Chapter 226 The Old Lady Swears
Li Du got off the carriage and looked up to see a circle of people gathered at the entrance of Yichun Hall. His heart sank. What was going on? He took two quick steps and stepped onto the platform, only to find that there were two people kneeling at the entrance, surrounded by a circle of people watching the fun.
Li Du frowned when he saw it. Ever since his master, the Medicine God's reputation spread, people often came to his door to kneel and beg, which was really annoying. He stepped forward to disperse the onlookers. Just as he was about to speak, he lowered his head and was stunned. It was the eldest master of the Xiao family.
Li Du slapped his forehead, the feud was getting bigger!
It's okay to chase away a few servants, but how can you make the master kneel at the door? After all, the master is still someone else's daughter-in-law. Now she is trapped in Qingxin Temple. Once the two families confront each other, it is hard to say whether the Xiao family will not be angry and fall out. However, it will violate the taboo of the prince and the master.
The master wrote to them last night, ordering them not to embarrass the Xiao family anymore and asking him to deliver medicine to the Xiao family. Although he felt aggrieved, he dared not disobey his master's words. He went out early this morning, and before he had time to tell the waiter, the master came. It seemed that he must have been driven out by the waiter in the store.
Thinking of this, Li Du hurriedly took a few steps, stretched out his hand to help the master up, and said:
"Isn't this Mr. Xiao? Look, how can you kneel here? It's really embarrassing for our shop. Please get up quickly and come into the house to talk."
The master had been kneeling for nearly two hours and his legs were numb. Seeing that more and more people were coming to watch the fun, he could not even lift his head. When he saw the manager coming to help him, he quickly took advantage of the situation and stood up.
Li Du helped the master up and saw Xiao Ang still kneeling there. He quickly said:
"This little brother, please get up too. Let's talk in the room."
Seeing Xiao Ang stand up, Li Du led the master and his servant to the guest room on the second floor. After they sat down, a waiter had already served them tea. The master drank a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and then he repeated his purpose.
After hearing this, Li Du clasped his fists towards the master and said:
"To be honest with you, Master Xiao, my master is not in Pingyang right now. She won't be back for a month or two. Even if my master wants to save your son, I'm afraid she is powerless. The prince once mentioned your son's condition to my master. My master sent a letter back yesterday, asking me to give your son medicine on her behalf. Why don't you take it back and try to see if it can save your son's life?"
After Li Du finished speaking, he ordered someone to fetch the medicine that had been prepared long ago and give it to the master, and then told the master how to use it.
The eldest master took the medicine and saw that there was a Yangxin Pill. He had heard from the prince that this Yangxin Pill was a good medicine that Yichuntang did not sell. He also knew that the God of Medicine was sincerely helping him, but thinking of the second master who could not eat or drink, he sighed and said:
"I appreciate the Medicine God's kindness. If Yichuntang needs the Xiao family in the future, the Xiao family will certainly do their best. But Shopkeeper Li doesn't know that my son is not seriously ill. The problem is that he can't eat anything. I'm afraid that the elixir will be useless. I came to ask the Medicine God for help because I admire his acupuncture and acupuncture skills. I wonder if Shopkeeper Li knows acupuncture and acupuncture skills?"
Li Du shook his head and said:
"Acupuncture? I've heard my master mention it occasionally, but firstly, I'm busy with business, and secondly, my master rarely returns to Pingyang, so I don't have the opportunity to learn. Why don't you try this medicine first? If it doesn't work, you can think of other ways as soon as possible. Don't say that my master doesn't like to save people. Even if the master wants to save your son, I'm afraid your son won't live to wait for the master to come back."
After hearing what Li Du said, the eldest master thought about it and realized that there was no point in delaying any longer. After chatting for a few more words, he stood up to say goodbye. Li Du did not force the eldest master to stay and accompanied him to the door of the pharmacy before bowing and saying goodbye. He also hoped that the second master's illness would recover soon and his master could be free from suffering as soon as possible.
