Chapter 1003 Did She Lose Control of the Emotions or the Mind?
“Eldest Young Madam, Eldest Young Madam, please get an imperial physician for my Lady. She fainted!” Yujie ran in in a hurry, looking fl.u.s.tered.
“What? Did she pa.s.s out?” Zhao Xiran was stunned and asked in a hurry.
“My Lady has been in poor health these days. She suddenly blacked out when chanting sutras. Eldest Young Madam, could you please send for an imperial physician from the Palace?” Yujie was with great anxiety.
“Let’s call in a doctor first.” Zhao Xiran chose otherwise.
“No, please don’t. Ordinary doctors might not be capable enough to deal with her illness. If so, we can’t bear the responsibility!” Yujie looked so anxious as if she was going to cry immediately.
No matter how much Shao Wanru favored her, as a humble maid, she couldn’t bear the consequences of this severe emergency.
“But, at the moment… I can’t do get any imperial physician…” Zhao Xiran hesitated. She didn’t lie, but in truth, both Madam Jiang and Old Madam had the authority to approve that.
“Anyone? Go and fetch an imperial physician at once!” Infanta Yuan’an, standing by for a chance to show goodwill, ordered an old maid beside her.
The old maid hurriedly left.
“Let’s go and check on Princess Chen first. Maybe she swooned because of Madam Jiang.” Infanta Yuan’an rose to her feet, flas.h.i.+ng her eyes at Madam Jiang.
Madam Jiang couldn’t fill up gaps in her explanation of what she had done. She looked guilty and fl.u.s.tered, well on her way to s.h.i.+fting all the blame to Shao Wanru.
Her dishonorable acts in the mourning hall must have knocked Shao Wanru out.
“Carry Princess Chen to the courtyard nearby to have a rest, and wait for the imperial physician to come.” Zhao Xiran instructed, asking several servant girls to leave with Yujie.
Shao Wanru fell into a faint, but she couldn’t let her lay unconscious in the mourning hall. Besides, they needed a proper place for the imperial physician to examine her carefully.
“Infanta Yuan’an, Eldest Young Madam Shao, see you again! I’d better leave you in peace so you can help Princess Chen without interruptions. Also, I have some business to attend to.” Qiu Yu took two steps forward and said.
He had wanted to leave for a long time. If he had any chance, he would go away. This matter embarra.s.sed him a lot.
“How could you walk away just like that?” Infanta Yuan’an looked with a knowing smirk at him.
Qiu Yu, inexplicably, panicked and asked with confusion in his eyes, “But is there anything else, Infanta Yuan’an?”
“I’m fine. It’s just that you may not explain it away when Prince Chen returns one day. He might think that you p.i.s.sed Princess Chen off,” Infanta Yuan’an said, curling up the corner of her mouth.
Prince Chen never had the patience to wait for an explanation. He had just broken Qu Xinghong’s hand at the palace gate before Qu Xinghong could come up with any excuses. Now it was Qiu Yu’s turn.
For some reason, Infanta Yuan’an found some pleasure in seeing him make an a.s.s of himself. Her second brother had suffered, and she was very bitter about that. But this time, she felt good because Qiu Yu would also get punished.
Compared with Qiu Yu, her second brother was good-for-nothing. But so what? Qiu Yu also came a cropper at Shao Wanru.
“I was here for a case. Besides, I’ve never provoked Princess Chen or talked to her. Instead, Madam Jiang…” Qiu Yu’s eyelids twitched as he cast Madam Jiang a significant glance.
In a case like that, how could he not think about Prince Chen’s tyranny? His problem seemed insignificant compared with Madam Jiang’s. Anyway, Madam Jiang had done so many disgraceful things. After she framed Princess Chen on purpose just now, Qiu Yu had such a panic fear. Lucky for him, he made the right choice and did not frame up Princess Chen with Madam Jiang. Otherwise, he would not have been able to get away.
“Infanta Yuan’an, let’s talk about this later. When Prince Chen gets back to the capital, I will visit him and apologize. Now I have errands to run for the Ministry of Justice. Please excuse me!” Qiu Yu bowed deeply to Infanta Yuan’an.
His heart was beating fast with fright, and he had a foreboding that it was dangerous to stay here. He had to leave as soon as possible to avoid trouble.
This time, Infanta Yuan’an didn’t stop him. She smiled and nodded. “See you then, Lord Qiu!”
Her tongue sounded polite and kind. Nevertheless, she knew deep down that Qiu Yu, who had been painfully entangled, could no longer pull himself away from this matter, no matter how fast he walked away now.
“Infanta Yuan’an, let’s go and see her together!” Zhao Xiran invited her. She could see that Infanta Yuan’an was here to support Shao Wanru and would not leave easily.
“Humph? Infanta Yuan’an must have made up her mind to help Shao Wanru.” Zhao Xiran thought of this unexpected thing with a slight frown. Now, there was one more vigorous opponent: Infanta Yuan’an.
“Alright, let’s go take a look together!” Infanta Yuan’an nodded readily.
“Xiran, I’ll go too. I want to see if Wanru is okay.” Madam Jiang seemed to have suddenly sobered up. By grabbing Zhao Xiran’s hand, she rose to her feet with difficulty.
“Mother, you should go back and rest. You’ve been in poor health, so you’d better rest for a while.” Zhao Xiran comforted her.
“No, I must go. I can’t let anything happen to Wanru here!” Madam Jiang looked very obstinate and reached out to pull Zhao Xiran. It seemed as if she would not let Zhao Xiran go there without her. She was somewhat abnormal and got a little overexcited.
