Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Trustworthy Mouth

  Everyone has children, and when something like this happens, it's unbearable for all of us.

  The ladies in the house sighed with emotion, while the young women were less emotional and continued to chat quietly.

  "It's really thanks to the blessings of the Bodhisattva."

  "Not Bodhisattva, but real human being."

  "Is it a real person or a Bodhisattva?"

  "Just wait a moment and you will know by asking."

  As he said this, the people in the house all looked out.

  "How come Madame Zhou has been gone for so long and still hasn't returned?" they asked with furrowed brows.

  "I'm afraid she's going to think of another way to get rid of Jiao." Someone else whispered, "Madam Zhou is now more and more at odds with us."

  "They are now socializing with Mr. and Mrs. Chen, we..."

  These words occasionally echoed in the conversation.

  Although Zhou's husband was not in the room, he had already guessed that someone would say something, and it was not just talk, these days he himself was afraid of being the topic of conversation after dinner in every household.

  "Hasn't it been done according to your rules? No need to go to someone else's house, they've all come to our house. What more do you want?" She said with a barely concealed anger, "Jiao Jiao, are you intentionally teasing your aunt?"

  Behind the curtain, on the couch, a woman lies silently on her side.

  The maidservant who was waiting for her parents in the house originally had a smile on her face, but after hearing these words, she pulled down her face.

  "My lady, my daughter is not one to indulge in idle chatter. She has a straightforward way of doing things and never speaks without thinking," she said calmly, neither frightened nor pleased. "My daughter takes a short rest every day, as you well know."

  Of course, on the first day she entered the door, this little thing made her freeze in the snow for a while.

  "This little rest, every time it's always so coincidental." Madam Zhou said with a cold smile.

  "This matter in this world was originally accomplished by cleverness. Without cleverness, my wife would not be standing in front of the lady today." The maid also said with a smile that was not quite a smile.

  Madam Zhou flung her sleeves and left in a huff.

  "Madam, madam, what should I say to the person waiting?" The servant hastily followed behind and asked in a low voice.

  "What can I say? You're just sleeping with him." Madam Zhou said irritably.

  My wife followed closely behind me.

  "But how can that be?" she said, "They will think Madame did it on purpose."

  Yes, the child of your family, you are the mistress, and guests have arrived, but instead of calling the child to meet them, you say they're sleeping. Even if they were really sleeping, shouldn't you wake them up? Is it that you, as the mistress, don't know the rules or are you intentionally being pretentious?

  Mrs. Zhou clenched her teeth and shook hands.

  "How did such a scourge get invited into our home!" she said gritting her teeth.

  Looking at the approaching hall, she really didn't want to go in, but somehow couldn't help it.

  As expected, the door opened and she looked back at the empty space behind her. The faces of the ladies present turned somewhat strange.

  "I told you so."

  There was also a low, faint sound that seemed to be there and yet wasn't.

  Mrs. Zhou pretended not to hear and sat down.

  "Unsatisfied with what everyone said, this child's body is not good at all." She stiffened and smiled, "Just took the medicine, can't bear to sleep for a moment, everyone wait for a while."

  Everyone present looked at Madame Zhou with strange expressions.

  "Was Mr. Chen's body so unwell when he was diagnosed?" a young lady asked with a smile.

  Mrs. Zhou's face was stiff.

  "At that time she was living in the Chen's house, I didn't know." Mrs. Zhou replied with a smile, "This should be asked of Mrs. Chen."

  This young madam's husband is of a higher rank than Old Master Zhou, but no matter how high his rank is, it's still not enough for him to speak to Madame Chen like that. He thinks he can talk to me like this too? I'm not that easy to bully.

  What right does she have to suffer like this! However, it has ruined her previous image of being straightforward and kind.

  It's all because of that little servant girl's troubles, and they're all being blamed on me!

  The unfriendly conversation between the two ladies made the atmosphere in the house a bit stifling.

  "It's getting late, and there are still young children at home. I'll take my leave first." The young lady stood up without hesitation and said.

  She stood up together with him, and there were also two or three people standing up in the house. The rest of the people looked at Mrs. Zhou, their faces obviously not good either.

  Although Mrs. Zhou sat upright, her complexion was naturally not good-looking either.

