Chapter 49: Meng Qi's Rage
Mother Liu looked at the tea stains on Su Qing's head as she knelt on the ground, and thought about what happened today.
After Mama Liu accompanied the Fourth Young Miss to Songhe Garden, she did not follow the other young ladies to the pavilion to admire the flowers. Instead, she helped Mama Wu in the lady's room to serve tea and snacks.
When the banquet was about to start, the ladies all came back. Meng Qi looked unhappy, while Meng Juan was gloating and kept whispering something in Meng Qi's ear. Meng Qi said loudly and impatiently, "Are you done yet? Everyone has an inconvenience sometimes."
Because the voice was quite loud and the tone was unfriendly, the wife and the prince's wife both looked at Mrs. Hu nervously. Mrs. Hu didn't say anything, but looked Meng Qi up and down with some displeasure.
Jiang cleverly arranged for everyone to sit down and no one said anything. Madam Liu felt uneasy, so after telling Jiaolian a few words, she went back to Qin Garden first. She saw Chuan'er and only then did she know what happened in the pavilion.
When Mother Liu heard Chuan'er talk about Su Qing's situation, she began to wonder if she had eaten something bad. Chuan'er told her that they had all eaten together in the morning so it shouldn't be the case, and Su Qing was not a picky eater.
Listening to Chuan'er's words, I thought that Su Qing's condition was exactly the same as my reaction after taking the medicine a few days ago.
After asking Chuan'er again whether Su Qing had had diarrhea and difficulty going to the toilet recently and getting a negative answer, Mother Liu sat in the room with a frown on her face.
If she was really overthinking, it would be fine if Su Qing just ate something bad and had a stomachache at an inopportune time, but if someone really dared to embarrass the Fourth Miss out of jealousy, she would definitely not let it go.
Mother Liu sighed, "Fourth Miss, this person is very anxious. Su Qing must not have done it on purpose. Fortunately, the young ladies didn't hear or smell it. It was just the servants who spread it. Let's just treat it as their nonsense. As long as one person denies it, what can they do?"
"It's obviously true. Even if I don't admit it, they will still say something. How can I go to other people's houses in the future? Especially since Zhou Yingning is here too. If she goes back to the Prince's Mansion and says something and causes trouble, then where will my face be?"
"Don't worry, we are all daughters of noble families, who would dare to use this to talk? The servants are also arranged by the master, and those who can be brought out are those who are needed by the master, and there will be no blind people. If there is anyone who makes Fourth Miss embarrassed, it is probably the two in our family. For the others, Fourth Miss really doesn't need to worry."
"The two from our family? Yes, you are right. I see Meng Juan is so happy. Hum, what a thing. Just wait and see. I must make her embarrassed once."
"Yes, as the old saying goes, it is never too late for a gentleman to take revenge. There is always a chance." Mother Liu coaxed Meng Qi along with what she said.
Meng Qi felt much calmer at this time. He looked down at Su Qing who was kneeling there and said bitterly, "I haven't eaten for several lifetimes, and I had a stomachache at that time. It's not good to do this in front of anyone, but Zhou Yingning and Meng Juan. Tell me, did you do this on purpose? Did you get some benefits from them and come here to annoy me..." He cursed for a whole incense stick of time, and no one in the room dared to persuade him.
When the fourth young lady took a breath, Madam Liu brought the tea over. "This Su Qing has been with you for almost two months. You know her character a little bit. She is not the kind of person who doesn't take things lightly. I think she must have eaten something by accident. It's not necessarily that Su Qing is greedy. It's hot this time, and many things can't be kept. Maybe she ate something by accident?"
Meng Qi vented her anger and sat on the chair, breathing heavily.
"Call the human traffickers and send them away. Don't hang around in my yard. It's annoying."
Madam Liu stepped forward and said with a smile, "Miss Fourth, listen to me. It is true that Su Qing has given you a favor, but if you chase her away, the eldest and other young ladies will laugh at you. If they spread the news that you don't care about the servants, we will be gossiped about for nothing."
Seeing that Meng Qi didn't say anything, he continued, "Besides, Qingrui is her sister. Not to mention that Qingrui often helps the fourth young lady smooth things over in front of the prince's wife, she also worked hard in front of you before. When I came back just now, Qingrui took my hand and wanted to go to the fourth young lady to plead for mercy. I thought, the fourth young lady should at least give Qingrui some face, right?"
Meng Qi nodded after hearing what Liu's mother said. "It's okay not to sell it, but I have to be fined. I've lost face so much. Who knows how Meng Juan will frame me when she gets out?"
Mother Liu stroked her forehead secretly and said, "My dear lady, what's the big deal about Meng Juan's plotting against you? What's important is the way Princess Shen looked at you at that time. She is your future mother-in-law."
Mother Liu is now extremely worried about Meng Qi. Thinking about how the Crown Prince's wife discussed with her a while ago about hiring a foster mother for Meng Qi in the palace, she feels that it is very necessary, and the sooner the better.
Hearing what Meng Qi said, Mother Liu nodded in agreement and signaled Jiao Xing to help Su Qing up.
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"Tell me, what happened?" Mother Liu sat on a stool in her room and asked Su Qing who had just cleaned up.
Su Qing breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Mother Liu also felt that this was not a coincidence, otherwise she would not have spoken up for her in the upper room, and she would not have asked her again at this time.
So she recounted the whole process in detail, but she didn't say what she doubted Ruchun. Just as Qingrui said, there was no proof, and telling it at this time would make people feel that she was clearing herself.
But with Mother Liu's intelligence, after hearing this, she would definitely think that she was framed. As for whether to investigate or not, that was Mother Liu's business.
After listening to Su Qing's words, Mother Liu frowned more and more tightly, "Su Qing, you know I don't tolerate any sand in my eyes. Are you sure you didn't eat something bad?"
Su Qing nodded. No one saw her eating glutinous rice cake this morning. In order to let Mother Liu investigate the matter, she couldn't bring it up. She insisted that what she ate was the same as the others in the back room. In order to avoid eating too much and having to go to the toilet again, she deliberately ate less than usual.
"What does the water you drank taste like?" Mother Liu thought that Chuan'er was talking about the meal that Su Qing had with them, so she asked.
"I don't like to drink tea or anything like that on a daily basis. I just drink plain water. So I don't know what Pangdahai tastes like."
Mother Liu turned around and called Jiao Xing, "Go make a cup of Sterculia lychnophora."
After a while, Jiao Xing brought some fat sea water for Su Qing to drink. After Su Qing finished drinking it, he shook his head and said, "This is not the taste I want. It has a strong bitter and astringent taste. It also makes my throat a little spicy after swallowing it."
"Bitter and astringent, irritating the throat?" Mother Liu raised her eyebrows and asked sternly.
"Yes, it's not very tasty, so I only drank one sip." Su Qing is now afraid, not because of Meng Qi's blame, but because the medicine is too strong. I squatted for so long after drinking one sip. Now my stomach is uncomfortable. If I drink more, I don't know what will happen. You are so good, Ruchun. If I can't control you with Yu's mother's hand, I will also make you look good.
Mother Liu stood up and walked towards the bedside. After thinking for a while, she came back and said, "I understand. No matter what the situation is, the fourth young lady is still angry. You should stay at the back corner door for a few days. I will arrange your errand later."