…
The eldest master and the old lady looked at the second master with heartache as he was tortured to death once again. They had just ordered someone to crush the anti-vomiting pills given by Yichuntang and gave them to the second master to take, but it was a pity that it was of no use. He vomited it all out right after he drank it. The second master was even weaker today. He was supported by Hongzhu and Hongxing. His hands hung limply. He vomited as if reflexively, and his whole body was twitching as if the sea was churning. He must be enduring great torture.
Finally, the struggle stopped. The Second Master couldn't even speak. He just lay there limply, only able to vent his anger.
The eldest master and the old lady looked at each other and shook their heads. They knew that if they continued to toss and turn like this, not only would they suffer, but they would also die. The medicine of the medicine god was miraculous, but it would be useless if they couldn't swallow it. Just as they were helpless, they heard Hongzhu crying and persuading them:
"Second Master, I beg you to be more open-minded about everything. If Second Madam knew you were like this, she would be upset. The other day you asked me to go see Second Madam, and she told me to tell you that your body and hair were given by your parents, and you should not damage them. She also hoped that you could take care of yourself and get well soon. I beg you not to see anyone else, and for Second Madam's sake, she doesn't want you to get hurt, so relax and get well soon."
When he heard Hongzhu mention the second grandmother, the second master's eyelids moved, as if he wanted to open his eyes, but he didn't open them in the end. He moved his fingers once, and then there was no response.
When Hongzhu and Hongxing saw this, they started to cry.
When the master heard Hongzhu mention the Second Mistress, his heart moved and he said to the old lady:
"Mother, why don't we ask the eldest wife to go to Qingxin Temple in person and ask Xi'er to come back and persuade Jun'er. There may still be a glimmer of hope for Jun'er."
"It's useless. Just now you went to ask the God of Medicine for help. The first wife heard that you were kneeling at the door of Yichun Hall and no one paid attention to you. She was frightened and went to Qingxin Temple in person. Xi'er said the same thing: 'Her status as a concubine is not worthy of the Second Master. She has already severed all ties with the Second Master. Please ask the first wife to go to Yichun Hall for help as soon as possible.' Hey, she is determined."
"Are we really going to just watch Jun'er like this..."
Ancestral precepts are harmful! Why don’t the ancestors open their eyes and see that this inhumane ancestral precept has harmed several generations of the Xiao family!
Looking at his son who was breathing out more than breathing in on the bed, the eldest master was speechless for a moment. His heart felt as if it was being cut by a knife, and he cried out silently in his heart that if possible, he really wanted to break this ancestral precept with his own hands. Unfortunately, as the head of the family, he could not violate the teachings of his ancestors!
For the first time, this man with gray hair on his temples, this ruthless and ruthless head of a family in the business world, showed a helpless look and looked at the old lady pleadingly, hoping that she could make some decision to change the current predicament.
Several maids were busy beside the Second Master's bed, walking back and forth with very light steps for fear of startling the Second Master. Only the sobbing sounds of Hongzhu and Hongxing could be heard.
After a long while, the old lady raised her head and saw that the maids had finished packing and stood on both sides in silence. Hongzhu and Hongxing had laid the second master flat on the bed and covered him with a thin blanket. The old lady said to the maids:
"All of you get out!"
The maids responded and tiptoed out. Hongzhu and Hongxing stood up and looked at the old lady. When the old lady saw them, she said:
"You two go down and stand guard at the door."
The two of them responded and walked out. Seeing that there was no one in the room, the old lady stood up tremblingly, and with the help of the servant, she sat directly on the bed and reached out to hold the second master's hand.
Feeling someone coming, the second master's eyelids moved, and then there was no reaction. He only heard the old lady say:
"Jun'er, I know you understand in your heart, but you just don't have the energy to say it. Jun'er, don't say anything, just listen to me. Xi'er is generous and kind-hearted. Not to mention you, your father and I also like Xi'er very much. If it weren't for Xi'er's background violating the ancestral teachings, we wouldn't force you to divorce your wife. Since you are reluctant, we won't force you . As long as Xi'er is willing to stay in the Xiao Mansion, the eldest master and I will never mention Xi'er's background as a concubine again."
