Madam Linglong's face turned pale, but the servant had already left, and she couldn't say anything in front of Madam Yang. She could only stand aside and wait anxiously.
Xiaosun was helped up by two maids. She could hardly stand. Her head and face were covered in blood, and her clothes were torn in many places, revealing whip marks. One can imagine what this weak girl had suffered.
Even though Nanny Yang was used to seeing cruelty, she couldn't help but look cold, "I don't know what this girl did wrong to be beaten so badly."
The old lady didn't expect to see Xiaosun like this. She glared at Madam Linglong and said sternly, "What's going on? I've told you many times that servants shouldn't be beaten so harshly if they make mistakes."
Madam Linglong stammered, "Mother, calm down. This girl refused to admit that she stole something, so my daughter-in-law ordered Xia Quan to interrogate her. Who knew that Xia Quan would be so harsh?"
How could Madam Yang not know that this was Madam Linglong's argument? But this was someone else's family affair, and she, a palace slave, had no right to interfere. However, although this girl could not serve, she could not stay here any longer, otherwise no one would know when she would be beaten to death and thrown out.
"Pack up and load it onto the carriage." Nanny Yang did not let Xiaosun go back to change clothes, and told him to make plans after entering the palace.
"Mammy, in fact, if the Queen wants to find someone to enter the palace to serve Zi'an, it is better to assign someone else. After all, many people in the palace know Zi'an's temperament and know how to serve her well." Madam Linglong said.
Of course, she was not making a sincere suggestion, she just wanted to test whether the Queen summoned Xiaosun to serve her or had other plans.
The old lady also looked at Nanny Yang, waiting for her answer.
Nanny Yang said calmly, "No need, let's just pick her."
She walked up to Xiaosun and lifted up his chin with her hand. His face was covered in blood and he needed treatment immediately after entering the palace.
"What's your name?" asked Nanny Yang.
Xiaosun tried hard to raise her heavy head and replied, "My name is Xiaosun."
"Well, it was your young lady who asked me to bring you into the palace to serve you, do you know?"
Xiaosun's eyes lit up, "Miss..."
"She's fine." Nanny Yang said calmly.
"That's good!" Xiaosun's hot tears and blood slid down his face, but he was smiling.
Nanny Yang felt sad when she saw this, so she took her clothes and left.
After Nanny Yang and Xiaosun left, Madam Linglong seemed particularly uneasy. "If the Queen sees us mistreating the servants like this, will she have any opinion?"
There should be no punishment, but he had his own opinion in mind and thought that the prime minister's family was mean and ungrateful, and he was afraid that it would delay Wan'er's marriage with the prince.
The old lady said coldly: "Is this all your ambition? How can you be so proud of taking out your anger on a servant?"
Madam Linglong was already angry at her for always speaking coldly. Now she felt wronged. After hearing her scolding, she felt a lump in her throat. She couldn't help but vent, "You are so powerful, aren't you just dealing with your own granddaughter?"
The old lady was startled, then her eyebrows twisted, and she was furious. She slapped Madam Linglong on the face and said angrily: "What's your attitude? Why should I deal with my own granddaughter? Isn't it you who caused it? If it wasn't for Wan'er not marrying the cripple Liang Wang, would I be so worried?"
Prime Minister Xia felt distressed when he saw his concubine being beaten. He stepped forward to comfort her and said, "Mother is not angry anymore. Linglong is young and ignorant. Please don't take it personally."
The old lady was still furious. "If I had treated her the same way, she would have been divorced long ago. I was thinking of her because she gave birth to a son and a daughter for our Xia family. Otherwise, how could I have taken care of such a crude and ignorant woman for so many years?"
"Yes, yes," Prime Minister Xia pulled Madam Linglong over and pretended to scold her, "Why don't you apologize to your mother?"
Madam Linglong was filled with hatred, but could not do anything to her for the time being. She cursed in her heart, why didn't this old thing die earlier? After his death, the Xiangfu would be hers.
"Don't be angry, mother. It's my daughter-in-law's fault for not understanding things." Madam Linglong apologized with gritted teeth.
The old lady snorted and stared at her coldly, "Don't say one thing and mean another. I know you have a lot of complaints, but never mind. It would seem shallow of me to share the same views as you."
Prime Minister Xia saw that the old lady was getting angrier, so he quickly changed the subject, "Mother, what do you think the Queen meant by this?"
The old lady collected her thoughts and thought for a while, "Based on the information given by Concubine Mei, this burial alive should be possible, but the Queen ordered someone to bring Xiaosun into the palace, and also brought clothes, which is a bit strange."
"Could it be that the Queen really likes her and wants to keep her in the palace for a few days?" Madam Linglong guessed in horror.
The old lady said coldly, "Only a pig-brained person like you would think like that. Now that Prince Liang is seriously ill, the Queen is very sad. How could she suddenly like someone she hates so much? The reason why Prince Liang is seriously ill is not clear yet. If it is because of the regret of the engagement, the Queen is ready to kill her. How can she still like him? It is simply stupid."
Madam Linglong really hated this old woman. She either said she was uneducated or stupid, but every word she said was nice.
Prime Minister Xia thought for a moment and shouted, "Xia Quan."
Xia Quan came in from outside and said, "Prime Minister, I am here."
"Go to the palace gate and see if you can get something from the palace guards."
Xia Quan said, "Prime Minister, I have a brother who knows a palace guard in the Queen's palace. I would like to ask him. If he comes out of his shift, he should know what is going on in the palace."
"Go quickly, go quickly!" Prime Minister Xia said hurriedly.
"Yes, I'll go right away." Xia Quan said, and walked out quickly.
Compared to the anxiety in the Prime Minister's Mansion, Zi'an felt comfortable in the palace despite the pressure.
After taking a nap and drinking the snow lotus soup prepared by the Queen Mother, he felt much better.
She originally wanted to give herself another acupuncture treatment, but now it seems unnecessary. Although it is a bit tiring, she can still hold on.
She was just about to go out to see how Prince Liang was doing, but she saw Nanny Yang ordering people to carry Xiaosun in.
When Zi'an saw Xiaosun's appearance, he felt hatred in his heart, but he did not show it. Instead, he thanked the nanny politely.
Nanny Yang looked at her, and she could not hide the anger in her eyes. However, she was able to endure such strong emotions. This girl has a bright future.
Xiaosun was placed on the couch. Zi'an wanted to treat her himself, but the nanny stopped her, "The Queen Mother saw it just now and has ordered the imperial physician and the female physician to come over. The Queen Mother has specified that you cannot treat her."
"Why?" Zi'an was puzzled for a moment.
Madam Yang looked at her and sighed softly, "The imperial doctors in the palace never treat palace maids or slaves."
Zi'an understood immediately. There were clear levels of hierarchy. She was now the attending physician of King Liang, but she was treating a slave. This would humiliate King Liang's status.
She couldn't help but think that although the imperial doctors in the palace were skilled in medicine, they lacked clinical experience. After all, the imperial doctors only served the masters in the palace. How could they treat so many diseases? Without clinical experience, no matter how good the theory was, it was useless.
No wonder this group of imperial doctors were helpless when they saw Prince Liang suffering from epileptic seizure and lung infection.
(End of this chapter)