Though it was the first lunar month, the Qianjin Hall had resumed normal operations, albeit at a slightly reduced capacity, which conveniently freed up some time.
Liu Pucheng had already secured the necessary artisans. When Qi Yue arrived that day, they discussed together the plans for the renovations—how to connect the spaces and how to organize them.
Seeing how thoroughly the craftsmen had interpreted his rough sketches, Qi Yue felt both delighted and deeply impressed. He confidently left the work in their hands, turning his focus to the areas where his own expertise lay.
“Our Qianjin Hall primarily addresses injuries from falls and blows—ailments that often result from sudden incidents, frequently involving severe bleeding or fractured limbs. Dealing with these symptoms is what is commonly known as critical trauma…”
Qi Yue stood at the lectern, using a wooden rod to illustrate his points.
A whiteboard had been hung on the wall, and charcoal sticks were freshly sharpened.
“…Personnel responsible for emergency response, upon receiving a notification, must first work to eliminate any immediately life-threatening factors… Different patients require different methods of movement; this point is absolutely crucial…”
“If cardiac arrest occurs, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and artificial respiration must be performed immediately on site… Trauma hemorrhage requires immediate bandaging and staunching of the bleeding… Visceral extrusion…”
“You all have a basic overview now. Starting today, I will explain in detail, one by one, how to assess injuries and how to manage each specific condition. First, we must learn to monitor vital signs…”
“Alright, does anyone have any questions now?”
Many hands immediately shot up in the room.
“Master, Master, what if the pupils cannot be seen?”
“Master, Master, what do you mean by assessing but not diagnosing?”
Que Zhi also held her hand up high. A Hao, standing beside her, couldn't help but pull her arm down.
“Why are you asking too? Can’t you ask when we get back? Let them ask first,” she said.
Following Qi Yue closely, A Hao was gradually regaining her old cheerful and outspoken nature.
Knowing A Hao’s standing near the Young Mistress, Que Zhi lowered her hand with a playful smile.
“The Young Mistress is quite tired when she gets back; I don't feel right disturbing her,” she chuckled.
Meanwhile, Qi Yue was already surrounded by disciples posing questions.
Que Zhi watched the lively scene, letting out a breath with a smile in her eyes.
“It’s truly wonderful being out with the Young Mistress; it’s never this lively back home,” she remarked.
“Home is lively too,” A Hao countered, also looking toward the cluster of people.
“The kind of lively back home…” Que Zhi deliberately elongated her tone repeating the word.
The two exchanged a look, both understanding the implication, and giggled softly.
“Stop talking. Listen carefully when they ask; if you already know it, it’ll reinforce your knowledge. If you don’t, you won't have to ask later,” A Ru, standing near the front, turned and hissed at them to quiet down.
Que Zhi and A Hao stuck out their tongues and quickly fell silent, focusing intently on the preceding question-and-answer session.
A Hao was correct; home was indeed lively, but at this very moment, in Concubine Huang’s courtyard, the sound of a child crying erupted.
“Nanny Yuan, Nanny Yuan, let go quickly! You’re frightening Yan’er!” Chang Chunlan desperately clutched a woman’s arm, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded.
The woman was in her forties, dressed in a grey-blue gown, with her hair styled in Yuanbao buns. Her complexion was fair and soft, making her appear younger and perhaps even more affluent than Chang Chunlan at first glance.
“Second Young Mistress speaks too dramatically. Who could frighten the young lady? The young lady’s condition…” She scoffed, reaching out to tug at the veil covering Yan’er’s face. “…It’s more likely someone else would be frightened…”
Yan’er cried harder, fiercely pressing her hands over her mouth and face, terrified the veil would be pulled away.
“Nanny Yuan, just for the sake of someone who is about to pass away, please let my daughter stay with me one more day before returning,” Concubine Huang called out from inside, holding onto the doorframe as she chased after them.
“Concubine, what you say is quite something. A married daughter is like spilled water; there’s no right for her to return whenever she wishes and stay at her parents’ home just because she desires it,” Nanny Yuan said with a smile, releasing Yan’er’s arm and dusting off her clothes with a hint of disgust. “Furthermore…”
She looked at Concubine Huang, who was panting while leaning against the door.
“You are merely a concubine. Our Young Mistress is the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Dingxi’s residence—what right does she have to stay just to keep you company?” She said with faint contempt. “Very well, the Second Young Mistress is of noble status; it would be improper for me to insist. I had better inform the Marquis’s wife myself.”
With that, she turned and walked away.
Chang Chunlan clutched the wailing Yan’er, attempting to soothe her, watching as the nanny departed. She quickly got up to chase after her.
“Nanny Yuan, Nanny Yuan, please…” As she ran to follow, Yan’er suddenly pulled away from her mother, her cries intensifying, and she chased after Nanny Yuan as well.
Torn between the two, Chang Chunlan turned back to embrace the child, feeling completely drained of strength, and sank to her knees, also bursting into loud sobs.
The commotion here alerted others.
The Second and Third Young Ladies arrived upon hearing the news. Seeing the mother and daughter kneeling and weeping on the ground, and Concubine Huang on the verge of collapse by the doorway, they became flustered. They called for maids to help Concubine Huang to her ** and rushed someone to fetch a doctor.
