Chapter 63

The pond, just as spring began, was no challenge to laborers at the dock, yet even for them, it wasn’t easy. For Qin Jinxiu, a delicate, frail young lady with weak health, it was a trial.
She entered the water, shivering, then bit her lip and swam toward the struggling Jiang Linlang.
The maids, panicked, ran to fetch help.
“Fairy Sister! Fairy Sister!!”
They could only see a shadow flash past before jumping into the pond.
“Go, find the eldest young master!”
Chutao hadn’t expected things to escalate so quickly. Qin Jinxiu had rushed off, leaving Wen Xin and Su Wen at the waterside to watch over the guests; the nurse had gone to fetch a brazier.
When Qin Simiao arrived in haste, he found his sister pale as gold leaf, barely breathing, leaning against his cousin’s arms, her clothes soaked.
His brows furrowed in concern. He strode over, scooped her up, and prepared to leave immediately for the doctor.
Though Jiang Linlang’s maid feared his authority, she boldly explained what had happened and hoped the Qin family would provide an explanation.
Qin Simiao shot her a sharp glance, full of warning.
“Jinxiu is young and frail. How could she push Miss Jiang?”
Chutao quickly interjected. “Your Miss lost her footing. Our Miss, ignoring her own safety, jumped in to save her. And yet you dare blame our Miss in front of the eldest young master?”
The maid protested, insisting she saw Qin Jinxiu deliberately bump into her lady.
In the commotion, Qin Jinxiu’s breathing became uneven in his arms. A sharp pang struck Qin Simiao’s heart.
“Jinxiu cannot be delayed. I must take her to the doctor first. If your claims are true, when she recovers, I will go to your house to apologize. Meanwhile, have your lady change clothes and see the doctor.”
Qin Simiao did not wish to argue further. The apology depended on Qin Jinxiu’s recovery.
“Let this matter end here. I don’t want it spreading along this corridor.”
Both young ladies had been saved by his cousin; their honor mattered. The maids’ mouths must be kept shut.
After delivering his sister to the doctor, he sent word to the pavilion that the hostess was unwell and could not continue, summoning a cousin to carry on the feast in Qin Jinxiu’s stead.
Qin Jinxiu’s condition worsened. From the moment she was rescued, her body trembled violently, her fever persisted, and she murmured incessantly.
“Mother…”
Her lips repeated the words, sweat beaded on her forehead. The attending doctor shook his head in distress.
“Doctor, how is my sister?”
Seeing the doctor’s expression, Qin Simiao’s face darkened.
“I already told Madam at the house, this young lady has a weak constitution. She must not overexert or agitate herself. How could she fall into the pond at this season?”
The doctor was on the verge of speaking of preparing for the worst.
Qin Simiao’s face turned cold as he sent the doctor away.
“Su Wen, when will Mother return?”
“Soon, I believe.”
“Send a letter. Say Miss fell into the pond and is in critical condition. Mother must return immediately.”
Upon hearing “life-threatening,” the two maids who had accompanied her cried out. Qin Simiao’s raised eyebrow dropped sharply.
“Why cry? Miss isn’t dead. If it’s your negligence, she will be punished when she recovers. But if anything happens to Jinxiu…”
Qin Simiao felt the two maids were utterly useless. Were it not for his sister still teetering on the edge of life and death, he would have punished them properly. For now, his priority was keeping his sister alive.
He also instructed Wen Xin and Su Wen to carefully watch over his sister while he went out to seek medicine. He had heard that the Junwang Mansion still had a Tianshan Snow Lotus, once a gift from the late Emperor, rumored to have miraculous effects.
Ever since Qin Jinxiu had stormed out of the flower-viewing feast, the little prince’s wife had been furious, deeming the girl hopelessly incorrigible.
Who would have expected that the moment Qin Jinxiu left her family’s house and returned to her own, she would learn the Tianshan Snow Lotus had been borrowed, and immediately demanded an explanation?
It turned out the girl was so frail that a full day running a flower-viewing feast was enough to make her fall seriously ill that night. How could this happen?
If a girl’s body could collapse from managing a feast, she was utterly unsuitable to be married into a family. Grandchildren might never be born; her husband could become a widower before even having children.
The little prince’s wife clutched her chest in fear.
Her youngest daughter, A-ling, asked, “Mother, is Qin Jinxiu really in danger? I just returned from my uncle’s house and heard the gatekeepers say people came from the prefect’s residence.”
“Nonsense! Speak like that and someone might hear.”
“Mother, did I speak wrongly? I saw Brother Simiao earlier visiting Father and the elder brothers. He didn’t look well at all.”
“Oh? Was the eldest young master really that displeased?”
