"Old Madam, I beg you, please send a request to the palace and have a royal physician come to examine her." Mama Wu knelt on the ground, pleading desperately.
Zhixia Courtyard was brightly lit, with maids bustling back and forth and numerous physicians filling the yard, yet none could determine the cause of Xu Rusheng's unconsciousness.
Second Madam He, wearing a plain velvet embroidered jacket, clutched her handkerchief and paced anxiously in circles.
The weather in March was still chilly, and now she felt a wave of coldness wash over her.
"Mother, since none of these physicians can diagnose the problem, why not request a royal physician? That way, you won’t have to suffer alongside her."
Old Madam Xu sat in a grand armchair. As soon as Madam He finished speaking, she shot her a sharp glare.
"Royal physicians are meant to treat the noble figures in the palace. How dare we trouble them for A Sheng, who is still so young? Haven’t I already brought back so many physicians? Surely, with this many people, they can diagnose a child’s illness?"
Madam He fell silent awkwardly, puzzled as to why Old Madam was so determined to prevent A Sheng from having any contact with the palace.
"Mother, how is Elder Sister?" In the darkness of the night, Xu Ru Li appeared in the courtyard at some point, holding a small, exquisite palace lantern. Accompanied by her personal maid Qing Zhi, she approached Old Madam Xu and bowed respectfully.
"Your granddaughter pays her respects to Grandmother."
Old Madam Xu couldn’t bring herself to show displeasure toward this granddaughter and asked with concern, "Why have you come out in the cold, damp night?"
Xu Ru Li wrinkled her nose. "Mother hasn’t returned, and A Li is also worried about Elder Sister, so I came to see."
Old Madam Xu sighed and waved her hand. "Go inside and see her. Talk to her more—perhaps she’ll wake up."
Xu Ru Li entered the room, and Madam He hurriedly followed.
Xu Rusheng lay on a large purple sandalwood bed, draped with layers of misty pink gauze curtains. Several hollow silver balls engraved with ruyi patterns hung down, swaying gently.
Qingbi knelt by the bedside, tears streaming down her face as she wiped Xu Rusheng’s face.
Her complexion was pale, but her breathing was steady. She appeared unconscious, yet it seemed as if she were merely asleep.
"Mother, what’s wrong with Elder Sister?" Xu Ru Li whispered to Madam He.
Madam He glanced at Xu Rusheng, who lay on the bed with a fragile, jade-like appearance, and lowered her voice. "None of the physicians in the room can determine what’s wrong, and your grandmother refuses to allow anyone to request a royal physician."
Xu Ru Li’s petite face showed curiosity. "If a royal physician comes, will Elder Sister recover?"
Madam He was taken aback—who could guarantee that? Looking down at her daughter’s worried expression, she replied vaguely, "Royal physicians are always highly skilled."
Xu Ru Li nodded silently and went outside to bid farewell to Old Madam Xu with a bow. "Your granddaughter will take her leave now. Grandmother, please don’t exhaust yourself, or Elder Sister would be uneasy if she knew."
Old Madam Xu’s gaze drifted somewhere distant as she absentmindedly hummed in acknowledgment.
Xu Ru Li walked to the courtyard gate, then turned and saw Mama Wu still kneeling on the ground, pleading desperately. She pursed her lips, took Qing Zhi by the hand, and hurried away.
Qing Zhi, panting slightly, asked in confusion, "Why is Miss in such a hurry?"
Xu Ru Li didn’t look back but suddenly stopped, her back turned to Qing Zhi. "Take some loose silver and leave through the back corner gate. Say it’s my order for you to buy some satin to make pouches. If the gatekeeper doesn’t let you out, give them some silver to buy wine."
A flicker of confusion passed through Qing Zhi’s eyes. Xu Ru Li continued…
"Go out and head south, keep walking until you see a silk shop called Huayun Workshop. That's the Eldest Aunt's shop. Tell the manager to find a way to inform the Empress Dowager that the eldest young lady is dying. Go quickly."
This time, Qing Zhi understood what her young lady intended to do—this was to defy Old Madam's orders and summon a physician from the Imperial Hospital.
With a life hanging in the balance, she could no longer afford to hesitate. Lifting her skirt, she broke into a run.
Huayun Workshop was located in the busiest district of southern Jingcheng. Manager Lao Zhao had just finished tallying the day's accounts and was about to close up when he saw a maid in a green ruqun burst in, shouting:
"Help! Help! Is the manager here? Is the manager here?"
