Chapter 84: Madam Xiao Awakens

Chapter 84 Madam Xiao Comes to Her Senses

Perhaps the grief of losing her daughter was too much, and Madam Xiao had subconsciously forgotten about her.

Yet whenever Xiao Ce mentioned Dan Yang, his face would always contort in pain. She wanted to remember Dan Yang.

"You will."

Xiao Ce held her hand, offering an encouraging smile. "You will recover and remember Dan Yang."

A'Yu, forgive my selfishness—I’d rather you endure the pain than remain lost.

But without Dan Yang, I cannot lose you too. Facing reality alone is too painful. Xiao Ce needs A'Yu.

......

The renowned physician took out silver needles and inserted them one by one into the acupoints on Madam Xiao’s head—Baihui, Fengchi, Sishencong, and others. With decades of medical practice, his precision was flawless. Though Madam Xiao had initially feared the pain, as the needles took effect, her mind gradually cleared.

"Husband, Dan Yang... Dan Yang is lost! Go find her!"

"My Dan Yang, don’t leave Mother..."

Madam Xiao was held down by maids, but her pale face twisted in anguish as the locked-away memories came rushing back. The boundary between delirium and lucidity was paper-thin.

Seeing her waver, Xiao Ce knelt beside her, pleading, "A'Yu, wake up. I beg you, wake up."

Men don’t weep lightly—only when their heart is shattered.

Xiao Ce, normally iron-willed, knelt and begged his wife to regain her senses. Madam Xiao shuddered, and slowly, she opened her eyes.

"Husband?"

She reached out, pressing her palm to Xiao Ce’s face. "You’ve aged so much..."

Her memories still lingered in the year Dan Yang was lost. The following years blurred together, coming and going like shadows. For fifteen years in madness, only Xiao Ce had stayed by her side, pampering her, keeping her sheltered in childlike innocence.

Tears streamed hotly down Xiao Ce’s face, landing in his wife’s palm. His voice choked with emotion, "Do you find me unlovable now?"

Madam Xiao quickly shook her head. "I could never stop loving you. No matter how you change, I will always love you."

"But what of Dan Yang? Have you found her?"

She pulled her hand from Xiao Ce’s grasp, her eyes darting wildly. Xiao Ce’s eyes darkened with pain. "We’ve found her. Once you’re fully recovered, we’ll bring Dan Yang home."

"Let’s go now! I am already well!"

Hearing about her daughter, Madam Xiao could no longer sit still. Despite her dizziness, she fought to go to her daughter that instant.

Only when he’d pleaded exhaustively did Xiao Ce manage to calm her. He returned to the front courtyard, where Wei Xun waited anxiously.

"Has Madam Xiao awakened?"

Though confident in the physician’s skill, Wei Xun waited anxiously. His future with A Yuan hung in the balance.

Xiao Ce nodded. "I keep my word. In seven days, I will take my wife to Suzhou."

"Thank you, Uncle!"

After leaving the Yongyi Marquis’s residence, Wei Xun presented the physician with two millennia-old ginseng roots as thanks. Stroking his white beard, the physician chuckled, "You know how to show gratitude, lad. Next time, don’t expect me to lift a finger."

"Where will you go next, Elder? If it’s no trouble, Hengzhi would be honored to accompany you back to Suzhou."

Wei Xun treated him like a family elder, but the miracle-working doctor waved his hand. "Junzhou has been struck by a plague. These two ginseng roots are exactly what we need to save lives. Thousands of people are waiting for me. I’ll visit Suzhou another time if the chance arises."

With that, he turned and left, just like a celestial being.

Hearing his words, Wei Xun stood frozen. "A plague?"

He had been so preoccupied with A Yuan’s affairs lately that he was completely cut off from the outside world.

Chang Yuan replied, "The plague in Junzhou has already been reported to the court. The Emperor has dispatched the chief physician of the Imperial Hospital to Junzhou."

Wei Xun lowered his gaze. Junzhou was remote and impoverished. Even with the chief physician, the people might not survive without medicine and food.

Moreover, what troubled Wei Xun was that he had gone to great lengths to transfer Zhou Yan to Junzhou. Though it had elements of revenge, Zhou Yan was, after all, A Man’s father.

He feared that if anything happened to Zhou Yan, A Yuan would hate him.

"Send Zhang Feng to deliver supplies and medicine to Junzhou. Provide full support!"

......

---

At the Junzhou County Office.

Zhou Yan had not slept for three consecutive days. Though autumn had arrived, the plague was spreading fiercely, rapidly spreading through the entire population of Junzhou.

As the newly appointed magistrate, he couldn't allow a single mistake—especially when thousands of lives in Junzhou were at stake.

"My lord, have some water."

The inner chamber's curtain was lifted, and a slender, graceful woman stepped out. Holding a tea tray, she said gently, with tenderness.

Zhou Yan leaned back slightly, putting some distance between them, and said coldly, "Just leave it on the table."

A flash of disappointment crossed the woman's eyes, the vermilion beauty mark between her brows both alluring and captivating. Zhou Yan averted his gaze.

This woman was a concubine presented by the nobility of Junzhou. Being new to the area, he couldn’t refuse and had no choice but to accept her.

But Zhou Yan's heart belonged to A Yuan—how could he ever accept her? Once he gained enough influence to contend with the aristocratic families, he would simply let her go.

......

News from Junzhou had yet to reach Suzhou, and life in Osmanthus Alley and Pingyang Street went on as usual.

With Chun Tao's arrival, A Yuan had much less to worry about.

The spirited young maid loved to play and tease, and A Man adored her so much that she even clung to her when sleeping. Fortunately, Chang Yuan wasn't around, or he would’ve been jealous long ago.

A Yuan worked on her embroidery while watching them play. The kitchen was boiling osmanthus glutinous rice balls, their sweet scent filling the air.

A Yuan stood up, ladled out two bowls, and handed them to the two.

"Come take a break and have something to eat."

The osmanthus tree in the courtyard was lush and full of blossoms—enough for the mother and daughter to enjoy all year long.

As autumn arrived, the osmanthus-themed embroidery at Jinxiu Workshop wasn’t selling as well as it used to. Such delicate craftsmanship was quickly learned by others, who even expanded their skills to create rose and lily embroidery. A small shop like Jinxiu Workshop stood no chance against them.

But A Yuan wasn’t overly ambitious. As long as she made enough money to provide for her and her daughter, she was content.

Without Wei Xun, she was already quite satisfied with her current life.

Yet speak of the devil—before A Man could finish her glutinous rice balls, the man pushed open the door, dusty from travel.

"Master Wei?"

"Mean uncle!"

Chun Tao and A Man spoke at the same time. It was the first time Chun Tao had heard A Man address Wei Xun this way, so she quickly covered the little girl's mouth in alarm.

"Dear, we mustn't call him that."

Her situation was already precarious enough. If she further displeased the young master, things would get difficult.

A Man hung her head like a dejected puppy.

Wei Xun had long grown accustomed to her wariness, but seeing her scolded now made him somewhat uncomfortable.

"She just ate tangyuan. Don't cover her mouth—be careful she doesn't choke."

Aloof as Wei Xun was, aside from caring for A Yuan, when had he ever shown concern for anyone else?

Chun Tao's eyes widened. Could this be what they called "the whole package"—because he loved her mistress, he could even accept the little mistress who shared no blood relation with him?

For the first time, Chun Tao felt respect for her young master. He must be head over heels for her mistress.

Even A Yuan seemed lost in thought. If Wei Xun learned the truth about A Man's parentage, would he resent her for keeping it secret...