Time Travel: The Noble Family-Chapter 169 - 70: Old Madam Falls Ill_2

Chapter 169 -70: Old Madam Falls Ill_2

Lady Li smiled, “This requires not only talent but also dedication.” Without dedication, no matter the talent, everything is futile.

The old nanny by her side chuckled and said, “If you ask me, just by looking at Young Master Zheng, you can tell that Third Miss of the Lian Family must be smart and eager to learn.” This old nanny knew Tingzheng was Yueyao’s mentor, and Tingzheng’s diligence in learning at the Li Mansion was well known; hence, it was natural to infer that Yueyao would also be a studious child.

Lady Li nodded in agreement.

After practicing her writing, Yueyao stepped out to look at the sky. The sun had come out today, and the weather was nice. However, the sun seemed shrouded in mist, casting a faint light, and the gray clouds were motionless. The whole sky appeared stagnant and oppressive.

A gust of wind blew, and aside from the evergreen trees swinging left and right in the corner, the tall trees, stripped of their leaves, were too bare to even sway, looking exceptionally clumsy.

Yueyao lingered in the courtyard for a quarter of an hour before returning to her room to practice writing again. Shortly after, Nanny Hao hurried into the bedroom, “Miss, the Old Madam has fainted. Eldest Madam has sent for Doctor Tang.”

Upon hearing this, Yueyao immediately put down her pen and, without changing her clothes, rushed to the Upper Chamber. While walking, she told herself nothing would happen, nothing could happen. Her grandmother had passed away in the following year in her previous life, so surely nothing would happen now.

Although Yueyao kept comforting herself, her heart was still filled with panic. Maybe things could change. After all, she had been reborn to her childhood; even her grandmother’s fate was uncertain.

When Yueyao arrived at the Upper Chamber, Old Madam had not come around yet. Entering the bedroom and seeing the unconscious Old Madam, she knew crying was taboo at that moment, so she suppressed her tears, but they kept falling unabashedly.

Qiao Hui watched the Third Young Lady crying inconsolably, then looked at the sorrowful faces of the Eldest Miss, Second Young Lady, and the Fourth Miss with her head lowered, thinking it was no wonder the Old Madam was so fond of her.

After Doctor Tang arrived and took the Old Madam’s pulse, he immediately applied acupuncture, and soon after the needles were removed, the Old Madam regained consciousness. Yueyao, wiping away her tears, said, “Grandmother, …”

Old Madam, weak all over, whispered, “Don’t cry, I am alright. I am just old, and my body really isn’t what it used to be. I fainted without warning.”

After prescribing medicine, Doctor Tang advised, “Old Madam, you must rest well and avoid overexerting yourself in the future.” Naturally, as one ages, the number of bodily ailments increases.

Due to Old Madam’s illness, Yueyao stopped attending her lessons and spent her days at Old Madam’s side, tending to her. To make Old Madam comfortable, Yueyao went out of her way to tell amusing anecdotes she’d read about and occasionally recited Buddhist scriptures, all to keep Old Madam in a pleasant mood.

Yueyao’s actions earned her praise throughout the Lian Mansion for her filial piety. Yueyao wasn’t putting on an act, nor was she after fame; she genuinely wanted to take good care of the Old Madam and show her filial devotion. However, Yueyao’s behavior inadvertently usurped Yueying’s duties.

Upon hearing that the entire mansion, inside and out, was extolling the Third Young Lady’s devotion while not mentioning her, Yueying felt somewhat disheartened, as she, too, had been inseparably by the Old Madam’s side these past days.

Yueying’s maid, Cai Lan, said resentfully, “Why is it so? After all the hard work Miss has done, all the good reputation has gone to the Third Young Lady.”

Cai Qing tried to calm her down, “Just say less.” Cai Qing did not want to add fuel to the fire and thought it would be better if their Miss did not become an enemy of the Third Young Lady, who was no simple character.

Cai Lan snorted coldly, “Sister Cai Qing, maybe you don’t know yet? The Third Young Lady seems charitable on the surface, but she has been repeatedly tattling to the Old Madam behind our backs. The Third Young Lady should be calling our Miss ‘sister,’ yet she secretly engages in such despicable acts.”

Cai Qing covered Cai Lan’s mouth, “What nonsense are you talking about? If Nanny Zheng gets wind of this, won’t you have your mouth torn apart?” Sowing discord between masters could lead to being sold off at best, or being beaten to death on the spot at worst.

