Zijuan hurriedly walked in.
Last night, Ye Yunniang and the other two had left and never returned to Fanghua Courtyard.
Fourth Madam Jiang couldn't sense their presence and sent people to search for them.
Because Old Master Jiang didn’t believe in such things, he forbade any such activities in the household.
Moreover, this matter also involved the Second Branch of the Jiang family.
Fourth Madam Jiang didn’t dare to make a big fuss about it and had to conduct the search discreetly.
After some investigation, they learned that the flickering light of burning paper had attracted the patrolling servants. Ye Yunniang and the other two had been confined to the Zhuyun Pavilion in the front courtyard.
Zhuyun Pavilion was under the charge of Nanny Kong, Old Master Jiang’s wet nurse.
Nanny Kong was known for her strict impartiality—once someone was punished there, even the most influential members of the household couldn’t plead for leniency.
Ye Yunniang and the others had acted for Jiang Tingjun’s sake, so Fourth Madam Jiang couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.
Early in the morning, Fourth Madam Jiang took Jiang Tingjun to see Old Madam Jiang.
She recounted everything that had happened in the Fourth Branch in detail.
"Foolish!" Old Madam Jiang, who also didn’t believe in such superstitions, slammed the table in frustration.
"Mother, I didn’t want to believe it either. But Tingjun—" Fourth Madam Jiang took Jiang Tingjun from Chunyao’s arms and presented him to Old Madam Jiang.
Old Madam Jiang looked at Jiang Tingjun’s thin, pale face. "Tingjun, why have you lost so much weight?" Her heart ached as she took him into her arms.
He felt much lighter than when she had last seen him half a month ago.
She was dissatisfied with Fourth Madam Jiang for failing to take proper care of her grandson.
"Ever since Second Sister-in-law had her miscarriage, Tingjun hasn’t slept well. We called physicians, tried medicine and acupuncture—nothing worked.
I was skeptical but still invited Blind Zhang. Without even asking, he described everything clearly. It was just—" Fourth Madam Jiang paused here, dabbing the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.
"I thought it was better to be safe than sorry, so I had the nursemaid follow Blind Zhang’s instructions." She paused again, a faint smile appearing on her lips. "After midnight, Tingjun stopped crying. He slept soundly."
By now, Fourth Madam Jiang truly believed Blind Zhang had real abilities.
Old Madam Jiang listened to her explanation while gazing at her little grandson, who was blowing bubbles at her.
"Fine." Old Madam Jiang relented and wrote a note.
Zijuan took the note and rushed to Zhuyun Pavilion.
Fortunately, she arrived in time—otherwise, Ye Yunniang and the others would have had their hands beaten raw.
Nanny Kong read the note.
"Rules cannot be ignored, but in consideration of your loyalty, the thirty strikes are waived. However, two months' wages will be deducted as punishment." Nanny Kong announced the revised decision.
Ye Yunniang and the others gratefully thanked her.
Zijuan led the three of them away from Zhuyun Pavilion and back to the main hall of Fanghua Courtyard.
Fourth Madam Jiang questioned them about the previous night’s events.
Ye Yunniang recounted what had happened, omitting the part where she had comforted the infant spirit.
The marks on her neck had vanished overnight.
Dongqing was puzzled, thinking she must have imagined things the night before.
"I’ll compensate you for the deducted wages. Go and rest now." Fourth Madam Jiang didn’t press further.
Ye Yunniang bowed and withdrew.
She and Nanny Shi returned to Zhiyu Pavilion.
Li’er was waiting for them at Zhiyu Pavilion. Both of their rooms had been lit with calming incense.
Ye Yunniang fell into a deep sleep.
In her dream, she found herself in a garden. She heard voices and the sound of crying.
"Little master, don’t cry. We’re in the garden now. Look, how beautiful these flowers are…" Zi Yuan carried Jiang Tingjun as she walked through the garden, unknowingly reaching a crossroads.
From the direction of Qushui Courtyard came faint sounds.
Jiang Tingjun pointed, wanting to go there.
"Little master, do you want to see your little brother? The Eighth Young Master is still in your Second Aunt’s womb. You’ll have to wait until he’s born before you can play together."
"Play." Jiang Tingjun echoed the word.
