Mei Niang also looked at Feng and couldn't help sighing inwardly: Qin Boqing was a frail scholar who would fall down at the touch of a wind, but he married a thin woman who looked like a willow branch. She was pale and looked sick. She stood there timidly, holding the back of the chair and looking at her.
Then he thought again: Be content. This marriage was arranged by Master Qin when he was alive. Even though the Qin family has fallen on hard times, she is still willing to marry in and live with him. She really has a conscience!
He hurried forward, took Feng's hand, and called her affectionately, "Sister-in-law!"
Feng had obviously received a good education since childhood, and was well-educated and well-mannered. When she first met Mei Niang, she was shocked by her beauty and the noble temperament she exuded. She was a little timid, but soon calmed down, gently withdrew her hand, took a step back, and said softly, "You should greet Madam Hou first!"
She was about to bow down, but Mei Niang would not let her do so, so she held her back and said, "I heard from mother that my sister-in-law is the same age as me. If that's the case, why don't we bow to each other?"
Feng looked up at her with a smile. Mei Niang discovered that the gentle and delicate Feng had a pair of slender eyes that were bright and intelligent. She was moved: a woman like this might not be as weak as she looks.
Mei Niang took her to a chair near the brazier and asked, "Sister-in-law was pregnant and came all the way back from Yuezhou. It was so hard! Are you feeling better now? How is my brother?"
Feng's eyes were slightly red. "Thank you for your concern, Auntie! I'm fine. I was feeling unwell and had a little stomachache because the road was too bumpy. I asked a doctor to take my pulse last night and he prescribed me some medicine to keep the pregnancy going. I was told to just lie down and rest and I'll get better slowly. Your brother protected me all the way and used all the bedding to cover me, but he himself caught a cold and had a fever and chills. He coughed and wheezed all night long. It was really scary!"
Mei Niang walked to the bedside, drew back the curtains, and looked down at her brother who was so sick that he was out of shape. She felt anxious again and said to Feng:
"You're so sick, it must be because you caught a cold in the heavy snow and wind a few days ago. Why didn't you take a break on the way and get home two or three days before the New Year? Instead, you froze yourself to death!"
Feng shed tears: "It was those escorting soldiers... They drove the carriage all the way, almost day and night. I was really uncomfortable, so they let me stay in the inn for one night. We had to set off early the next day. Your brother said that the marquis gave up his face to let people escort us. Who doesn't want to go home and reunite with their family at the end of the year? Just be understanding and don't say too much. Seeing that I was uncomfortable, he just used all his bedding to pad me, and the result..."
She sobbed softly, but Mei Niang was so angry that her eyes turned green: Damn Xu Junying, is this considered helping? Are those men going to protect her brother's life or to take his life
Five hundred taels of silver to buy medicine, right? Wait, the compensation for mental damage has not been paid yet!
"Sister-in-law, did my brother wake up and eat today?"
Mrs. Feng shook her head with tears in her eyes. "Last night, the doctor came to check his pulse. He took some medicine, but he still coughed badly in the middle of the night. He even vomited blood this morning... I called the doctor to come and see him. He wrote another prescription and boiled some medicine. But he was too tired and didn't wake up. He didn't eat anything. I'm at a loss."
Mei Niang glanced at Li Er who was standing with her head bowed beside her after serving the tea. Feng Shi understood and said, "There are not many people left in our family. There are only three little girls I brought with me, two couples as housemates, and an old family member who is a gatekeeper. They are all sincere people who are willing to endure hardships together. Li Er has been with me since she was a child, so she won't talk nonsense!"
Mei Niang nodded, looked at Feng and asked, "Sister-in-law, do you want brother to get better soon?"
Feng was stunned for a moment, then immediately responded, "Of course I do!"
"I know someone who can cure my brother, but it seems that I need to go there in person with all my heart. The journey is long, and I am afraid that my mother will worry and won't let me go out alone. If my sister-in-law can help me, I can invite that person over in the afternoon!"
Feng opened her mouth slightly and shook her head mechanically: "Let you go out alone? I am a noble lady. If anything goes wrong... No!"
"Well, I'm not alone. My sister-in-law will find someone I can trust to drive me there!"
Feng asked, "Where are you going?"
"Thirty miles southeast of the city!"
Feng took a deep breath and said, "Outside the city? No! We can't go there!"
"Sister-in-law!" Mei Niang walked over and held her slightly cold hand tightly: "Don't you want brother to get better? Brother is in Shen He, even if the imperial physician from the Imperial Hospital comes, it may not be able to cure him. How long do you want him to be sick? If he continues to be sick like this, even if he doesn't die, he will definitely miss the spring exam, and then he will lose an opportunity!"
Feng said with tears in her eyes: "Let's... slowly recover from the disease and not take part in the spring exam next year!"
Mei Niang let go of her hand: "Then you should stay with him and spend your time watching him suffer from the pain. You will be depressed because your wish cannot be fulfilled!"
Feng suddenly grabbed Mei Niang's hand and said, "Of course I miss your brother... But I can't let you take risks! You are going back to your parents' home to visit your relatives. If anything happens to you, how will our Qin family explain to the Hou Mansion?"
