Chapter 7: Deep Affection and Loyalty, How Embarrassing!

Through the thick rain, the physician and maids filed into Chong'an Hall.

Wei Xuan was busy at the door, his clothes soaked by the light drizzle, and the white veil covering his eyes was also wet and stuck to his face.

The old lady was supporting him, earnestly persuading him to go back inside.

Such deep affection and loyalty, yet so pathetic.

Wei Zhang curled his lips and disappeared around the corner of the corridor.

*

The rain seemed unusually heavy that day, lasting from morning until evening.

After a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder, the charred hanged corpse was magnified again before our eyes.

Xue Lanyi opened her eyes with a start.

The apricot-colored canopy overhead rippled in circles as the wind blew.

The sunlight filtered through the thin silk, creating a soft halo, like moonlight pouring down.

The calming incense smoke rose gently, surrounding Xue Lanyi, and her heart finally calmed down a little.

Just as he was lost in thought and feeling sad, he suddenly saw the silhouettes of several old women reflected on the curtain.

One of them was obese and resembled the cook Yan Chun.

Xue Lanyi's pupils contracted, and she subconsciously tried to get up by supporting herself with her weak arms.

"Don't move, young lady."

The female physician pressed Xue Lanyi's hand through the curtain, carefully taking her pulse for a long time before asking, "How old are you, young lady?"

Xue Lanyi sensed no ill intent from those around her and breathed a sigh of relief. "Two nines plus one."

"Twenty-nine? You're quite young..."

The female doctor was completely taken aback that a girl who had only been of marriageable age for four years was riddled with ailments.

Major and minor illnesses, physical and mental injuries, cannot be cured in a short time.

The female healer sighed inwardly, "There are two things that need the most urgent treatment right now. First, the young lady's heart ailment is too severe. She must avoid staying alone in dark and cramped places in the future, otherwise she will harm her spirit and ultimately her body."

Heart disease is an ailment that doctors cannot cure; only the care of those around us can provide it.

"These two..." The female physician looked around at the old women and maids serving her in the room with some difficulty, and the old women tactfully withdrew.

After the door closed, she said, "Secondly, I have a lumps in my lower abdomen, which may be due to carelessness in the bedroom."

Fearing that Xue Lanyi might not understand medical principles, she had to explain tactfully again, "Young lady, you must respect and cherish yourself."

Xue Lanyi's fingertips trembled.

She cultivated a slender waist and full breasts at the brothel, her delicate figure and ample curves were not naturally formed in ordinary women.

The female physician could tell her identity at a glance. She wanted to advise her not to use harmful bedroom arts in order to win favor, lest she suffer the consequences.

However, Xue Lanyi did not.

She shook her head awkwardly.

The female doctor patted her arm and comforted her, "Miss, there's no need to be afraid to see a doctor. I also often go to Xingchun Tower to treat patients, all for the sake of making a living. I understand."

"I……"

"Young lady, rest assured and recover. After taking two doses of medicine, your lower abdominal injury will heal, and it's not a serious problem." The female doctor meant well.

Xue Lanyi felt that the explanation she was about to give was meaningless.

Love has always been considered more precious than gold, and it is only when the sons and daughters of wealthy families talk about it that it becomes a beautiful story.

She sought true love despite her lowly status, and others would only think she was currying favor with her superiors.

Who would believe that?

Even Wei Zhang didn't believe it.

Upon hearing this name, Xue Lanyi's eyes darkened slightly. She withdrew her hand and covered the "servant" character tattoo on her arm.

"Thank you for the medicine, young lady." Xue Lanyi recovered after a moment.

Seeing the female doctor leave with her medicine box, he hurriedly got up to see her off.

A wave of dizziness washed over him, and he slumped back onto the bed.

The female healer gestured for her not to, then left.

Immediately afterward, a familiar figure jogged over and helped Xue Lanyi up, saying, "Miss, you haven't eaten all day, how can you have the strength to get up?"

"Here, have some porridge." Granny Liu blew on the porridge to cool it down and then held it to her lips.

Xue Lanyi paused for a moment, then asked, "Where is this? How did Mother get here?"

“This is a side room of Chong’an Hall!” Granny Liu smiled, her face full of wrinkles. “The young master dismissed everyone in the outer courtyard, leaving only me and a few other old folks like Yan Chun’er to enter the Duke’s mansion. He said we would serve the young lady here from now on.”

Granny Liu was overjoyed. She put down her bowl and bowed to Xue Lanyi, saying, "I've already inquired and it seems they've started preparing for the concubine's arrival. After tomorrow, you'll be the only mistress of Chong'an Hall! What a joyous occasion! Congratulations, Miss!"

Xue Lanyi felt nothing, her fingers twisting tightly. "How...how did I get here after I fainted?"

Granny Liu's smile froze, and she slurred, "Of course, it was the young master who placed the young lady here! Even the female physician was invited by the young master himself."

Judging from Granny Liu's words, Wei Zhang rushed out to find a doctor for her.

She looked at Granny Liu with suspicion.

Actually, when Granny Liu was sent to Chong'an Hall, the courtyard was in complete chaos.

There were countless instances of people moving, confronting each other, and causing chaos by smashing things.

She didn't see the Crown Prince, but she did see the Eldest Prince outside the bedroom.

The eldest son sat guarding the gate, making this place quieter than the others.

The doctor was also invited by the eldest son, but no matter how good the eldest son was, he still had his deceased wife in his heart, while the young lady's heart was always with the young master.

So why bother with all that gossip?

Sometimes it's better to be a little oblivious to things than to be happy.

