as she rеmоved her outеr gаrment. “Perhaps when I wake tomorrow, someone will be impatiently seeking me out.”
Concubine Zhou indeed had a sleepless night.
Thus, the time she came knocking was even earlier than Jiang Chuji had anticipated.
Early the next morning, Concubine Zhou arrived with two maids who looked quite shrewd, entering the bedroom.
“Chuer, did you sleep well last night after returning to Yilan Courtyard?” Concubine Zhou asked with a face full of concern, resembling a loving mother caring for her daughter.
“Thank you for your concern, Auntie. Chuer slept very well.”
Jiang Chuji appeared as if she had just woken up, rising from the bed with a dazed expression. “Auntie, coming so early… is there something…?”
One regarded the other as an obstacle to her own daughter, wishing to eliminate her at all costs. The other knew full well the other’s hidden malice and sinister intentions.
Yet on the surface, they maintained the appearance of a harmonious relationship between the legitimate daughter and the concubine.
Concubine Zhou showed meticulous care: “Chuer, before this, you only had Fuling as your personal maid, which really doesn’t suit the status of the Chancellor’s Manor’s legitimate daughter.”
“Now that your confinement has been lifted, I specially selected two maids to serve you. This is Chunlan, and this is Yuanyang. What do you think? Do they look pleasing to you?”
Before last night, Concubine Zhou hadn’t taken Jiang Chuji seriously at all, considering her foolish and easy to manipulate.
She hadn’t even thought about planting spies around Jiang Chuji.
But after yesterday’s encounter, she was presented with such a grand “gift.” She had no idea what had happened to the girl during the three months she was confined in Plum Fragrance Courtyard.
Now that her scheme had failed and she had no clue why, she was naturally anxious to place her own people around the girl.
Jiang Chuji saw through it all clearly.
If these two maids were to stay, her every move from then on would be under Concubine Zhou’s surveillance.
Her expression remained unchanged, her voice soft and obedient: “Thank you for your concern, Auntie. But having spent many years in the temple, I’m not that delicate. Fuling alone is enough to serve me.”
“How can that be?” Concubine Zhou immediately countered. “If the Chancellor’s Manor’s legitimate daughter has only one maid, it would become a laughingstock if word got out. Others would also think that I, as the concubine, am mistreating you.”
The girl showed a somewhat troubled expression, gently shaking her head. “Really, it’s not necessary, Auntie. Besides, I’m feeling a bit unwell today…”
Feeling unwell?
With a glance from Concubine Zhou, she signaled the two to step forward: “You two, hurry and attend to the young lady.”
Hearing this, Chunlan and Yuanyang immediately approached Jiang Chuji: “Young lady, let us help you wash up.”
They intended to leave the maids here just like that.
Jiang Chuji sneered coldly inside.
The two maids, afraid of being scolded by Concubine Zhou if they were slow, almost rushed to perform their tasks.
However, the moment their hands touched Jiang Chuji, the girl swayed and actually fainted, collapsing onto the bed.”Miss! Miss, what’s wrong?!” Fuling was startled.
She knew full well that the young lady was pretending, but she still feigned panic and rushed forward.
Amid the chaos, Jiang Chuji, with her eyes closed, whispered a few words in her ear.
Fuling clearly heard what the young lady said: “Go find the eldest young master.”
Concubine Zhou hadn’t expected Jiang Chuji to suddenly faint, and the two maidservants were even more frightened, momentarily at a loss.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Fuling quietly slipped out of the bedchamber and ran toward Jiang Yanchuan’s quarters.
At that moment, Jiang Yanchuan was reading in his room.
Sunlight streamed through the carved window lattice, outlining the man’s focused profile.
His figure was tall and well-proportioned, clad in an elegant white brocade robe adorned with cloud patterns. His face was handsome and distinguished, with deep eyes beneath sharp brows. His demeanor was exceptional, blending the refinement of a scholar with the authority of a scion from a noble family.
“Young Master! Young Master, please go save our young lady!”
Jiang Yanchuan was startled by the cry. Looking up, he saw Jiang Chuji’s personal maid, Fuling, rushing over, panting heavily.
He couldn’t help but frown. “What happened? Save your young lady?”
