House Arrest

This was utterly unreasonable!

Lin Yunwan actually suspected he had a disease in that part of his body!

If he were ill, how could he possibly have a son like Qing?

He had come close—so close to telling Lin Yunwan the truth.

His trusted manservant Wei'er came over and asked, "Heir Apparent, should I keep getting contraceptive medicine for the concubine?"

Lu Zhengliu's face went cold. "No need."

Otherwise, Lin Yunwan would really think something was wrong with him.

One day, he would let her see with her own eyes whether he was ill.

As soon as the thought sprang to mind, Lu Zhengliu pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What's wrong with me..."

Lately, whenever he thought about anything to do with Lin Yunwan, he grew intensely irritated.

But something even more irritating was still to come.

"Your Elder Sister and her family will arrive the day after tomorrow. Take a day off and go to the docks to meet them yourself."

Old Madam Lu had summoned everyone. After instructing Lu Zhengliu, she reminded Lin Yunwan, "If there's anything in the house that hasn't been properly arranged, see to it quickly. Don't let our relatives arrive and find their stay uncomfortable. Your eldest sister-in-law's father-in-law may have been transferred back to the capital at the same rank, but I hear he was a student of one of the grand secretaries. This time, that grand secretary is deliberately promoting him!"

Wei Shi exclaimed, "A grand secretary's student? Heavens, why didn't Eldest Miss Jia ever mention it to us?"

She immediately grew nervous, afraid something would go wrong with their reception of the guests.

Old Madam Lu smiled and said, "Not everything can be casually put in a letter. Once they arrive, won't everything become clear?"

Wei Shi clutched her chest and said, "That's remarkable. The Xia family quietly made connections with a grand secretary's household!"

Old Madam Lu solemnly instructed everyone, "There's nothing else to worry about. Just follow the usual precedents in everything. But one thing is very important: Old Madam Xia is a stickler for rules. If I find out anyone has disgraced us in front of our guests, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Wei Shi said nervously, "I understand, Mother. I'll go back and tighten the reins on everyone in my quarters."

Lin Yunwan gave a quiet acknowledgment.

But the rules in her Drooping Silk Hall had always been strict, and the maids never made mistakes.

In fact, after saying all this, Old Madam Lu herself was the most nervous of all.

There was a jinx living in her Hall of Longevity.

Lu Zhengliu was also worried that something might go wrong with Ge Bao'er.

Grandmother and grandson exchanged a glance. Afraid the others would grow suspicious, Old Madam Lu said, "With Old Madam Xia coming, it won't be appropriate for Bao'er to stay here with me. I'd like her to move to the quiet courtyard by the side gate."

On the surface, she was telling Lin Yunwan this so she would arrange the courtyard.

In fact, she was saying it for Lu Zhengliu's benefit.

He did not object. She was only moving to a side courtyard, not being sent away, so it was nothing serious.

Old Madam Lu said, "Then it's settled."

Wei Shi said, "Old Madam, she's your grandniece. Of course it's up to you—but where is Miss Bao'er?" Why was she absent when they were discussing her affairs?

Nanny Yan came forward and said, "Miss Bao'er is copying Buddhist scriptures in her room. There's no need to disturb her over such a small matter."

Wei Shi said, "Oh," and suspected nothing.

Once they had settled the arrangements for receiving their relatives, everyone dispersed.

Ge Bao'er was the one most affected by the decision, yet she was the last to learn of her own situation.

Lin Yunwan sent someone over with a message: "Nanny Yan, the courtyard is ready. Cousin Miss can move there at any time."

Nanny Yan then instructed the older maids to help Ge Bao'er move to the other courtyard.

Only then did Ge Bao'er ask, bewildered and alarmed, "What are you doing? Don't touch my things!"

Nanny Yan sneered. "Miss, which of these things is yours? Weren't they all given to you by the Lu family?"

That bucket of cold water drenched Ge Bao'er to the bone.

She suddenly realized that, after struggling for so long in the Lu family, she had no foothold there at all.

Nanny Yan scolded Wu'er, "What are you standing there for? Help Cousin Miss pack."

Wu'er hurried over to carry Ge Bao'er's bedding.

Only after Ge Bao'er reached the side courtyard did she learn that she had not merely been moved, but placed under house arrest.

Aside from Wu'er, who attended her personally, four burly older maids stood guard in the courtyard. They claimed to be sweeping and cleaning, but when she tried to leave, they blocked her path like a wall and questioned her coldly: "Cousin Miss, where are you going?"

Ge Bao'er could not go anywhere.

But she was not one to sit and wait for death, so she sent Wu'er out to find Nanny Yan.

"Tell her I'm ill, so ill I'm at death's door."

Wu'er looked troubled. "But Miss, you aren't ill."

In the middle of the night, Ge Bao'er poured cold water all over herself. She shivered uncontrollably and sneezed several times.

"Wu'er, surely you can go now!"

Looking at Ge Bao'er's blood-red eyes, Wu'er pressed her lips together in alarm. "Miss, I—I'll go... Please don't do this anymore." It was frightening!

Wu'er was free to come and go. After leaving, she found Nanny Yan and told her about what had happened in the side courtyard, feeling aggrieved.

Nanny Yan said, "I understand. I'll go at once."

She went through the night to see Ge Bao'er.

Ge Bao'er lay under the covers in her soaking-wet clothes, making sure she would fall ill.

The moment she saw Nanny Yan, she began to cry. "I want to see the Heir Apparent. I want my Qing..."

Nanny Yan looked at her coldly. "Cousin Miss, what are you making such a fuss for? It's not as though you have to stay here forever. You can move out as soon as the relatives leave. What is there to cry about?"

Ge Bao'er bit her lip and said, "Why should I have to hide from people? Am I so ugly? Why can't I show my face!"

"Are you telling me a joke, Miss? Haven't you made enough of a spectacle of yourself? Don't you know your own standing, or whether you can show your face? This is the path you chose for yourself. You're destined to spend decades unable to see the light of day. Why are you feeling aggrieved only now? It's too late!"

Ge Bao'er sobbed, clutching the bedding tightly with both hands.

She did not want to live hidden from the light.

She did not want to hide in a side courtyard like a mouse.

This was not the outcome she wanted.

Coughing through her tears, she said, "I want to see the Heir Apparent... Let me see the Heir Apparent..."

Nanny Yan ignored her and merely warned her with a cold look, "If you behave yourself, Miss, Old Madam will let you move out. But if you make trouble and disturb everyone's peace, even the Heir Apparent won't protect you again and again."

After Nanny Yan left, Ge Bao'er lay on the bed with her eyes closed, urging herself to wait patiently.

Once the Lu family's relatives leave, I'll be able to move out...

As long as she endured this period, things would return to how they had been, and she could often see Lu Zhengliu and Qing in the Hall of Longevity.

Wasn't that all she wanted?

She only had to wait patiently, and she would have it.

Worn out in body and mind, Ge Bao'er really did fall ill.

Old Madam Lu was reluctant to call a physician for her, feeling that it would cause too much of a stir.

She said to Nanny Yan, "Just get a couple of doses of medicine for her to take. Zhengliu won't go to the side courtyard to see her anyway. Who would know whether she lives or dies?"

"I'll have someone fetch the medicine at once."

After Nanny Yan went out, she ran into Zhu Qing.