Chapter 44: The Peculiar Illness

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Yun Bo was awakened by the noise. As he got up, he responded while putting on his clothes and went to open the door. But the moment he saw Nurse Qing standing there, a sudden thought struck him, and he froze.

“How are you feeling?” Nurse Qing asked, scrutinizing him. Yun Bo didn’t look as weak as before.

Coming back to his senses, Yun Bo replied, “I slept very well last night.”

“Really?”

“Really,” Yun Bo nodded. He now realized that Nurse Qing had come specifically to check if he had slept well.

Nurse Qing slapped her thigh. Such a casual gesture was something she never would have done back in the palace, but after years in the prince’s residence, she had relaxed considerably.

“Oh, Miss Lu is truly remarkable!”

After saying this, she stretched out her hand. “Give me back that scented sachet.”

By now, Yun Bo understood what was going on. He grabbed his pocket protectively. “Wasn’t it given to me?”

It seemed the sachet was really effective! He hadn’t looked inside it last night. Could it be filled with some kind of calming herbs?

“Hand it over! Don’t flatter yourself. That’s a gift from Miss Lu. If you want it, you’ll have to ask her yourself.”

In the end, Nurse Qing took the sachet away. Yun Bo was puzzled—could Miss Lu really make scents?

Lu Zhaoling had been practically eating and sleeping in a cycle since yesterday, indifferent to everything else.

Qingyin and Qingbao firmly bolted the courtyard gate. When they went to the kitchen for food, no one dared to cause any trouble.

Perhaps because the Grand Emperor’s mourning had truly begun, the Lu family had settled down considerably. No one dared to make a fuss at such a time.

Meanwhile, Madam Lin, Madam Wu, had already gone to the Fu family’s residence yesterday.

Originally, it was just a casual visit with nothing to lose, but unexpectedly, Doctor Fu personally received her, listened carefully to her daughter’s condition, and said he would prepare some medicinal herbs and come to examine her tomorrow.

Madam Wu was both surprised and delighted.

She hadn’t expected such a gain from just escorting that girl once.

“Madam, is Doctor Fu really coming today?” Lin Rong asked.

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Madam Wu looked at her husband’s worried face and nodded. “He promised in person. Doctor Fu isn’t the type to break his word.”

“I’ve only heard that Doctor Fu is hard to get an appointment with, never that he breaks promises.”

“Exactly. He will definitely come.” Madam Wu looked at her husband with concern. “But I heard Doctor Fu has a good relationship with Prince Jin. If we invite Doctor Fu, could it affect you?”

Lin Rong had just returned to the capital with his wife and daughter after a post assignment elsewhere. He had already heard rumors that, barring any mishaps, the emperor planned to keep him in the capital, possibly promoting him.

But Lin Rong had long seen clearly in the capital that the emperor was wary of Prince Jin, who was just a young boy at the time.

Now that Prince Jin had grown into an adult, the emperor’s caution must be even greater.

If Lin Rong got involved with Prince Jin, the emperor might be displeased or suspicious.

Returning to the capital, Lin Rong didn’t know how many political enemies were waiting for an opportunity to topple him.

Hearing his wife’s worry, Lin Rong smiled and gently held her hand, patting it reassuringly.

“Countless people in the capital have sought Doctor Fu or wish to. So the emperor probably won’t mind. I am doing this for our daughter; the emperor will understand.”

On their way back, their daughter had contracted a strange illness. They had passed through many clinics, but none could cure her.

After returning to the capital, Madam Wu had also visited several clinics and invited several doctors, all helpless.

Now their last hope rested on Doctor Fu.

“Doctor Fu is here!”

A maid ran in, joyfully announcing.

Lin Rong quickly stood up to personally greet Doctor Fu.

Doctor Fu entered with a medicine boy, and upon seeing Lin Rong, he paused in surprise. “Lord Lin?”

“Doctor Fu remembers me?” Lin Rong was surprised. He had been away from the capital for ten years. Ten years ago, Doctor Fu was just retiring from the palace. They had rarely met. He didn’t expect Doctor Fu to still remember him.

“The late Grand Emperor once praised Lord Lin, saying you are upright and incorruptible, resolving cases like a deity. So I was deeply impressed.”

Lin Rong cupped his fists and bowed toward the palace.

“Unworthy of the Grand Emperor’s praise.”

He had hoped to see the Grand Emperor again on this trip, but unexpectedly, the Grand Emperor had passed away.

“Let’s go see your daughter first,” Doctor Fu said.

Lin Rong found Doctor Fu’s attitude quite pleasant and proactive. He had heard the old man had a bit of a temper before.

Could it really be, as his wife said, because of that young lady who rides in the carriage?

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Lin Rong and his wife had only this one daughter.

Miss Lin’s name was Yanran, fourteen years old.

She should have been a lively, spirited girl, but now she lay on the bed almost lifeless, her face pale as paper.

Her eyelids were clearly bloodshot, and her hands outside the blanket were dry and bony, yet her cheeks still showed a hint of baby fat.

But those hands...

Seeing their daughter like this, Madam Wu’s tears threatened to fall again.

“Madam Lin said the girl has been like this for half a month? What was she like before that?”

Doctor Fu was shocked by Yanran’s condition and immediately began a thorough examination.

He lifted Yanran’s eyelids and was startled to see her eyeballs blood red. “Madam Lin, you didn’t mention her eyes yesterday.”

“What’s wrong with Yanran’s eyes?” Madam Wu panicked. “She was mostly asleep on the journey. When awake, she could barely open her eyes. I never thought to lift her eyelids myself.”

She had never imagined doing that.

“Bloodshot eyes.”

“What... what does that mean?” Madam Wu wiped her tears. “Yanran wasn’t thin before. She loved eating and wasn’t picky. She rode horses and shot arrows outdoors, very lively—not a frail girl. Her hands used to be fleshy, but since falling ill, she’s wasted away day by day.”

“It’s strange—her hands have thinned especially fast, and the skin has become rough. We applied many precious creams, but none helped.”

Furthermore, Madam Wu noticed that Yanran had grown a few white hairs in recent days.

She was only fourteen! They had never heard of juvenile graying before.

“Has she never woken up?”

“She used to wake occasionally and could be fed some food and water. But these past two days, she hasn’t woken at all. We can barely get a few sips of water down.”

Madam Wu had been caring for her daughter personally, so she knew the situation well.

“Two days ago, she woke once, was fed something, but vomited it all.”

It was because of that time the girl mentioned smelling something ominous?

Madam Wu thought of Lu Zhaoling again.

Doctor Fu finished examining Yanran and took her pulse. The result made his heart sink deeply.