Chunyao waded through the water to find Ye Yunniang.
Although the Jin Yu Man Tang was grand, the living quarters in the rear courtyard that Ye Yunniang had visited were not spacious. It was already a squeeze for Chunyao's family of four.
Ye Yunniang thanked Chunyao for her kindness but politely declined.
"Yunniang, don't be so quick to refuse. Think it over carefully. If the rain continues for two more days, the sandbag barrier won't hold. Think of the children, if not for yourself," Chunyao urged.
"We'll see when the time comes," Ye Yunniang replied, considering whether they could go to the small courtyard Jiang Mingzhe had left behind. It had an upstairs building where they could stay.
Chunyao, thinking Jiang Mingzhe might have other arrangements, didn't press further.
As Ye Yunniang pondered moving to the small courtyard, Cai Damei announced her own decision.
"We will go stay at the Prefectural Magistrate's residence."
"Mother, we can still hold out a bit longer," Ye Yunniang felt it hadn't come to that yet.
"If the water floods the house, we'll have to go anyway. Going a day earlier will spare the children some suffering," Cai Damei had made up her mind, and it was not open for discussion.
Ye Yunniang began packing.
The grain from the cellar had to be taken, along with clothes, shoes, and socks. Anything that couldn't be taken was to be placed as high as possible.
Once everything was packed, Luo Xin arranged a carriage to take the Li family to the Prefectural Magistrate's residence.
The rain was heavy, and no one noticed the Li family's departure.
The Prefectural Magistrate's residence was vast.
The family of six settled into a large courtyard.
Cai Damei and Bao Shuyi were not staying with Bao Min.
Bao Min returned briefly on the day they arrived at the residence, then hurried off again.
The floods were severe, and as the city's chief official, he was extremely busy every day.
The children, curious about the residence, began exploring everywhere.
This activity was quickly stopped by Ye Yunniang and Cai Damei, who forbade them from running around.
Even though the children explored under the covered corridors, the driving rain and wind soaked them, and they were running out of dry clothes to change into.
Ye Yunniang spent most of each day drying the children's clothes by the fire.
News that women were staying at the Prefectural Magistrate's residence soon spread among the upper echelons of Jiangcheng's officials.
Reactions varied.
Most were curious, eager to finally see the face of the women the "smiling fox" Bao Min had kept hidden.
A minority, who had other designs on Bao Min, were displeased.
The most intense reaction came from Xing Jinxiu.
Given her status, it was difficult for Xing Jinxiu to find a suitable match who could also withstand the influence of her in-laws.
Bao Min's arrival had given her hope.
Xing Jinxiu sought opportunities to meet him, trying to win his favor.
Three years passed without any progress. What gave her slight comfort was that Bao Min was polite yet distant towards every young woman.
Later, Xing Jinxiu received distressing news: Bao Min had a daughter.
Bao Min had a daughter!
Her chance was gone. Xing Jinxiu was furious, panicked, and consumed with jealousy.
Two more years passed. Bao Min's daughter never appeared in public, nor did the wretched woman who bore her.
Xing Jinxiu felt pleased again, convinced the woman must have used some vile trick to get the child. Bao Min, disgusted with the mother and daughter, kept them out of the residence. She still had a chance.
But why were they moving in now?
Crash! Crash! Crash!
Xing Jinxiu smashed a roomful of porcelain, then calmed herself and went to her brother Xing Wenzhi's study.
"Brother, have you found out who that wretched woman is?"
Xing Wenzhi doted on his sister and had begun investigating as soon as he received the news.
Security at the Prefectural Magistrate's residence was tight. The identities of Ye Yunniang and the others had not yet been uncovered.
"Brother, help me. I must have Bao Min," Xing Jinxiu refused to accept that her years of effort were for nothing.
"Alright," Xing Wenzhi agreed without a moment's hesitation.
Unaware that someone was scheming to investigate them, Cai Damei was currently drying clothes and shoes by a stove.
Despite the rain, the four disobedient children had run out to play and gotten completely drenched.
Ye Yunniang brought ginger soup.
At the smell of ginger, all four children frowned.
"One bowl each. Drink up."
Li Pan and the two older boys frowned, picked up their bowls, drank the soup, then rinsed their mouths with water.
