RWNEFE -Chapter 618 Madam Shen Is Feeling Unwell!

Shen Yuantang changed her approach—this time, she went to her grandmother.

“Grandmother, I’m about to go to the northwest. After this, who knows when I’ll return to the capital. I wish to tour the city a bit and leave some memories behind,” Shen Yuantang offered a new excuse.

Old Madam Shen immediately feigned weariness.

“Grandmother…”

“Miss, the Old Madam is tired. At this time every day, she must rest. You shouldn’t bother her—let her rest properly.”

A maid attending Old Madam Shen spoke up to remind her.

Having served Old Madam Shen for a long time, she could read her every gesture.

It was clear: the Old Madam did not want to agree, so she was pretending to be tired.

“Grandmother…” Shen Yuantang glared at the maid and shook her insistently.

“Grandmother…”

The maid became anxious.

“Miss, the Old Madam is elderly. If she doesn’t rest properly, her health will suffer. If His Majesty or the lord complains, I cannot bear the blame.”

Seeing that Shen Yuantang ignored her, the maid took action and dragged her aside.

“You insolent servant! How dare you lay hands on me?” Shen Yuantang glared.

The maid immediately knelt in fear.

“Princess, I dare not. I only worry for the Old Madam’s well-being.”

Shen Yuantang, already full of anger and anxious, grew even more frustrated at the repeated obstacles.

“You insolent dog! To defy me like this! Drag her out and beat her with sticks until she dies!”

Madam Liu, who had been listening outside, finally could not contain herself.

“Yuantang, I heard you shouting about beating and killing from afar—who offended you?”

Ever since Shen Yuantang entered the Old Madam’s courtyard, the people inside had gone to fetch reinforcements.

Madam Liu did not wish to get involved with Shen Yuantang’s antics, but the maids had already been called. If she refused, it would appear disrespectful to the main branch.

“Second Aunt, I was speaking to Grandmother, but this insolent servant kept interfering and dared to ignore me entirely.”

The maid, with a pained face, sought help from Madam Liu.

“All right, all right. Look, your grandmother has already fallen asleep.”

“Help the Old Madam to the couch to rest. Don’t leave her lying crooked here, she might get hurt.”

The maid obeyed as if she had been granted a pardon, walking away with a look of relief.

Shen Yuantang was furious—she hadn’t expected Madam Liu to arrive immediately after her departure.

She had many eyes watching her.

“Second Aunt, why are you here? Weren’t you busy making my bridal gown?”

Madam Liu thought quickly: “Look at my head! I haven’t even measured you for your bridal gown yet. Come with me and get measured.”

Madam Liu grabbed Shen Yuantang and left.

Today, Shen Yuantang had been tangled up with Madam Liu sewing her gown and hadn’t found a single chance to go out. When she returned to her room, she was so angry she swept all the ornaments from the table onto the floor.

She had to contact the pastry shop owner.

Suddenly remembering what the maids had said in the Old Madam’s room, if the Old Madam became unwell, the household would inevitably descend into chaos. Madam Liu and Madam Miao would be too busy to watch her.

…

Shen Lanxi was handling memorials when she received a report from the Imperial Guard:

“Your Majesty, Old Madam Shen is seriously ill.”

Shen Lanxi put down her brush with a grave expression.

“What did the Imperial Physician say?”

Imperial Guard: “The physician said the Old Madam ate too quickly, but given her age, the medicine didn’t have much effect.”

Shen Lanxi’s expression grew serious. “Prepare a carriage. Go to the Shen residence!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

…

“How did her stomach suddenly become a problem? What did the Old Madam eat today?” Shen Congwen rushed back urgently after hearing the news.

The maid attending the Old Madam immediately answered:

“This morning, the Old Madam had some rice porridge and half a plain bun. At noon, she ate a piece of braised meat the size of tofu, two bites of fish, a few slices of vegetables, half a bowl of rice, some preserved meat, and drank a little fish soup.”

“In the evening, she had a few bites of rice and a mix of meat and vegetables—all prepared by the household cook. Nothing was ordered from outside.”

Zhou Xinrou was present as well.

“What about pastries? Did she have any pastries?”

The question reminded everyone of the lotus seed pastries that had been laced with lead.

The maid cautiously replied: “No, the Old Madam didn’t have any pastries today.”

Everyone silently understood—those contaminated lotus seed cakes had scared them.

“Then why did Mother have persistent diarrhea?”

The maid did not know.

“Whenever the Old Madam finishes her meals, the leftovers are given to us servants. We had no problems, so maybe it’s not the food’s fault.”

This reminded Shen Congwen.

“Who ate her leftovers?”

Maid: “All eight of us attending the Old Madam. I’ll check if they’re all well.”

Shen Congwen did not stop her. Soon the maid returned.

“Reporting, Sir. Everyone who ate the leftovers is fine and on duty.”

Zhou Xinrou: “Then it’s not the food.”

Shen Congwen frowned: “Could it be that Mother’s age and weak body cannot handle it?”

Zhou Xinrou: “It’s possible.”

The Imperial Physician appeared soon after.

“The Old Madam has no major ailment. She may have eaten something greasy, and also something cold in nature, which caused her discomfort.”

Shen Congwen asked with concern: “Imperial Physician, what cold substances? To be honest, I already asked the maids—they said everyone who ate the leftovers was fine.”

The Imperial Physician thought for a moment. “What about tea?”

The maid paused, then her eyes brightened. “After meals, the Old Madam drank some tea, while we servants only had plain water.”

The physician had found the cause.

“Some teas are also cold in nature, such as chrysanthemum or honeysuckle tea. For the elderly or weak, it can cause discomfort.”

“I’ve prescribed medicine, but for the Old Madam, it’s uncertain how effective it will be.”

The physician sighed—two types of patients are hardest to treat: children and the elderly. Their digestive systems are weak. Even if he possessed the skill of Hua Tuo, the body may not tolerate the medicine.

“Physician, thank you for your careful attention.” Shen Congwen knew this physician well—one of the top figures in the Imperial Hospital—and trusted his words completely.

The female relatives went in to attend the Old Madam, leaving Shen Congwen and his brothers outside, worried.

Shen Yuantang seized the opportunity, pretended to go to the restroom, avoided the watching maid, and quietly slipped out of the Shen residence.

Shortly after, Shen Lanxi arrived.

“How is Grandmother?”

Shen Congwen and the others still looked worried.

“The Imperial Physician has prescribed medicine. We just need to wait and see if it takes effect.”

“Grandmother is blessed by fate. I’ve already sent for the healers of Yaowang Valley. As long as Grandmother endures for two days, the divine doctors from Yaowang Valley will come to treat her.”