I am the champion of palace intrigue, and even the proud prince bows his head in submission.

Chapter 397 The Mad Granny (Bonus Chapter)

The door was ajar, and a sliver of dim light shone through the room, flickering intermittently.

Meng Chen waved to his subordinates behind him, signaling them to be on guard.

Then, he gently pushed open the door, making a very soft creaking sound.

The room was very simple.

A few pieces of wooden furniture, a nearly extinguished oil lamp, and old bedding piled in the corner.

A thin figure was curled up on the bed, covered with a coarse cloth quilt.

Hearing the door open, the person looked up.

He revealed a thin, aged face.

Her eyes were vacant, and her expression was blank.

He was muttering something, but the words were difficult to decipher.

Meng Chen took a few steps closer, bent down, and whispered, "Were you the one who delivered Madam Zou's baby back then?"

Granny Li was taken aback at first, and tried hard to focus her unfocused eyes.

Yet it remained detached and uncertain.

After a while, she chuckled softly, a smile that had a strange quality to it.

Then she murmured, "Madam...blood, all blood, that night...the child, the child..."

Her voice rose and fell, as if she were trying to grasp some fragmented memories.

"No, that child, you can't see...you can't talk about it, you can't..."

She suddenly shut her mouth at this point.

A wild glint flashed in his eyes as he flailed his arms wildly.

Meng Chen frowned.

He really is a madman; he can't even speak a proper sentence.

But suddenly, Li Mama's murmuring stopped, her eyes widened abruptly, and her voice became sharp and trembling.

"Ghosts! It's ghosts! I see them! They're here!"

Meng Chen stood to the side, his expression immediately turning cold.

Granny Li shrank back and shrank into the corner.

"They were wearing red clothes, covered in blood... Don't grab me, don't grab me..."

Her voice grew louder and louder, until it almost turned into a shrill scream.

Meng Chen straightened up, his gaze falling coldly on her.

"I don't think we'll get any more information. Let's go."

Qinglan Courtyard.

On a late spring night, the temperature gradually rises, and the air carries a slightly warm and damp feel.

Qin Jiuwei gently waved the round fan in her hand.

There were a few pieces of mint cake in the small plate next to it.

In another small blue and white glazed dish, there were a few perfectly pickled plums, with a sweet and sour taste.

Several screens in the corner of the room were open.

A warm breeze of late spring blew in from outside the window, gently lifting the hanging gauze curtains, carrying a hint of early summer.

At this moment, Xiaohe hurried in, bowed, and reported: "Young Madam, I just received news that the tutor went to the backyard outhouse to visit Granny Li."

Qin Jiu raised her eyes slightly, her tone calm but with a hint of doubt: "Granny Li?"

Xiaohe whispered, "Young Madam, Granny Li was the old lady who served Madam Zou back then. She was the one who delivered Madam Zou's baby."

"Later, something happened and she developed mental problems. The old lady was soft-hearted and didn't drive her away, but just arranged for her to stay in a shed in the backyard."

"But as time went by, no one went there anymore, and gradually, fewer and fewer people knew about her."

Qin Jiuwei frowned slightly upon hearing this.

I think I've heard the name Li Mama before she first entered the mansion.

But I didn't pay any attention to it.

As time went by, I forgot about it all.

Xie Yanli, who was listening nearby, suddenly spoke up.

"I still have some impression of this Granny Li."

“My mother suffered a postpartum hemorrhage during childbirth. After I was born, I was taken to another room. The doctor and midwife in the main room were busy administering acupuncture treatment.”

"On the first night I was born, Granny Li and several maids stayed by my side. It was a stormy night outside."

"The next day, for some reason, Granny Li went mad."

"Some say she was so frightened by the shadows of the trees that night that she went mad. Others secretly spread rumors that she went insane because she had done something wrong."

Qin Jiu frowned slightly. "Have you called a doctor to see Granny Li about her illness?"

Xie Yanli spoke gently, "In the first few years, we consulted doctors, but her condition did not improve."

"Later, my father said that since it couldn't be cured, there was no point in wasting time, so we stopped seeking treatment."

After speaking, Xie Yanli paused for a moment.

He quickly understood the meaning behind Qin Jiuwei's words, "You want to treat Granny Li's illness?"

Qin Jiu nodded slightly.

"The fake teacher specifically sought her out, so he must know something. Perhaps Granny Li is a key figure; she may know more than we imagine."

"Young Madam," Xiao He said immediately upon hearing this, "If you intend to treat Granny Li, this servant can arrange for a doctor to come over."

Qin Jiuwei waved her hand, gently interrupting her.

"No rush, let's talk about this in a few days. If we act as soon as he makes a move, it will seem a bit deliberate, and he will definitely become suspicious."

"In a few days, I will find another excuse to ask the imperial physician to treat Granny Li's illness."

Xiao He nodded gently.

"Oh, right, Young Master, Young Madam, there's one more thing."

Xiaohe looked up at the two of them and said earnestly, "The Zou family will be arriving at your residence tomorrow."