Chunling lowered the embroidered bird-patterned bed curtains on the carved bed, and Qinglan reached out from behind them. Chunling then took a handkerchief to cover Qinglan’s hand, concealing even that pale wrist completely before stepping aside. Wu Mama, standing at the front, called for the physician to come in and examine Qinglan’s pulse.
After checking her pulse, the physician said, "The lady is suffering from pent-up frustration in her chest, and her fainting was caused by phlegm clouding her mind. Her health is otherwise fine, and the fetus is stable. She just needs to take two doses of medicine to calm her nerves and regulate her qi, and she’ll recover." With that, he went out to write a prescription and left.
Wu Mama walked to the outer room and said to Xianglan and the others, "The physician says the Concubine is fine." Chunling immediately clasped her hands and chanted a prayer, while Xianglan let out a long sigh of relief.
Just then, a maid at the door announced, "Madam is here!" Qin Shi had already stepped inside. Wu Mama hurried forward to greet her. Qin Shi, with a grim expression, asked abruptly, "How is Concubine Lan’s condition?"
Wu Mama thought to herself, "Who could have been so loose-lipped to report this to Madam so quickly?" Glancing behind Qin Shi, she saw Zhao Yuechan following and understood the situation somewhat. She put on a smile and said, "By your grace, Madam, the Concubine is fine. The physician said she just needs to rest quietly and has prescribed some medicine, which is already being brewed."
As she spoke, she led Qin Shi into the room, lifted the bed curtains, and said, "Concubine, Madam has come to see you."
Qinglan struggled to sit up, but Qin Shi quickly stepped forward and pressed her down, sitting by the bed and saying, "Stay lying down. If you get up too quickly, you’ll feel dizzy." She observed Qinglan, noting her pale complexion and slightly red, swollen eyes, as if she had been crying. Softening her voice, she said, "You really don’t take good care of yourself. How did you faint out of the blue?"
Qinglan moved her lips and forced a smile, saying, "It’s my fault for worrying you, Madam."
Before Qin Shi could respond, Zhao Yuechan took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears and said, "This is all my fault, Mother. If you must blame anyone, blame me."
It turned out that Yinliu had returned to report to Zhao Yuechan, who, upon hearing that Qinglan had fainted from anger over Lin Jinlou’s intention to elevate Xianglan, felt quite pleased. Then, an idea struck her. She immediately took two boxes of tea leaves to Qin Shi’s room, claiming she had just returned from her maternal home that morning and brought some premium new tea for Qin Shi to try. Before she could say much, she saw Yinliu running in breathlessly to report that Concubine Lan had fainted. Qin Shi was greatly alarmed and hurried over with her attendants.
Qin Shi was already worried about Qinglan’s health, and hearing Zhao Yuechan’s words, she frowned and said, "What does this have to do with you?"
Zhao Yuechan replied, "Yesterday, I thought that since Eldest Master had just returned home and hadn’t eaten much for dinner, and with his official duties keeping him busy at night, I was concerned about his health. So I went to the kitchen to prepare some food and brought it to his study. There, I happened to see Xianglan from Concubine Lan’s quarters attending to Eldest Master. Eldest Master then told me he intended to elevate that maid. I had been thinking that Concubine Lan’s pregnancy is advancing, and her condition is delicate, so it would be good to add another capable person to serve Eldest Master. It’s fortunate that Eldest Master took a liking to her himself—that’s even better. Eldest Master repeatedly instructed me not to treat Xianglan poorly, so I selected some jewelry and sent over a bolt of cloth for her..."Qin Shi had already grasped most of the situation, her brows furrowing even tighter. Zhao Yuechan continued, "Perhaps Concubine Lan has been exhausted from managing the poetry club affairs these past few days and should have been resting quietly. It was my fault for sending people over with such commotion today and disturbing her. Moreover, Xianglan is her maid—I should have discussed it with Concubine Lan first." She dabbed the corner of her eye with a handkerchief. "Thankfully Concubine Lan is unharmed, otherwise my offense would have been grave..."
Xianglan, eavesdropping from the side room, turned pale instantly. Zhao Yuechan was making her the scapegoat! These words subtly implicated both her and Qinglan in wrongdoing. "Just happened to see Xianglan from Concubine Lan's quarters attending to the Eldest Master"—this clearly implied she was secretly seducing her master, while Zhao Yuechan appeared virtuous by "selecting some jewelry and sending over bolts of cloth." Who would have thought Qinglan's jealousy would make her faint! It was obvious Zhao Yuechan had stirred up trouble and sowed discord, yet now she was posing as the most magnanimous one.
Wu Mama inwardly noted Zhao Yuechan was scheming to eliminate someone using another's hand, and hurriedly said to Qin Shi, "This old servant is also to blame. Seeing the Eldest Master constantly busy and Concubine Lan with her delicate condition, I mentioned to the Eldest Master that we could add another attendant after Old Madam Zeng's mourning period ends. Recently, I noticed Xianglan seemed honest and dependable, so I brought her up to the Eldest Master, and he took interest. Last night, he summoned Xianglan to ask a few questions, but Madam happened to see..."
