CHAPTER 309: CHAPTER 309: ELDEST SISTER-IN-LAW (4)

Tong Xiyan, however, remained kneeling and didn’t rise: "Mother, please don’t be upset!" Tong Xiyan wiped her tears.

Wow!

The First Lady was so angry that her face turned pale blue. Suddenly, her body trembled, and she vomited out the half bowl of bird’s nest porridge she had just eaten...

In an instant, her body, the bed, were all covered in filth.

"Mother!" Tong Xiyan was so shocked that she immediately stood up. "Mother, what’s wrong!" she said, moving to wipe the First Lady’s face.

Tong Xiyu immediately covered her mouth, turned away, and dry heaved a few times!

Tong Xiyan reached out a hand, but the First Lady turned her face to the side in anger, avoiding her touch. Meanwhile, she squinted her eyes sharply at the dry-heaving Tong Xiyu, her gaze full of coldness!

Nanny Fang saw this, her eyes flashed, and she went to pull Tong Xiyan away: "The First Lady is in a temper, please, Fourth Miss, take a seat outside for a moment." After saying this, Nanny Fang turned around with a changed expression and looked at Tong Xiyu: "I can’t handle this alone, may I trouble Eighth Miss to lend a hand."

Tong Xiyu was taken aback, looking extremely troubled: "Me?" She looked as if she couldn’t endure it, so Nanny Fang furrowed her brows and said, "Sorry to trouble you, Eighth Miss." Tong Xiyu cautiously glanced at the First Lady, squeezed the handkerchief in her hand, and, suppressing her nausea, moved to wipe the First Lady’s face...

As soon as she approached, the smell of the sour stench filled her nose. The handkerchief hadn’t even reached the First Lady’s face before she turned and ran to the side, throwing up as well!

At this point, people outside heard the commotion and all began to ask through the curtain: "What happened, should we call a doctor?"

Not being one’s own flesh and blood, indeed can’t be relied upon!

The First Lady glared angrily, coldly huffing and murmuring continuously from her mouth, while Nanny Fang, understanding her intention, glanced around.

At this point, no one should care about saving face!

Nanny Fang moved her gaze and replied: "Nothing’s wrong, it’s just that the Lady threw up!"

Hearing that the First Lady had vomited, Madam Mei thought of Tong Xiyu being inside, and indeed heard the sound of Tong Xiyu vomiting incessantly. She immediately said nervously: "I’ll call for the servant to clean up."

But Nanny Fang, unlike her usual self, didn’t cover up for the First Lady. She lifted the curtain and stood at the door, her gaze landing directly on Xiqiu, who was standing next to Tong Shenzhi, smiling as she said: "Servants are too clumsy!"

Xiqiu’s gaze flickered slightly, and she heard Madam Mei saying: "Then let me clean it up!"

Afraid that the First Lady would trouble Eighth Miss, right!

Nanny Fang internally huffed coldly, Eighth Miss isn’t even worth the First Lady’s trouble. She shifted her gaze to look directly at Xiqiu and said: "Why not trouble Sixth Miss, yours is the most meticulous in this house."

The First Lady’s illness had persisted so long; surely this wasn’t her first time vomiting, and usually it was cleaned by servants. Today, claiming they were too clumsy, was clearly just to embarrass Xiqiu.

Xiqiu walked out with a smile, nodded, and said: "Nanny Fang, you’re too kind. As a daughter, it’s only right to attend to Mother’s matters without hesitation!" She said, lifting her skirt to enter the room.

Madam Xia’s face wrinkled, looking very unpleasant. The First Lady was obviously making things difficult for the two concubine-born daughters!

Isn’t she usually concerned about appearances, preventing anyone from getting close? Why did she break this rule today, without regard for appearances?!

