"Old Madam! Something terrible has happened!"
As soon as the carriage stopped, a servant waiting outside Qin Manor rushed forward in panic.
The curtain was lifted, revealing Cai He's furrowed brow. "What matter is so urgent that it can't wait until we're inside the manor? Making such a commotion at the gates is disgraceful!"
"Miss Cai He, there's no time to wait!" the servant cried frantically. "The young master has brought Young Mistress back, but as soon as she entered the manor, she took ill. She's started bleeding! We've sent for Divine Doctor Huang, but he's not to be found in the manor today..."
Hearing this, Jiang Shi immediately leaned out. "Divine Doctor Huang is at Marquis Anyang Manor today. We don't know his exact whereabouts now. Go fetch Doctor Yang from Renshou Clinic at once."
The servant replied with a pained expression, "We've already sent for him. Doctor Yang is already here, but he says the young mistress is in grave danger. If the bleeding can't be stopped, both the child and mother might be lost..."
"Quick! Let's go see immediately!" Lin Shi's voice trembled with alarm as she helped Jiang Shi into the manor.
Qin Shuang and Qin Xiang stepped down from the carriage, their eyes filled with concern. Standing at the back, Qin Guan also frowned slightly.
Qin Manor's eldest young master, Qin Chen, had married Yao Xinlan, the second daughter of Jianzhou's prefect, a year ago. Now seven months pregnant, Yao Xinlan had been taken back to Jianzhou a month prior to celebrate her father's birthday, with Qin Chen going to fetch her home over ten days ago.
Had something happened on the journey to cause Yao Xinlan's condition?
Jiang Shi and Lin Shi hurried ahead while Qin Xiang pulled Qin Shuang along. "Sister, let's go see Eldest Brother's Wife too." Qin Shuang nodded eagerly, and even Qin Li followed them toward Qin Chen's Windward Courtyard.
Qin Guan and Fuling were the last to enter the manor. After a moment's hesitation, Qin Guan followed as well.
Yao Xinlan carried Qin Manor's first great-grandchild, making Jiang Shi and Lin Shi extremely anxious. But as they reached the entrance of Windward Courtyard, they saw an elderly man in gray robes walking out.
Jiang Shi frowned. "Doctor Yang, what are you—"
Doctor Yang, named Yang Renlin, though not as renowned as the imperial physician Divine Doctor Huang, was still one of Jinzhou's most respected doctors. Yet now, he shook his head grimly. "Madam Jiang, you should have called me sooner. Now... I'm afraid there's nothing I can do. Hurry and fetch Divine Doctor Huang."
Lin Shi's legs nearly gave way at his words, but Jiang Shi remained composed. "Doctor Yang, how can you say that without even trying—"
Yang Renlin waved his hand. "It's not that I didn't try. The moment I saw her, I knew the young mistress was beyond saving. Don't waste any more time. If anyone in Jinzhou can save her, it's Divine Doctor Huang. I'm sorry."
With that, Yang Renlin strode away. Lin Shi moved to stop him, but Jiang Shi pulled her back.
Turning sharply, Jiang Shi commanded Qin Li in a stern voice, "Go! Find Divine Doctor Huang immediately. He's either at Marquis Anyang Manor, his own clinic, or the southern opera house. Take men and search everywhere!"
Her tone was icy, and Qin Li straightened at once before rushing off to gather help.
Yet Marquis Anyang Manor lay in the eastern city, the opera house in the south, and Huang Jinyuan's clinic in the northeast. Just reaching Marquis Anyang Manor would take nearly an hour, and searching all these places meant even if Huang Jinyuan were found, it wouldn't be for at least another hour.
Jiang Shi knew the odds were slim, but steadying herself, she strode firmly into Windward Courtyard.
As she entered, a heavy wave of sorrow pressed down upon them.Jiang Shi and Lin Shi strode into the room, just as Qin Chen was heading out. Qin Chen had a refined and handsome face, a tall and elegant figure, dressed in a blue robe embroidered with bamboo. His gentle brows and eyes exuded scholarly grace, yet due to Yao Xinlan's condition, his forehead was tightly furrowed, his eyes filled with worry.
"Grandmother, Mother, you're back!"
"How is Xinlan? How is she?"
Jiang Shi wasted no time with him and hurried straight to the inner chamber. As soon as she reached the doorway, Yao Xinlan's pained moans reached her ears. Jiang Shi's expression darkened, and she hastened to the bedside. "Xinlan?"
