Chapter 122: Harming Others

Just as Jun Jun Shuyan was on the verge of losing consciousness, Jun Chengcai returned from the Old Lady's courtyard, passed by the lakeside, heard a disturbance in the water, and vaguely saw half a human head bobbing in the lake.

Jun Chengcai cared for nothing else, leaped into the bone-chillingly cold lake; though he jumped in with a rather handsome diving posture, the moment he hit the water, he began flailing wildly.

Flailing like a dog paddling, Jun Chengcai surged forward to grab the person in the water; though he was nearly frozen stiff, he cared for nothing else, thinking only that he must get the person out no matter what.

Finally, he pulled the person out of the water and saw clearly it was Jun Jun Shuyan; "Fourth Sister, hold on," Jun Chengcai said, his voice faint, his upper and lower teeth chattering so hard that even opening his mouth was difficult.

He flailed toward the shore, clearly unable to swim himself.

"Help!" Jun Chengcai shouted, but at that moment there was no one by the lakeside, and Jun Chengcai was so frozen he could no longer speak at all.

Summoning all his strength, he lifted the nearly unconscious Jun Jun Shuyan and pushed her onto the shore.

The lake water, carrying shards of ice, was piercingly cold; unable to swim and having flailed in the water for too long, his body had long since frozen stiff, and he could hold on no longer, sinking toward the lake bottom.

When Qiuju returned with the conical hat, she searched the entire corridor but could not find Jun Jun Shuyan; she dared not shout loudly, fearing someone might hear and ruin her Young Lady's reputation.

Thinking Jun Jun Shuyan might have gone to the Old Lady on her own, she rushed down a shortcut toward the Old Lady's courtyard; Qiuju ran until she was out of breath, only to learn upon reaching Jingzhu Courtyard that Jun Jun Shuyan had never been there.

The Old Lady was greatly alarmed, yet she remained rational; since Qiuju had taken a shortcut, perhaps the fourth girl had taken the main road and they had simply missed each other, so she immediately ordered Miss Huasheng to take people and search along the main road.

Soon, news that the Fourth Young Lady was missing spread throughout the entire household, and all the servants joined in the search.

Miss Huasheng moved quickly and possessed excellent night vision; searching along the main road, she spotted someone lying by the lakeside at a glance, and upon approaching, saw that if it was not Jun Jun Shuyan, who else could it be? Jun Jun Shuyan lay soaked through, eyes tightly closed, obviously unconscious.

Ripples still spread in concentric circles across the lake surface.

Miss Huasheng's mind was exceptionally sharp, which was one of the reasons Jun Jun Zijin had originally kept her by the Old Lady's side; Miss Huasheng immediately realized someone had sunk to the bottom of the lake.

"There is still someone in the water; hurry down and fish them out, and take the Fourth Young Lady back for treatment," Miss Huasheng urged urgently.

People immediately came to carry Jun Jun Shuyan away; since the Fourth Young Lady had recently been quite favored, the matrons and Retainers dared not show any negligence, some saving lives while others fetched a Physician.

Qiuju arrived, running out of breath; upon seeing her own Young Lady unconscious with a bluish-purple face, she let out a "Wah!" and burst into loud wails, frantically following the servants carrying Jun Jun Shuyan as they ran toward Qinxin Garden.

But no one attended to the person in the water; with ice shards still floating on the lake surface, several Retainers hesitated, daring not to enter the water easily; in such freezing water, even the best swimmer could not endure the cold, and jumping in would likely result not just in freezing to death but certainly in a severe illness.

"The lake water is so cold; who dares to go down?" a servant said, voice trembling.

Miss Huasheng wanted nothing more than to kick them all into the lake, but since they did not wish to go down, kicking them in would not make them exert themselves, merely wasting precious time for rescue.

A sharp glint flashed in Miss Huasheng's eyes; without hesitation, she stripped off her outer robe, leaving only a lightweight short outfit, took a deep breath, and leaped into the icy lake water.

