Now everyone in the east hall of the dharma hall discovered that something had happened to Yu Tang.

The several old ladies had experienced many things. Though flustered, they were not restless. The several madams and young madams felt it was none of their concern and were just watching the excitement. Only Chen Shi, sitting behind the Pei family’s old ladies, suddenly seeing her daughter faint, was immediately frightened out of her wits. She sat there as if stupefied, not knowing how to move. Then there was Second Lady, who was serving the old ladies—her heart gave a thump and she silently cried out “terrible” several times in her heart.

Yu Tang was the family’s only daughter. If Yu Tang had some mishap at the sutra lecture assembly organized by their family, the Yu family would probably fall apart. And for their Pei family’s event to have such a major flaw would truly be difficult to explain to others.

Second Lady immediately rushed over.

Only then did Chen Shi come to her senses. With tears streaming down like rain, she cried out “My child” and ran over closely following Second Lady.

People who fainted were especially heavy. Only Fifth Miss, whose figure had not yet fully grown, was closest to Yu Tang and caught her. By the time Second Lady and Chen Shi arrived and took over Yu Tang, Fifth Miss felt half her body had gone numb. But she still firmly remembered Third Miss’s words and quickly said to Second Lady, “Mother, Sister Yu seems to have heatstroke!”

Chen Shi was already too anxious to have any ideas. Hearing this, she immediately begged Second Lady, “Quickly, quickly call a physician to examine her!”

Second Lady looked at Yu Tang’s face like gold paper and lips like wax, yet without a single drop of sweat—it didn’t look like heatstroke. Seeing Chen Shi’s completely lost appearance, she quickly said in a low voice, “Madam Yu, in such a public place, we cannot leave Miss Yu here like this. How about this? I remember there’s a quiet chamber not far behind the dharma hall. I’ll have someone speak with the temple’s head masters right away to borrow their place and settle Miss Yu there first. As for a physician, we’ll first call the physician who came with us, and also send someone to the city to call another physician—that way it’s more secure. The traveling physician is easy—just have Grand Lady Ji speak a word. For calling a physician from the city, I’ll have my elderly servant find the stewards. Working in parallel, it won’t delay Miss Yu’s condition. You should also stay calm. Miss Yu will still need your care later!”

As she spoke, Old Lady Pei also rushed over.

Without a word, she crouched down and took Yu Tang’s pulse.

This was not heatstroke at all—clearly she had been frightened.

She was furious in her heart.

Young ladies playing tricks was nothing unusual in these great families, but for things to reach this point was somewhat excessive.

Old Lady Pei calmly gave Second Lady a meaningful look, then gently comforted Chen Shi, saying, “Yes! Rest assured, the young lady will be fine. She’s so well-behaved, and this is in a temple—the Bodhisattva will protect her. Just stay calm for now. When the physician comes, we’ll see what he says.”

Having received comfort from Old Lady Pei and Second Lady, Chen Shi finally wasn’t so panicked.

She kept expressing her thanks.

Old Lady Pei then said casually to the other onlookers, “It’s nothing. Perhaps we lit a bit too much incense and the young lady was stifled and couldn’t adapt for a moment. When the physician comes and she takes a few rendan pills, she’ll be fine.”

Apart from this, everyone couldn’t think of any other possibility. Plus, Old Lady Pei had just taken Yu Tang’s pulse. Everyone asked if there was anything they could help with, just to give orders. Even Eleventh Peng said very apologetically, “She wasn’t frightened by me, was she? This scar on my face is too frightening! Had I known, I wouldn’t have come here to visit you.”

Old Lady Pei was startled upon hearing this, feeling there might actually be this possibility. But she quickly denied this speculation, feeling Yu Tang was not such a timid person. She couldn’t help but smile and say, “Eleventh Master, you worry too much. Our young ladies are not so inexperienced.”

Eleventh Peng was quite surprised.

Old Lady Pei already smiled at everyone and said, “I know everyone is worried about Miss Yu, but please disperse! Miss Yu already feels stifled—if you keep surrounding her like this, she’ll feel even worse.”

Everyone agreed. Though they didn’t each return to their seats, they all dispersed somewhat, and the atmosphere in the east hall eased.

Miss Wu and Gu Xi stood at the outermost edge of the crowd. But Miss Wu stood on tiptoe and looked at Yu Tang a few times, whispering to Gu Xi, “She’s not faking it, is she? I don’t think heatstroke looks like this.”

Gu Xi couldn’t understand why Yu Tang would do this. She said doubtfully, “Probably not?”

Miss Wu snorted disdainfully and said, “Some people have so many schemes—who knows what she’s plotting?”

Gu Xi wanted to ask Miss Wu if she had noticed something, but Grand Lady Chen had already brought two robust elderly servants carrying a soft sedan chair over.

Second Lady and Chen Shi placed Yu Tang on the soft sedan chair.

Pei Yan had been paying attention to the movements in the east hall all along, somewhat worried that Yu Tang and Gu Xi would cause trouble. Now with the sedan chair being carried and physicians being called there, though others hadn’t noticed, it couldn’t escape Pei Yan.

His expression suddenly became stern. But before he could summon A’Ming and others to inquire, Pei Man had already hurried over and whispered in his ear about Yu Tang fainting.

“What did you say?!” Pei Yan drew in a cold breath, feeling as if a cold wind had roared through from the bottom of his heart, making him feel cold all over, his face seeming to turn somewhat pale from the cold.