Fuling caught her breath. “Young Master, our young lady caught a chill in the lake and started running a fever late last night.”
“Unexpectedly, early this morning, Concubine Zhou brought two maidservants, saying they were assigned to serve the young lady.”
“The young lady said she only needed me to attend to her, but Concubine Zhou insisted on leaving those two maidservants behind.”
“When those two maidservants tried to help the young lady wash up, they were so rough that she lost her strength and fainted.”
Jiang Yanchuan’s brow twitched, an inexplicable sense of urgency rising within him. “She was already feverish last night—why didn’t you call for a physician?”
Fuling lowered her head. “The young lady said that the Master and Old Madam already dislike her. Since she caused trouble in the manor just last night, she was afraid that making another fuss would only make the Master resent her even more.”
Hearing this, Jiang Yanchuan paused, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.
How could seeking a physician for an illness be considered making a fuss?
In his memory, his younger sister had always been painfully quiet, always keeping her head down in front of others, appearing timid and submissive. He never imagined that her heart was so sensitive, burdened with so many worries.
Even when she was feverish, she feared being a nuisance and dared not disturb anyone.
So… she had always been aware of the gossip and cold treatment from others since her return to the manor.
And then there was Concubine Zhou.
No matter what, Jiang Chuji was the legitimate daughter of the Chancellor’s Manor, his own legitimate younger sister. Could she not even decide the comings and goings of a few maidservants?
Thinking of how humble the young girl was, Jiang Yanchuan suppressed his thoughts and said, “I’ll go to Yilan Courtyard.”
As soon as Jiang Yanchuan stepped into the bedchamber, he saw the young girl lying on the bed with her eyes tightly closed.
She lay there quietly, her face as pale as paper, yet with an unnatural flush on her cheeks. Beads of cold sweat dotted her forehead, and a few strands of hair clung messily to her cheeks and brow.
She looked so fragile, like a delicate porcelain doll, making one’s heart clench involuntarily.
Beside her, Concubine Zhou and the two maidservants stood by the bed.
Concubine Zhou hadn’t expected Jiang Yanchuan to come and was caught off guard, a flicker of guilt flashing in her eyes.
“… Yanchuan, what brings you here?”
“Why did Second Young Lady suddenly faint?” Jiang Yanchuan’s expression was stern as he directly turned his gaze to the two maidservants.Intimidated by the young master’s imposing presence, Chunlan and Yuanyang stammered, “This… this is because…”
Jiang Yanchuan frowned. “It’s a good thing that Concubine Zhou wants to arrange more maids to take care of Second Young Miss. But since Second Young Miss only wants Fuling, then let it be as she wishes.”
“Besides, how did you choose these people, Concubine? They managed to take care of someone until she fainted?”
His tone carried a hint of undisguised accusation.
Jiang Yanchuan’s status in the Chancellor’s Manor was also unquestionable. Concubine Zhou secretly clenched her palm and forced a smile.
“Yanchuan, you’re right. I didn’t consider it carefully enough, and the two maids I chose were clumsy.”
“I won’t arrange any more maids for Chuji, but for now, we should still find a doctor to examine Chuji…”
“You may leave first. I’ve already had someone bring fever-reducing powder,” Jiang Yanchuan waved his hand.
Hearing this, Concubine Zhou was somewhat incredulous.
Since when did Jiang Yanchuan care so much about Jiang Chuji?
This young master despised people of low character the most, even if they were his own blood sister.
Could it be that because he saved Jiang Chuji last night, he had forgotten about her previous theft of Old Madam Jiang’s jade bracelet?
Concubine Zhou took a deep breath, maintaining a smile on her face. “Alright then, I’ll take my leave first. With you here, Yanchuan, I can rest assured.”
After the others left, the bedroom fell into silence.
Jiang Yanchuan took a deep breath and sat down by the bed.
He reached out to feel the girl’s forehead temperature—indeed, it was very hot.
At this touch, the girl on the bed trembled her eyelashes slightly and slowly opened her eyes.
Due to the fever, her face was flushed, and her gaze was not clear, clouded with a hazy mist.
Seeing the figure in moon-white before her, she seemed somewhat dazed and murmured softly, “…Am I dreaming, or has Brother really come?”