Chapter Seventy: Strange Illness

  Chapter Seventy: Strange Illness

  "Then... what did Auntie ask her to do?"

  Auntie Li smiled: "This... I'll tell you some other time."

  He didn't ask again as he knew it was pointless.

  It's definitely not an easy thing.

  Otherwise, Qiu Yan wouldn't have been in such a difficult situation.

  She went back into the house, although she was very tired, but she didn't feel sleepy at all. She had just taken down her hair and was about to go to bed when there were two knocks on the door: "Tide Sheng?"

  Chao Sheng hastily tidied up her clothes and opened the door: "Sister Chun Mo? What's going on?"

  Spring Ink stood at the door with a tea tray: "Nothing, I came to talk to you."

  Speechless at the tide of life.

  It's almost midnight, isn't Spring Ink getting sleepy?

  Chao Sheng could only say: "It's cold outside, sister, come in quickly."

  Chun Mo took a look around her house: "You're quite good at decorating, did you do all this yourself?"

  Chao Sheng smiled: "I wouldn't dare accept it, just kidding around, after all, we have to add some festive atmosphere during the New Year."

  "That's right."

  Chun Mo carefully looked at the window flower: "Don't know yet, you'll still cut this, this isn't a palace-style cutting method."

  Yes, the palace emphasizes reunion, good fortune and national peace. Every year, the same patterns are posted on the windows. Chao Sheng made this after learning paper-cutting, cutting out what she had seen before - one side is a golden carp playing in water, the other side is the Three Friends of Winter.

  When the golden carp played in the water, the words emerged from Chao Sheng's heart.

  The pavilion overlooks the fish jumping out of the water.

  Nor does she know when she will get this freedom.

  Perhaps because of this thought in his mind, the fish was cut with an extraordinary spirit, raising its head and swinging its tail, full of life.

  No wonder Chun Mo also found it strange.

  "When you have time, teach me too."

  "Sister, if you don't mind, I'll draw a picture of myself for you later."

  She now lives in a room at the edge, which is separated from a large house. The room is quite narrow, with only one bed and one table inside. There is a trunk at the foot of the bed for storing clothes and miscellaneous items. It's okay for one person to live in the room, but it would be crowded for two people. She has been living here for just over a month and feels - cold.

  The room is very cold.

  Being able to live in a house by oneself, without having to squeeze together with others, and feeling inconvenient and uncomfortable doing anything, is of course a good thing.

  Auntie Li also found two more old quilts for her, and Chao Sheng spread them all out.

  Because of the New Year, Chao Sheng cut out two pairs of window flowers and stuck them on the windows. The lamp on the table was also covered with a lantern made of colored thread and red paper. The candlelight shone through the lantern and cast a warm glow on the wall and floor.

  There was nothing to sit on in the room, so Chunmo sat down at the edge of the bed. As soon as he sat down, he was very surprised: "Wow, it's so soft and comfortable."

  Chao Sheng also sat down: "The charcoal basin is afraid of having carbon monoxide, so the bed is laid a bit thicker."

  Chun Mo nodded in agreement, saying: "Isn't that so? I heard that the palace has already had two incidents this year, both of which were caused by charcoal braziers being smoked out. One person with bad luck even lost their life."

  Although people in this era don't know what "carbon monoxide" is, they also know that heating in winter can be a matter of life and death if not done properly.

  Chao Sheng poured a cup of tea brought by Chun Mo: "Sister Chun Mo, have some tea."

  Chun Mo took over the teacup and put it down again: "These days during the New Year's festival, there are even more things to do, you must be tired."

  "No." Chao Sheng smiled and said: "If you say who's tired, it should be you."

  If it were in the past, Chun Mo would have definitely accepted the order as is.

  She felt that she was both mentally and physically exhausted. She had to worry about the masters upstairs and also manage a group of people including Cui'er, who would dare say it wasn't hard work if she didn't?

