Chapter 37: CH 36

Although Lu Wancheng was seriously ill, under Lin Qingyu’s careful care, there were very few times of embarrassment and he never vomited blood. He couldn’t save Lu Wancheng’s life, but at the very least, he could let him walk cleanly and with dignity. 

Nasty things like blood should never appear on his body.

Lu Wancheng vomiting blood seemed to have turned on the switch for the poison to release. More and more gushed out. After a while, it dyed red the front of his clothes and the brocade quilt. He then fainted.

“Eldest Young Master,” Hua Lu cried, “Eldest Young Master, please don’t scare this servant…”

“Shao-shaojun, what do we do!” 

The servants of the Blue Wind Pavilion had never been faced with this sort of battle. All the servants were flustered, waiting for Lin Qingyu to take charge of the situation.

After Lu Qiaosong hit the back of his head against the pillar, he was sent kneeling to the ground by several servants. He had lost all dignity as a young master. Seeing so much blood, he remembered how he’d done the same all over that singer that day. His eyes were about to split and his eyes were red as he shouted happily, “Lin Qingyu, do you see? Your husband vomited so much blood. He’s going to die. No matter how good you are at medicine, no matter how many thousand-year fleeceflower root you give him, you won’t be able to save him!”

Lin Qingyu looked at him and suddenly let out a low laugh. That voice carried a chill that pierced through the bone. Paired with his face, there was unexpectedly a sense of bewitching coquettish-ness, sending chills down peoples’ spines.

When Lu Qiaosong came back to his senses, he was “invited” out by the servant of the Blue Wind Pavilion. The curtains in front of the bed were lowered, and only the shadows of the figures behind could be seen.

Lin Qingyu was busy all through til midnight. It could be said that he saved Lu Wancheng’s life. The servants helped Lu Wancheng wipe off the blood and put on clean clothes and bedding. Lu Wancheng lay quiet and peaceful, sleeping, spotless, as if feeling no pain at all.

Lin Qingyu watched him for a while. The main courtyard sent servant to deliver a message, saying that the Madam was asking the Shaojun to come over.

Lu Qiaosong had ran to the Blue Wind Pavilion to make a scene, making his seriously ill brother vomit blood. This was considered a major event in the house, and even Nan’an Hou was also disturbed. After hearing the ins and outs of the matter, he said angrily, “Where is that unfilial son now!”

Now that the matter had blown up to this point, Liang Shi no longer kept up the pretense of being a loving mother to Wancheng. Making concessions in order to gain advantages, sobbing and sniffling, she said, “Master Hou knows that Wancheng is ill, but do you remember that Qiaosong is also ill?” 

“How can his illness be compared to Wancheng’s?! He knew that his brother was seriously ill, but he went to the Blue Wind Pavilion to kick up a fuss, spouting insolent remarks. Should he not be punished?”

“Naturally, he should be punished. It’s just that after Qiaosong was kicked out of the Blue Wind Pavilion by the servants, he unexpectedly fainted. The doctor said that his body was weak and that he mustn’t get angry. Saying so may sound bad but, Wancheng… he is already like this. Does Master Hou really want to punish Qiaosong while he is ill, possibly worsening his condition!” Liang Shi wiped away tears, observing Nan’an Hou’s expression, “Master Hou doesn’t know but Qiaosong just found a cure for his unmentionable illness. He was too eager to get well, wishing to provide descendants for Master Hou. In his eagerness, he impulsively contradicted his elder brother and his wife. If Master Hou wishes to punish him, I, his mother, have nothing to say. My only request is that Master Hou wait for him to feel better before punishing him…”

Having no descendants has always been a matter of utmost concern for Nan’an Hou. Hearing Liang Shi say that Lu Qiaosong’s unmentionable illness had hope of being cured, he couldn’t help but waver. “Is what you say true?”

Liang Shi nodded again and again. “I wouldn’t dare deceive Master Hou.” 

Lin Qingyu watched on with cold eyes, only feeling that these two were wasting his time.

Nan’an Hou glanced at Lin Qingyu and said, “Forget it, let the two of them recuperate first. Other matters will be discussed later.”

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“Enough.” Lin Qingyu said, “Go and find Zhang Shiquan.”

Lu Wancheng slept for three days before waking up.

