The entire flower hall erupted in astonished murmurs—the Grand Princess wanted to see the Ninth Miss of Qin Manor?!
Qin Shuang had initially been overjoyed, but when Yue Ning uttered those words, her delight vanished, replaced by disbelief as she stared at Qin Guan. What? The Grand Princess wanted to see Qin Guan?
"P-Princess… what about us?" Qin Shuang couldn't resist asking Yue Ning, her voice tinged with desperation.
Yue Ning gave her a cool glance. "Grandmother only wishes to see the Ninth Miss. The rest of you may wait here." Though her tone was polite, Yue Ning's commanding presence and sharp, spirited demeanor left no room for argument. Qin Shuang pressed her lips tightly together, her eyes burning with resentment as she glared at Qin Guan. Why?! Why her?!
"Ninth Miss, please come with me. Grandmother has been wanting to meet you since early this morning, but the influx of guests kept her occupied. Now she finally has a moment and is waiting for you."
At these words, the entire flower hall was so shocked it seemed their eyes might fall out of their sockets.
This Ninth Miss of Qin Manor was said to be the orphaned daughter of the second branch of the Loyal Marquis Manor. For years, she had lived obscurely in the Qin Manor of Jinzhou. So why would the Grand Princess specifically request to see her? And since early this morning, no less?!
The crowd stared at Qin Guan with a mix of suspicion and awe, their gazes soon brightening with realization.
Today, at the celebratory banquet of Marquis Anyang Manor, all the noble young ladies in attendance were dressed in dazzling finery—except for this Ninth Miss. Amid the sea of vibrant colors, she stood out like a solitary orchid, her understated elegance and quiet grace making her breathtakingly unique.
Hearing Yue Ning's words, Qin Guan first glanced at Jiang Shi. Jiang Shi's clouded eyes met hers, filled with an unsettling scrutiny, before she nodded. "When meeting Her Highness the Grand Princess, do not neglect propriety."
Qin Guan lowered her gaze. "Understood."
Yue Ning watched Qin Guan, a faint smile curving her lips, then turned and strode out of the flower hall. Qin Guan, followed closely by Fuling, hurried after her.
Those few dozen steps felt like an eternity as Qin Guan walked beneath the weight of countless envious and jealous stares. Only once she had left the flower hall did she finally feel at ease. Ahead, Yue Ning paused after a few steps and turned back, studying Qin Guan for a moment. "How is it I've never seen you before?"
The noble circles of Jinzhou were small, and most of the younger generation had crossed paths at various flower parties and banquets. Yet Yue Ning had no memory of Qin Guan. Qin Guan smiled faintly. "I was reclusive by nature and disliked crowds, so I rarely ventured out."
Yue Ning seemed to understand her circumstances and sighed. "That's precisely why Grandmother made a point to invite you."
Qin Guan quickly replied, "I am grateful to Her Highness the Grand Princess."
Yue Ning shook her head. "No, we are the ones who should thank you."
Perplexed, Qin Guan said nothing further, and Yue Ning offered no more explanation. The manor was bustling with guests, so Yue Ning led Qin Guan through a secluded corridor known only to the household, guiding her swiftly from the front reception hall toward the inner quarters of the estate.
The clamor of the banquet faded, replaced by an increasingly serene and refined atmosphere. Winding corridors, lush foliage, and elegantly arranged pavilions with upturned eaves revealed that Marquis Anyang Manor was even more exquisitely designed than Qin Manor.
Before long, a blooming garden of wood-plantain flowers came into view, and beyond it stood a solitary courtyard with jade-green tiles and white walls.
Yue Ning quickened her steps. "Grandmother is here!"
Qin Guan's heart leapt, and she hurried to keep up. Fuling trailed behind, both nervous and excited, but careful not to embarrass her mistress with any lapse in decorum. Soon, they reached the courtyard gate, where a maid in a blue-green robe emerged.
At the sight of her, both Qin Guan and Fuling froze in their tracks…This maid was actually the green-clad servant girl who had been by the side of the gravely ill Old Madam they encountered on the street that day!
"Ah! We've finally waited for you!" The green-robed servant girl stepped forward, her eyes lighting up with even greater delight upon seeing Qin Guan. "It really is Ninth Miss! The Old Madam was just worrying about what if it wasn't you... Please, come in quickly..."
At this moment, all of Qin Guan's doubts were completely resolved.
The reason Marquis Anyang Manor had specially sent an invitation to her was because the Old Madam she had saved that day turned out to be Grand Princess Jiayi!
Qin Guan was momentarily stunned, entering the courtyard gate in a daze.
As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, two middle-aged women came forward to greet her. The lady at the forefront appeared to be around forty, with intelligent eyes and peach-blossom cheeks, exquisitely maintained. Her lotus-pink silk dress made her look even younger and more prosperous. She immediately fixed her gaze on Qin Guan. "Ah, so this is my mother's savior? She looks even younger than Ning'er! Come here, let me have a closer look..."
Yue Ning couldn't help but laugh at this. "Mother, Ninth Miss is indeed a year younger than me."
Hearing this, Qin Guan quickly curtsied. "Greetings, Madam."
