CHAPTER 28: CHAPTER 28: FAKING ILLNESS (2)

He drank some wine and felt a headache after being blown by the wind, so he left his servants and decided to return to his own courtyard. It was only halfway back when he hurriedly returned.

Nanny Fang immediately curtsied in response, and Xiqiu looked gratefully at Tong Shen Zhi, "I’ve already sent someone to call the doctor, and the sedan chair should have arrived as well. Since Cousin is also injured, I must trouble you, Brother, to dispatch more people to attend to him."

His gaze fell on her face, and the pain from the wound was completely numbed. Xu Tianqing looked at Xiqiu, "I’m fine. It’s just a minor injury."

"Send Young Master Cousin back!" Tong Shen Zhi ordered the young servant beside him with a frown, sweeping his gaze over the pale face of Tong Xiyang, finally landing on the weeping Tong Xiyu, "Since Eighth Sister is alright, it’s best she returns quickly."

Tong Xiyu was as if granted amnesty, allowing the maid to support her as she left the woods without looking back.

Tong Xiyang, supporting Moxiang, realized that saying anything now was useless. She could only look for an opportunity to feign a faint, then discuss a strategy with Madam Wang once back home. Amid her wild thoughts, she didn’t notice the fleeting smile on Xiqiu’s face opposite her.

Tong Xiyang held her forehead, swaying as she leaned on Moxiang’s shoulder, and before Moxiang could scream in cooperation, the startled cries around them had already erupted one after another.

"Sixth Sister!"

"Sister!"

Tong Xiyang had to open her eyes, looking shocked across from her, seeing Xiqiu weakly leaning in Tong Xiyan’s arms, surrounded by everyone in a tense circle, utterly unaware of her situation.

Tong Xiyang almost fainted with rage!

"Miss..." Moxiang looked at her worriedly, thinking Sixth Miss’s timing to faint was impeccable.

Xiqiu was carried away by the maids, and seizing the momentary absence of onlookers, she grabbed Sixing’s arm, "I’m afraid I’ll be ’sick’ for a few days. If people from Lady’s room come, you know what to say?"

Sixing was momentarily stunned but quickly calmed down, earnestly assuring Xiqiu, "I understand, Miss."

Xiqiu nodded and, hearing footsteps approaching outside the door, closed her eyes and rested against the pillow without saying anything further. After a while, the doctor arrived, took her pulse, and prescribed medicine. After taking the medicine, she drifted into a hazy sleep, vaguely feeling many people moving around her bed. She awoke once during the night to find Tong Xiyan sitting at the bedside, "Why are you here? Mother, she..."

Tong Xiyan pressed her down, preventing her from getting up, "Rest well. Mother will surely seek justice for you."

Xiqiu weakly nodded, "I’m alright now. You don’t need to come and see me, just take care of yourself." She wiped the corners of Tong Xiyan’s eyes with a handkerchief, "It’s just a minor injury! But Cousin was hurt badly. What did the doctor say?"

Tong Xiyan frowned, speaking in a resentful tone, "He prescribed medication for the external wound, said the injury is quite severe and might leave a scar."

Xiqiu sighed inwardly, a mix of emotions filling her heart.

"Don’t worry. Although I can’t personally check on him, I have sent Nanny Duan to serve him. I also called Seventh Brother to ask about the doctor’s diagnosis. They say apart from avoiding water for the next half-month, once the wound scabs over, it’ll be fine."

Tong Xiyan was worried she’d feel guilty, so he gently reassured her.

Xiqiu nodded, "It’s all thanks to Cousin; otherwise, who knows what would have happened now," she said, her tone full of emotion.

"Let me ask you something!" Tong Xiyan suddenly grabbed Xiqiu’s hand, lowering his voice, "Why did you fight with Third Sister over the handkerchief?"

Handkerchief?

She had told Chunyan to put it away and hadn’t intended to retrieve it now; firstly, because Lady’s attitude was unclear, and secondly, she couldn’t let Lady suspect she had other intentions.

A thought struck her, and she hung her head, "It’s nothing really. I just wanted to wash it for her, didn’t expect her to take it so seriously."

Tong Xiyan didn’t believe her, staring at Xiqiu’s face, "Don’t lie to me. I know your nature too well. Where is the handkerchief? Let me see it."

Xiqiu hesitated for a moment, but Tong Xiyan was anxious, getting up to stand at the doorway, "Chunyan, are you there?"

When changing Xiqiu’s clothes in the afternoon, she had looked carefully and hadn’t seen the handkerchief, so it could only be with Chunyan, who had been attending to her.

Chunyan lifted the curtain as she entered, "Fourth Miss."

Tong Xiyan was direct, "Take the handkerchief out and show me." Seeing Chunyan looking at Xiqiu, she glared, "No need to ask your master. I’ll decide this matter."

Xiqiu no longer persisted and nodded. Chunyan then stood up, went to the cabinet by the bed, and took out a pink handkerchief embroidered with a small "Yan" character.

As she held it, a strong floral fragrance assaulted them. Tong Xiyan sneezed four times in a row, his nose quickly reddening. Covering his nose and panting, he grimaced disgustedly, "Such a disgraceful tactic." Saying so, he laughed coldly again, "No wonder there was such guilt, organizing my clothes, huh! Without me, does she think she can become the legitimate daughter? Without me, does she think she can marry into a prestigious family and become the Princess Consort?!" Then he looked at Xiqiu, clutching her hand, "Good thing you’re smart and grabbed the handkerchief."

Xiqiu really didn’t know what to say. Tong Xiyang’s real target wasn’t her but rather to trigger Tong Xiyan’s condition in her courtyard. All the setups were orchestrated by her. If Tong Xiyan had fallen and then had a seizure, she would surely not escape Lady’s punishment as the person in charge.

If that were the case, hosting this banquet wouldn’t only fail to bring any benefits, but she’d also be blamed for incompetence, possibly leading Lady to disdain her, and she’d become a laughingstock among the servants, reverting to a life of confinement like before...

This was her true objective!

"This handkerchief?!" Xiqiu seemed somewhat uneasy, "Better not take it out."

Tong Xiyan frowned, his expression a mix of amusement and seriousness, "Why not take it out!? If we don’t teach her a lesson, she’ll become uncontrollable!" He then turned and patted Xiqiu’s shoulder, "Don’t think too much about it. I will handle everything."

Xiqiu didn’t respond. If Madam Wang insisted it was just an oversight with the scent powder on the handkerchief and Third Miss hadn’t intended anything bad by it, Lady, despite her cleverness, couldn’t possibly ban everyone from using scent powder just because of Tong Xiyan’s ailment, could she?

As for Tong Xiyang’s tussle with her, it was merely sibling discord. Even if Lady wanted to punish, she’d have to be fair-handed; all four daughters were present, so one couldn’t be punished while the others went free.

Thus, this was a challenging matter for Lady to handle properly. Without concrete evidence and needing to consider Tong Xiyan’s situation, the best way might be to find another excuse to vent the frustration.

This justified her pretending to be ill. If Lady called Tong Xiyang for questioning, regardless of right or wrong, in others’ eyes, they’d both appear ungracious, selfish, indifferent to sisterhood, poorly taught and foolish half-sisters!

Therefore, she appeared severely ill and comatose...

With Lady unable to pursue this path, naturally, she would seek other excuses.

However, these thoughts she couldn’t share with Tong Xiyan as Lady had her means!

"Don’t let your mind run wild." Tong Xiyan stood up, "Rest well. I’ll visit you another day." In a hurry, he dashed out the door.