Old Madam was having a terrible headache when Wan Qiu lifted the curtain and cried anxiously, "It's not good, Old Madam. Madam hung herself by the noose. Go and have a look quickly."
"What? Hung herself by the noose? Is she dead?" Old Madam was taken aback that she nearly rolled off the soft divan.
"Fortunately, Jin Momo discovered and saved her in time. At this moment, she is semi-conscious and mumbling deliriously." Wan Qiu squatted down to put the shoes on for Old Madam.
Before the shoes were properly worn, she walked out and pondered with spitting anger: One courted terrible mishap outside that nearly led to the confiscation and loss of peerage of my Marquis manor while the other hung herself by the noose at home which almost discredited Yan'er's reputation. These two mother and daughter must be here to collect debts!
Yu Xiang arrived at the principal courtyard one step earlier. Although she had no affection for Lin Shi, she was Lin Shi's daughter in name and besides, she was also in-charge of the entire Yu manor, thus when the servant informed her, she couldn't disregard the report but to make this trip.
Lin Shi was laying inverted on the divan, gasping for air. The purplish bruises on her face had yet to fade but the red stripe mark on her neck was absolutely shocking. Both eyes were tightly closed, simultaneously shaking her head and murmuring deliriously.
Yu Xiang strained her ears to hear, it was "Daughter, where's my daughter."
Yu Xiang had never thought herself an outsider, moreover she still 'didn't know' she wasn't the true lineage of Yu manor, so she hastily sent someone to call for the doctor while dejectedly sneered, "I'm obviously by your side, why Mother keeps calling daughter and for this reason you hung yourself? You really don't want me to live well even when you die, don't you? If you truly love and care about me, why don't you repent and take a look at me! Usually I am nonexistent in your eyes, but why do you call me non-stop when you are unconscious? What actually are you thinking about? Just tell me plainly!"
She naturally knew which daughter Lin Shi was asking for, but it didn't prevent her from being angry with Lin Shi's actions. She could just toss away all her troubles with death, but her elder brother would have to clean up her mess. If one or two unpleasant rumors were to spread out, how many people would take this opportunity to stab her elder brother!
Thinking of this, she was simply beside herself with anger. With the horse whip, she ruthlessly lashed out on the bedding besides Lin Shi's hand where the muffled thrashing echoed in the room.
Jin Momo who was Lin Shi's personal maid feared Yu Xiang might really whipped her master, so she hurriedly rushed over to stop her, "Second Young Miss, in any case Madam is still your mother. Even if you don't love her, should you censure her? This is indeed too rebellious[1]!" As she knew Yu Xiang's identity, there was not the least respect in her tone, only disdain and contempt.
"I'm the master and you are a bondservant. You are talking about being rebellious with me. Just let me teach you what superiority and subservience means!" Yu Xiang back-handedly lashed her away then furiously yelled at the unconscious Lin Shi, "Even if you want to die, don't pick such a scandalous method! Do you know how many people are keeping their eyes on the Marquis manor nowadays? Do you know superficially my Elder Brother is impressive, but how difficult he is in private? It's easy for you to just die, but should others seize this matter as a vilification to attack my Elder Brother, his official career will be ruined! Do you think it's easy for him to get this far, he has used his life as the barter and every step is dripping with blood? Even if you don't love him, please don't keep giving him trouble, can you? I'm begging you! Elder Brother doesn't owe you anything, instead it's you who have never fulfilled the responsibility as a mother! If you have just a little conscience, can you please just live on placidly?"
"I'm begging you, begging you, alright?" The more she chastised, the more agitated and furious she became that she kept on thrashing the cotton-padded mattress beside Lin Shi's hand with the horse whip until the silk sheets split apart.
All Commander, how many of those who held this position ever had a good ending since ancient times. This was the killing weapon that the Emperor grasped within his hand and would ruthlessly abandon once it's blunt. She had been living with fear and prudence every day that she would nevertheless consider and think carefully of what she said or did, lest Yu manor might make a slip that could attract calamity for her elder brother. However, these one and two were blockheads who were just afraid her elder brother wouldn't die quickly enough!
When Old Madam arrived, she saw Yu Pin Yan listening at the doorway. He probably received the news before he could leave and hurriedly over. She approached slowly and heard precisely the heartrending condemnations of Yu Xiang that even her heart quivered too. In this entire manor, only Xiang'er understood the situations the most. The affections her elder brother showed by protecting and treating her like precious were not in vain, as she would similarly treat him like her lifeblood and always put him first while disregarded herself.
Old Madam finally regained some comfort from the anxiousness and tenterhooks she had earlier. Looking at her grandson, she noticed a trace of profound tenderness in his eyes.
Inside the room, Jin Momo could only knelt and kept kowtowing to Yu Xiang as she dared not approach her, "Second Young Miss, Madam is now like this, would you please let her off...."
"This old woman also begs you to let my Yu manor off and stop messing around anymore?" Old Madam walked in with her walking stick. She felt Lin Shi's pulse when she reached the side of the divan and exhaled a sigh of relief. Good that she's not dead!
Yu Pin Yan took the horse whip from his younger sister's hand then gently caressed the slightly reddened corner of her eyes and comforted her, "Xiang'er, don't be angry and bother about her. "Who were Shen Miao Qi and Lin Shi? This was his only true kin who would wholeheartedly take him into consideration.