Xiqiu entered the room, immediately assaulted by an unpleasant sour odor. Tong Xiyan stood nervously on the side, holding a handkerchief as she dared not approach for fear of the First Lady’s anger, while Tong Xiyu leaned against the wall, vomiting incessantly into a spittoon in the corner. The First Lady lay on the bed with closed eyes, expressionless, suppressing her anger!

This was the first time Xiqiu had seen the First Lady in months, no longer the dignified and elegant woman of the past. Her skin seemed to deflate like a balloon, revealing countless wrinkles, aged by what seemed like decades in just a few months, like an old woman.

Xiqiu calmly bowed to the First Lady, took the handkerchief from Nanny Fang, and with a calm expression, began to wipe her face under the First Lady’s menacing gaze. The First Lady, however, turned her head, leaving Xiqiu’s hand to fall short, instantly covering it in filth, which she indifferently wiped off with the handkerchief. She then took a new quilt from Nanny Fang and changed it for the First Lady, helping her change her clothes as well, doing everything without a word. Though her actions were not skilled, they were respectful and courteous, leaving the First Lady with no fault to find.

The First Lady squinted, and Nanny Fang smiled and said: "Sixth Miss is truly handy."

Xiqiu shyly lowered her face.

The First Lady had other intentions, but after a bout of struggling, she was too exhausted, and drifted off to sleep. Tong Xiyan, along with Xiqiu, supported the pale-faced Tong Xiyu out, and Madam Mei immediately came forward to hold Tong Xiyu: "Eighth Miss, are you alright?"

The words were said as though the First Lady’s room was a dragon’s den.

Tong Xiyan’s face fell upon hearing this: "What is Aunt saying? It’s Eighth Sister who couldn’t hold on, yet insisted on putting on a brave face, and that’s how this happened. Listening to you, it sounds as if someone bullied her!"

Madam Mei’s face alternated red and white as she listened...

Tong Shenzhi said nothing, glanced at Tong Xiyu, and his gaze lingered on Xiqiu’s calm face before he expressionlessly said: "The weather today isn’t good, and there might be no moon. Everyone, disperse."

Madam Shuang took Tong Xijia back to the second house, Madam Mei hurriedly supported Tong Xiyu out of the door, and Xiqiu arranged for the maids to deliver mooncakes to each house, and bid farewell to everyone.

She also secretly wondered what the First Lady was up to, had she suddenly come to terms with something and wanted them to attend to her illness?

She was indeed right. From that day on, the First Lady called for Xiqiu to attend to her every other day by the bedside, seemingly deliberately making things difficult for Xiqiu. As long as she was around, the First Lady either wet the bed, knocked over the medicine bowl, or vomited on herself. Serving in the main room all day, Xiqiu often ended up so tired she fell asleep as soon as she laid down.

And the First Lady, as if from that day onwards, gradually regained her health. Upon learning this, Tong Shenzhi specifically thanked her, personally sending Tong Minzhi to Qianshan Academy. Madam Xia was reluctant to let Tong Minzhi endure hardships, but given his young age and great ambitions, she restrained herself from becoming a burden, thus she complained to Xiqiu and occasionally sent people to inquire about his situation.

Time quickly turned to winter.

On the day of the Winter Solstice, Xiqiu had Nanny Qian bring a nine-layered cake to the outer courtyard, where Tong Shenzhi led Tong Minzhi to offer ancestral rites. They also cooked seven or eight pots of dumplings in the Man Mansion, and everyone gathered to enjoy them together, celebrating the festival.

In the afternoon, Nanny Qian brought Qiya and two rough-handled nannies to Zhiqu Courtyard, marking the end of the half-year entrance training in the mansion.

Xiqiu had just returned from the First Lady’s room and was washing her hands when she saw Nanny Qian enter. She smiled and said: "Nanny has worked hard these six months."

Nanny Qian smiled and said: "Sixth Miss entrusted them to me, showing confidence in me. How dare I claim to be tired!" With that, she paused, lifted the curtain to let them in, and Qiya led three people to kneel on the ground, bowing to Xiqiu as their master.