He stood up abruptly and opened his mouth wanting to ask “How could Miss Yu have fainted,” but from the corner of his eye he caught Tao Qing’s face full of curiosity.

Pei Yan had to forcibly suppress and swallow his words.

His outburst didn’t matter, but Miss Yu would become famous among several great families and even throughout all of Jiangnan.

Pei Yan’s heart immediately felt as if it had been viciously clawed by a cat, painfully throbbing strand by strand.

His expression became even worse.

Miss Yu was originally a troublemaker. For someone who often walked by the river, wasn’t getting wet shoes this time very normal?

Why was he worried about her?

His mind thought this way, but the feeling of heartache could not be suppressed.

Moreover, he still didn’t know exactly what had happened on Yu Tang’s side, and he had no mood to carefully sort through these emotions. With a dark face, he said to Pei Man, “Come with me!”

Speaking thus, without explaining to the assembled guests, he lifted his foot and headed toward the back door of the dharma hall.

Fourth Master Song and others sitting in the main hall were thus left hanging in the dharma hall without warning. One by one they looked at each other, not knowing what urgent matter had occurred. Should they send someone to follow and ask? Or pretend to know nothing and wait here?

Pei Man sensed the furious anger Pei Yan was suppressing in his heart. He forced himself to rally and followed behind him, carefully explaining again about Yu Tang fainting.

Pei Yan’s mood was like the weather in the sixth month when rain was about to fall—oppressive, anxious, irritable.

He said dissatisfied, “Doesn’t anyone know what exactly happened?”

Pei Man could finally see clearly—whenever their Third Master encountered Miss Yu, he could create trouble out of nothing. Not to mention now when Miss Yu had truly had an incident. Who knew how furious their Third Master was inside!

He didn’t want to be blamed unfairly.

Pei Man said carefully, “We’ll have to wait for the physician to examine her before we know.”

Pei Yan said irritably, “Then why aren’t you hurrying to call a physician?”

Pei Man was choked speechless.

He was the head steward of this household, in overall charge of all affairs. If he went to call a physician, who would manage the huge mess before them? Besides, he had six or seven stewards under him, plus numerous assistant stewards and servants. For such a small matter as calling a physician to require him to go personally—then why keep so many subordinates?

This very reasoning was what Third Master had told him before!

However, at this moment Third Master was like a flaming mountain about to erupt. He didn’t want to add fuel to light the flaming mountain and get himself burned to death.

He immediately said, “I’ll go right away!”

As for whether he went personally or sent someone, that was his business.

One forcibly suppressing anger, one placating the master—the two went one after another out the back door of the dharma hall, just in time to see a soft sedan chair carrying Yu Tang out.

The person who was usually lively and bouncing around, able to anger you half to death, was now lifeless and still…

Pei Yan was stunned, not coming to his senses for a long while.

Old Lady Pei, who was seeing Yu Tang out, spotted Pei Yan at a glance.

“Why did you come over?” Old Lady Pei quickly walked over. Because she didn’t know exactly how Yu Tang was, she still held herself together in front of outsiders, but in front of her son she couldn’t help showing some worry. She said in rapid succession, “You also know about Miss Yu’s matter? I’m afraid the physician we brought can only treat minor ailments like headaches and fevers. We need to quickly call a capable physician over. If that still doesn’t work, we’ll send her to Hangzhou city. If only we could contact Imperial Physician Yang right now.”

Imperial Physician Yang had just come to take Grand Lady’s pulse for peace.

Pei Yan said, “Then have him make another trip.”

Old Lady Pei nodded worriedly and said, “Don’t worry. I’m watching over things here! Your second sister-in-law is also handling matters quite properly now. You go to the main hall to host the Song family, Wu family, and those people.”

Pei Yan looked at Yu Tang’s hand hanging powerlessly by the side of the soft sedan chair, unconscious and limp. He felt uncomfortable inside, very flustered.

“It’s fine, isn’t Second Brother still there?” Pei Yan’s gaze seemed glued to Yu Tang’s body, as if he couldn’t tear it away. He said, “I’d better follow along to look? After all, Miss Yu was invited by me. You still need to host those madams in charge, and Second Sister-in-law…” She was fine for major matters, but could still manage looking after a sick person—yet he still wasn’t at ease.

Pei Yan’s lips trembled as he tried to find a reason to convince his mother, but Second Lady and Chen Shi had already discovered that Pei Yan had also come over and hurried to greet him.

Second Lady wanted to speak a few words with Pei Yan, but Chen Shi feared delaying Yu Tang’s condition. After greeting him, she urged the two elderly servants to hurry toward the quiet chamber. Second Lady looked at Pei Yan awkwardly.

Pei Yan, however, said, “You quickly escort Miss Yu over. I’ll come along with the physician later.”

Saying this wasn’t wrong, was it?

He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Both Old Lady Pei and Second Lady were misled by him, thinking he was preparing to come visit Yu Tang together when the physician from Lin’an city arrived.

As the host, this was appropriate.

Neither said anything more.

Second Lady and Chen Shi escorted Yu Tang with hurried steps toward the quiet chamber. Old Lady Pei returned to host those madams in charge.

Pei Yan hesitated whether to follow over now or wait a while and make a detour before going over. But as soon as he looked up, he discovered Gu Xi and Miss Wu standing at the door of the east hall of the dharma hall, looking outward.