"...At first, she did help us out, but she was scolded by the old lady of the Duke of Anguo, so we cut off all contact with her."

Over the years, Han has seen the coldness of human nature and the few people who have offered her help, but she remembers them all.

"Then I have to go and take a look."

Xiao Qingyin chuckled softly.

"Just go and visit them, but don't take any risks. The situation at the Duke of Anguo's residence is quite complicated," Madam Han advised.

"Okay, I'll be careful."

The Duke of Anguo's mansion was very close by. After asking for directions, Xiao Qingyin walked there after lunch.

As Yi Shuihan had said, the heir of the Duke of Anguo was quite frail. It was only early autumn, yet he was already wearing a fur coat, wrapped up tightly, with only his pale and delicate face showing.

Upon seeing Xiao Qingyin, a look of surprise flashed across his face.

"Sister Xiao, you're here? That's wonderful! I'll take you to see my mother right away."

Xiao Qingyin was a little puzzled by the overly enthusiastic tone. Could it be that this young master was a natural at making friends?

She soon found out the answer.

"Rongrong said you are a disciple of a reclusive master, and your medical skills are so amazing that even the imperial physicians can't compare. It was you who saved Princess Zhaoyang."

I see.

Xiao Qingyin lowered her eyes, concealing her emotions.

It was Xiao Qingrong who recommended her to him.

As for the purpose, Xiao Qingyin knew without even thinking that it was to see her stumble.

"You must have a way to save my mother, right?"

Wei Yan looked at Xiao Qingyin with a nervous expression.

"We'll have to see it to know," Xiao Qingyin smiled. "I'll do my best."

There were quite a few people in the courtyard of the Duchess of Anguo. As soon as Xiao Qingyin followed Wei Yan inside, a tall young man with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes walked towards them.

"Big brother."

Wei Yan called out.

“Brother Yan,” Wei Teng stopped and looked past Wei Yan at Xiao Qingyin, “And who is this?”

"This is the doctor I hired for my mother, Miss Xiao. She just saved Princess Zhaoyang a few days ago."

Wei Teng frowned, but before he could speak, a dignified voice rang out: "Nonsense!"

Duke Anguo, Wei Zhenghong, stood in the side hall and glared at Wei Yan.

"You're trying to find a doctor for a young woman? Could you be any more absurd?!"

"Father, please don't be angry. Yan was only trying to save Mother, that's why..."

"Don't speak up for him!" Wei Zhenghong interrupted him. "If he were even half as steady as you, he wouldn't have done something like this."

Wei Yan bit her lip, her eyes dimming.

"Miss Xiao, right? I'm sorry to have made you come all this way for nothing," Wei Zhenghong said to Xiao Qingyin. "I'll have someone take you back right away."

“Lord Duke, my late mother and your wife were very close friends,” Xiao Qingyin said with a smile. “Since I’m already here, I’d like to see her before I leave.”

"Who is your mother?"

Wei Zhenghong still didn't know which household this girl belonged to.

“Yun Shi Wan Yin”.

Wei Zhenghong's expression froze slightly.

"So it was you." He sighed. "Go inside, my wife has been talking about you these past few days."

The gloom on Wei Yan's face eased a little, and he led Xiao Qingyin to the inner room without saying a word.

A woman, thin as a rake and resembling an eighty-year-old woman, lay half-reclined on a bed with the curtains open. Hearing footsteps, she struggled to open her eyes, and her pupils dilated instantly when she saw Xiao Qingyin.

"Wan Yin...did you come to pick me up...cough cough—"

She coughed violently, and the maidservant serving her immediately brought over a spittoon.

"mother!"

Wei Yan walked over quickly, sat down at the head of the bed, and stroked her back.

After spitting out the phlegm, Ning Shi said weakly with tears streaming down her face, "Yan'er, I'm afraid I can't hold on any longer. I saw your Aunt Yun come to pick me up..."

“Mother, that’s not Aunt Yun, that’s her daughter.”

Wei Yan helped her wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"Wan Yin's daughter?" Madam Ning paused, then looked at Xiao Qingyin. "You are... Qingyin?"

"Yes." Xiao Qingyin nodded and walked over.

Ning held Xiao Qingyin's hand, wanting to say a thousand words, but she couldn't stop coughing as soon as she opened her mouth.

"Let's talk about this later. I'll examine you first."

After taking her pulse, Xiao Qingyin asked, "Are you feeling weak all over, with pain in your limbs that you can't describe, and experiencing fever and profuse sweating every night?"

"Yes, yes!"

Ning was thrilled. This child had only taken her pulse and described her symptoms over the past few months. Could it be that she had seen the same case before?

Do you know what disease it is?

“This is a type of vascular inflammation,” Xiao Qingyin replied. “It’s caused by your body over-defending and damaging itself.”

"Can it be cured?" Wei Yan asked impatiently.

“It can be cured,” Xiao Qingyin replied, “but the treatment method is a bit dangerous, and you may not be able to accept it.”

"I'll accept any treatment as long as my mother gets better!"

Wei Yan was extremely excited.

This was the first time he had heard a doctor say with certainty that it could be cured.

Wei Zhenghong and Wei Teng led the doctor in and happened to hear this, so they frowned.

"What treatment?"

Wei Zhenghong asked.

“Bee therapy,” Xiao Qingyin replied, “is using bee stings instead of silver needle acupuncture.”

Wei Zhenghong turned to the doctor behind him and asked, "Dr. Gou, have you heard of this treatment?"

Gou Shengtian shook his head, "I've never heard of such a thing."

Xiao Qingyin recognized him as the doctor Yun Zhao had knelt and begged at the clinic that day.

“Bee stings are poisonous; even an ordinary person could be killed by one. Your wife is so weak; if bee venom is injected into her acupoints, I'm afraid…”

Gou Shengtian didn't say what he was going to say next, but everyone present understood what he meant.

The joy on Wei Yan's face faded, and he stared blankly at Xiao Qingyin: "Is this the only way?"

"This is the only way."

“This treatment is not advisable,” Wei Zhenghong rejected without hesitation. “I will never let my wife take this risk.”

Xiao Qingyin is so young, she couldn't possibly know much about medicine. She probably learned some unorthodox methods, which is why she accidentally saved Princess Zhaoyang last time.

Xiao Qingyin had anticipated this outcome and did not offer any advice.

"Dr. Gou, could you please take a look at my wife?"

Wei Zhenghong said to Gou Shengtian.

Gou Shengtian nodded and stepped forward to take Ning's pulse.

Ning was momentarily dazed.

She really wanted to try the treatment Xiao Qingyin mentioned. She had been taking medicine for the past few months until she was numb, and she couldn't stand acupuncture anymore.

The constant, ubiquitous, and indescribable pain drained all her vitality.

She would rather be stung to death by bees than live like this.

But then she suddenly realized that if she were to die from Xiao Qingyin's treatment, it would cause the child countless troubles.

Yan'er would be scolded by her father for this, and would become even more depressed.

She had to give up bee therapy.

Give up that sliver of hope.

Disheartened, Ning listened to Gou Shengtian's diagnosis with great effort and nodded.

"Let's use Dr. Gou's prescription, thank you for your help."

"You're welcome. It's my honor to treat you, Madam," Gou Shengtian said respectfully. "You'll definitely get better."

He turned around and gave Xiao Qingyin a contemptuous look.