Chapter 11
When Lin Qingyu heard Lu Wancheng cough, he knew the situation was not good. Sure enough, after one night, Lu Wancheng developed a high fever.
The servants of Lanfeng Pavilion have become accustomed to this. Lu Wancheng's illness had always been on and off. When he was feeling better, he could barely get out of bed and walk; when he was not feeling better, he could sleep for more than half a month, and when he woke up occasionally, he was still groggy, just like the month before the wedding.
After the wedding, Lu Wancheng's health improved. But his foundation was there, and the illness came like a mountain falling on him. He fell into a deep sleep the next morning, and his handsome, fair face was abnormally red.
Hua Lu placed a handkerchief soaked in cold water on Lu Wancheng's forehead and said anxiously, "Young Master, will the Young Master be okay?"
After Lin Qingyu felt Lu Wancheng's pulse, he put his hand into the quilt and said, "It's just a common cold."
Hua Lu breathed a sigh of relief: "So will the master be fine once the fever subsides?"
Lin Qingyu remained noncommittal. For people in good health, they don’t even need to take medicine if they catch a cold, as they will recover on their own in two days. But Lu Wancheng's body had been drained by years of illness, and if he was not careful, a minor cold could take his life.
Soon, Fengqin brought Doctor Zhang to Lanfeng Pavilion. Doctor Zhang also brought a disciple with him on this trip. The disciple was none other than Tan Qizhi whom he had met at the Lin residence last time.
Tan Qizhi bowed to Lin Qingyu and said with a smile: "It's been a long time since we last met. Brother Qingyu, I hope you are well."
Lin Qingyu looked at Doctor Zhang. Doctor Zhang explained, "Qizhi has just become my disciple. When he heard that the young marquis was ill, he was worried and insisted on coming to the mansion to visit him."
"I'm not worried." Lin Qingyu smiled, "Brother Tan and the young marquis are very familiar with each other."
Tan Qizhi said shamelessly: "That day in the Lin Mansion, the young marquis and I hit it off right away..."
Lin Qingyu interrupted, "The young marquis is weak and sick, so it's best if the strangers who hit it off at first sight don't cause trouble for him. Hualu, take Doctor Zhang in. As for Brother Tan, just stand here and wait."
Feng Qin hesitated and said, "Shao Jun, do you mean to let the guests... stand?"
Lin Qingyu asked back: "Where did the guest come from?"
It was noon now. Standing at the door, the sun shining on him, being stared at by the servants coming and going, it was no exaggeration to say that it was humiliating.
Doctor Zhang looked at Tan Qizhi helplessly and followed Hua Lu into the house. Tan Qizhi gnashed his teeth in hatred and said in a low voice: "Lin Qingyu, you are going too far!"
Lin Qingyu found it funny: "If you don't come to my door, how can I bully you?"
Tan Qizhi stared at Lin Qingyu, his eyes seemed to be filled with poison.
Lin Qingyu believed that he had never taken the initiative to provoke Tan Qizhi, and he didn't know where Tan Qizhi's hatred for him came from. Perhaps this is how the world is. There is joy without reason, and naturally there is evil without reason. Just like Lu Wancheng said, taking this kind of person seriously would lower your status.
Tan Qizhi took a step closer and said, "There are only a hundred days left before the Imperial Medical Examination. As long as Lu Wancheng is alive, you can only stay in the Marquis' Mansion to take care of him, serve him tea and water, feed him medicine and wipe his body, and be a good wife."
Catching the slight stiffness on Lin Qingyu's face, Tan Qizhi revealed a pleased smile: "Oh, so what if you're a genius, so what if you always outdo me, in the end, it's still..."
Lin Qingyu suddenly realized: "So that's it."
Tan Qizhi's eyes darkened: "What are you laughing at!"
Lin Qingyu raised the corners of his mouth slightly, and said almost with pity: "You are so pitiful." After that, he didn't look at Tan Qizhi anymore.
Lu Wancheng had been treated by Doctor Zhang for several years and was familiar with Lu Wancheng's condition. Lin Qingyu watched him take his pulse and also concluded that it was a cold.
Doctor Zhang wrote out a prescription, gave a few more instructions, and then left in a hurry.
Doctor Zhang's medicine is nothing more than a commonly used medicine for treating colds, and it can only be said that it is neither effective nor detrimental. But Lu Wancheng's body is different from others. If the prescriptions used by ordinary people can be improved according to his symptoms, perhaps they can be more effective.
