Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 775 - 0728: Li Yuwen Enters Pei Mansion for the Second Time (1)
Second Young Madam Pei said, "Father’s illness has been like this for a long time; it seems the Imperial Hospital can’t cure it. Mother, should we invite an external healer?"
Third Young Madam Pei scoffed, "The doctors of the Imperial Hospital are the best in the world. If they can’t cure it, how can some unskilled barefoot healer out there do any better?"
Fourth Young Madam Pei agreed, "For an illness like Father’s, I’ve never heard of any external healer curing it."
Prime Minister Pei suffered a stroke, fell ill, paralyzed in bed, and even lost the ability to speak. Others took over his position, and the status of the Pei Family in the Capital fell sharply.
Mrs. Pei’s four sons were not particularly capable. They had initially relied on Prime Minister Pei’s prestige to secure low-ranking idle positions in the court.
Now that Prime Minister Pei, their pillar, had fallen, these four sons faced exclusion in the officialdom, unable to obtain any perks, and could only earn a small salary each month.
Accustomed to giving orders, they still thought of themselves as young masters of the Prime Minister’s Mansion, naturally offending many, almost to the point of being driven home.
No one came to the Pei Mansion anymore with gifts or visits; it was deserted except for the birds, and weeds sprouted on the steps.
The mansion felt perpetually cold and empty, making Mrs. Pei, who was used to flattery and adulation, very uncomfortable.
The root cause of this decline was the fall of the Pei Family’s pillar.
If they wanted to restore past glory, the only way was to cure Prime Minister Pei’s illness.
But after six months of treatment by the doctors from the Imperial Hospital, there was still no improvement.
Moreover, some crucial medicine pills went missing last night...
Mrs. Pei was getting increasingly agitated.
Listening to her daughters-in-law discussing inviting external healers, Mrs. Pei thought of someone Lady Xue had mentioned to her.
Lady Xue had told her that Pei Wulang’s wife’s third sister was a healer; why not invite her to treat the Prime Minister?
She didn’t want to see Pei Shenyan, let alone that village girl and her sister.
But now, they could only try anything in desperation.
Mrs. Pei called over her nanny, "Go invite Wulang’s wife’s third sister to the mansion, and say that we need her to treat the master."
The faces of the Eldest Young Madam and Second Young Madam Pei turned pale with fright; they dared not breathe loudly.
If Li Yuzhu was invited to the mansion, would Li Yuwen come too?
The other two young madams chimed in, "Mother, can we trust that village girl’s medical skills?"
"Let’s just bring her here and see," said Mrs. Pei.
She and Lady Xue had been friends for many years, and Lady Xue shouldn’t deceive her.
The Third Young Madam and Fourth Young Madam Pei exchanged a glance, having no choice but to remain silent.
.
The Pei Mansion’s housekeeper went by carriage to Pei Shenyan’s residence.
Today, the gate was guarded by the old servant, Pei Ji. Hearing the housekeeper’s intention, he was very surprised, worried that it might trouble Li Yuwen. Pei Ji immediately ran inside to report.
Li Yuwen was feeling unwell again and was drinking iced mung bean soup to ward off the heat.
"Invite the third sister to treat the illness? How did the lady suddenly think of her?" Li Yuwen drank her mung bean soup, put down the bowl, and let out a cold laugh.
Pei Ji said, "Young Madam, that’s what the lady from the Pei Mansion said. However, in this old servant’s opinion, if she can’t heal him, I’m afraid they’ll trouble the third sister. Perhaps the young madam should find an excuse to refuse."
Pei Ji knew well that Mrs. Pei didn’t like Pei Shenyan and, indirectly, didn’t like the Li Family sisters either.
Suddenly sending someone to invite them, especially to treat an illness deemed incurable, he feared Mrs. Pei intended to make things difficult for the Li Family sisters.
But Li Yuwen’s eyes brightened.
She immediately said, "Whether it’s curable or not, we’ll go and see. If it’s not curable, we’ll just come back, won’t we?"
Before leaving, her family had specifically instructed her to gather information about Prime Minister Pei.
She had never had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Pei.
Today happened to be a good opportunity.
Pei Ji looked worried, "The young master has gone out; should the young madam wait for his return?"
"It’s just going back to the Pei Mansion, not a bandit den, so what are you afraid of?" Li Yuwen said with a relaxed expression, "Pei Ji, prepare the carriage, I’ll go find the third sister."
Waving her hand, she headed to the West Courtyard to find Li Yuzhu.
Pei Ji had no choice but to prepare the carriage.
Mu Yuanxiu had gone out on business with Pei Shenyan. Li Yuzhu, with nothing else to do, was flipping through medical books she had picked up at the Capital market.
Li Yuwen walked into the room, calling out to her, "Third sister, quickly pack up and come with me to the Pei Mansion to treat Prime Minister Pei; someone from the Pei Mansion has come to pick us up."
Li Yuzhu looked up from her book, surprised, "Didn’t Mrs. Pei disdain external healers? Why is she inviting me now?"
"Probably because the Imperial Hospital can’t cure him, and now they think of you. Come on, let’s see what the Prime Minister’s illness is about and see if he can be saved." Li Yuwen beckoned to Li Yuzhu, urging her to quickly change clothes.
