In the evening, seeing that the young lady still hadn't woken up, Cuizhu couldn't help but enter, thinking to wake her so she could eat dinner before sleeping further.
What she saw then was a startling scene—her... her young lady's entire head was shimmering with a golden light, more radiant than the most precious gold jewelry she had ever seen.
Cuizhu was so frightened she fell to the floor. The commotion drew in Cuiyu, who was also startled, stumbling back a few steps and hitting the doorframe. Ignoring the pain, Cuiyu's mind was filled with the urgent need to report this to the masters.
She herself was too shaken to move, so she called for Qingzhu, telling her to hurry to the main courtyard to fetch the master, the mistress, the eldest master, and his wife.
"Just... just say the sev... seventh young lady has had an incident."
She waved urgently at Qingzhu, signaling her to go quickly.
Cuiyu hadn't fully grasped the situation; saying the young lady had an 'incident' was disrespectful, but she couldn't worry about that now.
The fate of everyone in their quarters was tied to the young lady alone. If something happened to her, they would all be in trouble!
Qingzhu didn't know what had happened, but seeing Cuizhu, who had entered the young lady's room and not come out, and Cuiyu with her deathly pale face, Qingzhu's heart also began to pound with anxiety.
The unknown is the most terrifying. Her panic, combined with the slippery snowy path, caused her to stumble and fall several times on the way.
By the time she reached the main courtyard, she looked rather disheveled.
Before she could even speak, Yu Chongshan and the Old Mistress Yu immediately recognized Qingzhu as one of the four senior maids from their granddaughter's chambers.
Seeing Qingzhu's disheveled state, the elderly couple sensed something was wrong, their hands trembling so much that the chopsticks they held fell to the floor with a crisp clatter.
That sound struck Yu Chongshan's heart. He forced himself to stand up and asked across the dining table, "Qingzhu, why are you here? Where is... where is Fuguang?"
He wanted to ask if something had happened to his granddaughter, but the words stuck in his throat! He feared speaking them would be inauspicious!
"Master, Old Mistress, Sister Cuiyu sent me to fetch you and the eldest master and his wife. She said the young lady... the young lady has had an incident!"
Upon hearing this, the Old Mistress felt dizzy. A senior maid quickly supported her, preventing her from collapsing. "What do you mean 'had an incident'? Explain clearly!"
Qingzhu stammered; she didn't know either, she was just the messenger!
The old lady tried to stand twice but couldn't, finally managing to rise only with the support of the senior maid beside her.
Seeing that Qingzhu knew nothing, Yu Chongshan didn't waste time. He turned to his personal attendant and said, "Go, fetch the eldest master."
"Let's go... see our granddaughter." He patted his wife's hand, comforting her, "We know who our granddaughter is. She... will be fine!"
These words were as much to comfort his wife as himself.
The Old Mistress Yu was so shocked her legs went weak, and the path was slippery. In the end, a sturdy servant woman carried her on her back to the Bright Moon Pavilion.
The elderly couple, supporting each other, entered the inner chamber. As soon as they did, they saw the same sight that had stunned Cuizhu. Yu Chongshan immediately waved his hand, dismissing everyone present, including Cuizhu and Cuiyu, shooing out all non-essential personnel.
Knowing their granddaughter's origins, the two elders felt half their worries melt away upon seeing this scene. Now, besides shock, they had lost their earlier panic, though they were still somewhat unclear about the current situation.
That golden, radiant head was more dazzling than gold itself. Standing closer, they could even feel a profound comfort emanating from within their bodies.
The two quickly took two steps back. Without needing to be told, they knew this light was something good. They couldn't stand too close, lest they absorb it all and their granddaughter receive less?
They had only retreated two steps when they bumped into their eldest son, Yu Zhongchun, and his wife, Madam Zhang, who were rushing in frantically from outside.
"Father, Mother, how is Fuguang?" Yu Zhongchun asked anxiously before even seeing the situation inside.
Yu Chongshan shot him a glare. "Keep your voice down, boy! Don't disturb my granddaughter!"
As Yu Chongshan turned, he revealed Yue Fuguang lying unconscious on the bed.
"This... this..." The couple was so startled they retreated two steps, then quickly covered their mouths, remembering the old master's scolding.
Their golden, shimmering daughter shocked them immensely!
"Father, what's happening to my daughter? Will she be alright?" Yu Zhongchun wanted to move closer for a look.
"Quiet! You'll be in trouble before she ever is!"
Yu Chongshan lowered his voice and waved at the restless Yu Zhongchun. "Go, both of you, walk up to Fuguang's bedside and carefully sense the feeling. Go quickly and come back quickly."
Yu Chongshan feared that he and his wife, being old, might have misperceived, hence he wanted his son and daughter-in-law to test it as well.
Yu Zhongchun and his wife didn't understand their father's meaning, but they obediently complied.
The closer they got to Yue Fuguang on the bed, the more comfortable their bodies felt...
Sitting in the main hall of the Bright Moon Pavilion, the four were momentarily silent. Finally, Yu Zhongchun couldn't help but ask, "Father, do you think this state means something good for Fuguang?"
"Yes, Father," Madam Zhang chimed in. "That golden light felt extremely soothing on us. Our Fuguang will be fine. She's not a divine..." Before she could finish, both father and son stopped her, making shushing gestures.
Little did they know, the mysterious artifact they cautiously guarded against was currently confined, unaware of everything.
"Your wife is right," the Old Mistress said, leaning close to her daughter-in-law. Hearing Madam Zhang's words made her feel even more at ease. "Fuguang will be fine. She is... cultivating. The golden light is a good sign."
However, Yu Chongshan, who had just calmed down, wasn't entirely pleased. He glanced outside, saw everyone was over ten meters away, then lowered his voice to a whisper. "Given Fuguang's condition, should we report it to His Majesty?"
Yu Zhongchun initially wanted to say no, but then he remembered the commotion they had caused coming over. By now, probably every master in the mansion knew, and his younger brothers would surely come as well.
It would be even more impossible to hide it from His Majesty, who kept a close watch on their family, and their colleagues.
Sure enough, before they could say more, Yu Shuchun and his wife, followed by Yu Qinchun and Yu Mochun with their wives, entered one after another.
As soon as they saw the four, they eagerly asked about Yue Fuguang's condition. Their father's personal attendant was guarding the courtyard gate, only allowing the adults in; the younger generation were all held back outside.
Seeing this array, the brothers felt very anxious. The Yu family's precious treasure must not have even the slightest mishap!
Yu Chongshan didn't explain much, simply waving for them to take a glance inside from the bedroom doorway.
After looking, their expressions were indeed a sight to behold, especially that of the uninformed Second Madam Yu, who almost cried out in shock.
However, before she could speak, Yu Shuchun promptly covered her mouth and pulled her to the main hall.
Yu Chongshan glanced at him and said, "Second daughter-in-law, not a single word of what you saw today is to be revealed. The same goes for everyone else, otherwise, this family will have no place for her!"
After this warning, he said to Yu Shuchun, "When you return to your own courtyard, tell your wife what can be said." He estimated that with the mysterious restrictions in place, not much could be said anyway.
Since even these few had been alarmed and come, Yu Chongshan sighed inwardly. It seemed they couldn't keep it from His Majesty either.
He slowly stood up. "Your mother and eldest sister-in-law will stay here. The rest of you may return for now."
Then, to Yu Zhongchun, he said, "Eldest, come with your father to the palace to see His Majesty."
