Chapter 85

Chapter 85: All Is Well

Miao Shuang walked along the covered corridor, followed by her retinue of maids. As snow had just fallen, the path beneath the eaves was somewhat slippery. Concerned, Miao Shuang personally carried the bowl of fetal tonic into the main hall.

Upon entering, her body seemed to relax, warmed as if bathed in sunlight. Miao Shuang placed the tonic on the table, and the maids behind her did not stand idle; each found a task. One maid opened the cloisonné brazier on the floor, stirring the charcoal with iron tongs. White vapor rose from the silver-veined charcoal pieces, yet no scent was discernible.

“Sister Miao Shuang, the silver-thread charcoal from the storehouse is truly excellent—odorless, smokeless, and it burns for so long! It’s been burning since yesterday afternoon and is still warm now!”

Miao Shuang smiled. “Otherwise, why would it be called silver-thread charcoal? Just hearing the name tells you it’s something we can barely afford!”

The storehouse had provided high-quality silver-thread charcoal, which burned without color or odor. In the grand scheme of things, the pregnant lady took precedence. The Third Young Mistress’s quarters were not to be neglected in the slightest. As soon as the weather turned cold, the storehouse delivered the charcoal, even bypassing the Second Mistress. Aside from the Matriarch, hers was the first household in the estate to receive charcoal. The servants of Jade Micro Courtyard thus enjoyed the warmth of charcoal ahead of others. Though it was only ordinary charcoal, which produced black smoke when burned and required the windows to be slightly ajar, compared to the servants of other courtyards, they were already quite content.

Miao Shuang entered the east annex room, which He Jinglin had arranged as a small study. Upon entering, several paintings—orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums—hung on the walls, all painted by the Third Young Mistress. Noticing the room felt chilly, Miao Shuang turned and hurried over, exclaiming, “Ah, My Lady, why are you standing so close to the window? And with the window wide open like this—aren’t you cold?”

As she spoke, Miao Shuang closed the window and fetched a cloak to drape over He Jinglin.

“How could I possibly feel cold like this?” He Jinglin set down her brush. On the paper was a plum blossom she had painted from life while gazing out the window.

While fastening the cloak’s ties, Miao Shuang touched He Jinglin’s hand. “Your hand is so cold!” After securing the cloak, she stepped back and nodded in satisfaction. The cloak was lined with fur, beneath which was a cotton-padded jacket, then an inner layer—four layers in total. It was a bit bulky, but as long as it kept the cold out, it was fine.

He Jinglin tugged at the collar, feeling uncomfortable from the tightness. “My hands have been exposed, so of course they’re cold, but my body isn’t cold at all.”

Seeing this, Miao Shuang loosened the cloak slightly, muttering, “Even so, it won’t do. The Matriarch said you mustn’t catch a chill!” Then she added sternly, “This is for the sake of the child in your womb!”

Using this reasoning, He Jinglin usually found it hard to argue. “Alright, alright, I won’t do this again next time.”

Miao Shuang, a senior maid, had grown up alongside He Jinglin and shared a deep bond with her. Knowing she was merely bored, Miao Shuang said, “Next time you paint, let me stay by your side to remind you when to rest. That way, you won’t get cold.” She leaned over to glance at the half-finished plum blossom on the table, its contours already emerging. “My Lady paints so well. Unlike me, who has to paint in great detail for others to recognize what it is—and sometimes it still doesn’t look right. But with just a few strokes, My Lady’s painting clearly conveys its subject.”

“You’re too kind,” He Jinglin said. “Once this painting is finished and hung on the wall, I’ll stop painting.”

Miao Shuang carefully supported He Jinglin as they moved to the heated chamber. The maids inside immediately sprang into action, placing a soft cushion on the daybed, removing her outer cloak, and bringing a small stool for her to step on. The heated chamber was kept warm at all times with a charcoal brazier, and the floor was laid with a wool felt rug, making it much warmer than the other rooms. The daybed was built high, so even when seated, she towered over the standing maids, giving a feeling of overlooking everything from a height.

He Jinglin smiled. “You see? I still have to take it off.”

Miao Shuang said earnestly, “Even a moment of cold is unacceptable. My Lady, please drink the medicine quickly. It’s so cold outside—if you wait any longer, the fetal tonic will cool.”

For this bowl of medicine, Miao Shuang had stayed in the small kitchen from the moment it began brewing. As soon as it was ready, she hurried over, fearing it would cool on the way.

The medicine was prescribed by the physician and contained ingredients such as ejiao, baizhu, and huangqin, effective for harmonizing the liver and spleen and replenishing vital energy and blood. At the beginning of the month, He Jinglin had experienced some abdominal pain. After the physician examined her, he adjusted the original prenatal prescription. After a few days of drinking the new formula, the pain had eased.

He Jinglin picked up the spoon and drank the medicine in small sips. The maids in the heated chamber remained silent, as if turned mute. Only after she finished the bowl did they come to life, stepping forward to take the bowl, bring a handkerchief for her to wipe her mouth, and offer clean water for rinsing. Once this routine was completed, most of the maids dispersed. Miao Shuang said, “My Lady, why not rest for a while?”

He Jinglin leaned on her arm as they walked through the central hall. Glancing outside, the world seemed reduced to shades of black and white. In the distance, the rooftops appeared as patches of black and white, like an old man’s balding head. The withered branches in the courtyard, set against the snow, looked frail and stark, standing bare and nearly invisible unless one looked closely. The cinnabar-red corridors, under the gray, cold sky, dulled to a somber crimson.

He Jinglin thought of the plum blossom outside the west annex room’s window. Without its vibrant red petals, its dried branches would have been equally hard to notice.

