Chapter 9: The Fourth Daughter-in-law Has Gone Mad

Chapter 9: The Fourth Daughter-in-law has gone mad...

"Then what should we do?" Xin Mengxue asked, tears falling.

"What else can we do?" Xie Ninglan replied bluntly. "Just deal with it."

They had only just set off; it was obvious the guards wouldn't stop the entire procession for Xin Ruoyu alone.

"Fourth Aunt?" Xin Mengxue stared blankly at Xie Ninglan.

The latter coughed. "How about this: first, try that fever medicine the Marquis's estate sent. Let her hold on for now, and we'll check her condition again when we reach the post station tonight."

"But, but what if that's not enough?" Xin Mengxue looked at the delirious, feverish Xin Ruoyu, tears streaming down her face in a panic.

"Fourth Aunt, look, could we put Third Sister on the handcart and have that maid pull her along?" Xin Mengxue pointed to the silent, sturdy maid who was dragging the cart not far behind them.

Xie Ninglan refused without a second thought. "How can we do that? What about the mountain of stuff piled on the cart? We’ll need all of that on the road; we can't just throw it away."

"But—"

"Oh, enough with the 'buts.' Not a single thing can be thrown away. My daughter just said that we won't be able to buy anything at all on the road. These seemingly insignificant bottles and jars will all be useful later—they’re life-saving items!"

"Get the second son of Nanny Lu’s family to come over and carry her for a stretch. The young lady is light; she’s much easier to carry than my big-headed son." As soon as Xie Ninglan said this, the Xin family members walking around them glared at her with fury.

Xin Nian twitched her lips. She knew her mother would invite everyone’s eye-rolls.

In ancient times, strict boundaries were kept between men and women. Her mother was asking a male servant to carry a young lady—wasn't that practically forcing the girl to her death?

"Fourth Sister-in-law, you’ve been through a sickness, but why is your speech becoming so nonsensical? Is that something you can just say?" The Third Branch’s Madam Zhuang rolled her eyes and mocked, "If you don't want to help, you shouldn't be adding to the chaos at a time like this."

"Mom," Xin Nian tugged at Xie Ninglan and whispered, "Here, they follow the rule that men and women shouldn't even share a seat after age seven. Male servants usually have to avoid the young ladies; how could there be any physical contact?"

Xie Ninglan was speechless. "What time do you think it is? Still worrying about such rigid rules."

The girl was burning up with fever, and they were still bickering about gender separation. If they wouldn't let someone carry her, did they expect her to support the girl the whole way?

If this were before, she was strong and healthy, so she would have just done it. She was the nominal Fourth Aunt, after all; she would have accepted it.

But now! She herself was delicate and weak, barely able to walk. Her shoulders and arms were already aching. If she lost her strength and dropped the girl, wouldn't she be the one to take the blame again?

"Old Madam, Third Girl has completely passed out. What do you think we should do?" Xie Ninglan immediately shifted the burden onto Madam Yu, looking distressed. "It’s not that I don't want to support her, but I’m struggling to walk myself; I really can't hold her up."

She felt that Xin Mengxue on the other side had even less strength; relying on her was out of the question.

Most of Xin Ruoyu’s weight was currently pressing on her! Xie Ninglan felt like her shoulder was about to collapse.

The Old Madam sighed and fretted repeatedly. "Fourth Daughter-in-law, why don't we do as Mengxue suggested and put Third Girl on the handcart first?"

Xie Ninglan’s temper flared up instantly. She was completely ignited, her voice rising sharply. "Can’t you see for yourselves? That cart is piled high with stuff; where is there room for a person?"

"What time do you think it is to be so blindly pedantic? The girl is about to die! You all just flap your lips, but none of you can come up with a concrete plan. You just dump the problem on me and call it a day? I’m not doing it!"

"Either leave her here to fend for herself, or have someone carry her—you decide. I can barely walk myself; I don't have the energy to deal with your mess!"

Xin Mengxue was supporting the Old Madam, and both were left dumbfounded.

Everyone around was startled by the sudden outburst from Xin Nian’s mother and stopped to watch.

Xin Wenyuan hurriedly dragged the dark-faced Xin Wen'an and his youngest son, Xin Mohan, over, calling out, "Wife, wife, what’s wrong? Don't be angry, don't be angry, I’ll solve it."

The Old Madam was weeping in distress on the side, completely stunned by the Fourth Daughter-in-law’s roar.

Third Master Xin Wen'an, seeing this, flew into a rage. "Fourth Daughter-in-law, what is wrong with you? How can you speak to Mother like that?"

"I’ll tell you, your mother’s..." Xin Nian was quick-witted and immediately covered her mother’s mouth, stopping a string of colorful profanities.

"Fourth Brother, look at your wife! She was always shrewish, but has she lost her mind and gone mad now?" Xin Wen'an shouted furiously.

"You’re the one who’s mad! Your whole family is mad! Shut your mouth!" Xin Wenyuan pushed him aside irritably. "Does my wife’s business have anything to do with you? You’re here criticizing her! Is it not chaotic enough? Do you think you’re the only one with a mouth? All you do is flap it."

Xin Wen'an stared at his Fourth Brother as if he had seen a ghost.

His Fourth Brother had just opened his mouth to snap at him and defend that woman? Had it started raining red in the sky? Back home, his Fourth Brother either fought or cursed at that woman; when had he ever spoken a single word for Xie Ninglan?

"What a small matter! It’s just a girl fainting and needing someone to carry her? I’ll arrange it!" Xin Wenyuan glanced at the expressionless Dali. "You carry her for a stretch, and let A-Liang push the cart."

A-Liang was Nanny Lu’s second son, Mu Liang. He was about to walk over when he was met with a cold, piercing glare from the sturdy maid.

"My Old Madam has instructed that my duty is to stay by the Young Miss’s side and guard these supplies. Aside from taking care of the Madam, the Young Miss, and the two young masters, no one else is my responsibility—including you, Sir!"

Xin Nian lowered her head, stifling a laugh of schadenfreude.

Her old man was used to giving orders at the base and expected to be in charge everywhere he went. Wasn't he getting slapped in the face every minute?

Xin Wenyuan froze, cast a resentful glance at his heartless daughter, and then, without any embarrassment, persisted, "Then, among those traveling with us, is there any capable heroine willing to carry my niece? Uh, I’ll offer two flour cakes!"

"Add two pieces of dried meat." As she spoke, a woman wearing heavy shackles and handcuffs stood up and raised an eyebrow at Xin Wenyuan.

When everyone saw that the woman came from the Longhu Mountain bandits, they fell silent, staring at her with great trepidation.

The stingy Xin Wenyuan was hesitating when he heard his little daughter chirp, "Deal."

"But you have to carry her for five consecutive days. Can you do that?"

The little girl spoke in a soft, delicate voice, her jade-like face wearing a faint smile.

Her misty eyes looked particularly innocent, as if they were rippling with two clear springs, full of endless naivety.

The woman tugged at her shackles, quite surprised. "You aren't afraid of me?"

Xin Nian blinked her innocent eyes. "Big Sister, you are so beautiful. Why would I be afraid of you?"

Once these words were out, not only were the Longhu Mountain bandits silenced, but everyone around them looked at her as if she were a supernatural being...

The woman felt a mix of shame and anger. "Are you mocking me??"