Time Travel: The Noble Family
Chapter 350 - Chapter 350: Chapter 123: Yueying Descends the Mountain_3

Chapter 350: Chapter 123: Yueying Descends the Mountain_3

Yueyao said this because she didn’t want Cai Lan to throw dirt on her again when the time came. Although she had no intention of making friends with Yueying, she was unwilling to bear such a reputation. She had to let Yueying know that it was Cai Lan’s insistence on going down the mountain and it had nothing to do with her. As for whether to go back later, that was no longer her concern. If Yueying could see through this, she would send Cai Lan away; if not, and she still chose to rely on her heavily, then truly there would be no cure.

Yueying glanced at Cai Qing and then said, “I understand, third younger sister.”

With a composed expression, Yueyao said, “Well then, Eldest Miss, you should rest well!” Having said that, she turned around and left. Yueyao truly felt she had nothing to say to Yueying.

When Cai Lan returned to the Lian Mansion, she cried all the way from the door to Lady Mo’s presence. Seeing Lady Mo was like finding her own mother, and as she kowtowed and cried, she called out, “Madam, the Eldest Miss is about to die, Madam, please save her! Please, Madam.”

Lady Mo, upon hearing Cai Lan’s words, did not suspect any deception. In this era, a minor typhoid fever could snatch away a life; moreover, being in the mountains with scarce medical supplies, a fever was even likelier to be deadly.

Even though Lady Mo despised Maternal Aunt Chen and disliked Yueying, she dared not bear the burden of such a reputation. She immediately called for a doctor and, together with the steward, went up the mountain, instructing, “Once the Eldest Miss is a little better, bring her back.” Lady Mo didn’t actually want Yueying to return; with Yueying there, she could keep tabs on Yueyao’s daily activities.

Lian Dongfang frowned upon hearing about this situation and said, “Send someone to tell them to also bring Yueyao back.” It was fine to retrieve his own daughter, but how could he justify leaving his niece alone on the mountain to suffer? Besides, the living conditions on the mountain were quite harsh and a stay of half a month was surely enough.

Smiling, Lady Mo said, “I have already spoken to the deputy steward about it.”

As the sun set, Yueyao saw the steward arrive with the doctor. The doctor, upon examining Yueying, knew she was out of danger. However, having climbed the mountain after all, a diagnosis was still necessary. He said, “The young lady is inherently weak and needs proper convalescence. If not properly cared for, there could be complications.” The doctor didn’t specify what complications.

Upon hearing these words, Yueying turned pale and asked, “What complications?”

Stroking his small tuft of white beard, the doctor said, “That is the worst-case scenario; as long as the young lady recuperates properly, there will be no issues.”

Initially hesitant to return, Yueying was no longer in doubt after hearing the doctor’s words and decided then and there to go back. She needed to return to properly restore her health. She was already thirteen years old and would marry in another three years; if her health wasn’t managed properly, it might later hinder having children.

The steward said to Yueyao, “Third Young Lady, the Old Master and Madam are worried about you being alone on the mountain. If you fall ill, there would be no one to take care of you. Therefore, the Old Master and Madam hope you will return with the Eldest Miss.”

Yueyao certainly didn’t want to go back. It was difficult enough to get the chance to stay on the mountain for a while and enjoy a few peaceful days; moreover, she hadn’t achieved her goal yet, and to return now would mean her efforts had been in vain.

Yueyao insisted on not going back, and the steward, having no alternative, could only say, “If the young lady has other requests, please instruct me, and I will convey them to the Old Master and Madam.”

Yueyao was not pretentious. With Yueying and the others gone, two rooms were now vacant and suitable for habitation, so she said, “I’m short of a Coarse Maid here; I hope the mansion can send one over.” Although Hua Lei and Qiao Lan could handle laundry and cooking, tasks like carrying water and chopping firewood were beyond their capabilities.

Qiao Lan and Hua Lei tried to manage, but unfortunately, the firewood the monks brought over, although smaller than at first, still required further processing. It wasn’t that the monks lacked respect, but the temple used large pots and therefore needed large chunks of firewood; the fact that they had processed it at all showed considerable regard.

Yueyao sent Yueying onto the carriage before returning home.

As soon as Yueyao got back to the courtyard, Hua Lei busily said, “Miss, now that two rooms are free, let me move to the one across the way!” It wasn’t that Hua Lei despised Yueyao, but squeezing together was quite uncomfortable.

