Chun Ling lowered the embroidered bird curtains on the water-drop-carved bed. Qing Lan extended her hand from behind the curtains, and Chun Ling covered it with a handkerchief, ensuring even the white wrist was completely concealed before stepping back. Madam Wu led the way, instructing the doctor to enter and check Qing Lan’s pulse.

After examining her for a while, the doctor said, “Madam is suffering from qi stagnation in the chest, and the phlegm has clouded her mind, causing the fainting spell. However, her body is not seriously affected, and the fetus is stable. Two more doses of medicine to calm the spirit and regulate qi should suffice.” He then left to write the prescription.

Madam Wu went to the adjacent room and told Xiang Lan and the others, “The doctor says the Young Madam is fine.” Chun Ling immediately clasped her hands in prayer, while Xiang Lan let out a long sigh of relief.

Just then, a maid announced at the door, “Madam is here!” Madam Qin had already stepped in, and Madam Wu hurriedly went to receive her. Madam Qin, with a gloomy expression, asked directly, “How is Concubine Lan’s condition?”

Madam Wu thought to herself, “Who was so loose-tongued to let Madam know about this so quickly?” Glancing behind Madam Qin, she saw Zhao Yue Chan following and understood somewhat. Putting on a smile, she said, “Thanks to Madam’s blessing, the Young Madam is fine. The doctor said she just needed rest and wrote a prescription. The medicine is already being prepared.”

She led Madam Qin inside and lifted the curtain, saying, “Young Madam, Madam has come to see you.”

Qing Lan struggled to get up, but Madam Qin quickly stepped forward to stop her, sitting on the bed’s edge saying, “Lie down, you’ll get dizzy if you get up suddenly.” Looking at Qing Lan, she saw her face was pale and her eyes were slightly swollen, as if she had been crying. She softened her voice and said, “You don’t take care of yourself. How did you end up fainting for no reason?”

Qing Lan moved her lips and forced a smile, “It’s my fault for making Madam worry.”

Before Madam Qin could respond, Zhao Yue Chan took out her handkerchief to wipe her tears and said, “This is all my fault, Mother. If you want to blame someone, blame me.”

It turned out that when Yin Liu went back to inform Zhao Yue Chan that Qing Lan had fainted upon hearing about Master Lin’s intention to promote Xiang Lan, Zhao Yue Chan was naturally delighted. Her eyes flickered as she thought of another plan. She immediately took two boxes of tea to Madam Qin’s room, saying she had brought some premium new tea from her maiden home that morning to share with Madam Qin. After barely speaking two sentences, she saw Yin Liu running in breathlessly, announcing that Concubine Lan had fainted. Madam Qin was greatly alarmed and hurriedly came over with her people.

Madam Qin, who had been worried about Qing Lan’s health, frowned at Zhao Yue Chan’s words and asked, “What does this have to do with you?”

Zhao Yue Chan explained, “Yesterday, I was thinking that since the Young Master had just returned home and hadn’t eaten much at dinner, and with his busy official duties at night, I was worried about his health. So I went to the kitchen to prepare some food and brought it to his study. That’s when I happened to see Xiang Lan from Concubine Lan’s quarters serving the Young Master, and he told me he wanted to promote this maid. I thought, since Concubine Lan’s pregnancy is progressing and she’s getting heavier, the Young Master indeed needs another clever person by his side. It was fortunate that the Young Master chose someone himself. The Young Master repeatedly instructed me not to mistreat Xiang Lan, so I selected some jewelry and fabric to be sent over…”

By this point, Madam Qin had understood eight or nine parts of the story, her brows furrowing even deeper. Zhao Yue Chan continued, “Perhaps Concubine Lan was already tired from managing the poetry society affairs these past few days and should have been resting. I was inconsiderate in sending people with gifts so noisily today, disturbing her. Moreover, since Xiang Lan is her maid, I should have informed Concubine Lan first.” She wiped her eyes again with her handkerchief, “Thankfully, Concubine Lan is alright, otherwise my sin would have been great…”

Xiang Lan, eavesdropping from the adjacent room, immediately turned pale. Zhao Yue Chan was using her as a target! These words quietly implicated both her and Qing Lan. “Happened to see Concubine Lan’s maid Xiang Lan serving the Young Master” clearly implies she was secretly seducing the master, while Zhao Yue Chan appeared virtuous by “selecting some jewelry and fabric to send over,” only to have Qing Lan faint from jealousy! What was Zhao Yue Chan stirring up trouble and sowing discord had now transformed into her being the most magnanimous one.

Madam Wu thought to herself that Zhao Yue Chan was trying to use others to do her dirty work, and quickly explained to Madam Qin, “This is also this old servant’s fault. Seeing the Young Master constantly busy and tired, and Concubine Lan’s condition becoming heavier, I suggested to the Young Master that once Old Madam Zeng’s mourning period ends, he should add someone else to serve him. These days I noticed Xiang Lan was honest and reliable, so I mentioned her to the Young Master, and he took notice. Last night he called Xiang Lan over to ask her a few questions, which Madam happened to see…”

Hearing Madam Wu speak up for her, Xiang Lan felt slightly relieved. She quietly lifted the curtain a crack to peek outside, seeing Madam Qin sitting upright on the bed, her expression unreadable.

