Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 75 The Fang Family's Response

When the news reached Yunyi Courtyard, Meng Shu not only secretly admired Madam Yun's brilliant strategy, but also felt a strange sense that the other shoe had finally fallen to the ground. She immediately checked the maids and servants in the courtyard, and after seeing that no one had gone out in the afternoon, she still couldn't relax. Since there was no problem with the Second Miss, could it be with Yungui Courtyard? Or perhaps the incense manual?

The old woman at the side gate glanced at Meng Shu, who, with a stern face, instructed everyone to continue with their duties. She said to just listen to the news outside and leave it at that, as the steward of Yun Gui Courtyard would take care of it.

However, Meng Shu whispered a few words to Dong Gua, instructing the old woman at the side gate to let her out. Jin Shu was still in the house picking beans, completely unaware of what was happening outside, and no one else dared to disobey Meng Shu's orders.

She underestimated the ability of people in the manor to spread gossip. Less than half an hour after the poisoning of Consort Lu, three groups of servants and old women had come to the side gate of Yunyi Courtyard to chat with acquaintances. Therefore, Meng Shu knew that the people from Yungui Courtyard and Fuliu Courtyard had gone there.

With the main masters absent, Aunt Liu's expression was quite interesting when she heard that Aunt Lu had gotten into trouble. She immediately called the eldest daughter, who was embroidering her wedding dress, out of her room. "With the old lady and madam not here, I am the only one in charge of things in the mansion. Come with me, and I will teach you how to handle things."

She was always simple-minded and had only a casual relationship with Aunt Lu. Her only reason for rushing over was to find out the situation as soon as possible and then indulge in the thrill of giving orders like her masters. Therefore, once she left Fuliu Courtyard, the young lady behaved quite dignifiedly, while Aunt Lu, who was naturally vulgar, took off running towards them.

Unfortunately, they couldn't even get through the gates of Fengyin Academy. The members of the Yun Gui Academy had already made arrangements after receiving the news.

Within a quarter of an hour of the incident, Dingzi, who had been keeping an eye on Aunt Lu's safety, immediately sent someone to Yun Gui Courtyard after hearing Huixin's scream outside the side room. The head of the household remained calm and sent someone to find Jian Zhi, the eldest apprentice of the family physician who was guarding the front courtyard. The two groups arrived at Aunt Lu's place in Fengyin Courtyard in less than a quarter of an hour.

Aunt Lu was slumped in her chair, her face deathly pale and unable to speak. On the inside of her snow-white wrist was a dark bruise with a pinhole-sized hole oozing black blood. Huixin, whether from fright or poisoning, had fainted and collapsed to the ground.

"It must have been a poisonous insect sting."

Jian Zhi looked at the wound with a solemn expression, and immediately instructed the maid to support Aunt Lu's arm. He then took out the gold needles he carried with him and inserted them into the wound several times to prevent the poison from spreading.

Upon hearing that it was a poisonous insect, all the maids and servants in the back courtyard were terrified. Only a few people from Yungui Courtyard remained calm in the face of danger. Under the direction of the head of the household, two more female medical apprentices came out, and the group took the powder to repel the poisonous insects to check each room.

Then, without regard for anything else, the head of the Fang family immediately ordered the Fengyin Courtyard to be sealed off, with all the maids and servants standing by. He also personally led people to the main house of the second courtyard to carry the second young master to Fu'an Residence for resettlement. On his way back, he stopped Aunt Liu.

"Aunt Liu is not at Fuliu Courtyard preparing for the eldest young lady's wedding. She has rushed here to visit her. I think Aunt Lu will be very grateful when she wakes up. However, I heard from Jian Zhi, who works at the family doctor's office, that the poisonous insects in the courtyard have not been completely cleared out. For the sake of the eldest young lady and her own safety, Aunt Liu should go back to her own courtyard for safety."

Upon hearing the words "poisonous insects," Aunt Liu quickly grabbed the young lady's arm and took two steps back. "Poisonous insects! How could there be poisonous insects on such an important day as the Double Ninth Festival?"