"Sister-in-law, Shushu doesn't want to drink it," Bao Shuyi pinched her little nose, not wanting to smell the ginger.
Ye Yunniang brought a bowl to Bao Shuyi. "Be good, Shushu. Drink the ginger soup, and you won't get sick."
Bao Shuyi scrunched up her little face and shook her head. She didn't want to.
"Ginger soup, or the doctor's needles?" Cai Damei said in a mild tone, uttering words that made Bao Shuyi tremble.
Remembering the pain of needles, Bao Shuyi pouted and drank the ginger soup.
After finishing, she looked at Ye Yunniang with teary eyes. "Spicy~"
"Drink some sugar water, then it won't be spicy," Ye Yunniang said, feeding her another bowl.
Upset by Cai Damei's words, Bao Shuyi threw a tantrum and insisted on sleeping with Ye Yunniang that night.
Ye Yunniang let her sleep in her bed. In the middle of the night, she sensed something was wrong.
She opened her eyes and felt Bao Shuyi. Her whole body was burning hot.
"Luo Xin..." Ye Yunniang got up and went out.
"Lady Ye," Luo Xin emerged from the shadows.
"Shushu has a fever. Quickly, fetch a doctor."
Luo Xin rushed out.
Cai Damei opened her door. "What's wrong with Shushu?"
"Mother, Shushu has a fever," Ye Yunniang said, helping Cai Damei. As she touched her, she felt she was hot too.
"Mother, you have a fever as well!"
"Mother, who has a fever?" Li Pan and the other two woke up.
"Grandmother and Auntie both have fevers. You three look after Grandmother. I'll take care of Auntie," Ye Yunniang instructed them.
Unaccustomed to servants, they hadn't asked for any to be assigned to their courtyard, so only they were there.
Ye Yunniang needed to care for Bao Shuyi, so she entrusted the feverish Cai Damei to the three children.
They agreed and helped Cai Damei, who wanted to see Bao Shuyi, back to her room.
Ye Yunniang brought water into the room. Bao Shushu was whimpering, "Mother... uncomfortable... I'm scared... scared..."
"Shushu, sister-in-law is here," Ye Yunniang said, wringing out a damp cloth and placing it on Bao Shuyi's forehead. She wrung out another cloth to wipe Bao Shuyi's palms and soles to cool her down.
Luo Xin rushed in, carrying a doctor on his back.
The doctor applied needles to reduce Bao Shuyi's fever.
Terrified of needles, Bao Shuyi struggled. "No... Mother... No..."
"Mother is here. Don't be afraid, Shushu. The needles will make the fever go down quickly, and you won't feel so bad..." Ye Yunniang held Bao Shuyi, softly comforting her.
After the treatment, Bao Shuyi soon fell asleep.
"Doctor, there is another patient in the east room. Please take a look," Ye Yunniang asked the doctor to examine Cai Damei.
The doctor went to the east room, felt Cai Damei's pulse, and prescribed medicine.
Luo Xin brought the brewed medicine. Ye Yunniang took it, tasted a sip to check the temperature, and found it suitable.
She woke Bao Shuyi and coaxed her into drinking the medicine.
Leaving Luo Xin to watch Bao Shuyi for a moment, Ye Yunniang went to the east room.
Li Pan was supporting Cai Damei while Li An held a bowl, feeding her medicine.
"How is Shushu?"
"She had the treatment and took medicine. The fever has broken, and she's asleep. How are you, Mother?"
"The children are taking good care of me. I'm fine," Cai Damei said weakly.
"Mother, I'll look after Shushu. Don't worry, just focus on getting better," Ye Yunniang said.
Cai Damei hummed in acknowledgment, then looked at the three yawning children. "Pan'er, take your brothers to bed. Grandmother will be fine."
"An, you take Ping to sleep. I'll stay and watch Grandmother," Li Pan refused to leave.
"We want to stay too," Li An and Li Ping also refused.
"Go back, all of you. I'm here."
"Mother, you must be tired from looking after Auntie. We'll watch Grandmother," Li Pan insisted.
"We can take turns sleeping on the daybed and caring for Grandmother," Li Ping suggested, and the idea was accepted.
Unable to refuse the three children, Ye Yunniang agreed and returned to the room to look after Bao Shuyi.
However, she would still go to check on the east room every so often.
