Song Chaoyu hurried out of the Duke's mansion. She seemed to feel Mu Changxi's gaze on her as she passed by his residence.
However, her mind was occupied with other thoughts.
Song Chaoyu didn't even have time to speak to Madam Song and Song Yanjiao before she rushed into the carriage back to her own residence.
Once inside the carriage, she grabbed Tiaohong's hand. "Tiaohong, what exactly happened?"
Tiaohong explained that a newly purchased maid had offended Concubine Liu.
That maid was from the Second Concubine's courtyard. Due to the matter involving Song Yanrou and Zhuzi, almost everyone in the Second Concubine's courtyard had been replaced.
The maid claimed that she had been chosen by the First Madam for the Second Concubine when the matchmaker had visited the day before yesterday.
She appeared to be an ordinary young maid, so no one had guarded against her.
Song Chaoyu, however, was confused. "If she's from the Second Concubine's courtyard, how did she come into contact with my concubine?"
Tiaohong frowned. "Not in our courtyard!"
She explained that after Concubine Liu finished her meals, she would always go for a walk. Especially these past two days, for some reason, she had been experiencing bloating.
After the physician Fan had visited in the morning, she said the food in the mansion had been a bit greasy lately and advised her to rest after meals and then walk to aid digestion.
After the meal, the Fourth Concubine came to their courtyard, appearing distressed.
The Fourth Concubine had visited occasionally before. Tiaohong, listening from the side, heard the Fourth Concubine mention Concubine Liu's impending entry into the household. She said that the master had been visiting her more often lately. She envied Concubine Liu's pregnancy and wanted to ask Concubine Liu for advice, hoping to conceive before Concubine Liu entered the household, so she would have some security in the Song family in the future.
Concubine Liu was talking with her, and somehow, one of them suggested going for a walk to help Concubine Liu with her digestion.
Tiaohong and two other senior maids followed behind them, none of them expecting anything to go wrong.
Moreover, Concubine Liu usually walked by the small pond next to the Huashu Yuan when she went for a walk in the back garden. Therefore, the path there was always swept clean.
It had snowed yesterday, and Concubine Liu was not walking quickly today.
When they were halfway there, they didn't know where the Second Concubine's maid, named "Bing'er," suddenly appeared from!
She was carrying a bucket of cold water and suddenly slid out from the small path beside them, then lunged directly towards Concubine Liu's abdomen—
Tiaohong and the others had already rushed forward, but the incident happened too suddenly!
The bucket of cold water in Bing'er's hand was also directly splashed onto Concubine Liu—
In the freezing snow, the entire back courtyard descended into chaos.
Tiaohong looked at Song Chaoyu, on the verge of tears. "When my concubine fell, she started bleeding! Then we quickly carried her into the room. I didn't know her condition, so I rushed out to find you, Miss! Now Physician Fan and the Old Madam are with my concubine. Miss... what should we do?"
Song Chaoyu frowned, not believing this was an accident. "Where is Father?"
Tiaohong replied, "He hasn't returned since going to court this morning. Eldest Brother has gone to invite him, and he should be back soon!"
Song Chaoyu asked again, "Who suggested going for a walk? My concubine? Or the Fourth Concubine?"
Yes, she harbored suspicions towards the Fourth Concubine.
Tiaohong had been trying to recall this earlier and now frowned, counting the words they had spoken. "It seems my concubine suggested it first, saying if you were home, she would be bloated today, and you always accompanied her for a walk after meals. Then the Fourth Concubine said, 'Miss is the most considerate. Why don't I be the considerate one today...' Yes! This was suggested by the Fourth Concubine first, wasn't it?"
Song Chaoyu's frown deepened. "When they went for their walk, was the Fourth Concubine standing on the side where Bing'er appeared, or the other side?"
Tiaohong was certain about this. "The other side! I was standing in the direction where Bing'er appeared, but the incident was so sudden, who could have imagined someone would suddenly dart out from that overgrown path? I failed to protect my concubine, it is my fault!"
Song Chaoyu reached out and held Tiaohong's hand to comfort her. "There's one last, most important point, and I need you to help me think clearly. Regarding my concubine's bloating these past two days, besides the senior maids and Physician Fan, is it possible the Fourth Concubine knew?"
Tiaohong thought for only a moment before nodding. "Yes! Miss, I remember now! About three days ago, I was seeing Physician Fan out the back door and mentioned my concubine's bloating. After I saw Physician Fan out, I realized that the Fourth Concubine's maid was also at the door. She said she was collecting something sent by her family, so I didn't think much of it. Now that I think about it, she very likely overheard my words!"
Although Song Chaoyu's suspicions towards the Fourth Concubine had intensified, she still couldn't confirm that the Fourth Concubine was responsible based on this alone.
At the same time, the carriage had already arrived at the entrance of the Song mansion.
The Song mansion was already in a state of chaos.
Song Chaoyu hurried inside and headed straight for the Huashu Yuan. Upon reaching the Huashu Yuan, she found that almost everyone in the mansion had gathered there.
Outside the Huashu Yuan, Bing'er had been tied up by the servants and was being beaten.
In the main hall of the Huashu Yuan, the Old Madam sat upright.
Beside her, the First Madam looked down, and her sister-in-law, Madam Nie, was busy pouring her tea.
Facing her, the Second Concubine knelt on the ground, weeping incessantly. "Old Madam, I am truly wronged! I have been so anxious these days that I can barely leave my courtyard. The matter with the Third Miss has already troubled me enough. Where would I find the time and energy to harm Concubine Liu?"
She cried inconsolably.
"Ah!"
But what made Song Chaoyu's heart ache was that Concubine Liu's pained cries also came from the bedroom behind.
Seeing Song Chaoyu rush in, the Old Madam also stood up. "Yu'er, quickly go and see your concubine. I will handle things here!"
Song Chaoyu cast a grateful glance at the Old Madam and then rushed towards the bedroom.
Upon entering the bedroom, she smelled a scent of blood.
Fan Jiangyue and two wet nurses were already helping Concubine Liu with the delivery. Concubine Liu's lips were purple, and there were bruises on her abdomen. She lay on the bed, crying out in pain.
"Mother!"
Song Chaoyu could no longer care about propriety. She rushed forward and grabbed Concubine Liu's somewhat cold hand. "I'm late, I shouldn't have gone out! Mother... you can't be alright!"
"Yu'er!"
Even in extreme pain, Concubine Liu reached out and gently stroked Song Chaoyu's face. "Mother is in so much pain... Mother might not make it this time... My Yu'er, what will happen to my Yu'er?"