Chapter 142: Very Serious Illness
Of course, Head Shopkeeper Song could not be chased out.
And Miss Jun fixed her appearance after being stared down by Old Lady Fang.
The servant girls were chased out of the courtyard. Everyone was straining their ears for sound of activity.
"Young Lady and Young Master were fighting inside…" came Baishao’s voice from outside.
Sitting to the side, Miss Jun was fixing her appearance when she smiled.
"I cannot fight?" she asked.
"Who fought with who, it’s obvious that Young Master was fighting with my young miss," Liu’er immediately leaped to her defence, pointing in an offended manner at the inner chamber. "The one who dared to do such a thing still has the gall to stop someone from talking."
"You cannot say that now. His body is unwell, we can’t take it slow," said Lady Fang from Fang Chengyu’s bedside.
Miss Jun smiled.
"This time you know his body is unwell? That he can’t be slow with what he does?" she said.
"Yeah, s.e.xual deviants like…" Liu’er began.
Old Lady Fang slapped the table.
"Shut up. Just shut up," she snapped.
Liu’er curled her lips and stood behind Miss Jun. Lady Fang wiped away tears as she caressed Fang Chengyu, while Miss Jun picked up a cup of tea.
Head Shopkeeper Song did not understand.
"What did Chengyu do?" he couldn’t help but ask.
"He didn’t do anything."
Lady Fang and Old Lady Fang spoke in sync, displaying their fabulous level of cooperation.
Here were the 300 taels not buried here [1].
Head Shopkeeper Song frowned, then he heard a scoff from where Miss Jun and her servant were. He looked over there severely.
"Leaving aside what happened, it couldn’t be that you don’t know that you and Chengyu are in the same boat, seeing as you’re his wife?" he began. "Why would you say such a thing?"
Miss Jun smiled, giving him a look from below.
The condescending look was very impolite. Head Shopkeeper Song’s expression grew ugly.
Though he had heard tales of Jun Zhenzhen’s lack of propriety and aggressiveness, he had not come into direct contact with her. He now saw that the reputation did not surpa.s.s the truth. Really, he was blinded by her gentle and refined external appearance before.
"You lower cla.s.s person, wait your turn to lecture me," Miss Jun retorted.
Of the four cla.s.ses—scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—the merchants were indeed the most lowly, but no one would directly call them out on it.
He almost went mad from anger.
"You!" he shouted, not knowing what to say.
No wonder Old Lady Fang and Lady Fang did not guide this Miss Jun. Such a person was unteachable. All you could do was ignore.
"Please, don’t be angry Second Uncle," Old Lady Fang said awkwardly, glaring at her. "Dispense with the impropriety."
"I didn’t hear about not being allowed to be rude." Liu’er snorted at Head Shopkeeper Song.
Miss Jun smiled but did not say anything, wearing an expression of ‘I won’t just go along with what you plan’ as she sipped her tea.
Really, how unreasonable.
Head Shopkeeper Song shook his sleeves and straightened up.
"I will go see Chengyu," he said, walking into the inner room.
Old Lady Fang did not stop him and followed after.
"Second Uncle," said Lady Fang while wiping her tears and stepping out of the way.
Head Shopkeeper Song was very serious in countenance, but a sliver of concern was in his eyes. He bent over Fang Chengyu.
"Chengyu, Chengyu," he called softly.
Fang Chengyu’s unnaturally pale face due to illness was slightly ashen. Not a single drop of color was left in his lips. His eyes were clenched tight. If it weren’t for the rise and fall of his chest, one might think him dead.
When he heard a voice, his eyelids fluttered, but he had no strength to open them.
Old Lady Fang could not help the strangled sob from where she stood behind Head Shopkeeper Song. She hurried to suppress it.
Lady Fang was not stopping her sobs at all.
"How would it become so serious all of a sudden? He looked very well when I saw him in January." Head Shopkeeper Song looked at the sobbing mother- and daughter-in-law. "What happened exactly? I heard that he was abused by his wife, was it that?"
"It was nothing," Lady Fang choked out.
"How could he have been abused?" Old Lady Fang said. "His mother and I have not died yet."
Head Shopkeeper Song did not speak but examined their faces.
Lady Fang and Old Lady Fang’s sadness poured down in torrents. Old Lady Fang was also angry behind the sadness.
Why was she angry?
Head Shopkeeper Song frowned slightly.
"What exactly happened?" he asked again. "Why did it become like this?"
The mother- and daughter-in-law looked s.h.i.+fty again, vaguely saying that nothing had happened.
Even an idiot could tell that something had happened.
Head Shopkeeper Song was going to ask something when a servant girl rushed in from the outside to report.
"Imperial Physician Jiang has arrived."
So quick. Maybe he was waiting right outside.
Zhenzhen had prepared according to Old Lady Fang’s predictions. The moment she had entered and seen Fang Chengyu, her heart had stopped beating in fright.