Although Lu Qiaosong was spared punishment, he was also warned by Nan’an Hou not to approach the Blue Wind Pavilion and disturb his brother’s recovery. In addition, Nan’an Hou also asked the steward to go to the market to buy some thousand-year fleeceflower root for Lu Qiaosong to use as medicine. 

Lu Qiaosong ate the precious medicinal herbs like a meal. Piles and piles of money were spent, but it still didn’t work. By this time, he realized that he might have been deceived by that quack doctor. In a fit of anger, Lu Qiaosong imprisoned the quack doctor in the firewood room of the mansion, threatening him that if he couldn’t think of a way to cure him, he would  chop off his hands so that he wouldn’t even be able to carry his bowl to beg for food.

The quack doctor was frightened out of his wits. Who knows whether the emergency brought out his quick-wittedness or what but he actually came out with a prescription. Lu Qiaosong was skeptical but prepared a medicinal pill according to his prescription. After taking a few pills, he really felt that his body had changed. His spirit was excited, his body was hot, and his waist and legs were also able to get stronger. Lu Qiaosong was overjoyed, thinking that soon, his shameful illness should be cured.

Liang Shi was also overjoyed. The son left by the first wife had only a few days to live. Her daughter was now the side concubine of the crown prince. If her son could be cured and leave descendants for the Hou Mansion, her life would be complete.

The only thing that worried her a bit was that though she had had someone bring news into the Eastern Palace to tell Lu Niantao what has been going on in the mansion, she hadn’t gotten a reply. 

So, she prepared a generous gift and sent someone to bring it to the eunuch who helped mother and daughter pass word to each other. Unexpectedly, the eunuch threw the person out, coldly throwing out this sentence, “The Nan’an Hou’s Mansion has truly raised a good daughter.”

When Liang Shi heard these words, she felt very anxious but she couldn’t find out what happened. She wasn’t able to enjoy her comfortable days for long before she began to panic again.

She didn’t know what about Lu Niantao was “good”, but Lin Qingyu knew very well.

Hu Ji brought him news — His medicine had worked. 

A few days ago, Xiao Cheng’s head suddenly began to hurt. He had a splitting headache, deafness and pain in his eyes.  It made him want to hit his head against the wall. Imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital gathered in the Easern Palace but after looking for a long time, they couldn’t find the cause. Concubine Chen ordered a thorough investigation into the expenditures of the Eastern Palace; from the food, tea and water to all the clothing, no detail was overlooked. Still, nothing could be found.

At this time, Concubine Chen’s female headservant said that since the problem wasn’t in the crown prince’s palace, maybe it was in another palace?

As a result, the palaces where the two concubines resided were also carefully searched. The incense Lu Niantao used in her palace was found and checked by the imperial physician. But Xiao Cheng was suspicious by nature. Even if the imperial doctor said that there was no problem with the incense, he still ordered that no one in the entire Eastern Palace should use incense in the future.

Xiao Cheng was no fool. The same trick couldn’t be used on him twice. Lin Qingyu knew that Lu Niantao had outlived her usefulness. 

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Such being the case, he ought to squeeze out whatever value she had left.

Imperial Physician Hu was loyal to his father and he had helped them so much. He deserved something in return.

The cause of the crown prince’s headache could not be found. The imperial doctors of the Imperial Hospital were all helpless in the face of this crisis. No one expected that it would be Hu Ji, a newcomer to the Imperial Hospital, who would finally find the cause.

There was nothing wrong with the incense used by the crown prince’s side concubine, but if it was mixed with Feng Qiu Huang and Sheng Chazi, it will cause wind-heat syndrome, easily leading to a headache. 

Feng Qiu Huang and Sheng Chazi were the special incense used by the Empress and Concubine Chen. The crown prince went to Fengyi Palace and Changle Palace every day to pay his respects. Occasionally, he would go to the side concubines at night.

After the truth was revealed, Concubine Chen was furious. She thought of how the Nan’an Hou’s Mansion and the Empress had a relationship by marriage. She thought that this must have been deliberately done by Lu Niantao and that it was instigated by the Empress.  Concubine Chen cursed at Lu Niantao, calling her a ‘ despicable woman ‘ and delivered two slaps to her face. She almost raised this matter to the Emperor but was stopped by Xiao Cheng.

