WBSGVS Chapter 5

“Three matchmakers and six engagement gifts? Repeatedly coming to propose marriage?”

Su Tingxue’s breath caught, and she almost lost her composure.

Even though she understood that her status made it impossible for her to become Zheng Yihan’s official wife, the thought of coming here just to become a concubine—without even needing a formal betrothal—brought a deep bitterness to her heart.

Madam Zhang’s face darkened further, afraid that Su Tingxue might refuse to become a concubine. She quickly scolded sternly, “Ji family!”

Qingli remained unaffected, even chuckling softly, “I was spoiled at home since I was a child and never learned how to speak properly. Thank you, Mother, for understanding.”

Madam Zhang felt a lump in her throat and, for a moment, didn’t know how to respond. Should she say the Ji family didn’t teach their children well? She didn’t dare to, so she could only grumble, “Let’s eat.”

“Yes,” said the head of the family, and the others began to eat.

Father Zheng and a few others had to attend court, so they weren’t home for breakfast. The ones left were the illegitimate sons, whom Madam Zhang disliked seeing. However, their wives still had to come to pay respects, and although Madam Zhang particularly enjoyed tormenting the eldest daughter-in-law, it didn’t mean she wouldn’t harass the others either.

Having the original host’s memories, Qingli knew all of Madam Zhang’s tricks and responded just as sharply in return. Now, seeing that it was time to eat, she didn’t get up to serve Madam Zhang her meal. However, she knew that Madam Zhang would soon bring it up.

Sure enough, before she could even take her second bite of porridge, Madam Zhang frowned and said, “What’s the matter with you, eldest daughter-in-law? It’s only been a few days, and you’ve already forgotten the rules? You’re the eldest daughter-in-law, the role model for the others!”

Here it comes!

The wives of the illegitimate sons exchanged glances, each one secretly pleased. Their eldest sister-in-law was finally back—during the few days she was sick, they had taken turns being tormented and had truly had enough.

Su Tingxue was still confused, wondering, “What rule?”

She hesitated, clutching her chopsticks, not daring to move, just watching.

“Mother is right,” Qingli said with a sweet smile, standing up and walking behind Madam Zhang. In a gentle voice, she asked, “Mother, what would you like to eat?”

Su Tingxue was dumbfounded—so this was the rule!

She had never seen anything like this in the countryside. Was this some noble family custom? For some reason, all the anticipation she had felt for this place dimmed in an instant.

Madam Zhang, used to this routine, deliberately pointed to the dish farthest away.

Qingli obediently served it to her, waiting for her to finish eating.

But Madam Zhang ate very slowly, taking small bites one at a time. This was no exception. As time passed, Qingli, standing behind her, wobbled. After swaying twice, her legs buckled, and she collapsed.

Wan Yue, quick on her feet, rushed over to catch her, shouting, “Oh no! The young mistress has fainted from exhaustion!”

The other maids cried out in alarm, “The young mistress has fainted again! Someone call a doctor!”

Wan Yue added, “Call more than one! Our young mistress’s health is fragile. She’s fainted twice in such a short time—I’m afraid the previous doctor missed something!”

“…”

Madam Zhang, who had been eating, was caught completely off guard by the chaos. By the time she collected herself, Qingli had already been carried away by the maids. The entire household was in an uproar as if she were on her deathbed.

Madam Zhang: “??? What’s going on?”

Su Tingxue, her expression complicated, said softly, “Sister Ji has fainted again. Maybe she hasn’t fully recovered from her illness.”

Fainted?

But she had looked perfectly fine earlier today!

Yet it was true. Madam Zhang couldn’t refute it, especially since Qingli had always been so obedient and well-behaved before. Now, Madam Zhang wasn’t even sure if the fainting was real or fake. Staring at the chaotic dining room, she muttered angrily, “If she’s not fully recovered, why come to pay respects? Now it looks like I’m a terrible mother-in-law who torments her daughters-in-law!”

“Cough…” A soft cough came from the fourth daughter-in-law, who had nearly burst into laughter at the spectacle. She quickly covered it up with another cough.

Isn’t she a terrible mother-in-law?

Did she think this one sentence would erase everything that had just happened?

Madam Zhang, embarrassed and furious, would normally never tolerate her daughters-in-law acting up in front of her. But with Qingli’s recent fainting episode, she felt too awkward to make a fuss. Instead, she glared at them darkly. “Fine, you can all leave.”

