Zhen Guogong Mansion, Lan Ruo Pavilion.
Accompanied by continuous light coughing, Qiao Shi fell powerlessly on the lead pillow behind him.
Ru Meng hurriedly picked up the teacup and wanted to feed her water, Qiao Shi also wanted to drink, her throat was really itchy. But as soon as the water was imported, there was another unbearable itch, and she couldn't restrain it, and all the water spewed out.
The girls were busy, wiping her mouth and cleaning up the mess on the quilt.
Rumeng patted her on the back lightly, and complained: "This medicine is useless, if you don't want another doctor to take a look? The old lady is also true, but just go to the palace to ask the imperial doctor. Why can’t I do it, because I’m afraid people will think our family is crazy!”
"Shut up!" Qiao Shi reprimanded, coughed twice, and then said: "My old problem is not just a day or two, what mother said is also reasonable, I went to the palace to ask for the imperial doctor after coughing a few times. You thought it would be easy to invite an imperial doctor back, the prince is not in the mansion, the father-in-law and the old man don’t care about anything, if you use your mother’s name to invite you, you have to go through Queen Wei of the Central Palace, it’s not such a trouble.”
"Can… "
"Okay, Rumeng, I'm fine. You don't know about my illness? Is there any serious problem, but the cough is a bit annoying. It doesn't matter whether you take medicine or see a doctor. It will be fine after a while. "
Qiao Shi has said so, Rumeng can only listen.
The maids brought hot water and handkerchiefs, and two big maids helped Mrs. Qiao wipe her face and neck. Qiao Shi lay back on the soft pillow, her complexion was pale, with some abnormal flushing, obviously due to a severe cough.
A girl came to report that the sixth girl was here, and after a while Qiao Xiuli was led in by the girl, and she walked forward with a worried face.
"Sister Yan, are you better?" No one noticed that when she approached the bed, she subconsciously looked at a sachet hanging by the bed.
"You don't know about my old problem, it's nothing, don't worry." Qiao said with a sip of tea, leaning on the soft pillow and smiling.
"I also know that Sister Yan is an old problem, and she will get better after a while, but I will inevitably worry. Besides, Sister Yan seems to have been sick for a long time this time, but the medicine prescribed by the doctor is useless. Do you want to see another doctor? "
Qiao shook her hand nonchalantly, "No, the medicine I've been taking all this time is pretty good..."
Just as she was talking, she coughed again, and she couldn't stop coughing, no matter how Ru Meng Ru Hua patted her on the back, she couldn't stop it. After coughing several times in a row, Qiao took out the handkerchief covering her mouth under panting breath. No one paid attention to it, but Qiao Xiuli saw a trace of red sharply.
"There's blood!" she exclaimed in surprise.
Hearing this, Rumeng hurriedly took the handkerchief from Mrs. Qiao's hand, and there were traces of blood on the jade-white handkerchief. Bright red, like wintersweet blooming in the snow, but it does not make people feel beautiful, but inexplicably frightening.
The reason for this is also a story.
Qiao Shi used to have an old cough. She consulted a doctor for medicine, and took a lot of medicines, but there was no cure. Although the Qiao family is a descendant, Master Qiao does not have concubines. If there are concubines, there will be concubines and concubines. If there are too many of these people, troubles will inevitably arise.
For a while, there were rumors in the Qiao family mansion that Qiao always coughed and was suffering from tuberculosis.
Because of this matter, Grandma Qiao lost her temper, killed several servants, and even sold a group of people. Master Qiao was also very annoyed, so he deliberately invited the most famous doctor in the south of the Yangtze River to treat Qiao.
In fact, Qiao's is just a common cough. The cause of this cough is unknown. It's not because of a cold or anger, but when it's cold, it's inevitable. Generally, no more than one month is enough. After recovering from the illness, Joe is no different from ordinary people.
In the end, it was attributed to one reason, that is, it was winter when Grandma Qiao gave birth to Qiao Shi. Maybe the child was cold when she was first born, so she always had this kind of painless disease.
As long as it's not tuberculosis.
Although this tuberculosis is not as discolored as smallpox and the like, it is also a disease that is easily surpassed, which is why the grandma and the master are so cautious about it.