Yueying’s face turned chilly, “What did you just say? Say it again, what exactly did the Third Young Lady tell Old Madam about?” She couldn’t believe Yueyao would tattle on her.

Cai Lan hesitated, she really didn’t know what bad things Yueyao had said about Yueying. She couldn’t make up several on the spot either. Cai Qing hurriedly said, “My lady, those nannies love to gossip for no reason, we shouldn’t take it to heart.”

Cai Lan nodded quickly, “Yes, yes, yes. It’s all just some nannies gossiping, there’s really nothing to it.”

However, Yueying’s expression didn’t improve.

Yueyao had been serving the Old Madam for five days. The Old Madam, stroking Yueyao’s head, said, “Look at you, you’ve become so thin. Starting tomorrow, you will resume your studies with your teacher, your grandmother will be fine.”

Seeing that the Old Madam was determined, Yueyao didn’t argue, “Alright.”

Qiao Hui, noticing the Old Madam was a bit down, said, “Old Madam, it’s such a pity that Third Young Lady isn’t a boy. Otherwise, the Lian family would surely produce a Top Scholar.” Qiao Hui could see that Third Young Lady was truly sincere towards the Old Madam, so she didn’t hold back praising Yueyao.

The Old Madam was somewhat surprised, “Why do you say that?”

Qiao Hui smiled, “Old Madam doesn’t know, while you were sleeping, Third Young Lady would practice her calligraphy in the side room. She hasn’t missed a single day these past days. I’ve seen her hands have developed calluses from writing. When not writing, Third Young Lady is also never without a book. Old Madam, if Third Young Lady were a boy, wouldn’t she qualify to be a Top Scholar?” Even the Eldest Young Master isn’t as diligent as Third Young Lady. Her studies can truly be described as seizing every minute and every second.

The Old Madam sighed faintly, “If only Yueyao were a boy, how wonderful that would be.” Yueyao’s intelligence and understanding were both top-notch, and she was diligent and loved learning, yet she was born a girl; heaven truly plays tricks on the Lian family.

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Not long after Yueyao returned to her courtyard, the Old Madam sent Qiao Hui over. Qiao Hui said, “My lady, the Old Madam said you’ve worked hard these past few days. Tonight, you needn’t come over again; you should rest well, as that is the proper thing to do.” These were the Old Madam’s exact words.

Yueyao nodded. The Old Madam’s condition had already stabilized, and as long as she rested well, there shouldn’t be any serious issues. This was actually due to the changing of the seasons, which the elderly could not withstand, but once she got through this, she would be better.

Qiao Hui came not only to pass on a message but also to bring something. Once people had left, Yueyao looked at the gift from her grandmother; it was a pair of Beaded Flowers.

Beaded Flowers were made by carefully wrapping round and lustrous pearls into the shape of a flower, with small jade beads embellishing the center, bringing out sparkling hints of green, much like the pistils of a flower. Yueyao quite liked them and wore the pair of Beaded Flowers the next day.

The Old Madam saw her and smiled knowingly, “Those Beaded Flowers look really beautiful on Third Girl.” Yueyao’s skin was fair and luminous, which complemented the Beaded Flowers very well.

Yueyao smiled and said, “Anything given by grandmother is naturally the best.”

When Yueying heard that the pair of Beaded Flowers was a gift from the grandmother, she couldn’t help but bite her lower jaw. Yueying only complained that she had taken care of the Old Madam for quite some time but hadn’t received anything in return, completely forgetting that the Old Madam had previously given her quite a few fine things.

The Old Madam was ill for half a month. After finishing her morning lessons, Yueyao no longer returned to Lanxi Courtyard but rested in the Upper Chamber. In the evening, after dining with the Old Madam, she went back to Lanxi Courtyard.

Yueyao had to practice calligraphy and painting at night, and in the morning, she practiced punching to strengthen her hands; her days were fulfilling yet busy.

During the days of the Old Madam’s serious illness, Lady Mo didn’t stir up any trouble. Yuebing was also very well-behaved, and the entire Lian Mansion was unusually harmonious.

Yueyao was very clear that the reason Lady Mo hadn’t made a move was that she was waiting. Once something happened to the grandmother, Lady Mo would no longer hold back. But Yueyao wasn’t afraid; what was destined to come, would come.