The coachman, experienced as he was, immediately pulled the reins tight and spent a good while calming the horses, otherwise, it would have surely resulted in a fall.
"Oh, dear..." came a pained cry. Feng Jin Yao's eyes snapped open, and Yun Xu frowned in unison.
Lifting the curtain, they saw an old woman had fallen nearby.
"Go down and see if our horses startled her."
"Yes."
Yun Xu alighted from the carriage and walked quickly, reaching out to help the woman who had fallen by the roadside.
"Auntie, did our horses frighten you?"
"It's nothing, it's nothing. This old woman was walking unsteadily and slipped on her own. It has nothing to do with you noble ones."
The old woman appeared to be in her fifties. Her round face wore a kind smile, and her hair and clothes were neatly kept.
Her benevolent appearance inspired an immediate sense of closeness.
Yun Xu quickly helped her up. "The roads are slippery in the snow, Auntie. You must be more careful."
"Ah, ah, thank you for your kindness, young lady. This old woman remembers it."
Looking down, her trouser leg was smeared with mud. Her right foot was pointed to the ground, and it seemed that any movement caused the old woman to break out in a sweat from the pain.
Yun Xu's heart filled with concern. She helped her step by step to the side of the road to sit down.
"Auntie, did you sprain your ankle? Shall I take you to a doctor?"
As she spoke, she crouched down and gently pulled up her right trouser leg. Indeed, her ankle was badly swollen and bruised. It was clear she couldn't walk.
The old woman hadn't expected this young girl to be so kind.
Looking at her attire, she didn't seem like a daughter from an ordinary family; rather, she had the air of a maid from a prominent household.
So, she began to probe.
"It's nothing. This old woman has medicinal wine for bruises and sprains at home. I'll just rub it on when I get back. There's no need to trouble you, young lady."
She then gestured towards the Feng family carriage parked nearby. "The one sitting in the carriage is a noble lady. You should hurry and serve her home. It's lively on the road, don't disturb the noble lady."
Yun Xu was somewhat shocked. This auntie had sharp eyes, discerning their unusual status in such a short time.
Not far away, Xiu Qiu returned to the carriage with two large bags of food. Seeing Yun Xu squatting on the stone steps with an old woman sitting beside her, she looked puzzled and whispered to Feng Jin Yao inside the carriage.
"Miss, what's happening?"
Gently lifting a corner of the curtain, Feng Jin Yao's sharp eyes immediately spotted the old lady's swollen ankle.
For some reason, she was suddenly reminded of many things from her past life and felt a pang of compassion.
She instructed Xiu Qiu, "Take some silver and give it to that lady for her injury. Then find a cart to take her home."
"Yes."
The old woman never expected that the noble lady inside the carriage, whom she hadn't even seen, would be so kind. She was momentarily taken aback.
Looking at her graying temples, Yun Xu felt a sense of concern, perhaps reminded of her own mother. She approached the carriage to ask for permission.
"Miss, may I escort this auntie home? Once she's well, this servant will return to the manor on her own."
There was nothing else to do, so Feng Jin Yao granted her permission.
"Mm, then be careful on your way."
With that, she had one of the young servants following behind to accompany Yun Xu. After Xiu Qiu got into the carriage, the coachman slowly drove the carriage forward.
Looking at the character "Feng" written on the lanterns hanging around the carriage, the old woman frowned slightly.
There weren't many families surnamed Feng in the entire Dongdu city. Among those she knew, this was the only one.
Could it be the daughter of the Minister of Revenue?
The servant found a cart, and Yun Xu, with the old woman between them, got onto the cart. One pushed from behind, the other supported from the side. The three of them, with the cart, headed in the opposite direction.
Soon, they arrived at Pear Blossom Alley.
Beside the alley was a Kongshi Bridge, and the first house below the stone bridge was the old woman's residence.
There was an osmanthus tree in front of the door, its branches now bare.
"Auntie, do you have anyone else at home? Should I call for your family to come and greet you?" Yun Xu asked sincerely.
"You are too kind, young lady. My late husband's surname was Zhang. My neighbors all call me Aunt Zhang. My old man has gone to the mountains to gather herbs, and I'm alone at home. I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you to see me inside."
Aunt Zhang spoke cheerfully and politely, showing no fear even after knowing her identity.
Yun Xu liked her disposition. Moreover, she hadn't seen her own family for a long time, so she treated Aunt Zhang like a relative, taking care of her.
"It's alright. I've found some medicinal wine. I'll help you apply it before I leave."
Upon entering the house, they saw a vast open space filled with shelves. The shelves were laden with medicinal herbs, both fresh and aged, giving the room a faint scent of medicine.
Yun Xu helped Aunt Zhang sit on a long plank bench in the corridor, then turned into the house to find the medicinal wine.
"It's on the cabinet, that black bottle."
The room was simply furnished but kept clean and tidy, indicating that Aunt Zhang was a respectable person.
Taking the medicinal wine, Yun Xu gently poured it onto the ankle. A chilling sensation spread from her ankle.
Yun Xu gently massaged it for a while. Strangely, the bruised area began to dissipate.
She was filled with surprise. Having served in the Feng family since childhood, she had seen many precious and rare medicines, but this was the first time she had encountered one with such a rapid effect.
"Auntie, is this medicine passed down through generations? How is it so potent?"
Aunt Zhang chuckled at her wide-eyed expression.
"My old man concocted it. He can't do much else, but he has his ways with bruises and sprains."
Her words were filled with pride, and Yun Xu envied their affection.
She handed over a bag of food. "There's food in here. Auntie, with your leg inconvenient, cooking might be troublesome. Please make do with this. There's also some money here, which my young lady instructed to be given to you for your treatment. I must hurry back to report, so I won't stay any longer."
Aunt Zhang nodded and accepted the bag of food but returned the money.
"Is your young lady the third young lady of the Feng family?"
"How did Auntie know?" Yun Xu was surprised at first, then remembered. "You saw the writing on the carriage, didn't you?"
Aunt Zhang smiled and nodded. "A few days ago, when Old Madam Bai was celebrating her birthday, I happened to pass by the Bai residence and saw your young lady getting out of the carriage. I heard a Bai family servant call out 'Third Young Lady Feng,' so I dared to guess."
Good memory, sharp mind.
Yun Xu's admiration for Aunt Zhang grew, along with a touch of suspicion.
Looking at her humble dwelling, she didn't seem like someone from an ordinary family, yet her speech and knowledge were no less than those of Madam Bai in the manor.
Who was she, really?
Seeing Yun Xu's expression change, Aunt Zhang finally explained.
"I used to serve a madam in a manor. Later, I was rewarded by my master and came out to live in retirement, so I know a little."
So that's how it was. After a few farewells, Yun Xu returned to the manor with the servant. Aunt Zhang, however, watched her departing figure with a meaningful smile.