Miss Huasheng searched desperately in the water; the freezing water pierced to her bones and heart, yet she cared for nothing else; though she did not know who was at the bottom, simply because that person had risked their life to save her mistress's cherished Fourth Young Lady, she too must pull them out.

Meanwhile, Jun Jun Zhidie rushed frantically toward her own courtyard, fear replacing excitement in her heart; in such freezing water, Jun Jun Shuyan, whom she had pushed down, was surely dead; she had committed murder.

Jun Jun Zhidie burst into the courtyard, slammed the door shut, threw herself onto the bed, and pulled the covers over her head, gasping heavily as if doing so could dispel the terror within.

At that moment, Li Shi's voice came from outside the door:

"Jun Zhidie, rumors are spreading through the household that the fourth girl is missing; although she is merely a concubine-born daughter of the main branch, everyone is searching, and it would not look good if we did not go see; come out, let us go look as well."

Besides, that wench Qingyu had already rushed over; if she, as the principal Lady of the second branch, did not go, it would truly be indefensible.

Jun Jun Zhidie's body trembled, yet she forced herself to remain calm and replied:

"Mother, today I was punished by the Old Lady with Guicitang; I am afraid I will be frozen half to death myself, so I do not wish to go."

Hearing that her daughter was to perform Guicitang, Li Shi was outraged; in such cold weather, was that old wretch not treating the people of the second branch as human beings at all?

Li Shi pushed the door open, intending to ask Jun Jun Zhidie what had happened, but seeing her daughter covered by the quilt and shivering slightly, assumed she had been frightened by the punishment of Guicitang; disregarding further questions, she turned and headed straight for the Old Lady's Jingzhu Courtyard, determined to demand why her daughter should suffer such a severe penalty.

Li Shi had not gone halfway when she encountered the Old Lady traveling in a wheelchair; Li Shi blocked the wheelchair and demanded:

"Old Lady, what fault has my Jun Zhidie committed that you punish her with Guicitang? Are you not trying to drive our second branch to death?"

At these words from Li Shi, the nursemaid behind the Old Lady trembled inwardly; the Lady of the second branch was becoming increasingly devoid of propriety, spouting such remarks so casually; but she was merely a servant, and with the Old Lady present, she naturally could not say anything.

The Old Lady frowned, a hint of cold sternness revealing itself in her eyes; she looked coldly at Li Shi and spoke:

"Li Shi, everyone is searching for the fourth girl, yet instead of joining the search, you come to block my path on the road?"

Stunned by the Old Lady's gaze, Li Shi momentarily felt somewhat guilty, after all, a living person had suddenly vanished.

But then she thought again: what did the disappearance of the fourth girl have to do with her? Her own daughter was forced to perform Guicitang in such freezing weather; that slight guilt in Li Shi's heart vanished entirely, replaced by anger and resentment.

Li Shi straightened her spine once more and angrily addressed the Old Lady:

"Old Lady, what great act of rebellion has Jun Zhidie committed that you punish her so? Is this not excessive? Our second branch is not so easily bullied!"

The Old Lady's gaze was sharp, a flash of anger crossing her face, but she quickly suppressed her emotions and said coldly:

"Li Shi, are you questioning me? Rules are rules; those who violate family regulations must naturally receive punishment."

Having no time to argue with Li Shi, she shut her down with a single sentence.

Li Shi's anger intensified; her voice carried a sharp edge of disdain, her fists clenched tightly, her eyes staring fixedly at the Old Lady as she shouted at the top of her lungs:

"Jun Jun Shuyan is merely a lowly concubine-born daughter; why are you so urgent in searching for her? Is my Jun Zhidie not important? Even at her worst, she is still a Young Lady of the Jun household; to let her kneel in Guicitang amidst the biting wind, do you truly feel no pity in your heart?"

The Old Lady's expression grew ever colder, though the fury in her eyes was not entirely concealed; she cast a cold glance at Li Shi and spoke with unquestionable authority:

"Li Shi, the matter concerning the third girl can be discussed later; for now, move aside."