A-ling, wearing a pale yellow short robe over a pea-green pleated skirt, with a willow-like waist, long brows, and cherry lips, had grown quite lovely.
Hearing her mother ask about the man she cared for, her brows knitted slightly. “He stayed less than half an hour. Father had the steward fetch the snow lotus from the storehouse, and he left.”
She didn’t particularly like Qin Jinxiu, but out of respect for Brother Simiao, she spared the girl some courtesy. As for Qin Jinxiu becoming her sister-in-law, it was impossible.
When Madam Qin returned home, she found her daughter unconscious, the eldest son standing silently in the corridor, his sunken eyes and stubbled jaw revealing deep concern.
“Mother, this matter… is because of me…”
Madam Qin patted his right shoulder. “I’ve already heard from Wen Xin and Su Wen the full story. Go rest; I’ll be here.”
“No, I can still manage.”
“Not even listening to your mother? Your sister is under my care, must you ruin yourself too and give your sister trouble?”
Madam Qin frowned, torn between anxiety for her daughter and anger mixed with concern for her son.
Yet she knew it wasn’t his fault. Her daughter’s illness was always fragile, sustained only with rare medicine. Simiao, for some reason, tried to instruct his sister and inadvertently caused this crisis.
Fortunately, they had acquired the Tianshan Snow Lotus from the Junwang Mansion as a medicinal base, which eased her condition, but she remained like a living corpse, unconscious.
Madam Qin pinched her daughter’s leftover medicine with her fingers, approached the bedside, took her hand, and her eyes reddened with concern.
“Yunu’s body is so cold. Add more coals to the room immediately.”
Hong Xiao, bowing, replied, “Madam, the doctor said too much smoke could enter her lungs; adding coals now may trigger her asthma later.”
Madam Qin was furious at the maids’ incompetence. How could they serve her daughter this way? While the young lady floated in the water, they merely watched from the corridor.
She let go of her daughter’s hand, stepped out, and raised her hand to strike Hong Xiao. Her terrifying expression startled the surrounding maids, who fell to the floor in fright.
“You foolish girls! You didn’t add coals or bring extra warmers for the young lady. Where’s Chutao? Because of your carelessness, Yunu fell into the pond! Did you think her little stunt was entertaining?!”
From the moment her young lady fell into the water, she knew she couldn’t escape punishment. Now, with Madam Qin back, death seemed imminent.
“Chutao was beaten twenty times by the eldest young master and still hasn’t recovered.”
“Why did Simiao only punish her and not you, useless girl?”
Madam Qin’s strike was strong, her nails long. Blood dripped on Hong Xiao’s face, yet she still answered properly.
“Chutao was by the young lady’s side. I went to call for help while the young lady still needed watching. The young master spared me temporarily.”
“Yunu is not fond of people easily. You girls, having tended her since childhood, pampered her more than any merchant’s daughter. You thought keeping her happy daily was enough, regardless of competence. But your negligence caused harm. Nurse, take those two girls, one on the bed and one on the floor, to the wood room, and teach them a lesson.”
“Yes, Madam. I, too, am guilty. If I’d known this would happen, why would I have fetched a cloak?”
She slapped herself in anguish, tears streaming. Though Madam Qin was punishing the maids, she was also indirectly chastising herself.
“Enough. Yunu is your responsibility, and you have been diligent. I know your merits. Today I punish these two for their carelessness. The young lady nearly drowned, yet they merely watched.”
The servants murmured that the two maids deserved it.
Qin Jinxiu felt dizzy, as if walking on clouds, like a dream, only hearing the commotion around her.
“What shall we do? Jinxiu hasn’t woken yet.”
“My daughter!”
Madam Qin’s cries reached her. Qin Jinxiu opened her eyes slightly, weakly propping herself up, and whispered, “Mother… Brother,” looking haggard, coughing up blood before collapsing again.
“Yunu!”
At this moment, Qin Simiao no longer minded propriety. Holding his sister, he felt deep regret. He should never have allowed her to host the flower-viewing feast.
The prefect, just back from reporting to the capital, heard the news and rushed over without changing his official robes. Several concubines were already standing outside the courtyard, expressing concern.
“Master.”
“Hmm.”
“How is my daughter?”
Madam Qin, weeping over her daughter, had her maid answer, “She just coughed up blood and passed out again.”
“Didn’t she take the Tianshan Snow Lotus pill? Shouldn’t she have been better?”
Qin’s family had few children, his main wife and four concubines, plus two secondary wives, yet only two sons and a daughter. Qin Jinxiu had been raised tenderly, and now hearing of her illness, he could do nothing but sigh, pacing the room.