Hearing Wu Mama speak in her defense, Xianglan felt slightly reassured and quietly peeked through a gap in the curtain. She saw Qin Shi sitting upright on the bed, her expression unreadable.
Qinglan had initially intended to exaggerate her frailty to gain Qin Shi's sympathy, but now she couldn't stay still. Struggling up, she said tearfully, "Da Nǎinai didn't disturb me. I've been tired from the poetry club matters these days and was already feeling unwell, which is why I fainted."
Zhao Yuechan quickly responded, "Don't say that, sister. It was my fault."
Qin Shi spoke, "What did Chan Yatou send? Bring it here for me to see." Wu Mama promptly presented the hairpins, jewelry, and bolts of cloth. Qin Shi examined them silently before setting them aside. "Where is Xianglan? Have her come here."
Xianglan's heart raced as she steeled herself and walked out, kneeling properly before Qin Shi. Qin Shi narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing her from head to toe, then glanced at Zhao Yuechan and Qinglan before suddenly demanding sharply, "Have I been too indulgent with you all, making you think I'm a fool to be deceived? Are you putting on a show for me now?"
The room fell into immediate silence. Zhao Yuechan and Wu Mama dropped to their knees, murmuring "We wouldn't dare," while Qinglan hurriedly rose but was forbidden by Qin Shi from leaving the bed, so she knelt on the bedding instead. Qin Shi ignored her.
Qin Shi fixed her gaze on Zhao Yuechan. "Daughter-in-law, you claim today's incident is your fault—that Lou Ge'er wanted to promote a maid, and you sending gifts to the eastern wing caused Concubine Lan to faint. Is that correct?"Zhao Yuechan sniffled twice, shedding two tears as she said, "It's all my fault. I was only concerned that there's no suitable person currently taking care of the master, and I remembered him saying we mustn't let Xianglan be wronged. Last night, the Eldest Master even had Shu Ran personally escort Xianglan back. When I saw that, I knew the Eldest Master had taken her to heart, so I hastily sent gifts... Who would have thought I'd overlooked Lan Yiniang's condition, forgetting she's also been working hard these past days."
These words filled Xianglan with deep resentment, while Qinglan bit her lip so hard it nearly bled. Qin Shi, however, chuckled softly and said to Zhao Yuechan, "Chan girl, you'd better keep your little cleverness to yourself." Do you take me for a fool?"
Zhao Yuechan's heart instantly sank, her handkerchief pausing mid-wipe. She immediately bowed her head and kowtowed, saying, "I don't understand what Madam means."
Qin Shi adjusted her skirt hem and spoke with detached calm, "First, you're the lady of the main household, responsible for all its internal affairs. You knew perfectly well Qinglan is heavily pregnant and has been working hard recently - why didn't you send anyone to check on her? When sending gifts to that girl, why didn't you think to prepare something for Qinglan too? The child in Qinglan's womb is the Lin family's flesh and blood, who will call you 'mother' after birth. If you show no concern for her, that shows your lack of virtue."
This serious accusation left Zhao Yuechan stunned, and she could only say meekly, "This daughter-in-law failed to consider carefully."
Qin Shi continued, "Second, you secretly intended to play tricks. She's just a girl who hasn't even been formally elevated yet. If you wanted to send gifts, you could have done so quietly in private. Was it necessary to send several people to deliver them with such fanfare? Who were you putting on this show for? And even if you were sending gifts, why make them so extravagant, flaunting them openly for everyone to see? Were you afraid people wouldn't know Lou Ge'er has taken a fancy to some girl? We're still in Old Madam Zeng's mourning period - if this gets out, are you waiting for people to use it against Lou Ge'er?"
Zhao Yuechan wept, prostrating herself on the ground as she said, "This daughter-in-law would never dare."
Xianglan inwardly praised Qin Shi's clear reasoning and exceptional insight repeatedly. She lifted her eyelids to steal a glance upward and saw Lan Yiniang kneeling beside Qin Shi, her complexion having improved considerably after Qin Shi's words.
Qin Shi sighed again and said, "There are other things I'd rather not spell out too clearly. As women both living in the inner quarters, I understand what's in your heart. But you must discern clearly what should and shouldn't be done. Once you entered the Lin family, you became part of it. Let me repeat - you're the principal wife, fundamentally different from concubines. Why must you compete everywhere? Your words and actions should uphold the Lin family's dignity. If you only think of yourself, where is the demeanor and bearing befitting a noble family's matriarch?"
Every word struck home regarding Zhao Yuechan's thoughts. Unable to speak, she felt completely exposed before Qin Shi's gaze and could only kowtow repeatedly, weeping, "Madam, I was wrong. Please forgive me this once."
Seeing Zhao Yuechan humiliated, her usual imposing manner completely gone, Qinglan naturally felt pleased and couldn't help the corners of her mouth twitching upward. Suddenly, Qin Shi turned sharply, her eyes sharp as lightning as she looked at Qinglan and said word by word, "And you - do you know your mistake?"
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