Volume 1 Chapter 10: Diagnosis
In Xiruo Courtyard.
Madam Ye, the mistress of the household, had already stumbled out with a pair of scissors in hand: "That bitch Wang Zhenzhen, how dare she let her daughter ruin Qing'er's marriage! I'm going to fight her to the death!"
The maidservants rushed to stop her: "Madam, you mustn't!"
Madam Ye's face was pale, but her expression was frenzied: "I've endured her for so long, all for the sake of my two children. Now that Qing'er has finally found happiness with Lu Qiao Nan, that little slut Yan Tan dares to force my daughter into a divorce! I won't let her off!"
"Oh dear, Madam, why won't you listen to reason!"
Seeing Madam Ye rush out, Nanny Zhang slapped her thigh and hurried over: "Didn't you promise the young master that you'd see a doctor? Why are you out here again?"
"I can't accept this!"
Madam Ye gritted her teeth: "Where is that little slut Yan Tan? How dare she covet Qing'er's husband! I'll kill her!"
"Madam, please rest!"
Nanny Zhang sighed helplessly: "The master has already decided to have the eldest young lady marry Heir Lu as a concubine. The eldest young lady is now a member of Wu'an Marquis Manor. You can't touch her!"
"What?"
Madam Ye's eyes widened in fury: "That dog Yan Junyuan actually made Yan Tan become Lu Qiao Nan's concubine? Has he forgotten the rules set before Qing'er's marriage? No, I have to go find him—"
"Mother."
Yan Qing stepped forward to support her mother: "It was my idea to have Yan Tan become Lu Qiao Nan's concubine."
"Qing'er…"
Seeing her daughter, Madam Ye's previously fierce expression instantly softened. She grabbed Yan Qing's hand, her eyes red with heartache: "My child, you've been wronged!"
Yan Qing helped her mother back into the room: "Mother, I'm not wronged. On the contrary, I'm very happy."
Madam Ye shook her head: "There's no need to put on a brave face in front of your mother…"
But Yan Qing pressed her mother's hand against her cheek, savoring the warmth and texture of her palm as she spoke almost greedily: "Daughter truly is happy, and truly grateful…"
Grateful for this second chance.
Madam Ye looked at her daughter strangely: "Qing'er, have you… gone mad?"
Her husband was stolen by another woman on their wedding day, yet she isn't angry but happy instead?
Is this really her daughter?
Yan Qing: ""
This is really her birth mother.
Looking at her mother with a mix of amusement and exasperation, Yan Qing explained seriously: "Mother, although it was Yan Tan who seduced Lu Qiao Nan, the fact that Lu Qiao Nan met another woman on his wedding night shows he has already changed his heart. I don't wish to be husband and wife with a fickle man."
Upon hearing this, Madam Ye cursed angrily: "Who would have thought Lu Qiao Nan, who usually appears decent, is also a dog! Men truly are no good!"
Yan Qing couldn't help but laugh. Her mother was the eldest daughter of Jiangjun Fu, raised in luxury since childhood, doted on by her grandfather and uncles, and never held back with anyone, which shaped her sharp-tongued and fiery temperament.
It's just a pity her judgment wasn't the best.
She fell for her father.
After comforting her mother a few more words, Yan Qing finally instructed the servants: "Let the doctor in."
Nanny Liu immediately responded and ushered the doctor inside.
Yan Qing glanced at him.
It was the old physician from Huichun Hall, quite renowned in Yongjing. Many noble households would invite this old doctor when someone fell ill.
He had always been the physician for the Yan residence as well.
After taking the pulse, the old doctor walked aside to write a prescription.
Yan Qing stepped forward and asked: "Sir, how is my mother's health?"
The old doctor handed over the prescription: "Madam is in good health. As long as she takes a few doses according to this prescription, she'll be fine."
Yan Qing took the prescription and smiled, asking, "My mother has already vomited blood, yet she's fine?"