Aunt Liu immediately gave up her thoughts and, having no desire to entangle with the people from Yun Gui Courtyard, prepared to leave quickly. However, before leaving, the eldest young lady managed to inquire about Aunt Lu's safety. Upon hearing that she was still receiving treatment, she hurriedly stopped her mistress's arm and said to the head of the household:

"I'm so sorry to trouble you to send someone to Fuliu Courtyard to let them know that Aunt Lu is alright. Aunt Lu is also very worried about her." The eldest daughter of the Fang family bowed and responded. Then she heard the eldest daughter ask if they should send someone to the estate to deliver the message.

Fang Daren said solemnly, "Today is an important day for ancestor worship. Why don't we wait until Jian Zhi is treated before making a decision?"

The young lady only mentioned it briefly, and after reminding her, she took Aunt Liu back home.

As the young lady of the Fang family watched her retreating figure, he thought to himself that she was not too cold-blooded after all. Just as he was about to enter the courtyard, he saw Donggua running over with her short legs, panting heavily. She hurriedly waved to the young lady of the Fang family.

"Manager Fang...Manager Fang, Meng...Meng Shu asked me to pass on a message to you."

Once Donggua had caught his breath, he leaned closer and whispered, "I heard from the maidservant next to Aunt Lu that someone from Lanting Courtyard delivered a fragrance manual to Aunt Lu early this morning."

Donggua made no embellishment to this statement, and as Meng Shu instructed, he never mentioned that it was the Third Miss who led the people to Fengyin Courtyard.

Actually, reminding them of this was pointless. It's likely that Fengyin Courtyard and Lanting Courtyard were monitoring every move. Madam Yun must have had a backup plan. Meng Shu's intention was to use this to tell the Fang family that the Second Miss had also been on guard, and that was enough.

Upon hearing this, the head of the Fang family looked pleased and patted Donggua's temple with satisfaction. "Go back and tell Meng Shu that our mistress knows."

Then someone next to him gave Donggua two silver coins. Donggua couldn't understand the riddle, but he happily accepted the reward after bowing to the head of the household according to custom.

The Fang family had a lot of things to do, so they left two second-class maids at the gate and hurriedly went into the courtyard to inquire. Naturally, they had someone keep an eye on the incense manual from the very beginning.

Donggua didn't leave; she just stayed at the door. One of the maids guarding the door told her what had just happened, and Donggua listened with satisfaction before finally leaving.

"Why are you telling her such detailed things? What if the steward finds out and punishes you?" Another maid, who hadn't spoken until now, had a stern face and looked like a well-behaved and honest person.

"The steward didn't chase Donggua away just now, probably because he wanted to use the two of us to let her tell the Second Miss. Even if we're wrong, it doesn't matter. My sister is always so honest. When will we ever get our chance to rise in the world?"

It turns out that these two maids are sisters. Although they are not twins, one is quiet and the other is lively, which makes them somewhat like the third and fourth young ladies.

When Meng Shu heard the news, she felt much more relaxed. After all, the head of the Fang family was the manager of Yun Gui Courtyard. He handled things in an orderly manner. When the family doctor was not available, he immediately brought over his eldest apprentice. He also dealt with the concubine's visit in a proper way. It was as if everything had been rehearsed, which made people feel at ease.

Seeing that the situation had stabilized, Meng Shu stopped restraining the people in the courtyard, but she didn't let Jinshu off the hook. She still needed to pick out the beans. The other maids and servants immediately made an appointment to go to the old woman at the side gate to have a drink and chat.

The servants should also have a proper celebration, shouldn't they? Meng Shu personally paid for a simple feast at the public kitchen, and only ordered a small jar of chrysanthemum wine. Since she didn't know what Fengyin Courtyard was like, Meng Shu went over and instructed them not to make a fuss, but just to guard the gate and have a cup of wine each.

Back in the room, Donggua made two cups of pomelo drink, handed them to Meng Shu, and said, "Should we inform the Second Miss?"

Meng Shu said, "No need. Just keep an eye on the news from both courtyards. No matter what the outcome of Aunt Lu's treatment is, it's always Aunt Wen who's anxious."

"Did Aunt Wen really make this? Could she possibly repel poisonous insects?"

Meng Shu: "...Regardless of whether it was her or not, if the Fang family doesn't find any evidence, then it's an accident."