Chapter Eleven: Plummeting Downward

  But before the big madam could speak, seeing that Rong Jie didn't follow them out, she thought that Rong Jie had failed in her Caesarean section and the little maid rushed to the outer courtyard.

  It was said that she went to the outer courtyard, but in fact, she went to the small gate between the outer and inner courtyards. After all, if a maid really went to the outer courtyard, it wouldn't be strange, but it would not be good either.

  After a while, the little maid finally ran to the place, only to see a small door in front of her, where a very clever-looking young servant had been waiting. As soon as he saw the maid arrive, he hurried forward: "Is it the second madam..."

  The little maid nodded heavily: "You'd better go to the government office quickly, I estimate someone has already gone to inform the second wife's family."

  The young servant said no more, nodded at the little maid and immediately turned around and ran out of the courtyard.

  In this household, who doesn't know that the first madam can be offended, but the second madam is absolutely not to be offended. The second madam's temperament, if she thinks you're useful, will treat you extremely well, but once you're no longer useful, she'll discard you like a broken old object without any mercy.

  So those who handle matters in front of the second lady are actually the most efficient in doing things in the mansion.

  Liu Rong didn't know that someone had misjudged her for failing to deliver the baby successfully, and she was pacing back and forth in the house.

  "Rong Jie, what's wrong with you?" asked Li Mama, who was carefully watching the child and the second grandmother, unable to help but ask anxiously.

  Since Madame Wang mentioned that Zhong's wife had gone to see the Old Mistress, Rong'er had been pacing back and forth, obviously wanting to leave the delivery room, but for some reason she didn't.

  Liu Rong furrowed her brow, unaware of Li Mama's concern, and her mind was only filled with the news that Big Madame had told her, that Zhong Shi had gone to Tai Fu Ren's place.

  She couldn't guess why Zhong Shi would suddenly go to Tai Fu's place, could it be that she had heard about the things happening on this side? It was also possible, after all, the caesarean section had been going on for so long, even if the news was slow, it should have reached Zhong Shi by now.

  It's just... this body has been taking care of Zhong Shi all along, and I've never heard Zhong Shi mention that she likes to read medical books, but she suddenly understands so much, will Zhong Shi see through something.

  It stands to reason that if Madam told her about this matter, she should go to Old Madam's place to take a look. But what if she went and Zhong Shi accused her of not having read any medical books at all, saying she wasn't Liu Rong after all?

  She wouldn't be burned at the stake by a group of people as a heretic, thinking about the outcome of those heretics she saw on TV in her past life, Liu Rong couldn't help but shudder.

  "Rong Jie! Rong Jie!"

  Suddenly raised voice, Rong Jie was startled, and only then did she realize that both Li Mama and Chen Mama were staring at her.

  "Rong Jie, what's wrong with you?" Li Mama asked worriedly again.

  Liu Rong shook her head, but her eyebrows didn't relax. Everyone in this house was a sharp person and could tell Liu Rong's state at a glance.

  "Rong, let me say a few words. I don't know what you're worried about, but no matter what it is, if you don't face it head-on, you won't understand the situation and can't truly resolve it."

  "Li's mother said, 'Rong Jie, if you want to go to the main house to see Zhong Yiniang, then go ahead. We're here watching over things.' Chen's mother paused for a moment: 'Don't worry, although Zhong Yiniang usually doesn't say much, she's a kind and reasonable person. She won't blame you for saving Erniang.'"

  Seeing Chen's mother thought she was worried about being scolded, Liu Rong couldn't help but smile wryly. However, after thinking for a moment, she finally decided to go to the main house to take a look. If she waited like this for the trial results, she would probably go crazy.

  The most frightening thing in this world is not the outcome, but knowing what might happen and waiting for it to come.

  But even if you want to leave and take a look, the situation of the second lady still needs to be instructed. Thinking about it, Liu Rong spoke to Li Mama and Chen Mama: "You pay close attention to the second lady, if the wound becomes red and swollen, or if there is pus flowing out from the wound, or if she has a fever, that means the wound is infected. At that time, you must notify me as soon as possible!"

  Liu Rong gave serious instructions to Li Mama and Chen Mama, until she saw the two of them nodding seriously at her, then she put down what she was doing and walked out.

  As they reached the door, a middle-aged man came forward to greet them. The man looked at Rong Jie and smiled: "You must be Rong Jie, Second Uncle wants to thank you, if it wasn't for you, Second Uncle might not have been able to see your aunt and Seventh Brother again."

  Liu Rong frowned, she had a bad impression of the man in front of her. It was said that because of childbirth, men were not allowed to see their wives, as it would affect their luck. Even if they knew their wife was going to die, they wouldn't take a step into the delivery room.

  The daughter-in-law struggled to give birth, but didn't come in at the first opportunity, and instead went somewhere else, delaying until now to finally arrive.

  Thinking of this, Liu Rong didn't even bother to bid farewell to the man and completely ignored him, quickly walking away.

  The smile on Er Ye's face froze, and a flash of anger flickered in his eyes: "Just because you saved someone, you don't even respect your elders! I'd like to ask Big Brother what kind of upbringing the Zhong family has!"

  Liu Rong walked quickly outside, but didn't know that Er Ye was furious because she didn't give him face and said such angry words. However, even if she knew, she wouldn't bother to care about this ungrateful person who had no affection in his heart and didn't need to be given any face.

  However, as she walked and got closer to the main house, Liu Rong couldn't help but slow down her pace again, every step feeling several times heavier than usual.

  In contrast to Liu Rong's hesitation in front of the main house, on the other side, another second-class maid from the Second Madam's faction was frantically rushing to stop the little servant from reporting to the authorities at the outer courtyard. However, before she could reach the small gate, she ran into a third-class maid who was on her way to report the news.

