Xie Qiqi looked at Xie Wentao, who was leaning against a gallery pillar and staring at her, and pleaded for help.
"Second Brother, please go and check on Yan'er for me. Call a doctor for her!"
Xie Wentao let out a mocking laugh. "What? You want that girl to know you’ve been forced to kneel by Mother, so she can go and get Grandmother to rescue you?"
"Xie Qiqi, I knew you wouldn't just accept your punishment quietly. Sure enough, you’ve only been kneeling for half an hour and you’re already hatching schemes... Hmph, I won't fall for your tricks!"
Ever since Xie Qiqi’s mother had sent her away years ago, Grandmother had held a grudge against her. If she found out Xie Qiqi was being punished by kneeling, she would undoubtedly turn that resentment toward Mother again.
Xie Wentao felt certain that Xie Qiqi had malicious intentions; he added another sin to her list in his mind: unfilial.
Xie Qiqi said urgently, "I’m not hatching schemes! Second Brother, Yan'er is still young. Big Brother gave her twenty heavy lashes; I’m worried she won’t be able to bear it..."
Xie Wentao picked his nose and sneered. "If you were worried about her, you wouldn’t have taught her to lie! Xie Qiqi, Yan'er is only suffering because of you. Stop putting on this hypocritical display of kindness—you’re nothing but a fraud!"
That little girl, Yan'er, used to belong to Yue Yue and had always been honest and dutiful. Ever since she started following Xie Qiqi, she had been led astray, to the point where she would even deceive her masters. It was only because Big Brother was merciful that she had only received twenty lashes; if it were up to him, he would have had her sold off long ago.
Xie Qiqi, anxious and angry, raised her voice: "Second Brother..."
Mammy Zhong opened the door and stepped out. She glared at Xie Qiqi in annoyance and scolded her in a low voice.
"Fourth Young Miss, the Madam has just taken her medicine and fallen asleep. If you have even a shred of filial piety, stop shouting and disturbing her!"
Upon hearing this, Xie Wentao barked sharply, "Xie Qiqi, shut your mouth! Say one more word and I’ll have you sent to the ancestral hall. You won't be stepping out of there until you’ve knelt for three full days!"
Xie Qiqi swallowed her words. She had already experienced Xie Wentao’s ruthlessness; if he threatened her, he would certainly follow through. If she were really sent to the ancestral hall, who would be left to save Yan'er?
There was only an hour and a half left—she just had to endure it.
Xie Qiqi lowered her eyes and knelt rigidly, praying in her heart that Yan'er could hold on until she returned.
Time ticked by bit by bit. Xie Qiqi felt frozen to the bone, her legs numb and devoid of sensation.
Xie Wentao had originally intended to mock her a few more times, but seeing her kneeling so obediently, he lost interest and walked away, leaving only his manservant to keep watch over her.
There was no movement from inside Mother's room. Since waking up, Xie Qiqi had only consumed half a bowl of red date porridge, and she was famished.
She didn't know how much longer she had been kneeling when the door finally opened.
Yue Yue stepped out, wrapped in a fox-fur cloak. Seeing Xie Qiqi, she gave a soft gasp.
"Big Sister, you’re still kneeling? It’s been three hours... Oh, I’m so sorry, I accidentally fell asleep and forgot to come out and tell you to go back!"
Three hours?
Xie Qiqi looked at Yue Yue with fury, only to see the undisguised provocation on her face. Her expression seemed to say: *I did it on purpose. What are you going to do about it?*
Xie Qiqi then looked at Second Brother’s manservant. He was standing with his hands behind his back, staring at the sky with an expression identical to his master's.
Xie Qiqi understood. Without Second Brother’s silent approval, how would the servant have dared to do this?
Xie Qiqi’s body went limp, and she relaxed, sitting down on the snowy ground. She rubbed her knees with her hands; the most urgent task now was to regain feeling in her legs so she could return to check on Yan'er.
When she finally felt sensation returning, she crawled up and stumbled away. Her legs were weak, and she didn't know how many times she fell along the way. By the time she reached Jifeng Courtyard, she was covered in dirt and grime.
