Chapter 200 Stingy Sister He
Luo Chuangu suddenly jumped up from the chair and grabbed Doctor Ma’s collar. He asked, “Concubine Hua is weak? She couldn’t sleep well? She often ate crabs? Why didn’t you mention a word this afternoon?”
He was very clear about the fact that Sun Meiniang had aborted for three times. The first time was because she had believed the words of the fortune-teller, who said that the fetus would become an unfilial and rebellious son when he was born and raised. Sun Meiniang was confused for a moment and had abortions. The last two times happened after she gave birth to Shao. She found that fetus would die in her lower abdomen when she was pregnant at the beginning of the second month. The stillbirth was very ominous. If stillbirth happened in a large family like them, the whole family would gather together to worship ancestors and beg for protection. So, Sun Meiniang told him that since the matter of pregnancy hadn’t been spread out, she had better to abort stealthily and conceal the matter of pregnancy.
Therefore, at the first time, Luo Chuangu personally decocted abortifacient for Sun Meiniang. But at the second time, Luo Chuangu was not at home coincidentally when Sun Meiniang had an excruciating pain in the belly because of stillbirth. After he returned home, Sun Meiniang told him that she secretly asked Chuanxiong for help and asked a bowl of abortifacient. Luo Chuangu knew this detailly, so he didn’t have any surprising reaction while He Danggui said it. Besides, he didn’t care about those problems now. It didn’t matter who scratched his daughter’s face. Anyway, there was no scar left on her face. He had heard that Sun Meiniang forced Chuanxiong to cut his niece’s nails, but it was the usual fighting among women. The most favorite thing for women was to make noise. It was not suitable for men to interrupt them.
Seeing Doctor Ma’s hesitant look on his face, Luo Chuangu was anxious. He asked, “Did you hide anything from us? Make it clear, or you will be punished!”
Doctor Ma gritted his teeth and said ruthlessly, “Second Lord, I’m sorry. I charged Concubine Hua 100 liang silver and promised to help her tell a lie.”
“What?!” Luo Chuangu’s eyes looked like bells. He shouted, “You help Concubine Hua to lie?!”
“What?” At the same time, Feng Yang yelled on the other side, “You meant that the middle-aged woman cut your five fingers for two small cuts, but when she came back to see her daughter after revenge, she found that there were more wounds on her daughter’s face. After investigation, she found that there was a thorn in the cuff of her daughter’s wet nurse. All the wounds were pulled out by that thorn. It was none of your business. But instead of apologizing to you, the middle-aged woman dismissed the wet nurse back home?!” Feng Yang spoke the whole sentence in one shot, which successfully attracted people’s attention. Then he asked He Danggui, “How did you know the truth? The middle-aged woman was sure to keep her mouth shut!”
The middle-aged woman, Sun Meiniang, pointed at Feng Yang and He Danggui with shivering hands. She said in a shrill voice, “If you talk nonsense there again, I’ll blow you all out of Luo’s Mansion! He Danggui, you’re a bad gossip girl. You don’t belong to our family at all!”
Feeling that Madam Luo and others were looking at her, He Danggui told Feng Yang slowly, “The wet nurse who did wrong things went back to her hometown with a severance payment of 5 liang silver. After a few years, her family had been destitute because the money had run out. She thought it would be better to go back to Luo’s Family again, rather than to work hard. If they could get a sum of money from those rich people, they would make their family have no worries about food and clothing.”
Feng Yang chuckled and said, “But your Second Aunt was so stingy, right? Only 5 liang severance pay? If the wet nurse got 50 liang silver, she would be honest and would not come back to look for your Second Aunt in the future.”
“Oh, you couldn’t say that. The wet nurse scratched a lot of wounds on my Fourth Sister’s face. She was sent away because she had made a mistake, not as a meritorious official returning home. In fact, it is more appropriate to call it ‘hush money’.” He Danggui explained patiently, “What’s more, although my Second Aunt had a lot of money, she was born as a daughter of the concubine. Maybe she didn’t see much money when she was a child. So, she was very good at calculating and got used to it. It’s easy to change rivers and mountains but hard to change a person’s nature. Just like my mother, now she only relies on her dowry money. Although she won’t spend all her property, she earns less and spends more. The more money she spends, the less she will leave. In spite of this, she still doesn’t know how to save money. I am too lazy to talk with her. Ah, my mother was born as a legitimate daughter. Since she was a child, she has been used to lavish money and lived a happy life. It’s probably the most direct expression of the difference between the legitimate daughter and the daughter of the concubine.”
