My Lady Always Lacks Ambition

Qin Liuxi secretly calculated the birth dates of Third Qin, though the divination indicated misfortune, it didn’t concern life and death, so she dismissed it.

Thinking of going out, she wanted to inform Mrs. Wang and turned towards her courtyard, but before entering, she saw Aunt Wan rushing out. Upon seeing the jinx, she acted like a mouse seeing a cat, wanting to turn back.

Qin Liuxi coughed lightly.

Aunt Wan stopped her wobbling feet, looked at her pitifully as she approached, and stammered, "You, why are you here?"

"Why are you in such a hurry? What happened?"

Aunt Wan said, "Aunt Pan is so ill she’s nearly dying, I need to go check on her."

Qin Liuxi frowned, "Let’s go together."

She led the way, with Aunt Wan following her like a little attendant, her bright red lips non-stop chattering.

Qin Liuxi then learned about the severity of Aunt Pan’s illness.

Aunt Pan, the birth mother of Mingmu, the eldest son of the second branch of the Qin family, had returned to the old mansion as she had offspring, after a calamity befell the Qin family and the other concubines of the second branch were dismissed. She had always been quiet and reserved; not a troublemaker. She was as invisible as a transparent person, hardly noticeable. Had Aunt Wan not mentioned her, Qin Liuxi would hardly remember such a person existed.

Aunt Pan was unremarkable, but compared to the dim-witted Aunt Wan, she was more thoughtful. Her only son was exiled to the northwest, naturally, she was distressed. She had been depressed, and then a broken engagement from the Wen Family pushed her over the edge and she fell into illness.

Mrs. Xie was not as magnanimous as Mrs. Wang, treating concubines almost like sisters. She saw Aunt Pan as a thorn in her eye; her falling ill did not provoke Mrs. Xie to clap in joy, and she wouldn’t ask after Aunt Pan’s health or arrange for a doctor, which was already being kind.