The Grand Madam was so enraged that she suffered an asthma attack that very evening. They hastily summoned the skilled physician from the Ouyang family to treat her. After administering medicine and several acupuncture treatments, it took several days of such torment before she finally began to recover.
There are no walls that don’t let wind through in this world, especially since this time, the two masters of the household had rarely raised their voices so loudly that the commotion carried outside their rooms… Naturally, the news spread like wildfire throughout the Garden of Hundred Fragrances.
Fifth Miss also fell gravely ill shortly after. It was said that the illness came without warning—she had been sitting perfectly fine one moment, then the next she vomited a mouthful of fresh blood, collapsed in weakness, and developed a high fever that very night.
The Old Master was so furious that he moved directly into the outer side courtyard and refused to even enter the main courtyard gates, let alone visit Fifth Miss in the Garden of Hundred Fragrances. Even Twelfth Concubine was confined to the outer side courtyard and not permitted to enter the main courtyard to help the Grand Madam manage household affairs.
With both the Grand Madam and Fifth Miss bedridden as patients, and Twelfth Concubine—who had helped manage affairs these past few years—unable to even leave the outer courtyard gates, Nanny Liang and Nanny Wang had to set aside their differences and work together. After supporting things for only a few days, they were clearly overwhelmed, and the household visibly descended into chaos.
They had no choice but to come together to seek Seventh Miss’s help. “The household currently doesn’t even have anyone who can make decisions. We beg Seventh Miss to step forward and plead with the Old Master…”
Seventh Miss showed a troubled expression. “Both nannies surely know why Father and Mother are quarreling… At a time like this, how can Little Seventh step forward to take charge?”
In the dispute between two powerful figures, the most awkward person was Seventh Miss herself. Whether she wanted to marry or not, she would inevitably offend one party. At this moment, what Seventh Miss feared most was probably attracting the attention of both the Grand Madam and the Old Master, forcing her to take a stance on this marriage match…
Nanny Liang was very troubled. “But you see, with two patients inside and out, and Sixth Miss never managing anything, only you who follows by Madam’s side and are always careful and competent—”
Nanny Liang’s meaning was quite clear. With the Grand Madam and Old Master quarreling and the Grand Madam falling ill, the household indeed lacked someone who could take charge. Since Seventh Miss usually enjoyed the glory and wealth of being a legitimate daughter, she should naturally step forward now to shoulder the burden of caring for her legitimate mother and legitimate sister.
In the past, Seventh Miss would have jumped at such an opportunity to curry favor with the Grand Madam and show her diligence…
But Seventh Miss only smiled. “Nanny Liang flatters me too much. I’m an unmarried young lady—how would I understand the trivial matters inside and outside the household… Since Father has confined Twelfth Concubine to the outer courtyard, I think you two nannies should be looking for Fourth Concubine, not Little Seventh.”
The two nannies looked at each other, both somewhat unable to accept this.
After all, they had fought against Fourth Concubine for over ten years. This role reversal was difficult to adapt to immediately.
Seventh Miss gave Lixia a meaningful look.
“Fourth Concubine has been well-behaved and obedient these years, quite lonely in the Small Garden for a while…” Lixia drew out her words meaningfully. “If Madam learns she’s managing the household, she might be so delighted her asthma will clear up!”
In recent years, though Fourth Concubine’s relationship with the Grand Madam had somewhat thawed, how could the Grand Madam be happy to see this noble concubine—who had borne children and had a powerful natal family—take up the reins of household management again?
Once this news got out, the old lady’s illness brought on by anger would probably be cured by anger instead.
Nanny Liang and Nanny Wang suddenly understood, though both felt somewhat embarrassed.
This move of Seventh Miss’s was calculated based on the Grand Madam’s pettiness. Though clever, it was somewhat cruel, and fundamentally showed contempt for the Grand Madam.
Nanny Wang’s lips twitched. She very much wanted to subtly rebuke Seventh Miss, to let her know that the Grand Madam was her legitimate mother, and no matter how petty, as a daughter, she should maintain only respectful thoughts.
