Our Xiang Rong Also Has Support
Fen Dai’s question caused Han shi to become dazed. She had said it casually and did not think she had unwittingly made a confession, saying something she should have revealed.
Seeing Fen Dai’s gaze become filled with more and more doubt, A Ju quickly came up with an idea and said: “It was this servant who heard about it. Perhaps it was this servant that was muttering about it before fourth young miss came in, and concubine mother Han heard it.”
Han shi nodded repeatedly, “That’s right, I felt in my dream that there seemed to be someone saying something about third young miss falling into the water. I originally thought it was a dream. And just now, you said that something happened, so I mixed them up.” She said this tilting her head, “Ah, in my drowsiness, my mind was a mess, and I kept spouting nonsense. Where would anyone fall into water in the middle of the night.”
Fen Dai felt this explanation was passable and no longer doubted her. She even gave Han shi and explanation: “She did indeed fall into the water. What exactly happened, I am not sure. You rest for now. I will go over and take a look first.” After saying this, she advised A Ju: “You absolutely must take good care of concubine mother.”
A Ju nodded and sent Fen Dai out of the room.
Only then did Han shi let out a long sigh of relief while patting her chest: “That scared me to death.”
A Ju’s small face was also pale white, “This servant was the one who was truly scared to death! Concubine mother needs to pay more attention, especially before the fourth young miss. You absolutely must not let anything slip!”
Han shi said with guilt: “I know. Just now, I was a little afraid. It won’t happen again.” Thinking a little more, she decided to sit up, “Help me get dressed. Let’s also go over and take a look.”
A Ju was stunned, “Didn’t fourth young miss say for you not to go?”
“If I do not go, how can I be at ease.” Han shi began putting her clothes on.
A Ju was puzzled: “Why would you not be at ease?” The third young miss did not have any relations with the concubine mother, this was something she knew.
Han shi frowned. When she pushed Xiang Rong into the water, A Ju was not at her side, as she had been sent back to her courtyard much earlier. She did not plan on telling anyone about this matter, so she could only find another excuse: “Whether or not I have become pregnant is still uncertain. Everyone else in the manor has gone, so it would definitely not be good if I did not go. What if elder madam blames me, I would have to accept it.”
A Ju listened and felt that this was the case, so she did not ask anything else. She only reminded her: “Regardless of what happened over there, concubine mother absolutely must not get too worried. This servant heard that if the mother’s state of mind is not peaceful when pregnant, it can affect the future young master.”
Han shi agreed with this and nodded repeatedly, “You are correct.”
“Ah.” A Ju tidied up Han shi’s clothes while sighing: “Concubine mother, this matter is truly too risky, but…” Doubt began to creep into the servant’s heart, “Just now, you mentioned the side of the lake. What did you mean?”
Han shi frowned, and her state of mind became turbulent, “When I was coming back, I passed by that area, right. I seemed to have heard some sort of sound, but I was extremely nervous at that time. How could I worry about anything else. Upon hearing movement, I quickly ran. Just now when fourth young miss said it, I subconsciously recalled that matter.”
“Oh.” A Ju still felt that her explanation was a little forced, but since Han shi had said it, it would not be good for her to doubt her master: “Then let’s quickly go over. This servant did indeed hear that the third young miss fell into the lake. Right now, the servants of the manor are all looking for her. This servant did not have a chance to tell concubine mother before fourth young miss barged in.”
Han shi let out a small sigh and did not say anything further. Going with A Ju, she went towards the lake.
When they arrived, the search under water had begun once more.
An shi was on the verge of fainting from crying. But when Han shi saw this outcome, her heart dropped to her stomach for a while.
It would be best if she could not be found. Let that girl stay in the water for around a decade, so that nothing will be left of her.
The matriarch’s face was gloomy, as she sat on her chair. Seeing that Han shi only just arrived, she could not help but scold: “You were the one who arrived the latest. Such a large thing happened in the manor, yet you have the mind to sleep?”
Han shi quickly went forward to salute the matriarch then said with grief: “This concubine’s body has not been well these past few days. That is why I got up a little slower. Mother-in-law, please do not blame me.”
Fen Dai did not want the matriarch to argue with Han shi, so she quickly took over, mournfully saying: “I heard third sister wanted to go visit Tong Sheng pavilion? She really is arrogant. We could not even enter Tong Sheng pavilion during the day, yet third sister actually ran over there in the middle of the night. Those sisters really are close. But how come second sister did not come over? Speaking of, the one to arrive latest should be second sister.”
Hearing her mention Tong Sheng pavilion, the matriarch recalled something and quickly asked: “Have you inquired with the people at Tong Sheng pavilion?”
He Zhong went forward and saluted, replying: “This servant has already sent someone to as, and the servant keeping watch said she did not see the third young miss.”
Chen Yu wiped away some tears then sobbed: “Third sister’s handkerchief and shoe were all found in the lake. Thinking about it, she did not even make it to Tong Sheng pavilion before she…”
“Elder madam!” An shi suddenly shouted then crawled over to the matriarch’s feet. Crying, she begged: “Elder madam, I beg you go find some people outside the manor who are good at swimming! This concubine heard that the government has some soldiers who are good at searching for people. Elder madam, I beg you ask the governor for help!”
The matriarch had a troubled expression and asked granny Zhao: “What time is it right now?”
Granny Zhao replied: “It’s a little after 3 hours past midnight.”
Chen Yu sobbed once again: “Concubine mother, even if we went to ask for help, it would be too late! In such deep water, third sister…”
“If she is alive, I must see her. If she is dead, I must see her corpse!” An shi gritted her teeth and forcefully said, “Even if it is just a corpse, I must retrieve her!”
