Chapter 419

**Chapter 425: Undeserved Calamity (Middle)**

"How is it?" the Dowager stood up anxiously. "Did you find out anything else?"

Lord Xu glanced at Madam Shiyi. "The matrons on duty said they saw a shadow enter the main residence."

Madam Shiyi was horrified.

In the Xu household, only her own quarters could be called the main residence.

"I've already sent someone to fetch Little Five," Lord Xu said coldly. "He'll help investigate thoroughly." He looked at the Dowager, but his words were clearly for Madam Shiyi. "Have Amber tell Song Mama to lock down the main residence and wait for Little Five to arrive."

Was he avoiding her?

Her gaze wavered slightly.

But she quickly reasoned with herself: if she were in his position, she would likely act the same way.

She straightened her back and softly instructed Amber, "Go tell Song Mama to seal all the doors and have everyone in the courtyard—whether visiting or playing—stay where they are. Anyone who dares to move will receive ten cane strokes immediately."

Lord Xu looked at her in surprise.

Madam Shiyi lowered her gaze.

A sharp, needle-like pain pricked her heart.

Amber looked somber and hurried off to deliver the message.

The room fell silent, the air heavy with tension.

The Dowager glanced at Madam Shiyi, calm yet poised like a pine tree, then at Lord Xu, who seemed uneasy and hesitant. Softly, she said, "Enough now, both of you sit down," breaking the silence and easing the atmosphere.

Madam Shiyi murmured, "Yes," and sat back down. After a moment's thought, Lord Xu sat in the armchair beside her.

Silence returned.

Suddenly, Xu Sizhun mumbled, "Mother… mother…" His hands flailed in the air.

Madam Shiyi rushed over at once.

The Dowager had already taken Xu Sizhun’s hand and was whispering urgently into his ear, "Zhun'er, Zhun'er, it's your grandmother…"

Xu Sizhun appeared trapped in a nightmare. The Dowager’s voice brought no comfort; instead, he let out a blood-curdling scream and struggled violently to pull free.

The Dowager pulled him tightly into her arms, pressed her face to his, and kept soothing him, "Zhun'er, don't be afraid, don’t be afraid. Grandmother is here. No one can hurt you now."

Lord Xu also came closer, standing behind Madam Shiyi, watching his son with anxious eyes.

Clutched in the Dowager’s embrace, Xu Sizhun remained with eyes shut tight, soaked with sweat, his black hair stuck to his pale little face. Now and then, he cried out fearfully for his “mother.”

Tears welled in Madam Shiyi’s eyes as she called, "Mother," and leaned down to look at Xu Sizhun. "Should we light some soothing incense?"

The Dowager opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, Xu Sizhun suddenly screamed again, his body jerking upright as his legs kicked wildly—one foot struck Madam Shiyi squarely in the stomach.

"Madam Shiyi!"

Both the Dowager and Lord Xu went pale with alarm.

Instinctively, Madam Shiyi reeled backward, her foot landing on Lord Xu's foot.

Lord Xu stood frozen, one hand steadying Eleven Miss and the other covering her belly. “Are you alright? Do you feel any discomfort?” Seeing her face turn deathly pale and her lips pressed tightly together without a word, his heart pounded wildly. Casting all caution aside, he swept her into his arms. “Eleven Miss, Eleven Miss,” he called softly, his voice laced with an unexpected panic, “Are you hurt?” As he spoke, he carefully laid her on the elder madam’s bed, then sat beside her, gently stroking her forehead. “Is anything wrong?”

The elder madam, seeing Eleven Miss silent and Lord Xu unusually flustered, became frantic with worry. She longed to check on her but was still holding Xu Sizhun in her arms, torn between checking on her and holding the child. Tears welled in her eyes as she scolded the two stunned maids, “What are you standing there for? Go and see to her!”

The maids jolted back to attention and hurried over in a fluster.

The warmth of Lord Xu’s large hand and his tender gestures gradually calmed Eleven Miss. She took a deep breath, quietly assessing her condition, then moved her limbs slightly. Finding nothing amiss, she cautiously replied, “I think I’m fine. Let the physician check my pulse when he arrives.”

Hearing this, Lord Xu visibly relaxed.

He helped her remove her shoes. “Then close your eyes and rest for a while.”

Eleven Miss’s sense of smell had grown highly sensitive due to her pregnancy, and the heavy lily fragrance from the elder madam’s bedding made her nauseated. Coupled with the day’s events, she felt as though an unseen hand was tugging at the threads of fate from some hidden corner, leaving her defenseless… She worried whether the lily scent might harm the baby. Yet, she couldn’t voice this in front of the elder madam and only whispered to Lord Xu, “The lily fragrance is making me uncomfortable. Please let me get up.”

Lord Xu’s expression tightened at her words.

Eleven Miss thought he was displeased by her rejection of the elder madam’s incense and was about to explain when he pointed to a maid. “Go tell Amber, Fourth Madam’s maid, to bring over a set of her usual bedding.”

