Bitao rushed in like a firebolt, muttering all the way:
"Rebellion! There's a rebellion! Oh my goodness!"
Although Su Nansheng didn't know what had happened, she was amused by Bitao:
"What? Have the rebels reached the gate of our Marquis Mansion? Do we need to pack our valuables and flee in a hurry?"
Realizing Su Nansheng's teasing, Bitao felt a bit embarrassed. She scuffed the ground with her foot and said:
"It's true. The second young mistress just had the garden dug up. She said she wanted to plant chrysanthemums and bamboo. Oh my goodness, she's trying to move the Su Mansion here. Isn't that a rebellion?"
Hearing this, Su Nansheng rubbed her forehead and let out a long sigh.
Fortunately, she hadn't agreed to Chen Wanrong to manage the household. Otherwise, she might have been tempted to enforce family rules on Su Hele by now.
"Has Concubine Li shown any reaction?"
Su Nansheng looked at Bitao. If Concubine Li remained indifferent even after this, they might really be in cahoots. But that couldn't be right...
"Of course not! It's that imposing Nanny Wang. She went crazy and quarreled with the second young mistress. She even drove out all the servants who were working there. But I really didn't see Concubine Li."
Bitao was more than happy to share the drama she had witnessed with Su Nansheng.
Su Nansheng nodded. Su Hele really had the ability to make that always - proper Nanny Wang go crazy.
"Concubine Li is sick. She probably can't keep up with Su Hele's antics."
"Ah? Her timing for getting sick is really bad."
Bitao hung her head, looking very disappointed. She had been looking forward to seeing another showdown between Concubine Li and Su Hele.
Su Nansheng looked in the direction of Yurong Courtyard:
"Concubine Li probably thought so too."
...
"What just happened outside? Why was it so noisy?"
As soon as the door opened, Concubine Li couldn't wait to ask.
If something went wrong in the mansion right after Chen Wanrong left, wouldn't it make her look incompetent?
Nanny Wang tried to tug at the corners of her mouth, showing a very stiff smile:
"Some new plant varieties were brought to the garden. The servants didn't know how to arrange them. I've already taken care of it. Please drink this medicine first."
Nanny Wang felt the temperature of the medicine cup, thinking that she should ask the mansion doctor, Liu, to increase the dosage later. This kind of slow - paced recuperation wouldn't do.
Concubine Li nodded slightly:
"We just need to be on guard against that woman from the Su family in this mansion. Fortunately, she's still under house arrest and won't be able to cause much trouble."
Nanny Wang lowered her eyes, not daring to look at Concubine Li.
Although it was true, that woman from the Su family was really unpredictable. Who could have thought that she would be so restless even at home?
Who could have guessed that she would plant chrysanthemums and bamboo?
Nanny Wang sighed silently. She was even more reluctant to tell Concubine Li what had just happened. She had to think of another way.
After serving Concubine Li to take the medicine and then to bed, the sky had already turned slightly dark.
After instructing the little maid who was serving outside, Nanny Wang went straight to the porter's lodge. Learning that He Jin had returned from the yamen, she hurriedly made her way to Bitao Courtyard.
As soon as she entered the courtyard and was heading towards the study, she saw a figure flash into the room. From the back, it was clearly Su Hele.
Nanny Wang couldn't help but frown, and her face became even more gloomy.
They all said they were afraid of spreading the illness to the second young master. Why was Su Hele still getting so close?
...
He Jin was flipping through the documents in his hand, a hint of impatience flashing across his face.
How could he achieve political achievements by dealing with these trivial matters every day? Without political achievements, how could he be promoted?
At this moment, he heard a soft sound from the door. Then, Su Hele's plain face appeared in front of him.
She was still wearing a plain silk dress, but it seemed much looser than usual, making the person wearing it look even more frail and petite.
Coupled with her haggard face and slightly sad expression, she truly looked like a pitiful and sick beauty.
He Jin couldn't help but stand up: "Aren't you still sick? Why did you come here?"
Seeing his movement, Su Hele lowered her eyes and took a step back:
"Please don't come closer, husband. You might catch the illness. I just worried that you've been working hard, so I came to bring you some ginseng soup."
Saying this, Su Hele took two quick steps forward, placed the food box she was carrying on the table in front of He Jin, and then quickly stepped back until she reached the door.
"Seeing that you're in good health, I'm relieved. I'm feeling very dizzy, so I'll go back to recuperate first."
Saying this, Su Hele supported the door and turned to leave.
Seeing that there seemed to be tears in Su Hele's eyes and yet she stubbornly showed her concern for him, all of He Jin's previous dissatisfaction with her immediately vanished.
He strode forward, grabbed Su Hele's wrist, and pulled her into his arms:
"You've only been sick for a few days. Why have you lost so much weight?"
Su Hele struggled to break free from He Jin's hand:
"I'm still sick. It's better for you to keep your distance, husband."
He Jin sneered disdainfully:
"I'm strong and healthy. How could I catch the illness so easily? I didn't go back to our room these past two days just because I was afraid of delaying your recuperation."
Hearing this, big drops of tears rolled down from Su Hele's eyes, wetting the front of He Jin's robe:
"Although you're the only one in this mansion who treats me sincerely, it's enough."
Hearing this, He Jin pulled Su Hele away from his chest and frowned at her:
"What's wrong? What happened?"
Su Hele shook her head gently: "Nothing. I'm fine."
"You don't look fine at all. Tell me quickly..."
Nanny Wang waited outside the study until her feet were sore, but Su Hele still didn't come out.
Seeing that it was getting darker and darker, she didn't feel comfortable waiting any longer, so she had to go back to Yurong Courtyard first.
But when she was leaving the courtyard, she asked the maid on duty and learned the time when He Jin went to the yamen every day.
...
The next day, Nanny Wang waited at the gate of Bitao Courtyard very early, for fear of missing He Jin.
At the time the maid had mentioned, she saw He Jin come out with half - closed eyes, looking like he hadn't fully woken up.
"This servant pays respects to the second young master."
Nanny Wang's voice wasn't very loud, but it startled He Jin:
"Nanny Wang? What are you doing here so early in the morning? Has Concubine Li's illness worsened?"
He had gone to visit Concubine Li on the first day she fell ill.
They said it was because of excessive liver fire and that she would be fine after a few days of rest, so he hadn't really paid much attention.
But seeing Nanny Wang suddenly pop up, he immediately thought of Concubine Li. Could it be...
"If you don't discipline the young mistress, Concubine Li's illness will probably get worse."
Nanny Wang had been holding in her anger for a whole night, and now she finally had someone to pour it out to, so her tone was inevitably a bit harsh.
He Jin's expression immediately turned unpleasant. It seemed that what A Le had said was true. This Nanny Wang really did act like a bully under the protection of others.
"What do you mean, Nanny?"
Nanny Wang immediately told He Jin what had happened the day before. At the end, she also said:
"You still need to discipline the young mistress. You can't let her do whatever she wants."
He Jin sneered:
"All she did was renovate the garden a bit. Is it really worth all this fuss from you?"
Nanny Wang was taken aback: "Second young master?"
"Nanny Wang, I'm sparing you because you're an old servant beside Concubine Li. I won't argue with you about today's matter. But remember, even though A Le is young and easy - going, she's still your mistress. It's not up to you to judge her."
After saying this, He Jin flicked his sleeve and left, ignoring Nanny Wang any longer.