Chapter 226 – I Am The Empress Dowager, Who Am I Afraid Of? (part 19)

In a small courtyard in the capital, Qiao’er was boiling the medicine with a sad expression. After leaving the palace, her previous name could no longer be used. She ended up using her original name. Now, she was Qiao’er, not Ruyi nor Cola.

When the Jiang family incident happened, all the palace maids who were sent to the palace by the Jiang family were all sent out of the palace and had to be sent back to their place of origin. She was worried about her mother’s whereabouts and pleaded around, but had to leave the capital just now.

For a while, she couldn’t find where her mother was.

In the end, a girl named Ziyue found her. Ziuyue said that her mother was injured in the fire and was somewhere else.

Qiao’er later found out that the girl named Ziyue was her mother’s goddaughter. After such a goddaughter entered the palace, her mother recognised this goddaughter. But after her mother was injured, only Ziyue came out to take care of her.

It’s just that Ziyue didn’t do much. After she left the palace, she didn’t choose to return to her hometown, but married a passing merchant as a mistress. That merchant was in his thirties this year, and he looked pretty good. He already had a wife and a family. He served his parents and raised his children in his hometown. The merchant was walking around, and there was no one around to take care of him. Ziyue attracted his gaze, and after Ziyue thought about it, she agreed.

The merchant showed some sincerity towards Ziyue. He helped Ziyue buy a modest dowry, and rented a small courtyard to house Ziyue’s godmother.

Ziyue also left Qiao’er twenty taels of silver. Qiao’er thought it was too little, but she didn’t know that Ziyue only had fifty taels of silver in her hands. Ziyue was a little reluctant at first, but she thought that if it wasn’t for her godmother, then she would have been sent to an official’s back house by now. There were no good days now.

Ziyue went with the merchant. When Qiao’er found out, she felt a little unhappy in her heart. She thought Ziyue was a conscientious person, but who would have thought that Ziyue was so selfish? Ziyue just left mother alone to have a good life? Although Ziyue left twenty taels of silver, it was far from enough.

In half a month, she had spent half the money. Her mother’s injury had not healed. What should she do in the future? Qiao’er wondered if she had to find something to do. But if she left, what would her mother do? Besides, what could she do as a weak woman?!

Qiao’er remembered this, and sighed helplessly. The medicine was boiled, and Qiao’er poured the medicine into the bowl and brought it in.

“Mother, it’s time to take medicine,” Qiao’er said softly.

Mrs. Fang opened her eyes, and there was a pained expression on her face. She was better off dead now. She knew that when she was in another hospital, she shouldn’t have asked for help. She should have just died in the fire immediately.

“Mother, take the medicine!” Qiao’er said in distress. She looked at her mother, who was wrapped in layers of gauze.

Mrs. Fang turned her head away in disgust. Qiao’er and Ziyue were heartless. They were all useless idiots, especially Qiao’er, who had been in the palace for five years, and had not even touched a corner of the crown prince’s clothes! And the Jiang family were a bunch of idiots! A bunch of useless idiots!

Seeing this, Qiao’er’s eyes flashed with a trace of hurt. “Mother, your daughter knows that your daughter is useless and can’t avenge older sister and mother. Mother, can beat and scold your daughter when you are angry, but you need to take some medicine!”

Mrs. Fang still did not move.

Qiao’er was a little anxious. Her mother was severely burned. If she didn’t take medicine, the wound would become inflamed and she would die. A thought occurred to her. “Mother, don’t worry. Those people will have their retribution. Over time, they will mess up on their own without us having to do anything.”

Mrs. Fang turned her head with difficulty. Her voice was hoarse. “What did you see?”

Qiao’er naturally didn’t see anything, but in order to coax Mrs. Fang to drink the medicine, she could only rack her brains and continue to make things up. “Yes! Mother forgot. The current emperor is not the empress dowager’s biological son, but Prince Bao is the empress dowager’s biological son. It seems that everything is fine now, but if Prince Bao gave birth to a son, that would be the empress dowager’s grandson. Wouldn’t the empress dowager have thoughts? Once there is prejudice, there will be rifts, and when the rifts are large, chaos will arise.”

The light in Mrs. Fang’s eyes became increasingly brighter. “You are right.”

“So, mother, you have to take care of yourself and watch it slowly! Sooner or later, there will be a day when you will be avenged.” Qiao’er didn’t know how long it would be, but for now, she could only comfort her mother like this.

Mrs. Fang smiled horribly. “Bring the medicine over.”

Qiao’er quickly took the medicine and fed Mrs. Fang.

After a while, the effect of the medicine hit Mrs. Fang and she fell asleep again. Qiao’er looked at the small amount of money left. She was a little worried.

Mother’s medicine cost fifty taels of silver, and one medicine could only be taken for three days. Although Ziyue’s husband had already paid them half a year’s rent in advance, but three meals a day cost money. It was not good to sit and eat like this all the time. She had to find something to do.

But what could she do?

Qiao’er thought for a while, then looked down at her hands. During her early years in the courtyard, in addition to reading and writing, she was taught to pay attention to words and expressions, and she learned how to please men. After entering the palace, in addition to learning the rules, she could do some rough work. The old palace maid taught her simple needlework.

