Madam Song always regarded her children as her dearest treasures that were more important than her life. She was the one who proposed that her children should company her niece to go on a tour, but she also knew that her niece must have a plan since she decided to go out at this time. However, out of her guilt and love on her niece, Madam Song still agreed with Song Zaishui's request.

In the first two days, nothing had happened. However, on this day, Madam Song was woken up by Granny s.h.i.+ soon after she took a nap. Granny s.h.i.+ told her that her daughter and niece fell and hurt themselves on the Little Bamboo Hill. Madam Song was nearly frightened to death. She had no time to think about the things in the Wei Family now.

She didn't even have time to tell Old Madam Song about this. She didn't even change her clothes and put on her shoes before she immediately ordered her servants to prepare a carriage.

On their way to the Little Bamboo Hill, Madam Song urged the carter to drive faster for countless times. The carter was afraid of being punished by the Head Mother, so he tried his best to whip the horses. The carriage was b.u.mping so violently that the young maidservants couldn't bear it. Although Madam Song was delicate, she was caring about her daughter and niece so much that she didn't notice the b.u.mping. Her fingers turned blue because she was grabbing the armrest too tight.

On arriving at the foot of the Little Bamboo Hill, Madam Song went so hurriedly that she even walked faster than the servant who was trying to guide her.

She rushed into the hut and saw her son standing there and talking to the doctor. Madam Song noticed that although Changfeng looked serious, he didn't look sad. She then calmed herself down and asked with a trembling voice, “Changfeng, how are your sisters?”

“Mother!” Wei Changfeng was surprised that his mother arrived personally within such a short time. He knew that Madam Song doted on him and his sister Wei Changying, so he comforted her immediately. “Both of them are alright,” he said, “There's nothing to worry about!”

The two doctors also proved what Wei Changfeng had said was true. Hearing this, Madam Song felt relief—her legs were so weak that she nearly fell on her knees!

But now the doctors and the servants were at the scene, so Granny s.h.i.+ and Huatang couldn't let Madam Song lose grace in front of the people. They went forward to hold Madam Song's arms so that she could stand steadily. After that, Madam Song tidied her sleeves—she did it in order to calm down— and went towards the bedroom.

Seeing this, Wei Changfeng made a dry cough and said to the doctors, “Please stay for a while, I'm afraid my mother will have some questions to ask you after she comes out.”

The two doctors looked at each other with a wry smile and agreed…. After all, although the doctors and her second son had said that the girls were alright, Madam Song cared about her daughter and niece so much that she couldn't rest a.s.sured without seeing them personally.

Even if she had seen them, Madam Song would definitely have many questions to ask the doctors….

In the inner room, the atmosphere was awkward because Song Zaishui had hidden the injury. Suddenly, Madam Song came in, which had surprised both of the girls. Wei Changying was not able to get up, but Song Zaishui still wanted to curtsy. Madam Song knew that Song Zaishui had hurt her knees, so she wouldn't allow her niece to move. She shouted, “Stay there! Don't move!”

Although Madam Song was worrying about her daughter, Song Zaishui was her niece anyway. She compressed her anxiety and didn't go towards her daughter but checked Song Zaishui's arms and knees at first. Not until Song Zaishui had said several times that she was alright did Madam Song sigh and go towards her daughter.

Wei Changying's situation was worse than Song Zaishui. Madam Song nearly cried when she saw Wei Changying's wounds. She didn't even want to waste time asking the doctors outside the room. She sat beside Song Zaishui and sobbed as she said, “What happened? Weren't you just hiking?”

This question had made the girls feel embarra.s.sed, and they didn't know how to answer. Song Zaishui guessed that although her aunt had arrived here hurriedly, some people might have told Madam Song that she had caused her cousin into trouble. She meant to fall and let the rock cut her face so that she needn't marry into the royal family. However, she didn't expect that Wei Changying ran towards her to save her, and the rock she had chosen cut her cousin. Fortunately, Wei Changying wasn't seriously injured, or Song Zaishui would feel guilty in her whole life.

