Chapter 557 Departure

After a group of imperial physicians took turns checking Lin Changning's pulse, the head physician looked at Lin Changning with a hint of hesitation.

The princess's body was now almost at its limit, and even medicine could only barely keep her alive. Looking up at Lin Changning's hopeful eyes, the head physician cupped his hands towards Lin Changning and said tactfully, "My lord, may I go down and discuss a prescription? Please also ask the physician from the Liu family to come and invite him."

Lin Changning gently placed Li Mingshu back on the bed, tucked the blanket in, and coaxed her softly, "A-Shu, you sleep for a while, I'm going out for a bit."

Li Mingshu lay on the bed and hummed softly before closing her eyes and falling asleep peacefully.

Lin Changning led a group of imperial physicians out of the room. Seeing their pale faces, his expression turned grave: "Your Excellency, my wife? She?"

The abbot was a clever man, well-versed in the art of language. Li Ming said that given the current situation, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that they should prepare a coffin, but naturally, it was not easy to say such a thing.

"The princess's health is indeed not very good. Let's start using the medicine after we've discussed it."

The princess's body had been infiltrated with a weak dose of poison over a long period of time, causing her body to deteriorate. Once her foundation was broken, her body became like a funnel, and any medicine or tonics would simply leak out through the opening.

Now that the eldest princess is in this state, there's nothing they can do to save her. To put it bluntly, the eldest princess is at her last gasp; even a miracle couldn't save her.

Lin Changning dismissed the imperial physicians and had someone lead a group of people to the residence of Physician Liu. Physician Liu was staying at the Lin residence every day because of Li Mingshu's health.

Qi Rong has also moved in these past few days and is helping Lin Changning organize the items to be taken back to the capital.

The emperor and empress were also worried about Li Mingshu, and each sent their close associates to the Lin residence. A group of highly skilled guards and palace maids and nannies who handled complicated affairs all came with the imperial physician.

After settling everyone in, Qi Rong came looking for Lin Changning. Seeing Lin Changning standing at the door in a daze, dressed in thin clothes, he went up to her, untied his cloak and draped it over her head: "It's chilly, why didn't you put on more clothes before coming out?"

Lin Changning was stunned for a moment, looked up at Qi Rong, and only then did she wake up when she felt the warmth on her body. She took off her clothes and put them on Qi Rong again: "I'm not cold, Second Brother. But you, I heard you coughing the other day. You can't catch a cold."

As Lin Changning spoke, he draped the cloak over Qi Rong's shoulders, tied the bag, and then let go, asking, "Second Brother, why did you come over?"

Qi Rong followed Lin Changning into the room next door. After watching Lin Changning take out a teapot, pour him a cup of tea, and place it in front of him, he said, "I heard that the imperial physician sent by my aunt and uncle has arrived, so I came over to inquire about it."

Lin Changning sat down and sighed, "I've already seen them, but there's still no particularly good solution. They just said to give me the medicine for now."

Qi Rong had spent his childhood in the capital, so he naturally understood what the imperial physician meant by using such a euphemism.

Her fingers, which were holding the teacup, turned slightly white. After a long while, she looked at Lin Changning's dazed expression and said, "There are many doctors in the capital. Perhaps one of them can cure me. We will be setting off tomorrow. The nanny sent by my aunt has already prepared everything. Tomorrow, Yue'er, come with me in the carriage."

Lin Changning shook her head slightly when she heard Qi Rong say this. She understood that Li Mingshu probably didn't have much time left.

Now, Yue'er waits in the room next door every day, just so she can be by her mother's side during the few hours she is awake. When Li Mingshu is with Yue'er, she is in much better spirits than usual.

"No need, Second Brother. Chunsheng's carriage is big enough. Let Yue'er and Shu'er stay together."

Seeing this, Qi Rong stopped talking about it. Looking at Lin Changning with worry in his eyes, he naturally felt bad. Seeing the usually lively Xiao Liu looking so dejected every day, he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him.

"Little Six..."

Lin Changning snapped out of her daze, looked at Qi Rong's hesitant expression, and forced a smile: "I'm fine, Second Brother."

As the two were talking, the door creaked open, and a maidservant stood in the doorway and bowed to Lin Changning and Qi Rong: "Greetings, Your Excellency, Your Excellency..."

Yue'er slowly peeked out from behind the maid, saw Lin Changning, and then slipped into the room. After bowing to Qi Rong, she nestled into Lin Changning's arms.

The cat, nestled in Lin Changning's arms, looked somewhat listless: "Father, I heard a doctor has come to treat Mother. When will Mother get better?"

Lin Changning's eyes softened as he gently stroked Yue'er's hair, pulled her into his arms, and patted her softly, coaxing, "It'll be soon, Yue'er. The imperial physician has already gone to get medicine for your mother. She'll get better after she takes the medicine."

With a hint of worry on her face, Yue'er gently patted Lin Changning's shoulder: "Okay, is Father's injury any better? Yesterday, I heard from Sister Jingxue that Father hasn't been taking his medicine properly lately. When she went to deliver the medicine, she said that Father hadn't taken it and it had all gone cold."

Lin Changning smiled helplessly. He had been busy preparing for his return to the capital these past few days, and he had indeed forgotten to take the medicine that the physician had prescribed for him yesterday.

"It's my fault, Father. I was busy with things yesterday and forgot."

Yue'er looked up at Lin Changning with bright eyes in her arms: "Don't forget today's medicine, Sister Jingye! Bring in Daddy's medicine!"

Qi Rong looked at the maid who was already waiting outside the door, and looked at the clever and mischievous Yue'er with a sense of helplessness.

"Moon, you've prepared all this in advance, just waiting for your father to take his medicine?"

Yue'er flashed a bright smile at Qi Rong, revealing her tiny teeth: "Second Uncle has been very good, taking his medicine well these past few days. But I also brought your medicine today, Second Uncle, drink it too!"

Qi Rong shook his head and chuckled. Looking at Yue'er, who seemed like a little adult, he felt a pang of sadness. Ming Shu was bedridden every day, and Xiao Liu was busy with various things. Yue'er seemed to have matured a lot compared to before.

They even knew to urge Lin Changning to take his medicine.

In Beijing, many children of Yue'er's age are considered lucky if they can have a proper meal.

"Okay, Second Uncle will drink his medicine too."

After receiving the two bowls of medicine from the maid, Lin Changning and Qi Rong drank them down in one gulp. After finishing, they even showed Yue'er the clean bottom of the bowls before watching Yue'er jump into Lin Changning's arms with satisfaction.

After watching the two finish their medicine, Yue'er waved goodbye to them and left the room with her maid.

Lin Wangshu was very worried because her mother was sick and had to take bitter medicine every day, her father was also injured, and her second uncle was so sick a few days ago that he almost couldn't get out of bed.

It's said that minor illnesses can develop into major ones if left untreated. The doctor I spoke to my mother about last time said that you should take your medicine properly if you're sick, otherwise it will become a serious illness that can't be cured.

Her mother is already sick, and her father can't be sick anymore. She likes her new father very much. He praises her as a fairy, holds her and lifts her up high, and tells her stories while she sleeps with her mother at night. She hopes that her mother and father can live to be a hundred years old and stay with her forever.