In the Eastern Palace, Lu Niantao grew pale from crying. She insisted that she hadn’t known about it, she only use this incense because His Highness liked it.

Xiao Cheng knew that she wasn’t lying. Lu Niantao counted on the Eastern Palace to support her and her mother. She had no motive to lay a hand on him. Furthermore, it hadn’t been easy for Xiao Cheng to acquire the position of crown prince. Before he successfully ascends the throne, he didn’t want to make trouble with Nan’an Hou. 

It was an unintentional mistake on the part of Lu Shi and for the sake of Nan’an Hou’s face, Xiao Cheng did not publicize the matter. He only asked that Lu Niantao move out of the side hall. After that, Liang Shi never heard from her daughter again.

Lu Niantao had completely fallen out of favor, with no possibility of changing her fortunes. If Xiao Cheng dies, she would become a lifelong widow in the palace. If Xiao Cheng ascends to the throne, she would be nothing but an abandoned concubine in the cold palace.

She couldn’t blame anyone. From beginning to end, it was her own choice.

And Hu Ji, who was young and promising, had a bright future. He had earned the appreciation of the crown prince and Concubine Chen, becoming a mighty newcomer in the Imperial Hospital. His future was limitless. 

Lin Qingyu had a complete picture of the situation in the Eastern Palace, but when he talked to Lu Wancheng, he only told him the first half: Xiao Cheng had a headache, the imperial doctors were helpless. If this dragged it on, medicines and treatments would be ineffective, even Hua Tuo would find him difficult to treat.

Hearing this, Lu Wancheng said, “Then does that mean I don’t need to drink the medicine anymore? The poison is really painful.”

Lin Qingyu’s chest clenched and he said, “If you don’t want to drink, don’t drink it.”

Lu Wancheng looked at him for a while, then laughed, “This maneuver was truly well done. It is worthy of appreciation – Hua Lu.” 

Hua Lu brought in a wooden box carved from mahogany. It had five layers and seven to eight drawers, large and small. There were handles on top, holes are punched on both sides through which strong cloth ropes were passed through – this was a medicine box that a doctor carried on his back when he went out.

Lin Qingyu noticed that there was a strange symbol engraved in an inconspicuous corner of the medical box. It was the symbol that Lu Wancheng drew on the paper last time.

“I asked the carpenter to make it according to the drawings I designed,” Lu Wancheng said. “In the future, when you enter the Imperial Hospital, you should carry this medicine box with you when you go out.”

Lin Qingyu smiled. “Thank you.” 

Looking at the smiling face of the person beside him, Lu Wancheng couldn’t hold back and said, “They say one should return politeness for politeness. Won’t you give me a gift in return?”

Lin Qingyu asked, “What do you want in return?”

Lu Wancheng thought about it seriously and put on a distressed look: “Ah, I still want to see what Doctor Lin looked like in his wedding dress.”

Lin Qingyu: “…” 

For him, marrying another man as a male wife had been the thing most against his will that he had ever done. Even if the person he married turned out to be his friend and confidant, it cannot change this. To have him wear a wedding dress again was tantamount to reminding him of the humiliation at that time.

However, if Lu Wancheng really wanted to see it that much, it wasn’t impossible for him…

Before he could respond, Lu Wancheng reached out, trying to touch the long hair hanging down on his chest. Maybe he found it dazzling, Lu Wancheng tried several times but failed to catch it.

“Look, you’re all tangled about it.” Lu Wancheng smiled triumphantly, “I’m joking, can’t you hear it?” 

“I can’t.” Lin Qingyu said softly, “You always do this.”

Make it so that people are unable to tell true from not.

Lu Wancheng said that he wouldn’t drink the medicine but then he still obediently took it as scheduled.

That night, Lin Qingyu watched Lu Wancheng fall asleep. There was a rush of footsteps outside the door, and Hua Lu came running in, out of breath. “Shao-Shaojun!” 

Lin Qingyu raised his hand to signal her to lower her voice. “What happened?”

Hua Lu panted. “Third Young Master… He’s gone.”

Lin Qingyu asked, “What do you mean by gone?”

“He’s dead!” 

Lin Qingyu said “oh”. He covered Lu Wancheng with the quilt, and said softly, “I’ve done something bad again, Wancheng.”

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