Chapter 41 (1/2)

The yard was covered with snow. It had an old tree, four main rooms, and Second Mistress Surin kept frowning. “My lord, the Ji family arranged such a pitiful yard for our daughter to live in. They really look down on us!”

They had heard that Ji Manor had arranged a yard and thinking that it was another luxurious space with pavilions and gardens they went into Shengjing without arranging an inn. Now, when they saw this narrow courtyard, they were naturally very disappointed.

Su Wenqian coughed lightly, knowing that it was the Su family who first went back on the marriage, and sighed. “We can’t blame this on the Ji Family!”

Second Mistress Surin frowned but said nothing.

After entering the hall, they found that it was clean. They were seated, and Nanny made tea.

Su Di and Su Yan sat and looked around, their gaze full of uncontrolled contempt, like spoiled and entitled young masters.

Surin looked around and asked, “Why are you alone? Where are the others?”

“Madame, after we entered Shengjing, seeing that Ji Manor arranged this yard, I thought it was inconvenient to live together in the yard,” Nanny hurriedly replied. “So I sent out all the attendants who came together!”

It made sense, as the escort attendants were all men, and it was not appropriate to live with the young lady.

“Where’s Yuejiu?” Su Wenqian asked.

Nanny’s face froze, and she knelt down. “The Young Lady was already delicate, and she was sick as soon as she got to Shengjing,” she apologized. “These past few days have been so cold, we’ve had snow, and her illness is getting worse. She is lying in bed, so she didn’t come out to meet you. I have not taken good care of her, please punish me, my lord and madame!”

Surin stood up suddenly. “What did you say?” she exclaimed. “Yuejiu is ill? Is it serious? Bring me to see her!”

“Why did she suddenly fall sick?” Su Wenqian asked anxiously.

Nanny got up and said, “I’ll bring Second Mistress to see the Young Lady!”

Several people went out of the hall together, along the porch to the west room. Because it was a woman’s boudoir, Su Wenqian and the two brothers could not go in. Only Second Mistress followed Nanny into the room.

It was already dark, and there was only an oil lamp in the room. It was dark and unknown, and as soon as they went in, they smelled a strong smell of herbs and medicine.

“Yue’er?”

Surin exclaimed and walked quickly to the bed.

Opening the bed’s drapes, they saw a woman lying in shadows. Her face was covered with thick white gauze towels, her eyes half-closed. A weak voice called, “Mother!”

It seemed that she was going to get up, but upon moving at all she fell into a coughing fit.

“My child!” Surin sat by the bed, reached across the quilt to caress the woman’s chest, and said with heartache, “Lie down quickly, why is your illness so serious?”

Cough! Cough! Cough!

The lady on the bed coughed to the point where she was unable to speak.

“Go get a glass of water!” Surin ordered Nanny.

“Miss has just taken her medicine,” Nanny said. “The physician said not to drink water yet!”

“What happened to my child’s face?” Surin asked.

Su Jiu lay on the bed with only her eyes revealed. She faced inwards, and the light was dim. Surin only saw the gauze on the woman’s face.

“Second Mistress, Young Lady has been ill for nearly a month,” Nanny whispered. “The physician said it may be tuberculosis, so she is afraid of infecting others, thus the gauze towels.”

“What?” Surin looked up in dismay and her eyes widened. “Tuberculosis? It couldn’t be. My child was fine before. How could she get tuberculosis?”

Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough!

The woman in bed coughed violently again, and the white gauze scarf was spotted with red stains as if the woman had coughed up blood.

Surin’s face turned pale and stood up a little away from the bed.

“Mistress, there is no need to worry so much, this is only the physician’s doubts. It has not been diagnosed!” Nanny comforted.