Chapter Thirteen: Resurrection

  Yao Yan leaned against the couch and listened to Cui Wei quietly recount the story of Yao Fengge's fall from grace, then asked in confusion: "Is she really so obedient? Didn't she make a scene?" Logically speaking, shouldn't this concubine have made a big fuss in front of her master? That's how it was written in all the palace dramas she had read before.

  Cui Wei smiled lightly: "She's the one who wants to make trouble, it's Third Master speaking, what can she say?"

  Yao Yan nodded slightly, thinking to herself that it was indeed so. Making a scene in front of men was something foolish women did, and it seemed this little girl named Lingzhi wasn't too foolish after all.

  It's possible that at night, after Su Yuxiang leaves Yao Fengge's place and there are no outsiders around, the little girl will throw herself into her husband's arms and cry, and then hang herself or hit her head against the wall. Perhaps the compassionate and sympathetic Third Master can change his mind.

  Cui Wei saw that her own daughter still had a disdainful expression, and whispered: "Don't worry, Miss, that servant girl will definitely not have a good ending."

  "Huh?" At this moment, Yao Yan's words were indeed curious, could it be that the sickly Yao Fengge was really capable?

  Cui Wei leaned close to Yao Yan's ear and whispered, "Third Madam gave the amber to Third Master, saying that after the mourning period is over, she will openly acknowledge her as a concubine. With the amber in hand, how can Third Master still care about Lingzhi?"

  Yao Yan was speechless. When Yao Fengge married into the Hou Mansion, the Yao family brought four maidservants with her: Shanhua, Hupo, Zhenzhu, and Liuli. Among them, Shanhua and Hupo had been serving her since childhood, while Zhenzhu and Liuli were selected from among the third-class maids for their good looks.

  That is to say, Pearl and Liu Li were originally prepared for Su Yu Xiang's concubine. In order to win over Su San Ye's heart, don't let him only dote on those previous maidservants as concubines, or sneak out to have an affair.

  Yao Fengge has been bedridden for over three years, and Pearl and Luli have already married Su Yuxiang. As for Shanhu and Huopo, they have been serving her since childhood, and Yao Fengge couldn't bear to part with them. Originally, she had planned to find suitable husbands for the two of them in another two years so that they could start their own families. But now it seems that things have reached a point where this can no longer be delayed.

  In Yao Fengge's bedroom, Li Nian'er and Shanhu helped Yao Fengge wipe her body. After Shanhu took out the water basin, only Li Nian'er and Yao Fengge were left in the room. As she helped Yao Fengge tie up her undergarments, Li Nian'er softly sighed: "Master, this move of yours is too risky. What if Third Master hadn't gone along with your words at that time? Wouldn't that have given that cheap woman another handle?"

  Yao Fengsong lightly laughed coldly: "You think I don't have complete confidence, or else I wouldn't be doing this?"

  Mrs. Li was somewhat puzzled, but she didn't say anything. As a servant, one should have the self-awareness of a servant.

  Yao Fengge continued to speak to herself: "Third Master is now infatuated with my younger sister. Whether it's Lingzhi or Hupo, I'm afraid they can't enter his eyes. Moreover, he also understands that I dealt with Lingzhi to avenge Yanyu, so he will naturally help me out."

  Mrs. Li let out a soft sigh and didn't say anything more.

  She was looking forward to her own master getting better, but she also thought that the second young lady was not bad. Between her own master and the second young lady, for her own benefit, she would of course choose her own master, but as for the second young lady's affairs, she truly felt that it was best to keep a tight lip.

  The next morning, Lingzhi was sent out of the Hou Mansion early in the morning. When she left, she only brought a servant girl arranged by Yao Fengge. It can be imagined what kind of life she would have when she returned to her natal family's home.

  Yao Yan didn't bother to care about these things, now her mind was all about one thing, whether she should speed up the treatment for Yao Fengge, let her recover soon and then leave the Hou Mansion early.

  On this day, Yao Yanyu heard that Su Yuxiang had gone out and would not return for two or three days. She instructed Li Nian to take care of the people in the courtyard, then took the silver needle into Yao Fengge's bedroom, ordering Huipo to guard the door outside, forbidding anyone from entering.

