Xing Muzheng could only watch as Qian Jiaoniang was flung away by his own hands. He wanted to check on her injuries, but the ghost still raged out of control.
Panic-stricken, Qingya scrambled away from the Marquis’s swinging fists. Seeing Jiaoniang lying on the floor, head tilted upward, eyes shut, motionless, she cried out in shock, “Jiaoniang!”
Ah Da and Wu Shunzi heard the crash and rushed inside. Ah Da shouted for Wu Shunzi to escort the others out. Qingya cowered in a corner, trembling in fear. Looking around, Ah Da didn’t immediately see the lady of the house. Then he spotted her lying by the bed—who else could it be? Qian Jiaoniang lay still. Ah Da was terrified, rushing to grab Xing Muzheng, while Wu Shunzi went to carry Qian Jiaoniang out.
Wang Yong followed behind, took one look, and was horrified too. He quickly joined Ah Da in restraining Xing Muzheng so Wu Shunzi and Qingya could safely get her out.
Suddenly, Dingxi Marquis froze. He didn’t speak or move. The two men holding him hesitated, unsure if they could let go. Then, Xing Muzheng suddenly burst into loud sobs.
Ah Da finally breathed a sigh of relief. When the general cried, at least it meant he wouldn’t go mad. “Go help Shunzi carry the Madam back to her room!” he said to Wang Yong, who didn’t dare delay. Together with Wu Shunzi, they carefully carried Qian Jiaoniang out. Qingya called out her name twice—there was no response. Blood was flowing steadily from her forehead.
“Is she alive? Is she still alive?” Qingya’s eyes were red as she followed, her voice shaking.
“She’s alive, she’s alive! The Madam is still breathing!” Wu Shunzi said urgently. “Miss Qingya, please go get a good doctor!”
Qingya dumbly wiped away the tears she hadn’t even noticed falling. She nodded forcefully, lifted her skirt, and dashed out the door as fast as she could.
Gatekeeper Wu Jiang saw Qingya run out in a panic and quickly stopped her. “Miss Qingya, what happened? Why are you in such a hurry?”
“The madam was hurt by the marquis—badly! I’m going to get a doctor!”
“What?! I’ll go! I run faster!”
Qingya was stunned, then quickly nodded. “Yes, yes, fine—go! Go quickly! Once you find a doctor, bring them back immediately—don’t waste time!”
“Understood! You go take care of the madam—I’ll be back in a flash!”
Qingya watched Wu Jiang sprint off like the wind. She bit her lip hard and turned to the other gatekeeper, Xu Guoyi. “You—go to the old alley in the south of the city. Look for a female doctor with the surname Bai. I’ve heard her medical skills are exceptional. Bring her back—and remember—be fast!”
Wu Jiang ran to the servants’ quarters on the west side and, upon asking around, learned that Xu Momo—the one who treated the women of the household—had been brought into Miss Feng’s courtyard. Without delay, Wu Jiang dashed across the marquis’s estate to Feng Yuyan’s residence. The gate was guarded by one of their own, Li Xiaohu. Wu Jiang, flustered and panicked, urged him to call Xu Momo out. After a while, Li Xiaohu came back and said, “Miss Feng says her stomach hurts and insists Xu Momo stay with her.”
“Aiyah, that won’t do! The madam’s situation is more urgent!” Wu Jiang, now furious and no longer caring for propriety, charged straight into the courtyard. The servant girls inside all cried out in alarm. Feng Yuyan and Xu Momo were speaking in the east wing; upon hearing the commotion, Feng Yuyan told Wet Nurse Ye to go take a look.
Suddenly, a man’s voice shouted from outside, “Xu Momo! Where are you? Come quickly, you need to treat the madam!”
Qian Jiaoniang is ill? Feng Yuyan’s eyes shifted slyly. She stood up, supporting her waist, and walked into the main hall. Her elegant brows lifted as she scolded, “What’s all this shouting? What kind of servant barges into my courtyard hollering like that?”
Wu Jiang wiped the sweat off his forehead and said, “Miss Feng, the madam suddenly fell ill. I’ve come to fetch Xu Momo to treat her!”
“Fell ill? What sort of illness?”
“Sigh, I don’t know the details—just let Xu Momo come with me, please!”
Feng Yuyan’s eyes darted rapidly, trying to think. Wu Jiang had no patience to wait—he grabbed Xu Momo and dashed off. “Xu Momo, come with me now!”
“Ai ai ai, don’t pull me—I can’t run, can’t run!” she protested.
Feng Yuyan didn’t send anyone to stop them. Instead, she pushed Wet Nurse Ye insistently, whispering, “Quick, send someone to follow them. Something must have happened to Qian Jiaoniang!”
***
The overturned wooden table had a cracked corner. The inkstone and all of Jiaoniang’s writing tools were scattered across the floor. The stench of ink, mixed with the scent of blood, wafted faintly into Xing Muzheng’s nose. Ah Da used his sleeve to wipe blood off the bedpost. He glanced toward Dingxi Marquis, who sat on the bed, still sobbing uncontrollably.
Only Ah Da remained with him in the room. The east and west wings were far enough apart that Xing Muzheng couldn’t hear a sound from the east wing. He still remembered the pale, lifeless face of Qian Jiaoniang as she was carried out, and Qingya’s urgent voice repeatedly asking whether she was still alive. He wanted to go see for himself, but his body wouldn’t obey him. He just sat there stupidly, crying—and didn’t even know why. Xing Muzheng grew angry with himself.
He’d never meant to hurt Jiaoniang—hadn’t even realized how savage that moment of murderous intent had been. Even though it was his own hand, Xing Muzheng had no idea how hard he’d struck her. She must have just hit the bedpost and fainted—she shouldn’t be in any real danger. Yes, Jiaoniang wasn’t some delicate noble lady. She couldn’t be that fragile. Xing Muzheng tried not to recall his past glories—like the time he crushed an enemy’s skull with a single punch.
“Ah Da!” Wang Yong ran in. “How’s the general?”
“The general should be fine, but it’s strange—he keeps crying like this. He’s never done that before. What about the madam? How is she?”
Wang Yong sighed heavily. Xing Muzheng’s heart clenched.
“She looks badly hurt. There’s a huge gash where she hit. Shunzi applied medicine and packed it with ice—the bleeding seems to have stopped. But the madam’s breathing is very faint… I’m scared… Do you remember some of our old comrades? They took a blow to the head and looked fine at first, walking and talking. But a few days later—they just dropped dead!”
Ah Da added, “Doctor Jian said that’s because the bleeding outside the skull stops, but the bleeding inside doesn’t. But the madam… surely not…” He wasn’t confident in his own words. Judging by the scene, it looked like she had been standing by the table when the general struck her, sending her flying into the bedpost where she passed out instantly. Thinking of the general’s fists… No, the general should’ve shown some signs before going mad. But today, out in the courtyard, there hadn’t been a peep—just the sound of a table being overturned.
Dingxi Marquis suddenly roared again, still weeping.
The two men jumped. Wang Yong asked, “You think the general can actually understand what we’re saying?”
Ah Da replied, “If he could understand this much, would he still go mad like this?”
Wang Yong scratched his head. “That’s true. Then… what do we do now? The general…”
Footsteps echoed from the hall, along with a loud voice: “Miss Qingya, Miss Qingya! I brought Xu Momo!”
