CHAPTER 276: CHAPTER 276: ACCOUNTABILITY (2)

Madam Xia furrowed her brows, appearing somewhat aggrieved, and tightly clutched the hand of the woman beside her. First Master flashed a glance and said in a deep voice to Lady, "Let’s not complicate matters. Just follow Peirong’s arrangements!"

Lady’s face went stiff, and her expression changed on the spot. Madam Xia, seemingly innocent-minded, curtsied to First Master and Lady, smilingly saying, "Thank you, sir. Thank you, madam!" Lady was filled with anger but could not act out immediately, so she turned to First Master and said, "Let us not stand here talking. Let’s go back!"

First Master remained silent, while Madam Xia said, "Madam, I’ve heard that Sixth Miss is ill and I wish to go see her first!" Lady frowned, and First Master continued, "I’ll go with you!" He then turned to instruct Laiwang’s wife, "Send Madam Liu first to the concubine’s courtyard!"

Madam Liu smiled and greeted First Master, Lady, and nodded to Madam Xia. She then followed Laiwang’s wife back to the East Cross Courtyard. Lady was internally displeased, but had no choice but to follow First Master and Madam Xia to the East Cross Courtyard, speaking of Sixth Girl, Lady then remembered not having seen Seventh lately, and turned to ask Madam Xia, "Why haven’t I seen Seventh?" Madam Xia lowered her face to respond, "He encountered the teacher’s carriage on the road, got off to greet him, and then learned that the teacher’s wife is gravely ill. I gave him silver so he might visit her first and return afterward."

Not returning first to greet his legitimate mother, who taught him this etiquette!? Lady, with a squinting eye, smiled ironically at Madam Xia and said, "It’s fine, naturally the teacher’s wife is more important!" First Master, hearing these words, furrowed his brows tightly.

All three entered Zhiqu Courtyard one after the other. Xi’er, guarding the gate, upon seeing First Master, showed delight and knelt to greet him. Inside, Chunliu lifted the curtain and greeted them; Madam Xia’s forced smile had already vanished. She lifted her skirt and ran swiftly inside the main room and into the bedroom... seeing Xiqiu lying unconscious on the bed, thinner and with a more pallid complexion than before, she hugged Xiqiu and began to weep...

First Master also saw Xiqiu’s appearance, with hardly any flesh left on her face, her small fragile hand exposed from the wide sleeves, her delicate wrist seemingly prone to break at a mere touch. He thought of the time when he left, talking and laughing with his children, and how Sixth Girl said she wanted to cook herself, smiling cheerfully. In just a year, the healthy child had become like this.

First Master turned to look deeply at Lady and asked, "What did the doctor say?" Lady, unsettled by his gaze, felt accused and replied sullenly, "The diagnosis is unclear, seems like a cold but not certain. He said he’d check the medical books and return in seven days!"

Seven days? Does it mean Sixth Girl will remain unconscious for seven days? "If one is not enough, then bring more doctors. Lying in bed without eating like this, even if she awakens in seven days, her vitality will be greatly damaged!" Lady, dissatisfied, retorted, "Your words imply that I did not call for a doctor. I watched Sixth Girl grow up; do you think her illness brings me comfort? The doctor was called by Second Master, an Imperial Physician from the palace. If they are uncertain, how could those wandering doctors know!"

Madam Xia’s sobbing turned from suppressed to heart-wrenching.

Listening to the chaotic cries, First Master ordered Chunliu without turning, "Go and call Manager Lai!" Chunliu, who had been comforting Madam Xia, immediately responded and hurried out the door.

On this side, Lady was furious and about to speak when Xiqiu, seemingly startled by the conversation between Lady and First Master, tightly furrowed her brows, yelling out, "Help!" Madam Xia, joyed upon hearing, thinking Xiqiu had awoken, tightly held her hand, "Sixth Miss, Sixth Miss!"

First Master walked over to see Xiqiu.

"Father! Father!" The words pierced First Master’s heart with pain, and he quickly took Xiqiu’s hand from Madam Xia, knelt beside the bed, and spoke affectionately, "Father is here!" Madam Xia also called from the side, "Sixth Miss, concubine is here!"

Xiqiu did not respond any further; they then realized Xiqiu had not truly awoken but was merely expressing dream talk due to fright.

First Master’s eyes darkened; Xiqiu flung her hand, grasping First Master’s hand, urgently shouting, "Help! Help! Someone wants to kill me..." Though her words were disjointed, this single sentence was enough to shock First Master. Help? Why would she call for help?

The thought flashed past, he scrutinized Xiqiu’s face trying to confirm if she was truly awake; his gaze suddenly fell on the section of neck exposed by her slipped blanket, wrapped in bandages, with threads of red blood seeping through. Seeing it, he furiously handed Xiqiu’s hand to Madam Xia, turning to Lady with a tone of interrogation, "What’s with this wound?!"

Lady glanced slightly and replied, "She was staying at the temple when one day a young nun from there reported to the mansion that the courtyard where Sixth Girl was residing suddenly caught fire. This wound was incurred that night, possibly from rushing out and getting grazed."

First Master did not believe it in the slightest. What could inflict such a wound on the neck? Besides, Tong Shen Zhi had detailed the fire incident in his letter; Sixth Girl exited early, even saved two maids. In such circumstances, how could she be so panic-stricken to injure herself?

Seeing First Master’s expression, Lady wanted to say more, but at this moment, Xiqiu suddenly clutched Madam Xia’s hand and said, "Don’t... don’t kill me." Like a shock of lightning, it stunned First Master and Madam Xia, and also shocked Lady!

Instantly a foreboding aura gathered between First Master’s brows; if someone is awake, they may feign, but dreaming is never deceitful. Sixth Girl was clearly frightened to talk like this... coupled with the neck wound, the inexplicable fire at the temple... connecting these threads, Sixth Girl is still in a coma, how could he not harbor suspicion?

"This girl." Lady furrowed her brows, full of sympathy, remarking, "Even in dreams, she is this terrified."

Madam Xia, cradling Xiqiu, upon hearing Lady’s words, suddenly stood up, looked at First Master, and said, "Sir, I am uneasy with Sixth Miss being like this. I would like to move here to accompany Sixth Miss, what do you think?" Not even asking for Lady’s opinion!

"Very well!" First Master responded, and Chunliu walked in, "Sir, Manager Lai is here!" Upon her announcement, First Master nodded and exited the room, calling out through the curtain to outside the door, "Take my note and go to Tongzhou to invite Mr. Zhang!" Mr. Zhang comes from a famed medical family; during the previous dynasty, the Zhang family served as palace physicians for centuries. Even today, although no longer part of the Imperial Hospital, their skills are among the most renowned in Great Zhou.