When the old lady said this, she saw the second master moved, as if he wanted to struggle and shake his head. The old lady shook the second master's hand and said:
"Don't be anxious, Jun'er. Listen to me. I'm not saying this to make you happy. I've really thought it through. Even if the Third Master becomes the head of the family, it's better than losing your life. Jun'er, if you don't believe me, I'll swear to you. As long as Jun'er survives this disaster, I, Shangguan, swear today that from now on, I will never force Jun'er to divorce unless he agrees."
The Second Master finally opened his eyes and looked at the Old Lady blankly. His lips moved but no sound came out.
Looking at her grandson's dim eyes, which still had a trace of life in them, she tightly held the second master's hand. The old lady couldn't help but burst into tears and said with a sob:
"Jun'er, relax and lie down here first. I'll go get Xi'er to come over to you."
After the old lady finished speaking, she let go of the second master's hand, but saw that the second master seemed to want to grab her hard. He struggled and shook his head. The old lady felt sad. She understood that this grandson was not only desperate for the ancestral teachings and the family, but more importantly, he was ruthlessly desperate for Mengxi.
He suddenly let go of the second master's hand, stood up, and said to the secretary, "Send someone to prepare the sedan chair and go to Qingxin Temple."
…
It was rare for the old lady to come to Qingxin Temple in person. Mr. Yun Qian led everyone from Qingxin Temple to the gate early in the morning, standing in two neat rows to welcome the old lady.
Seeing the old lady's sedan chair coming, Mr. Yun Qian went to greet it from afar. When the sedan chair stopped, a maid had already opened the curtain for the old lady. Yun Qian stepped forward to help the old lady get off the sedan chair, greeted her, and asked everyone to come and greet the old lady. The old lady looked around and didn't see Mengxi. She sighed secretly, waved her hand, asked everyone to disperse, and directly ordered Yun Qian to take her to the East Zen Hall.
Mengxi welcomed the old lady into the East Zen Hall, exchanged greetings, and the maid helped the old lady sit down. A maid had already brought tea, and Zhixia hurried forward to take it and pour it for the old lady, and then poured a cup for the second wife, standing aside with her hands hanging down.
After the old lady sat down, she looked at Yun Qian and the others who followed in and said:
“All of you, please go down.”
Everyone responded quickly and left. Finally, only Zhixia and Zhidong were left to serve as the book and the painting assistant. The old lady looked at the four of them and said:
"The four of you go down as well. The secretary is standing guard outside. No one is allowed to come in."
After hearing this, Shishu and Shihua responded and walked out. Zhixia and Zhidong only looked at the Second Mistress. Mengxi saw them and said to them:
"I'm fine, you guys can go down too."
Zhixia and Zhidong then responded, walked out and closed the door for the second grandmother.
After everyone left, the old lady looked at Mengxi who was still standing aside and said:
"Xi'er, please sit down."
Mengxi responded and sat on the chair opposite the old lady. She looked up at the old lady indifferently. The two of them just sat there, looking at each other, neither of them wanting to speak.
Mengxi has been in the mansion for two years. During these two years, the old lady knew that her birth as a concubine's daughter was against the ancestral teachings, but she believed what Master Jingyun said, believing that she was the second master's benefactor, and even more believed that she could keep the Xiao family safe. She wanted to divorce her, but she had been using her all the time.
Mengxi is no exception. Ever since she found out that her birth as a concubine's daughter went against the ancestral teachings and she was destined to have no chance to marry the Second Master, she began to plan for her future. But before she had money and power, she had to do everything she could to curry favor with the highest official of the Xiao Mansion and provide herself with a protective umbrella in the Xiao Mansion.
These two women who have always used each other, two equally wise women, two women who are at the peak of their respective powers, began their first face-to-face peace talks as the life story of Mengxi's concubine was completely revealed.