As soon as he uttered it, a shadowy figure drifted over from Qushui Courtyard.
Jiang Tingjun showed no fear and played with the shadow, invisible to others.
When he grew tired, Jiang Tingjun returned to Fanghua Courtyard.
But the shadow wasn’t tired—it followed him back.
It demanded that Jiang Tingjun keep playing and woke him from his sleep.
Exhausted but unable to rest, Jiang Tingjun began to cry.
Ye Yunniang jolted awake.
"Sister, you’re awake." Li’er, who had been keeping watch by the door, turned around at the sound.
"What time is it?" Ye Yunniang sat up, rubbing her stiff neck.
"Three in the afternoon." Li’er replied, pouring water for her to wash up.
"I’ll do it myself." Ye Yunniang dressed and went to the washstand to brush her teeth and freshen up.
Li’er went to fetch their meal.
Shanhu arrived with attendants, bringing rewards from Fourth Madam Jiang.
"Nurse Ye, you worked hard last night. You may rest for three days. Master Zhang said you should spend more time in the sunlight." Shanhu delivered the message before leaving.
Ye Yunniang respectfully saw her off.
Turning back, she examined the two chests—one large, one small—placed on the empty bed.
She opened the smaller chest first, revealing neatly arranged silver ingots. Each ingot weighed ten taels, and there were twenty in total across two layers.
Ye Yunniang counted on her fingers—two hundred taels in all.
"With this money, I can buy the house Mother always wanted." The hardships of the previous night suddenly seemed insignificant.
Next, she opened the larger chest, which contained fabrics, furs, and accessories made of gold, silver, and jade.
Ye Yunniang carefully stored them away.
Following instructions, she went outside to sit in the sunlight.
Though the sun was already weak.
Li’er returned with a food box and set the dishes on the stone table.
As Ye Yunniang ate, Li’er shared the latest gossip.
"Did you hear? Second Madam’s miscarriage was caused by Immortal Lady Ma?" Li’er dropped the bombshell.
"People had been saying Second Madam might not carry this child to term. And now, it’s happened. What a pity!" Li’er sighed, feeling sorry for Zhuang Meixue.
"Are you sure? Wasn’t Immortal Lady Ma supposed to be skilled in protecting pregnancies?" Ye Yunniang paused, her spoon hovering over her soup.
Chunyao had once said Immortal Lady Ma guarded her reputation fiercely and would never risk damaging it.
Immortal Lady Ma was indeed cautious—but she had overlooked one detail.
Though Zhuang Meixue’s name contained the character for "plum," she was actually allergic to plums and anything made from them.
All food and drink sent to Qushui Courtyard underwent strict inspection to ensure no traces of plum were present.
Zhuang Meixue herself was also careful, rarely eating outside and always cautious at banquets.
Fearing exploitation, she had never disclosed this weakness.
Immortal Lady Ma didn’t know.
Zhuang Meixue trusted Immortal Lady Ma’s methods for safeguarding pregnancies.
When her morning sickness grew severe, Immortal Lady Ma prescribed her a secret remedy for nausea, based on past experience.
This so-called remedy was actually sour plum juice mixed with a few anti-nausea herbs.
For most expectant mothers, it worked.
But Zhuang Meixue was different—she was allergic to plums.
After drinking the remedy, she had a reaction.
Immortal Lady Ma dismissed it as normal, and Zhuang Meixue, trusting her, continued taking it.
Her allergic reaction worsened, and with the pregnancy already unstable, the child was lost before it could be born.
"Second Madam suffered so much, waiting so long for this child, only to lose it." Ye Yunniang felt deep sympathy for Zhuang Meixue.
"It’s all that wretched Immortal Lady Ma’s fault!" Li’er said bitterly.
Remembering the previous night and the unborn child’s longing, Ye Yunniang wished she could slap Immortal Lady Ma twice.
"What happened to Immortal Lady Ma?"
"I heard that on the very day of the miscarriage, she was arrested. When Second Madam learned the child was lost, she immediately wanted to have Immortal Lady Ma beaten to death. But she was stopped by the Second Master, who had rushed back in time. He had Immortal Lady Ma sent to the prefectural prison instead, accusing her of scheming for wealth and murder."
Snap.
