Chapter 116
The night was long and quiet throughout the manor, only the sheepskin lanterns hanging from the corridors swayed gently in the breeze.
Madam Cui couldn't sleep, leaning on her couch, lost in thought.
If she didn't sleep, her attendants and maids couldn't rest either. Some served her in the room, while others guarded the outer chambers.
As Madam Cui's absolute confidante, Granny Wang naturally understood her mistress's concerns. She softly consoled, "Old Madam, there's no need to worry. Eldest Miss is so intelligent; she'll be fine. This difficulty now only concerns the Guo family; it has little to do with us."
Madam Cui sighed, "I know this well. But this child truly makes one worry." She didn't specify what worried her, but Granny Wang was astute and understood everything.
"Old Madam, you must not fret over such matters," Granny Wang said. "The Zun Kingdom values filial piety above all else. You still have the Marquis and the Princess! Besides, Eldest Miss was so young then; what could she possibly know..."
Yes, of the people from that time, not many remained. If Madam Guo and Granny Yu were also gone...
It would be even safer.
Madam Cui felt much more at ease, and sleepiness crept in. She reached out, gesturing for Granny Wang to help her up. "You should go to sleep too; you're not young anymore and can't stand so much."
Madam Cui retired. As the lamps in her room were extinguished, the entire courtyard of Songhe Hall fell silent.
In Zhaohui Hall, Granny Yu was already somewhat delirious.
A perfectly healthy person had been so terrified that her mind had snapped. Every day, she felt surrounded by man-eating demons. She dared not even close her eyes, fearing she would be devoured the moment she did.
A person cannot stay awake indefinitely.
Granny Yu, who had a good appetite before, hadn't drunk a drop of water in the past two days.
Madam Guo was meticulously cared for, but Yu Mama was not.
As the seasons turned, the weather gradually grew cooler. It was fine during the day, but at night, the temperature dropped, and the wind picked up.
Granny Yu huddled in a corner, listening to the howling wind, her body trembling uncontrollably from fear.
It was over. The debtors had come; she would have no good days ahead. She was going to be devoured.
Faintly, she seemed to hear someone crying in the wind, the sound growing clearer, as if standing right outside the door.
"Demons and monsters, they are demons and monsters." Granny Yu trembled violently, her eyes darting back and forth.
The wind was too strong, making the door panel creak and groan. Granny Yu flinched, her eyes widening. She gasped a few times, her body slumped, and she became still.
It wasn't until the next day, when a servant came to deliver food, that she was discovered, her body already cold.
When the news reached Madam Cui, she frowned, feeling a touch of nausea.
Granny Wang quickly had a mouthwash brought.
Madam Cui rinsed her mouth and covered her lips with a handkerchief, saying, "Have someone wrap her in a mat and throw her into the mass grave."
Granny Wang quickly reminded her, "Her son and his family are still at the Guo manor."
"A slave who sold herself and incited her masters to action; a whole corpse is her greatest fortune. Does she expect to be taken back?"
"Old Madam, please don't be angry. This matter should be handled by someone from the Guo family to collect her remains," Granny Wang suggested. "This way, our position will be clearer."
Madam Cui considered it for a moment and then waved her hand, signaling Granny Wang to send someone to inform them.
Granny Yu's death was gruesome. Although someone had cleaned her up, anyone with eyes could see how much suffering she had endured.
But no one dared to speak.
Granny Yu's son could only silently take away the body.
They left the alley connecting to the Marquis's manor and headed straight out of the city.
They didn't have much money and bought a simple coffin, then took Granny Yu to be buried in the desolate mountains outside the city.
As servants, they were born with lowly lives. To be buried in a simple coffin at death was already fortunate. For someone like Granny Yu who had committed such a grave error, not being thrown into a mass grave was a great mercy.
"The Li family is kind; they even allowed us to bring our mother out." Granny Yu was shrewd in her lifetime, but her sons were like her husband, quite simple-minded.
Her husband's wives, however, were shrewd. She understood that a servant's life was worthless. What her mother-in-law had done was merely at the Marquis's command; as a mere servant, she had no courage to do such things.
However, she didn't intend to expose anything. Knowing it might not be a good thing, it could even bring trouble. She didn't want to be implicated and drag her husband and sons down with her.
"That's true!" The woman threw a handful of spirit money into the basin. "The Li family is kind."
With Granny Yu's death, Madam Lin's days were also numbered.
The last time Li Man'er went to see her, she had considered waking Madam Lin up. However, after sitting in the room for a while, she changed her mind.
"Granny Yu confessed everything before she died. There's no point in tormenting you; I will direct all my revenge towards your children. You were so proud when your son became the Crown Prince? You thought your daughter could replace me as the future daughter-in-law of the Princess? You might as well watch from heaven and see if your dreams can come true."
Madam Guo heard it all clearly, but regrettably, she could do nothing but wail silently in her own world. Under this almost maddening pressure, Madam Guo finally couldn't hold on.
Despite being constantly given herbal decoctions and sustained by ginseng soup, Madam Guo's condition continued to decline, worsening with each passing day.
The Li manor was already making quiet preparations.
When Granny Wang brought up the matter, she couldn't help but mention Li Zhao'er. "Seeing as she's at her end, beg the Marquis for mercy and release her! If not for anyone else, at least for the Crown Prince's sake."
Madam Cui pondered for a moment, put down her teacup, and said, "The Marquis is about to lead his troops; his decision will be made in the next day or two. We absolutely cannot distract him. By the way, has the news about Madam Guo been spread?"
"Old Madam, rest assured. I sent someone to handle it early this morning. Now, everyone in the capital knows the Madam is gravely ill."
Madam Cui nodded. "How is Eldest Miss? Has she been settled in?"
Granny Wang shook her head.
Eldest Miss's unusual behavior had always been a persistent worry for the Old Madam. A few days ago, she had found an excuse to expel a coarse maid from Qingping Courtyard, leaving a shortage of staff there. This would have allowed them to install one of their own.
However, Eldest Miss was not the same as before; she was no longer as easy to manipulate. Therefore, even now, their person had not been successfully placed.
Madam Cui simply said, "Never mind, let's take it slow. Go tell the physician to use all his skill. No matter what, ensure she doesn't breathe her last until the Prince leaves the capital."
"Yes. What about Second Miss?"
Madam Cui waved her hand impatiently. "We'll see about her. I'm afraid she'll cause trouble."
Granny Wang could only agree.
Madam Bai of the second branch finished reviewing the account books and took a sip of the hot tea by her hand, then closed her eyes to rest.
Seeing this, Granny Lin asked, "Is Madam feeling unwell? Shall I call for a physician?"