Qiao's not yet married, if she really has the reputation of tuberculosis, she will never want to marry in this life, and the Qiao family will have no place for her.
Not only Qiao's, but everyone around her knew about this matter, so when they saw a few traces of blood, they inevitably contacted her.
The air seemed to be stagnant, and Ruhua was about to cry when Rumeng pulled her from behind.
Qiao said indifferently: "Look at why you are so scared. I have been coughing all day long and my throat is dry and painful. It is probably because my throat is coughing up blood."
"It's really not tuberculosis? If you don't want to find a doctor to take a look." Qiao Xiuli didn't know if she made a slip of the tongue in a moment of impatience, or what, but she said such taboo words.
Rumeng didn't want to listen anymore, and hurriedly said: "Miss Six, what are you talking about, what kind of tuberculosis is not tuberculosis. In July, Madam's old illness broke out, so the prince invited the imperial doctor in the palace to see him. How long has it been, if it's really tuberculosis, the imperial doctor can't diagnose it?"
Qiao Xiuli was also aware of her slip of the tongue, and explained embarrassingly with a pale face: "I also said something wrong for a while, and I was too worried about Sister Yan. Sister Yan, don't blame me, I really don't know what to say."
She was about to cry, and she was about to slap herself on the mouth as she spoke.
Qiao hurriedly asked people to go up to stop her, then stared at Rumeng, and said, "Don't think too much, I didn't blame you, Rumeng was also in a hurry. You two are doing it for my own good, I know, so don't cry."
"I'm really sorry, Sister Yan, I can't speak." Qiao Xiuli wiped her tears with a handkerchief. After that, she talked with Mrs. Qiao for a while, and when she saw the tired look on her face, she said goodbye.
After the person left, Rumeng whispered unhappily: "You are such a big person, can you keep your mouth shut! These six girls are real, can they talk?"
"Okay, okay, don't be angry, it's just a sentence."
"But some things can be said, and some things cannot be said. Don't these six girls know?"
Qiao Shi couldn't help frowning this time in advance, but in order not to worry the girls, she cheered up and said, "Didn't you say it before, the imperial doctor was invited to see it in July , don't think too much about it."
On the other side, Qiao Xiuli left the gate of Lanruo Pavilion. She was very silent all the way, wiping the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief from time to time, as if something was sad.
I ran into a woman on the way, and asked her curiously: "Miss Six of Qiao's family, what's wrong with you?" Qiao Xiuli came to Lanruo Pavilion frequently, so many maids and women in the back house knew her.
Qiao Xiuli glanced at her and shook her head: "It's nothing." But there was still a gloomy expression on her face.
"Could you be bullied by someone, girl? Although you are not the serious master of our family, you are a relative of the madam after all. If there is an ignorant girl who bullies you, don't hide it. You can't tolerate this kind of servant."
"Rumeng didn't do it on purpose..."
Hearing this, the woman immediately regained her spirits: "Are you saying that Rumeng, who is beside Madam, deceived you? She is Madam's dowry girl, but don't say it, that girl is really bullying others. I don't know she has face."
Hearing the mother-in-law's misunderstanding, Qiao Xiuli seemed flustered, and burst into tears again: "Ru Meng didn't bully me, she also made a slip of the tongue, and she scolded me when I said something I shouldn't have said. It's all I'm not good, alas, how could I say that about Sister Yan..."
"What the hell did you say?"
"Sister Yan coughed up blood, I asked her if she had tuberculosis, and asked her to change doctors quickly..." Halfway through her words, Qiao Xiuli seemed to realize that she had slipped her tongue, so she hurriedly stopped. He also explained: "It was only in July that the imperial doctor came to see Sister Yan. If it was the disease, it should have been diagnosed long ago, so I said that my mouth..."
She was only annoyed at herself, but she didn't realize that the eyes of the woman next to her were flashing with horror.
After Qiao Xiuli left, the woman hurried to the main room.
In the main room, Mrs. Zhen Guogong was leaning on the big kang, and asked the girl to beat her calf with a beauty mallet.
