Chapter 129 Thoughtfulness

Chapter 129: Thoughtful

The old lady was momentarily at a loss.

Madam Yang had put it that way. To avoid offending the Prime Minister's residence, she should ask Madam Yang what she thought should be done. But if she said that, she would be handing over the punishment of Sixth Girl to the other party, losing control of the outcome.

That wretched girl really knows how to cause trouble!

The old lady cursed Qiu Heng silently in her heart.

“Mother, I have a suggestion,” Fang Rui said, her gaze sweeping over Qiu Heng, she suddenly spoke.

Madam Yang looked at her daughter.

“Sixth Miss Qiu let her maid injure Nanny Su, but our household isn’t one for shouting and killing. How about letting Sixth Miss Qiu go to Nanny Su’s place every day to change her dressings until she recovers?” Fang Rui said this with a faint smile, waiting to see Qiu Heng’s reaction.

Having a noble lady tend to a servant from another household—such humiliation—she wondered if Qiu Liu could bear it.

Even better, with her going to the Prime Minister’s residence day after day, the reason would soon get around, and everyone in their circle would know about Sixth Miss Qiu’s crime of letting her maid harm others.

And if she refused, the Earl Yongqing’s household would have to come up with a result more satisfactory to her mother.

“Fine.” Qiu Heng agreed immediately, even finding Fang Rui a little endearing.

So thoughtful—she never would have expected it.

The old lady frowned. “Heng’er—”

After all, she was a noble lady from an earl’s household; going to tend to another family’s servant was too humiliating!

In the old lady’s view, kneeling in the ancestral hall for half a month would be better than this.

“Grandmother, I think Miss Fang’s suggestion is reasonable. My maid injured someone, and it’s my fault for not keeping her in check. It’s only right that I take care of the injured person.” Afraid the old lady would ruin her good thing, Qiu Heng quickly said.

The old lady couldn’t understand it.

Did this girl not know that a person would rather die than be humiliated?

Where was her backbone? Her dignity? Her reputation?

Qiu Heng looked at Madam Yang. “How does this arrangement sit with you, Madam Yang?”

Madam Yang glanced at the old lady’s grim expression and gave a faint smile. “Since Sixth Miss Qiu is willing, then so be it. I’m not one to be pushy.”

Seeing Madam Yang set down her teacup and stand up, Qiu Heng stepped forward. “I’ll go with you to the Prime Minister’s residence right now.”

“No need for today. Sixth Miss Qiu can come over tomorrow.”

On the way back to the Prime Minister’s residence, Fang Rui shared a carriage with Madam Yang and mentioned Qiu Heng. “Mother, why didn’t you let her come today?”

Madam Yang gave her daughter a long look. “What’s the hurry, child? We should give the old lady of the Earl Yongqing’s household time to deal with family matters.”

If it hadn’t ruined her mood for offering incense and praying for her son’s well-being, she wouldn’t have gone to the Earl Yongqing’s residence in person.

“You’re right, Mother.” Fang Rui curled her lips.

“Rui’er, do you dislike that Qiu Heng that much? I rarely see you show your likes and dislikes so plainly.”

Fang Rui pursed her lips. “Mother doesn’t know how much trouble Qiu Heng stirred up in Dingbei. It’d be weird if I liked her.”

“Tell me about it,” Madam Yang said casually.

In previous years, she had always gone to the autumn hunt, but this year, with her son ill, a mother naturally had no desire to go out, so her sister-in-law, Sun, had gone instead.

After listening to Fang Rui’s detailed account of Qiu Heng’s doings in Dingbei, Madam Yang raised an eyebrow. “She’s quite capable. Someone like that coming to our residence needs to be watched.”

“Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll keep an eye on her.”

Coming tomorrow was fine—it gave her time to invite friends over to see the spectacle.

Back at the Prime Minister’s residence, Madam Yang changed her clothes and went to her son’s quarters.

Madam Yang had one son and one daughter. Her son was the third child, and he was usually called Third Brother.