Lao Zhao was startled and quickly replied:
"I'm the manager. Help? Whose life needs saving?"
Qing Zhi's face was etched with urgency:
"I'm a maid from Linjiang Houfu. The eldest young lady of the houfu is dying. Old Madam won't allow us to call for a physician from the Imperial Hospital. My young lady said to quickly inform the Empress Dowager and ask Her Majesty to save the eldest young lady."
Lao Zhao's heart sank in horror. What? The eldest young lady is dying?
Without another thought, he dashed out the door, leaving Qing Zhi behind. She stamped her foot in frustration, then lifted her skirt and ran back toward the houfu.
Dean Sun of the Imperial Hospital had just finished his evening meal and was leisurely strolling in his courtyard when he heard someone shouting:
"I am the manager from Linjiang Houfu. Our eldest young lady's life hangs by a thread. I beg Dean Sun to save her. If Dean Sun does not believe me, you may send someone to inform the Empress Dowager."
Dean Sun went to the front courtyard and saw Lao Zhao, panting heavily and drenched in sweat. He asked:
"Is it your young lady who is ill?"
Lao Zhao fell to his knees with a thud:
"Your Excellency, please save her, save our young lady! We would not dare trouble you unless it were absolutely necessary. Our young lady is the Empress Dowager's own niece. Her Majesty will surely remember your life-saving grace in the future."
Dean Sun dared not delay any further. However, for a physician from the Imperial Hospital to make a house call, authorization from higher authorities was required. While instructing his steward to go to the palace and seek permission from the Empress Dowager, he grabbed his medical kit and hurried out with Lao Zhao. Although the official order had not yet arrived, if anything happened to the Xu eldest young lady, he feared he would bear the blame.
Old Madam Xu stared in shock at Dean Sun's sudden appearance in Zhixia Courtyard.
Who had summoned a physician from the Imperial Hospital, and the Yuanzheng at that!
"Why has Your Excellency come?" she asked, suppressing her confusion. Spotting Lao Zhao beside him, her astonishment only grew.
"Who are you? How did you enter my houfu?"
Dean Sun looked at Old Madam Xu, who was asking question after question, with impatience. His tone was brusque:
"Old Madam, perhaps allow me to see the eldest young lady first. There will be time for questions later."
Old Madam Xu was momentarily speechless, then forced a smile:
"But was it the Empress Dowager who sent you? The child caught a chill from a fright—it's not a serious illness. How could we trouble Your Excellency to come in person?"
Mama Wu rushed forward to Dean Sun, her face alight with relief, her voice choked with tears:
"Your Excellency, please come inside quickly. My poor, unfortunate young lady!"
Lao Zhao collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted, his heart filled with indignation. The old master had been right—Linjiang Houfu was nothing but a den of knives and a sea of fire. The mistress had only been gone a few days, and they already dared to treat the eldest young lady like this.
Old Madam Xu was seething with rage. Everything that had just happened felt like a slap in her face. Just who was in charge of this houfu?
"Someone, investigate thoroughly. Who left the houfu tonight?"
Madam He stood to the side, not daring to speak. While inwardly relieved, she was also quietly curious.
Who has such audacity, daring to feign compliance while secretly running off to inform and summon the imperial physician.
Since Dean Sun could come, Empress Wen must also know that Xu Rusheng has fallen unconscious.
Suddenly, she grew anxious again—would Empress Wen hold the Xu family accountable?
The gatekeeper of the Marquis’s residence was tightly bound and brought over, kneeling before Old Madam Xu, trembling with fear:
“Reporting to the Old Madam, only Qing Zhi from the Second Young Lady’s side went out, saying she was buying silk for the Second Young Lady, and even gave this servant a bit of silver to buy wine.”
Upon hearing this, Madam He was greatly shocked—it was actually A Li who had sent someone to summon the imperial physician.
How had she never known before that her own daughter possessed such boldness?
Old Madam Xu, furious to the extreme, laughed coldly and glared at Madam He with a sinister expression:
“The daughter you raised has truly accomplished something remarkable.”
Madam He knelt firmly before Old Madam Xu, her eyes reddened, suppressing her fear, not daring to utter a single word.
The steward of the Marquis’s residence hurriedly rushed in, panting.
“Old Madam, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has arrived and is already heading toward the courtyard.”