Chapter 283 How and Why Did Miscarriage Happen?
For ordinary people, the news about who and who got married in the royal family was a new topic; but for those who had long known the news, they were little interested in it.
To Qiu Yelan, in particular, she did not care about it. After returning to the capital, there was a concern waiting for her: Qiu Jinglan and Ruan Ciyi’s mourning period was over.
With Xue Chang and the Jiang Family as supporters of Qiu Jinglan, he did not need to worry about his position.
But for his insistence on a west trip, Qiu Yelan and Ruan Ciyi were worried a lot.
“About this, I have already made up my mind. You don’t need to stop me anymore!” Qiu Jinglan lightly interrupted them, who were trying to stop him from travelling west. He put a roster on the table and said, “Those are the families I picked for Ciyi. I have already explored the background of the families. They are all good families… You take a look. If you are interested in some one, go and meet him personally.”
Ruan Ciyi, who had just pulled out her handkerchief and was ready to cry, said in surprise, “Are you kidding? I’m old…”
A thirtysomething was really old on this day – most people already had grandchildren.
But Qiu Jinglan had his thoughts, “Although you are no longer young, you are still in your prime. I can’t let you live your life alone like this.”
“Nonsense!” Ruan Ciyi said unhappily, “I have you and Yelan! You don’t like me at home anymore?”
“Of course not…”
Ruan Ciyi unceremoniously interrupted his words, “In that case, if you do not mind me living in your house, I can take care of your house when you are not at home. That will be perfect! After you get married, I will enjoy even more happiness! In the future, after you have children and grandchildren, I can also give you a hand! Why do you give me this roster?”
“Ciyi, you don’t want to have your own children?” Qiu Jinglan pointed to the roster, “There are many men who have no children. And they are healthy, honest, and generous…”
“Anyway, I don’t want to get married!” Ruan Ciyi’s face became gloomy. “You go and get married if you think he is good!”
Qiu Jinglan listened to her huffed words. He was at a loss. He wanted to say something but he was afraid that his words might provoke Ruan Ciyi again. So, he made a wink to Qiu Yelan and excused himself, “Ling Zui is on his way here. I go to the front hall, waiting for him.”
After he left, Qiu Yelan cautiously said, “Ciyi, Jinglan did not mean to hurt you. He cares about you…”
“Do you think I don’t know what he means well?” Ruan Ciyi looked at her with a complicated expression. She added, “What I said that he dislikes me and others, I did not mean it, either! But did you ever think that he is so eager to get me married just because he is afraid that I will be alone in the future?”
She dismissed the crowd and said in a low voice, “I am worried that he is not sure about his west trip, but he can’t let go of his aunt and uncle’s revenge and has to make such a trip – He is afraid that if he fails to return, I won’t be able to manage the house. So, he hurried to find me a man!”
In the first place, Qiu Yelan was very worried about Qiu Jinglan’s trip to the west. After hearing Ruan Ciyi’s words, she felt more worried about him.
However, Qiu Jinglan was a typical paternalistic man. He wouldn’t allow his two sisters to defy his order. Seeing that Ruan Ciyi always refused to get married, Qiu Yelan always ran over to persuade him not to travel west, and even said to force Jiang Yashuang to stop him. He was angry. He decided to choose a man for Ruan Ciyi himself and make her get married as soon as possible.
He even said “If you dare to forget the feud between the two families, I will break off the brother-sister relationship with you” to Qiu Yelan, which made her obediently shut up!
Qiu Yelan, who did not dare to persuade her brother again after hearing his words, fought her way back to her house. Just the moment she entered, Xiaran greeted her with a gloomy face, reporting, “Madame, fourteenth madame… She has a miscarriage!”
“How is that possible?!” Qiu Yelan was shocked. Seeing that there were no others around, she asked in a low voice, “Didn’t I ask you to tell her about the cakes last time? How did that happen?”
Xiaran gave a bitter smile, “It is said that because of the twelfth young master in grandsons. He is naughty. He hid a snake in his sleeve, ran to meet the fourteenth madame, and let the fourteenth madame guess what he was carrying in his sleeve… Although they have pulled the snake’s teeth, the fourteenth madame was scared to death when she touched it…”
Jiang Jingzhui, the twelfth young master in grandsons, was the son of Jiang Yaqing, the sixth young master. Although he was only six years and he could defend himself by saying he was young and naive, there was a saying, “Father is to blame for his son’s faults.” Thus, the feud between the family of He Shuijin and the family of Jiang Yaqing began!
“I didn’t hear that Madame Shi and Madame Zhang defied their mother-in-law before. He Shuijin is both shrewd and delicate. She is less likely to cause trouble for her aunt. Is Madame He out of her mind?” Qiu Yelan believed that Jiang Jingzhui must be instigated and guided by someone else. As a six-year-old child, even in ancient times, he was old enough to be sensible. Not to mention the generation where boys and girls had different tables at the age of seven. A twelve-or-thirteen-year-old child should be deemed as an adult. How could he be so undisciplined?
And if Jiang Jingzhui was being used, Madame He, who had tried to cause trouble for her daughter-in-law in the past, was undoubtedly the most likely culprit behind it!
Qiu Yelan frowned tightly for a moment before saying, “Go and get prepared. I’ll go and check it out!”
Xiaran said, “I have packed something… Not sure if it is enough.”
“Even if we give Shuijin a treasure bowl now, I’m afraid she does not care about it. It is just a demonstration of how much we care about her,” Qiu Yelan pursed her lips. He Shuijin was so scared of the snake that she had a miscarriage, which was much more serious than a miscarriage caused by eating a cake. This could lead to He Shuijin’s death! If this was really Madame He’s intention, she was a demon. Even if she did not care about her daughter-in-law or her own niece, she must know that the one He Shuijin was carrying was her own grandchild!
