Chapter 35: Kindness - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter
Chapter 35: Kindness
Fortunately, the coachman was experienced and immediately tightened the reins, soothing the horses, otherwise there would have been a major accident.
"Oh..." Feng Jinyao and Yunxu both opened their eyes in surprise and furrowed their brows.
When they lifted the curtain to take a look, they saw an old woman who had fallen nearby.
"Go down and see if the horse frightened her."
"Okay."
Yunxu got off the carriage and quickly walked a few steps to help the woman who had fallen by the roadside.
"Ma'am, did our horse startle you?"
"It's alright, it's alright. It's my own fault for not walking steadily and slipping. It has nothing to do with you."
The old woman appeared to be in her fifties, with a round face and a kind smile, and her hair and clothes were neatly arranged.
With her kind eyes, she looked like someone you would immediately feel close to.
Yunxu quickly helped her up. "Be careful on the slippery road, ma'am."
"Thank you so much, young lady. I'll remember."
When she looked down, she noticed that her pants were covered in mud, and when she tried to put weight on her right foot, she seemed to be in pain.
Seeing this, Yunxu became worried. Step by step, she helped the old woman to sit down by the side of the road.
"Did you sprain your ankle? Shall I take you to the doctor's to have a look?"
As she spoke, Yunxu squatted down and gently pulled up the woman's pants. Sure enough, her ankle was swollen and red, making it impossible for her to walk.
The old woman didn't expect this young girl to be so kind-hearted.
Seeing her attire, she didn't seem like an ordinary girl from a common family. She looked more like a maid from a noble household.
So she tentatively asked, "It's alright, ma'am. I have some herbal medicine for injuries at home. I'll apply it when I get back. You don't need to trouble yourself, young lady."
After saying that, she pointed to the Feng family carriage parked nearby. "The person sitting in that carriage is a noblewoman. You should hurry back home and not disturb her."
Yunxu was somewhat shocked by the old woman's sharp eyes. She had quickly assessed their different backgrounds.
Not far away, Xiuqiu returned to the carriage with two large bags of snacks, only to see Yunxu squatting on the steps with an old woman sitting beside her. Xiuqiu looked puzzled and whispered to Feng Jinyao inside the carriage.
"Miss, what's going on?"
Gently lifting the corner of the curtain, Feng Jinyao's sharp eyes immediately noticed the swollen ankle of the old woman.
Somehow, she suddenly remembered some past events and felt a pang of sympathy.
She instructed Xiuqiu, "Bring some silver over to help treat the lady's injury and find a cart to take her home."
"Okay."
The old woman never expected the unseen noblewoman in the carriage to be so kind-hearted. She was taken aback by this unexpected kindness.
Seeing the white hair on her temples, Yunxu felt a bit worried. Perhaps she was reminded of her own mother at home. So she walked to the front of the carriage to ask for permission.
"Miss, may I take this lady home? After she's taken care of, I'll come back on my own."
Since there was nothing urgent, Feng Jinyao agreed.
"Well, be careful on the way."
With that, she asked one of the servants following behind to accompany Yunxu. After Xiuqiu got back into the carriage, the coachman slowly drove the carriage forward.
Looking at the lanterns hanging around the carriage, with the character 'Feng' written on them, the old woman frowned slightly.
There weren't many families in the Eastern Capital with the surname Feng. Among the people she knew, only her family had the surname Feng.
Could it be the third young lady of the Ministry of Revenue's family?
The servant brought a cart, and Yunxu and the old woman helped her onto it. With one pushing from behind and one assisting from the side, the three of them headed in the opposite direction.
Soon, they arrived at Pear Blossom Alley.
Next to the alley was the Kong Stone Bridge and the first house under the bridge was the old woman's residence.
There was a sweet osmanthus tree in front of the door, but now its branches were bare.
"Ma'am, is there anyone else in your house? Should I call someone to come out and help you?"
"Young lady, don't worry. My husband's surname is Zhang, and everyone around here calls me Auntie Zhang. My husband went to the mountains to collect herbs, so I'm the only one at home. I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you to help me get inside."
Auntie Zhang spoke kindly and politely, without feeling intimidated by knowing the identity of the young lady.
Yunxu liked her demeanor, and since she hadn't seen her family in a long time, she decided to take care of Auntie Zhang as if she were a relative.
"It's okay. I'll get some medicine for you, and then I'll leave."
Entering the house, they saw shelves filled with herbs, both fresh and aged, emitting a faint herbal fragrance throughout the room.
Yunxu helped Auntie Zhang sit on a bench in the corridor and then went into the house to find the herbal medicine.
"It's on the cabinet. The black bottle is the one."
The furnishings in the room were simple but neat and tidy, indicating that Auntie Zhang was a respectable person.
After getting the medicine, Yunxu poured it gently onto Auntie Zhang's ankle, feeling a cool sensation spreading from her ankle.
She gently massaged it for a while, and strangely the bruise on her ankle seemed to dissipate.
Surprised by the sudden change, Yunxu had never seen such fast effects before, even though she had seen many precious and miraculous medicines in the Feng family since she was young.
"Auntie Zhang, is this medicine passed down in your family? Why is it so effective?"
Auntie Zhang couldn't help but laugh at Yunxu's surprised expression.
"My husband prepared it. He may not be skilled in other things, but he knows a bit about treating injuries like sprains."
She spoke with pride, and Yunxu admired the bond between the two even more.
Handing Auntie Zhang a package of snacks, Yunxu said, "Here's some food for you. Since you can't move easily, cooking might be troublesome. Just make do with this. There's also some silver here which my young lady asked me to give you for your treatment. I have to hurry back now, so I won't stay any longer."
Auntie Zhang nodded and accepted the package of snacks but returned the silver coins.
"Is your young lady the third miss of the Feng family?"
"How did you know, Auntie Zhang?" Yunxu was surprised at first, but then she remembered, "You must have seen the character on the carriage."
Auntie Zhang nodded with a smile, "I happened to pass by the Bai Mansion when Madam Bai celebrated her birthday and I heard the servants calling out 'Miss Feng'. So I made a bold guess."
Yunxu admired Auntie Zhang's memory and perceptiveness and was also curious about her identity.
She lived in an ordinary household, but her words and knowledge were not inferior to those of Madam Bai in the mansion.
Who exactly was she?
Seeing Yunxu's expression change, Auntie Zhang explained, "I used to serve Madam in the mansion. Later, I received the family's favor and retired to live here, so I know a thing or two."
Ah, that's how it is. Yunxu exchanged a few more words and then left with the servant. It was Auntie Zhang who watched her leave with a meaningful smile.
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