Old Madam Wang slept a dreamless sleep, from the afternoon of the previous day until noon the next day. Upon waking, she felt refreshed, invigorated, and in a much better mood. She immediately ordered lunch to be prepared and ate heartily.
News of the Old Madam's recovery quickly spread throughout the Wang family. Bai Shi, Wang Qingzhen, and Wang Qingzhu all came to visit and offer congratulations. Wang Qingyao was the last to arrive, bringing a basket of fresh fruits and melons.
The Old Madam now found her very agreeable.
"This time, it's all thanks to Prince Ding'an and the Imperial Preceptor Feng Fu. I don't know how to thank them enough!"
The Old Madam chuckled, her eyes crinkling with a smile. Her gaze flickered to Bai Shi, and her smile faltered slightly.
Look at the people she found. It was clearly heatstroke, yet they claimed it was an encounter with something unclean. Were those words to be spoken so carelessly? If they had truly believed Aunt Yang's words and cut off Wang Qingyao's flesh, and her illness still hadn't improved, how would they have resolved the situation?
Wang Qingyao was to be married in July!
Thinking of this, the Old Madam's gaze sharpened. Could it be that Bai Shi had done it intentionally? Did she not want Wang Qingyao to marry smoothly into Prince Ding'an's estate?
The Old Madam's shrewd and sharp eyes swept over Bai Shi's face. Bai Shi clenched her fists, her practiced smile on the verge of cracking.
"Where is Aunt Yang?" the Old Madam asked.
Wang Qingyao replied, "She's locked up in the yamen. His Highness said her hands are unclean and possibly stained with human lives. The prefect has sent people to investigate."
The Old Madam glared at Bai Shi, who hastily pleaded for forgiveness. "It was all my poor judgment of people, nearly delaying the Old Madam's recovery. Fortunately, heaven protected us, and the Old Madam has finally recovered."
She lowered her head, her neck gracefully curved, appearing contrite and docile. Yet, a cold glint flashed in her eyes.
*Heh, don't celebrate too soon. Soon I'll have you sleepless again!*
Wang Qingyao had the fruits and melons arranged on the square table in the center of the room, filling the space with the fresh scent of produce.
The Old Madam sighed contentedly, "This natural fragrance is truly refreshing."
Wang Qingyao seized the opportunity and said, "If the Old Madam likes it, she can have fresh fruits and melons prepared daily as incense. The original incense can be discontinued."
Bai Shi immediately retorted, "While the fruits and melons smell good, they have no efficacy. The Old Madam is advanced in age and needs calming incense at night to sleep well, and refreshing incense during the day. If mixed with the scent of fruits and melons, it might lose its effect."
The Old Madam indeed hesitated.
Wang Qingyao smiled slightly and said, "First Madam speaks with reason. However, these words about not using incense were spoken by Imperial Preceptor Feng Fu. The Imperial Preceptor said that the Old Madam's Rongtang Courtyard has excellent feng shui, and the main hall is particularly situated at a vital point, a place conducive to longevity. It is only when incense is burned that the feng shui is disrupted, which is inauspicious, and thus the Old Madam contracted this strange illness."
Bai Shi's face stiffened. Imperial Preceptor Feng Fu again?!
"Didn't the Imperial Preceptor say the Old Madam had heatstroke?" Bai Shi said dryly.
Wang Qingyao blinked. "Yes, it was the disrupted feng shui that caused the heatstroke. With good feng shui, there would be no poisoning."
Bai Shi: "..."
Wang Qingyao spoke with such conviction that the Old Madam had no choice but to believe her. She immediately ordered all the incense burners in the room to be removed and instructed the kitchen to deliver fresh fruits and melons daily.
Bai Shi's expression was as grim as if her parents had died.
The Old Madam's insomnia did not recur later, and the Imperial Preceptor Feng Fu's status in her heart soared to the forefront.
Consequently, Wang Qingyao's standing in her eyes also rose significantly.
She truly began to believe that Wang Qingyao's destiny was precious and that she could break Prince Ding'an's curse.
Although Wang Qingyao suffered no loss in this matter, she was utterly weary of the First Branch's constant underhanded attacks. One could guard against thieves for a thousand days, but how could one guard against them perpetually?
So, she went to find Wang Da and recounted how Bai Shi had sought out Aunt Yang to cut off her flesh to cure the Old Madam.
Wang Da was unaware of this matter and stood up abruptly in shock!
Wang Qingyao was to marry Prince Ding'an's estate in July. How could she get married if she were injured now?
Bai Shi was too lacking in propriety!
Wang Da was furious with Bai Shi for causing trouble for no reason, and he was also grateful that Prince Ding'an had arrived in time. In his opinion, Wang Qingyao was far more important than the Old Madam at present. It was merely insomnia, not a life-threatening illness, yet they had to go to such lengths and resort to cutting flesh? What kind of bloody method would they dare to try?
"Yao Yao must have been frightened," Wang Da said with a loving smile.
Wang Qingyao blushed slightly with shame. "Although I was scared, thinking that I could save the Old Madam, I had to grit my teeth and endure the fear."
Her eyes welled up slightly, as if recalling the scene of her near-amputation. A look of terror and vulnerability flashed across her face.
Wang Da's tone softened further. "Yao Yao is the most filial."
Wang Qingyao hesitated for a moment. "There is one more thing, I don't know if I should say it?"
"It's alright, you can say whatever you wish."
"...The heatstroke was just something the Imperial Preceptor said for others to hear. In reality, the Old Madam was not suffering from heatstroke, but someone had poisoned her!"
"What?" Wang Da, who had just sat down, stood up again abruptly.
Wang Qingyao spun a tale with practiced ease. "The Imperial Preceptor privately told His Highness that the poison was placed in the incense burner. It doesn't cause much harm to the body, it just makes people agitated and unable to sleep... I don't know who has a grudge against the Old Madam to poison her like this. At her age, how can she endure sleep deprivation?"
She said with great concern, "I didn't dare to tell the Old Madam, so I just tried to find a way for her to stop using incense. I was also afraid that the person would continue to poison her. After thinking all night, I decided to tell my elder uncle. Elder Uncle, you must catch the poisoner! The Old Madam's body cannot withstand repeated torment!"
She appeared to be entirely concerned for the Old Madam's well-being, not mentioning Bai Shi at all, nor implying that it was aimed at herself.
Wang Da's heart was already churning with a tempest.
Wang Qingyao, pure and innocent, couldn't see it, but he, upon hearing it, had grasped the crux of the matter.
This was clearly Bai Shi's deliberate act to deal with Wang Qingyao!
He slammed his hand heavily on the table, his anger uncontrollable. That foolish and malicious woman!
Wang Qingyao did not know how Wang Da later found the evidence. She only knew that Bai Shi was confined to her quarters and stripped of her authority to manage the household.
The Wang family had only one Madam, and the Old Madam was not in good health. The management of the household was temporarily handed over to Wang Qingzhen's mother, Concubine Ying.
Concubine Ying never dreamed that she, a mere concubine, would one day rise above the main wife.
She didn't know what offense Bai Shi had committed, but she was determined to keep Bai Shi confined to her courtyard for the rest of her life, never to rise again.