Sun Meiniang glared at He Danggui, and her eyes seemed to bleed. But Feng Yang lowered his voice and asked, “What about you? Sister He, you are so rich but so stingy. Is it because you were too short of money when you were a child?”
He Danggui looked at Feng Yang suspiciously and asked, “How do you know I’m rich? Do I look like a rich person?”
Feng Yang froze for a moment. Then he waved his hand and smiled. He said, “Ha, I said it casually. Don’t mind it!” He Danggui stared at his face for a long time, and then she lowered her eyelashes to think something.
Madam Luo couldn’t help asking, “Yi, did the wet nurse who named Jian come back again? Why had I never saw her in Luo’s Mansion?” Madam Luo suddenly remembered that Shao’s wet nurse had already changed when she went to see her granddaughter Shao, a few days after the scratching face incident subsiding. In all likelihood, what Yi said was true!
He Danggui said with a smile, “Well, the wet nurse Jian had been to Yangzhou City twice. She firstly came to East Yard to find her old master. She said that her son in her hometown had a terminal illness and needed money to cure. However, Second Aunt only helped her with a little money, which could just support their family for 3 months except the fee of round-trip. It was too much different from the amount expected before wet nurse Jian came. She had to went back to her hometown, but she found that she cursed her son. Her son had a strange disease. The barefoot doctor in the country said that it could be cured only in the city. So, she took her son into Yangzhou City again with a landing truck. She went directly to He’s House to find my mother. When they met, she began to kowtow. After her head was bleeding, she lifted up and spoke. She told the truth of that case and made amends to my mother. She begged my mother to give her life-saving money since she has been working in Luo family for decades.”
He Danggui’s soft and shallow voice fascinated everyone. Feng Yang was the first to return his mind and interrupted, “Your mother had been greatly wronged because of this provocative wet nurse, and she was not the master of the wet nurse. It was not up to her to reward the money, was it?”
He Danggui shook her head and said, “My mother was not only soft-natured, but also lenient. She immediately took out 50 liang silver to cure the son of wet nurse Jian. She also wrote a letter to ask her to find Doctor Ma, and gave a privilege for them to see the doctor without queuing up. Later, they used the 50 liang for medical treatment, food and accommodation. After her son cured, they went back to their hometown.”
Madam Luo looked at Doctor Ma and asked, “Do you remember this, Ma Sanliang?”
Doctor Ma nodded and said, “Yes, there was such a thing. A few years ago, a woman named Jian came to see me with the Mrs. Luo’s letter. As the letter told me, I only charged her medicine without the cost of treatment. And I cured the woman’s son for three months.”
Feng Yang rubbed his chin and muttered in a low voice, “She left her daughter alone, but she was kind and generous to others. Is there something wrong with your mother’s brain? She is overly nice.”
He Danggui sighed and said, “Yes, my mother’s brain is really a bit stupid. There is no such a fool as her among 10 women, but there are also blessings for overly nice people. After returning to her hometown, the wet nurse Jian always remembered my mother’s kindness. Three years ago, when she visited my mother with local products, she realized that my mother had gone to Sanqing Temple as an idle hermit. So, she went all the way to Sanqing Temple, and stayed with my mother for half a month. Then she went back to Yangzhou City for Qingming Festival with my mother’s carriage. They didn’t expect that they met robbers on the road. Those robbers robbed their property and also wanted to kill them. The wet nurse Jian blocked a knife for my mother and died instantly.”
“Oh? I didn’t expect that the loyal servant who saved Chuanxiong’s life was the wet nurse Jian!” Madam Luo also heard that Chuanxiong talked about meeting robbers on her way home. She recalled, “It seemed that she ran into Shizi Duan later and was saved by him?”
“Yes,” He Danggui said with a smile. “I heard from the students in the academy. Master Duan assaulted the Marquis last month, and now he has become Marquis Duan.”