  But after a year of silence, Chun Mo has become much clearer.

  Without her, the sun still rises, Huaye Manor is still fine, everyone has a routine, and the Fourth Prince is also as usual.

  When she first found out, she was extremely disheartened.

  Actually, there is no one in this world who is indispensable and irreplaceable.

  She is far less important and capable than she imagined herself to be.

  So Cai Sheng said this now, she just smiled and shook her head.

  "After such a long time, I've also seen that you're a kind and honest person, not the type who likes to play tricks or hide their true intentions. In Yiqiu Palace, there are only a few people, so it's easy to tell who is good and who is bad. Just now...I saw Autumn Ink and you going together to Li Gugu's place?"

  It's no surprise that Chun Mo saw it, and even if she didn't see it, others did, and they would probably tell her anyway.

  Chao nodded slightly.

  Chun Mo held her hand and said in a low voice: "Qiu Yan is not someone to be trifled with, you can avoid her, try to avoid her as much as possible."

  Chun Mo didn't know the inside story, but she was also well-intentioned.

  But this matter is not something Chao Sheng can avoid.

  Besides, Aunt Li has also been implicated now, and she can't just shrug it off, only wanting to stay out of the matter.

  "There's something else..." Chun Mo said: "Xiang Huo said that she saw on Qiu Yan's arm, waist... all over were purple-red spots, like a bad rash, do you know what's going on?"

  Chao Sheng said in surprise: "Really? What kind of spot?"

  Chun Mo looked at her astonished expression which didn't seem fake and hesitated for a moment.

  She originally thought this might have something to do with Chao Sheng, but now she's not sure.

  "I also said it's not good, I haven't seen it with my own eyes, but Coral said that when she was a kid, she saw someone get this kind of sore, and later on their whole body was covered in them, even their face. At first, it was just itchy, then it became extremely painful, and finally the flesh rotted away. Just looking at it would scare you to death. The people there call it 'ghost sore' or 'ghost rash' or something like that. Don't you know about this?"

  A look of bewilderment on his face.

  But she understood in her heart.

  Alright.

  Is it because of this that Qiu Yan's complexion is so bad and he was scared to kneel down and beg for mercy from Auntie Li?

  This illness was just something Chūn Mò mentioned in passing, but it made Cháo Shēng feel extremely frightened and disgusted.

  Moreover, Autumn Ink is the person involved, and the mole is on her body.

  Her heart was filled with unspeakable terror and despair.

  But how could Qiu Yan be certain that her illness was related to Li Aunt?

  Could it be... that this isn't an illness, but a poison? Or the effect of some medicine? Is Autumn Ink begging for a prescription from Auntie Li to save her?

  Recalling the expression of Qiū Yuàn at that time, Cháo Shēng felt that it was indeed so.

  Auntie Li is really skilled, she can actually make people contract such a strange illness.

  "If you hadn't told me, sister, I really wouldn't have known about this."

  Chun Mo gazed at her for a moment, and Cai Sheng's expression was calm and composed.

  She asked with a clear conscience.

  Chun Mo slowly nodded: "This matter, Qiu Yan didn't make a fuss, being in the same place for so many years, I'll just pretend to not know first. But whether this illness is contagious or not, that's hard to say. If after a few more days her condition worsens, it can't be helped, I'll have to report back to the Emperor and Duke Wei, and move her out."

  Move out — Rong An Tang

  Chao Sheng immediately remembered what Aunt Li had said.

  Rong An Tang Chao Sheng has heard of it, can be said to be a cold palace, there were concubines who made mistakes and were detained there in solitary confinement.

  It was also where eunuchs and palace maids who had fallen ill went.

  Rong An, two characters, sound like good meaning.

  But it's neither glorious nor safe. Out of ten people who go in, nine and a half can't come out, most of them die inside. There are no doctors, no medicine, no one to take care of you, and they can't even guarantee food and warmth, let alone good care for the seriously ill.

