The steward watched Qing Yin lead Physician Fu to Ting Nuan Tower and stomped his feet in anger.
Lu Zhaoling slept soundly for two or three days, and her spirits finally recovered a little.
Qingbao was talking to her.
"Madam Lu didn't know what got into her last night. She sent two maids over, saying they wanted to massage Miss, and also sent some fragrant flowers to serve Miss in her bath, claiming they were gifts from a princess, imperial items that Miss had never enjoyed."
She and Qing Yin had already refused them twice.
Madam Lu's attitude towards Lu Zhaoling had been so poor before, so her sudden show of goodwill seemed very strange.
Moreover, Lu Zhaoling had been sleeping and it was impossible for her to specially wake up for a bath.
"Ill-intentioned," Lu Zhaoling said.
"Exactly."
"Miss, Physician Fu is here."
Lu Zhaoling's eyes flickered when she heard Physician Fu arrived, "Please."
Physician Fu entered and exclaimed, "Second Miss looks much better in spirits."
It was quite obvious.
Lu Zhaoling's originally pale face finally had some color.
"Thank you, Madam Fu, for the tonics you sent."
Yao Lin sent many medicinal dishes and a century-old ginseng. Yesterday, she also sent a pot of soup, saying it was stew with ten kinds of medicinal ingredients for five hours, with additional ingredients added in between, and the heat was difficult to control. Fearing that Qing Yin and Qingbao wouldn't know how to stew it, she stewed it at home and sent it directly.
That pot of medicinal soup truly invigorated qi and blood.
Lu Zhaoling appreciated it.
"You saved her son; these are just a small token of her appreciation. No need to thank me."
Physician Fu waved his hand, then looked at her with considerable curiosity, "Second Miss, do you know what's wrong with Miss Lin?"
The usually ill-tempered old physician was now eagerly awaiting Lu Zhaoling's answer.
"Miss Lin?"
"The daughter of that Wu Shi."
"Oh, I don't know. I haven't met Miss Lin," Lu Zhaoling said.
But seeing Physician Fu's expression, a thought stirred in her, "Is there something strange about Miss Lin's illness?"
"It's very strange, I can't cure it."
Lu Zhaoling rested her hand on her chin, "How is it strange?"
"Miss Lin is only fourteen, but her body and pulse resemble those of a sixty-year-old crone. Her hands are also bony and claw-like, her skin is wrinkled, and it looks like age spots are about to appear!"
Hiss.
Qing Yin and Qingbao both widened their eyes upon hearing this.
"There's such a disease?"
Physician Fu sighed, "But what's even stranger is that I can't even diagnose what illness she has."
Lu Zhaoling frowned.
"I can make her conscious, but after she wakes up, her body will still need to be nourished with medicine. It's hard to say, she might not have many years left to live."
After all, her body really looked like that of an elderly person.
"Is she still unconscious? Besides her hands, has her face also aged?"
"Her face is alright, but her complexion is very poor. Oh, and her pupils are blood-red."
Lu Zhaoling suddenly put down her hand and sat up straight.
Seeing her reaction, Physician Fu didn't know why his heart sped up, feeling inexplicably excited.
"Second Miss, is she also tainted with some death qi? Is something wrong with her?"
Lu Zhaoling couldn't help but chuckle at the old physician's excited demeanor.
"Physician Fu, why are you so excited?"
Physician Fu pressed his lips, "It's not excitement, I'm just thinking if I'll get to see Second Miss save someone again."
Lu Zhaoling asked, "The Lin family, did they just move to Jingcheng?"
Physician Fu then told her about the Lin family.
"The Lin family is also considered a noble family. Lin Rong is the most outstanding junior of the main branch. When he was young,
the Retired Emperor at the time placed him in the Prefectural Yamen of Jingzhao. As the prefect, he was a brilliant judge and incorruptible, gaining great fame in Jingcheng back then."
Qing Yin said, "Lord Lin Rong, I also remember him."
Physician Fu nodded, then said, "Later, because of a case that seemed to involve some important figures, we don't know the specifics and weren't allowed to talk about it. Anyway, after that, Lin Rong was demoted and exiled to a poor county below, serving as a prefect."
He was demoted.
"After Madam Wu, Lin Rong's wife, came to find this old man, Fu Shun went to inquire. He said that Lin Rong had accomplished a lot outside over the past ten years, even suppressing bandits. This time he's back in the capital for his performance review, and if there are no surprises, he might remain in Jingcheng."
"Speaking of that Wu Shi, her maiden family are wealthy merchants in Jingcheng, very rich. However, when Lin Rong had his accident back then, the Wu family seemed to have no reaction."
Physician Fu paused, "This old man was thinking, didn't Second Miss say she could make house calls and collect consultation fees? The Lin family certainly isn't short on money."
Lu Zhaoling chuckled.
She finally understood. So, Physician Fu was drumming up business for her.
"Does Lord Lin also want me to see her?"
Physician Fu shook his head, "No, I haven't mentioned your abilities yet."
Shouldn't he first ask for her opinion?
This one was the savior of his grandson and him.
"Physician Fu said Lin Yanran would wake up in three days?"
"Yes." He was still confident about that.
Lu Zhaoling considered it, "Then let's wait until she wakes up. If Physician Fu still can't find the root cause of her illness, then you can mention me to Lord Lin."
Physician Fu agreed.
Since he was already there, he naturally changed Lu Zhaoling's medicine as well.
As he was about to leave, he remembered the steward's matter, "The Lu Manor's steward just now was begging this old man to look at his son's hand..."
"Physician Fu, you don't need to worry about it."
It was her indeed!
When Lu Zhaoling said this, Physician Fu immediately understood.
On his way back, he couldn't help but slap his thigh again. Lu Zhaoling had such abilities! Not only could she cure strange illnesses, but she could also cause them!
It seemed that Second Miss Lu wouldn't be easily bullied.
But the old Physician Fu wondered again, if Lu Zhaoling was so powerful, how did she get the injury on her head before?
Meanwhile, Madam Lu was fuming because she hadn't found an opportunity to check Lu Zhaoling's right ankle for the birthmark in the past two days.
It was all because of the two maids Prince Jin sent to Lu Zhaoling, those truly loyal lackeys!
"Madam, Princess Changning sent an invitation to Young Miss, why not take Second Miss with her?" Her maid's eyes darted around, offering a suggestion.
Princess Changning and Lu Zhaoyun were good friends.
And Lu Zhaoyun had an engagement with the Second Prince, and Princess Changning was one of the very few who knew about it.
At this time, it certainly wasn't for a gathering of eating and drinking. Princess Changning was preparing to invite her close friends to transcribe Buddhist scriptures for the Retired Emperor. Perhaps the Emperor would see their loyalty and filial piety then.
Lu Zhaoyun naturally couldn't refuse such a matter.
"Take her? Wouldn't that be letting her show her face in front of Princess Changning and other noblewomen?" Madam Lu frowned, thinking it was a terrible idea.
"Madam, Miss Shen will definitely be there too."
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