Chapter 147

Chapter 147: The Paramour Inside the room, County Princess Rongjia lay face down on the bed, her clothes completely removed, and said with great impatience, "You Shuyi, how many times have I come to you now? Why is there still no news at all?" She had come too frequently before, even arousing Master Song's suspicion, so she had to space out her visits. You Shuyi said expressionlessly, "I told you that regulating one's constitution cannot be rushed. If the County Mistress feels it's useless, I might as well go back. Being cooped up here every day, not even allowed to leave through the front gate—anyone would think I'm someone's kept woman in a hidden residence." She paused and stopped applying the acupuncture needles to County Princess Rongjia. "Not letting you leave is precisely because I'm afraid you might run into acquaintances. I've given you so much money, so you should listen to me!" County Princess Rongjia had been in a foul mood lately. Who could have imagined that Cui Zeyu, that bastard, would catch the eye of the Duke of Dingguo? She truly couldn't understand how the Duke of Dingguo could choose a merchant's son for adoption. Moreover, Cui Zeyu had been missing for so many years—wasn't the Duke afraid that Cui Zeyu might be an impostor? Now that Cui Zeyu had gained power and was about to enter the court as an official, if he inherited the Duke of Dingguo's estate, wouldn't he be giving her dirty looks? Thinking of how Cui Zeyu and the Duke of Dingguo had come to the Marquis's residence, County Princess Rongjia felt suffocated with anger. Added to that, Old Madame kept asking why she still hadn't conceived. She was already vexed, and now seeing You Shuyi, she couldn't help but vent her frustration. In her view, she had paid You Shuyi to regulate her health, so You Shuyi was someone serving her, no different from Chen De's Wife and the others. "What are you doing? Throwing a tantrum at me?" County Princess Rongjia turned her head to look and saw You Shuyi starting to wash her hands. Chen De's Wife hurriedly said, "County Mistress, please don't be angry. Mrs. Luo is probably just washing her hands and will attend to you shortly." After soothing her mistress, she went to Mrs. Luo's side and said in a low voice, "Please don't take offense at the County Mistress. So much has happened lately, and she's anxious for a good outcome. You're a healer who saves lives—surely you can understand." "I do heal and save lives, but I can choose whether or not to save someone." You Shuyi had come to Bianjing to help her dear sister, not to help County Princess Rongjia. "Please don't be upset." Chen De's Wife also wanted her mistress to have her constitution regulated properly—a mistress's own child would always be better than adopting someone else's. Because the mistress had been coming for treatment, Lanxin had been given contraceptive decoction all this time. "It's not that I'm upset, but the County Mistress herself said that so much time has passed. If she feels there's no good news, then let's end this here." You Shuyi looked at County Princess Rongjia on the bed. "When the County Mistress first wrote requesting medical treatment, I came to Bianjing behind Lingrong's back. Now that the County Mistress still has no good news, it seems I'm simply incompetent." County Princess Rongjia frowned deeply and sat up. "Have you truly done your best?" You Shuyi said of course. "Then why did Madame Jiang conceive after only two acupuncture sessions, while I've come so many times?" On this point, County Princess Rongjia felt deeply aggrieved—in what way was she inferior to Madame Jiang? "Everyone's constitution is different. Second Mistress Song is in better health than the County Mistress, so naturally she didn't need as much treatment." You Shuyi said, "From the very beginning, I told the County Mistress that your condition stems from deficiencies in your mother's womb. If you had started treatment in your youth, there might have been hope. Now we're only trying. Since you feel it's useless, I've grown tired of staying in Bianjing anyway." County Princess Rongjia did think You Shuyi was of little use, but her spirits had indeed improved lately, and her menses were no longer as painful. But that wasn't what she wanted—she wanted to get pregnant. She glared at You Shuyi, a complex feeling she couldn't quite articulate rising within her. She wanted treatment and yet she didn't. There had been hope before, and now that hope had become faint. County Princess Rongjia felt a breath stuck in her chest, unable to rise or fall. Chen De's Wife spoke up, "Why don't you take another look, Mrs. Luo? Our County Mistress is just impatient—I guarantee you won't be short a single coin!" "I know you won't short me any money, but you can see how things actually stand." You Shuyi paused, seeming resigned. "Fine, fine. I'll stay until the end of the month. I must return to Suzhou before the Dragon Boat Festival, or my in-laws will think I've run away." She washed her hands again and prepared to apply the needles to County Princess Rongjia, when she heard a commotion outside. The voices couldn't be made out from inside the room. Chen De's Wife said she would go out to check. "Mrs. Luo, just go ahead and treat the County Mistress. This old servant will go see what's happening." At that moment, Song Shulan was being blocked in the courtyard. He had already spotted the page boy attending County Princess Rongjia and grabbed the man, saying, "Where is the County Mistress? Take me to her!" He had been furious enough when he heard that a young scholar was living in the courtyard, and now seeing the page boy trying to run off and report, he was even more convinced something was amiss. The page boy's legs went weak with fear. He was County Princess Rongjia's man, so naturally he had to protect his mistress—if the County Mistress blamed him afterward, his entire family would be waiting to die. But by now, Song Shulan was consumed by rage. He looked at Qingshan and said, "Search for me! I want to see which paramour it is!" He had used the County Mistress for his own purposes, but the affection from their youth was real. Being able to rekindle that connection, he treasured their current relationship. And now County Princess Rongjia had strayed—she had actually betrayed him! Song Shulan tasted a faint trace of blood in his mouth. He simply couldn't accept this reality. Qingshan, having received his master's orders, dared not dawdle and hurried into the courtyard. As it happened, he ran straight into Chen De's Wife, who was just coming out. Subconsciously, he called out, "Mama Chen." Chen De's Wife bolted and ran, scared out of her wits. When Song Shulan heard Qingshan call out "Mama Chen," her heart sank even further into the depths—so the County Mistress really was here. Song Shulan shook off the servant boy and took off running in pursuit.