  Amber moved a stool to sit at the door, took her needle and thread, and calmly did her work. The maids in the courtyard were all assigned to do their respective tasks. Yao Yanyu ordered Li Nian to undo Yao Fengge's undergarments, from the chest down.

  Yao Yan's words were accompanied by the swift movement of her silver needle, which pierced towards Yao Fengge's chest, targeting the Tian Tu, Guan Yuan, and Zhi Wei acupoints. The needles went in deep and shallow, sometimes piercing, sometimes lifting. Eighteen needles were inserted in rapid succession, followed by quick withdrawal, with no pause in between, like a magic show.

  Li's aunt, who was helping him on the side, watched with a thrilling heart. She wanted to ask if the second lady would do such a big thing, but seeing Yao Yan's serious expression, she didn't dare to speak.

  Yao Yan let out a long sigh after giving Yao Feng acupuncture, only to discover that her undergarments were soaked through.

  This was her first time using acupuncture to treat a human, having previously tried it on rabbits and dogs without incident. But this time, after all, it was a person. Even if she had been a Western medical doctor in her previous life, skilled with a scalpel performing heart surgery without batting an eye, acupuncture was still something she had never practiced on a human before.

  However, judging from Yao Fengge's condition, the effect seems to be good. Yao Yanyu even thought silently that when she had some free time, should she write a thesis on this case?

  After this acupuncture, Yao Yanyu asked Cui Wei to put away the silver needles. Yao Fengge's liver depression, heart knot and lung fire had been completely eliminated, and from now on, only decoction medicine was needed for regulation, and the silver needles were no longer needed.

  Two days later, the imperial physician who came to take Yao Fengge's pulse as usual found Yao Fengge changed into clothes and came out of the bedroom. He let the imperial physician take his pulse behind a screen in the east room. The imperial physician was extremely surprised at what he saw, and after taking the pulse, he couldn't speak for half a day.

  Sun's family also got up with Taiyi and asked at that time: "Taiyi, how is it?"

  The imperial physician hurriedly replied, "Madam's illness has greatly improved. Although her body is still weak, this is a normal phenomenon after recovering from an illness. She just needs to take care of herself for one or two months and she will be completely fine."

  "...". Sun's family was suddenly stunned. So, a person who is about to die just... came back to life?!

  The imperial physician's words were like a heavy shell that shook the entire manor, from Duke Ding and Madame Lu to the lowliest servant girls who did the cooking and chopping of firewood. Everyone thought it was unbelievable. For a time, Third Young Mistress's claim that she had been blessed by the Buddha and protected by divine spirits spread far and wide, passed on by those gossipy servant girls with great relish.

  Upstairs, in Mrs. Lu's quiet room. Guanyin Bodhisattva sat upright on a lotus throne with a compassionate face, the offering table was set with fresh fruit and tea, and a Qinghua porcelain vase held a budding lotus flower and a small lotus pod.

  Madam Lu offered incense to the Bodhisattva and then silently prayed with her hands clasped together for a few sentences before turning around and sitting down on a nearby couch.

  The old lady walked over silently with a cup of fragrant tea, respectfully handing it to Mrs. Lu: "Ma'am, have some tea."

  Mrs. Lu took over the tea but didn't have the heart to drink it, and just let out a soft sigh.

  Lian's wife walked to Lu's wife's side and gently pinched her shoulder, advising: "Madam, this is heaven's will, Madam shouldn't worry anymore. After going through this ordeal, perhaps Third Young Mistress has already awakened to her mistakes, who knows."

  "Is it really the will of heaven? How can a lustful and depraved person like her receive the Buddha's blessing?" Madam Lu's brow furrowed even tighter.

  The old lady hesitated for a moment before saying in a low voice: "Perhaps what the mistress saw that day was not true."

  "That day, in the cherry blossom forest behind the Dowager Empress's spirit hall, I saw with my own eyes the Third Prince holding her hand!" Madame Lu lowered her voice in a huff: "Could it be that my eyes have gone blind?!"

  The old lady lowered her head and didn't dare say another word.