A Gallop on the Embankment with Spring Breeze - Chapter 31 - Bygones
Proofread by Fu Tianying
Fully frightened, Ma Tian’en quickly stood up and ran to her mother, carrying her mother back to the room with servants.
The servants put Madam Ma onto the bed. While crying, Ma Tian’en blamed herself completely. “If it hadn’t been for me, nothing would happen to my father.” Ma Tian’en thought. “Moreover, my mother was angry and sick just because of me！”While thinking, she suddenly raised her hand and hit her own head, tears flowing down.
“Come on, Madam is probably too tired recently and she will wake up soon.” Seeing Ma Tian’en looked so sad, Wu Zhong felt upset. She should have spent all her life with a bright smile. Why should she encounter so many twists and turns?
“It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault. Mom, wake up, please! When will the doctor come? Hurry up and find a doctor!” Ma Tian’en took her mother’s hand, helpless and frightened.
Suddenly Madam Ma woke up. Seeing Ma Tian’en, she raised her hand to wipe Tian’en’stears. At this time, her mood was also stable. Seeing her daughter crying so sadly, she felt heartbroken.
“Do not cry, my son. I am fine. Maybe I did not sleep well these days. Don’t cry.”
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“Mom, it is all my fault. I am always a troublemaker. I want to make you and my father happy and proud of me today. I don’t know how it goes like this.” Ma Tian’en said and she felt guilty for her mother.
“It is all because of that devious woman. There will be definitely nothing good wherever she appears. You shall stay away from her later on.” As soon as she mentioned Concubine Zhao, Madame Ma was getting a little agitated.
“Well, I will not talk to her any more. Mother, don’t be angry.” Ma Tian’en dared not to argue with her mother. Anyway, her own mother was always more important than the outsiders. Since she was not happy when she talked with Concubine Zhao, then she would just ignore her. However, why was her mother so hateful? A trace of doubt flashed through her mind.
“There are some things you don’t know. Anyway, you have to know that I do all this for your good.” After saying these words, Madam Ma felt weak and leaned against the pillow.
Just then the doctor arrived. The doctor was trustworthy and experienced, and he always came for treating minor diseases.
“Madam Ma fainted for tiredness coupled with emotional excitement. I prescribe some tranquilizing medicine for her. Madam Ma should take the medicine on time. But remember not to be agitated. Childe Ma, you have to follow the orders of your mother. Most diseases arise from mental disturbances.” On the way to Ma family, the doctor already knew that Mrs. Ma fainted for her son, and naturally he reminded Ma Tian’en.
“I know. I will never do it again.” Accepting the suggestion and sending the doctor away, Ma Tian’en urged the maid to boil the herbal medicine for her mother. Madam Ma, still worried about her husband, refused to stay in bed. And she did not want her husband know about her fainting. She insisted on going to the room of Master Ma. When persuasion failed, Ma Tian’en had no way but to go with her.
For a while, one could hear the mirth coming from the room, and it seemed that they were sharing the victory of today’s game with Master Ma. What a lovely family!
Concubine Zhao stood under the osmanthus tree in the yard and looked far away at the room where Master Ma was in. It seemed as if she could see the scene inside through the wall. The osmanthus blossoms floated down and fell onto her hair and face, but she seemed to be ignorant of the surroundings, just standing there so quietly.
After a while, Concubine Zhao saw Ma Tian’en coming out of the room and walked towards her room joyfully. She suddenly put her hand onto her stomach and there was soft light on her face.
When she went back to the room, her legs were numb because of long-time standing, but she didn’t go to bed immediately. Instead, she took out a parcel from the cupboard and opened it. There were a few pieces of baby clothes. Taking the clothes from the package, she touched them gently, and then held them close to her face, as if there were some warmth on the clothes. After a while, she put the clothes back in the package and re-attached them.
“It has been twenty years. My son, I will never forget you. When I revenge you, I will go find you. My poor child, even if I have to lose my life, I will let those people get what they deserve. It won’t be too long, my son.”
Concubine Zhao muttered to herself, but shed no tears. For twenty years, she had already no tears to shed. Only hate grew stronger day by day.
A lot of things happened today, but Wu Zhong always felt as if something were missing. He felt confused about Concubine Zhao. After all, she knew clearly that Madam Ma hated her being close to Ma Tian’en, then why did she send a snack to Ma Tian’en in public today? But if she was calculating, so what was she doing for? Every time she approached Ma Tian’en, she would be punished by Mrs. Ma. Was it really just out of love for Ma Tian’en? However, Concubine Zhao must not be that simple. On the surface, Madam Ma was at an absolute advantage. However, Concubine Zhao was just being scolded or got punished. Madam Ma, on the other hand, was seething with rage at Zhao’s remarks and even fainted today. There must be something behind the surface victory and defeat.
It seemed that there were still many unknown things in the Ma family. Ma Tian’en was forthright in temperament. If I told her directly, she might run to ask Concubine Zhao. So I had better find a chance to remind her. However, in any case, Tian’en was still doing very well today. Not only had she defended the honor of Ma family, but she had also demonstrated her strength. Thinking of this, Wu Zhong felt very pleased. Unconsciously it was late at night, so he put the book down, and went to bed.
However, Madam Ma did not sleep. Having called the housekeeper’s wife to her room, she looked at her in anxiety while all the other maidens were out. The wife of the housekeeper was originally the maid of Madam Ma when she was not married. Later, she followed Madam Ma to the Ma family. Madam Ma then married her to the housekeeper of Ma family and let her manage internal affairs inside Ma family.
“Madam, you do not have to worry too much. I am the only one who knows those things that happened in the past. Suxin and her husband did not know it at all. Moreover, Concubine Zhao was unaware of it. Now it has been twenty years, so it is impossible for others to check it up. So you can get relieved and do not worry”. The wife of the housekeeper comforted Madam Ma. Seeing the once innocent and pure lady had become such an anxious and depressed lady, she felt heartbroken. Sometimes she even imagined that if Madam Ma did not meet Master Ma at the beginning, would she be living a happier life?
“A Qiao, I often have nightmares in these days and sometimes I even heard the cry of the baby. Now that there are so many things happening in the Ma family, I am really afraid that it is retribution. But I am the one who made the wrong thing. If there is retribution, I should be the one who bear it. As long as Master Ma and Childe Ma are safe and well, I do not care about what will happen to me.” Finishing her speaking, Madam Ma felt a pang of headache, and the wife of the housekeeper hurriedly stepped forward to give her a massage.
“Miss, don’t think about it anymore. You gave them so much money that year, enough for them to live the whole life. It would be a pity if they are not content with it. If there is retribution, it should be the retribution for their greed. Don’t think too much about it and now the Ma family still depends on you. “Over the years, A Qiao became the wife of the housekeeper, and Miss Li became Madam Ma. But sometimes, A Qiao could not help but call her Miss. It was like going back to the carefree youth time again.
There was still one person who could not fall asleep, and that was Ma Tian’en. She couldn’t understand why her mother was so nervous about Concubine Zhao. Actually, that feeling was not the simple dislike which derived from the family status. Her mother was nervous and on guard whenever she met Concubine Zhao. Moreover, she felt confused why Concubine was so kind to her. No matter how Madam Ma punished her, she still tried to be close to her. Suddenly a bold idea came to her mind. Could it be that she was the child of Concubine Zhao?
Thinking of this, Ma Tian’en felt that she must be very crazy. How could that be? Why not let it go and have a good sleep?
