Ling Wuye had drunk an entire pot of tea, excused himself twice in the middle to relieve himself, and had grown so restless and irritable that he kept craning his neck to peer into the inner hall.
At last, Ling Jingshu’s figure appeared at the doorway.
Ling Wuye let out a quiet sigh of relief and hurried to his feet to go toward her, his gaze swiftly scanning Ling Jingshu up and down: “A’Shu, what was the result of Imperial Physician Wei’s examination today?”
Ling Jingshu handed the prescription to Ling Wuye: “This is the prescription Imperial Physician Wei wrote for me. He told me to have the medicine prepared according to it and take it as a decoction, three times a day. I am to drink it for a month first and see how effective it is.”
Ling Wuye took the prescription and studied it carefully for a moment… The result, of course, was that he could make nothing of it. The calligraphy on the prescription was fluid and neat, that much was immediately apparent, and the names of some of the ingredients were ones he had heard before. But gathered together like this, he was utterly at a loss.
Ling Wuye was a talented and refined man of culture — skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting — but he had not the slightest knowledge of medicine. He had no way whatsoever of making sense of a prescription.
Ling Jingshu knew this perfectly well, and deliberately asked: “Father, what do you think of this prescription?”
Ling Wuye gave a cough and said with great solemnity: “It is no wonder they call Imperial Physician Wei the preeminent physician of our time — his medical skills are breathtaking in their brilliance. This prescription is written with exceptional skill and elegance!”
Ling Jingshu gave a half-smile: “Father is so broadly learned and widely knowledgeable — who would have thought he also has considerable expertise in prescriptions? Your daughter is truly full of admiration.”
Even Ling Wuye, thick-skinned as he was, felt a flush of heat at his face upon hearing such words. Terrified that Ling Jingshu would continue on the same subject, he hastily changed the topic: “Huichun Hall has a full stock of medicines — let us have the medicine prepared here before we head back.”
With that, he handed the prescription to a nearby attendant: “Please prepare one month’s supply of medicine.”
The attendant promptly received the prescription with a smile and replied crisply: “Right away — please wait a moment, Fifth Master Ling and Miss.”
The full day’s three-dose portions of medicine were prepared exactly to the prescription, wrapped in plain brown paper and tied neatly with thin hemp twine into individual packets. Ninety packets in total were bundled into three large parcels, which were then delivered to the Ling family’s carriage.
Ling Wuye asked with a smile: “All told — the medicine and the consultation fee — how much silver does it come to?”
The attendant replied: “Manager Han gave specific instructions just a moment ago. Imperial Physician Wei never charges a consultation fee for examining patients at Huichun Hall. As for the medicines in this prescription, they are all quite precious — a good number of them are ingredients that Imperial Physician Wei brought out from the Imperial Medical Institute. Even Manager Han is not certain of their exact worth. Therefore, Huichun Hall is not in a position to accept payment.”
Ling Wuye was taken aback: “Does that mean I should speak to Imperial Physician Wei directly?”
The attendant gave an obliging smile: “That sort of decision is not for me to make, I am afraid. However, Imperial Physician Wei rarely comes to Huichun Hall, and there are more patients waiting to be seen than can be counted. He will likely have no time to receive Fifth Master Ling today. Perhaps Fifth Master Ling could raise the matter another day?”
Ling Wuye thought it over and could only nod in agreement.
In any case, he would be visiting the Crown Prince’s residence in a few days, and would have plenty of opportunity to see Wei Yan. And besides, if Wei Yan managed to cure Ling Jingshu’s condition, along with Ling Xiao’s eye ailment, what manner of gratitude could a mere sum of silver and gold begin to repay?
……
The Ling family’s carriage was parked just outside Huichun Hall.
As Ling Jingshu followed Ling Wuye out of Huichun Hall, she spotted a familiar figure from a distance.
Lu Qian!
What was he doing here?
Ling Jingshu’s brow furrowed, but her feet did not slow.
Ling Wuye was also deeply displeased, though he chose not to show it. He strode to the side of the carriage and said coolly: “A’Qian, what brings you here all of a sudden? How did you know I had brought A’Shu to Huichun Hall?”
Try as he might to conceal it, a note of coldness and displeasure still seeped through his tone.
Lu Qian forced out a smile: “Fifth Uncle, I went to the Ling manor this morning. It was Great Aunt who told me you had come to Huichun Hall — that is how I found my way here.”
Sun Shi really was too meddlesome!
Knowing full well that Lu Qian harbored feelings for Ling Jingshu and that it was inadvisable for them to keep each other’s company — how could she have revealed Ling Jingshu’s whereabouts to him?
Ling Wuye fumed inwardly but said casually: “How attentive of you.”
In the brief exchange of those few words, Ling Jingshu had also led her maids over to the carriage. Since Lu Qian had come specifically for her, there was no avoiding him — she could only suppress her revulsion and exchange a few perfunctory words.
“Cousin Lu Qian,” Ling Jingshu greeted him with a cool, indifferent expression, while quietly feeling surprised within.
Lu Qian looked utterly wretched, as though he had sustained a blow that defied all description…
Looking at Ling Jingshu, who appeared calm and composed, the words Sun Shi had said came flooding back to Lu Qian all at once. His heart surged with overwhelming turmoil, and unable to contain himself, he stepped forward and asked in a low voice: “Cousin Sister Shu, why did you never tell me that you have contracted such an affliction?”
Ling Jingshu: “……”
Ling Jingshu’s gaze turned cold, and her voice was icy: “Who told you about my illness?”
Ling Wuye at her side also furrowed his brow.
Lu Qian said dejectedly: “Great Aunt told me. That you came to suffer from this strange affliction on account of our Lu family — it is the Lu family that has wronged you.”
Those, at least, were words that could be acknowledged.
Ling Wuye felt a fraction of satisfaction within.
Only Ling Jingshu heard the true meaning behind Lu Qian’s words. Lu An’s repulsive, morally depraved face immediately flashed across her mind, and a great storm surged within her.
“Cousin Sister Shu, I am sorry.” Lu Qian stepped closer, his fair features awash with pain and remorse: “Truly, I am sorry. I do not know what I could do to dare hope for your forgiveness…”
“In this life or any other — never.”
Ling Jingshu’s face was cold as ice as she enunciated each word.
Lu Qian’s entire body shuddered, his color utterly drained.
They stood close enough that he could clearly see the undisguised hatred and revulsion in Ling Jingshu’s eyes: “Lu Qian, I know very well what is in your heart. Back in Dingzhou, I already made myself perfectly clear to you. Allow me to say it once more.”
“In this life, I would sooner grow old alone than ever marry into the Lu family. Whatever may happen, I will not change my mind. Do not harbor any further hope — put it to rest. And do not come to see me anymore. Every time I see you, my revulsion toward you grows deeper, and my revulsion toward the Lu family along with it. Even in death, I would not set foot in the Lu family’s house.”
“My condition arose because of the Lu family. If it can be cured one day, that is my good fortune. If it cannot, that too is the suffering I am fated to carry. If you were not to appear before me, my suffering would be eased by at least a measure. If you truly feel you have wronged me, then from now on, stay well away from me — do not come to the Ling manor again, and do not let me lay eyes on you.”
When she had finished, Ling Jingshu walked past Lu Qian without so much as a backward glance and stepped into the carriage.
Bai Yu and Qiao Yun hurried to follow.
Ling Wuye glanced at Lu Qian — his face drained of all color, the very image of someone who had suffered a crushing defeat — opened his mouth as though about to say something, and in the end said nothing at all.
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