The Marquise: I Earn My Own Worship

Chapter 431 Theatricality

When she got inside, she half-lay on the bed in discomfort, drinking the medicine spoonful by spoonful.

This medicine tastes bitter in your mouth but leaves you feeling bitter in your heart.

She didn't suffer much when giving birth to Hua Ge'er. The fetus was small, and when she was pregnant, she wore loose clothes so her belly was not noticeable.

It was the third baby. Almost immediately after the water broke, with Dai Qianyi by her side, the baby was born.

"Is mother okay? Has she woken up?"

Yiqin replied with red eyes: "I woke up. Second Aunt came again early this morning and is now in the old lady's room comforting her."

Ding Meishu put the medicine bowl back and waved her hand for someone to take it away.

"Where are my brother and sister-in-law?"

"Master is ill and will not see anyone except the Madam and the court physician. Madam..."

Yiqun wanted to say that the eldest lady was a little too calm. Looking at her symptoms, she seemed to be heartbroken.

"The Madam is just like usual, she's even starting to have people prepare..."

Yiqin said in a trembling voice: "Let someone prepare for the funeral of my eldest brother."

Yiqin held back the tears in her eyes and thought about the first time she saw her elder brother. Time passed so quickly.

Ding Meishu covered her mouth with a handkerchief, tears falling like beads.

Everyone in the mansion, including the masters and servants, knew how much my sister-in-law cherished Kang'er.

The last time the news of Kang Ge'er's disappearance came back, my sister-in-law almost cried herself blind. This time...

She has been worried a lot over the years.

As a woman, and having given birth to a child, only a woman like her can understand her.

She was originally a noble lady, who married a noble son due to an arranged marriage. Fortunately, the couple had developed feelings for each other since childhood, and their life was harmonious.

My parents-in-law are friendly and there has never been any conflict.

But life was not perfect. Her husband was weak, and the two of them, who had to take care of inheriting the eldest son's bloodline, were extremely anxious.

The child they had been waiting for for many years was born, and then their father-in-law, who had taken on the responsibility of supporting the family, passed away.

As a daughter raised by a wealthy family, how could I not see the changing situation clearly?

In the world at that time, families like theirs could not go far.

Ding Meishu has vaguely noticed a lot of things over the years. People outside are talking about how her sister-in-law drowned her child, but in the final analysis, it was nothing more than a mother selfishly wanting her child to live safely.

She may not be a qualified mistress, but she is a mother who loves her children.

After she married into the Marquis's Mansion, she heard a lot about the past.

She just wanted to say that her sister-in-law's secret thoughts would not lead to good results in the end.

Fortunately, there is an elderly mother at home who has been taking care of my sister-in-law over the years and has helped her a lot.

As her younger brother's wife, it was not her place to judge whether her elder sister-in-law was right or wrong.

Seeing my sister-in-law like this now is really heartbreaking.

"Send someone over to help me wash up later. I'm going to go see my mother and sister-in-law."

Yiqun was a little hesitant, as the Fourth Madam had only been in confinement for a few days.

"Fourth Madam, the Old Madam and the First Madam both asked you to have a good rest."

Ding Meishu had something on her mind, and her face turned a little unhappy when she heard this.

"Nonsense! With such a big thing happening at home, how could I leave and hide in my room all by myself? Yiqin, you're overstepping your bounds."

"The slaves dare not."

Yiqin knelt down immediately.

Ding Meishu relaxed her expression and let her get up.

"You've always been the most steady. I know you're doing this for me, but as members of the Marquisate, we share both good and bad fortune. Kang'er is gone, and my sister-in-law must be deeply distressed. Now that my eldest brother has fallen ill, I need to be even more compassionate."

Yiqun nodded, she had indeed overstepped her bounds today, as it was not the place for servants like them to interfere in their master's affairs.

On weekdays, a few jokes are enough, but you can't break the rules in big matters.

"I understand. I will go down and order people to prepare it."

Ding Meishu nodded, and only relaxed her expression after the person left.

Only a few of them knew about that matter, and the servants kept it a secret.

When she put on a plain dress and rushed over, Mrs. Lu was asking the steward to take inventory of the things needed for the funeral.

She had to check every piece of paper carefully before it counted.

The stewards were standing aside, all trembling with fear, as they had never seen the eldest lady in such a state.

There's a sense of quiet madness.

"The number here is wrong. My son is a general and an earl. The number of small mourning clothes should be 28 (I made it up. The number for a scholar is 19, and I can't find the number for a general)."

"Yes, I'll go down and prepare."

Lu went through every detail of the funeral and only let them go after pointing out several problems.

At this time, Ding Meishu arrived.

"Sister-in-law."

Ding Meishu took off her heavy veil, stepped forward and took her hand.

When she saw her sister-in-law, tears flashed in Lu's eyes, but she finally calmed down.

"Why are you here? I'm still in confinement, and it's been very windy these past two days."

Mrs. Lu acted as if nothing had happened and even asked about Hua Ge'er.

The more she acted like this, the more uncomfortable Ding Meishu felt.

At the same time, she sighed in her heart. Fortunately, she knew that the news was false. If it was true, her sister-in-law would have gone with Kang Ge'er.

"I'm fine, I was just worried about you."

Mrs. Lu twitched the corners of her mouth, but she didn't smile.

The night she received the news of Kangger's death, she knelt alone in the small Buddhist temple all night. People outside were saying that she had believed in Buddhism for many years, but Buddha did not bless her child, so she probably went to curse Buddha.

But outsiders don’t know that the small Buddhist temple does not enshrine Buddha, and they don’t know how fortunate she was at that time.

The two looked at each other and decided to continue singing this scene.

"Let's go and see our mother. She's old and can't stand it anymore."

Song Shengfu was lying on the bed, and Lao Er was talking to her through the curtain not far away.

Soon, Lu and Ding Meishu came over. Before they even saw them, Song Shengfu asked them to leave.

"I don't want to see anyone, you all go away."

Song Shengfu spoke weakly and drove her daughter and daughter-in-law out.

Duan Jingyi's eyes were red as she was politely asked to leave by the servants.

Outside, seeing them in the same situation, the three of them comforted each other with red eyes.

Listening to the crying outside, Song Shengfu leaned sideways and slightly stood up, took a piece of snack from the bed and ate it.

While eating, she listened with her ears perked up.

She lay down again only after everyone left.

She hadn't eaten well in the past few days and was very hungry. In the morning, when Mrs. Lu came to see her, she brought her two plates of snacks. She secretly hid them in the secret compartment by the window and ate a piece when she was hungry.

After eating, her mouth felt a little dry, so she stretched her throat.

"Suchun, pour me some water."

Suchun had been guarding the door and hurried in when she heard the sound.

The other three could only watch and could not go in unless the old lady called them.

The old lady is now just like the old man, and no longer sees anyone.

The Marquis' Mansion was going well, but suddenly everything changed.

Suchun quickly poured a glass of water, helped the old lady drink it, and then helped her to sleep.

But when she was cleaning up, she faintly smelled something, like snacks.

But she didn't think too much about it, thinking it was probably brought from her second aunt just now.