“…She is being asked to return with her elder sister?” The Second Young Lady, having heard the explanation from a nearby maid, exchanged a look with the Third Young Lady. This was genuinely difficult to comment on.
If her in-laws had come to fetch her, and she refused to go, it would indeed be hard to argue against.
“Don’t worry, Elder Sister. We will look after the Concubine,” the Second Young Lady said softly. “You’ve seen over these last few days; the Concubine’s health has improved considerably. She just needs quiet, dedicated rest.”
Chang Chunlan continued to weep, holding Yan’er.
“Yes, Elder Sister, rest assured,” the Third Young Lady added.
“No, no,” Chang Chunlan finally managed to choke out, shaking her head through her tears. “They… they plan to send my Yan’er to a temple…”
The Second and Third Young Ladies were startled and looked toward Yan’er, who was hiding in Chang Chunlan’s embrace, but they quickly averted their gaze.
“Why… why this sudden decision?” The Second Young Lady asked after a moment of hesitation.
When Yan’er was first born, there had been trouble; rumor had it they intended to drown the child then, but Chang Chunlan had threatened to take her own life, and at that time, her husband, Liu Chengyang, strongly defended his wife and daughter, securing the child’s life.
She couldn’t help but look at the child again.
Due to difficulty in eating, the child was small and thin, with sparse, yellowish hair tied up. Her expression was one of intense, mouse-like fear. Clinging tightly to Chang Chunlan and wailing, she looked all the more repulsive.
Because of this child, Chang Chunlan could never hold her head up in the Liu family; even the maidservants dared to shout at her.
Was it worth it for this child?
If the child had been drowned back then, would they not be spared this predicament today?
The affection of their youth had gradually faded. The husband who once vigorously protected her had taken several beautiful concubines and fathered several other children…
The Second Young Lady sighed. A woman who cannot secure her husband’s heart has nothing at all.
Meanwhile, Chang Chunlan recounted her story in broken sentences.
“…They say that our branch of the family has no male heir, and it’s all because of Yan’er… So, before the New Year, the Old Master decided to send Yan’er away. That temple is dozens of miles from here; it’s a place where women who have erred are sent. Anyone who stays there for a year or eighteen months either goes mad or becomes imbecilic. If Yan’er goes there, she won't survive…”
At this point, Chang Chunlan hugged Yan’er and began to weep hysterically again, and Yan’er cried along with her.
“...Did Elder Brother-in-law say nothing?” The Third Young Lady inquired.
The Second Young Lady glanced at her sister, then sighed. Did she even need to ask? Which man didn’t care about heirs? For the sake of such a child, managing to prevent the drowning back then was already an act of sufficient kindness.
Indeed, Chang Chunlan wept but offered no reply.
The Third Young Lady also sighed.
“I managed to delay it until after the New Year. When I was completely cornered, I had no choice but to bring Yan’er and hide here…” Chang Chunlan continued crying.
“But hiding here isn’t a permanent solution,” the Third Young Lady frowned. “Can you hide forever? Moreover… moreover…”
Would Father allow her to hide at home for her entire life? That would undoubtedly mean the Liu family would divorce her. Divorce for a daughter was something the Marquis of Dingxi absolutely could not tolerate.
“I will go and beg Mother,” Chang Chunlan said, rising unsteadily. “Beg Mother to speak with the Liu family, not to send Yan’er to the temple. I am willing—I am willing to take Yan’er and live in seclusion, never seeing anyone again…”
She stood up, and Yan’er immediately stood too, clinging desperately to her gown, terrified of being abandoned.
Seeing her daughter like this, Chang Chunlan’s heart broke further.
“Yan’er, wait here with your Great-Aunt. Mother will be back shortly.” With great difficulty, she left her daughter behind and rushed out hastily.
The Second and Third Young Ladies rose as well.
“Let’s go and beg Mother too,” the Third Young Lady suggested.
The Second Young Lady shook her head but said nothing, following her sister out.
By the time they caught up, Chang Chunlan was already kneeling in the courtyard.
“Madam, the Old Master and Old Madam are thinking of what is best for the Eldest Young Miss. After so many years of relationship, they truly do not wish to become estranged, but Second Master’s position is becoming untenable…” Nanny Yuan sighed regretfully.
Xie Shi looked at Chang Chunlan weeping outside the door, then back at Nanny Yuan. A hint of indecision crossed her face.
“But the child is, after all, a mother’s flesh and blood… and she raised her for so long…” she remarked.
“Madam, to say such a thing shows how much you cherish your daughter. I have seen few ladies who can be as understanding as you, Madam, if I may be so bold to say so,” Nanny Yuan immediately replied, looking at Xie Shi with genuine admiration.
A stepmother like her was quite benevolent; Xie Shi believed so herself. Although she claimed not to need external affirmation, she felt pleased to hear such words.
“They are all the Marquis’s descendants; how can we distinguish between them?” she said.
“That is true, but precisely for the sake of the children, this difficult decision must be made,” Nanny Yuan sighed. “Because of Yan’er, the Second Young Mistress has not been able to bear more children. What do you think can come of this if it continues?”
