The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 293 Wang Xifeng: If I don't get well, none of you will get well either
The sky had been gloomy for a long time, and now the dark clouds were growing thicker.

Under the eaves of the corridor outside the main hall, a small charcoal stove was spitting out green flames, boiling the medicine in the medicine pot. Ping'er stood in front of the medicine pot, fanning herself and looking into the room from time to time.

Wang Xifeng stood at the door holding her sleeping daughter, looking out the window with eyes full of melancholy.

Ping'er opened the lid of the medicine jar and gently blew away the white steam. Then she wrapped the handle of the jar with a piece of cloth and slowly poured the medicine into the medicine bowl. She then poured the medicine in the medicine bowl into another empty bowl, and then poured it back again. She repeated this several times before she walked into the house holding the medicine bowl.

Ping'er said softly, "Second Madam, it's time to take medicine."

Wang Xifeng came to her senses, handed her daughter to the wet nurse, took the medicine and drank it in one gulp.

Ping'er brought another bowl of warm water and handed it to Wang Xifeng's mouth.

Wang Xifeng took a sip of warm water, rinsed her mouth and spit into the medicine bowl, handed the bowl to Ping'er, and turned into the inner room.

Ping'er walked into the inner room and saw Wang Xifeng lying on the couch in a daze.

Ping Er picked up a palace fan from the table beside the couch and gently fanned Wang Xifeng: "Don't worry, grandma. This illness will eventually get better."

Wang Xifeng glanced at her and did not answer.

Ping'er sighed silently. Wang Xifeng fell ill after the heavy hemorrhage. Her body was badly damaged. After half a year of recuperation, there was no improvement. She was coughing or sick every other day. She invited many famous doctors to prescribe medicine, but none of them worked.

After a long while, Wang Xifeng finally spoke: "Your Second Master may be promoted soon."

Ping'er was delighted: "Really? Then I'll congratulate grandma in advance." Then she bowed slightly to Wang Xifeng.

Wang Xifeng sighed slightly.

Ping Er: "What's wrong?"

Wang Xifeng: "Your second master is getting more and more powerful, but my body..."

Ping'er understood that Wang Xifeng was anxious and worried that Jia Lian would take a concubine.

Wang Xifeng sighed again: "Why are you as unlucky and miserable as me? I suffer from many illnesses and you are not sick either, so why don't you get pregnant?" When she said this, she was also stunned and looked at Ping'er.

Ping'er was also looking at her with her eyes open.

Their eyes met and then looked away.

After a moment of silence, Wang Xifeng spoke first: "I was wrong about what I said just now. Your Second Master will be back tonight."

As he was talking, he heard the little girl outside say, "Lin Zhixiao's family is here."

Wang Xifeng forced herself to sit up and said, "Come in."

The door curtain was lifted and Lin Zhixiao's family hurried in.

Seeing her like this, Wang Xifeng knew that something bad was going to happen. She asked, "What happened?"

Lin Zhixiao's wife whispered, "Second Madam, Master Wang Ren beat up the little actor."

Wang Xifeng seemed not to have heard clearly: "What did you say? Who did you beat?"

Lin Zhixiao's family: "A little actor bought from Suzhou."

Wang Xifeng was shocked: "Didn't he go to supervise the work? How did he get involved with the little opera singer again?"

Lin Zhixiao's wife gave a bitter smile and said, "We men were accompanying Master Wang Ren to inspect the garden. We happened to see the young actors practicing music and were heard by Master Wang Ren. Master Wang Ren asked them to sing two plays, and then..."

Wang Xifeng: "What happened next?"

Lin Zhixiao's wife: "Master Wang Ren saw some young actors who looked good, so he took advantage of them. One of the young actors bit Master Wang Ren's hand, and Grandma knew Master Wang Ren's temper, so she slapped the young actor in the face, and then there was a quarrel."

Wang Xifeng: "These damn vixens!"

Ping'er and Lin Zhixiao's wife looked at each other.

Wang Xifeng: "How was it dealt with?"

