Facing Liu Shi's questioning, Cui Ping thought for a moment and said, "Replying to Madam, this servant did succeed. If Madam Wang is unharmed, then there is only one possibility: Madam Wang did not drink the medicine!"
"Did not drink?"
Cui Ping nodded, "There is only this possibility!"
"Meaning, Madam Wang is not dead?"
Cui Ping pursed her lips, wanting to say perhaps, but looking at the sky at this moment, she had to extinguish the last glimmer of hope in her heart, "Not dead!"
"Useless!"
With a "crash," the teacups and pastries on the table all rolled onto the ground. Liu Shi's face contorted as she panted, the splashing porcelain shards cutting Cui Ping's leg.
Blood seeped through her trouser leg and stained her skirt. The emerald green hem was stained with a touch of bright red blood. Cui Ping suddenly knelt on the ground, "It is this servant's fault, it is this servant's fault. Madam, please do not anger yourself!"
Her hand accidentally brushed against a porcelain shard, drawing blood. The blood, mingled with tea stains, fell into Liu Shi's eyes, somewhat calming her anger. However, the thought that Feng Luan might cure Madam Wang could not help but fill her with restlessness and indignation.
"Enough, enough, get up!"
She waved her sleeve, her face cold, and told Cui Ping to rise.
"Many thanks, Madam!"
Cui Ping expressed her gratitude with deep emotion. After getting up, she busied herself with cleaning the messy floor.
...
"Young Master, Young Master, let's go inside and wait!"
The servant supported Nan Yu Jin's arm, his worried and anxious head almost on fire. The wound on his young master's chest should require several days of bed rest. Now, to drag his ailing body to stand in this biting wind, what if he catches a cold!
And Feng Luan, they had agreed on the morning, but it was now yet to arrive.
As the servant was complaining inwardly, the sound of horse hooves dragging wheels was heard from a distance. In the misty street, the outline of a carriage gradually became clearer.
They've arrived!
The anxious heart of Nan Yu Jin finally settled!
The carriage stopped at the entrance of the Nan residence. Nan Shiying jumped down from the carriage and immediately spotted Nan Yu Jin, wrapped in a cloak, waiting in the cold wind. Her gaze lingered on his chest and hands for a moment, then she withdrew her eyes and walked forward.
"Young Master Nan!"
"Divine Doctor Feng, please come in quickly!"
The two cupped their fists in greeting, and then Nan Yu Jin made a gesture to invite her in.
Nan Shiying examined Madam Wang's pulse. Her condition was not good.
Nan Yu Jin leaned against the bedside, breathing lightly. Standing for too long, it seemed fresh blood was seeping from his wound, but he paid it no mind. He merely looked at Feng Luan. Seeing her withdraw her hand, he hesitated to speak, afraid to ask.
Nan Shiying looked up at him.
"Your mother suffers from an old ailment, with severe internal depletion. Her heart脉 has been damaged, and she is now... at the end of her strength!"
Even though he had heard these words from the imperial physician, hearing them again made Nan Yu Jin's body tremble uncontrollably. His voice was as dry as sand baked by the sun in the desert. Every word, like blood oozing from a scraped throat, flowed out: "So what?"
"So your mother only has one year left to live!"
"One year?"
The imperial physician had said his mother was like decaying wood, beyond all medical intervention, and would at most live through this winter. But Feng Luan said his mother had another year? He instantly understood the meaning behind her words!
"You can let my mother live for another year?"
Nan Shiying nodded, "Yes, with all my knowledge, I can only allow your mother to see next year's plum blossoms!"
"Thank you!"
A mist seemed to gather in Nan Yu Jin's eyes.
After administering acupuncture to Madam Wang, Nan Shiying wrote out a prescription and handed it to Nan Yu Jin, saying, "I will come to the residence every half month to administer acupuncture to your mother for half a year. Combined with the medicine I've prescribed, your mother can live the latter half of the year without any pain."
Nan Yu Jin moved his lips. Amidst a thousand words, all he could utter was thanks.
...
"Your Highness, is Madam Wang truly beyond saving?"
Lü Wan heard about Madam Wang's condition and offered the peeled pine nuts to Nan Shiying, asking curiously.
Is she truly beyond saving, or do you not wish to save her!
Nan Shiying grabbed a handful of pine nuts, threw them into her mouth, and glared at Lü Wan impatiently, "Of course, she is truly beyond saving!"
"Madam Wang had a problem after childbirth, and due to excessive grief over her daughter's death, her heart脉 was severely damaged. Recently, she resumed management of household affairs but was greatly suppressed by Liu Shi, leading to anger... It's like the pine nuts in your hand; they are spoiled from the inside."
Lü Wan glanced at the darkened pine nut kernel in her hand and threw it aside.
The Princess's analogy, she felt, had nothing to do with Madam Wang's illness. It was just because this pine nut was spoiled that she missed out on a pine nut kernel.
In fact, when Lü Wan first heard that the Princess was going to treat Madam Wang, she thought the Princess was going to poison her.
"Let her exert her remaining light and heat before she dies!"
If Madam Wang dies, wouldn't Liu Shi benefit for nothing?
Lü Wan said "Oh," and understood! The Princess planned to make use of the situation, letting Madam Wang and Liu Shi fight amongst themselves!
...
Nan Residence, Li Wan Residence!
"What do you say?" Liu Shi asked.
Cui Ping said, "The eldest young master has sealed off Madam Wang's side very tightly, and no news can get out. I only heard that Feng Luan prescribed medicine."
"Then..."
Liu Shi's eyes lit up, but Cui Ping shook her head, "This servant inquired with Qiu Yue this afternoon. The eldest young master said he would personally brew the medicine for Madam Wang."
"Damn it!" Liu Shi slammed the table fiercely, "So that bitch can't die?"
Liu Shi was furious.
An old hag who was past her prime, why didn't she die with that little bitch back then? If she had known that one day she would rise again, she should have poisoned her with a bowl of arsenic.
Now she is protected by Nan Yu Jin!
Heh, does he think that just because his mother managed the household affairs, he could suppress her son and inherit the family business? What a dream! Besides a smart and capable son, she also has a daughter with the fate of an empress!
To fight with her?
They are not worthy!
"Let's go, come with me to the ancestral hall to see Yuan'er!"
Liu Shi said, standing up, and led Cui Ping towards the ancestral hall.
Yesterday, Cui Ping had already sent food to Nan Yuan'er. Although she was being punished with kneeling, which servant would dare to stare at her dead? After kneeling for a while, she sat on the cushion. However, the night was cool and the dew was heavy. After kneeling for the entire night, Nan Yuan'er was already feeling dizzy and faint!
Hearing footsteps, Nan Yuan'er knelt back on the cushion.
"Yuan'er!"
Hearing Liu Shi's voice, Nan Yuan'er breathed a sigh of relief. Liu Shi closed the door and helped Nan Yuan'er up.
Seeing her pale face and reddened eyes, Liu Shi's heart ached terribly, "Your father is truly heartless. How could he bear to let you kneel for so long? Look how haggard you are!"
"Mother..."
Nan Yuan'er held Liu Shi's hand and called out "Mother." Before her voice fell, her body suddenly swayed, and she fell backward!