A woman in her fifties with a square face hurried in and whispered something in the ear of Mrs. Zhen Guo.
Mrs. Zhen Guo was so startled that she immediately sat up straight on the kang, she almost didn't fall, but it was the woman who supported her.
"Old lady, don't be in a hurry. It's just a report. There is no evidence for this matter, so it can't be true."
After Mrs. Zhen Guogong sat down firmly, she waved her away: "What evidence is there? I have already said that Qiao's face of premature death should not drag me down. He coughs and coughs all day long, and the seasons change. Cough, cough when it's colder, with the delicate appearance of a sick child, is my body worse than that of an elderly person like me?"
She showed disgust on her face, but at the same time she was very dignified: "This matter cannot be ignored. Although I don't love Yue girl, she is the heir of my grandson's family after all. This disease is extraordinary. Others don't know it, so don't you know it too?" That’s how my uncle disappeared back then. The masters are fine, don’t get close, after the uncle died, how many people in his yard survived?”
When this matter was mentioned, Mama Bai shuddered. She was the companion of Mrs. Zhen Guo, so of course she knew about this incident that happened in Nanning Hou Mansion.
Afraid of being criticized by others, the Elder Master didn't move out, but sealed the yard, even if it was so, everyone would avoid it, and the servants usually didn't go to the gate of the courtyard. The servant girls in the courtyard died every now and then, not because they were sick, but because they waited on this kind of tuberculosis ghost, who might be infected at some point, and the servants were immersed in this kind of panic all day long, and some Unable to bear it, they jumped into the well, and some people became dazed.
In those few years, that place was the ghost of the Nanning Marquis Mansion, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the Grand Master was gone. Later, everything in the yard was burned, and the yard was directly rebuilt.
"Then what should we do about this?" All of a sudden, Mama Bai lost her charter.
If it's okay to be a servant, it's a big deal to go out, but it happens to be Mrs. Shizi.
"Go and invite Doctor Huang, and go to Lanruo Pavilion later." After thinking for a while, Mrs. Zhen Guogong changed her words again: "I'm still with you, but now in her eyes, I'm a villain. Since I am a wicked person, I will be wicked to the end."
Mrs. Qiao fell asleep for a while, and when she woke up and was asking the girls to serve and drink medicine, Mrs. Zhen Guogong and his wife came with someone.
She covered her nose with a veil, stood far away and said: "You have been ill for some time, please let me take care of you before you leave, I can't do it all the time, I specially found someone today The doctor is here to show you."
Qiao Shi wanted to stay on the bed to salute, but was dragged away. The mother-in-law said that she brought the doctor to show her, and she was very happy in her heart, because Mrs. Zhen Guogong had never given her a good face.
She always felt that she was lying on the couch with fear and trepidation in her heart, and her mother-in-law was too rude to stand, and she wanted the girl to move the chair, but the appearance of Mrs. Zhen Guogong made her heart thump, and for some reason, she remembered Qiao Xiuli before. said that.
Qiao's complexion was pale: "Mother, my daughter-in-law's illness is not serious. In July, the son-in-law invited the imperial doctor to see her, and the prescription was changed. The food is not bad. My daughter-in-law fell ill when she was young. It will be fine after two days of coughing, I really don’t need you…”
Mrs. Zhen Guogong interrupted her: "It doesn't matter if it's good or not, it's always good to have a doctor's diagnosis."
Now that the matter has come to this point, Mrs. Qiao can only let it go.
The maids put down the curtains and put a veil on Qiao's exposed wrist, and then someone brought in a thin-faced doctor in his fifties from outside.
This person's surname is Huang, and he is a doctor who has been asking Mrs. Zhen Guo's wife for a safe pulse all the year round. His medical skills are well-known in Beijing. Naturally, it is impossible for such a person to provide for only one family, so the Zhen Guo Gong Mansion will give him a large amount of silver taels every year, and he will watch over the serious and minor illnesses of several masters in the Zhen Guo Gong Mansion.
Dr. Huang went up and sat down on the cotton pier beside the couch, and put his hand on Qiao's wrist.
