Thrown out of the house, the wet nurse enters the noble household and becomes a person of high statu

As the sun climbed high in the sky, the scorching heat seeped in from outside the window, leaving only a pool of water inside the once cool ice cup.

The old lady leaned against the bed, her forehead covered in fine beads of sweat.

The maidservant waved the palm-leaf fan incessantly, but it still couldn't dispel the summer heat.

Granny Wu served the old lady three pots of tea in succession.

Tea can quench thirst, but it can't relieve the summer heat.

The old lady was extremely irritated and had lost much of her interest in the stories that Liu Wenying usually loved to tell. She waved her hand to dismiss them.

The group left the main house, leaving only two maids fanning the guests.

"This awful weather, and the ice is still not arriving. It's so hard on the old lady."

Granny Wu handed the handkerchief she used to wipe her sweat to someone else and went to get a few new ones.

"We can find a shady spot to get some fresh air. The old lady is bedridden and doesn't move much, so she's most susceptible to heat and humidity. If this continues, it might not be good for her condition."

Liu Wenying touched the side of her neck with the back of her hand to wipe away the fine sweat.

Hearing that what Granny Wu said made sense, he stepped forward and said softly, "Granny Wu, I have a few simple methods that might be able to solve the current summer heat?"

Granny Wu was at her wit's end when she heard that she had a solution, so she urged her to do so immediately.

"Tell me quickly."

"First, find a few large basins, fill them with well water, and place them in the four corners of the room. The cool well water will help dissipate the heat in the room."

Liu Wenying spoke slowly and deliberately, and her words were detailed.

"Secondly, take some honeysuckle and mint leaves, wash and crush them, filter them into cool water, and use it to wipe the old lady's back and wrists to cool her down and relieve the summer heat."

"Thirdly, the kitchen can prepare some lily bulb and mung bean soup. However, mung beans are cooling in nature, so it's best to have someone ask Dr. Ye first to confirm that it won't clash with the medicine the old lady usually takes before she can drink some to relieve the heat."

With a three-pronged approach, you'll see results.

The methods Liu Wenying suggested were all made from ordinary items, and since Granny Wu had no other choice, she had to give them a try.

He immediately instructed the maids to split up and do their own thing. Two maids carried a large basin to the well to fetch water and placed it in the corner of the room.

Another maid went to the storeroom to fetch honeysuckle and mint leaves.

The next person went to ask Dr. Ye, and soon after, Dr. Ye replied that the lily and mung bean soup was harmless to the medicine.

The ice is still delayed, so we'll just have to make do for now.

Fortunately, Liu Wenying's method worked, and in less than half an incense stick's time, the dryness in the room dissipated considerably.

The old lady gradually felt sleepy and was able to take a peaceful afternoon nap.

At the end of the day, Pei Zeyu returned to Mingxi Hall after handling some official business.

He entered the room with his hands behind his back and saw large copper basins placed in the corner of the side room, the inner room, and the four corners under the window.

The well water reflected the sunlight, and a cool mist hung in the air, a scene quite different from before.

Pei Zeyu raised an eyebrow and looked at the maid standing nearby.

"What's the deal with the basin of water in the room?"

The maidservant hurriedly bowed and answered with her head bowed.

"Second Master, the ice supply at Mingxi Hall ran out this morning, and the Shanglin Bureau has yet to send any new ice. The old lady is suffering from the heat."

It was Nanny Liu's idea; drawing well water and placing it in the house could dispel the summer heat.

Ice has not yet arrived?

Pei Zeyu lowered the curve of his lips slightly.

Just as the maid finished speaking, the curtain moved and Liu Wenying walked in carrying a copper basin.

The basin contained a clear, cool honeysuckle and mint water.

Upon seeing Pei Zeyu, Liu Wenying smiled and curtsied, saying, "Greetings, Second Master."

He was impeccably polite, spoke in a calm tone, and showed no trace of the grievance he had just suffered.