Entering the courtyard, Madam Yang asked, “How is Third Brother?”

The maid who was questioned hesitated, her eyes shifting. “The young master, he—”

Madam Yang’s heart sank. “Speak!”

“Reporting to the madam, the young master had a spell of severe discomfort, but he’s better after taking medicine.”

“He was stable before I left. Why did he suddenly get so bad?”

Pressed by Madam Yang’s questioning, the maid felt immense pressure and lowered her head. “The imperial physician didn’t say much…”

Madam Yang’s heart stirred. “When did this discomfort start?”

“Around the hour of Chenzheng.”

Madam Yang frowned deeply.

That was exactly when she was praying and heard the commotion outside.

So seeking divine favor without smoothness was indeed an omen!

A cold light flashed in Madam Yang’s eyes as she strode quickly inside.

A young woman attending by the bedside came forward and bowed respectfully. “Mother-in-law.”

Madam Yang first checked on her sleeping son, then walked to the outer room.

The young woman followed closely.

Madam Yang turned to face her daughter-in-law, her expression dark. “Jin, how have you been taking care of Third Brother!”

Jin lowered her head. “Mother-in-law, please calm your anger. It’s my fault.”

“Third Brother is your husband. If anything happens to him, you know the consequences.” Worried about her son’s health, Madam Yang found her timid daughter-in-law irritating and left after speaking.

Jin silently saw her off at the courtyard gate, only turning back to the room after a long while.

Her maid couldn’t help but complain. “You haven’t had a proper rest in two days taking care of the young master—”

“No more talk.” Jin raised a hand to her forehead, her face pale.

Madam Yang returned to the residence with a gloomy mood, and in Qiansong Hall, the atmosphere was even more stormy.

"Kneel down!" the old lady pointed at Qiu Heng.

Qiu Heng knelt silently.

"I told you to stay home quietly, but you insisted on going to the temple. Every time you go out, you cause trouble. Every time you go out, you cause trouble. Are you not satisfied until you anger this old woman to death?"

"Grandmother, please calm down. I know I was wrong."

"What good does it do for you to know you were wrong! Soon the entire capital will know that the young lady of the Earl of Yongqing's mansion let her servant beat someone up, and to make amends, she has to go to their house every day to change a stewardess's dressings!" The old lady's temples were pounding with anger.

Afraid the old lady might get sick from anger, Qiu Heng quickly soothed her: "It's just the Sixth Girl of the Earl of Yongqing's mansion. Grandmother, rest assured, everyone knows I'm different than my sisters."

"Shut up!" The old lady stood up abruptly, her head buzzing.

What a shameless little wretch!

"You didn't discipline your maid properly, so you deserve to be humiliated. As for Fang Zhou—" The old lady glanced at Fang Zhou, who was kneeling silently. "A maid with such a fiery temper can no longer stay by your side. She's going to the estate to work from now on."

Fang Zhou's face went pale as she stared blankly at Qiu Heng.

"Grandmother wants to send Fang Zhou to the estate?" Qiu Heng's calm expression shifted.

"Are you unwilling?" The old lady sneered. "After causing such a huge mess, not kicking this lawless maid out is already out of consideration for her years of service to you."

A maid who'd dare to hit the stewardess of the Chancellor's mansion over a small disagreement was nothing but trouble!

"What's going on here?" The Earl of Yongqing stepped inside, puzzled by the scene before him.

"The Sixth Girl went to Lingwei Temple to burn incense and was stopped by the stewardess of the eldest madam from Chancellor Fang's mansion. Fang Zhou then hit that stewardess."

The Earl of Yongqing's voice rose sharply: "She hit the stewardess of Chancellor Fang's mansion?"

"Yes, Madam Yang came to our door with the injured stewardess."

"And she was injured?" The Earl of Yongqing slumped into a chair, dizzy and disoriented.

Let him catch his breath—perhaps he hadn't stepped through the door properly.