“My Lady?” Miao Shuang called out. The door to the central hall had been left wide open, making it colder than the other rooms. Just standing there for a moment made her face and hands feel like a bowl of medicine left out too long—chilled.

“Let’s take a walk outside,” He Jinglin said.

Miao Shuang frowned, immediately ready to object. “The Matriarch said...”

“The physician also said I shouldn’t sit for too long and should move around more,” He Jinglin cut her off before she could finish. “I’ll only take a brief stroll. Staying indoors all the time is stifling. I just want to see the plum blossom outside the west annex room’s window. We’ll come back after a quick glance.”

He Jinglin walked outside, and Miao Shuang had no choice but to follow, turning to instruct the attendants behind her, “Bring that cloak over.”

A maid turned to fetch the cloak from the heated chamber. He Jinglin and Miao Shuang stood under the eaves. It was colder outside than in the central hall. He Jinglin unconsciously clasped her hands together. Noticing this, Miao Shuang glanced at the hand stove on the table in the central hall and said, “My Lady, wait a moment. I will fetch the hand stove.”

The table was not far from where they stood—just a few steps away. Miao Shuang stepped over the threshold and hurried to the table. Picking up the hand stove, she felt it—it was somewhat cold. She crouched down, using the iron tongs to stir the charcoal brazier on the floor, and picked up a small piece of glowing silver-thread charcoal. Just as she was about to place it into the hand stove, a sharp scream pierced the air.

Like a sudden cry in the dead of night, it was so shrill and piercing that Miao Shuang’s hand trembled. The glowing charcoal slipped from the tongs, landing on the back of her hand before falling to the ground and rolling a couple of times before stopping.

“Hiss—” The pain was searing, as if scalding oil had splashed onto her hand. What started as a small, burning sensation soon seemed to spread, until her entire body felt numb except for the searing pain on her hand.

Blisters seemed to form on her hand, turning it purplish-red. But Miao Shuang had no time to tend to her injury. She stood up and looked outside in panic—the Third Young Mistress, who had been standing under the eaves, was nowhere to be seen. Miao Shuang rushed out frantically, and only then did a huddled form on the stone stairs come into view.

***

Miao Shuang knelt on the ground. The Matriarch, the First Mistress, and the Second Mistress sat on chairs, arranged as if in a formal inquiry. Only she and the maids of Jade Micro Courtyard knelt on the floor. Nervously, Miao Shuang recounted the entire incident, then bowed her head in dismay, staring at the back of her left hand. Since becoming a senior maid, she had no longer done manual labor. Her hands were not as smooth as a peeled egg, but they were far from rough. After washing her hands each day, she would apply scented balm. The servants often said that a senior maid by the mistress’s side was like a young lady of the house—this was no exaggeration, as their appearance clearly showed.

She stared fixedly at the back of her hand, as if stunned. Only then did she notice that blisters had formed again, and her skin had turned purplish-red. The burning sensation had not faded with time; instead, it grew more distinct. She pinched her thigh hard, twisting the flesh, using this clumsy method to distract herself from the pain.

“How could our sister-in-law be so disobedient? Walking around inside is one thing, but going outside in this icy weather is just asking for a fall. Especially when the servants tend to slack off on days like this, not sweeping the ground properly. I’ve scolded the servants in my courtyard several times, but they never listen,” Zeng Huiyan clicked her tongue and shook her head.

“Enough, now is not the time to assign blame,” Dong Yuting said. “Miao Shuang, go apply some ointment to your hand.” She feared that if left untreated, the wound might become infected—and here, infection could be fatal.

Third Young Master rushed in from outside. He had been studying in the outer courtyard and came immediately upon hearing the news. Despite the cold, he was sweating profusely and gasped, “Mother, is Jinglin alright?”

Yuan Xiang hurried in. Miao Shuang had informed the Matriarch, the First Mistress, and the Second Mistress but had forgotten Third Young Master. It was the Matriarch who had sent Yuan Xiang to deliver the message.

The Matriarch dared not make any promises. The three of them had gone in earlier to check on He Jinglin, who was still unconscious, her face devoid of color. The brief silence made Third Young Master’s heart sink. He strode toward the east annex room, but Wang Mama quickly stepped in front of him. “The physician is still examining her, Third Young Master. Please wait a moment.”

Zeng Huiyan added, “Third Brother, don’t worry. Our sister-in-law will be fine. Mother, Eldest Sister-in-law, and I just saw her. There was no bleeding, so she must be alright.”

Just then, the physician emerged from the room. Everyone crowded around him. “Physician, how is my wife? Will she be alright?” Third Young Master grabbed the physician’s arms, asking anxiously.

The physician smiled reassuringly and gently freed his arms. “Sir, please don’t panic. The mistress is fine. Although the fall startled her, fortunately, she was wearing thick clothing and protected her abdomen when she fell. Both the mistress and the child are safe. I will add some tranquilizing ingredients to her fetal tonic. Let her take it for three days. If her spirits improve, we can remove the tranquilizing ingredients and continue with the fetal tonic. However, this must not happen again. If the mistress wishes to move around, walking indoors is just as good.”

Upon hearing this, tears welled in Third Young Master’s eyes. “Thank you, Physician! Thank you!”

Zeng Huiyan scanned the servants kneeling on the ground. “Hmph, it’s fortunate our sister-in-law is unharmed. If anything had happened to her, we would not have let you off lightly.”

Dong Yuting said, “Qiu He, accompany the physician and note down the tranquilizing ingredients. Check if the storehouse has them; if not, buy some from the apothecary. Chun Yue, go to Steward Ji and ask her to assign two attentive maids to serve here.”