Pei Zeyu's gaze lingered on her face; the red mark on her chin had faded considerably, leaving only a very faint trace.

He nodded slightly and stepped aside to make way.

Liu Wenying carried the basin of water into the inner room.

A moment later, the sounds of her and the old lady talking in hushed tones could be heard from inside, along with the soft rustling of cloth being dipped in water and gently wiped.

Pei Zeyu stood outside the screen, and through the pine and crane longevity screen, he could vaguely see the figures moving inside.

Liu Wenying bent down beside the couch, her soft handkerchief dipped in cool medicine, and carefully wiped the old lady's neck and back.

The figure overlapped with the one in the corner.

At that time, she was forced to raise her chin, and although she was in a lower position, her back remained straight and upright, refusing to bend.

Like a supple vine, seemingly slender, it can bend and stretch, yet it can provide shade.

In a short while, Liu Wenying finished packing and went out with her utensils.

Her temples were damp with sweat, clinging to her cheeks, and even a small patch of her shirt was wet on the back.

He must have been working hard and sweating because the room was still dry.

After Pei Zeyu left, he winked at Afu beside him and gave him a few instructions.

Afu acknowledged and withdrew.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he arrived with two servants carrying a box.

The box was opened, and the neatly stacked, crystal-clear ice inside was placed into the ice jar in the room.

Wisps of white steam drifted out, dispelling the remaining stuffiness in the room.

A cool breeze swept over me, refreshing me to the bone.

Inside the room, the elderly lady, who had been resting with her eyes closed, opened them and asked, "Has the ice been delivered?"

Granny Wu massaged her legs and said with a smile, "It's because the Second Master was thinking of you that he shared some ice from his Chenshuang Courtyard. It just arrived, and the room is already cool now."

The old lady paused for a moment, then chuckled, "This child... he doesn't use him in his own yard, but he brings him to this old woman like me."

She shook her head, her eyes filled with tenderness and affection. "I'm sorry to have troubled him."

As they were talking, Pei Zeyu walked into the inner room.

Approaching the bedside, he bowed respectfully. "Grandmother, are you feeling any better?"

"Much more refreshing."

The old lady beckoned him closer, patted the back of his hand, and said, "It's kind of you to think of that, but your courtyard..."

"It's alright, Grandmother's health is the priority. She'll be back to normal once the ice from the Imperial Forestry Bureau arrives."

Looking at her grandson's handsome profile, the old lady felt even more comforted, knowing he was both good-looking and virtuous.

"Then spend more time talking to me..."

"Yes."

Thanks to the ice allocated by Shen Shuang Yuan, Ming Xi Tang finally received the ice delivered by the Shang Lin Shu.

Fresh ice was continuously added to the icebox, keeping the room cool all day long. The old lady was no longer as restless and hot as before, and her spirits even improved.

In the past, ice was never in short supply, and everyone took it for granted. After the ice shortage incident, Liu Wenying began to notice a small matter.

Xi Chun seems to be changing the ice cubes in the ice jar too frequently.

The ice detector is specially made with double-layered copper walls and heat-insulating material in between.

Ice cubes are placed in the inner layer, and then fruits and snacks that need to be chilled are placed in the outer layer. The ingenious design can slow down the melting of the ice cubes.

In previous summers, the ice in the ice jar was usually changed twice a day.

But Xi Chun always changed her clothes three or even four times a day.

The rate at which the ice is being consumed is unusually fast.

When she was in Tinglan Courtyard, there was also a mirror in the First Madam's room. As a newcomer, she had to memorize everything.

She remembers clearly that even on the hottest days, she changed her clothes twice a day.

Liu Wenying had her doubts, but she didn't ask any more questions rashly.

There was already a rift between her and Xi Chun, so if she suddenly inquired, Xi Chun might not tell the truth.

Several days passed in a flash, the coolness in the house stabilized, and the strangeness of changing the ice gradually faded away due to the complicated care required.

Until this day, Liu Wenying noticed something.

…………