  If it ends like this, then the feud is settled, but I had hoped to form a good relationship, who would have thought it would turn out like this.

  The sound of the servant woman's voice came from outside the door.

  "Madam, Half Cinnamon said, the young lady is awake."

  Everyone in the house was stunned, and Mrs. Zhou also gritted her teeth.

  What a coincidence!

  Before she could speak, the young lady walked to the door and the servant girls hurriedly opened it.

  "My child at home must be awake by now, I'll come visit and ask for your advice another time, Madam." she said indifferently.

  The maid in front of the gate lifted her head.

  "Is the lady here to see my daughter?" she asked.

  Her voice was crisp and clear, her appearance was delicate and pretty, exactly the kind of maid that a wealthy family would have.

  "Your wife is not good-looking." The young madam didn't need to be polite to a servant girl, and said directly as she walked out the door.

  "Madam, just go and see for yourself." The maid said with a smile.

  Mrs. Zhou secretly said it was bad and sat up straight.

  "Half-flattering, impolite!" She rebuked in a low voice, "How can you let the ladies go and see?"

  The maid smiled and curtsied.

  "It's just that the ladies have come to see my daughter, and it's actually a consultation," she said with a smile, looking at the young lady standing in the corridor who was about to get up and leave, while also glancing at the other ladies listening inside. "My daughter says that the patient's private matters are not convenient for outsiders to discuss, so it's better for everyone to sit down and talk quietly behind closed doors, I really don't dare to presume too much."

  No, it's not that everyone gathers together and chats, who would dare to really ask about the illness in public, it's better to invite each other again, it's really not as good as going to see that woman alone and having a heart-to-heart talk.

  The young lady smiled, threw on her cloak and set off immediately.

  "Well then, take me to meet your wife," she said.

  The maid smiled and responded, then rushed into the house to pay her respects to Madame Zhou before turning around to lead the way.

  The atmosphere in the house suddenly became joyful.

  "We're going too," said those who got up.

  "Don't rush, let's go one by one." someone volunteered to arrange.

  Then they started talking about who would go first and who would go later, chatting and laughing, it was very lively, and as the hostess, Mrs. Zhou was left aside.

  My wife said that a patient's private affairs should be discussed in private...

  Madam Zhou's face grew increasingly unsightly as the maid's words echoed in her ears.

  Your wife says! Your wife says!

  Your wife said so!

  How can there be such shameless and lying servants in this world!

  How dare they be so bold and deceitful!

  "Mrs. Zhou, next time there's something like this, you should tell us earlier so that everyone doesn't misunderstand." Someone nearby turned their head and looked at Mrs. Zhou with a half-smile.

  Mrs. Zhou felt a sudden tightness in her throat and couldn't help but burst into a fit of coughing.

  The horse carriage in front of the Zhou's house was still coming and going continuously, but the guest hall inside Mrs. Zhou's house was empty.

  At first, there were still people who wanted to come over and greet Mrs. Zhou, but as more and more people went directly to see Cheng Jiaoniang, and Cheng Jiaoniang indeed seemed to be in poor health, seeing only a few people every day, they politely declined.

  "When one's body is not well, it is impossible to concentrate and make an accurate diagnosis; it would be better not to diagnose at all."

  These words are indeed polite and reasonable.

  "Even the imperial physicians in the capital cannot always be available for consultation."

  "Right, right, that fairy maiden in Western City, if you want to ask her something, it's only in the morning..."

  "....Hey, Cheng's daughter is not a fairy maiden..."

  "...it's almost the same as fortune-telling, also feeling the pulse, not even using needles, just listening inside, if all the illnesses in this world can be heard just by listening, isn't that the same as those immortal Taoist priests?..."

  "...Right, isn't it said that Cheng's wife is a disciple personally taught by Li Zhenren..."

  Listening to the whispers of the two maids behind her, the lady walking in front couldn't help but stop in her tracks.

  "Are you going to see Madame Zhou again?" the servant woman asked hastily.

  "I've just seen that several horse-drawn carriages have arrived, I dare not delay any longer." The lady hesitated for a moment before saying, "Let's go see Madame Cheng, anyway it's not like we're asking Madame Zhou to diagnose an illness..."

  It's useless to see her, and it will only delay things. Considering this Mrs. Zhou, isn't she always delaying things?