Without a legitimate eldest son, the position of the principal wife was truly precarious…
Xie Shi nodded, her expression becoming serious.
Watching Nanny Yuan emerge with a subtle air of triumph, Chang Chunlan’s heart instantly plummeted into an ice cellar.
“Mother, Mother, I beg you, I beg you! This will kill Yan’er!” she cried, rushing toward the inner room.
Two servant women stepped forward to block her.
“Eldest Young Miss, stop making a scene. You should go back quickly,” they urged.
Chang Chunlan turned to look at the Second and Third Young Ladies who had followed, her face etched with desperate pleading.
The Third Young Lady was about to speak when the Second Young Lady pulled her back.
“Elder Sister, you should listen to Mother’s words,” the Second Young Lady whispered.
Chang Chunlan looked from her sisters to the room inside. Utterly distraught, she bit her lip until it broke, then turned and fled. “I’ll go beg Father…” she declared.
The Second and Third Young Ladies were shocked.
“Elder Sister, don’t go! If Father finds out, it will be even worse!” the Second Young Lady called out in alarm.
But Chang Chunlan had already run out.
“Foolish woman,” the Second Young Lady stamped her foot, tinged with annoyance. “Why did Elder Sister have to do this? Now, she’ll never be allowed back inside the family home again!”
It was just one child, and such a child at that—she couldn't understand it.
“Second Sister, perhaps we should go and see? If Father loses his temper…” the Third Young Lady said hesitantly.
The Second Young Lady glared back at her.
“You know Father is angry, yet you still want to go?” she hissed quietly.
The Third Young Lady lowered her head.
Indeed, the Marquis of Dingxi, who was painting in his study, was already furious that this eldest daughter dared to intrude. Seeing the drop of ink stain his nearly completed painting—an exquisite piece of work—the anger from having his artistic effort ruined was something these vulgar, ignorant, and foolish women could never comprehend! Rage gathered within him, and when he heard Chang Chunlan’s plea, it was mixed with shock and fury.
“What? You actually brought that fiend here to me?” he roared, hearing only that one sentence and completely ignoring everything else she said.
“Father, Father, Yan’er has nowhere to go, I beg you, Father…” Chang Chunlan knelt, kowtowing and weeping.
When she dared to look up, a stone inkstone came flying toward her face.
Chang Chunlan let out a cry of pain. The inkstone shattered on the floor, and blood began to seep from her forehead.
“Nowhere to go? So you came to plague me?” The Marquis of Dingxi erupted like a volcano.
However, the Marquis was not one to resort to the scolding tirades of a mere woman. He merely cast a cold look at the kneeling woman.
“Throw her out,” he commanded.
Of course, it was not someone from the Liu family being thrown out.
Nanny Yuan watched as Chang Chunlan was jostled and pushed by the two servant women, her eyes narrowing into slits from her smile.
As she walked, she made a sharp ‘tsk tsk’ sound twice.
“Tell me, what was the point of all this? You only brought shame upon us all…” Nanny Yuan said, not hurrying at all, while primly adjusting her hair. “To be thrown out of her own home by her own father—even we in the Liu family find that… highly inappropriate.”
Chang Chunlan was being pushed, while Yan’er clung tightly to her sleeve, crying along. The miserable sounds of the adult weeping and the child screaming filled the air.
“Stop crying, you bringer of bad luck!” Nanny Yuan suddenly snapped, raising her hand and slapping Yan’er hard. “Cry! Cry until you die, so everyone can finally have some peace!”
Struck abruptly, Yan’er, already terrified, stumbled and fell to the ground with a thud.
Chang Chunlan frantically broke free from the servants and knelt to pick up the child.
“Heavens, perhaps it’s better if she just dies,” she murmured, her whole body shaking like a sieve, her voice already hoarse.
A nearby nanny carefully tugged at Nanny Yuan’s sleeve.
“This is still the Marquis of Dingxi’s residence, Nanny. You should watch your words a bit…” she whispered.
Nanny Yuan let out a scornful laugh and glanced around.
“Watch my words? What do I need to watch out for? Her own family doesn't care, so why should we?” she chuckled, looking at the weeping Chang Chunlan holding the child without the slightest attempt to conceal her contempt. “It would be better if she had died long ago; we’ve been waiting for it for years, and she still hasn’t…”
As she spoke, she reached out and shoved Chang Chunlan roughly.
“Hurry up and leave, my dear lady!” she commanded.
“Oh my, where did such an old lady come from? You’ve truly frightened me.”
Suddenly, a voice drifted over from ahead.
Nanny Yuan looked up in the direction of the sound and saw several people standing by the second gate, though she couldn't recall when they arrived.
Three maids surrounded a beautiful woman dressed in a silver-white plain satin jacket trimmed with cold blue, a white linen padded skirt, and wrapped in a large cloak of crimson gauze. She was looking at Nanny Yuan with a faint, teasing smile.
Today is a good day, many people are getting married! Coincidentally, some of my colleagues and neighbors have children getting married today, so I’ve been incredibly busy. I promise to make up for the extra update in a couple of days.