MCSCPM -Chapter 292 Bedridden

Despite the pain, Mei’er still refused to leave, standing her ground as she pleaded, “I know my place, Miss Shangguan, but my mistress really isn’t here!”

“I don’t believe it. Everything has been taken care of—so why hasn’t the enchantress returned yet?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“Don’t know? Fine! Then I’ll whip you right here in this room. Let’s see if your mistress will come out to save you!” Saying this, Shangguan Jiaoran raised her whip.

Mei’er didn’t even have time to speak before the whip lashed across her body again, scorching with pain.

Shangguan Jiaoran continued whipping her, shouting, “You worthless girl! I refuse to believe the enchantress won’t come out!”

The lashes grew harsher. Mei’er rolled on the floor, crying from the pain. Between sobs, she pleaded, “Miss Shangguan, even if you beat me to death, it won’t help!”

“Beat you to death? Fine! Today I’ll beat you to death. A lowly servant by the enchantress’s side isn’t worth anything anyway!”

Shangguan Jiaoran had been simmering with anger for days. Finding someone to vent on, she naturally wouldn’t stop.

“I’ll beat you to death! I’ll beat you to death!”

More than ten lashes struck Mei’er violently. She cried in pain but stubbornly refused to beg for mercy.

Perhaps out of exhaustion or fatigue, Shangguan Jiaoran finally stopped. Hands on her hips, she looked at Mei’er sprawled on the ground, bruised and battered. “Looks like your mistress really isn’t here. If she were, she’d come out. Not coming out—that’s heartless.”

Mei’er crawled weakly on the ground, her face pale. “My mistress isn’t heartless, Miss Shangguan. You’ve misunderstood—she really isn’t here.”

“Then I suppose you’re telling the truth.”

Even Shangguan Jiaoran, stubborn as she was, knew that continuing could be fatal. Fine, Yin Qingyue must not be here.

“I’m tired of beating you for today. Consider yourself lucky—next time, you won’t be so fortunate,” Shangguan Jiaoran said, finally leaving.

Today she had been turned away by Ding Ying, and now she couldn’t find Yin Qingyue either. Shangguan Jiaoran felt humiliated.

But Mei’er, having been lashed so many times, remained on the floor, unable to stand. She tried to sit up, gasping, but her arms had no strength. Soon after, she fainted.

An hour later, the guards on duty in the front yard noticed she hadn’t appeared. They had only seen Shangguan Jiaoran leave.

After waiting a while, two guards sensed something was wrong.

“Do you think Mei’er went to rest? She should be here by now!”

“Yeah, Miss Shangguan left in a rage. Could something have happened?”

“Let’s check the backyard.”

“Okay.”

The guards hurried to the backyard. There, in Yin Qingyue’s room, they found Mei’er collapsed on the floor, covered in injuries.

“Miss Mei’er!” one guard rushed over, lifting her up carefully.

Mei’er slowly opened her eyes and tried to speak but couldn’t form words.

“What happened, Mei’er?” the guard asked.

“I… I…” she started, then fainted again.

The guards panicked and gently placed her on the bed. “We need to get a doctor quickly.”

“I’ll stay with her. You go fetch the doctor,” one guard instructed, running off toward the capital. Traveling from the suburban residence to the city to summon a doctor would take some time.

Mei’er lay on the bed, wracked with pain. She woke only to faint again, over and over.

After more than an hour, the doctor finally arrived, accompanied by a young maid.

The guards tending Mei’er urged the doctor to examine her immediately. Then one guard asked the maid, “Why did you come too?”

“Miss Mei’er is a girl. We’re all men. Looking at her condition, her injuries are serious, so someone must be here to care for her,” the maid explained.

“Good thinking.”

The doctor examined Mei’er, who looked pale and near death, her body covered with wounds. He sighed, shaking his head, already fearing the worst.

After checking her pulse and injuries, he said, “This young lady has suffered severe whip wounds. The sudden shock of anger has damaged her muscles and bones. She also has a cold wind condition. The combination is…”

“Doctor, what exactly is her condition?” the guard asked.