"Grand... mother... mother..."
On the bed, Yao Xinlan lay under the brocade quilt, clad only in her undergarments. Her belly was slightly swollen, her face deathly pale, lips cracked, and sweat poured down like rain. The moment she saw Jiang Shi and Lin Shi, her eyes reddened.
Jiang Shi grasped Yao Xinlan's hand tightly. "Good child, don't be afraid. Divine Doctor Huang will be here soon. Don't be afraid."
With that, she turned her gaze to Qin Chen. "What exactly happened? She was fine when you left. How could something go wrong with you by her side?"
Qin Chen's eyes filled with pain. "It's my fault. I didn't take good care of her..."
"Grandmother, it's not his fault..."
Yao Xinlan's delicate, palm-sized face, with almond-shaped eyes and cherry lips, a pert nose—usually so endearing—was now covered in sweat from the pain, fragile as a porcelain doll that might shatter at a touch.
"It was me... I kept urging him, wanting to return quickly, so..."
For once, Jiang Shi's stern face showed a hint of pity. She stroked Yao Xinlan's forehead. "Silly child, don't be afraid. Once Divine Doctor Huang arrives, everything will be fine. You are blessed. For Chen'er and the child, you must hold on..."
Yao Xinlan shook her head, tears suddenly rolling down.
"Grandmother, I... I might die. The child might not make it either. Grandmother, I've failed the Qin family. After I die, please find Chen-ge a kind-hearted wife. Only then can I rest in peace..."
Lin Shi's eyes reddened, and even Jiang Shi's eyes moistened. Qin Chen immediately knelt by the bedside, gripping Yao Xinlan's hand. "Lan'er, you won't die. Our child will be fine. Hold on. Divine Doctor Huang is coming."
Qin Chen's voice trembled. Behind him, Qin Xiang and Qin Shuang could no longer hold back their sobs.
Yao Xinlan gasped for breath, her voice growing weaker. "Chen-ge, I... I can't hold on anymore... I... I was content just to marry you. But... but I couldn't give you a child..."
The room was filled with stifled weeping. Yao Xinlan's maids knelt nearby, sobbing.
Qin Chen crawled forward on his knees, clasping Yao Xinlan's hands, his throat tight. "Lan'er, Lan'er, you can hold on. When Divine Doctor Huang comes, he will surely—"
"In her condition, even if Divine Doctor Huang arrives, it would be beyond his power to save her."
A cool, steady voice suddenly rang out. Jiang Shi frowned, and the others turned as one. Only then did they notice that Qin Guan had entered unnoticed.
She stood at the doorway, her backlit face unreadable. Yet even standing there quietly and seemingly fragile, she exuded a presence more formidable than anyone else's.
Qin Chen froze, surprise and grief mingling on his face. After a long pause, he murmured, "Is that... Ninth Sister?"Qin Chen had barely finished speaking when Qin Xiang stepped forward with a deep frown. "How did you get in here? Eldest Brother's Wife is hanging by a thread, and you're here making sarcastic remarks?! Get out!"
No one remembered Qin Guan's title as the Divine Physician, or perhaps no one had ever believed it in the first place.
Qin Guan slightly furrowed her brows but stepped forward instead of retreating. She ignored the others, focusing only on Qin Chen.
"Find me a set of silver needles. I can save her."
Qin Chen froze, and the others hesitated belatedly.
The corners of Qin Guan's lips tightened. "Why are you standing there? Do you want to watch her die?"
Qin Chen's eyes flickered. He shouldn’t have trusted Qin Guan, but the calm determination in her gaze struck him. Desperate, he sprang up and rushed out the door. "Go—quickly! Go to the medicine storage and fetch a set of silver needles! Hurry!"
His voice was hoarse from shouting. After giving the order, he turned back inside, staring at Qin Guan in disbelief.
Qin Guan lowered her gaze, her eyes settling on the equally stunned Yao Xinlan. "All of you, step outside."
Her command included even Jiang Shi and Lin Shi.
Qin Xiang clenched her teeth. "Why should we leave?! What trick are you trying to pull? You claim you can save Eldest Brother's Wife—we don’t believe you! We need to see it to be at ease! Who are you to order us around?"
Qin Guan walked straight to the bedside and placed her hand on Yao Xinlan's pulse point.
Her expression was gentle and focused, like any compassionate healer taking a pulse, but the words she spoke carried an inexplicable, chilling severity.
"Her life is in my hands. Whether you listen or not, you have no choice."
OpenNovel