Truly, it was much too life-like. If she had not known ahead of time, she really would not dare believe that this was something Jun Zhenzhen had done.
Since Zhenzhen was prepared, she was not worried.
To take it back a step, even if Imperial Physician Jiang could discern Fang Chengyu’s true condition, there would be nothing to fear.
At worst, either the fish dies or the net breaks [2].
Anyway, she would never let go of the enemy.
Old Lady Fang rubbed away her tears, spilling over with excitement.
"Hurry up and invite him in," she said, and impatiently went out to greet him.
Lady Fang had gone to receive him even before then.
Head Shopkeeper Song stopped with the questions. With the imperial physician here, the truth about what had happened to Fang Chengyu would become known to everyone.
The servant girls hurriedly pulled back the curtains. Old Lady Fang and Lady Fang saw a fifty year old man walk in. He was vigorous in spirit and very proper-looking in appearance. He had a very tender atmosphere, making him very approachable.
Lady Fang recognized this Imperial Physician Jiang.
Years ago, she had personally gone to the capital on behalf of Chengyu’s illness. She had spent much to meet with this Imperial Physician Jiang.
"Imperial Physician Jiang, please come and look at my son." She couldn’t stop her tears and kneeled at his feet.
Imperial Physician Jiang was obviously quite accustomed with being in such situations. He nimbly helped Lady Fang up.
"Do not be anxious, I will take a look," he said kindly.
There were many people surrounding the room. There were old servant women, the servant girls, as well as the recognizable old man, Head Shopkeeper Song.
Because of his status as a medical professional, Imperial Physician Jiang ignored the patient’s family members. He stepped forward and felt a gaze fixed on him. He couldn’t help but follow it to see that in the hubbub of women, there was a young girl sitting at a small table next to the window.
The girl had moved her eyes away, sipping tea.
"Imperial Physician Jiang, please come in," Head Shopkeeper Song said. He tugged him by the arm, and also followed his line of sight.
Everyone else was fl.u.s.tered or excited or worried. Just that woman was sitting to the side peacefully, like she didn’t care about what was happening. Really...
Head Shopkeeper Song shook his head.
Imperial Physician Jiang felt that it was somewhat strange, but not because of that girl’s att.i.tude. He had seen many people’s responses in the face of death. He knew that people could not be judged by their appearance, that their true feelings were not always on the surface.
He did not say that the reason he paid attention to that girl was because he felt that the looks he gave him were indescribably profound.
"Please, come here," entreated Head Shopkeeper Song without sparing Jun Zhenzhen another glance.
Imperial Physician Jiang went into the room without hesitating again.
The servant girls had set up lanterns by Fang Chengyu’s bed. Without sparing a word on courtesy, the imperial physician directly sat down next to him and took his pulse.
Everyone held in their breath.
Old Lady Fang and Lady Fang and Head Shopkeeper Song nervously watched Imperial Physician Jiang’s expression. As for why they were nervous, it was different for each.
Imperial Physician Jiang also remembered the Fang Family. At that time, he had not come to personally treat the illness himself. Now that he saw it for his own eyes, he could not help but sigh.
Born to die. It was the most fitting description for this young man.
He retracted his hand and stood up.
"Young Master’s illness, you know it in your hearts and have come to accept," he said.
At this, general unease filled the room.
Miss Jun smiled.
It seemed that Jiang Youshu was still inferior to Master. After Master pa.s.sed away, she had returned to the capital. Although she had not met with him directly, she had heard people say that Jiang Youshu’s medical skills surpa.s.sed Master’s.
Whether they surpa.s.sed them or not she did not care at all. Father was already dead.
However, to actually get Jiang Youshu to come, the person behind all this really had some tricks up his sleeves.
Miss Jun took another sip of tea.
The other people were already getting panicky.
"Doctor Jiang, what do you mean? Did something happen to Chengyu?" Head Shopkeeper Song asked nervously.
"Of course something happened. Didn’t you know his body condition was extremely bad?" asked Doctor Jiang.
Everyone knew this.
"And now? He didn’t seem to be this bad the past few days," pressed Head Shopkeeper Song.
Since he had brought Imperial Physician Jiang here, he had been acting almost as if he was someone from the Fang Family.
Had this been before, even half a day before, this scene would have been seen as normal by Old Lady Fang. She would be moved by him even. But at this moment, bitter rancor churned in her heart.
She couldn’t help but want to swallow down this person whole, so much so her eyes turned red.
Since they were trying to cover up the state of Chengyu’s illness, she didn’t need to hide her sorrow, anger, hurt, and suffering.
For this old woman, who had lost her husband, her son, and was about to lose her grandson, such a response was normal.
Imperial Physician Jiang was looking at their expressions.
"Right now, it’s even more terrible," he said with pity. "His meridians are clogged, his five viscera have suffered damage, shrivelled up."
[1] Here were the 300 taels not buried here: revealing what you intended to hide
[2] Either the fish dies, or the net breaks: a life and death struggle