Qing Lan had originally planned to appear more ill to gain Madam Qin’s sympathy, but now she couldn’t lie still. She struggled to sit up and said tearfully, “First Madam didn’t disturb me at all. I’ve been tired from the poetry society matters these past few days, and was already feeling unwell before I fainted.”

Zhao Yue Chan quickly said, “Sister, don’t say that. It was my fault.”

Madam Qin spoke up, “Young Chan, what gifts did you send? Let me see them.” Madam Wu hurriedly brought over the hairpins, jewelry, and fabric for Madam Qin to examine. Madam Qin silently looked through them for a while, then set them aside and said, “Where is Xiang Lan? Have she come here?”

Xiang Lan’s heart pounded, but she forced herself to walk out and properly kneel before Madam Qin. Madam Qin scrutinized her from head to toe, then looked at Zhao Yue Chan and Qing Lan, suddenly speaking harshly, “Have I been too lenient with you all, making you think I’m a fool you can deceive? Are you all putting on a show for me now?”

The room suddenly grew tense. Zhao Yue Chan and Madam Wu immediately knelt, repeatedly saying they wouldn’t dare. Qing Lan also tried to get up, but Madam Qin wouldn’t let her leave the bed, so she knelt on the bed, while Madam Qin ignored her.

Madam Qin stared at Zhao Yue Chan and said, “Daughter-in-law, you say today’s events are all your fault, that Master Lin wanted to promote a maid, and your sending gifts to the east wing caused Concubine Lan to faint. Is that right or not?”

Zhao Yue Chan sobbed twice, letting two tears fall, and said, “It’s all my fault. I was only thinking about how there wasn’t anyone suitable to take care of the Master now and remembering his words not to mistreat Xiang Lan. Last night, the Master even had Shu Ran personally escort Xiang Lan back, so I could see he cared about her. That’s why I rushed to send the gifts… I didn’t consider Concubine Lan’s condition or remember that she had just been working hard these past days.”

These words filled Xiang Lan with hatred, while Qing Lan bit her lip nearly to bleeding. However, Madam Qin gave a light laugh and said to Zhao Yue Chan, “Young Chan, you’d better put away those little tricks of yours. Do you take me for a fool?”

Zhao Yue Chan’s heart sank, and her hand holding the tear-wiping handkerchief froze. She immediately bowed her head to the ground and said, “I don’t understand what Madam means.”

Madam Qin adjusted her skirt and said calmly, “First, you are the First Madam, in charge of all internal affairs of the main household. You knew Qing Lan’s pregnancy was progressing and that she had been busy these past few days, so why didn’t you send someone to check on her? When sending gifts to this maid, why didn’t you think to prepare something for Qing Lan as well? The child in Qing Lan’s womb is our Lin family’s flesh and blood, who will call you ‘Mother’ in the future. Your disregard for her shows you are not virtuous.”

This heavy accusation left Zhao Yue Chan somewhat dazed, and she could only say pitifully, “It was my oversight.”

Madam Qin continued, “Second, you harbored ulterior motives in playing these tricks. For a maid who hasn’t even been promoted yet, if you wanted to send something, you could have done it quietly. Was it necessary to send several people with gifts so ostentatiously? Who were you trying to impress? And not only did you send gifts, but such expensive ones at that, displaying them so obviously for others to see. Were you afraid people wouldn’t know that Master Lin had taken a liking to a maid? We’re still in Old Madam Zeng’s mourning period – if this gets out, are you trying to give others leverage against Master Lin?”

Zhao Yue Chan cried and prostrated herself, saying, “I would never dare.”

Xiang Lan silently praised Madam Qin’s clear logic and insight. She secretly glanced up and saw that Concubine Lan, kneeling beside Madam Qin, looked much better after Madam Qin’s words.

Madam Qin sighed and continued, “There are some things I’d rather not state too explicitly. As women all living in the inner courtyard, I understand your intentions. However, you must be clear about what should and shouldn’t be done. Once you entered the Lin family, you became part of it. As I’ve said before, you are the main wife, different from concubines, so why must you compete at every turn? Everything you say and do should maintain the Lin family’s dignity. If you only think of yourself, where is the bearing and manner of a noble family’s mistress?”

Each of Madam Qin’s words struck Zhao Yue Chan’s heart. She felt completely exposed under Madam Qin’s scrutiny and could only repeatedly kowtow, crying, “Madam, I was wrong. Please forgive me this once.”

Seeing Zhao Yue Chan humbled, with her usual imposing manner completely gone, Qing Lan felt satisfied and could barely suppress a smile. Unexpectedly, Madam Qin suddenly turned around, her eyes like lightning as she stared at Qing Lan and asked deliberately, word by word, “And you, do you know your fault?”