Chapter 25 – The Unbelievable World (Part Two)
According to Liu Lanting’s memory, she was merely a bookworm, focused solely on her studies, rarely concerning herself with matters of the household.
Before taking his position, Liu Father purchased this three-section small residence.
Although the Stepmother and the women from Liu Father’s backyard lived safely in the clan territory, the environment was noisy and lacking any adult male, making them susceptible to gossip.
Perhaps considering this, Liu Father decided to move the family out. The house he bought was quite close to the clan’s territory, so if anything happened, the Stepmother could seek assistance from relatives. Otherwise, they could simply shut the door and live their quiet lives.
However… how many Guarding House Servants could one possibly have in a three-section small residence?
Let alone, with both capable mistresses bedridden, and the bastard son having a head injury from playing, if such a brain trauma isn’t properly treated, it could easily lead to death in this era… Jiang Pengji walked into the inner courtyard, her head throbbing even more.
“I didn’t die, I was just captured. Those bandits were too stupid, and I managed to escape on my own. It was the Prefect who sent me back here,” Jiang Pengji briefly explained, then remembered the Doorkeeper from earlier, adding, “I’ll go check on my mother; Steward, please find the three House Servants who came looking for me last night. I have some questions for them…”
It seemed the reason Lady Die didn’t send anyone out was that there were too few who could be dispatched, and those House Servants likely thought the risk for their Young Master against bandits was too low, so they slipped away… for instance, that Doorkeeper who had been busy fighting with the vendors all night.
This clearly showed just how lax the household rules had become.
Thinking about this, Jiang Pengji couldn’t help but let out a cold chuckle. The Liu family was indeed a gentry class, but after Liu Father moved out and spent many years away on official duties, there wasn’t a single male left at home to hold down the fort. The underlings had become lazy and slack, which had almost become predictable.
It wasn’t that the master was incapable; it was entirely that the servants each had their own agendas.
The Stepmother lived on the east side, which was quite different from the lively scenes one might imagine in a noble household of ancient times; the Liu Residence had an air of desolation, with only a few maidservants flitting about. One might wonder how the Liu family had fallen into such disarray.
Though she was a stepson, the Stepmother was also Liu Lanting’s aunt, so Jiang Pengji could comfortably enter the Stepmother’s chamber.
Outside, it was a bright sunny day, but inside the room, a certain darkness lingered, and the air was filled with an unbearable pungent smell of medicine.
After walking around the screen, Jiang Pengji got a rough idea of the room’s setup, which was far too simple for a noble lady.
On the vanity were several outdated boxes that clearly showed signs of wear and tear, and beside the bronze mirror lay a delicate spring butterfly hairpin.
Jiang Pengji’s gaze lingered on the hairpin for two seconds before she swiftly looked away and scanned the room’s contents.
The Stepmother lay on a low couch, her complexion pale as snow, her black hair intermingled with strands of white, adding an air of age to her appearance. Dark circles under her eyes indicated how severely ill she was. Jiang Pengji took the medicine from the maidservant’s hands, kneeling beside the bed to assist with feeding her.
There were eyes that seemed to see through the world’s affairs, yet they carried that comforting gaze of a concerned elder.
“…Lan…Ting…”
Before Jiang Pengji arrived, the Stepmother had just returned from the brink of death, and now upon seeing Jiang Pengji, her eyes shimmered with tears.
“Yes, I’m back.”
Jiang Pengji smiled gently, her eyes not daring to look at the bowl of dark, strangely smelling medicine—how did ancient people manage to concoct such terrifying potions that could supposedly cure ailments?
Wouldn’t drinking it lead to death instead?
“…Remember… before…” The Stepmother’s gaze grew tender and nostalgic, her voice faint, but she still gasped for breath as she slowly continued, “Someone said you were gone… How could my little aunt believe that… later… I went to the Bridge of Forgetfulness… and met my sister…”
In her heart, Jiang Pengji silently thought that Liu Lanting really couldn’t die anymore.
“Mother, don’t speak; first, drink the medicine.” Jiang Pengji used her free hand to support the Stepmother, who was nearly bone-thin, lifting her as she rested against Jiang Pengji’s embrace to make it easier for her to drink the medicine and prevent choking. “Then, get some good sleep.”
Lying too long could lead to bedsores. Noticing the wet red spot on the Stepmother’s collar, Jiang Pengji quietly instructed the maidservant to heat some water so they could clean her up after she finished the medicine and change the bed linens. The air in the room was so foul; it wasn’t suitable for a patient’s recovery.
The Stepmother furrowed her brows, taking mouthfuls of the bitter medicine that Jiang Pengji had just cooled.
After she finished, Jiang Pengji noticed the Stepmother’s face still bore a trace of bitterness, and upon looking at the remnants of the medicinal dregs at the bottom of the bowl, she felt her own mouth beginning to turn bitter. She turned her head to the maidservant and said, “Go fetch some candied fruit for my mother… I wonder how much yellow lotus the Young Doctor put in the medicine…”
From Jiang Pengji’s memory, the relationship between Liu Lanting and the Stepmother was somewhat one-sidedly cold.
Liu Lanting had always thought that the Stepmother was encroaching upon her biological mother’s position and regarded the constant inquiries about her well-being as insincere and exaggerated. Luckily, this girl still maintained the facade of kindness and didn’t show her inner distaste.
Otherwise, Jiang Pengji’s affectionate actions earlier could easily raise suspicions from outsiders.
“My child… did you face any grievances last night?”
The Stepmother looked at Jiang Pengji with cloudy eyes, her voice stronger than before.
“No, those fools who never think before leaving the house could never make me feel wronged.”
Jiang Pengji initially wanted to let the Stepmother down, but seeing a maidservant arrive with a clean bedcover, she wrapped her in the quilt instead, then lifted her in a horizontal position with one hand as the Stepmother let out a short gasp.
“Mother, don’t worry, I can still carry you. Let the maidservant change the bedding first, then we can warm you up with the hand stove.”
The Stepmother said, “You’ve become more like your sister; tell me about what happened last night…”
Jiang Pengji took a deep look at the Stepmother, suddenly smirking and responding, “If Mother wants to hear, I’ll naturally share everything.”
What she hated the most was repeating the same thing multiple times; the first time was fresh, but the more times it was repeated, the more boring it became.
However, since a graceful and classic beauty requested it, she didn’t mind retelling the story to enhance her own grand and handsome image.
The Stepmother listened with great interest, and when Jiang Pengji finished, she gave her a deep look, then subtly glanced at the maidservants, signaling for them to leave.
“Lan Ting… how did she pass away?” The Stepmother smiled gently, noting Jiang Pengji’s lack of surprise. “Aren’t you scared?”
Jiang Pengji shook her head, “I thought such matters would frighten others more than myself.”
The Stepmother replied, “You are quite the honest child. It could have been hidden… I’ll just assume my child is still alive…”
Jiang Pengji shook her head, “What’s the good in self-deception? Before I entered the room, I had considered hiding it, but seeing your expression, I knew it was unnecessary. This may be Liu Lanting’s appearance, but I’m ultimately not her. I could imitate her deliberately, but it would only tire me out, and I don’t know whether I’m deceiving myself or deceiving you who are self-deceiving…”