“Mother, calm down. Princess Chen will be okay. Don’t worry. Everything will be all right!” Zhao Xiran rea.s.sured and pacified her kindly with great patience. Her soft and gentle voice sounded comforting.
“Is that so?” Madam Jiang asked suspiciously, “Will Princess Chen be fine?”
“Of course. Don’t worry, mother!” Zhao Xiran smiled rea.s.suringly.
“Good. That’s great. I’m glad Princess Chen is fine. At a glance, I knew her trusted maid was not a good one. We should keep watch on her movements in case she should do anything to hurt Princess Chen.” Madam Jiang murmured repeatedly. It seemed that she was talking to Zhao Xiran, but no one knew for sure to whom she was speaking.
Finally, Infanta Yuan’an and several Madams noticed something unusual. One of them couldn’t help but ask, “Eldest Young Madam Shao, Madam Jiang… Is there anything wrong with her?”
However they looked at her, they didn’t think she was in a normal state of mind. They had mocked Madam Jiang in their hearts. Even in that situation, she wanted to frame Princess Chen and draw Qiu Yu over to her side, forcing him to admit he had seen the maid do something wrong. To them, Madam Jiang had gotten what she deserved after doing so many evil things.
Even in such an emergency, Madam Jiang chose to provoke Princess Chen rather than plead with her. She was such a fool!
“Mother… Ever since she went down Yuhui Nunnery, she… she has been behaving very oddly lately!” Zhao Xiran lowered her head, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.
“Did any doctor check her out?” another Madam asked while pondering over the matter. “She must have been locked up for a long time, so her behavior becomes highly irregular. Or maybe this former Madam of Marquis Xing, who had a glorious past, went made after a series of blows?
The few Madams with the same kind of thinking observed Madam Jiang in astonishment.
Madam Jiang’s expression looked normal at this moment, but she held her daughter-in-law’s sleeves rigidly with great strength, which didn’t look right. Madam Jiang was an elder, but she pulled Zhao Xiran’s sleeves like a stubborn child. Though her face was calm, her gla.s.sy eyes seemed overly excited. When a Madam met her gaze, she was so scared that she immediately looked away.
Madam Jiang’s eyes appeared agitated and ferocious.
“She has been checked by a doctor. He didn’t say anything, just saying she needed to recover from her injury first!” Zhao Xiran smiled and fudged the answer. Neither did she say Madam Jiang was crazy, nor did she admit she was insane. However, judging by Madam Jiang’s conduct, the others on the spot thought she would be cracked, sooner or later.
“Send your mother-in-law to have a rest. How can she come out when she is like this? She has even annoyed Princess Chen!” a Madam stood up and said.
Since she had mental problems, how could she be allowed to wander around? Fortunately, she just made a scene before the mourning hall and hadn’t yet hit anyone. If she struck Princess Chen, even the Marquis Xing’s Mansion would land itself in serious trouble.
Everyone sneered at Madam Jiang behind her. They would understand her strange behaviors when they saw that she was delirious. After all, she was out of her senses. No wonder she had done so many disgraceful things and talked nonsense.
Everyone was very tolerant of a person who had mental problems.
“Come on, send your Madam back to rest!” Zhao Xiran raised her voice after thanking the other Madams’ kindness.
Two maids came over to send Madam Jiang back. However, she seized Zhao Xiran’s hand with great strength and refused to let go. They couldn’t pull her away no matter how hard they tried.
The two maids could not take away Madam Jiang by force in front of everyone, so they could only try to coax and persuade her into leaving with them, but they failed.
“Take Madam Jiang with us and let her rest outside. Let’s go to see Princess Chen!” Infanta Yuan’an said impatiently.
Anyway, it seemed that they couldn’t pull Madam Jiang away.
“Okay!” Zhao Xiran said helplessly. She reached out to hold Madam Jiang’s hand and graciously walked out with her, seemingly not disgusted by her at all. Along the way, Zhao Xiran took good care of Madam Jiang and walked very slowly. From time to time, she would deliberately stop and comfort Madam Jiang in a gentle voice.
Seeing Zhao Xiran like this, several Madams following them nodded secretly. “Minister Zhao’s eldest legitimate daughter is indeed decent and filial.”
They followed the servants of the Marquis Xing’s Mansion to an empty courtyard beside the sacrificial hall. Yujie happened to come out with red eyes as they entered. When she saw Infanta Yuan’an and others, she hurried forward and said, “Greetings, Infanta Yuan’an and Eldest Young Madam. Her Highness is not awake yet. I want to go to the door to see if the imperial physician is here!”
“Relax. Why are you so anxious? Some people at the door are waiting for the imperial physician, who will soon arrive. Nothing will be delayed. Hasn’t your master woken up yet?” asked Infanta Yuan’an.
“She is in a coma. I don’t know what I can do!” Yujie was so worried that she was near to tears. Such an emergency happened when there were no other masters in Prince Chen’s Mansion. As a servant girl, it was not strange for her to feel scared and fl.u.s.tered.
“Let’s go inside and take a look. Serve your master nearby. At this time, you can’t leave her alone!” Infanta Yuan’an scolded in a low voice.
“Yes, I know. I will go back to accompany my Lady immediately!” Yujie nodded obediently. After bowing to Infanta Yuan’an, she turned around and hurried back.
“This maid is sensible.” Infanta Yuan’an nodded, praising Yujie in her heart. Suddenly, she remembered that Yujie was the same maid who stood before Shao Wanru and saved her from the misfortune when she pushed her brother down. As a result, Infanta Yuan’an had to give in and help Shao Wanru. When Infanta Yuan’an knew the ins and outs of the matter, her face darkened…