Glad for an excuse to leave, the maid quickly curtsied and dashed out of the elder madam’s chamber.

Lord Xu then turned to the elder madam. “Mother, Eleven Miss can’t tolerate the lily scent…” As he spoke, he glanced around, searching for a place to relocate her.

The elder madam pondered briefly. “Then have the daybed from the eastern alcove moved here.” Just as she finished speaking, Xu Lingkuan pushed aside the door curtain.

“Mother, Fourth Brother, Fourth Sister-in-law,” he said gravely, “I’ve heard everything. Dan County is questioning our senior maids, junior wives, and the older women. She’ll come to stay with Mother and Fourth Sister-in-law once she’s done.” He hurried to the kang to examine Xu Sizhun. “How is Zhun’er now?”

Seeing Xu Lingkuan act so decisively, the elder madam and Lord Xu shared a look of relief.

“We’ve already sent for the imperial physician,” Lord Xu stood up. “Let’s go to the main house.”

Xu Lingkuan nodded, then hesitated: "Should we ask Second Elder Brother's Wife to come and help?"

Upon hearing this, Lord Xu cast a pensive glance toward Eleventh Miss.

The matter had already caused commotion throughout the household—who was he still worried about?

Eleventh Miss appeared deep in thought.

"I'll rest in the eastern sitting chamber for a while," she murmured. "It’s quiet there; just have a young maid keep watch. If anything happens, you can call me anytime."

Lord Xu nodded thoughtfully, remained silent for a moment, then softly replied, "Very well. When Amber arrives, you’ll have someone to attend to you."

Eleventh Miss nodded at him, bid farewell to the elder madam and Xu Lingkuan, then rose and headed toward the eastern sitting chamber.

A gaze burned into her shoulders, making them feel as if ablaze.

The elder madam's eastern sitting chamber was a small, cozy room used for relaxation. When Madam Huang, wife of the Marquis of Yongchang, or Madam Tang, wife of the Marquis of Zhongshan, visited, the elder madam often entertained them there with card games or arranged for female performers to sing drum ballads. The furnishings were arranged primarily for comfort.

Rosewood furniture, royal-blue curtains, a daybed, an armchair, and a tea table adorned with milan flowers cultivated in Xianyang sand made the space visually pleasing.

As it was early summer, the crimson bedding on the daybed had been replaced with a pink jade mat, and the batik-printed pillow covers were now fitted with ginger-yellow fine linen covers.

When Amber entered, Eleventh Miss was reclining on the daybed, lost in thought.

"Madam," Amber frowned and hurried over, "It’s only just summer—don’t catch a chill."

"Oh," Eleventh Miss smiled and sat up.

Amber quickly called in the young maid waiting by the door to help prepare the bedding for Eleventh Miss, then assisted her in settling comfortably onto the daybed.

The little maid poured hot tea and quietly excused herself.

"My lady," Amber promptly reported, "as you instructed, everyone has remained in place. I had Yanrong check—aside from two who requested leave to return home and one on night duty playing cards, all others from our courtyard are accounted for."

Eleven Miss said nothing. She lifted the teacup and idly played with the floating leaves using the lid.

Seeing her indifferent demeanor and recalling how Lord Xu and Xu Lingkuan had just left together for the main hall when she stepped out, Amber hesitated. "My lady..." she began, lips parting, but no words followed.

Eleven Miss handed the full cup to Amber and leaned back against the daybed.

"Before you came, I was thinking about this," she said, gazing up at the blue-green eight auspicious aquatic motifs painted on the ceiling. "Whoever had the audacity to set this trap surely has more moves planned. Whether it's a shadow slipping into the main hall or even a mask with occult markings found in my chambers—nothing would surprise me..."

"My lady!" Amber grew anxious. "That's impossible! There’s no disloyal servant here among us!"

"Traitor?" Eleven Miss chuckled. "It's not as if we did this."

Realizing her slip, Amber quickly corrected, "No, no, that's not what I meant..."

Eleven Miss patted her hand reassuringly. "Enough, I understand." Her expression gradually turned serious. "I trust all of you. But don't forget—our courtyard houses more than just us."

"So... the fourth young master truly met with trouble?" Lady Wen’s face flickered with unease.

"Yes," Dong Hong whispered. "Not only that—aside from Amber attending the fourth young master's wife at elder madam’s quarters, everyone else is staying in the courtyard, waiting."

Before she finished, Yu Er burst in. "Lady Wen, disaster! The first ones Lord Xu and the fifth master interrogated were Xu Mama!"

Lady Wen paled and sprang up, trembling as she pointed at Dong Hong. "Quick, go—find out more!"

Dong Hong hurried out immediately.

Lady Wen paced restlessly, muttering, "Who did this? Who on earth did this?"

But before she could make two full circles, Dong Hong rushed back. "Lady Wen! The courtyard gates are locked—we can’t leave!"