Ignoring everything, she staggered into Yan'er’s room, calling out, "Yan'er... Yan'er..."
No one answered.
In the dim light, Xie Qiqi saw a figure lying on the bed. She lunged forward, voice trembling: "Yan'er!"
The person on the bed was silent and motionless.
Xie Qiqi’s heart sank to the floor, her legs giving way until she was kneeling by the bedside. She braced herself, trembling as she placed her fingers against Yan'er’s slender neck.
A faint pulse beat against her fingertips.
Tears poured down her face. Yan'er was still alive!
Xie Qiqi didn't stop to think; she scrambled up to find her own medicine. There was only half a bottle left, but she didn't care. She hurried back to apply it to Yan'er.
Yan'er’s back and buttocks were torn and bloody. Xie Qiqi cleaned the wounds through her tears before applying the salve. Only when she felt Yan'er’s breathing grow stronger did she finally breathe a sigh of relief.
She dragged her exhausted body to change into clean clothes, planning to go to the kitchen to find something to eat.
No sooner had she stepped out than she ran into Xie Wentao. He scowled at her.
"Xie Qiqi, Mother injured herself while praying for your well-being, and yet you’re hiding away instead of attending to her?"
"What? You haven't learned your lesson after being punished? Do you want another beating? Get over there and serve Mother at once!"
Xie Qiqi looked at him blankly, turned, and walked toward her mother’s courtyard. Mother had indeed been injured while praying for her; it was only right and proper that she go and tend to her.
Xie Wentao continued to grumble behind her: "You’re both daughters, why can’t you learn from Yue Yue—she’s so filial and sensible..."
Yue Yue was still tending to Mother, while Xie Qiqi, the biological daughter, was hiding and slacking off. The contrast in who was more filial was obvious.
Xie Qiqi turned a deaf ear to Xie Wentao's accusations. As she walked, she used strips of cloth to bind the two broken fingers on her hand. Old Man Xi, with whom she had once tended horses, had taught her some medicine; whenever she had been injured in the past, she had always treated herself.
When Xie Qiqi arrived at her mother’s bedroom, she met Mammy Zhong at the door, who was carrying a basin of water.
"Let me."
Xie Qiqi took the heavy wooden basin from Mammy Zhong’s hands and carried it inside with great effort.
Yue Yue was chatting with Yue Huijuan. Seeing Xie Qiqi enter, she stood up hastily.
"Big Sister, let me do it. You’re not well, go and rest!"
Mammy Zhong interjected, "Fifth Young Miss, you’ve been attending to the Madam all day; you’re the one who needs to rest... Let the Fourth Young Miss show some filial piety."
Mammy Zhong felt sorry for Yue Yue, who had been by Yue Huijuan’s side all day, while Xie Qiqi, the actual daughter, had been hiding away. It was only right that she serve the Madam.
Yue Huijuan glanced at Yue Yue, who was covering her mouth to hide a yawn, and felt a pang of sympathy. "Indeed, Yue Yue has worked hard all day and should go rest. Don't let yourself get sick from exhaustion!"
Yue Yue smiled sweetly. "It is my blessing to serve Mother. I don’t feel tired at all!"
Yue Huijuan chided, "There will be plenty of chances to be filial to Mother later... Go and rest now, and come back tomorrow!"
Yue Yue gave Xie Qiqi a look of "guilt" and yawned again. "Big Sister, then I’ll leave the hard work to you. I’m going to rest now, and I’ll come back to serve Mother tomorrow..."
Xie Qiqi ignored her. With her head bowed, she set the wooden basin down by Yue Huijuan’s feet and knelt halfway to remove her shoes.
Yue Huijuan demurred, "Qiqi, you don’t need to do this. Just let Cui'er handle it!"
Cui'er, the maid who was bringing in tea, had no love for Xie Qiqi. She cast a look of disgust at her and said coldly, "Madam, the Fourth Young Miss hasn't had the chance to show filial piety to you before; why not give her a chance? This servant would dream of having the chance to wash her own mother’s feet, but that opportunity is gone..."
Cui'er’s mother had passed away long ago, and her tone turned melancholy as she spoke...