“Marquis?” Madam Luo opened her eyes and blurted out in surprise, “Wouldn’t Guan Yun become an imperial mandate madam? Wouldn’t Guan Mo become Marquis’s brother-in-law? Yi, aren’t you really willing to consider about Guan Mo? If you marry him, you will be related to Marquis Ning’s Mansion!” Madam Luo thought, if she used this relationship to help Qian find an official job and let him relax in a different environment, he might get out from the shadow of the massacre!
He Danggui didn’t expect that Madam Luo was a so fast thinker who had a wealth of association. She choked for a moment and spoke nothing. Feng Yang immediately replied for her, “She would rather become a nun than marry Guan Mo. If you force her to accept this marriage, maybe she will murder her husband after they get married. In fact, Madam Luo, you don’t have to worry about her marriage. I have calculated that her future husband would be 10 times or 100 times well than Guan Mo. And it will be a naturally good marriage. You won’t have to ask for anything.”
Sun Meiniang sneered and said, “Childe Feng does deserve to be a businessman in Jianghu. You did talk shop. Those you said are what warlocks on the overpass often say.”
Feng Yang suddenly waved the fan, which scared Sun Meiniang. He stared at He Danggui with a plastic smile, “Sister He, what your mother did was in line with the saying that one good turn deserves another. It was no wonder that your Second Aunt badly treated you and had the face to enquire something about abortifacient from your mother. It turns out that your mother is a lenient person.”
He Danggui agreed, “Yes, my mother accepted knowledge when she was young. And she also learned some pharmacology, especially good at women’s prescriptions. So, Second Aunt went to ask her what abortifacient could bring no harm to body. At that time, I had nothing to do but squat beside the door and listened to them. At first, my mother suggested that she could use the medicine named Mutong Sanhefen. But Second Aunt was not satisfied with it. She said that it was sold in the ordinary herbal medicine shops. She thought that it was not as useful as the ancient prescriptions of famous doctors. How could she take the same medicine as civilian? My mother had no choice but to diagnose her pulse and prescribe like a doctor. However, my mother exclaimed, ‘Meiniang, wasn’t this your first abortion? You should be more cautious after this time. You can’t abort any more, otherwise your body will be harmed!’ Second Aunt replied, ‘Do you think that I was willing to abort? Every time I discovered that I had been pregnant at the beginning of the month, it would turn into stillbirth at the end of the month. I have experienced that for 4 times. Your heartless Second Elder Brother was still pestering me to give birth to a son for him!’”
“4 times?!” Madam Luo jumped up from her seat and said, “Has she had abortions for 4 times?”
“4 times?” Luo Chuangu, who did not care about that at the beginning, was so anxious immediately. He asked, “Didn’t she abort for 3 times? How could it turn into 4 times?”
“What nonsense are you talking about?” Sun Meiniang rushed forward in a great hurry and tried to scratch the face of He Danggui. But she was separated by the folding fan of Feng Yang. And then Feng Yang shouted at everyone, “A cornered dog will leap over the wall. She is going to kill someone in full view!”
Sun Meiniang screamed, “Don’t believe her. I’ve never told Luo Chuanxiong that how many times I had abortions, and I haven’t had abortions for 4 times!” Sun Meiniang thought, “Damn, how can He Danggui know how many times I’d had?” The first time she was aborted was for He Jingxian before she got married. This was the top of secret absolutely. She survived by taking medicine in the small dark room without anyone. Even Ding Rong’s wife didn’t know that she had done it before she got married. How could the wicked girl know?!
He Danggui recalled that she had looked up Sun Meiniang’s twisted face in the cold-Water Dungeon in the previous life. She listened to one amazing secret after another from Sun Meiniang. He Danggui couldn’t help smiling in her heart. When Sun Meiniang told her everything, Sun Meiniang had never expected that she, He Danggui, would have a day of renascence and take revenge!
Facing with Luo Chuangu’s question, He Danggui replied slowly, “Maybe I didn’t hear it clearly. And there is no clear distinction between 3 and 4. Well, anyway, as a child, my words were full of childish, and no one would believe what I said. And my mother is known as a good person, she has already agreed with Second Aunt to keep her secret. If I haven’t been wronged today to put abortifacient, I wouldn’t tell it. Anyway, I’ve never done anything about Concubine Hua’s medicine. I’m just defending myself, and I didn’t have any intention to revenge others.”