Nanny Hao said with a smile, “Miss, why not let me move to the opposite side? Let Qiao Lan and Hua Lei live together.” The two Maids had to keep watch at night, and although it wasn’t far, going back and forth late at night was still a hardship. If they caught a chill and developed a fever, it would be troublesome.

Yueying returned home in the middle of the night, and the Lian Mansion could not find peace.

Lady Mo had already guessed that Yueyao would not return, so she wasn’t surprised when she heard that Yueyao hadn’t come back. Hearing the doctor say that Yueying needed recuperation, she was not stingy and ordered someone to make purchases in front of the doctor.

In fact, Yueying had already taken two doses of medicine and was mostly recovered on the mountain; it was just that she was troubled at heart, so when she returned to Lian Mansion, she still appeared weak and frail. Yueying waited for Lian Dongfang to visit her, grabbed his sleeve, and cried, “Father, I really miss Maternal Auntie. Father, can you let Maternal Auntie come back?” Yueying felt that with Maternal Auntie around, she would have a backbone. Now that Maternal Auntie was gone, she didn’t even have anyone to discuss matters with.

Lian Dongfang couldn’t possibly agree to bring Maternal Aunt Chen back just because of Yueying’s cries. If the Ma Family found out, it could lead to another uproar. He consoled her, “Just focus on getting better, don’t think too much about it,” and then he left for the study. If it had been Tingli who asked him, he might have considered it, but Lian Dongfang didn’t place much importance on his daughters.

Yueying felt very dejected; everything was spoiled.

Cai Lan, who was beside her, added fuel to the fire, “Third Young Lady is heartless as iron, refusing even to call the doctor for Miss when she had a high fever. Fortunately, Miss’s luck is strong; otherwise, who knows what might have happened.”

Unable to listen anymore, Cai Qing retorted, “Cai Lan, didn’t Third Young Lady ask you to invite a high monk to see Miss? Why didn’t you go then?”

Cai Lan looked at Cai Qing in disbelief; she had always been silent before, but today she was speaking up, so she asked, “Cai Qing, did you take benefits from Third Young Lady? Otherwise, why would you speak up for her?”

Cai Qing said coldly, “Third Young Lady was by our Miss’s side the whole time she was sick, and before dawn, she had Nanny Hao go to the temple for help. It was only after Miss had taken her medicine and was out of danger that Third Young Lady went to sleep. If it wasn’t for Third Young Lady’s method, we can’t say what Miss’s condition would be now. Cai Lan, one cannot be so ungrateful in life.”

Cai Lan’s face turned dark.

Feeling somewhat weary, Yueying said, “Stop arguing, it’s all in the past now. I am well, and there’s no need to talk about it anymore.”

To Yueying’s pleasant surprise, Tingchao came to visit her and even chatted with her for a good while. Even though it was somewhat awkward, it was enough to make Yueying very happy.

Seeing that her brother had become sensible, Yueying couldn’t help but tell Tingchao, “Tingchao, find a way to bring Maternal Auntie back. Maternal Auntie must be having a hard time in the Family Temple. Tingchao, Maternal Auntie can only rely on you and me now.”

Ever since Maternal Aunt Chen left the Lian Mansion, Tingchao’s days were not as good as before. Hearing Yueying’s words, he naturally replied, “Sister, rest assured, I will find a way.”

After Tingchao left, Cai Lan came in and said to Yueying with a smile, “Miss, you don’t have to worry about Third Young Master anymore. Now that Old Master is in mourning at home, he has stopped making Third Young Master go to the Clan School and is instead teaching him by his side every day. Now that Third Young Master is improving, Miss doesn’t have to worry.”

Now that Old Master was in mourning at home and had plenty of time, Tingchao naturally became the focus of his attention. Tingchao’s days were fraught with difficulty. Unwilling as he was to study, faced with an Old Master who was ready to discipline at any moment, he had no choice but to comply.

Tingchao was actually very smart; he didn’t memorize everything after seeing it once, but he grasped concepts with a single hint. Lian Dongfang, having realized that his third son was not a lump of mud but a piece of uncut jade, was overjoyed and had decided even more firmly to straighten out his son, adding another pillar of support to the family for the future.

Yueying was very happy about Tingchao’s improvement and said, “Yes, as brother gradually learns, I’m no longer worried, and it wasn’t in vain that I copied so many scriptures.”