Hua Lu was still waiting for the prescription in Lin Qingyu's hand to pick up the medicine and boil it, and asked: "Shao Jun, is there anything wrong with this prescription?"
Lin Qingyu hesitated for a moment, then handed the prescription to Hua Lu: "No, go ahead."
As soon as Lu Wancheng fell ill, the entire Lanfeng Pavilion became busy. The servants were responsible for decocting medicine, feeding medicine, and serving the patient, so Lin Qingyu didn't have to worry about it. As usual, he was reading and preparing medicine in the study, but he felt a little uncomfortable because the yard was too quiet. The thrush and the starling both kept their mouths shut. Could it be that they were also worried about their owner?
But what's the use of worrying? Even if Lu Wancheng gets through it this time, there will always be a time when he can't. If you are not mentally prepared for a dying person, you will be the only one who is uncomfortable with the situation.
His medicine was almost prepared, and the next step was to boil it and make it into pills that were easy to carry and store. This was the first time he made pills of this difficulty, and he wanted to do every step himself.
Lin Qingyu came to the pharmacy which was specially used to make medicine for Lu Wancheng, where several maids were making medicine. While busy, he did not forget to talk about the secrets of the mansion.
"In the past, when the eldest young master was sick, Madam would be the first to come, and sometimes she would even personally take care of the young master's medicine. What happened now? Why hasn't she come yet?"
"I heard from Shou Sao in Madam's courtyard that the eldest young master and Madam had a big quarrel, and Madam was scolded by the eldest young master so much that she couldn't even stand."
"Did you hear wrongly? Shouldn't the young master be the one who can't stand steadily? Besides, the Madam and the young master are a loving couple, why would they quarrel?"
"Of course it's for the young master. The relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law has always been a difficult problem. My eldest sister-in-law and my mother have a small quarrel every three days and a big quarrel every five days. My brother is very worried..."
Lin Qingyu pushed open the door of the pharmacy, and the sounds inside stopped abruptly, leaving only the gurgling sound of the boiling medicine.
Lin Qingyu ignored the frightened expressions of the maids and walked straight to the stove as if she heard nothing.
After returning, Lin Qingyu called Huantong and told her, "Go to Liang's yard and get this month's account book."
Huan Tong was puzzled: "Master, why do you want the account book?"
"Share her worries."
When Liang heard the news of Lu Wancheng's illness, she finally felt relieved after being depressed for several days. Madam Liu gloated, "This is retribution, Madam. The way the eldest young master treated you that day, even God couldn't stand it, and he wanted to punish that unfilial son!"
Liang recalled what happened that day and still felt a lingering fear: "Forget it, since Lin can't save him, let him go."
At this time, the maid came to report that Huantong from Lanfeng Pavilion had arrived.
"Lin's dowry servant?" Liang frowned tightly, "What is he doing here?"
"He came to get this month's account book, saying that the young master wanted to share the worry for his wife."
Liang's chest heaved when she heard this: "Did he really say that?"
"Madam, did you hear that?" Madam Liu said with anger. "You can't just say it now and let it go. Young Master is clearly trying to seize power from you. You can't just sit there and wait for death!"
Liang said irritably, "But what can I do? I did say that I would let Lin take charge of the family. Who would have thought that Lin was actually quite capable?"
Madam Liu rolled her eyes, waved away the servants, and whispered in Liang's ear: "How about this..."
"No." Liang said in a deep voice, "Lu Wancheng has already warned me, I'm worried that if he finds out, he will..."
"The young marquis is ill now, and it's hard to say whether he can make it. Besides, have you forgotten what the second young lady said? As long as the truth is on your side, the marquis will side with you, and you have nothing to fear."
Seeing that Liang was still hesitant, Nanny Liu said again: "Even if you don't consider yourself, you should consider the Second Miss and the Third Young Master. Do you really want to let a widow take charge of the Marquis's Mansion?"
"Nian Tao, Qiao Song..." Liang silently recited the names of her two children and calmed down. "Madam Liu, please send the account book to Lanfeng Pavilion."
Madam Liu smiled happily and said, "I will go now."
After Lin Qingyu got the account book, he called Zhang Shiquan and asked him to take a closer look to see if there was anything wrong. After Zhang Shiquan looked at it, he said, "With only two months of account books, I dare not make a conclusion. If I could have three or four months of accounts, I should be able to see some clues."
