Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Song Yulan was a noblewoman of impeccable pedigree. I had heard that she was boating on the lake with Yuan Heng for her birthday when their vessel unexpectedly caught fire.

Yuan Heng was injured but survived; Madam Song, however, perished in that accident.

The household was tight-lipped regarding the Former Lady. If anyone asked, they were told the Empress Dowager had forbidden the subject to be mentioned, fearing it would break the Marquis’s heart.

But to me, Song Yulan’s death felt eerie in every way.

While I was lost in thought, Meng Huaiqing gave a light cough.

“Madam, today’s treatment is finished.”

Meng Huaiqing wiped his hands with a piece of gauze and took two steps back.

I sat up straight. “Thank you, sir.”

Meng Huaiqing busied himself with packing away the medicine jars and other items. “You are too kind.”

Suddenly, he seemed to remember something.

He pulled a palm-sized sachet from his medical bag and said with a smile, “I almost forgot. I’ve prepared a floral medicine pouch for you, Madam. It has a fresh, delicate fragrance that can lift one’s spirits and alleviate discomfort during pregnancy.”

I nodded with a smile. “That is very thoughtful of you, sir. Thank you.”

Meng Huaiqing handed the sachet to Cuinong with both hands. “I must trouble you, young lady, to hang this sachet at the head of Madam’s bed.”

He glanced out the pitch-black window and pinched his fingers as if calculating. “At this hour, the Big Dipper has just appeared, and the Deity of the Fetus is passing by the eastern wall. Hang it quickly so as not to miss the auspicious hour.”

Cuinong hurriedly complied.

I smiled. “I didn’t realize you were also well-versed in feng shui and astrology, sir.”

Meng Huaiqing replied, “I’ve only read a few miscellaneous books. It’s just nonsense.”

Once he saw Cuinong enter the inner chamber, he quickly leaned forward and lowered his voice. “I heard that your father is currently the Director of the Yunzhou Bureau within the Ministry of Revenue. To serve as an official in the capital, your family must have quite a background?”

This was a strange question.

I didn’t like him being so close, so I leaned back slightly to keep my distance. “You must be joking, sir. My father is merely a scholar from a humble family who passed the imperial examinations. He was kept in the Ministry of Revenue only because of his excellent calligraphy and proficiency in mathematics. He is usually so busy that his feet hardly touch the ground; it’s common for him to stay at the office all night for audits. If he had a background, why would he be stuck with such a grueling job?”

To my surprise, Meng Huaiqing was relentless. “What about friends or relatives? Does your family not have a single high-ranking official? Someone who can provide protection?”

“What do you mean by that, sir!”

I felt a flash of anger, thinking he was mocking my family’s low status, but then I realized something was off.

He seemed to have deliberately sent Cuinong away, and then he asked if there was a high-ranking official who could protect someone… Was he trying to hint at something?

I also lowered my voice and leaned in. “What is the deeper meaning behind your words?”

Meng Huaiqing said urgently, “Madam, you must quickly…”

Before he could finish, Cuinong came back out.

Meng Huaiqing immediately straightened up, returning to his previous calm and gentle demeanor. He smiled and said, “Then please rest well, Madam. I shall take my leave.”

He carried his medical bag toward the door. As he reached the threshold, he suddenly paused and looked back at me as if he had a thousand things to say. But when he finally spoke, he only said:

“Madam, you should smell that sachet often. It can soothe the liver, relieve depression, and calm anxiety.”