When she arrived at He Shuijin’s yard, Madame Dou and Madame Dou Junior had arrived earlier than her. Madame Shi and Madame Zhang, needless to say, were serving around – Madame Shi’s eyes were red and swollen from crying. She looked upset. There was dust on the top of her skirt at the knee, and there were bruises on her forehead, which obviously demonstrated that she apologized and kowtowed just now.
The two generations of sisters-in-law crowded the s.p.a.cious inner room. Qiu Yelan arrived later than them. She had to stand outside the crowd.
Although there was a room of visitors, He Shuijin did not say h.e.l.lo to any of them. She was lying in the half-open mosquito net, giving her back to the crowd. No matter who came, she had no response.
Everyone knew she must be in a very bad mood at the moment. So, they could understand what she did. They spoke to her warmly and softly for comfort.
Qiu Yelan stood in the crowd for a while, seeing no opportunity to talk to He Shuijin alone. So, she quietly retreated. She wanted to find if any confidant maids were not serving inside so that she could ask about the situation privately.
When she went outside on the corridor, she saw anxious and guilty-looking Madame He, who was accompanying Madame Tao. Madame He said sincerely as she was walking, “It’s all my fault. An overly tolerant mother will lead to spoiling her children! Usually, it doesn’t matter if I spoil Jingzhui. However, I spoiled him so much that he did such a heartless thing! I really don’t know how I can explain to you and the He Family now!”
Madame Tao’s face was grave and cold. She said dismissively, “Since this is your son’s trouble, I’ll leave it up to you to use your discretion! I came here just for Shuijin. What a poor girl she is. Before she was married, she had done a lot of work for the family. But now she is in such a situation! It’s unbelievable!”
With a twinkle in her eye, Madame He bowed his head and said, “Yes!”
Qiu Yelan had a cold smile in her heart. Madame He could sacrifice everything it took for her end. Jiang Jingzhui was Madame Shi’s grandson. After he did such a thing, his grandmother criticized him for being “unbelievable”, which meant that his future was bleak!
At this time, Madame Tao and her followers also arrived close to Qiu Yelan. Qiu Yelan bowed: “Grandmother, Madame He!”
Madame Tao was concerned about He Shuijin. She was not in the mood to say back. After nodding, she crossed the threshold and went into the room. But Madame He did not follow her immediately. She paused and said softly to Qiu Yelan like “We are family. No need to salute. Have you seen Shuijin yet?”
Seeing Madame Tao going into the room without greeting but Madame He stopped to say h.e.l.lo to her, Qiu Yelan was surer that He Shuijin’s miscarriage had something to do with Madame He, “The affection Madame Tao to He Shuijin is growing as the time goes. They have no blood relationship. However, Madame Tao hurried to see He Shuijin as she cared for her so much. As He Shuijin’s aunt, Madame He did not go into the room directly instead of stopping to inquire from me. She must have a guilty conscience and dared not face He Shuijin.”
But, the tragic part was that He Shuijin was Madame He’s niece. If the two of them had not married into the same family, with the character of He Shuijin, she would have reported what she did to her after knowing that there was something wrong with the cakes.
If Madame He were revealed to have poisoned her own daughter-in-law, the entire reputation of the He Family would have been tarnished. In that case, it would be not good for He Shuijin herself and it would be an outcome she did not want to see.
“I guess it is He Shuijin who kept silent after she knew that Madame He did something bad, which caused Madame He dared to do something much worse. Or, Madame He also knew that even after He Shuijin found out about her poisoning, she wouldn’t reveal it.” Qiu Yelan thought to herself and sighed. “What a tragedy to have such a relative.”
Madame He stopped and spoke to her after a few words, and then they heard Madame Tao’s trembling voice coming from inside, “Shuijin? Shuijin? Good girl. Don’t do this. You are young. You still have a future! Will you say anything? Or turn around and let Grandma look at you, okay?”
Immediately afterward, Madame Dou and the others followed to comfort, speaking at the same time. Although what they said was trying to comfort He Shuijin, Madame Tao got annoyed and lashed out at them, “Stop it! All get out!”
Since Qiu Yelan got married, this was the first time for her to see Madame Tao lose her temper with family members rather than her maids and concubines. She was startled, “It seems that Madame Tao has a high regard for He Shuijin.”
Although she was startled, Madame He was heartened. She took the opportunity to go in and mediate, “Mother wants to talk to Shuijin alone for a while. Sisters-in-law, why don’t we wait outside?” She also called her nieces and daughters-in-law, “Come out and wait at the door. If Mother needs something, she will call us.”
So, mesdames and young mesdames excused themselves and all stood at the door — All of them crowded together in the corridor. It was only the beginning of autumn, not hot or cold. As they were afraid of disturbing Madame Tao and He Shuijin inside, they couldn’t talk with each other. So, they were standing face to face and feeling awkward.
Seeing this, Madame He regretted that what she had just said was unthoughtful and led to this cold scene. She was trying to ease the atmosphere when she heard intermittent crying coming from inside. Madame Tao must whisper something to He Shuijin, which touched He Shuijin who had been silent.
Madame Dou exchanged a glance with Huang and Madame Mi. At the same time, they revealed a relieved look. They whispered, “Mother is a mother. She can finally persuade Shuijin to talk… That’s so great!”
Madame He took the opportunity to say, “Then let’s leave them alone and go home first. Let the maids stand here and wait for orders.”
Madame He was the host. She led the way in front and led everyone to the Flower Hall for tea. Qiu Yelan followed the crowd. Suddenly Madame Dou Junior slowed herself down, coming to her and saying softly, “Yelan, let’s go together later?”