  "Has Xiao Ding gone to the government office already?" The second-class maid who had hurried over asked the slow-moving maid.

  "Yes, they've been gone for a while now. I reckon it won't be long before they return with the people from the yamen. At that time, the second mistress will surely praise us for doing a good job and might even give us more reward silver!"

  The second maid's face turned pale: "Rong Jie gave the second lady a cesarean section, and it was a complete success! The second lady gave birth to a son safely! We... we've made a mistake!"

  "Hurry up and tell Auntie about this matter."

  Liu Rong lingered in front of the main house for a long time, and when she came out to check on the rouge outside, she couldn't help but smile and say: "Rong Jie, you're here? The madam has been saying that you'll be coming soon, and even asked me to come out and take a look. I didn't expect to see you so soon. Are you going in?"

  Liu Rong smiled stiffly, but in her heart she couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. She had been indecisive for a long time, and fate had given her a result to choose from.

  Following the rouge into the house, Liu Rong became more and more tense, but when she entered the house and saw Mrs. Zhong, she relaxed.

  Zhong's family was facing her sideways, and the half of his face that was exposed on this side had little blood color, and it was clear that he was not yet recovering from his illness.

  But his facial expression was as calm as usual, light and without much fluctuation, showing no signs of worry or joy.

  "The old master has entrusted the child to you for guidance, but look at how you are guiding her. A good daughter of a good family, not only disrespects her elders and contradicts Madame's words, but also learns things that a young lady should not even touch, such as assisting in childbirth! Today is lucky, she successfully assisted the second madam in giving birth by cesarean section, but if luck was bad, it wouldn't just be a loss of face for the Wen Ding Hou Fu, it would also implicate the young ladies of the Wen Ding Hou Fu, and even put the lives of the second madam and the seventh young master at risk. Who can bear that?" Liu Dainai scolded Zhong Shi with the demeanor of a senior matriarch.

  "When the time comes and Madam asks, what will we say? All of this is because you failed to teach properly, I'll punish you by making you stay in the ancestral temple for three months. When you figure out how to teach Rong'er, then you can come back!"

  The madam's eyebrows furrowed, after all, it was she who had summoned Zhong Shi to persuade Rong Jie'er, but now she was being blamed for this, and her face looked somewhat unpleasant.

  It's just that in the future, the Liu Mansion will eventually be taken over by Madame Liu, and this would make her lose face. It wouldn't be good for her to take control of the household in the future, and it would also make her lose authority in front of the maidservants. Moreover, what Madame Liu said wasn't unreasonable either, so she forced herself not to speak up.

  Only Madame Dai could bear it, but the newly arrived Liu Rong couldn't: "Wait! What's wrong with saving my relatives from water and fire? What right do you have to punish Zhong Yiniang?"

  "Is this the tone you should use when speaking to your mother?"

  "If saving a loved one from water and fire is wrong, then I am thoroughly wrong. What's the big deal about having an attitude that shouldn't exist? However, if we follow your teachings, won't the children of the Hou Mansion learn to be indifferent when they see their loved ones suffering?" Liu Rong asked back.

  For a moment, the room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Liu Dainai's face also became increasingly unsightly.

  "How dare you! You're really going against the rules, a concubine's daughter daring to speak to her stepmother like that. Didn't she say she wanted to leave the manor? Someone...!" The old lady sat quietly in the center, smiling as she watched Liu Dà Niáng scold Zhōng Shì, her face iron-green with rage.

  "Slap!" A loud slapping sound rang out.

  Liu Rong covered her face, looking at Zhong Shi in disbelief!

  "Still refusing to kneel?" Zhong Shi said, looking at Liu Rong.

  Liu Rong was taken aback, but it wasn't because she was afraid of Zhong Shi, rather it was the first time she saw Zhong Shi get angry! She had never seen him so furious!

  Seeing that Liu Rong did not kneel down, Zhong Shi herself knelt in front of Tai Fu Ren: "Tai Fu Ren is all benevolent, it's all because I didn't teach Rong Jie well, so she became like this, ignorant and reckless. Please punish me by making me stay at home and accompany the ancient Buddha every day to pray for blessings for you and the young ladies. Don't blame Rong Jie."

  The voice was still flat, but in Liu Rong's ears, it was deafening.

  She doesn't understand why she has to admit her mistake when she didn't do anything wrong and even saved someone.

  Zhong Shi Mingming didn't do anything, why did he volunteer to accompany Qingdeng Gufo?

  "Since the Zhong family has already admitted their mistake, mother, you should take back those words. Besides, if we really drive Rong sister out of the Hou Mansion, when outsiders ask about the reason, it's not just that our Hou Mansion's reputation will be affected, but also that our Hou Mansion's master can't even manage his own family properly. At that time, going out will be very embarrassing." The second lady hastily stepped forward and spoke to the old lady.

  The old lady was silent.

  Just then, a slightly noisy sound came from outside, and soon the housekeeper's mother next to the second lady ran in: "The people from Ying Tianfu have arrived!"

  The two ladies exchanged a bewildered glance, neither of them understanding why someone from the Imperial Palace had arrived so suddenly.

  The second lady's face turned pale and she stared straight at the housekeeper.

  Liu Rong was secretly delighted, the punishment had been interrupted, as long as they didn't mention it again, maybe nothing would happen, she couldn't help but kneel closer to Zhong Shi, but Zhong Shi completely ignored her.

  While they were hesitating, people from the Ying Tian Fu arrived at the main house: "Who is Liu Rong? This mansion has received a report, accusing Liu Rong of practicing witchcraft and harming people!"