Mei Niang said: "Since I dare to make this decision, I must have thought it through. I believe in my luck, and you don't have to worry too much. Just find a reliable person to drive with me, and that'll be it!"
Feng stared at her husband lying in the gauze curtains on the bed for a long time, biting her lip, and finally nodded vigorously:
"Okay! Let's work together and try our luck!"
She told Li'er, "Go and have Lian Da quietly prepare the car and wait at the back door. No one should see me. I will come with you later!"
Li'er bowed and walked out the door.
Feng looked at Mei Niang: "Aunt..."
Mei Niang smiled and said, "Call me Mei Niang!"
Feng looked at her seriously, her expression solemn: "Mei Niang, you, you are so beautiful, I am really worried, I need to bring more people with me..."
Mei Niang said: "Too many people will attract attention and cause trouble. I just want one carriage and one driver, that's all!"
Feng's expression changed: "No, at least bring two maids and women with you!"
Mei Niang paused and clenched her fists in her sleeves. She had been eating well and sleeping well these days, and had been consciously taking supplements and exercising to strengthen her physique. She felt that she had gained some strength. If something really happened, three or four people would not be able to get close to her in a hurry.
"What kind of person is Lian Da?"
"Lian Da is my wet nurse's son. I also respect him as my elder brother in private. He is a very loyal and honest man. I feel relieved to let him take you there. However, if there is anything you need to serve on the way, he can't do it."
"I don't need to be served. It's good enough to have Brother Lian go with me!"
Feng hesitated, and suddenly her eyes lit up: "How about letting Sister Lian go together? Brother Lian and Sister Lian are both very strong and capable... In previous years, when my family went out of the city to do something, they would often send them and their husbands. They are familiar with all the roads outside the city!"
Mei Niang thought of the rough servant blowing the charcoal fire: "Lian Sao is serving mother, will she tell mother about it?"
Feng said: "I told her not to talk nonsense... Even if she does, don't be afraid. By then you will have returned. If you are fine, mother won't have much to say!"
"Okay, let's do it!" Mei Niang stood up, walked to Feng's dressing table, turned around, glanced at herself in the mirror, and said, "I want to change my appearance, dress up as a man, and borrow a piece of clothes from my brother!"
Feng quickly rummaged through the closet and found a royal blue silk brocade gown with small floral patterns: "This is a new gown. Mother made two new gowns for each of us for the New Year. You can wear this one!"
She helped Mei Niang take off all the hairpins and jewelry on her head, combed her hair again, tied a bun with a blue satin ribbon, fastened a pearl and jade ring, took off her gorgeous clothes, put on Qin Boqing's robe, and used an eyebrow pencil to draw her eyebrows thicker and straighter. When she stood up and took a look, Feng Shi couldn't help but praise in her heart: What a handsome and elegant young man, he is much better than her brother Qin Boqing!
When Li'er came back, she also stared at Mei Niang for a long time. Feng told her to tell Aunt Lian again. After Li'er left, Mei Niang and Feng discussed for a few more words. Feng took out two cloaks, and put Qin Boqing's on Mei Niang and put one on herself. Mei Niang went to the bedside to look at her brother, touched his hand, and said:
"Just wait, I'll find a miracle doctor to treat you!"
Qin Boqing seemed to be conscious of something and suddenly shook his head from side to side. Mei Niang quickly dodged, fearing that he would open his eyes and see her like this, and then know their plan. Based on his personality, he would probably be like Madam Qin and would not let her go out.
Fortunately, Qin Boqing did not wake up. He moved for a while and fell into a deep sleep again.
Mei Niang came over to help Feng Shi, and Feng Shi said with tears in her eyes: "What if your brother doesn't allow..."
"Don't be afraid, sister-in-law. I'm here for you! You just need to tell Brother Lian and Sister Lian well and keep your mouth shut!"
"You must go and come back quickly within a few hours. I can't stop Mother Wang and the others. I can tell them clearly, but I can't do anything about my mother coming to see you in person!"
"Mother has difficulty walking, can she still be carried here? Let Cuixi and you make up some stories to comfort her. Just say that ever since I was sick, I always take a long nap, otherwise I get angry and curse people when I wake up. She will believe it!"
As they were talking, they had already reached the back door and saw Lian Da sitting on the shaft of the cart. Lian's wife had actually changed into men's clothes and was standing by the cart with Li'er waiting. Feng stepped forward and told Lian Da:
"You are the most familiar with the area thirty miles outside the city, so you must protect it well and not allow any mistakes. Go quickly and come back quickly!"
The honest and strong Lian Da jumped out of the car and said, "Don't worry, grandma, I will take good care of you and be back soon!"
Lian Sao came over to help Mei Niang get into the car. Mei Niang told Li Er: "Help grandma slowly. Lie down and rest when you get back. Don't move around anymore. Remember to add charcoal to the room so that she doesn't get cold!"
Li'er agreed to all of them, and she and Feng watched Lian's wife climb onto the carriage. Lian Da cracked his whip, and the small carriage quickly ran more than ten steps away and disappeared around the corner. Then he went in, closed the back door, and went back to his room to make up a lie to deceive people. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it on Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.) (To be continued)