Free Web NovelChapter 73: Chapter 72: Begging for Mercy
Du Yunluo finished speaking and met Old Mrs. Xia’s half-smiling gaze. She hurriedly squeezed out a smile, "Grandmother, learning from experience, I’ve learned to be good."
"Pah!" Old Mrs. Xia spat, "Playing tricks with an old lady, you are getting better at it!"
Du Yunluo blinked her eyes; her little tricks couldn’t fool Old Mrs. Xia, nor did she intend to hide them. In the end, she relied on being favored, acting spoiled to escape punishment, so the rest was simple.
Old Mrs. Xia hummed, "Did you listen to the advice I gave your two elder sisters last time? You say you’ve learned, what have you learned? The art of begging for forgiveness? It seems you forget when you weren’t the one suffering by the river last time, and when you have to kneel as punishment, then you know how to beg for mercy?"
Du Yunluo lowered her head. Although she was being lectured, she managed to suppress her laughter.
Mentioning last time’s events, Miao Family’s heart ached even more. Du Yunying’s fingers were still wrapped like a rice dumpling, suffering in this heat. Seeing Du Yunluo’s ankle wasn’t much better, she felt a bit more at ease.
Old Mrs. Xia continued her relentless scolding, no one dared to speak until Miao Family estimated that most of Old Mrs. Xia’s anger had dissipated, and acted as the peacemaker, "Old Madam, this matter stems from trouble caused by my family; it happened suddenly, so Yunluo couldn’t avoid getting hurt. Even if there’s no serious injury, she’ll be off her feet for ten days or half a month. Given Yunluo’s temperament, confining her to bed without moving is surely more uncomfortable for her than being punished by kneeling. Could we count her foot injury as punishment?"
Old Mrs. Xia listened, her face taut and indifferent.
Du Yunluo sweetly called "Second Aunt" aloud, yet wasn’t surprised by Miao Family’s pleading.
After all, Madam Miao was implicated in this. Even if Miao Family secretly gritted her teeth at her sister-in-law, in front of Old Mrs. Xia, the matter had been attributed to Miao Family. If Miao Family didn’t hurry to show goodwill, how could she possibly restore her lost face?
Mrs. Zhen glanced at Miao Family. Since the incident, she had vented her anger and considered things, and now seemed to be the calmest person in the room.
To her, Du Yunying’s injury last time was due to the marriage matter between Du Yunluo and Mu Lianxiao. This time Du Yunluo twisted her ankle because of the Miao Family, balancing the accounts.
Old Mrs. Xia disliked petty disputes between sisters-in-law, thus Mrs. Zhen adjusted her mindset and decided not to waste words over Miao Family matters with Miao Family.
Outside, hurried footsteps approached. Du Yunru lifted the curtain and entered, quickly greeting before moving beside Du Yunluo, "Are you hurt?"
Du Yunluo saw Du Yunru sweating profusely, knowing she must have rushed upon hearing the news, feeling a warm sensation in her heart. She reached for the handkerchief in her sleeve but didn’t find it, so used her sleeve to wipe Du Yunru’s sweat.
"I used the handkerchief to wrap ice; you’ll have to make do, Sister." Du Yunluo said with a teasing smile.
"Still able to smile, so the injury isn’t serious," Du Yunru’s eyes reddened.
Old Mrs. Xia beckoned Du Yunru to sit beside her, asked Mrs. Zhen two sentences, and from her tone, it seemed there was no intention to pursue further. Both Mrs. Zhen and Miao Family sighed in relief.
After a tea’s time, the medical woman arrived.
After a meticulous examination, the medical woman repeated what Granny Pan said.
Old Mrs. Xia asked twice more, ensuring no tendon injuries, then relaxed.
Having Lanzhi escort the medical woman out, Old Mrs. Xia glared at Du Yunluo, "You heard what the medical woman said? If you don’t want to end up like your grandfather with a limp, rest well and don’t cause any more trouble."
Before Du Yunluo could respond, a harsh cough came from the middle room.
Lanzhi lowered her eyes and lifted the curtain; Du Gongfu, supported by a maid, entered with a walking stick.
"A limp equates to troublemaking?" Du Gongfu’s face appeared calm, yet his tone held irritation.
Over the years, Du Gongfu disliked his leg injury being mentioned; the accident not only left him relying on a cane for life but also cost him his entire bureaucratic career.
If not for that, given his favor back then, a high position was within reach, and the Du Family could have ascended smoothly. Instead, they remained like fallen leaves on water, floating with the wind, unable to sink or soar.
Old Mrs. Xia knew she’d touched a nerve with Du Gongfu; if not for the younger generation’s presence, who knows what he might have retorted, so she simply remained silent, pretending she hadn’t heard his comment.
Du Gongfu limped to the Arhat Bed and sat down, saying, "Enough, no more fussing with a leg injury, hurry back to rest; seeing you lying here sickened irritates me."
The words served as an ice-breaker.
Upon hearing, Miao Family arranged personnel to move Du Yunluo back to Anhua Courtyard.
Mrs. Zhen wouldn’t allow it, ordered the West Courtyard of Qinghui Garden to be tidied, and let Du Yunluo recover under her watchful eye.
Du Yunluo understood Mrs. Zhen’s intention.
With Du Yunru on the verge of entering marriage, Mrs. Zhen had been particularly busy recently. Yet she was concerned about Du Yunluo, running between Anhua Courtyard and Qinghui Garden would be tiresome in the summer heat. Better to stay in the West Courtyard, only a few steps away.
The West Courtyard of Qinghui Garden had remained vacant, regularly cleaned, and was suitable for living with minor tidying.
Jin Rui was waiting outside Qinghui Garden; seeing Du Yunluo carried back, she fiercely glared at Jin Ling, "How did you serve Miss?"
Jin Ling knew she was at fault, and didn’t make excuses.
"If not for my inconvenient monthly cycle, I’d have gone with Buddha, certainly have accompanied her. If I were there, how could Miss have sprained her ankle? I warned you to be extra careful; July is most perilous; Third Miss and Fourth Miss have suffered, yet you weren’t careful. This time..." Jin Rui spoke rapidly, pausing only when Du Yunluo called her, then went forward to serve her.
Qinghui Garden bustled to and fro, finally settling everything.
The entire household knew about Du Yunluo’s sprained ankle.
Liao Family heard from the maids and brought Du Yunnuo to check on her personally. Cradling Du Yunluo, she called tenderly before talking with Mrs. Zhen.
Du Yunnuo leaned over, whispered to Du Yunluo, "Did you spot the Princely Heir yourself this time? No need to ask me about carving a flower melon next time, right?"
Du Yunluo couldn’t help but laugh.
Du Yunnuo changed the subject, "Heard it was Sister Cai’er’s Mrs. Fang who bumped into you? Has she been sent out of the residence by Madam Miao?"
"It seems that way," Du Yunluo replied, glancing towards Liao Family, who indeed bore a mysterious expression while inquiring Mrs. Zhen. frёeωebɳovel.com
"Is it or isn’t it? How can it be ’seems’?" Du Yunnuo wasn’t satisfied with Du Yunluo’s answer.
Du Yunluo curled her lips, "I heard it from the servants, not Mrs. Fang herself, hence it ’seems’."
"Regardless, these two days, Second Aunt will probably return to her family again."
Du Yunluo nodded, Miao Family’s trip back wasn’t likely to slam the table but might well overturn it entirely.