The doctor sat up and said honestly, “She’s badly injured. I don’t know who could be so cruel to a young girl. Though her condition is serious, with proper care, she could recover. I’ll prescribe several remedies and some ointments—be sure to administer them on schedule.”

“Thank you, doctor.”

The doctor prepared the prescriptions, and the guards quickly went to get the medicine. Before leaving, the doctor warned, “This injured girl must be carefully cared for. Otherwise, she might not survive.”

The guards’ faces grew serious. If anything happened to Mei’er, Yin Qingyue would hold them accountable, and Prince Jing would too.

“Doctor, no matter what, we must protect her!”

“I cannot guarantee anything. If she survives, then good; if not…,” the doctor trailed off.

The guards understood, exchanging worried looks, and did not press further. They wasted no time and fetched the medicine.

The young maid brought to help cared for Mei’er, also frightened. A guard instructed her, “Take care of her. Do not let anything happen, understand?”

The girl, barely fifteen or sixteen, nodded obediently. “I understand. But who is this girl? How did she get so badly hurt?”

“That doesn’t concern you. Just care for her,” the guard replied.

The maid obeyed and carefully changed Mei’er’s torn clothes.

“She’s so pitiful,” the maid muttered.

All the guards in the suburban residence knew Mei’er’s injuries were Shangguan Jiaoran’s doing. They had assumed that with Yin Qingyue absent, Jiaoran would merely make a scene—but never expected her to injure Mei’er so severely.

Once the medicine was prepared, the maid gave it to Mei’er. She regained a little strength but still ached all over. Seeing the maid, she asked weakly, “Who are you? Has my mistress… returned?”

The maid shook her head. “I don’t know. I just arrived.”

Mei’er began coughing. The maid gently patted her back. “Are you alright, Miss?”

“My mistress… when will she return?” Mei’er whispered, still concerned about Yin Qingyue.

The maid didn’t know who she meant but tried to reassure her. “Don’t worry. Your mistress will be back soon. For now, rest. Your health is more important.”

“Really? She… she’s really coming back?”

“Yes. Very soon.”

Hearing this, Mei’er finally relaxed, lying peacefully, a small smile on her lips. She thought, My mistress is coming back.

The maid covered her with a blanket, applied ointment, and said, “You’re so injured, yet still thinking of your mistress. She’ll be very happy to have you.”

Mei’er was already asleep and didn’t hear her.

After applying the ointment, the maid noticed Mei’er’s pale, feverish body. Alarmed, she applied cool water to her forehead and stayed awake beside her all night.

The next morning:

The maid, waking at the table, hurried to Mei’er’s side. “Miss Mei’er, how are you feeling? Any better?”

Mei’er didn’t move. The maid called again, still no response.

Frightened, the maid checked her breathing and found it faint but present.

“You scared me! I thought you had passed away,” the maid sighed in relief. But since her breathing was so weak, she ran to fetch the guards.

Seeing her condition worsen, the guards immediately summoned the doctor again.

The doctor, who had already seen her yesterday, examined her pulse and frowned. “Her life is in danger. We can’t guarantee she’ll survive. Each day she lives is a blessing.”

The guards protested, “Doctor, yesterday you said that with care, she would recover. How can it be like this today?”

“Some conditions are unpredictable, especially hers. She already had a cold wind illness. She may not survive,” the doctor explained.

“Doctor, you must save her! Don’t let anything happen to Mei’er!”

“I’m powerless,” the doctor admitted, frustrated. He wanted to save her, but he couldn’t.

The guards’ expressions darkened.

“Doctor, please think of a way!”

The doctor sighed, shook his head, and left.

Mei’er lay pale, with dark circles around her eyes—a clear sign of serious illness. She awoke from a coughing fit. The guards gathered around.

“Miss Mei’er… Miss Mei’er…” they called softly.

She opened her eyes, lifelessly scanning her surroundings, tears and bloodshot eyes brimming. She weakly reached out a hand, which fell limply.

Softly, she whispered, “Mistress… Mistress…”

The guards reassured her, “Don’t worry, Mei’er. Miss Yin will return soon.”

Mei’er was too weak to respond, only opening and closing her mouth without saying a word.

The guards guessed she wanted to say something and gently asked, “Miss Mei’er, what is it? What are you trying to tell us?”