She was a girl, and it was too difficult to find something she could do.

Unless, as before, she was sold into slavery. But what about her mother? Mother now needed someone to take care of her.

Qiao’er thought about it and was very embarrassed. Or, she could sell herself and use the money to hire someone to take care of her mother.

After thinking about it, this was the only way. But when she discussed this idea with Mrs. Fang, Mrs. Fang spat blood on her face.

“I know you think I’m a burden now and you want to live a good life without me. You are a little bitch with no conscience!” MRs. Fang struggled to get up from the bed and reached out to Qiao’er.

Qiao’er saw that her movements were violent, and blood was oozing from the wound, which was quite terrifying. She stepped back subconsciously.

Seeing her stepping back, Mrs. Fang became angrier. “You really are an ungrateful bitch! You can’t compare to my Rong’er!” Mrs. Fang panted heavily, then fell asleep again.

Qiao’er had never seen her mother like this before. She was frightened and ran out, hiding in the courtyard alone to wipe her tears away.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Qiao’er quickly wiped her tears and went to open the door. It turned out that the landlord, Mrs. Yang, passed by and heard the quarrel in the house, so she came to have a look.

Mrs. Yang probably understood when she saw Qiao’er like this. “Forget it. Your mother is injured and has a temper, so you should be more patient.”

Qiao’er had been dealing with Mrs. Yang a lot these days. Mrs. Yang had a gentle temperament and often guided Qiao’er in some matters. Therefore, Qiao’er was quite close to her.

Qiao’er just lowered her head when she heard Mrs. Yang’s words. “I know I’m not as smart as my older sister. Mother, she…”

Mrs. Yang sighed. “You have such a good character, but it is not enough for your mother? I really don’t know what kind of person your older sister was!”

Qiao’er smiled bitterly. “I only know that my older sister’s name was Rong’er. My mother rarely mentions anything else.”

Mrs. Yang heard the word Rong’er and said, “Could it be that all the people named Rong’er in the world are prodigies?”

When Qiao’er heard this, she knew there was a story, so she quickly poured a cup of warm tea for Mrs. Yang. “Auntie sit down and talk. Auntie also knows someone named Rong’er?”

“You don’t know, but my main family’s surname is Fang. There was an eldest young miss named Rong’er, the legitimate daughter of Madam Fang. She was really intelligent and extraordinary. The madam had a soft temperament, and she had no son, so her position was unstable. Young Miss Rong’er helped the madam to manage the family in an orderly manner. Not only that, but even her father’s concubines were obedient. There was no one in the house who refused to accept it. It’s a pity that when she was ten years old, for some reason, she fell off the rockery and hit her head. She died on the spot,” Mrs. Yang said.

Qiao’er’s heart moved. Her older sister seemed to have disappeared when she was ten years old. Such a coincidence. It couldn’t be…

“What happened after that? What happened to Madam Fang?” Qiao’er asked.

Mrs. Yang sighed. “Perhaps, it was fate! Not long after Young Miss Rong’er died, something happened to the madam’s family. Although the master never divorced the madam, he locked the madam in the Buddhist hall. What happened? Madam disappeared suddenly. According to the woman who served her, she seemed to be pregnant before she disappeared. Now ten years have passed, and nobody knows where she went. Maybe she is long gone,” Mrs. Yang said.

No, the timing was not right. She was only a few years younger than her older sister. Qiao’er felt a little uncomfortable. She actually still wanted to know her own history. It was a shame that she didn’t even know her surname until now.

“What a shame,” Qiao’er murmured.

“Who said I was finished? Not long after the madam disappeared, the master said that the madam had passed away. The next year, he remarried a daughter from a poor and talented family. This woman had good luck. She was only around for a few months, but she got pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was actually the apple of the master’s heart. In the past ten years, she has successively given birth to two legitimate sons and a legitimate daughter. The master treats them like treasures and loves them very much, especially the younger daughter! It was not an exaggeration to say that the daughter was the jewel in the palm of his hand. Now not only the master, but the whole family, except for the old people like us, do not remember the eldest young miss.” Mrs. Yang sighed.

“What did you say?!” a hoarse voice called out.

Qiao’er turned her head back in a hurry. It turned out that Mrs. Fang somehow got up from the couch and struggled to lean on the door frame. The wounds on her body were torn open by her movements. She stared at Mrs. Yang.

Although Mrs. Yang knew that Mrs. Fang was burned, it was the first time she saw Mrs. Fang. She was startled. “Oh my god!” This was too scary!

“Mother, why did you get up?” Qiao’er hurried over, trying to help Mrs. Fang go back to lie down.

Mrs. Fang pushed her away and only walked towards Mrs. Yang. Mrs. Yang was too frightened to think about anything and ran away.

Mrs. Fang seemed stupid as she struggled to catch up. “Don’t go. Tell me clearly, Fang Zhiheng has resumed his career, and gave birth to a son, the family is harmonious, and no one remembers my glory. No one remembers my Rong’er? No, it can’t be! It shouldn’t be! My Rong’er was so smart. Who can compare! No, no!”

Qiao’er heard these words and it was like a bolt from the blue. Was this Rong’er really older sister Rong’er? Then what happened to her? The ages did not line up!