CHAPTER 96: CHAPTER 96: AMIDST THE CHAOS (1)

On the contrary, Madam Yang’s face was somewhat awkward, even Madam Liu was full of confusion as she scrutinized Madam Wang.

Maid Xinzhu quietly approached Tong Xiyan and whispered a few words in her ear. Tong Xiyan’s expression slightly changed, her seated body instantly becoming unnaturally stiff.

Xiqiu noticed her change and leaned in to ask, "Fourth Sister, what’s wrong? Is there something going on?"

"Sixth Sister!" Tong Xiyan’s expression was strange, clutching a handkerchief as if contemplating whether to tell Xiqiu. Xiqiu asked in confusion, "What’s the matter?" Tong Xiyan paused for a moment, but still shook her head, "It’s nothing!"

Since she didn’t speak, Xiqiu didn’t press her further, and quietly said, "If you’re not feeling well, how about I accompany you back to rest?"

Tong Xiyan absentmindedly shook her head.

Madam Wang suddenly turned back to look at Xiqiu, a hint of mockery in her eyes: "Sixth Miss is so engrossed in listening. Do you understand what the play is about?" Her voice was loud, not caring if others could hear her.

Xiqiu frowned; she felt Madam Wang was very unusual today, a bit like a dying person making a desperate final struggle, without any concerns.

"I didn’t fully understand, just watching the excitement!" Xiqiu replied with a smile, her attitude not warm.

Madam Wang was quite pleased, casting a glance at Tong Xiyan: "Fourth Miss, what happened to you, your face is so pale!" She said and, breaking etiquette, turned around on the stool, sitting face to face with Tong Xiyan to touch her head: "Where are you uncomfortable?!"

She actively expressed concern for Tong Xiyan, and her attitude was so attentive.

Lady frowned deeply, a trace of anger in her tone: "What are you doing? If you’re not well, you should rest properly in your room. Since you’re here, sit with the ladies properly. Speaking this and that is so unruly."

Madam Wang obediently nodded: "Yes!" Just then, she saw Xinzhu replacing Tong Xiyan’s cup with a new one, and Madam Wang suddenly reached out to take the teacup from Xinzhu’s hand. Xinzhu, not expecting Madam Wang’s action, was startled, and the teacup in her hand tilted, pouring all the tea onto Tong Xiyan’s skirt.

"I’m truly sorry!" Madam Wang jumped up before Tong Xiyan, hurriedly exclaiming and using a handkerchief to wipe Tong Xiyan’s skirt: "I meant well, didn’t expect Maid Xinzhu’s hand to be so loose."

Xinzhu, frightened, knelt down with a thud.

On stage, the gongs and drums stopped again due to Madam Wang’s exclamation and the commotion here, causing everyone to frown and look over.

Tong Xiyan was scalded by the tea, her face turning white with pain.

Tong Xihua rushed over in a few steps, not daring to reprimand Madam Wang, but glaring at Xinzhu and berating: "How were you taught rules? I’ll send each one of you off to the village later." She roughly pushed Madam Wang aside, unable to lift Tong Xiyan’s skirt in front of everyone to check. She could only anxiously ask: "Are you burned?"

Lady held Tong Xiyan, her face full of distress, and said to Zijuan: "Quickly, go call the doctor."

Madam Liu also came over: "Judging by the water, it doesn’t seem cool; it’s better to call the doctor quickly to avoid leaving a scar!" Madam Yang nodded in agreement.

Second Lady then said: "I still have a bottle of Purple Jade Ointment, I’ll have someone bring it over!"

The scene was chaotic, yet the culprit sat leisurely on the stool, sipping tea!

Tong Xiyan was quite frightened, her eyes red, saying: "Thank you, aunt." She also endured the pain, bowing to the ladies: "I’m sorry for startling the ladies." Holding Lady’s hand, she shook her head, "Mother, I’m fine, the water isn’t hot, it’s just that the skirt is wet."

Lady looked at her with distress, and said to Xinzhu: "Are you all dead? Still not helping your miss back?" She then apologized to the ladies, "I’m truly sorry that such a thing happened." She knew Madam Wang did it on purpose, but she couldn’t deal with her now, she had to swallow her anger for the moment.

Xinzhu got up from the ground, and with Xinmei, each held one side of Tong Xiyan, both frightened, their faces pale.

Xiqiu frowned, observing Madam Wang’s expression, seeing her face with faint guilt, but her eyes full of schadenfreude, even some excitement.

Excitement? Could it be she did this intentionally?

A thought crossed her mind, she stepped forward to take Xinmei’s arm, escorting Tong Xiyan, and said to Lady: "Mother, the ladies are still here, I’ll accompany Fourth Sister back!"

Lady looked at Xiqiu: "Then you accompany your Fourth Sister, if anything happens, send someone to inform me immediately, don’t be careless!" She also warned with unease: "The doctor has been called, when the prescription is made, let me see it."

"Yes!" Xiqiu nodded in agreement, supporting Tong Xiyan to leave.

Madam Wang, however, blocked Xiqiu’s way, smiling: "Since I got Fourth Miss’ skirt wet, let me take it back to wash it." After speaking, she looked at Tong Xiyang: "I remember Third Miss has a similar skirt, consider it an apology!" Her words were earnest, as if genuinely apologizing out of guilt!

"No need for your trouble!" Lady gave her a long look, "Just sit properly and listen to the play." Saying such to a concubine was already quite disrespectful.

"How could that be?" Madam Wang didn’t care about others, reaching to hold Tong Xiyang’s elbow, and also said to Tong Xiyan and Xiqiu: "I’ll go to the courtyard with Third Miss to wait for you two ladies." Saying this, she pulled Tong Xiyang away before Xiqiu could react.

Xiqiu saw, although Tong Xiyang was being pulled by Madam Wang, her steps were stiff, and even her back was trembling slightly.

The whole courtyard of people watched their backs, showing expressions of disbelief...

Once the skirt was removed, it was evident that Tong Xiyan’s thigh was indeed burned red. Due to the awkward position, even when the doctor came, he couldn’t examine it well, only prescribing some burn medicine. Xiqiu instructed Xinzhu to retrieve some stored ice from earlier years to apply cold compresses on Tong Xiyan, and then applied the Purple Jade Ointment sent by Second Lady. Xinzhu busied herself boiling the medicine in the courtyard... Tong Xiyan, seeing the room finally quiet down, let out a long breath and lay down on the peach-pink pillow, saying to Xiqiu: "Sixth Sister, thank you!"

Xiqiu sat by the bedside, looking at her in confusion, expressing her doubt: "What’s wrong with you? Weren’t you eager to listen to the gathering, why are you now so restless and uneasy?"

"I..." Tong Xiyan was still hesitant, not unwilling to tell Xiqiu, but seemed worried about something, shaking her head: "Don’t ask anymore."

Xiqiu frowned and didn’t speak further.

The room was quiet. After a while, Xinzhu brought in the medicine and fed it to Tong Xiyan, standing aside with a face full of guilt: "Miss... I didn’t expect Madam Wang to suddenly take the teacup. Otherwise, I would have held it tighter."