“Nonsense!” The matriarch absolutely hated hearing these sorts of things. Looking at An shi, she appeared to be like a shrew. She actually dared to speak to one of the manor’s young misses like this? “An shi, you need you remember your own standing! Could it be that I need to empty the lake for the sake for a concubine’s daughter? The government is not run by the Feng family. Take a look at what time it is. Jin Yuan is not at the manor, and Tong Sheng pavilion is in its current situation. Who among us is capable of requesting help from the governor?”
An shi looked at the matriarch with great difficulty. As a grandmother, she was actually able to say such things. This was not only incredibly disappointing, An shi was beginning to wonder if the matriarch had left her room without her brain.
“Eldest young miss and fourth young miss are both here. Elder madam, do not cause the young misses of the manor to become so cold.” The status of her own daughter was unclear, and An shi suddenly went up. If Xiang Rong was no longer alive, she would not want to live either. For a person who did not fear death, how could she fear an old woman? She no longer cried and no longer knelt. Unsteadily, she stood up with Ping’er and Mei Xiang rushing forward to help her. An shi then said: “Since elder madam will not even save her own granddaughter, this concubine will go beg someone else. The Feng family can not be relied upon, but there is still the Chun Palace! Elder madam must have forgotten that third young miss and Prince Chun were very close. At the time of county princess Ji An’s banquet, his Highness Prince Chun gifted a set of clothes. After that, the third young miss fell into the water at the banquet, and it was his Highness Prince Chun who saved her. This concubine remembers hearing the servants saying that after his Highness saved the third young miss, he kept her on his own boat and took care of her. He even personally wrapped her up in a cloak. Also, last time, for the sake of inquiring about the second young miss going into the palace, the third young miss was sent to the Chun Palace. I have never heard of any girls being allowed into their gates, but it was opened for our third young miss. It is fine if elder madam forgot about these things. This concubine has remembered them all. I will go to the Chun Palace to request help from his Highness the seventh prince. He has saved the third young miss from the water once, so he can save her once more.”
An shi left with her servants after she finished speaking.
The matriarch was quick to react and subconsciously shouted: “Wait a little.” She had been frighted by An shi.
That’s right! How could she have forgotten about this relationship? Regardless of whether or not Prince Chun had those types of thoughts, but he had indeed expressed his goodwill towards Xiang Rong. The current situation was not very clear, so she could not be too distracted. If she truly delayed saving Xiang Rong, and Prince Chun investigated, the Feng family could not be protected.
The matriarch had these thoughts, but Chen Yu and Fen Dai stood silently to the side.
Although they did not care whether or not Xiang Rong had died, the matriarch’s words had truly caused them to feel disappointed. They were all daughters of concubines. Could it be that the daughter of a concubine was of a similar existence as dogs and cats to the matriarch? After falling into the water, she would not even put in her full effort to search for them?
The expressions on their faces became strange. Granny Zhao was the first to notice and immediately realized that the matriarch had spoken too harshly earlier. She quickly began to rush, saying: “Elder madam, quickly go to the governor’s office to call for help!”
“That is a good idea.” The matriarch nodded and was about to send people out of the manor. Before she could say it, housekeeper He Zhong stared off in a different direction with his mouth open in an expression that displayed his shock.
At his side, there was a guard who also happened to be looking in that direction. He was the first to say “Isn’t that… second young miss and third, third young miss?”
Upon hearing third young miss, everyone turned to look. Sure enough, they saw Xiang Rong walking hand in hand with Feng Yu Heng from the direction of Tong Sheng pavilion.
Before them, the third young miss was dressed properly with shoes on her feet and a handkerchief in her hand. Aside from her face being a little pale, everything else was fine.
Everyone was shocked, and Ans hi was the first to run over. She ran until she reached Xiang Rong, but she did not dare call her. She only stared at her, looking her over.
Xiang Rong smiled. Holding An shi’s hand, she asked: “What happened concubine mother? Do you not recognize Xiang Rong?”
An shi then recovered and looked towards Xiang Rong and Feng Yu Heng and developed a bit of an understanding. But Xiang Rong’s hand was ice cold. No matter how she looked at her, she did not appear to be healthy.
Although she was worried, she knew that she could not ask too much at this moment, so she said: “Third young miss has caused concubine mother a great deal of worry. Where did you go?”
Xiang Rong held onto An shi and walked with Feng Yu Heng over to everyone else. After stopping, she said: “Today, I was a little feverish, and I was uncomfortable at night, so I wanted to visit second sister to have her take a look. Upon reaching the lake, I realized I forgot my coat, so my servant returned to fetch it. Standing here alone by the lake, I was careless and fell into the water. Fortunately, I was found and saved by second sister’s servant Huang Quan. It was thanks to this that I was able to survive.”
The matriarch, who had been on edge the entire time, finally calmed down. No matter what was said, so long as Xiang Rong was still alive, it was fine. She originally did not care at all about this granddaughter, but after hearing An shi’s reminder, she began to worry about her.
“It’s good that you are fine.” The matriarch put on a kindly expression and looked at Xiang Rong, “I thought that you had fallen into the water. It caused grandmother to be extremely worried. It is good that you are fine.”
When the matriarch spoke, Han shi’s face revealed a panic-filled and tense expression, which Fen Dai caught a glimpse of.
The young girl furrowed her brow slightly and gently walked forward. Placing Han shi behind her, she turned her gaze to Feng Yu Heng and said with doubt: “Third sister went to Tong Sheng pavilion? But why is it that when we sent people to ask, the servants said that they did not see third sister? Also, why did Huang Quan come to our Feng manor in the middle of the night?”