Chapter 92 – Night Time, The Interconnected Courtyards
Wei Qiuju was uncertain with her suggestion at first, but later, she suddenly came to realize that if Wei Yuewu and Imperial Academician Xie were found not only together in a secret meeting, but also in disheveled clothes, the effect would be even better.
Therefore, she ignored the pain in her foot and came to help Shufei support Wei Yuewu.
“Won’t it… be improper, Fifth Elder Sister? We’re both injured. You can go back first.” Wei Yuewu stood up under the help of the two of them and shook her head, as if she didn’t want more business here. Her long eyelashes fluttered, as if she was looking down at her injury. A trace of coldness flashed across her clear eyes.
She had thoroughly investigated this courtyard and learnt that Jin Ling had not only sent the letter, but also checked the layout of Xie Qingzhao’s yard.
This guest courtyard was coincidentally not far from the festoon gate.
More coincidentally, there was actually another small yard behind the guest courtyard and it was inside the festoon gate.
In fact, this courtyard was originally the residence of the Eldest Young Master of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang, namely Wei Ziyang, the eldest son of Lady Li. The two yards were designed to be connected to make it more convenient for him to pass in and out.
However, he was not in the capital at present, so the courtyard was vacant. Xie Qingzhao was thus arranged to stay at the front yard.
There was a gate connecting the two yards. However, it had been locked since Wei Ziyang left the capital and followed Marquis Hua Yang to the border. Normally, no one would pass there.
But now, Wei Yuewu believed that the door was unlocked…
Since both of them were injured, they helped each other to walk into the main chamber of the courtyard and lit a lamp. Wei Qiuju said she would let Wei Yuewu rest here and she herself would go to the wing room to check her injury.
“Fifth Elder Sister, take a rest here. Let’s stay together.” Wei Yuewu held Wei Qiuju’s hand and pulled her to sit down.
“How could this be? I’d better go and rest in the wing room there. We’ll have one room for each of us so that we will not disturb each other. If my injury was really serious, I would send someone to fetch the doctor.” Wei Qiuju said seriously.
“Fifth Elder Sister….” Wei Yuewu hesitated and refused to let her go.
“There, there. It’ll be fine in a moment.” It was almost the time. How could Wei Qiuju be willing to stay? She persuaded Wei Yuewu as she forcefully pushed Wei Yuewu’s hand away.
After the two of them remained entangled for a while, Wei Yuewu finally gave up and let go of Wei Qiuju.
Shufei, who had followed there, hurriedly went to check Wei Yuewu’s injury and did not have time to care about Wei Qiuju. Thus, Wei Qiuju and her maid left the chamber.
“Miss, how about your feet?” The maid asked worriedly. Originally, her mistress had only planned to fake a fall. However, she really fell and got injured now.
“I’m fine. Let’s go.” Wei Qiuju said proudly as she looked at the nearly-closed door of the room. She ignored the pain in her feet and walked out step by step with the help of her maid’s hands. However, her feet ached so much that it caused much inconvenience. Shortly after a few steps, sweat appeared on her forehead.
When she was injured a moment ago, it didn’t hurt that much. However, that moment of rest and talk increased the pain to the point that she felt it difficult to move at all the moment she started to walk again.
Nevertheless, it was a bad idea to wait here at this time. Wei Qiuju looked around. Her eyes lit up as they landed on a wing room, which was the most remote place in the courtyard. That room was only a few steps away to her and was distant from the main chamber in the middle. If anyone came, no one would notice that place.
She could come out in chaos when commotion started here. No one would know that she was already here.
“Let’s go there.” Wei Qiuju pointed to the wing room at the end.
“Yes, Miss, be careful. Let me help you there.” The maid Yueya carefully helped Wei Qiuju to walk there. Neither of them noticed that Wei Yuewu was standing at the window in the middle chamber, watching them with cold eyes through the screen of the window as they moved to the wing room.
“Miss…” Seeing her cold expression, Shufei couldn’t help calling her mistress.
“I’m fine! Shufei, go outside and ask Jin Ling to bring him to that room.” Wei Yuewu shook her hand to indicate that she was fine.
“Yes, I will go immediately.” Shufei nodded. She lifted the curtain and headed towards the side gate. The route from the main chamber to the side gate bypassed the wing room that Wei Qiuju was heading to. That wing room was actually closer to the entrance of the courtyard. Wei Qiuju chose it so that she could sneak into the crowd later.
Shufei quietly walked to the side gate that was ajar. As this courtyard had been vacant for a long time and the master had been away, its side gate remained open for the convenience of others’ entry. It was in the inner courtyard anyway, so no one had a problem with this.
Jin Ling was standing at the opening of the door. Seeing Shufei coming over, she hurriedly went in and closed the door. Shufei pointed at the distant wing room Wei Qiuju had entered as a hint to Jin Ling.