“I understand you.” Feng Yang nodded and sighed, “You are the person who respects the old and loves the young most in this family. You always worry about all the things of the family, from the tea of Madam Luo to the bed where your little nephew wets. So, how can you frame others?”
He Danggui looked at Luo Chuangu and concluded, “Second Uncle, that’s all what I know, and my argument has finished. Now you can judge whether what I said is right or not. Anyway, I have a clear conscience.” Suddenly, she thought of something and added, “By the way, I also have a witness, Shu Qin, who was suddenly pregnant in my yard. Since she was pregnant, I have been taking antiabortifacient from Medicine Pavilion for her to eat. And she has taken it for some time. The children in Medicine Pavilion had no idea how to prepare antiabortifacient. After receiving my silver, they all directly took a few packs from the pile of medicinal packs of Concubine Hua and gave to me. Then I took them back to Shu Qin, and she has always been in a good health. The medicinal materials she has eaten were thrown in the trash basket in back yard, and everyone here can check them out.”
Ding Rong’s wife snorted coldly and said, “Didn’t that cheap maid miscarry? Third Miss, don’t you remember what you have said?”
“Oh, I was just amused with Guan Mo,” He Danggui tilted her head and said with a smile, “Didn’t you see how anxious he was after listening to it? He went to look for Shu Qin without paying attention to the bustle of our family. He refused to admit it. I think he has brought Shu Qin back to Guan Mansion by now.”
Ding Rong’s wife wanted to say something more, but she saw Sun Meiniang suddenly fall on the ground. She rushed to catch Sun Meiniang and called out in a sad voice, “What’s the matter with you, Second Mistress Luo? You can’t break your body and let those villains have their ambition.”
Luo Chuangu suspected that Sun Meiniang was pretending to be dizzy to evade the blame. He didn’t move with cold face. Doctor Ma went forward to feel the pulse. He looked up and said, “Madam Luo, Second Lord, Second Mistress Luo has been pregnant.”
Before people in the room reacted, Liu Quan, the steward of the outer courtyard, put his head forward and cried in a low voice, “Madam Luo, Second Lord, Madam Xiong of West Yard is dying. Master Tang is looking for Dr. Ma all over the world. Will you let them go for checking?”
Doctor Ma said in surprise, “OK, I’m going to have a look.” However, after he had just taken 2 steps, Luo Chuangu grabbed his sleeve and said gloomily, “If you don’t explain clearly about Concubine Hua today, you cannot go anywhere! Even if Buddha and Yama call you together, it’s useless!”
Seeing this, He Danggui couldn’t help but feel strange. She asked, “Second Uncle, since Concubine Hua has colluded with Doctor Ma to lie. Let’s call Concubine Hua out and ask her. Isn’t this a solution? Where is Concubine Hua?”
Shi Liu told her in a low voice, “When Concubine Hua heard that there was such a problem with her fetus, she was stimulated for a moment and then went crazy.”
“Crazy?!” He Danggui was shock, and her eyes widened.
Madam Luo said decisively, “Ma Sanliang, you and other doctors will go to West Yard to see Madam Xiong. When the matter is solved, you can come back and explain everything clearly. You can’t get away with it. Chuangu, stop being angry and loose Doctor Ma’s sleeve.” Luo Chuangu had to let Doctor Ma go reluctantly.
Shi Liu looked at the back of a group of doctors who had left in a hurry. Then she took a look at He Danggui. She quickly called out to Madam Luo, “Third Miss is still seriously injured. She has lost too much blood. Won’t you leave a doctor treating her?”
“Don’t bother!” Feng Yang put the folding fan sideways, and pushed He Danggui out of the door. He turned his head and waved hand to Madam Luo and others with a smile. He said, “I’ll cure her. I’m good at healing. Then we’ll leave first. I’ll come to pay respects to Madam Luo and you all another day, goodbye!”
He Danggui walked out of the main hall gate and stepped out of the Fu Shou Yard with a big stride. She snorted to the person behind her and said, “Bai Yangbai, you’re acting well this time and almost cheated me. What did you mean by those words just now? Do you want to be my ‘umbrella’?”
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