Yu Xiang threw herself into his arms and spoke with a sob, "Elder Brother, I just felt heart ache for you! If she is truly dead, how many people will be stabbing your back and should the Emperor hear this....." She simply wouldn't dare pondering deeply. Don't look at how imposing her elder brother is that no one dares to provoke him. That was due to the flawless methods of him handling his jobs. If he ever made any error someday, a great deal of political opponents would all rise up against him at any moment. Should the Emperor also feel discontented with her elder brother, he would be in a perilous situation! One should know, Lin Shi was not the same as those vicious paternal relatives who acted first that he could just kill off. Lin Shi was his biological mother. If she was to die on the noose and those with wicked-intention orchestrated some words, wouldn't her elder brother end up with the infamy of 'worse than a beast for forcing birth mother to death'? This was much graver than not recognizing one's family! The Emperor had the confidence to use her elder brother because he valued his strict impartiality and ruthlessness. But if he wouldn't even recognize his own birth mother, would the Emperor still trust him?
She felt more and more erratic that she couldn't help but clung tightly onto Yu Pin Yan when he embraced her in his arms. She buried her face in his neck and felt slightly better after inhaling the scent of sandalwood that always made her feel at ease.
The scorching breath caused a layer of goose-bumps on his skin, but nothing was revealed on Yu Pin Yan's face, however the arms that encircled his younger sister became tighter. He slanted his head slightly and rubbed his lips against the top of her sweet scented hair. There wasn't a trace of anxiousness for Lin Shi among the intense emotions that were stirring within his heart as all he felt was only endless joy. It was enough to have one person in this world who regarded him as her life since he wouldn't demand for anything more.
Seeing Lin Shi was about to awake when she made a soft cry, Old Madam waved her hand to her grandson. She had many things to say which was not suitable for the hearing of her granddaughter, "Yan'er, send your Younger Sister back."
As all of her attention was focused on Lin Shi, she didn't notice the intense emotion in her grandson's eyes.
Yu Pin Yan agreed with a hoarse hum. Patting his younger sister's back, he carried her out.
Once both were a distance away, Old Madam picked a cup of cold tea from the table and splashed it directly on Lin Shi's face with a shout, "Lin Shi, you have better get up!"
Being on the brink of waking up, this splash made Lin Shi open her eyes when she immediately cried out, "Mother, why did you save me? Just let me die! It has been four years and I still haven't found her. My daughter must not have bode well and there's nothing for me to live on anymore!"
She had have the thought of committing suicide when her husband died, but didn't have the courage at that time, thus she could only rely on the hatreds she had for Yu Xiang, the bandits, the unjust fate as well as Old Madam and even Yu Pin Yan to keep on living. But ten years had passed in a blink of an eye where these rootless hatreds soon dissipated while the void in her heart got bigger. When she looked back, she realized she could never get close to her children or Old Madam anymore because she had pushed them too far away. Just when she felt utterly disheartened, the fact Yu Xiang wasn't Yu manor's lineage came forth. She still had a daughter stranded outside who was waiting for her to save.
Hence, like a soul that walked in the boundless darkness, she became desperate and pounced ahead when she finally saw the ray of light that would lead to Heaven. But this hope had her waited for four years. She felt truly exhausted and couldn't hold on anymore.
Even though she knew her scandalous death would bring slanderous rumors and even her maiden family would cause trouble for Yu manor if some inklings were discovered but she couldn't care less. She just wanted to be with her husband and daughter as soon as possible, no longer living in this world of sufferings.
Stroking her chest and coughing violently, Old Madam was panting erratically with anger. If she had the horse whip in her hand, she would not be courteous like Xiang'er but would have whipped Lin Shi's face!
After a drink of honeyed water and the patting of Wan Qiu on her back, her gasping spells were soothed. She then enunciated each word, "It was not me who saved you. If it's possible, I wish I could strangle you myself!"
Seeing the inconsolable grieving expression on Lin Shi's face, she continued, "There's no need for you to attempt suicide, let me tell you, that daughter of yours has been found. If you are willing to live your life placidly, I will bring her back to the manor someday."
Did Yu family truly owed this pair of mother and daughter in the previous lifetime that they were back in this lifetime to collect their debts? They just wouldn't be idyllic without stirring troubles and causing turmoil in the Yu family? She couldn't continue pondering about this as she could feel pain in her heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney and every part of her body the more she pondered! Old Madam rubbed her chest with an unsightly expression.
Lin Shi stared at her in trance before she anxiously asked, "My daughter has been found? Where? Hurry, bring me to see her! Hurry up!" She cried nervously and simultaneously struggled to get out of bed.
Old Madam knocked her with the walking stick and furiously berated, "She has been settled outside at the moment. After you behave yourself and recover from your illness, I will bring you there, otherwise both you, mother and daughter will not meet in this lifetime!"
Lin Shi quietened down and hurriedly covered herself with a quilt. She cried and laughed as she opened her mouth, "Don't worry Mother. I will surely get well soon. Is, is she alright?"
"She is very well." But those who met her, none was well at all. Just like Shen Yuan Qi who became a slave and servant without a future when he was with her. Once parted from her, his slavery record was removed and even got conferred the top-ranked scholar! Inwardly Old Madam was sneering yet her face was somewhat worried when she continued, "I have to warn you, even if she returns, Xiang'er is still the respectable Di Young Miss of my Marquis manor! If you want the scandal of your daughter living in a merchant household known by others, simply treat Xiang'er harshly so it's obvious to the outsiders!"
"I will not. Daughter-in-law understands the damages among this. Please don't worry, Mother." Lin Shi regained some sensibilities now that her anchor was found. When she talked, there appeared to be a little distinct shrewdness and capability of those years.
Old Madam took a glance at her before leaving hastily, not waiting for the doctor to diagnose and treat her.
When the group had gone a distance away, Yu Si Yu came out from her hiding within the rockery with a slight malicious smile. After waiting for so many years, the genuine phoenix was finally back and wouldn't the pheasant fall from the sycamore tree soon?