Chapter 887: Chapter 887: A Stirring in the Heart
Liutong Pavilion.
Madam Jiang was reclining on the beauty couch by the south window in her main room, pressing her chest and gasping for air. With so many things happening at once in this household, she had been spinning around like a top all day long, and finally taking a break, her throat was already burning.
"Madam, whatās wrong?" Qing Yang moved the ice basin closer, noticing Madam Jiangās discomfort, and couldnāt help but worry.
Madam Jiang exhaled and said, "I donāt know, feeling stifled since this morning, and with things happening one after another, itās getting more oppressive, my heart isnāt at ease."
She couldnāt quite understand the source of this unease, only that it felt both empty and heavy, very uncomfortable.
Qing Yang said, "The weather is stifling these days, with so much happening suddenly, perhaps itās heatstroke. Shouldnāt we call the Doctor to check your pulse?"
Madam Jiang shook her head: "The Doctor is attending to other matters over at the third household, letās not bother him with this. Just brew a couple of bowls of cool tea and get me some mint oil to rub on."
Qing Yang obliged, turned to get the oil from the room, and personally applied it to her temples, gently massaging them.
Madam Jiang closed her eyes to enjoy it and asked, "Have the Second Young Master and the others returned?"
"Have you forgotten? The Third Young Master went to the palace, and the Second Young Master sent someone over earlier to say heās working on improving the new Crossbow Arrow, and wonāt be coming to greet you these days."
Madam Jiang snorted: "That brat, heās forgotten his parents now that he has a new weapon; but when he asks for Silver in the morning, heās as eager as a bootlicking servant."
Her words sounded complaining, yet her tone didnāt hold much resentment.
Qing Yang laughed and said: "Isnāt it because you and the master spoiled him?"
Madam Jiang sighed: "In oneās life, if you have the means, isnāt it meant to be enjoyed? Having wealth without using it, whatās the point? Thatās what your familyās old master used to say, that money is meant to be spent, or else itās just numbers."
"The old master was a wise man."
"But now, I donāt know where heās gone off to, not a word for ten days to a half month; he sets aside personal life and death and leaves me, his daughter, to worry needlessly."
Qing Yang gently kneaded her temples, saying, "But the old master lives freely and contentedly, only such a mindset wouldnāt be troubled by external things, and one appears younger, too."
"Waiting, thatās all one can do," Madam Jiang said. "Have they told the Second Young Master not to visit the Fourth Young Master?"
"Already informed, the Second Young Master sent some tonics over, saying heāll visit once the Fourth Young Master has recovered."
"Thatās good, itās not that Iām an inconsiderate mother, but none of them have had the measles, if they contract it now, who would handle matters in this household? Ultimately, these children are at an awkward age. If they were seventeen or eighteen, theyād bring home a wife and there would be less to fuss over."
The boys arenāt yet of marrying age, without a wife to help with socializing and managing household affairs, even the girls are still young. So, when counting on handling household duties or hosting banquets, it truly falls only on the old mistress and the three sisters-in-law.
But when an event occurs like now, Madam Song is in confinement, and the third sister-in-law has to care for her sick child, all the household affairs fall upon her shoulders.
Alas, having a small family, one wonders if itās fortunate or unfortunate; the fortunate thing is the peacefulness with fewer conflicts, the unfortunate when something arises, thereās nobody to help take over.
Therefore, everything has a double side with pros and cons, it just depends on how one balances it.