  Everyone had this thought flash through their minds, and they all nodded in agreement, then without hesitation, headed straight for Cheng Jiaoniang's residence.

  The most lively place in the Zhou family has become Chang Jiaoniang's courtyard.

  In the courtyard of Chongniang, there were many maids standing around, and under the veranda, people were also kneeling and sitting. Looking inside the house, it was also crowded with people, and even the young maids serving tea and water could hardly move their bodies.

  "This house is too small." The lady looked around and covered her mouth with a smile, "Old Zhou from Shaanxi has so much money, but it's not right."

  When this remark reached Madame Zhou's ears, she almost choked on her breath again.

  Mr. Zhou walked into the room with a smile on his face and saw Mrs. Zhou leaning against the windowsill, being served by two maids while eating something.

  There is a strong smell of medicine in the house.

  "What did you eat in the first month of Taisho?" Old Man Zhou asked with a frown.

  "Take your medicine." Madame Zhou said irritably.

  "What's wrong with you, eating medicine for no reason? With so many guests at home, how can you hide and eat medicine?" Old Mr. Zhou said.

  "So many guests, I don't need to worry about it." Madam Zhou gritted her teeth and swallowed the medicine in one gulp, her mouth full of bitterness.

  "You are the mistress of the house, how can you be so inconsiderate?" Old Master Zhou said.

  "There are people who are more considerate than me, the mistress of the house, why should I go looking for trouble!" Mrs. Zhou said, her anger growing, and she heavily placed the medicine bowl on the table, making a loud "bang" sound.

  The girl was so frightened that she trembled and bowed her head, not daring to look.

  "What's wrong with you? She is our daughter after all!" Old Master Zhou frowned, looking at his old wife.

  As for these women, their vision is short-sighted, always staring at that one sentence under their eyelids.

  "She's being a good person, why should I be the bad one?" said Mrs. Zhou, thinking about it made her feel resentful.

  No matter how I think about it, I feel suffocated. Ever since this woman entered the house, this elder has become more and more disreputable.

  How did this happen?

  "What did she do?" Old Man Zhou asked with a frown.

  Mrs. Zhou was stunned by the question.

  Yes, what have I done? It seems like nothing has been done...

  But ironically, it was this very thing that made her make mistake after mistake.

  Don't even know where I went wrong, and the response is completely at a loss.

  This woman, who was completely different from ordinary people, looked stupid and numb, but upon closer inspection, she was actually oily and smooth, as if she couldn't be grasped or touched.

  It's really suffocating just thinking about it.

  Mrs. Zhou covered her chest, a severe coughing fit, the maids rushed forward to pat her back and support her chest in a flurry.

  "What's wrong with you? You're sick and your wife is at home taking care of Jiao'er, let her take a look." Old Man Zhou said.

  It's better if she didn't say that. After saying it, Madame Zhou became even more suffocated and coughed repeatedly, almost losing her breath.

  "It's all because she lives in our house..." She clenched her fists and grasped the collar of her clothes, shouting with a red face.

  My talent has been wasted...

  This sentence didn't dare to shout out, first because it's nonsense, secondly the hostess of the Zhou family was bullied by a niece to this extent, if she said it out loud, it would only provoke people's ridicule.

  "Don't worry," said Old Master Zhou, "wait until Jiao Niang has finished diagnosing their illnesses and her reputation grows. After all, she is a child of yours at home, and to outsiders, it's still your face, our Zhou family's face."

  Mrs. Zhou stretched out her hand and stroked her chest, looking unwell.

  "I hope so," she said.

  From the moment this woman stepped through the door, her heart had been racing with anxiety.

  One thing after another, layer by layer, one piece of news after another, eventually stirring up a big wave, making the Zhou family restless again.

  "Someone come!" Madam Zhou shouted suddenly, "Send someone to Jiangzhou immediately."

  The women were puzzled.

  "Are you going to Jiangzhou now?" they asked.

  "Go and ask around at the Cheng's house." said Mrs. Zhou.

  "What's going on?" The servant woman was even more puzzled.

  "Find out..." Madam Zhou clenched her handkerchief and gritted her teeth, saying, "Find out everything about this fool. I'll see... She's at the Cheng's house, is it also like that there? Is it troublesome?"

  3,600 words, sorry, still need to update once more today!