Chapter 10: Injury

Since Yuan Yutong returned, the house had become much livelier. Every day, she and her son plotted ways to coax Xiao Yao into moving to Yi Garden. Though they never succeeded, they still enjoyed the effort.

Days passed by. Xiao Jun could now roll over and sit up on his own. He could even crawl forward and backward on the bed for short periods. Xiao Yao, on the other hand, would lie down leisurely after sitting for a while, moving her arms and legs while watching her fifth brother “huff and puff” with his efforts. Xiao Qi, being overweight, often rolled onto his stomach and couldn’t roll back. Whenever this happened, Xiao Yao couldn’t help but think of a turtle… Cough… Ahem, such thoughts were inappropriate. Truly inappropriate.

By the time Xiao Qi could sit steadily, Xiao Jun had not only become adept at crawling but could also stand while leaning against a wall. Xiao Yao didn’t like crawling but would occasionally utter a word or two, such as “da-da” or “ba-ba,” just to make their parents happy. At this point, the eldest child was nine months old, and the youngest seven months.

The three children, being close in age, naturally stuck together all the time. Xiao Jun had a strong sense of responsibility as an older brother and knew how to yield to his younger siblings while playing. Xiao Qi had the best temperament—he would play if there were toys, and if not, he wouldn’t fuss. Xiao Yao, pretending to be a child, never competed for toys. So whether the three played with the same toy or each had their own, they never fought. Knowing the temperaments of the young masters and mistresses, the nannies and maids were secretly delighted. Their job of watching over the children was incredibly easy—they just needed to keep an eye on the bed to ensure no one fell off, chatting freely and enjoying themselves.

As the New Year approached, not only were the masters busy, but the servants also took on various tasks to prepare for the celebrations.

In the warm room, Xiao Jun and Xiao Yao were sitting on a small kang, playing with a colorful string-controlled wooden puppet. Xiao Qi, who had been sleeping nearby, woke up groggily. Seeing the bright object in Xiao Yao’s arms, he mistook it for food. He sat up, trying to grab it, but either he wasn’t fully awake or wasn’t sitting steadily. He fell straight onto Xiao Yao. The nearly 20-pound chubby boy landed heavily on her, leaving Xiao Yao seeing stars and unable to make a sound from the pressure in her chest. Xiao Jun, probably intending to get up and pull Xiao Qi away, accidentally tripped over the puppet’s strings and fell onto his sister.

As she lost consciousness, Xiao Yao wondered if she might become the first baby ever to be crushed to death.

“Aaah!” Xiao Jun’s loud cries finally drew attention. By the time someone realized what had happened and picked up the two young masters, Xiao Yao’s face had already turned blue, and her lips were purple.

Yuan Yutong trembled all over. She ordered someone to fetch a doctor immediately and another to inform her mother-in-law and sister-in-law. Looking at her motionless daughter, she kept comforting herself: It’s okay, she’ll be okay.

Tong Mingyu arrived first. Seeing her lifeless daughter, her body went limp, as if all her strength had been drained. She couldn’t think, couldn’t shout—she could do nothing but breathe, as if paralyzed.

The once vibrant and lively daughter was now lying there motionless, silent. Heartache, fear, panic… These emotions intensified with every passing moment.

The first doctor to arrive was from the nearest clinic—a refined, middle-aged man in his forties wearing a white robe. He checked Xiao Yao’s pulse, lifted her eyelids, and sighed heavily. At this, Tong Mingyu completely fainted.

One after another, members of the family and children on New Year’s leave rushed to the scene. Xiao Yi and Xiao Yang, seeing their sister in such a state, burst into tears that wouldn’t stop no matter how much they wiped.

Doctor Zhao from the capital’s largest clinic, Ji’an Hall, was carried into the room by Xiao Bing, the head guard. As soon as he set foot inside, he rushed to the bed without a word. After a careful examination, he requested half a bowl of water and took out a pill from his medicine chest, crushing it. He propped up Xiao Yao’s head, held her jaw, and fed her the medicine bit by bit. Then, he retrieved several silver needles of varying lengths, ushered everyone out, and began acupuncture treatment to save her.

The wait was excruciating. People either stood or sat around, but no one made a sound.

Xiao Jingkang stumbled into the room, opening his mouth several times but unable to utter a word. The child who had been smiling, playful, and full of life that very morning—how could this happen?

About an hour later, Doctor Zhao emerged, covered in sweat. Everyone stood up in unison, eager yet fearful of the news.

“She’s out of danger, but her internal organs are injured. She will need careful nursing. Avoid any extreme emotions—whether joy or sorrow.”

“When will her body fully recover?” Xiao Jingkang pressed.

Doctor Zhao shook his head and sighed. “It could take three to five years, or longer. Perhaps… it may never fully recover.”

“If you can find the miracle doctor Lin You, there’s great hope for a full recovery.” Doctor Zhao rarely mentioned such things, but knowing the Xiao family, he made an exception. He hoped this small child, seemingly a victim of a freak accident rather than the usual schemes of inner-courtyard politics, could recover.

After the doctor left, Xiao Jingkang and his wife went to check on their daughter. The sleeping child’s face was as pale as paper, and her lips had no trace of color. The pain in their hearts was indescribable.

Many maids and nannies knelt in the main hall, awaiting punishment. They knew their fates hung in the balance—beating, selling, or expulsion.

Yuan Yutong, usually cheerful, was consumed with guilt. “It’s all my fault for not watching the children properly. Sister-in-law, I’m sorry—it’s all my fault…”

“Don’t blame yourself,” Tong Mingyu replied. “Looking after the young masters and mistress is the job of the nannies and maids. It has nothing to do with you. You’re pregnant and should keep your distance from the children for your own safety.”

Since neither Xiao Jun nor Xiao Qi could speak, the exact cause remained a mystery. In the end, Xiao Jun and Xiao Qi’s nannies and maids were each given 20 lashes and sent to the manor’s countryside. All of Xiao Yao’s attendants were sold off.

The Xiao family, known for treating their servants kindly, had never issued such severe punishment before. It served as a wake-up call: only by doing their duties diligently could they secure their positions.

Tong Mingyu devoted all her time to caring for her daughter personally. No one dared inform General Xiao of the incident. If he learned that his long-awaited granddaughter had nearly died before her first birthday, his wrath would be unimaginable.

That night, Xiao Jun developed a fever, likely from the shock. Tong Mingyu stayed by her daughter’s side, while Xiao Jingkang stayed with his son.

As dawn broke, Xiao Jun’s fever finally subsided, but he began crying. Frustrated, Xiao Jingkang spanked him lightly on his bottom. “You little rascal, how dare you cry after causing so much trouble!”

At that moment, Qin Shi entered and, seeing her grandson being spanked, quickly scooped him up. “What are you doing? He’s just a child. How could he possibly understand what happened?”

Xiao Jingkang sighed deeply.

“Enough. Go check on Ping’an. I’ll take care of him,” Qin Shi said firmly. Though she cared for her granddaughter, she believed the family was placing too much emphasis on her. In her heart, she thought: The Xiao family’s future glory depends on the sons, not the daughters.

But these thoughts stayed unspoken. After all, even she dreaded the general’s wrath.