jdhmnovel Chapter 497 Xiao Huanyan's Hunger Strike
Chapter 497 Xiao Huanyan's Hunger Strike
Upon hearing this, Madam You forced a smile and said, "The Second Miss's courtyard is in the most remote northwest corner, quite far from here. It would probably take quite a while to walk there."
Yu Wan's eyes flickered slightly, feigning surprise: "Oh? The dignified second young lady of the Xiao family lives in such a remote place?"
Madam You quickly waved her hand and explained, "Madam Yun, please don't misunderstand. I haven't mistreated Yan'er. She has always preferred peace and quiet, and she moved there herself."
What Ms. You said is true.
Yu Wan also noticed this and said with a half-smile, "I didn't misunderstand anything, Madam Xiao is too nervous."
Madam You cursed inwardly.
She was indeed nervous. If Yu Wan saw Xiao Huanyan looking like this, the Xiao family would probably be in trouble.
Yu Wan slowly said, "Madam Xiao, I also like peace and quiet, so why don't we go and see Huan Yan's courtyard?"
"Madam Yun!" Madam You hurriedly caught up, "The road over there is difficult to travel, and Yan'er is still ill..."
Yu Wan paused, her voice growing cold: "Madam Xiao, I just wanted to take a stroll over there. Why are you stopping me like this? Is there something shady going on over there?"
"No, no!" Madam You felt an inexplicable sense of pressure. She was already feeling guilty, and Yu Wan's stern questioning made her even more nervous. "Madam Yun, please don't misunderstand. There's really nothing to see over there."
Yu Wan ignored Madam You and walked straight towards the northwest corner.
Lady You wanted to stop her but dared not, so she could only hurry after her.
You can't blame her; she did her best to stop it!
After passing through several corridors, the area became increasingly quiet as you walked towards the northwest corner.
There were hardly any servants coming and going; it was indeed very quiet, just as Madam You had said.
Before long, a small courtyard came into Yu Wan's view. Compared to the other residences in the Xiao family mansion, this courtyard was rather simple, but not dilapidated.
From a distance, Yu Wan could see that the courtyard gate was tightly closed, and two burly old women were standing at the door, which was also locked.
Seeing this, Yu Wan's eyes turned completely cold.
She turned to look at Madam You, "Madam Xiao, didn't Huanyan have smallpox? What, are you afraid she'll infect you?"
Madam You's face stiffened, and she forced a dry laugh, "Well, Yan'er has been absent-minded lately and always wants to run outside. The doctor said she needs to rest, so we had no choice but to..."
Yu Wan didn't believe her words, sneered, and walked straight towards the courtyard gate.
When the two old women saw Yu Wan, they immediately stepped forward to stop her.
Yu Wan stopped at the door, turned around and revealed Madam You behind her. "Madam Xiao, I had smallpox when I was young, so I'm not afraid of being infected. Since I'm already here, I'll go in and see Huanyan."
Madam You's expression changed repeatedly.
“Madam Yun, I know the Xiao family can’t afford to offend you, but my husband is an official of the imperial court. It’s probably inappropriate for you to trespass on my private property without cause.”
That statement already constitutes a threat.
Yu Wan glanced coldly at Madam You and said with a forced smile, "Unauthorized trespassing? Madam Xiao misunderstands. I did not trespass without cause."
"I suspect that your Xiao family did something to Xiao Huanyan."
"Of course, this is just my suspicion. In order to avoid misunderstanding the Xiao family and to clear your name, I believe Madam Xiao will not insist on stopping us, right?"
Upon hearing this, Madam You's expression grew even more unpleasant.
After much hesitation, he finally gritted his teeth and gave the two old women a meaningful look.
Yu Wan was already at the door; even if she tried to stop her now, Yu Wan would probably force her way in.
That would only make you completely offend her.
After much hesitation, Madam You finally gritted her teeth and gave the two old women a meaningful look.
Only after receiving orders from Madam You did the old women take out their keys and unlock the brass lock on the courtyard gate.
With a creak, the courtyard gate slowly opened.
The courtyard was covered with fallen leaves, clearly indicating that no one had cleaned it for several days.
The windows of the main room were covered with thick paper, allowing no light to pass through. The door to the main room was tightly closed, and two maids stood guard at the door.
Upon seeing someone enter, the two maids' expressions changed drastically, their faces filled with panic.
Yu Wan walked straight past them, while Xi Zhu jogged forward and pushed the door open.
The room was dimly lit, and a figure could be vaguely seen lying on the bed.
"Xiao Huanyan?" Yu Wan walked quickly to the bedside, lifted the curtain, and her pupils shrank immediately.
Xiao Huanyan lay on the bed, her face pale, her eyes closed, and her lips cracked. She was nowhere to be seen in her usual radiant appearance.
"What's going on?!" Yu Wan turned around and demanded sharply.
One of the maids who followed in saw Yu Wan, her eyes flickered, and she knelt down with a thud, saying in a tearful voice, "You...you are Madam Yun?"
Yu Wan responded.
The maid burst into tears, crying, "Madam Yun, please save my young lady! She hasn't eaten a single grain of rice for three days!"
Before Madam You could stop her, the maid had already spilled the beans about everything that had happened in the past few days.
"Three days ago, for some reason, my young lady angered the madam, and the madam ordered my young lady to be confined to her quarters."
"I don't know why, but the young lady has stopped eating and drinking, and no matter how I try to persuade her, it's no use."
Yu Wan's expression changed slightly. She glanced at Xiao Huanyan, whose face was pale, and then turned to Xizhu and said, "Xizhu, go find Old Man Feng immediately."
Xizhu exclaimed "Eh!" and hurriedly ran out.
Madam You whispered from the side, "Madam Yun, you heard it too. It's not that we don't give her food; it's that she refuses to eat."
The maid who had just complained glared at Madam You with tears in her eyes, "If it weren't for your order to confine my young lady, Madam, how could she have gone on a hunger strike!"
"it is all your fault!"
Madam You was shocked that a mere maid dared to talk back and criticize her. Her face darkened immediately. "Qingxing, I've let it slide because of Yan'er. You've been rude to me time and time again. Now you're pushing your luck. You're absolutely audacious!"
"Someone, slap me!"
The two old women behind her immediately stepped forward to grab Qingxing, but Yu Wan glanced at them coldly, grabbed Qingxing's hand, and pulled her behind her.
He said calmly, "Madam Xiao, don't rush to hit me. I still have some questions to ask."
Seeing this, the old women hesitated and dared not go forward again.
Madam You's face was grim, but she forced a smile and said, "Madam Yun, this wretched maidservant was so foul-mouthed, I was just teaching her a lesson..."
Yu Wan ignored her and went straight to Xiao Huanyan's bedside. She reached out and touched Xiao Huanyan's forehead, which was burning hot to the touch.
She frowned and turned to Qingxing, saying, "Is there any thin porridge? Try to feed her something."
Qingxing realized that Yu Wan had come to help Xiao Huanyan, and quickly nodded, "Yes, yes, yes! This servant will go get it right away!"
Seeing that Yu Wan completely ignored her, Madam You unconsciously tightened her grip on her hands clasped in front of her.
She cursed inwardly.
Xiao Tengtian has really gotten her into trouble this time.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Huanyan and Yu Wan have such a good relationship that Yu Wan risked trespassing on her private property just to come see her.
Everyone else thought that she had a conflict with Xiao Huanyan and that she had ordered Xiao Huanyan to be confined to her quarters, but only she knew that it was Xiao Tengtian who had asked her to do it!