But seeing the smile on Seventh Miss’s face, her heart tightened.
Though the Old Master had never doted on Seventh Miss the way he had on Third Miss, what Seventh Miss wore and the jewelry she possessed were no less fine than what Third Miss had worn in her day… and these were all willingly bestowed by the Grand Madam!
Not to mention that even Second Miss and Third Miss in their time had never been like Seventh Miss, constantly visiting the outer courtyard to comfort the Old Master.
Though the matter of becoming the Crown Prince’s consort now faced obstacles, Seventh Miss’s wings had clearly grown full. She was no longer the shabbily dressed little girl who had to be respectful even toward herself!
She deeply bowed her head and thanked Seventh Miss. “If not for Seventh Miss’s guidance, we two old ones would have truly lost our bearings.”
Nanny Liang was even more grateful. “Isn’t that so? Without this word from Seventh Miss, the household would truly descend into chaos.”
Seventh Miss waved her hand and exchanged a few more courtesies with the two nannies before lowering her head to sip her tea.
The two nannies hurriedly thanked her profusely and took their leave, escorted by Lixia to the gates of Jade Rain Pavilion.
Shangyuan came forward to clear the tea bowls, glancing at Seventh Miss from time to time, hesitant to speak.
Seventh Miss just smiled. “If you have something to say, speak. Why be formal with me?”
“I thought Miss would take this opportunity to visit the outer courtyard and request Twelfth Concubine come out to manage affairs…” Shangyuan honestly revealed her question.
Logically, this thought wasn’t wrong either.
To bring out Fourth Concubine at this time would undoubtedly add another source of trouble to the household.
The Grand Madam would inevitably become suspicious and paranoid, thinking the Old Master was using her illness to seize the authority from her hands. This move was actually quite poor strategy.
Moreover, with the Old Master’s capabilities, he naturally knew that Seventh Miss had overheard his argument with the Grand Madam.
Falling from Crown Prince’s consort to an Accomplished Scholar’s wife—even if the Old Master was dictatorial, he couldn’t ignore Seventh Miss’s feelings. At this time, acceding to the two nannies’ request and visiting the outer courtyard to see the Old Master for a heart-to-heart father-daughter talk, whether she wanted to agree or not, would clarify the situation.
Otherwise, these two nannies wouldn’t have sought out anyone else but specifically come to Seventh Miss.
Seventh Miss only smiled. “You don’t understand this.”
She paused and gave Shangyuan a particularly scrutinizing look before casually instructing, “Only when the waters are muddied can the show become interesting, and many things can be handled smoothly in private…”
Shangyuan seemed to grasp something.
She immediately thought of Lixia, who had been frequently taking leave recently.
Her heart turned cold.
After all these years serving by Seventh Miss’s side, the things she should and shouldn’t know about—she had more or less a vague understanding of them all.
Fourth Concubine, Second Madam… Those who stood in Seventh Miss’s way, one after another, had either disappeared from sight or been suppressed so thoroughly they could never rise again…
If not for serving by Seventh Miss’s side all these years, who would believe that this delicate, timid young lady who fell ill every few days could have such capabilities in private?
Capable people naturally thought differently from ordinary people like herself. What she saw as a chaotic crisis might well be an excellent opportunity for Seventh Miss to act… Since Lixia had followed Seventh Miss into the western side courtyard, the Zhou family had visibly prospered, even acquiring a small plot of land outside Suzhou city a few years ago…
“Whatever Miss says is right. How much insight could this servant have? I’ve truly made Miss laugh!” She immediately adjusted her expression, showing complete conviction. “This servant only knows to follow Miss’s instructions—that’s enough!”
Seventh Miss gave Shangyuan a particular look before nodding. “When you have time, talk more with your sister Lixia and learn from her speech and manners… There will be many occasions to use you in the future.”
Shangyuan was immediately delighted, though her face showed nothing. She steadily cleared the bowls and dishes, turned to leave the room, returned to her quarters, and only then did she laugh under her quilt for the duration of a stick of incense.