"Think about it, young lady. If the young master doesn't have you in his heart, why would he keep you by his side for three years? Is it just to make things difficult for himself?" Granny Liu teased, trying to lighten the mood.

Then he took out a vermilion lacquered wooden box and handed it to Xue Lanyi, "And this, the honey-glazed kumquats that you like, were also sent by the young master."

The box was opened, and inside were thirty kumquats, each about the size of a quail egg, neatly arranged and coated with a glossy, golden-yellow honey.

Xue Lanyi had never really liked candied fruit before, but she once saw in a dream that when she was crying with red eyes, the young man gave her tangerines and comforted her, saying: "When you're unhappy, eating something sweet will make you feel better. If that doesn't work, then eat more."

Xue Lanyi did as she was told. During her two years at the Jiaofangsi, whenever she was wronged, she would secretly put a kumquat hidden in her sleeve into her mouth.

Sometimes you have to stuff your mouth full to get it to work.

She picked up a kumquat that Granny Liu handed her and put it in her mouth.

Strangely enough, these kumquats don't have a sour or astringent taste, nor do they numb your mouth; only a sweet juice slowly flows into your heart.

It was different from the kumquats she had eaten before; instead, it tasted exactly like the ones in her dream.

She took a slow bite and asked, "Where did you buy these tangerines?"

She thought that she would need to eat lots and lots of tangerines in the future.

"Where can you buy such good fruit outside?" Granny Liu patted her back to comfort her. "The method of making these kumquats is very complicated. First, you have to remove the seeds, then boil them in dew, then freeze them in an ice chest. They have to be boiled nine times and submerged seven times to remove the numbness. It's all out of love!"

Sweet fruits can really lift one's spirits, and Xue Lanyi felt a little more relaxed. "I didn't expect my mother to know how to make candied fruit."

“My daughter is about the same age as the girl, and she... used to love candied fruit.”

So, when the eldest son sent over some candied fruit earlier, Granny Liu asked about the recipe out of curiosity.

The eldest son was a kind man. He not only patiently explained things to the servants, but also specifically instructed them not to tell the young lady about these trivial matters, so as not to make her feel uncomfortable after receiving favors from others.

Granny Liu simply considered the gift as a token of the young master's goodwill, hoping to reassure the young lady. "Please don't worry, young lady. The young master will be coming over soon to help you try on your hairpins and skirts."

That's true.

While the young lady was unconscious, the prince sent someone to inquire about her measurements, presumably to have new clothes made for the ceremony of taking a concubine tomorrow.

"Aren't things getting better every day?"

"Mom is right."

Life goes on day by day, just as flowers bloom little by little.

"Please help me to the Star Gazing Tower, Mother."

She remembered that her lilies were still placed under the corridor near the observatory, and she wondered if today's heavy rain would kill them.

She struggled to her feet, and Granny Liu helped her up, pointing out the window: "Don't rush, young lady, look there!"

On the windowsill, delicate buds stand facing the wind, their petals trembling gently.

The rain that had been falling all day had just stopped, and the sunlight shone on the lilies, the dewdrops reflecting golden light.

Everything seemed vibrant and full of life.

"My flowers!" Xue Lanyi smiled and carried the flowers to the end of the corridor, to the base of the wall where they were sheltered from the wind.

She shielded the flowers with her body, and they stopped swaying in the wind.

"Please fetch a handkerchief, Mother." She wanted to wipe the mud and water off the lily petals.

"Lilies are pure and resilient, and will remain unstained by mud and unbroken by a hundred breaks. Young lady, you don't need to exert any effort, just wait for them to bloom."

At that moment, a gentle voice slowly descended from above.

Xue Lanyi looked up. Wei Xuan was standing against the light, the halo around him as gentle as his voice.

"Young Master." Xue Lanyi gently released the petals and curtsied in greeting.

When she lowered her eyes, her gaze fell on the mud on his shoes.

She roughly knew who had sent the lilies back.

"Thank you for your trouble, young master."

"Just passing by," Wei Xuan replied with his hands clasped in return.

To be honest, he felt very guilty that his family had just left a girl standing on the lobby floor.

This is hardly the proper way to treat a guest.

Therefore, helping her find a doctor and retrieve lilies only made up for a small part of the problem.

"I apologize on behalf of my mother and Ah Zhang. Please forgive me, young lady."

“This has nothing to do with the eldest son.” She knelt even deeper.

Knowing that she was reserved, Wei Xuan straightened up and said, "When I came here, the steward told me that the matter of taking a concubine had been passed down."

Xue Lanyi nodded, thinking he would also offer congratulations, but then heard him say in a solemn voice, "I consulted the matchmaker, and there are two ways to take a concubine in the Dayong Dynasty. One is to be promoted from a maid to a concubine, and all the procedures can be completed tomorrow; the other is to bring one in from outside, which requires a concubine certificate to be verified by the government. Have you considered taking the second path, Miss?"

The second path is certainly more legitimate, following the formal procedures, which will make it less likely for people to criticize one's future life in the household. However...

Once she falls into the eyes of the authorities, they will definitely check her household registration.

Although Wei Zhang gave her a false identity, if the truth were to be traced back, the risk of Xue Lanyi's status as a slave being exposed would be too great.

"Thank you, young master, but there's no need to trouble yourself." That was all she could say.

Wei Xuan hesitated for a moment, "Actually, the second option has another advantage. The official procedure stipulates that it takes fifteen days to complete, during which time the young lady may be able to reconsider the marriage."

Xue Lanyi then understood that Wei Xuan meant he did not support her marrying Wei Zhang the next day.

She was astonished, staring at the person so close to her.