Chapter 51: Do I Have to Come in Person?
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Chapter 51: Do I Have to Come in Person?
To gather information, Jian Tong had not returned to the General's residence for two days. At this moment, he was mingling in the back alleys of the city, dressed in plain, shabby clothes, with a few mud splatters on his pant legs, looking just like someone who had just lugged a hundred bags of sand from the docks.
Moreover, with a face that was too ordinary and lacked distinguishing features, even his father struggled to identify him among a group of children when he ran off to play. Taking advantage of this, Jian Tong was well aware that he was born to be a master at sneaking around and gathering intel—no, tracking and investigating.
For the past two days, he had been secretly observing the comings and goings of the Yao family from a corner of the alley that was essential for their servants. Having already figured out the composition of the Yao family, Jian Tong quickly focused on a few specific individuals.
That morning, Jian Tong noticed a female servant coming out of the Yao family’s back door. Her actions were very cautious as if she didn't want anyone to see her.
So, Jian Tong discreetly followed her until she entered a clinic.
A moment later, he revealed himself and entered the clinic under the guise of seeking medical attention.
Seeing the female servant being led to a screen by an attendant, Jian Tong was about to follow her when he was stopped by the attendant who had just come out from behind the screen: “Please wait a moment, sir!”
“I’m here to see the physician as well!” Jian Tong pointed at the screen, trying to appear sincere.
“But you can't go in there,” the attendant said quietly. “All the patients inside are women. If you are inquiring about a family member's condition, you will need to wait here until the physician finishes with the female patient.”
Jian Tong responded with an “oh” and nodded.
“Please have a seat then.” The attendant gestured and went back to busying himself at the medicine cabinet.
Jian Tong found a chair to sit in, resting his hands on his knees, appearing to be daydreaming as he waited. However, he had actually perked up his ears to listen to the sounds coming from behind the screen.
The voices coming from behind the screen were not loud enough for an ordinary person to understand, but having trained in martial arts since childhood, his hearing was sharp. At this moment, with his concentration focused, he could make out much of the conversation.
“... Is there still no improvement?” A somewhat elderly voice asked about the patient's condition; it must have been the physician from the clinic.
The female servant, it seemed, was here to get medicine for someone else, and she began to answer the physician's questions with increasing emotion: “... My aunt has been so unfortunate! Physician, you have seen my aunt grow up, and you know she is always kind to others. When she entered the Yao family, outsiders only envied her good fortune, but who knows how much suffering she has endured over the years?”
“Out of the blue, she is being tormented by those hellish potions, nearly losing her life!”
“Her background is from the Pei family, so naturally, we cannot provoke them. She only wanted to live a quiet life and never intended to fight for anything… But who knew she would encounter a venomous woman who shows no mercy!”
The physician sighed deeply: “Those abortifacient potions... three parts prevent pregnancy and seven parts poison; after drinking them for several years, even the strongest body cannot withstand such destruction.”
“Could we dare not drink them? Each time they are sent, they say it is for nourishment, and that Pei family’s servants must watch my aunt drink it before they leave!”
“The previous Lady Lü... somehow managed to avoid those potions, but in the end, she still met with a tragic fate, leaving behind a dead body and two lives lost. Who can hold anyone accountable for her death? The master is also heartless, busy with official duties, often not returning home for days on end... Who cares about my aunt’s survival?”
“What a noble family! They’re nothing but a poisonous woman and a madwoman!”
“She can’t bear children herself, so she suspects this and that. Not to mention offspring, she doesn’t even leave my aunt with a path to live!”
“In the household, one must always watch their words, surrounded by that Pei woman’s spies. The old lady doesn’t dare offend her. These words, I can only dare to share with you...” The female servant started sobbing: “At this point, my aunt only wishes for you to save her life! After a winter, her health has visibly worsened...”
The elderly physician comforted her a few times, but there was little he could do: “At this stage, we can only try a different prescription…”
“Then I’ll trouble you to prescribe something…”
The sounds of paper and ink rustling followed, and the female servant suppressed her sobs.
After about fifteen minutes, the female servant walked out with her head down, took the prescription to find the attendant for the medicine, and then quickly left.
Only then did Jian Tong rise from his seat.
The elderly physician stepped out from behind the screen and sized him up thoughtfully, asking: “Are you here to…”
Knowing that the physician and the female servant were old acquaintances, Jian Tong didn’t want to turn around and leave, fearing it would arouse suspicion. So, he made a silly face and said, “Of course, I’m here to see the physician!”
The physician replied: “But we only treat women’s ailments here.”
“?” With a good mindset, Jian Tong quickly replied: “I’m here for my mother!”
The elderly physician understood: “Then it is necessary for your mother to come herself so that I can check her pulse and diagnose her condition.”
Jian Tong pretended to be confused: “Does she really have to come in person?”
“Well... it wouldn’t be impossible for me to visit your home,” the elderly physician replied, noticing Jian Tong's attire. He clarified, “You just need to pay a little extra for the consultation.”
“Oh, okay, I understand…” Jian Tong scratched his head and said sheepishly, “I’ll go back home and discuss it with my father.”