  If Qiū Yàn's illness really deteriorates like Shān Hú said, she definitely can't stay in Huā Yè Jū anymore.

  "As long as you know what's going on, I won't say anything more." Chun Mo only said: "No matter how it is, both you and she are people of Huaye Residence... As long as things can be settled properly, don't make the whole yard uneasy."

  Chao Sheng lowered his head: "Sister, don't worry. It won't be like that."

  It seems she made a promise to Chun Mo, but thinking carefully, she didn't promise anything.

  Chao Sheng could hardly dare to make random promises.

  Because this matter is no longer just between her and Qiū Yuàn.

  Especially now, it has become Li Aunt's one-handed dominance.

  Chao Sheng understood in her heart that she couldn't be the master of Li Auntie's house.

  Things have been developing in another direction, which is beyond Autumn's control, and also beyond her expectation.

  After sending off Chun Mo, Chao Sheng didn't have a bit of sleepiness anymore.

  She lay quietly, but her heart was extremely unquiet.

  Everything seemed calm just a few days ago, but beneath the surface was brewing a great storm.

  It's windy now.

  The relationship between Qiu Yan and Li Gugu, as well as with myself, has reached a critical point.

  Qiu Yan must make a decision immediately if he doesn't want to go to Rong An Tang.

  The tide was born in the early morning and barely closed his eyes for a nap.

  Although I haven't been sleeping well these days, I still wake up on time every morning.

  It's rare for me to have a break these two days, and the fourth prince is also sneaking in some leisure time, sleeping in late.

  It's heartbreaking to say, the majestic prince, in a year, except for being ill, it's only at this time that he can sleep in and have a lazy morning. Usually, there is no other entertainment or enjoyment, and his days are spent like a monk in ascetic practice.

  The second prince came over to play chess with him, and they had wins and losses against each other, fighting fiercely.

  Chao Sheng thought it was a bit strange. In her opinion, the second prince was only short of having "unlearned and unskilled" carved on his forehead. He didn't usually see him reading or writing, except for eating, drinking, and playing. Unexpectedly, he played chess quite well, with a strange style and many clever moves. The fourth prince was steady and steady, with a strict layout. The two styles were vastly different, but they happened to be evenly matched.

  Chao Sheng didn't quite understand these things, but it didn't prevent her from admiring people who could play chess.

  This is so tiring.

  Next, think about how the other party will respond, and then deduce several possibilities, more than a dozen moves ahead.

  What kind of brain is that?

  Be able to calculate so many and such complex changes.

  The two of them each had their wins and losses, the second prince let out a loud cry, his expression exhausted, but his eyes shone with an unusual brightness: "It's been such a long time since I've felt this good, it really hurts so much."

  The second prince stayed behind for dinner before returning to Songtao Pavilion.

  When two people are playing chess, in order to focus their minds, they often don't want anyone standing beside them for a long time.

  Won't they have said something else while playing chess at that time?

  Otherwise, the expression of the second prince... how is it so different from usual?

  Chao Sheng shook his head.

  It's true... I've been thinking too much.

  Recently, many things have happened and there have been many calculations.

  So whenever something happens, they tend to speculate about conspiracy theories.

  Qiu Shan hasn't left the house for several days, and Chao Sheng doesn't know what she's thinking about either.

  But Li Auntie didn't give her much time.

  As Chun Mo said, if she doesn't make a decision soon, she might miss her chance.

  Auntie Li was calm and unhurried, and she didn't mention this matter either.

  Chao Sheng felt that time passed both quickly and slowly.

  Soon after, just a few days of relaxation during Chinese New Year, it's time to get busy for Lantern Festival.

  Slowness refers to this inexplicable anxiety, which is indeed a kind of torture for people.

  ——————————

  How was everyone's Mid-Autumn Festival?

  Hehe, I ate too much tonight and bit my cheek - it's bleeding.