chapter 11
At the moment when my brother was about to guess my Sister-in-law’s true intentions, it was Yaoniang who lent her a helping hand.
That night, my brother insisted on staying in Sister-in-law’s room, and even using me as an excuse didn’t work for her.
As they were pulling back and forth, a maid from Yaoniang’s courtyard rushed in anxiously to report: “Something’s wrong! Mistress ate the pastries from the Young Lady’s courtyard and now she’s suffering unbearable stomach pain. Young Master, please go and take a look!”
That was a little maid Yaoniang had brought with her, named Xiaofu. As she spoke, she glared angrily at Sister-in-law, her expression clearly implying that Sister-in-law had done something to the food.
I wanted to step forward and argue, but Sister-in-law pulled me back and said calmly, “Feng Jixuan, since the child is in trouble, let me go with you to see.”
When we arrived at Yaoniang’s courtyard, Mother was already there. Yaoniang lay weakly on the bed; I had thought she was pretending, but looking at her, it didn’t seem so.
The family’s usual physician was in the room, stroking his beard as he said, “She ate something unclean. If she had eaten a bit more, the child would be in danger. In the early stages of pregnancy, you must be careful.”
He was a highly respected old doctor, not someone who would help Yaoniang stage a scene. Knowing the household was full of secrets, he left after prescribing medicine.
Mother had set the rule that even if Yaoniang was pregnant, she had to pay respects to Sister-in-law every five days, and the pastries were indeed eaten in Sister-in-law’s courtyard.
If nothing had happened to the child, everyone might have suspected Yaoniang of scheming. But according to the doctor, even if Yaoniang wanted to frame Sister-in-law, it would be too risky.
Mother hesitated and said, “Those pastries?”
Just as she started to speak, she quickly shook her head, “No, no, my daughter-in-law isn’t that kind of person.”
Xiaofu was still indignantly accusing, “Who else but the Young Lady? Our Mistress ate nothing but those pastries, she couldn’t have gotten sick out of nowhere! Now the concubine ceremony isn’t being held, isn’t it all because they can’t tolerate our Mistress?”
She and Yaoniang both thought that canceling the concubine ceremony was Sister-in-law’s idea.
My brother, however, looked at Sister-in-law with some excitement: “Wife, was it you?”
There was no reproach in his eyes, even a hint of anticipation that Sister-in-law would answer “Yes.”
Sister-in-law looked at him for a long time, so long it was as if she didn’t know him, then suddenly became angry and embarrassed, saying, “Yes, it was me. If she dares to compete with me for my husband, she should have expected this outcome. Did you really think I wanted to hold the concubine ceremony? I was just stabilizing her first. What, do you want to divorce me over this?”
She admitted it outright, even Yaoniang was shocked by her answer.
Xiaofu reacted quickly, immediately kneeling and crying, “Young Master, you heard it, it was the Young Lady! Pity our Mistress, who came to your house alone and relies on you alone. You must stand up for her. Such a vicious woman should be divorced to keep the household safe.”
She wailed with all her emotions, fully expecting my brother to lash out at Sister-in-law, but unexpectedly, my brother kicked her first, his expression fierce as he said, “What are you? How dare you tell me to divorce my wife? My Wife was just upset by my words-who gave you the courage to climb up the ladder?”
That ruthless look made Yaoniang realize that my brother cared more about Sister-in-law being jealous for him, willing to deal with other women for his sake, than he did about Yaoniang’s well-being.
No wonder Yaoniang could win my brother’s affection away from Sister-in-law; she immediately understood and weakly scolded, “Xiaofu, enough! It must have been carelessness in the kitchen, how can you blame Sister-in-law? Feng Lang, don’t be angry, I’ll apologize to Sister-in-law.”
She was the one at risk of losing her child, yet she could still lower herself to apologize to Sister-in-law. That pitiful look made my brother remember her virtues again.
He looked left, reluctant to let go; looked right, feeling sorry, and finally closed his eyes and said, “Wife, Yaoniang has suffered after all. Let’s go ahead with the concubine ceremony. This time you don’t need to worry, let the steward handle it.”
My brother had just escaped the panic of losing Sister-in-law, and immediately began dreaming of the happiness of having both women.
But if only he were a bit calmer, he would have noticed Yaoniang’s guilty look when Sister-in-law confessed. If only he remembered more of how Sister-in-law used to be, he would know that she never made trouble with those women-she only ever fought with my brother.
Sister-in-law had simply seen through my brother’s fear, and went along with it, so he would dare to go ahead with taking a concubine.