Jin Ling carefully identified the direction and immediately understood the silent message. She nodded and walked in a roundabout route. The side path around the wing led to the back gate, which was connected to the back gate of the front courtyard. The two yards were interconnected. This design was originally for the convenience of Eldest Young Master Wei Ziyang.
On the other side, the servant supervisor in Wei Qiuju’s courtyard hurriedly entered the Madam Dowager’s courtyard with panic. Coincidentally, Lady Li happened to be there…
Xie Qingzhao entered the back gate as instructed. He did not have any doubt when he saw the maid leading the way for him. Although things didn’t develop as expected, he did not have the slightest doubt because this maid was the one who had delivered the letter to him. He thus went to the wing room with his lad servant.
He heard that Sixth Miss Wei was in the wing room.
That exquisite cold face somehow flashed through his mind. With such a thin and delicate appearance, could Sixth Miss Wei really be a malicious girl as she had described?
He hesitated for the first time. However, when he thought of that elegant and talented young lady, he felt that a person like her would never lie, so of course what she said was true. That Sixth Miss Wei must be a hypocritical person. What a shame! Such a beautiful girl should actually have a vicious heart.
He would sort of teach her a lesson this time. With this thought, he immediately felt much relieved and continued to walk forward with his servant.
When he reached the door, he listened. Sure enough, there was a female voice coming from inside.
“Miss, your foot is swollen. I’m afraid you’ve twisted your tendons. I’ll send for the doctor as soon as we get back. Otherwise, you might suffer a permanent leg injury.” Yueya said after she rolled up Wei Qiuju’s trouser legs and took a look.
In order to see the injury in her feet clearly, Wei Qiuju took off her outer clothes, put them aside and sat down in the front part of the bed. She drew back one leg, straightened the other, and examined her injury with Yueya. She did not expect the injury to be so severe. Her ankle was swollen.
“Send for Doctor Ming as soon as we get back.” Feeling her swollen foot with her hand, Wei Qiuju became nervous as well. She recalled that she had walked a lot in order to take Wei Yuewu here. Did that worsen her injury? She became anxious at this thought.
It was already the time. Someone should have come from Second Lady. Why was there no one coming yet? If time was wasted and she missed the moment to treat her feet, it would be really terrible.
“Go outside and see if anyone is coming.” Wei Qiuju said to Yueya anxiously. She was waiting eagerly for someone to come and find Wei Yuewu and Xie Qingzhao together. Anyway, Second Lady had said that if Wei Yuewu was caught in such a situation, it would be a disgrace for her, and no one in the mansion would speak up for her.
Wei Yuewu would then end up being Xie Qingzhao’s concubine.
As for Xie Qingzhao who was indebted to the mansion, Wei Qiuju could justifiably marry this Imperial Academician with a bright prospect ahead and become his wife.
Recalling the character and appearance of this Bangyan she had secretly observed, Wei Qiuju felt it not hard to endure the sacrifice she had made.
If she, a concubine-born daughter, would be able to gain a superior status to the first daughter, more importantly the real first daughter of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang, Wei Qiuju felt that she must be proud of herself. Who would dare to look down upon her in the future?
A trace of pride flashed in her eyes as she thought so.
Yueya nodded after hearing her order. She walked to the door and looked outside. She saw that the door of the main chamber was half open, unlike the way when they had left. She also heard Shufei’s voice. It seemed that Shufei was arguing with someone. The voice was high. So, someone had entered and Shufei was arguing with that person in order to protect her mistress?
“Miss, I’ll go outside and take a look.” Yueya whispered into the room. They didn’t light a lamp, so the room was in complete darkness.
“Go!” Wei Qiuju whispered back in the dark.
Yueya cautiously walked out of the door and toward the courtyard gate. She wanted to see if anyone was coming. Just as she was walking toward the courtyard gate, Xie Qingzhao, who had been hiding at the side, entered the room. Sure enough, that Sixth Young Lady was resting inside…
When Yueya reached the courtyard gate, Shufei was also out there. Seeing Yueya, Shufei asked in surprise, “Yueya, where is your young lady?”
“My…my young lady…” Yueya did not expect to meet Shufei at this time, so she stuttered in a fluster.
“Where’s Fifth Young Lady? Why did she go away after leaving my mistress at the main chamber? My mistress is worried about Fifth Young Lady and sent me to take a look.” Shufei’s face was filled with concern.
While the two of them were talking, they suddenly heard the sound of footsteps of many people. They turned around in shock and saw a large group of people coming from afar. Under the illumination of lanterns and torches, they found the leading person was the Madam Dowager with a morose expression. Beside the Madam Dowager was the Second Lady, who also had a serious expression. The two maids were stunned.
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