She hadn’t finished her meal, but she’d lost her appetite.

“Yes, Mother,” the daughters-in-law replied obediently, respectfully withdrawing.

Su Tingxue hesitated for a moment but then eagerly followed Madam Zhang. “Aunt, let me accompany you.”

Doctor Xu had just finished treating a patient when a servant from the Zheng family urgently dragged him to the estate. Seeing how frantic the servant was, Doctor Xu didn’t dare delay.

Just as they were about to arrive at the Zheng household, Doctor Xu saw a familiar doctor being called over from across the street. The two doctors nodded at each other, and another doctor rushed over to join them, saying, “Wait for me…”

When they entered the Zheng family estate, yet another doctor, panting heavily, caught up with them. “I’m coming too!”

Good heavens!

They had gathered almost all the doctors from this area!

As they hurried from the front yard to the back, the four doctors asked the servant what had happened.

The servant, looking troubled, replied, “Our young mistress has fainted.”

The young mistress?

Wasn’t she the one from the General’s Mansion, married into the Zheng family? Just a few days ago, they’d heard she was so angry over her husband taking a concubine that she coughed up blood.

Doctor Xu, who had been the one treating her last time, frowned. “Didn’t I tell you last time that your young mistress has been suffering from emotional distress for the past six months and needs proper care? What’s caused her to faint again?”

The other three doctors exchanged curious glances, each marveling at the complexities of noble life.

Life in noble circles wasn’t easy.

Even the daughter of a general could be worn down by such torment. What a pity.

By this time, they had nearly reached the courtyard. Wan Yue, who had been waiting, overheard the conversation and greeted them with a wry smile. “Yesterday, the madam said our young mistress was feeling better and reminded her not to forget to pay her respects. This morning, she was busy serving breakfast, and perhaps the prolonged time took a toll on her health…”

Doctor Xu’s eyes widened. “You have so many servants, yet you let a sick woman serve breakfast? What kind of rule is that?”

Wan Yue’s smile grew even more bitter, but she insisted, “The madam said it is only natural for a daughter-in-law to serve her mother-in-law.”

Doctor Xu was shocked. He couldn’t stand people who disregarded their health. He was about to say more when Doctor Wang tugged at his sleeve. Turning around, he saw Doctor Wang giving him a knowing look and suddenly realized what was happening.

This wasn’t about rules; it was just the mother-in-law wanting to torment her daughter-in-law.

He swallowed his criticism, maintained a stern face, and went inside to check Qingli’s pulse through the curtain. His expression softened a bit. It was better than expected. He said, “It seems you’ve been taking good care of her these past few days. However, maintaining health is a long-term process. You can’t expect to recover in just a few days and start working hard again!”

“Doctor Xu is right,” Wan Yue responded, then turned to the other three doctors, saying, “I was so flustered when I saw the young mistress faint again that I hurriedly called all of you here. I’m sorry for the trouble and appreciate it if you could check her pulse as well.”

“Of course,” the doctors said kindly. The cost of visiting was considerable, but they didn’t mind.

Each of the four doctors checked Qingli’s pulse and came to the same conclusion: she needed to rest and recuperate over a long period.

Qingli thanked them through the curtain and said, “Wan Yue, see the doctors out.”

“Yes,” Wan Yue agreed, taking the money bag to see them off. She maintained a worried expression, displaying her concern for her mistress’s condition. She repeatedly told the doctors to ensure Qingli got proper rest, adding with a forced smile, “Our young mistress has been married for five years and has never missed a day of paying respects, rain or shine. Now that she’s recovered a bit, she was eager to pay respects right away. I, as a servant, couldn’t do much…”

“Even if you can’t do much, you must keep her in her room. If she doesn’t get proper rest, she might develop lasting health issues. It’s not worth it,” Doctor Xu said earnestly.

“Yes, yes, you’re right,” Wan Yue nodded, then sighed in frustration.

Once the doctors left, Wan Yue’s expression of difficulty vanished instantly. She quickly returned with a joyful face and said, “Young Mistress, everything is as you instructed. The doctors brought their apprentices, and among them, Doctor Wang enjoys chatting with patients, and Doctor Li’s apprentice is particularly interested. The news about you fainting due to being overworked by the madam will surely spread.”

“Good,” Qingli said with satisfaction, “Thank you for your hard work. Please call Awu over; I have something to discuss.”

“Yes,” Wan Yue said, her smile growing brighter. She asked curiously, “Young Mistress, what do you need Awu for?”