Lin Zhixiao's wife: "Don't worry, grandma. I persuaded them with the others, threatened them for a while, and promised them some money, and they stopped making trouble. We men also frightened others, so the news will not be spread to the old lady, the master, and the mistress."

Wang Xifeng nodded and asked, "Where is Wang Ren?"

Lin Zhixiao's wife: "Go back." Wang Xifeng: "Spread the word, if anyone dares to go out and say something nonsense, I will smash his mouth."

Lin Zhixiao's family: "Yes."

Wang Xifeng: "And those vixens, if they dare to say a single word, I'll kill them immediately. Our Wang family has plenty of money to pay them back!"

Lin Zhixiao's wife: "I have already told them about my uncle's official position, they dare not do it."

Wang Xifeng nodded with satisfaction: "Go ahead."

Lin Zhixiao’s family: “Yes.” He turned and walked out.

Ping Er hesitated for a moment and said, "Madam, you should call Wang Ren to talk. After all, those little actors are prepared for the queen's visit. If something goes wrong..."

Wang Xifeng interrupted her: "What could it be? Wang Ren just felt it was new for a moment, maybe he has forgotten it by now. Oh, by the way, what was I going to say just now?"

Ping'er looked at her.

Wang Xifeng thought for a moment and said, "When your second master comes back tonight, let's discuss it carefully and see if we can invite a chief physician back."

After hearing this, Ping'er lowered her eyes and slowly fanned her.

Wang Xifeng glanced at her and said, "My aunt and I just sent two baskets of quails over. Go and fry them and save them for your master to have with you when he comes back for a drink."

Ping'er: "Yes." She put down the palace fan and walked out.

With a snort, Wang Xifeng said, "Ping'er, this little bitch has her own thoughts!" Then she touched her belly and said viciously, "If I can't get well, none of you will get well, my dear aunt!"

"It's raining!" A little maid exclaimed outside.
It was getting dark and the rain was getting heavier.

Marquis Zhongjing Shi Ding walked out with the smell of rain blowing in his face, raised his head slightly and looked up at the dark sky.

In the rain, a red oil-paper lantern floated over.

An officer in an oiled jacket walked down the steps and reported to Shi Ding, "General, Zhang Cheng has returned to the city and has gone to the old man's home with a few guards."

There was a dull thunder, and lightning flashed like a golden snake among the clouds.

Shi Ding took a deep breath, then let it out for a long time before looking at the general: "Are you sure it's Zhang Cheng?"

The general hesitated for a moment and replied, "It's raining so hard that I can't be sure."

Shi Ding thought for a moment and said, "Whether it's true or not, let's catch them together first. How are the preparations going?"

The general said: "Everything is ready. When the time comes, the scouts can raid the rebel hideouts."

Shi Ding: "Okay. Pass the word down that those old guys must be kept alive."

The general: “Yes.”

Shi Ding: "Go down."

The general retreated in response.

A flash of lightning illuminated the courtyard in a pale white. The banana trees, flowers and big trees in the corner were swaying in the rain and wind.

Shi Ding sighed. For some reason, he always had an indescribable feeling.

A flash of lightning streaked across the night sky, and the pale light illuminated most of the sky above South City.

There were twenty or thirty strong men wearing straw raincoats and bamboo hats standing in Zhang Cheng's yard, holding swords in their arms.

The door of the main room was open, and a chair was placed in the middle of the room. Sitting on the chair was a strong man in a cloak, with a sword on his legs. Behind him lay the maidservant who had passed away.

There was the sound of footsteps, and a man hurried in, whispering, "Zhang Cheng went to the old man's house and found someone with suspicious whereabouts nearby. He must be a spy from the palace."

After a pause, he said, “There are quite a few people.”

The sturdy man snorted coldly: "Just some barbarians." Then he glanced at the clock in the corner and said, "It's raining so hard and there's not even a ghost on the road. Let's go without waiting for curfew." Then he stood up and walked out.

(End of this chapter)