Chapter Thirty: Wei Mingtang’s Wrath

(1/3)

“Huh?” Xiaobei was bewildered, not quite understanding what his young master meant.

“From now on, no matter who comes, do not say that I am awake. Just pretend that I am still unconscious,” Wei Jinyi added.

Although Xiaobei could not quite grasp the reasoning behind Wei Jinyi’s arrangement, as a servant who had served by his young master’s side for over ten years, he trusted his judgment implicitly.

He immediately set off to carry out the order, seeking out the guard Jing Hu and relaying the young master’s instructions.

Jing Hu sprang into action at once, mounting his swift steed and galloping out of the gate.

###

As the Dragon Boat Festival approached, the dawn came especially early. The moon had yet to fully fade when the eastern sky was already tinged with white.

A man in armor rode at breakneck speed, his horse thundering to a halt at the gates of the Wei residence. The moment the horse stopped, Wei Mingtin leapt down in a single bound.

Without waiting for the gate servants to approach, he strode quickly into the house.

The Wei household had only just settled down after a night of unrest.

Wei Mingtin swept into Cangyun Court with great strides, startling everyone inside.

“Husband?” Lady Yun was surprised to see her husband return home so early.

Wei Mingtin’s face was ashen. “How is Jinyi?”

“Jinyi?” Lady Yun froze.

“I am asking you—how is Jinyi now?” Wei Mingtin’s voice was harsh and urgent.

Lady Yun was at a loss for words, momentarily flustered and bewildered.

At that moment, the physician who had tended to Wei Qingwan the previous night arrived.

After examining Wei Qingwan and finding nothing seriously wrong, he had simply applied medicine. The rest of the prescription was delivered this morning.

Wei Mingtin questioned the physician directly: “How is my son now?”

The doctor was taken aback. “Master Wei… is your son also ill?”

Wei Mingtin’s expression grew even colder at these words.

(2/3)

Without another word, he turned and made for Yingzhu Court.

Lady Yun’s heart skipped a beat. In all their years of marriage, she had rarely seen her husband look so grim.

She hurried after him with the physician in tow.

Inside Yingzhu Court, the atmosphere was bleak and desolate; not even a shadow stood at the bedroom door.

Wei Mingtin pushed open the door to find only Xiaobei watching over Wei Jinyi, who lay in bed, his face drained of color.

Wei Mingtin rushed to the bedside, his voice thunderous with fury: “What happened?!”

Xiaobei fell to his knees with a thud. “A few days ago, young master caught a chill and felt unwell. I suggested bringing in a doctor, but young master said it was only a minor illness and did not wish to trouble the family. He thought drinking some ginger tea would be enough. But last night, as soon as darkness fell, his condition worsened and he has been unconscious ever since…”

“Then why didn’t you fetch a doctor?!”

“I tried to find the housekeeper, hoping she could help call for a doctor, but the servants at Wangmei Court wouldn’t let me in. I had no choice but to appeal to the eldest young lady. She led me into Wangmei Court to find Nanny Li, but Nanny Li insisted young master wasn’t seriously ill and refused to send for a doctor…”

Kneeling on the ground, Xiaobei trembled as he recounted the events of the previous night. Except for the detail that Wei Jinyi was still unconscious, everything he said was the truth.

Wei Mingtin suddenly turned to the door. Lady Yun, on entering and seeing Wei Jinyi unconscious in bed, had turned pale.

“Why didn’t you call a doctor when he was this sick?” Wei Mingtin demanded.

“Wanwan injured her foot yesterday, and I was worried about her… I didn’t have time to pay attention… I thought Jinyi’s illness was nothing serious…” Lady Yun stammered in panic.

Wei Mingtin questioned the physician: “How is my daughter’s injury?”

The physician, unaware of the full situation, answered honestly: “The second young lady’s injury is no cause for concern—just a superficial wound, no damage to the tendons or bones, and it will not leave any lasting effects. Please rest assured, sir.”

Wei Mingtin’s anger only grew: “Wanwan is only scraped, but Jinyi is on the verge of death! You brought the doctor here, but only had him look at Wanwan’s foot! Are you trying to kill Jinyi?!”

“I…” Lady Yun was truly flustered. She had not known that Wei Jinyi was truly so ill.

She had believed Nanny Li’s words, thinking that the story of Jinyi’s grave illness was just a pretext for Wei Ruo to break into Wangmei Court!

Now, faced with the sight of the dying Wei Jinyi and her husband’s wrath, Lady Yun was at a loss for words.

Wei Mingtin commanded the physician, “Hurry and examine my son!”

“Yes… yes!”

(3/3)

The physician, cowed by Wei Mingtin’s imposing presence, approached the bed with trembling hands and took Wei Jinyi’s pulse.

A cold sweat broke out on his brow. “This… this…”

“What is it? Speak!” Wei Mingtin pressed.

“The second young master’s pulse is so faint as to be almost undetectable… this is a most ominous sign…”

Hearing this, even the ever-composed Wei Mingtin was thrown into panic. “Is there anything you can do?”

“I… I will write a prescription at once. Have someone fetch the medicine immediately. Once it is prepared, give it to the second young master. As for whether his life can be saved, that will depend on his own fate… I have never treated a case so severe before. If only I had been called earlier, perhaps it would not have come to this…” the physician stammered in explanation.

“Jing Hu, go with the doctor. Once he writes the prescription, fetch the medicine at once! Supervise the entire process, from collecting to preparing the medicine—there must be no delay!”

Wei Mingtin promptly ordered the guard outside to see to it.

“Yes, sir!” Jing Hu responded, moving swiftly.

In the past, such matters had always been left to Lady Yun. Today, however, he gave the order directly to the guard, a clear sign of his utter disappointment in Lady Yun regarding this affair.

Wei Mingtin then helped Xiaobei to his feet. “Stay here and continue looking after your master. Should anything like this happen again, come to me immediately.”

“Yes, sir, I understand,” Xiaobei replied.

Wei Mingtin stood at the bedside for a long moment, his expression so grave and dark that everyone in the room held their breath, not daring to make a sound.

After a while, he turned and left, with Lady Yun following nervously.

Back at Cangyun Court, Lady Yun knelt down before the husband radiating fury.

Wei Mingtin, still consumed by anger, stared at his wife and demanded,

“I know you harbor resentment over the matter concerning Jinyi. If you have grievances, direct them at me! You should not have treated him this way! I ordered you to look after him, and this is how you do it? If I had come any later, he would have died!”

“I truly did not know Jinyi was so gravely ill. Had I known, I would never have disregarded his life!” Lady Yun’s eyes reddened.

“How could you not know? You noticed Wanwan’s scratched foot and summoned a doctor for her in the middle of the night, yet you claim ignorance when Jinyi is lying here unconscious? Jinyi’s servant tried to call a doctor and failed, even Ruo’er tried to help but still could not summon one. Can you explain to me what exactly happened here?”