Chapter 37: Time to Reunite
This was no small matter. Grace was the daughter of the Marquis of Qingyun. If word got out that the emperor himself had seen her in such a compromising position, it would surely damage Grace's reputation. And if her reputation were tarnished, it would directly affect the relationship between the Marquis of Qingyun and the emperor, causing embarrassment for everyone involved.
Judging by the size of the wound, the situation must have been quite serious at the time, so the emperor, with his basic medical knowledge, had made a decisive move. Since it was an accident, it should be put to rest.
So, the emperor's parting words, were they really just to praise his knife? Not at all. He was instructing her to take care of the aftermath and reminding her to keep her mouth shut!
Grace was unaware of these implications. With Doctor Chen taking over, she was delighted, and the follow-up in ten days was no longer a problem!
But what made her even happier was that after applying the medicine, Doctor Chen herself suggested taking over the care: "It wouldn't be good for a lady to have a scar. Let me handle this wound for you from now on, no need to trouble anyone else."
Grace was overjoyed, "That would be wonderful!"
She called to Xiaojun, "Double the fee for Doctor Chen!"
Doctor Chen smiled as she packed up her tools, "No need for double, the regular fee will do."
Grace insisted, and only after paying double did Xiaojun see her out.
As they reached the door, Ning Auntie's voice was heard.
"Why is Doctor Chen here?"
"Madam Ning," Doctor Chen nodded in greeting, "Miss Su had a boil. I came to check on her."
"Miss Su had a boil? Why didn't I know?"
Ning Auntie quickly walked in, her worried gaze scanning Grace. "What happened? Why didn't you tell me you were sick?"
Supported by Xiaolan, Grace sat up slightly, "It's nothing serious, just a small boil. I didn't want to bother you."
"Let me see!"
Grace didn't want her to look. Seeing Doctor Chen still by the door, she instructed Xiaojun, "Please escort Doctor Chen out first."
Doctor Chen nodded slightly and turned to leave.
The Marquis of Qingyun was about to go out but stopped when he saw an unfamiliar figure from the direction of Qiyu Courtyard. He asked, "Who is that?"
The servant Liang An replied, "That's Doctor Chen from Hui'an Clinic at the entrance of the market."
The Marquis nodded. "Who's sick?"
Liang An was stumped. "I haven't heard. I'll send someone to check on Miss Su."
Before he finished speaking, the Marquis had already changed direction. "No need, I'll go see for myself."
…
Ning Auntie had been in the Marquis's residence for twelve years. Though a guest, she was treated like half a mistress of the house. With her smooth handling of affairs, no one dared show her any disrespect. The news of Grace going out at night quickly reached her through a maid passing by the side gate.
Seeing Caiyun recently had made her uneasy. She sent her back through Nanny Qiu, who cried and begged, saying Grace had warned that failing to serve properly would result in broken legs.
It made her even more confused. If she hadn't heard that Grace was resting, she might have gone over immediately.
Knowing Grace went out at night gave her an excuse. Early in the morning, she headed to Qiyu Courtyard.
After Doctor Chen left, Ning Auntie dismissed the servants and said, "You didn't tell me about such a big boil. Do you want to worry me to death?"
"It's nothing serious."
"I feel like you're treating me like an outsider lately," Ning Auntie half-joked. "You used to tell me everything, even if you broke a nail. Now you don't even tell me when you're sick."
"I'm grown up now, I can't be as clueless as I was."
"So, you sent me a maid out of the blue?"
Grace said, "Caiyun is quite clever. I sent her to serve you out of filial duty. Does that please you?"
"Since it's your filial duty, even if it didn't please me, I'd still accept it. But why didn't you discuss it with me? It's not good to make decisions on your own."
Ning Auntie put down her tea. "I didn't teach you to act like this. No matter what, you should consult the adults first. Especially in a family like ours, rules are important."
The Marquis of Qingyun stepped in, hearing her last words about "a family like ours," and stopped. The maid from Ning Auntie's side was about to report to him, but he glared her into silence.
Grace was indifferent.
She had the nerve to talk about rules? The original Grace's downfall, with her engagement broken and publicly humiliated, was largely thanks to her.
Grace said, "I didn't act on my own. I discussed it with my aunt."
Ning Auntie frowned. "If you're giving me a maid, you should discuss it with me. What good does it do to talk to your aunt?"
"It's just a maid. No need to be so formal," Grace looked up. "Even though you're not my real aunt, I've always treated you like one. The maids are mine to give, so don't feel awkward about it.
"If she misbehaves, don't hesitate to report to Aunt or Fourth Aunt. They'll discipline her for you!"
Ning Auntie was flustered by the term "real aunt."
She squeezed her hands and forced a smile. "An aunt is an aunt, real or not doesn't matter. Are you trying to distance yourself from me?"
Grace, still reclining, grew serious. "How could I? I want to show my filial respect. Why would I distance myself? If anything, I've been too close before. If I've offended you, please forgive my ignorance.
"From now on, this maid is yours. When you reunite with my cousin, she can serve you, and I'll be at ease."
Ning Auntie's face darkened. "Who said I'm reuniting with your cousin?"
Grace looked surprised. "Cousin has a career now. Shouldn't you be with him to manage his household?"
Ning Auntie was speechless. She had only one son, and of course, they should reunite! But not like this!
If she left like this, she would be at a loss!
"Who told you that?"
"Why need anyone tell me? Once my cousin has a career, leaving you in the Marquis's residence would make him seem unfilial. If this reached the Censorate, they'd call him out for being unfilial, jeopardizing his future."