Chapter 49: Ruse of Self-Injury

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Yu Zongzheng’s pent-up energy instantly dissipated. He stood by the table with a dark expression and as he looked at the seductive Concubine He in front of him, he grew increasingly infuriated.

“Master…” Concubine He’s body trembled slightly as she sat on the edge of the table. She was propped up on her arms, and her body was leaning back, looking relatively calm.

However, in her heart, she hated Madam Yang for being so cunning. She was also angry at the maidservants in the courtyard for being incompetent, not being able to stop Nanny Li and allowing her to barge into the courtyard.

Nanny Li probably had no idea of what was going on in the room, and hadn’t expected that as soon as the Eldest Master entered Concubine He’s room, he had not even bothered to eat and had already taken off his clothes and started doing it with Concubine He instead.

Seeing that the Master did not answer, Nanny Li raised her voice and urged, “Master, due to her previous fall, Third Miss has damaged her core vitality. In February, she has already been sick a few times. This time, it seems to be a little serious. Madam is also panicking, so she has asked me to come over and call Master over to help make a decision.”

Master usually fell for this most often.

As long as he was in the residence, no matter how busy he was, the moment he heard that Third Miss was not feeling well, he would visit to take a look.

The devilish fire was still burning in him, and his body struggled to hold it in. For a moment, his eyes flashed green, and it was clear that he still had unsatisfied desires.

However, he also truly doted on Yu Jianjia. When he heard that Yu Jianjia was seriously ill, he couldn’t possibly still care about his own pleasure. He hurriedly pulled up his pants and adjusted his clothes. Then, he said to Concubine He, “Jianjia is sick. I’ll go visit her and come back to you tomorrow.”

Concubine He nodded reluctantly. “Third Miss’s health is more important. Master, quickly go take a look. I’ll be waiting for you to come visit me when you’re free.”

Hearing her soft and gentle voice, Yu Zongzheng felt a little bad. While still having Concubine He’s soft and svelte waist in his mind, he lifted the curtain and left.

When he arrived at the courtyard, he saw that Yu Jianjia was unconscious. The blood in her face had drained completely, and she looked as pale as a sheet of paper.

Worried about her daughter, Yang Shuwan was clutching onto her handkerchief and sitting on the edge of the bed, crying her heart out. She exuded the aura of a young lady, and she looked delicate and pitiful.

Most of Yu Zongzheng’s unhappiness dissipated. “How’s Jia Jia?”

He thought to herself that Madam Yang was gentle and demure, and had been in charge of the household for many years, without making any major mistakes. Perhaps the servants took advantage of her kindness, hence leaking information about matters within the residence to outsiders. She couldn’t exactly be blamed for that.

Moreover, Madam Yang treated him sincerely. Back then, she had given herself to him and suffered a lot.

Yang Shuwan cried and said in a sad voice, “Hui Xiang hasn’t returned yet. Mu Jin is brewing medicine. It’s the medicine that Jia Jia usually takes, but I’m not even sure if it really helps.”

Yu Zongzheng’s face dropped, and he sat on the chair without saying anything for a long time.

There was a long period of silence in the room.

Yang Shuwan seemed to be unable to stand his cold treatment. Her face was pale and her eyes were filled with tears. “Master, are you resenting me for being meddlesome? I hadn’t wanted to vex you with such trivial matters, but you insisted that we tell you. Jia Jia only said a little more because her heart ached for me, her mother. I didn’t expect it to end up making the both of us, mother and daughter, the enemies of everyone?”

With that, the tears that had been welling up in her eyes for a long time streamed down.

Seeing how pitifully she was crying, Yu Zongzheng’s remaining anger dissipated a little more, but his expression still did not look too good.

Yang Shuwan’s voice sounded miserable, and she sobbed as she said, “Yao Yao is Master’s eldest daughter. If word gets out that I don’t care about her, then I, as her stepmother, will become known as a bad person. I’m merely a housewife, so at most, I’ll just become the subject of some gossip. But if I implicate Master and the Yu family’s reputation, I’ll become a sinner in this residence. Everyone says that it’s tricky to be a stepmother, but I thought that Master would understand my difficulties…”

Every word and sentence showed consideration for the Yu family, for him, and none for herself at all. This made Yu Zongzheng recall the sincere words that Madam Yang had said after he had mistakenly dragged her into bed thinking that she was a maidservant back then. Instantly, the little bit of anger that was left in his heart disappeared completely.

At the time, Madam Yang had almost died because of him.

At this moment, the unconscious Yu Jianjia slowly woke up. When she saw her father, her face was pale as she said weakly, “Father, don’t be angry with Mother. I shouldn’t have talked about Eldest Sister in front of you and caused a misunderstanding. Father, if you want to be angry, blame me instead, I… When I recover, I’ll apologize to Eldest Sister and won’t let her suffer unfairly. I…” As she spoke, she coughed violently a few times, but before she could finish her words, she fainted again.

Yang Shuwan rushed to the bed and called out to Yu Jianjia frantically.

When Yu Zongzheng saw that his daughter had fainted again, he no longer cared about being angry. He quickly called Zhao Da over, took his own official badge, and sent someone to invite Imperial Physician Hu.

The house of the main courtyard was in chaos.

Meanwhile, Old Madam Yu was sitting on the edge of Yu Youyao’s bed and talking to her when she heard Nanny Liu report that Third Miss had fainted and seemed to be seriously ill. Madam Yang instructed Nanny Li to invite Eldest Master over from Concubine He’s house, then he in turn sent someone to get Imperial Physician Hu.

The main courtyard’s tricks could only trick a fool like Yu Zongzheng. Did they think that everyone was stupid?

Old Madam Yu scoffed coldly. “Let them do as they please!”

Seeing her grandmother’s weary expression, Yu Youyao’s heart ached. “Grandmother, I’m fine now. Don’t worry about me anymore. You should hurry back to the North Courtyard to rest.”

Old Madam Yu did not insist on staying either. She asked Nanny Liu to help her up, but just as she was about to leave, the chaos in the main courtyard had spread to the Jade Courtyard.

Yu Zongzheng and Yang Shuwan had brought Imperial Physician Hu, who was carrying a medicine case, to the Jade Courtyard.

Old Madam Yu frowned.

Seeing that the Old Madam did not look too happy, Yu Zongzheng also felt a little awkward. He hurriedly said, “Mother, Jia Jia is seriously ill. I sent someone to get Imperial Physician Hu to come and treat her, but this child, Jia Jia, was so pure and filial, that after seeing Imperial Physician Hu, the first thing she asked was if he had checked Grandmother’s pulse yet and refused to let Imperial Physician Hu treat her first. When I heard that Mother was still here at Jade Courtyard, I brought Imperial Physician Hu over first.”

Old Madam Yu’s expression was frighteningly somber. “Is taking my pulse more important than helping my granddaughter, who’s seriously ill and waiting to be treated?”

She shouldn’t have said this in front of outsiders, but Madam Yang and her daughter were too much—now they were even using her for their schemes. She was already so old, with one foot in the grave, so she refused to help them manipulate her eldest son, and she might as well make that loud and clear.

Yu Zongzheng was stunned. Clearly, he had not expected this.

Yang Shuwan held the handkerchief in her hand. Perhaps because she had cried previously, her face was pale and she looked even worse than a terminally ill patient. “Jia Jia has always been filial. She said that Imperial Physician Hu’s medical skills are brilliant, and it’s rare for him to make a visit to our residence today. It’s only right that Grandmother consults him first.”