Madam Jiang of Anyang Marquis immediately took Qin Guan's hand, examining her up and down with joyful admiration, then led her inside. "Mother, look! The real person is even more like a divine physician than Lu Xiu described..."
"Quick, bring her to me..."
A slightly hoarse voice spoke up. Qin Guan raised her eyes to see an elderly woman reclining on the main seat. Unlike the frail figure she had seen that day, today the woman was dressed in magnificent robes, her silver hair elegantly pinned up with exquisite hairpins, radiating vitality and authority!
Madam Jiang smiled as she guided Qin Guan closer. "Here she is! Look at her grace—isn't it even more refined than those noble ladies raised by palace matrons in the capital? I had no idea Qin Manor was hiding such a young lady..."
As they spoke, they had already reached Grand Princess's presence. Qin Guan curtsied deeply. "Your Highness Grand Princess, I pay my respects—"
"No need for such formalities, come closer to me."
Madam Jiang gently supported Qin Guan, guiding her to stand before the Grand Princess, who immediately took Qin Guan's hand and made her sit beside her. The Grand Princess gazed at Qin Guan with a smile, then turned to the green-robed servant girl.
"Lu Xiu, your description didn't do her justice in the slightest."
Lu Xiu, standing respectfully to the side, covered her lips with a light laugh. "This servant's words are clumsy. Please forgive me, Old Madam."
The Grand Princess held Qin Guan's hand and sighed. "However, your title of 'divine physician' is truly fitting."
Then, looking at Qin Guan with warmth, she asked, "Is your given name simply 'Guan'?"
Qin Guan nodded. "Yes, Your Highness Grand Princess."
The Grand Princess nodded approvingly. "A fine name. Your parents must have wished for you to always wear a smile in life. Where did you learn your medical skills? You should know—when Lu Xiu brought me back to the manor that day, even Divine Doctor Huang said my chances of survival were slim. But by following your method until nightfall, I broke into a heavy sweat and miraculously lived. Not only that, after taking your prescription for a few more days, my severe wind ailment improved dramatically. Even Divine Doctor Huang was astonished. When he heard it was a young girl who saved me, he expressed a desire to meet you."Jiang Shi also smiled upon hearing this, "Indeed, Divine Doctor Huang is a former imperial physician from the palace. He has been tending to Mother's health these past few years. While he could stabilize her condition, there was never any significant improvement. Ninth... let me call you Guan'er. Guan'er, your prescription may seem unremarkable, but it not only saved Mother's life but also greatly improved her condition. You are truly the benefactor of our entire Marquis Anyang Manor!"
Qin Guan remained composed in the face of their praise, replying humbly, "My medical skills were learned from my parents. Both my father and mother enjoyed studying medical texts and had studied under renowned masters. They passed on their knowledge to me in my childhood."
She paused slightly, then added with a hint of embarrassment, "After my parents passed away, I never had the opportunity to practice medicine. That day, when I happened upon Grand Princess, I acted out of urgency. Afterwards, I was filled with trepidation, fearing I might have misdiagnosed Her Highness..."
Grand Princess and Jiang Shi exchanged surprised glances. Grand Princess remarked, "From Lu Xiu's description, your techniques were skilled and your diagnosis swift. I assumed you had been trained by a master and had years of practice. To think you've had no experience all these years?" She sighed, "What a waste of talent! To save my life without prior practice—such innate ability, you were born to be a miracle physician..."
While the inner courtyard was filled with warm praise, the outer hall buzzed with discussions about Qin Guan's summons.
Though the people from the Qin Mansion were bewildered, they maintained an air of composure under the frequent curious glances. Suddenly, another figure appeared at the hall's entrance—an elderly man with a white beard strode in.
"Where is... where is Old Madam of the Qin Mansion?"
The old man moved swiftly, and his arrival stirred another wave of astonishment in the hall.
Who in Jinzhou City didn't know Divine Doctor Huang, renowned for reviving the dead and regenerating flesh, with lines of patients stretching beyond the city gates?
Lin Shi was the first to notice him. She tugged at Jiang Shi's sleeve, "Mother, Divine Doctor Huang is here!"
Jiang Shi looked up just as Huang Jinyuan, the so-called Divine Doctor Huang, spotted them. He hurried over and asked urgently, "Where is your Ninth Miss?"
The image of Qin Guan being led away by Lady Yue Ning was still fresh in their minds—why was Divine Doctor Huang now seeking Qin Guan?
Jiang Shi's expression darkened. What exactly was happening?
Her frown deepened. "Earlier, the Lady came to say Grand Princess wished to see her. She just left with the Lady. Why are you looking for her?" After a pause, she added hesitantly, "What has Qin Guan done?"
"Ah, I'm too late!" Huang Jinyuan lamented with a pained sigh. Noticing the Qin family's confused expressions, he asked incredulously, "Don't you know your own household has produced a miracle physician?"
This only deepened their bewilderment.
Huang Jinyuan stamped his foot in exasperation. "How can you not know that your Ninth Miss saved Grand Princess's life on the street four days ago?!"
OpenNovel