“To gather some medicine for me,” Qingli replied softly.

She didn’t tell the whole truth. The Ji family didn’t have internal conflicts, nor did they take concubines. Thus, like Wan Yue, the original host had developed a simple nature, not understanding the complexities of such situations or assuming the worst about people.

This is why she never suspected Madam Zhang’s sudden change of attitude a few days ago. She truly believed Madam Zhang had realized her mistakes, felt moved by her daughter-in-law’s sincerity, and started to act in her best interest.

Wan Yue’s curiosity was satisfied, and she immediately went out.

A short while later, Awu arrived.

Qingli handed him a prescription and a note, instructing him to get the medicine as listed on the note and advising, “Don’t buy everything from one pharmacy. Get it from several different places.”

Awu, loyal to the Ji family and well-trained, accepted the task without curiosity and left immediately.

Gossip spread quickly.

Especially after the recent commotion, and with new developments, there was naturally a lot of interest.

Doctor Wang, who had been pulled from the Zheng household, returned to his clinic with five taels of silver and continued seeing patients.

He was eager to share what he had heard. When he resumed his rounds, a patient asked what he had been up to. Without hesitation, he said, “The Zheng family’s eldest daughter-in-law was so upset she fell ill!”

At that moment, the patient was a middle-aged woman who had seen Qingli spitting blood a few days ago. Hearing the news again, she shook her head and sighed:

“Miss Ji has a hard life. With such a mother-in-law, she’s still not fully recovered, and her mother-in-law is rushing her to serve breakfast. Her husband wants to take a concubine—what’s the point of marrying into that family? Isn’t the Ji family known for being domineering? Why don’t they just let her go?”

“But that old woman from the Zheng family is something. Even the general’s daughter is tormented. It seems like this has been going on for a while.”

Doctor Wang, speaking quickly, described the woman’s condition. There were no major issues—just coldness in the palace. After finishing, he waited for a break between patients and added, “It’s not something new; it’s been like this since the marriage began!”

“I heard she never missed a day of paying respects, and now that Miss Ji’s health has improved a bit, the Zheng madam immediately pushed her to serve breakfast. Who wouldn’t be troubled?”

The next patient, not yet ready for their pulse to be taken, couldn’t help but comment, “This mother-in-law is something. Even a general’s daughter isn’t exempt from the hardships of a mother-in-law’s relationship. How pitiful.”

“Exactly…”

Everyone shared their views, and the consensus was the same. Doctor Li’s apprentice had similar reactions.

In just half an hour, the story of the Zheng family’s eldest daughter-in-law being fainted by her mother-in-law’s rules became well-known. Combined with the earlier news of her spitting blood, sympathy for Qingli was widespread.

Unaware of all this, Zheng Yihan had just finished court and was planning to visit a teahouse with a few colleagues.

Six months ago, with the help of his father and his wife’s family, Zheng Yihan had been promoted to a special envoy due to a shortage of officials.

However, things went awry when he went missing for six months, leading people to think he had died.

The emperor had given many rewards to the Zheng family, and even his illegitimate brother was promoted. But upon his return, Zheng Yihan found his position replaced and his wife, the general’s daughter, in a state of suffering. He found himself without a role and continuously targeted.

Now, with his wife’s family no longer reliable, he was too embarrassed to complain to his wife and instead sought help from old friends.

As they arrived at the teahouse and were about to go up to a private room, Zheng Yihan overheard a nearby guest say, “Do you think the Zheng family is so arrogant because the general isn’t in the capital? But he’s coming back. Zheng Madam dares to treat the general’s daughter like this. It’s really…”

Another guest whispered, “So audacious!”

Zheng Yihan stumbled slightly, feeling disoriented. He understood each word, but put together, it made him question everything.

Were they talking about his mother and his wife?

A colleague next to him heard and looked curiously. They whispered to Zheng Yihan, “Brother Zheng, is what they’re saying true? Your family is bold!”

The common people didn’t recognize them. Seeing Zheng Yihan’s interest, the speaker hurriedly said, “Yes, it’s true! It happened just over half an hour ago. Zheng Madam is ruthless. Her eldest daughter-in-law was upset a few days ago and spurred blood. Now she’s fainted again. Miss Ji seems to be on the verge of a breakdown.”

Colleagues were shocked: “Wow!!!”

Zheng Yihan: “…”

He was quite alarmed.