In the main courtyard, Old Madam listened to Ma Momoâs words, her complexion turned as dark as the black dripping ink. She unconsciously exerted strength on her fingers and severed off the rosary beads which she was holding.
Then a burst of upheaval loud pitter-patter noises could be heard inside the room. All of the maidservants and pozi lowered their heads, not dared to take a deep breath. When the Old Madam fired up even the Marquis could not handle her.
âItâs my negligence. She unexpectedly dared to recklessly employ the art of witchcraft in this dignified Marquis Yongle manor and the incantation even targeted her own birth daughter. If the imperial censor is to impeach this before the Emperor, Yanâerâs peerage will most likely not be preserved. The grand Imperial Consort Min died precisely due to this ten years ago where her entire maiden clan of three hundred and seventy eight people were beheaded at the market entrance. Till date, this is still the sore spot and taboo to the EmperorâŚ..â Old Madam pressed and kneaded her glabella, sighing deeply, âI am getting more and more useless in these recent years. I was not the least concerned with such a jeopardous matter and almost implicated Yanâer!â
The more Old Madam thought about it, the angrier she became. Old Madam chillingly uttered, âJinx. From what I see, the real jinx could have been this Lin Shi! Bring along several people to go search Lin Shi courtyard. As long as it is anything dubious, just burn all of it. If she makes any ruckus, tell her to go back to her maiden home and not to bring calamity to my Marquis manor!â
âLao Nu will go right away. Old Madam, please donât get nettled. Fortunately Young Miss is decisive and disposed of all those things.â Ma Momo softly placated.
Old Madam exhaustedly beckoned her hand.
Lin Shiâs room was piled up with her deceased husbandâs things and mostly were testaments of their romantic remnants. Ma Momo did not have any sentimental inclination. She collectively turned everything inside out and gathered anything dubious taken out to be incinerated, which provoked Lin Shi derangement. With disheveled hair, Lin Shi wailingly ran towards the main courtyard to make a scene.
Old Madam only managed to lie down for a short while when she was abruptly awakened. She was severely furious that blood rushed to her head as she flung out the bill of divorcement which thoroughly stopped Lin Shi ruckus before succumbing to unconsciousness.
At the same time, Liu Lu was bringing over a bowl of ginseng soup for Old Madam consumption, which helped to avert Old Madam danger. Since then, Ma Momo felt that the Second Young Miss was even more blessed.
Old Madam disallowed this domestic occurrence to be reported to the Young Marquis hence Yu Pin Yan naturally did not know as he was focusing on handling the official mission with the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince was not omniscient and omnipotent but he was adept in personnel management and proficient in accepting admonition, a talent that was truly suitable for an innate monarch. Everything was fully settled appropriately in merely just a month since arriving at Sanmen Gorge.
After three more days of determining that the river embankment was securely repaired and all the flood victims were fully settled down, the Crown Prince decided to leave and returned to the Capital. En route, Yu Pin Yan requested leave from the Crown Prince as he intended proceeding to Ping Shaxian inquiring about a local divine doctor for his younger sister.
The Crown Prince gladly consented.
As someone possessing a unique skill, he was more or less have a somewhat eccentric disposition. For the sake of getting the doctor agreement of his highly skilled treatment, Yu Pin Yan went uphill to collect medicinal herbs, captured snakes, worked in the fields, grew vegetables and gathered water. After Yu Pin Yan undertook the task of a coolie for a fortnight, the Divine Doctor finally conceded grudgingly and nodded his head.
Along the way back to the Capital, both would stop and collect medicinal ingredients. Believing that the Crown Prince might have been way ahead, they did not expect to be united with him at a post station.
The Crown Princeâs personal attendant, Lai Shun was standing outside the courtyard entrance talking with a little girl who looked about ten years old. His expression appeared troubled, âThis thing really can cure my master? If you deceive me, I will make sure that you will not be returning home!â
âThat year when I suffered from the plague, I recovered after consuming this. You can just try it.â The little girl was not the least afraid, beaming with smiles she raised her hand that held the Chinese medicinal herbs.
Lai Shun was affected by her sanguine beaming expression and was rather moved by her. So many imperial physicians were at their witâs end in trying to cure the Crown Princeâs illness. At this moment, they had no other choice but to use every possible effort. The Crown Princeâs illness was very sudden and abrupt. They could not drag the treatment anymore and stood helplessly watching him in a coma for these past three days!
Yu Pin Yan strode forward and asked, âWhat plague?â
âMarquis, you are finally back! The Crown Prince was infected by the plague. Has the Divine Doctor that you invited here? Quickly go inside and take a look at the Crown Prince.â When Lai Shun saw the familiar face of the Marquis, it seemed as if he had found some sort of a pivot and busied himself with the Marquis arrival, thus forgetting to change the way he addressed the Crown Prince.
Yu Pin Yanâs pupils slightly dimmed. He immediately dragged the doctor and hurriedly walked into the post station.
Lai Shun wiped his tears and followed, completely forgetting the little girl that was offering the medicinal herbs.
The little girl tried to enter but was barred at the entrance by the sword-bearing guards. Peeking through the entrance for a short while, the little girl left with a regretful expression. She had known earlier that the one who was sick might have been a high official or a noble lord, but unexpectedly he was the current reigning Crown Prince. The youth was a Marquis, which Marquis was him? If my medicine could cure the Crown Prince, wouldnât it be extremely easy to obtain glory, splendour, wealth and rank? She would come again tomorrow to take a look then!
While she inwardly mulled over this, an elegant young man hurriedly approached her and dragged her away, whispering cautiously, âBeing mischievous again. The one residing inside is a person of eminence that we must not provoke. Leave with elder brother now. Otherwise, elder brother will not be able to save you if you are arrested!â