Although Song Zaishui knew that Madam Song's question wasn't aimed to blame her but to preach her, she felt guilty and was about to admit that it was her fault. Just then, Wei Changying smiled and said, “Mother, it was my fault. I saw Changfeng asking Wei Changsui to make a fis.h.i.+ng pole, so I wanted to make one with my cousin too. However, my dress is too long so I was tripped after I went into the bamboo grove, and my cousin tripped because of me.”

Song Zaishui and the maidservants of both girls were stunned after they heard what Wei Changying had said, and looked unnaturally at Wei Changying. Madam Song was also surprised and asked, “Is that true?”

“Of course it is,” Wei Changying said. She was lying on her stomach on the couch and was sighing frequently. She then said, “Thank G.o.d, both my cousin and I are alright. Or else, I don't know how to tell Uncle Song about this!”

Madam Song frowned. Just as Song Zaishui had expected, since Madam Song came personally, how come she didn't know that it was her niece who had caused her daughter's injury? Madam Song came here for two reasons: one was that she was worried about her daughter, and the other was that she was afraid that Song Zaishui insisted on hurting herself, though she was prevented by Wei Changying this time…. Ruiyu Hall's power at the Royal Court was declining, so she didn't hope that they were blamed for “making the Crown Princess disfigured by accident”.

Let alone the Royal Court, from the perspective of their family relations.h.i.+p, the Song Family only had one lineal granddaughter, so if Song Zaishui had an accident in Fengzhou, Madam Song couldn't explain to her parents and brother. What's worse, Song Zaitian was coming to Fengzhou with Shen Zhou, and they would arrive in a few days. If Song Zaishui had an accident in this period, Madam Song would not know how to face her nephew Song Zaitian!

Therefore, after knowing that nothing serious happened on both girls, Madam Song stopped worrying and began to think about how to persuade Song Zaishui not to injure or even kill herself.

However, her daughter had interrupted her plan. Just as Song Zaishui was about to admit her crime, and when Madam Song was about to make use of Song Zaishui's guilty feeling to persuade her, Wei Changying said that it was all her fault!

“This heartless evil little thing!” Madam Song felt angry as she scolded in her mind, “Is this the right time to stand up for Song Zaishui? Zaishui is a tough girl in a velvet glove. Since she has planned to cut her face in order to escape from marrying into the Eastern Palace, how would she give up her plan just because she has caused her cousin into trouble? Now that things have just happened and her wounds have not recovered yet, she is now in guilt. If I don't persuade her now, who knows what will happen next? She can't move a lot because she has hurt her knees…, but she can still injure herself using a hair clasp…or a needle…. This is very serious.”

However, when she saw Wei Changying lying on her stomach on the couch, Madam Song's heart melted. She kept silent for a while and said, “Forget about it. Now that you are both injured, let's talk about it after you recover.”

Wei Changying said immediately, “I knew you love me, mother. You won't blame me since I'm badly injured.”

Madam Song glanced at her. After all, she had been the Head Mother for years, so she wouldn't panic because her daughter had ruined her plan. She thought for a while and decided to care for their wounds in a kind and gentle way. She said some caring words with tears…, and soon it came to dusk.

Wei Changfeng had asked the doctors to stay, but he hadn't seen his mother come out for a long time, so he asked Xinli to enter the inner room and see what was going on.

This had reminded Wei Changying. She said, “Mother, I'm really grateful that you have come here personally. However, the hut is not well equipped, and I have occupied the couch, so you can't stay here for a night. I think you should return to the mansion as soon as possible.”

Song Zaishui said softly, “It's all my fault. My cousin injured because of me. And I'm sorry that I have frightened you so much that you hurried here….”

Madam Song looked at the sky outside and noticed that it was time for her to go back. Old Madam Song was old, and she must have been waiting for Madam Song to tell her the details! What's more, as a Head Mother, people must have noticed her since she had gone outside the city in such a hurry. If she returned to the mansion too late, rumors about the girls might spread. Therefore, after thinking for a while, Madam Song nodded and said, “It's time for me to leave.”