Lin Qingyu asked Huantong to send this month's account book back and then asked for the account books of previous months.
On the third day of Lu Wancheng's coma, there were finally signs that his fever had subsided, but he was still not conscious. The energy and blood that he had managed to restore during this period of time was completely depleted. He lay quietly on the bed, his eyes closed, his body frail, like a candle in the wind, which really made people... made those who cared about him feel heartbroken.
Hua Lu fed Lu Wancheng the medicine soup. Lu Wancheng frowned, and he seemed to dislike the bitterness of the medicine even in his dream, and he spit out some of it. Hualu hurriedly tried to wipe it with a handkerchief. Lin Qingyu took the medicine bowl from her: "I'll do it."
Lin Qingyu scooped up a spoonful, put it to his lips and blew gently. Before he could get close to Lu Wancheng's mouth, he heard a voice calling Fengqin from outside: "Young Master, Madam asks you to go to her place."
Lin Qingyu paused, then returned the medicine bowl to Hua Lu: "You continue to feed her."
Lin Qingyu came to the front hall. Liang was still sitting in her position as mistress, with Nanny Liu standing guard on one side, and an unfamiliar middle-aged man standing in the hall with a sad look on his face.
Liang asked hypocritically, "Is Wan Cheng's illness better?"
Lin Qingyu said: "Madam, if you have anything to say, just tell me directly."
Liang was a little embarrassed: "This is the accountant of the Marquis' Mansion, Manager Wang."
Steward Wang bowed and said, "Greetings, young master."
"This is what happened. Steward Wang discovered that a page was missing from the account book sent back from Lanfeng Pavilion." Liang paused, "It was a page related to the income and expenditure of the most important Beijing restaurant."
Manager Wang choked up and said, "Such an important account book actually has such a big omission. I wish I could die to atone for my sin!"
...so noisy.
These people really won't keep quiet. Instead of dealing with them, it's better to use poison to make them behave themselves. Lin Qingyu said: "I advise you to think twice."
Steward Wang asked blankly, "What do you want to think twice about?"
"Die to atone for your sins." Lin Qingyu sneered, "Of course, if you insist on dying, I won't stop you."
Manager Wang was confused. He was just talking, how could he really die for a page of account book. Steward Wang looked at Liang and Nanny Liu for help. Madam Liu consoled her in a gentle voice, "Stop talking like that, Manager Wang. This has nothing to do with you. When you sent the account book here, it was intact. Madam can testify for you. It was Huantong who sent the account book back, and that's why there was a page missing."
Lin Qingyu watched them perform quietly.
Liang felt uneasy when he looked at her, and said with a smile: "Qingyu, you are the housekeeper, so it is inevitable that you will make some mistakes. Just pay more attention next time. But the missing account book still needs to be found, otherwise the accounts will be messed up. Why don't you go back to Lanfeng Pavilion to look for it first?"
Lin Qingyu nodded: "Okay."
Lin Qingyu returned to Lanfeng Pavilion and heard laughter outside the house. He breathed a sigh of relief but couldn't help but sneered.
As soon as he wakes up he can chat and laugh with the maids. He must be very lucky.
As soon as he entered the room, he met Lu Wancheng's gaze, as if Lu Wancheng had been looking at the door.
Lu Wancheng coughed twice, and said in a hoarse voice, "Are you back?"
"Yeah. How do you feel?"
"It feels like, I was sick, and I survived. I was sick again, and I survived again..."
Lin Qingyu lost his expression: "You are so energetic, just drink the medicine yourself, don't always let others feed you."
Lu Wancheng teased, "I didn't ask you to feed me, why are you so fierce again?"
"I..." Lin Qingyu closed his eyes slightly and calmed down. There are too many stupid people these days, and he has been affected to some extent, and it is difficult to control his temper. "I didn't mean to be mean to you, it's just a habit. Sorry."
Lu Wancheng was silent for a moment, then joked, "Is it because I didn't die successfully that Doctor Lin was disappointed?"
Lin Qingyu nodded: "A little bit."
Lu Wancheng laughed, his eyes were the only bright ones among his sickly face: "I'm sorry, I didn't want to do that either."
The author has something to say:
Doctor Lin: Should I hope he dies soon? [Confused]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
