Someone Comes to Plead for Mercy

A moment later, Qingye, a second-class maid from the First Madam's courtyard, came over and called out at the door, "Madam."

The First Madam paused, her hand holding the teacup still, and called out, "Come in."

Qingye entered, bowed, and reported, "Madam, Physician Shi has already come to check on you. The Third Young Master is not seriously injured; he is just feeling slightly unwell, but he will recover with rest."

"Yes, I understand," the First Madam said.

Although Qingye kept her head down, her eyes kept glancing upwards. She saw that the First Madam was sitting there steadily, showing no intention of leaving. She bit her lip, hesitating whether or not she should speak.

"What's wrong?" the First Madam asked gently. "Is there anything else?"

Qingye gritted her teeth. "Madam, the eldest young master is still kneeling in the ancestral hall."

"Hmm?" The First Madam turned around in confusion and asked Caidie Die, "Hasn't it been half an incense stick's time yet?"

Caidie was increasingly confused. When had the First Madam ever said that the Young Master should kneel for half an incense stick's time?

However, she still shook her head cooperatively. "No."

The First Madam then looked at Qingye and said, "Alright, I understand. You may leave now."

"Yes." Qingye breathed a sigh of relief, bowed, and withdrew.

"Go out and tell Caixia to see who Qingye is talking to later." The First Madam's face darkened instantly, her previous gentleness completely gone. "Also, send someone to the ancestral hall to see who has been in contact with the Eldest Young Master."

"Yes." Caidie immediately went out to find Caixia.

Not long after, Caidie came in and reported, "It's Qingye's godmother, Matron Wang from the sewing room."

"Hmph, you've got too much to do." The First Madam sneered.

Although the Caidie didn't understand, it dared not ask.

In fact, not only the maids, but even the First Madam could see that Qingye liked the eldest young master, Zhao Jingli. It was very inappropriate for a maid serving the First Madam to have such feelings for the young master. Whenever the eldest young master was in the main courtyard, the First Madam wouldn't order Qingye around. Caidie could tell that the First Madam intended to replace Qingye, but she hadn't taken action yet because there wasn't a suitable replacement for the time being.

Qingye must have known this, and lately she's been keeping a low profile, not daring to cross the line again. Tonight, for some unknown reason, she actually went to the First Madam to inquire about the punishment of the eldest young master, which was completely out of character.

Recalling what Caixia had told her and the First Madam's words just now, Caidie naturally guessed that it must have been Matron Wang from the sewing room who sent Qingye to ask. She just couldn't understand why Matron Wang would do such a thing, harming her goddaughter Qingye; what benefit would that bring her?

Qingye is foolish; she does whatever Matron Wang tells her to do, without ever thinking of her own interests.

After lost in thought for a while, Caidie saw that the First Madam had already sat on the soft couch, her eyes half-closed, seemingly pondering something. Seeing that it was getting dark, she quickly lit a lamp and took a light blanket, gently covering the First Madam with it.

As darkness gradually descended completely, standing under the indoor lamplight, the view outside the door and windows was no longer visible. Only the light shone through the room, flickering in the evening breeze with the dancing wick.

Caidie glanced at the water clock in the corner of the room; half an hour had already passed since the young master was punished by kneeling.

In the past, she would have definitely reminded the First Madam, but today the First Madam's behavior was strange, and it was clear that she was testing someone through this matter, so Caidie didn't dare to say a word.

"Sister Caixia, I need to see my mother." Zhao Jingtai's voice suddenly rang out from outside, "Please inform her for me."

Upon hearing Zhao Jingtai's voice, the First Madam's face darkened, and she said to Caidie, "Let him in."

A moment later, Caidie led Zhao Jingtai in.

"Mother, my elder brother is still kneeling in the ancestral hall. Please forgive him. Or, let me kneel there instead. Today's incident isn't entirely my brother's fault; it's all my fault," Zhao Jingtai shouted as soon as he entered the door.

The First Madam lay half-reclined on the soft couch, not saying a word, but quietly watching Zhao Jingtai.

Zhao Jingtai became uneasy under her gaze, and his voice lowered slightly. "Mother, I know I was wrong."

The First Madam stared intently at him and asked, "Who sent you to plead for me?"

"No..." Zhao Jingtai quickly shook his head, "No one, I came by myself."

The First Madam suddenly sat up, slammed her hand on the armrest, and shouted, "Speak! Who sent you?" This startled Zhao Jingtai and Caidie.

"I... I..." Zhao Jingtai stammered, and under his mother's intense gaze, he could only say, "It's... it's Second Brother."

"Hehe..." The First Madam chuckled coldly twice, then suddenly burst into loud laughter, "Hahahaha..." As she laughed, tears streamed down her face.

"Mother, Mother, what's wrong? I was wrong, I won't be naughty again." Seeing his mother crying again, Zhao Jingtai's legs went weak and he knelt down in front of the First Madam. "Mother, I really know I was wrong."

"Get up." The First Madam quickly regained her composure, wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, and personally helped Zhao Jingtai to his feet, asking, "Does the place where you fell still hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt anymore." Zhao Jingtai shook his head.

He hadn't climbed very high to begin with, and when he fell, everyone caught him, distributing the impact so he only hit his bottom. He's chubby, with a lot of flesh on his bottom, so it hurt for a moment, but now it doesn't hurt at all.

"Hmm." The First Madam pointed to the chair beside her, "Then please sit with Mother."

"Then, elder brother..." Zhao Jingtai thought of his elder brother still kneeling there obediently; how could he sit still?

"Let him kneel a little longer," the First Madam said calmly.

She had misunderstood something for a moment. But then she thought, maybe it was Zhao Jing'an who pleaded for Zhao Jingli himself, rather than Lady Wei instructing him. After all, Zhao Jing'an and Zhao Jingli had always had a good relationship because they were born on the same day.

Thinking this way, she decided to wait and see when Matron Zhou returned to assess the situation before making a decision.

Zhao Jingtai could only wait anxiously in the room.

After another meal's time, Matron Zhou hurried in. Seeing Zhao Jingtai in the room, she swallowed back the words she was about to say and greeted him with a smile, "Third Young Master."

The First Madam waved her hand at Zhao Jingtai: "Jingtai, go back and tell your elder brother that he doesn't need to kneel anymore. Go back to your room and rest."

Zhao Jingtai immediately became Gao Xing, bowed to his mother, and skipped away.

"Caidie, go and check on the situation at the ancestral hall," the First Madam instructed.

The Caidie responded and flew away.

Only the two of them remained in the room, and the First Madam then looked at Matron Zhou.

Although no one was in the room, Matron Zhou kept her voice very low, so low that only she and the First Madam could hear her. "This old servant was afraid that the Second Madam would become suspicious, so I didn't dare to be too obvious. I just had someone pass on the message to the Second Branch and that was it. After passing on the message, this old servant was afraid that someone would be missed, so I stayed on the Second Branch's route for a while. But it seemed that everyone in the Second Branch had already gone to bed early, and no one came out to walk around."