However, she immediately added, “Your servants are too careless! Or else, how would you get hurt since so many people were at the scene? I wonder why we provide them food and clothing?!”

Hearing this, Lvfang, Chunjing, and other maidservants were so scared that their faces turned pale. They wanted to explain, but they dared not because Madam Song looked sullen. Wei Changying was not afraid of her mother. She giggled and said, “Don't blame them, mother. If they were not with us, we didn't even know how to get down from the hilltop! What's more, it was my fault for being mischievous, insisting on picking bamboo branches by myself. If you have to blame someone, I must be the one to be blamed first. But now I have been lying here, which is the punishment from G.o.d…. You have always doted on me, so you won't punish me for this, will you? Let's just forget about it.”

Madam Song was already angry because Wei Changying had always interrupted her. But when she heard “the punishment from G.o.d”, she changed her expression and said, “What are you saying? Since it was an accident, how come the punishment from G.o.d? You have a good fortune. Or else, why were you born in the Wei Family?!”

“Yes, mother. You are absolutely right,” said Wei Changying. Apparently, she wasn't caring about her injury. Although she was lying on the couch, she still smiled and said, “Mother, you should go home now. Or else, it will be dangerous on the way back if it is too late, and it will be quite difficult to open the city gate.”

Madam Song stared at her daughter. She knew that she could neither persuade Song Zaishui nor scold the maidservants if Wei Changying was here. She struggled in her mind and eventually gave in to her beloved daughter. She stood up and said, “I'll leave Huatang, Huaping and some servants here to take care of you and to supervise your maidservants. I hope they weren't spoiled by their masters!”

Lvfang, Chunjing, and other servants carefully said, “I dare not.”

Madam Song didn't respond to them. Before she left, she told the girls to take care of themselves.

After about an hour, Wei Changfeng stood behind the door and told the girls that Madam Song had gone down the hill and that the doctors had left. But he also said that the Wei Family would send them the doctor they were familiar with tomorrow. Madam Song was too panicked today that she had forgotten to take the doctor with her.

Wei Changfeng then asked about their wounds. Wei Changying replied ironically, “You idiot. Do you think we can recover within several hours?”

Song Zaishui smiled and said, “I feel better.”

In addition to the wounds on her knees, Song Zaishui suffered a dislocated arm. She had, of course, felt better after replacing the dislocated joints. Wei Changfeng felt embarra.s.sed and said, “It's my fault. I didn't notice that you were injured too. I thought you were not injured, which nearly missed the best time for the doctors to diagnose you.”

Song Zaishui knew that Wei Changfeng was feeling guilty. She smiled and said, “It's Ok. We are in a family after all. I was so timid that I was frightened to the extent that I didn't notice my injury.”

After saying these, Song Zaishui and Wei Changfeng reconciled.

Seeing this, Lvfang and the other maidservants dared not be angry with Song Zaishui. Since Madam Song's servants were at the scene, Wei Changying's maidservants did things cautiously.

When night came, the servants began to prepare the meal. Wei Changying and Song Zaishui were both unable to move a lot, so the maidservants had to serve the girls dinner in the room. When it was time to sleep, Wei Changfeng put the couches in the living room together and slept on them, while Wei Changying invited Song Zaishui to sleep with her. The lignumvitae couch that Wei Boyu had left hundreds of years ago looked quite common, but it was wide enough for two girls to sleep on, so they wouldn't bother each other while sleeping.

This day, both the masters and servants had suffered. After dark, all the people, except for the guards outside the hut, were exhausted, so they all fell asleep quickly.

However, when the maidservants in the inner room had fallen asleep, Song Zaishui opened her eyes. Making use of the dim light coming through the thick gauze, she looked at Wei Changying and said, “Changying, do you have anything to tell me?”