Seeing him leave in a daze, the elderly physician shook his head and sighed: “That poor woman…”
***
After leaving the clinic, Jian Tong discreetly returned to Xingning Alley. He changed into a robe he had hidden away beforehand, restoring his usual appearance before heading back to the General’s residence. He reported everything he had learned over the past two days.
“If that’s the case, then one of Yao Yi’s two concubines is dead, and the other is ill, both because of that Pei Shi?” Chang Suining frowned.
Jian Tong replied, “That’s certainly what the female servant said.”
The General’s residence had a small household; after Chang Kuo lost his wife, he had not remarried and had little experience with the intrigues of the inner quarters. Chang Suining found it hard to imagine: “Isn’t that Pei woman too cruel and jealous? Doesn’t Yao Tingwei care at all?”
“The Pei family is powerful, and Yao Yi hasn’t taken a concubine in many years. I suppose he feels he has no choice but to avoid an open conflict…” Chang Kuo furrowed his brow and sighed, not elaborating further.
Chang Suining understood the unspoken implications.
Feeling helpless was one thing; not caring about the lives of concubines was another. Many instances of yielding and avoiding confrontation stemmed from not having touched upon true interests or bottom lines.
The two concubines were innocent; they had merely been caught in the crossfire between the husband and wife, bringing about their misfortunes.
Yao Yi, at least, had some self-awareness and conscience left; he hadn’t taken any more concubines.
“In Yu Gong’s letter, it says that this Pei woman was once engaged to a Jin family youth, but then that Jin family man created a scandal about marrying a mistress as his main wife, leading to a public fallout between the Pei and Jin families, and the engagement was subsequently called off…”
Looking at the letter in hand, Chang Suining pondered: “After calling off the engagement, the next year, Pei Min took a liking to the newly promoted scholar Yao Yi, leading to this marriage... The incident of calling off the engagement was ultimately disgraceful, and marrying into a family of equal standing would probably yield no suitable groom. Perhaps that’s why the Pei family had to settle for less, marrying their legitimate daughter to Yao Yi.”
“If that’s the case, then this Pei woman likely harbors resentment,” she speculated. “If she felt unsatisfied from the beginning and encountered any difficulties after marrying, it would be easy for her to develop hatred—”
Chang Kuo nodded, frowning: “People from these noble families value their reputation above all; face matters more than anything!”
“She probably believes her marriage is undignified and that she hasn’t given birth to a legitimate son, which makes her feel embarrassed. If any concubine in the household were to bear a son, it would be like trampling her dignity underfoot. Therefore, she would never allow such a thing to happen—” Chang Suining guessed. “Her actions reveal her character. Yao Yi must have seen this over the years and has likely grown distant from her.”
Lacking her husband’s affection would probably make Pei feel even more “undignified,” leading to further resentment.
Listening to his sister and father discuss these matters, Chang Sui'an , who only cared for his sister’s safety, couldn’t understand: “Even if she is consumed by hatred, these are just family affairs of the Yao family. What does it have to do with outsiders?”
“That’s a good point!” Chang Kuo mused for a moment and said, “If the one secretly dealing harshly with Suining is indeed this Pei woman, then we must give this some serious thought…”
Understanding a person's flaws and what they most detest is essential for analyzing their motives for committing extreme actions—
“As Suining said, the Pei woman’s actions since marrying into the Yao family revolve around a sense of ‘unwillingness’ and ‘undignified,’ clouding her judgment. Ultimately, it all comes back to her husband, Yao Yi, as the root source…”
While Chang Kuo was deep in thought, Chang Sui'an suddenly stood up, exclaiming: “Could it be that this Pei woman suspects Ning Ning is Yao Da-ren’s illegitimate daughter?”
The room fell silent.
Both Chang Suining and Chang Kuo turned to look at Chang Sui'an .
“You brat…” Chang Kuo was taken aback for a moment, then jumped up from his chair: “When did your brain start working so fast?”
Not only was he quick, but it was even more remarkable that he wasn’t making foolish remarks!
Has this kid been secretly taking medicine at the rejuvenation clinic?
Chang Suining also looked at him with some admiration.
That statement was like a revelation… Although the truth might not align perfectly, it certainly opened up new lines of thought.
“I…” Chang Sui'an suddenly felt a bit embarrassed and humbly said: “I was just guessing.”
However, this offhand guess was based on—
He was genuinely afraid someone might take his sister away!
This was a vigilance ingrained in him since childhood.
“Father, it’s impossible for Ning Ning to be a child of the Yao family, right?”
Chang Sui'an stared intently at his father, feeling as if he were walking on thin ice, and began to make some rather insensitive remarks about appearances: “I think Yao Tingwei is quite plain; he shouldn’t be able to father such a beautiful daughter like Ning Ning!”
This question left Chang Kuo momentarily speechless.
Seeing his father’s reaction, Chang Sui'an felt his heart leap into his throat, and he began to sweat: “Father, could you at least say something!”
Three thousand words; good afternoon, everyone ^_^
Thank you for the monthly votes! Thanks to Mo Xi Wu Xia, Shi Gan Dang Dang, book friend 20200404105105415, I only read books and don’t comment, Fei Fei Er, and other book friends for their rewards!
The second update will be later tonight~
(End of chapter)
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