Li Yuzhu thought for a moment, "Alright, let’s go."
The sisters changed into their outdoor clothes. Li Yuwen, only taking Lady Sun with her, boarded the carriage driven by the Prince Mansion’s old servant Jisheng and followed the Pei Mansion’s housekeeper to the Pei Mansion.
The servants of the Pei Mansion, seeing that only two country girls had come this time without Pei Shenyan accompanying them, almost rolled their eyes up to the heavens to look down upon them.
No one greeted the Li Family Sisters.
The housekeeper who was sent to fetch the Li Family Sisters was not very enthusiastic either, instead minding her own business as she walked ahead, occasionally glancing back at the two, urging them to hurry up. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚
Li Yuzhu didn’t pay much attention to these details; she didn’t curry favor with others, and she didn’t care if others did with her.
Li Yuwen was even less willing to care; there was no consideration for the Pei Family in her eyes.
As they walked through an alley in the backyard, they encountered two young women approaching.
The housekeeper greeted the two, "Third Young Madam, Fourth Young Madam."
The two young women glanced arrogantly at Li Yuwen and then at Li Yuzhu, asking the stewardess, "Are these Wulang’s wife and her sister?"
The housekeeper smiled and replied, "They are indeed."
Li Yuwen nodded and spoke indifferently, "Hello, sisters-in-law."
Li Yuzhu echoed, "Hello, Pei family sisters-in-law."
"Who’s your sister-in-law?" Fourth Young Madam Pei glared at Li Yuzhu, "Don’t flatter yourselves."
The other one cast a glance at Li Yuwen and then at Li Yuzhu, snorting heavily.
Li Yuzhu, "..." She squinted slightly, what an arrogant young lady!
The Pei Family had already fallen, yet they’re still so insolent?
Had they been in power under Prime Minister Pei, wouldn’t they have been blustering to the heavens?
"We still need to see Madam, we’ll take our leave first." Li Yuwen pulled Li Yuzhu’s hand, moving to the side.
The alley was narrow, only enough for three people to walk side by side.
These two young madams from the Pei Mansion blocked the alley, forcing Li Yuwen to squeeze past.
Li Yuzhu thought inwardly, today Li Yuwen is truly good-tempered, actually willing to make way for them?
Who knew, Li Yuwen’s good temper didn’t pay off, as the two women suddenly stepped back, blocking Li Yuwen again.
"Wait a minute!" Third Young Madam Pei crossed her arms, glanced at the maid beside her, "Search them first, make sure nothing bad from outside is brought into the mansion, the master is still sick."
The two maids responded and walked towards Li Yuwen and Li Yuzhu.
Before Li Yuwen could speak, Lady Sun, who was protective of her mistress, suddenly raised her hands and gave the two maids a hard slap on each cheek.
She had great strength, sending the two maids spinning in circles, dazed.
Third Young Madam Pei was furious, "How dare you hit people? You’re rebelling! Everyone, come teach these country bumpkins a harsh lesson!"
Along with the two maids, there were also two nannies who rolled up their sleeves and moved towards Li Yuwen and Li Yuzhu.
But just then, someone shouted from behind them, "Stop!"
The maids and the nannies turned to see that it was Eldest Young Madam Pei who had arrived.
Eldest Young Madam Pei angrily said, "Causing such a commotion here, what kind of propriety is this!"
Third Young Madam Pei pointed at Li Yuwen and Li Yuzhu, "Big sister-in-law, these two had their servants hit me and Fourth Sister-in-law’s maids, you need to handle this."
Eldest Granny Pei wore a dignified expression but was scared to death inside.
If Third Young Madam Pei and Fourth Young Madam Pei weren’t present, she would have knelt to apologize to Li Yuwen.
How could she dare to discipline Li Yuwen?
"But I clearly saw your people rushing forward to hit! We are all family, what’s the point of this fuss? Hurry and apologize to Wulang’s wife or beware of mother getting angry." Eldest Granny Pei, trying to please Li Yuwen, pressured the two sisters-in-law.
Third Young Madam Pei and Fourth Young Madam Pei were both stunned.
What? They were supposed to apologize to these village girls?
Did the big sister-in-law get kicked in the head by a donkey?
"How can big sister-in-law be so spineless? Actually pandering to two country girls? Tsk tsk, truly eye-opening." Fourth Young Madam Pei sneered.
Third Young Madam Pei also gave a sarcastic laugh, "Our knees are weak, we cannot kneel, if big sister-in-law wants to kneel and apologize, she can do it by herself."
Not only did they not apologize, but they also ridiculed Eldest Young Madam Pei.
Third Young Madam Pei then ordered her maid to rush up and hit Lady Sun.
Seeing the situation stirring up again, Eldest Young Madam Pei said, "Mother sent me to fetch Wulang’s wife’s third sister, if you block the way and start hitting people, it looks like we won’t be able to get her, I might as well report this directly to mother."
With that said, she indeed turned and left.
Third Young Madam Pei suddenly panicked.
Mrs. Pei didn’t like the Li Family Sisters, but she didn’t order them to hit people, so they had no choice but to call off their maids, cast a cold glance at Li Yuwen and Li Yuzhu, and leave with their entourage.
Only the housekeeper who led the way was left standing there, bewildered.
