"Ow!"
The fire in the brazier was too strong, and the flames leaped high. A speck of ember landed on Qiu Yue's hand, stinging her so badly that tears welled up.
A maid carrying a medicinal bag walked in from outside. Hearing Qiu Yue's cry, she hurried forward and asked with concern, "What's wrong? Are you alright?"
Qiu Yue looked up and saw Cui Ping, the maid who served Madam Liu.
Ever since Granny Qin died, Cui Ping had gained favor and risen to become Madam Liu's head maid. Qiu Yue had no choice but to address her as, "Sister Cui Ping!"
"Oh, it's Sister Cui Ping. I'm fine, just a splash of ember!"
Qiu Yue flicked her hand. They, as maids, were not that delicate. It was just a burn, nothing major.
"You, be careful!"
Cui Ping cautioned Qiu Yue, then took the medicinal pot from a nearby cabinet. After washing the clay pot clean, she poured the herbs wrapped in yellow paper into it, rinsed them again, and drained the water. She then filled a bowl with water. Six bowls of water were to be used for one dose. The decocting area was all in one place, so Cui Ping carried the medicinal pot to Qiu Yue and placed it on the medicinal stove beside her.
Qiu Yue glanced at Cui Ping and asked, "Sister Cui Ping, are you decocting medicine too?"
"Yes... for Madam?"
Cui Ping shook her head, her throat tickled, causing her to cough a few times before she said, "No, it's for me. I've caught a cold recently, and Madam, being considerate, allowed me to fetch some medicine from the pharmacy."
"Is Sister very ill?"
"It's alright, just a minor illness. A few doses of medicine will cure it!"
As Cui Ping finished speaking, she looked at Qiu Yue and asked, "How is the First Madam... is she alright?"
Qiu Yue sighed. "Not very well!"
Although people in the manor had gradually forgotten Madam Wang, the rightful wife, due to Madam Liu's presence, Madam Liu had not gone too far over the years. Thus, Qiu Yue didn't harbor any ill feelings towards Madam Liu's maids and had nothing to hide. In any case, everyone in the manor knew about Madam's illness; it was just a matter of how long she could hold on!
Cui Ping also sighed, "The First Madam's life is truly too bitter!"
Qiu Yue nodded with a sense of shared sorrow.
"Thank you for your hard work!"
Qiu Yue shook her head. "This is our duty as servants!"
Cui Ping sighed again, but her hands were quick as she added charcoal to the fire. However, no matter how she blew, the flames wouldn't catch.
Qiu Yue noticed and said to Cui Ping, "Sister Cui Ping, let me take a look at the fire. I'll help you with it!"
Cui Ping thanked her profusely and switched places with Qiu Yue.
"Sister Cui Ping, you've put too much charcoal here. I..." Qiu Yue's voice reached Cui Ping's ears. Cui Ping just watched her until she finished arranging the charcoal.
"Thank you so much!"
Cui Ping covered the pot and thanked her with a smile.
Qiu Yue waved her hand.
The decoction began to bubble and gurgle, and soon, steam filled the entire lid.
The fire in front of Cui Ping had another problem.
"Qiu Yue, what's wrong now?"
Cui Ping said, opening the pot lid. Qiu Yue switched places with her and leaned down to examine it.
Cui Ping stood by, blocking Qiu Yue's view with her body, and subtly swapped the lids of the two medicinal pots.
...
"Goodbye, Sister Cui Ping~"
After the medicine was decocted, Qiu Yue carried the medicine away. Cui Ping picked up the medicinal pot, walked to the corner of the wall, took out a cloth to wrap the pot's opening, then poured all the decocted medicine onto the dirt ground. She wrapped the dregs, cleaned the pot, and then opened the wrapped dregs. From within the dregs, she found a small cloth bag. The cloth bag had already been stained brown by the medicine. She poured the other dregs into the kitchen waste bin next to the brazier, squeezed the remaining liquid from the small cloth bag, wrapped it in a few layers of cloth, and then tucked it into her怀 before gracefully leaving the kitchen.
Qiu Yue stood at the doorway, shedding the chill from her body, before carrying the medicine into the inner room. She placed it on the bedside table and helped the weak Madam Wang up. "Madam, it's time to drink your medicine!"
Madam Wang had no strength to speak. She nodded gently, leaning against Qiu Yue, her entire being like a withered tree about to lose its vitality.
Qiu Yue shifted her position and picked up the bowl.
A faint fragrance seemed to spread downwards from above, reaching Qiu Yue's nose.
What was this scent? It was so pleasant!
Qiu Yue's hand paused. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she unexpectedly stumbled backward. Madam Wang had already fallen asleep and tumbled backward with Qiu Yue.
The bowl slipped from Qiu Yue's hand. Just as it was about to hit the ground, a foot caught it, lifting its tip. A hand caught the bowl while the other supported Madam Wang.
Ignoring Qiu Yue, the person let her fall backward to the corner of the bed.
The newcomer carefully placed Madam Wang down, carried the bowl to the window, and poured the medicine into a flowerpot. Turning, they casually set the bowl down and walked back to the bed to pick up Qiu Yue, placing her on the bed in the outer room.
After doing all this, he leaped back onto the beams.
...
"Ah~"
In the early morning, a scream echoed from the direction of the kitchen.
The managing嬷嬷 pushed through the crowd and saw a dead cat at the corner of the wall.
"What are you screaming about? Haven't you seen a dead cat before!" The嬷嬷 frowned, scolding the maid who was trembling in fear of the dead cat. If there weren't so many things happening in the Southern Manor, she would have taught this easily startled maid a lesson.
"But,嬷嬷..." This wasn't just one dead cat!
"But what? Hurry up and go prepare the meal!"
The嬷嬷 glared, pushing the maid back into the kitchen menacingly, giving her no chance to speak. Some things could be said, but some things couldn't!
Who couldn't see the strangeness of these cats, but who dared to speak of it?
After chasing the maid away, the嬷嬷 found a winnowing basket, packed the dead cats into it, but kept a watchful eye and didn't discard them. Instead, she placed them in the woodshed.
...
That night, Madam Liu slept restlessly. She felt as if she hadn't slept at all, utterly exhausted. But the thought that news of Madam Wang's death could arrive at any moment made her unwilling to lie down any longer. She dressed neatly, waiting for the good news.
However, even after breakfast, there was still no news.
Madam Liu became impatient. She dismissed the servants, leaving only Cui Ping behind. "Why is there no movement yet? Are you sure you succeeded?"
Logically, the lid of the decocting pot, having been stained with the medicine and then placed on another medicinal pot, would drip the residual medicine into the original pot through the steam, poisoning it subtly and without a trace. After she swapped the lid, Qiu Yue had decocted for a full half hour. That bowl of medicine, if Madam Wang drank it, would send her into a deathlike sleep. By now, the news of Madam Wang's death should have spread throughout the Southern Manor, but now...