Shangguan Yan sighed softly. “Sister-in-law, why didn’t you say so earlier? If you had said so, we could have thought of a way to treat Ziyue’s illness.”
Eldest Mrs. Xiao did not see any disdain on Shangguan Yan’s face. She hugged her dirty daughter bitterly and did not reply.
If there was only one person in the world who could understand Eldest Mrs. Xiao’s feelings, it would definitely be Shangguan Yan. She also had a child that had not been treated for many years, and she did not want the world to know this secret. She lived cautiously and shamelessly, living in fear, afraid that her son would leave her one day when she woke up. No one knew this pain better than her.
She took off her cloak and covered the disheveled Xiao Ziyue. She said softly, “Sister-in-law, bring Ziyue down to wash her face first.”
Eldest Mrs. Xiao could not carry her daughter, who was already fourteen or fifteen years old. Yu Wan called Fu Ling over. Fu Ling easily picked up Xiao Ziyue, who was wrapped tightly in a cloak, and went to the room for the guests to rest.
Yu Wan asked Zi Su to go to the carriage to take a jade ointment and apply it on Xiao Ziyue’s swelling.
It was naturally easy to investigate this matter. The place where they threw the arrows was on the open grass. It was impossible for insects to fly into Xiao Ziyue’s lapel for no reason, not to mention there were two of them at once. Moreover, such a big thing had happened, but Xiao Zilin, that girl, had disappeared.
Xiao Zilin’s cultivation was ultimately a little shallow. If she had appeared in the room openly and cried bitterly, Eldest Mrs. Xiao might not have suspected her, but she had hidden herself. Who would believe that she wasn’t guilty?
Eldest Mrs. Xiao got someone to call Xiao Zilin over.
Xiao Zilin’s face turned pale. Her two personal maidservants even knelt on the ground the moment they entered the room.
Eldest Mrs. Xiao slowly stood up and walked towards Xiao Zilin.
Xiao Zilin began to tremble. Although she was rude and unreasonable outside, she was also afraid of her legitimate mother at home.
“Mother… Mother…”
Eldest Mrs. Xiao raised her hand and slapped her!
“How dare you! You actually framed your biological sister!”
Eldest Mrs. Xiao’s slap was merciless, causing half of Xiao Zilin’s face to swell.
Xiao Zilin looked at her legitimate mother fearfully and aggrievedly. “Mother… No… It’s not like that… Listen to me… I didn’t mean to harm Second Sister… I… I wanted to tease others… Second Sister came over herself…”
How could Eldest Mrs. Xiao believe her?
This little hussy must be jealous of her daughter, so she thought of ways to harm her daughter and wanted her daughter to embarrass herself in public. If Madam Yu hadn’t reacted quickly enough, her daughter would have been in danger, and everyone would have known that her daughter had a strange illness!
Shangguan Yan could not interfere with the family matters of the eldest branch. She only sat quietly behind the screen and watched Yu Wan apply medicine to Xiao Ziyue.
Xiao Ziyue had a few large bumps on her body and her waist.
Xiao Ziyue was already awake, but when she thought of what had happened just now, she felt embarrassed and fell asleep crying.
Yu Wan’s movements were so light that Xiao Zilin did not even know that she and Shangguan Yan were sitting behind the screen.
“Bring Third Miss back to the manor!” Eldest Mrs. Xiao still remembered that this was Prince Cheng’s wedding banquet and could not make things too ugly. However, after returning to the manor, she had plenty of ways to deal with this girl!
Xiao Zilin was brought (escorted) back by Eldest Mrs. Xiao’s maidservant to the manor.
In order to stop everyone from talking, Eldest Mrs. Xiao announced to the public that her daughter had been bitten by a poisonous spider. It was not a place to be bitten, so it was not convenient to show it to others.
A few friends came to visit Xiao Ziyue after that. Xiao Ziyue’s chest and collarbone were swollen.
“There’s also one on her waist,” Eldest Mrs. Xiao said with a sigh. “Ziyue is timid and was frightened on the spot. Mrs. Yan was anxious to take out the poisonous spider, so she asked you to leave.”
She had to take off her clothes to find the poisonous spider. In that case, it was not strange for them to be dismissed.
At that time, Young Madam looked a little fierce, but that was all for Xiao Ziyue’s own good. They had nothing to complain about. As for why Young Madam did this, was there a need to say? Young Madam was Xiao Ziyue’s nominal sister-in-law!
When the news reached Prince Cheng’s ears, Prince Cheng sent a capable nanny over. She apologized to Eldest Mrs. Xiao and said that the Prince Cheng Manor could not escape the blame for the poisonous spider that crawled out of the garden. At the same time, she told Eldest Mrs. Xiao that Prince Cheng had already sent someone to invite the imperial physician.
Naturally, Eldest Mrs. Xiao would not let the imperial physician treat Xiao Ziyue. If the friends could not tell, could the imperial physician not tell too? Xiao Ziyue was clearly frightened until she fell ill.
Eldest Mrs. Xiao rejected Prince Cheng’s good intentions and brought Xiao Ziyue back to the Xiao Manor.
A few friends testified that she indeed had to go home and recuperate after being bitten like that. No one suspected anything, and the storm subsided.
However, before Yu Wan could catch her breath, the nanny beside Prince Cheng hurried over. She bowed to Yu Wan and said, “May I ask… if you’re Mrs. Yan?”
Yu Wan nodded. “Yes, what’s the matter?”
The nanny said anxiously, “It’s like this. A guest of the Fei Yan Hall fainted when he was drunk and accidentally cut his hand. He’s bleeding profusely. The imperial physician is on his way, but that guest is seriously injured. His Highness, Prince Cheng, is worried that it’ll be too late. I heard that Mrs. Yan treated Miss Xiao’s insect injury just now. I think Young Madam knows medicine. I wonder if you can take a look at that guest first?”
Yu Wan looked at the first aid kit in Zi Su’s hand and nodded. “Lead the way.”
The nanny said happily, “Mrs. Yan, this way please!”
Yu Wan gestured for the two maidservants to follow and casually asked the nanny, “May I know who the guest is?”
The nanny replied, “An envoy from Nanzhao.”