The old doctor frowned, "Madam is merely suffering from pent-up anger and resentment affecting her heart, her body is not seriously ill."
"Is that so?"
Yan Qing suddenly spoke, "Nanny Liu, go and invite all the doctors in Yongjing to see whether my mother's vomiting blood is truly caused by anger affecting her heart!"
Nanny Liu was startled.
Then she remembered that Madam vomiting blood last night was indeed frightening, it really didn't seem like ordinary anger affecting the heart.
"I'll go right away."
Nanny Liu immediately took the maids to invite doctors from the entire city.
The old doctor immediately bristled with anger, "You don't believe me!"
Yan Qing's expression remained calm, "Whether I believe you or not will be known after other doctors have examined her."
"Your household is of high status, I am not worthy!" Unexpectedly, the old doctor's temper was quite strong, he picked up his medicine box and left, "I bid farewell!"
"Nanny Zhang."
As soon as Yan Qing spoke, Nanny Zhang brought people to block the doorway, glaring fiercely as she said, "Without the second young lady's permission, old doctor, you cannot leave!"
"You—"
The old doctor was blocked and forced back.
Yan Qing spoke leisurely, "Old sir, please wait until the other doctors arrive, and leave together after the diagnosis, otherwise, I fear you might stumble on the paths of the Shangshu Mansion."
The old doctor's eyes showed panic, but he dared not speak again.
Soon, Nanny Liu brought back dozens of doctors, all top physicians in Yongjing City.
Yan Qing asked all the doctors to examine her mother's pulse.
"Madam vomited blood due to anger affecting the heart, she should avoid excessive worry and rest more…"
All the doctors diagnosed the same result, exactly identical to the old doctor's.
Yan Qing frowned, "Have all of you diagnosed clearly?"
The dozens of doctors nodded simultaneously, "It cannot be wrong."
Yan Qing still did not believe it.
She had clearly seen the panic in the old doctor's eyes earlier.
Her mother's illness definitely had something suspicious.
But she had already invited all the doctors from the capital, and none could diagnose it?
Yan Qing handed the prescription the old doctor had written to the others, "May I trouble you all to look, is this prescription appropriate?"
"It is appropriate, only…"
A young doctor frowned and said, "The dosage of the blood-activating and stasis-dispersing herbs in this prescription seems a bit excessive…"
Yan Qing's gaze suddenly turned cold.
Nanny Liu and Nanny Zhang immediately stepped forward and seized the old doctor.
With a "thump," the old doctor knelt on the ground, confessing without being pressed, "It was… it was Madam Zhen who ordered me to increase the dosage in Madam's medicine, I was momentarily blinded, please spare my life, second young lady…"
"Wang Zhenzhen!"
Upon hearing this, Madam Ye angrily sat up from the bed, about to curse loudly, but suddenly her face flushed red, and she vomited another mouthful of fresh blood.
"Mother!"
Yan Qing was frightened and hurried forward to support Madam Ye, "Mother, don't get agitated, whatever matters can be discussed after your body is recuperated."
Nanny Liu immediately took the doctors downstairs to prepare medicine, while Nanny Zhang drove out the old doctor from Huichun Hall.
After the medicine was decocted, Yan Qing personally attended to Madam Ye, helping her drink the medicine, and spoke with her for a while before coaxing her to sleep.
"Young lady, Madam…"
"Shh!"
Yan Qing signaled everyone to exit her mother's bedroom, then calmly ordered, "Replace everything in my mother's room, and from now on, her daily food and water must be carefully inspected."
Nanny Liu exclaimed in shock, "Young lady suspects…"
Yan Qing shook her head without speaking.
She was now certain that something was wrong with her mother's health, but she didn't understand why it hadn't been diagnosed.
Since none of the physicians in the capital could identify the issue, it seemed they would have to request a royal physician.
But Yan Junyuan might not agree.
If she wanted to summon a royal physician, she would have to seek help from…
Yan Qing bit her lip and suddenly asked, "Is my cousin still outside?"