Jiang Sihe only heard the chaotic voices around her.
"Blood... There's blood on the Second Miss's back..."
"Quick, call the doctor..."
"Quickly carry the Second Miss into the flower hall..."
After that, she felt a sudden darkness before her eyes and couldn't hear the voices anymore.
...
The carriage stopped at the gate of the Pei Mansion. A guard in a black waist - tightening military uniform jumped out of the carriage first.
Then he whispered, "My lord, we're at the mansion gate. Shall we go back?"
Pei Yanchao lifted the carriage curtain, took a look, and thought for a moment. "Forget it. I'll stay at the mansion today."
As he bent down to get out of the carriage, a cyan silk ribbon fell in front of him.
He reached out to catch it, examined it for a moment, and the image of the little girl who had bumped into his arms at the moon - gate flashed through his mind.
He had a photographic memory. With just one glance, he recognized that the color of this silk ribbon was the same as that of the little girl's ruffled skirt.
"My lord, is there something wrong?"
Pei Yanchao put away the silk ribbon, frowned, and whispered, "It's okay. Let's go back to the mansion."
...
Wang Mingyi, the senior mistress of the Jiang Mansion, first sat on the chair outside the flower hall. But soon she got up restlessly, peeked inside, and then sat back down.
"Senior Mistress, the doctor is examining the Second Miss. I'm sure the Second Miss is a lucky one and will be fine..."
Nanny Qiu beside the senior mistress noticed her anxious look and stepped forward to comfort her softly.
"Alas, if it weren't for this child today, it would be me lying inside..."
The senior mistress still had a lingering fear when she thought of the thrilling scene at the door of the flower hall.
"Yes, we're really lucky that the Second Miss was there..."
"Where are her mother and younger sister?"
Nanny Qiu glanced outside. "They've returned to their courtyard."
The senior mistress nodded and didn't ask any more. But Nanny Qiu suddenly remembered something.
"Do you still remember what the young novice monk said at Fuan Temple last month, Mistress?"
Reminded by Nanny Qiu, the senior mistress immediately recalled that day when they were leaving the temple and happened to meet a young novice monk who had just returned from his pilgrimage.
He stared at her for a long time, then suddenly stepped forward.
He told her that she would face a disaster soon, but if she could find a lucky star to resolve it, her fate would be reversed and she would have a peaceful and smooth life in the future.
That day, she and Nanny Qiu had just taken it as a lucky saying. They wanted to give him some donation money, but the young novice monk shook his head, bowed, and left.
Now that Nanny Qiu mentioned it, she suddenly felt that it seemed to have really come true.
"Mistress, it just so happened that the Second Miss took the hit for you today. Do you think she could be the lucky star the young novice monk at Fuan Temple mentioned?"
After the senior mistress, Lady Wang, married into the Jiang family, she had never had any children. She had tried every possible way to have a child, but to no avail.
Later, she turned to Buddhism. There was a small Buddhist chapel in the backyard of the mansion, and she would go there to chant scriptures on the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month. Now that this incident had fulfilled what the young novice monk said, she naturally felt it was incredible, but also more delighted.
She immediately grabbed Nanny Qiu's hand. "Nanny, she must be my lucky star. I'm going to adopt her and raise her by my side..."
Nanny Qiu also nodded. "That would be great. But I wonder if Concubine Ruan would agree. And if you only adopt the Second Miss, what about the Fourth Miss?"
"As long as they're willing, I can adopt them both. They're both young ladies of the Jiang family. Naturally, I won't treat them badly, although that Concubine Ruan is so unruly..."
"Mistress is kind - hearted, of course. But this old servant is worried that the Second Miss is already fifteen years old this year, and the Fourth Miss will soon reach the coming - of - age ceremony. They're not young anymore. Will they be close to you after being adopted? You're showing kindness to make them legitimate daughters, but I'm afraid they won't be grateful..."
Jiang Sihe and Jiang Jingshu's rankings in the mansion were based on the two branches of the Jiang family. The daughters of the second branch were the eldest among the girls in the mansion, and the sons were ranked third...
The senior mistress glanced inside and said seriously, "Sihe is kind - hearted. She was willing to take the glazed tile for me. As for the Fourth Miss, let's just say she's lucky to have her sister."
"Since Mistress has made up her mind, shall we discuss this with the master after the Second Miss wakes up?"
The senior mistress shook her head. "Let's wait until she wakes up and ask for her opinion first. If she's not willing, we mustn't force her..."
...
Jiang Sihe's injury was quite serious. If the glazed tile had been just an inch off, it would have hit her neck, and that would have been fatal.
When she opened her eyes, she found herself lying on the couch on her stomach, with a white cloth wrapped around her neck.
"Hiss..." As soon as she tried to get up, a sharp pain shot through her neck. She wanted to reach out and touch it.
"Is the Second Miss awake?"
A young maid with a round face and double buns in her hair, carrying a wooden basin in her hand, sounded a bit surprised.
Jiang Sihe turned her head to look at her, full of confusion. "Who are you?"
"My name is Danfeng. The senior mistress sent me to serve the Second Miss!"
After saying that, Danfeng quickly put down the wooden basin in her hand, walked to the couch, and gently supported Jiang Sihe.
"Second Miss, you have an injury on your back. Don't move around. If you want to get up, I can help you up slowly."
Jiang Sihe looked around the room she was in. It should be the side courtyard where her mother used to live.
Danfeng immediately responded to her. "The senior mistress originally wanted to invite you to her courtyard, Chunhua Pavilion, to recuperate. But..."
"Elder sister is awake..."
Jiang Jingshu lifted the curtain and came in, interrupting Danfeng.
When Danfeng saw Jiang Jingshu come in, she helped Jiang Sihe sit up and then bowed to her.
"Fourth Miss..."
Jiang Jingshu glanced at Danfeng and nodded expressionlessly.
"Elder sister, Mother brought you back. She thought that although you took the glazed tile for the senior mistress, it's improper for you to live in the senior mistress's courtyard and be taken care of by her. You should come back to our courtyard and be taken care of by me and Mother..."
At just the tender age of thirteen or fourteen, Jiang Jingshu already had a touch of elegance. She always spoke as coldly as her mother.
Jiang Sihe forced a cold smile and pointed at the teacup on the table. "Then could you please pour me a cup of tea, younger sister? I'm a bit thirsty..."
Jiang Jingshu glanced at Danfeng. With the maid standing there, her elder sister actually asked her to pour the tea.
"Since Mother thinks it's improper for me to be taken care of by the senior mistress, I'm sure Mother also thinks it's wrong for the person sent by the senior mistress to take care of me. So, please, younger sister..."
Jiang Sihe immediately retorted what Jiang Jingshu had just said.
Danfeng looked at Jiang Sihe in a bit of surprise and couldn't help but have some thoughts.
Jiang Jingshu reluctantly poured a cup of water for Jiang Sihe and brought it over.
"Thank you, younger sister!"
At this time, Danfeng couldn't stand it anymore and served the somewhat clumsy - armed Jiang Sihe to drink the water.
"Is the Second Miss awake? The Fourth Miss is here too!"
Nanny Qiu lifted the curtain and entered the room at the door. Seeing them, she said with a smile.
Jiang Sihe knew that Nanny Qiu was an old servant beside the senior mistress, so she replied very respectfully.
"Thank you, Nanny, for coming to see me..."
Nanny Qiu was very satisfied with Jiang Sihe's attitude and said with a smile, "I'm not here specifically to see the Second Miss. I've also brought a message from the senior mistress!"
Jiang Sihe's heart inexplicably started beating faster because she had been waiting for this message...