He checked the pulse for a long time, did he change his gestures, put his hands down after a while, and asked the maids to remove the curtain, and looked at Qiao's face and tongue. I also asked if there were hot hands, feet, heart, dry throat, difficulty sleeping, and night sweats.
There is a difference between men and women, and it is already extremely surprising to be able to behave like this. Dr. Huang asked this kind of question again, and Mrs. Qiao told the truth one by one.
After that, Doctor Huang didn't say anything, and went outside.
Mrs. Zhen Guogong followed out.
Seeing this, not to mention Mrs. Qiao, even Rumeng and the girls could not help feeling panic.
"Old madam, I have seen Mrs. Shizi's symptoms. I suspect lung yin deficiency, yin deficiency and fire hyperactivity..."
Mrs. Zhen Guo is a woman, how can she understand these words about the disease, "Then you just say that she is not?"
Doctor Huang sighed: "The bad thing about this disease is that it is not easy to diagnose at the beginning, and it is too late after the diagnosis. At this time, if you ask the old man to say something, the old man can't say anything. He can only observe carefully. Madame still has signs of coughing up blood, it won't be too late to make a judgment."
"That is to say, it may be, or it may not be?"
Doctor Huang nodded.
Mrs. Zhen Guo couldn't help but clenched her hands tightly, with a solemn expression on her face, obviously something was making her struggle. Seeing this, Mother Bai quickly asked the girl to lead Doctor Huang down.
After a while, seeing Mrs. Zhen Guo's wife let out a heavy breath, Mama Bai asked, "Old lady..."
"Go and take Yueyue girl away. The Lanruo Hall is temporarily closed, and no one else is allowed to enter or leave at will."
Mother Bai was surprised at first, but she also understood what Mrs. Zhen Guo did.
At this moment, it seems that this is indeed a safe move, so as not to misinform other people and implicate the whole government.
When Yueyue was carried away, she cried a lot. Although she was still young, she also felt that something bad had happened.
But after all, she was still young, and she said that she was going to play with her brother, which also made her stop crying. But after everyone left, the Lan Ruo Pavilion fell into a barren situation.
Qiao Shi resisted composure, but was still full of panic.
The girls were also flustered. After all, it was the friendship they had been with for many years. They all comforted Qiao and told her not to think too much. It is impossible for her to suffer from such a disease. Diagnosed. Someone must have said something in the old lady's ear, and the old lady took the opportunity to find trouble for her wife. When the son comes back, nothing will happen.
Qiao Shi also ordered herself to think so, but she still couldn't suppress the panic in her heart.
Now everyone in the Lanruo Pavilion is looking forward to the return of the grandson, Sun Meng, but Sun Meng won't be able to come back anytime soon. He was ordered to be stationed in Tongzhou, Daxing, and Wanping to prevent the disaster victims from disturbing the important areas of the capital.
At the same time, there were also rumors in the mansion that the wife of Shizi was suffering from severe tuberculosis, and the old lady sealed the Lanruo Pavilion.
It is inevitable that some people spread rumors here, and some people secretly caused troubles. The several Tongfang who were dismissed by Sun Meng back then were all from the servants of the mansion. In this huge mansion, there are the most servants, and they are deeply intertwined. They wish that at this moment, when the Sun family is unlucky, or dies or falls out of favor, the deported people can come back again.
All of a sudden, it spread like a turmoil, as terrifying as it could be, even Yueyue, who lived in the main courtyard, heard some of it.
She didn't know what tuberculosis was, and she didn't know what a tuberculosis ghost was. She only knew that her mother was sick, very sick. She wanted to go back to Lanruo Pavilion to see her mother, but the girls and women wouldn't let her go, no matter how much she made noise and cried, even if her brother begged her, her grandmother wouldn't let her go.
At this moment, the servants came to report the arrival of the eldest son of Jin Wangfu.
Yueyue immediately remembered what Xiaobao had said to her—
"You see, I am the grandson of the emperor, my father is the prince, my grandfather is the emperor, and I will be the prince in the future. With my protection, no one will dare to bully you..."
Yueyue knows that the emperor and the prince are very big people, and she is also called Brother Chen. Brother Chen will definitely protect her, right
definitely is.