Doctor Lu's diagnosis brought a brief pause to the room, but then it was like cold water hitting hot oil—the panic erupted instantly.
The room boiled over with shock, anger, and deep grief.
Near noon, sunlight filtered through the window lattice. A glazed lamp by the window caught the sun, shimmering like a robe of embroidered silk, radiating dazzling colors.
Zheng Qian stood amidst the chaos, her eyes briefly stung by the reflected light from the lamp. Without showing it, she shifted her position slightly.
"How… how could this happen?" the Marquis of Jing'an's voice trembled.
He was forty-five, considered old in this era—fifty could easily be the end of one's life.
He had been proud all his life of his devotion to Concubine Qin, refusing other pleasures. In the household, besides his main wife, he had only Concubine Zhou, who was also Concubine Qin's cousin.
Concubine Qin, mother of Second Young Miss Zheng Yutan, had died after a difficult childbirth, weakened and gone within half a year. Her father was a scholar; she had been delicate, gentle, and beautiful from youth—a perfect match for the Marquis. But fate was cruel.
The Marquis had always been principled and chaste, so his line was not thriving. He had only two children by his main wife, one daughter and one son; Zheng Yutan was from Concubine Qin, and Zheng Run, Fifth Young Master, from Concubine Zhou.
With the eldest son disabled, Fifth Young Master became the sole heir. If he also died or became incapacitated, what would happen? At his age, the Marquis could not have more children. Would the title pass to a nephew?
Grief overwhelmed him. He grabbed the senior doctor: "Doctor, please, look again!"
The elderly doctor, already queasy at the sight of blood, dared not examine it closely. Though he had used hemostatic powder, the wound was too long and deep—the powder could not help.
Many people had died from knife injuries; this level of trauma was beyond control—it was fate.
"Marquis, even if you consult a more skilled physician, I'm powerless," the doctor said.
Doctor Lu of Jinkui Hall was considered the best in the capital. If even he was powerless, who else could save the boy?
Imperial doctors might help, but the Zheng family was no longer wealthy—they had no way to hire one.
The Marquis's eyes reddened: "Doctor…"
The grand lady pleaded from the side: "Doctor, please, think of another way."
"My father! It hurts so much!" Zheng Run's cries cut sharply through the room, like a screeching crow.
Meanwhile, Third Young Lady's eyes betrayed a subtle hope—if Fifth Young Master died, her own son, Zheng Hao, might inherit the title. She carefully concealed her thoughts, observing others for signs that anyone noticed her inner scheming.
Then, she met a pair of cold, calm eyes.
Zheng Qian was staring at her.
Third Young Lady felt uncomfortable under that gaze, an inexplicable irritation rising.
"Really hopeless… stop fussing," the senior doctor snapped, irritated by the chaos. "Do you want me to stand by and do nothing? The wound is too deep; the bleeding won't stop. Even the greatest immortal could not save him."
Zheng Qian lightly tugged at her maid, Caiyuan.
Caiyuan, who had been avoiding looking at Fifth Young Master's foot, turned to her: "Eldest Young Lady, what is it?"
"Help me," Zheng Qian said.
She whispered quickly to Caiyuan a few instructions.
Caiyuan stared in shock.
"To save a life is worth more than building seven-tiered pagodas," Zheng Qian added, seeing Caiyuan's hesitation. "I am accumulating merit—Buddha will reward us in the future."
Caiyuan: "…"
She had heard of Buddha's blessings but never of rewards. Which Buddha was the young lady following, anyway?
Caiyuan hesitated, still unsure.
What the young lady was asking sounded risky—if she failed, would Madam Dai scold her? Would Xiuzhu reprimand her? That bold Hongluan would certainly nag endlessly.
Yet, she could not refuse the young lady.
Caiyuan subtly shifted closer to Second Young Miss, speaking in a voice everyone could hear: "Eldest Young Lady, didn't you say you learned some medicine through dreams? You even made a medical kit…"
Many turned to look.
The Marquis' brow furrowed tightly.
Zheng Qian had shown off in front of him and the grand lady before—it wasn't the first time. Each time, it drew attention.
Now she was at it again.
The Marquis, usually gentle, wished he could throw her out. At a time like this, still trying to impress them—did she have no sense? His own son was barely alive.
Didn't she hear what the doctor said?
Others also turned their eyes, sharing his thought: this eldest young lady was reckless.
Learning medicine from dreams? If it were that easy, apprentices wouldn't spend twenty years struggling to learn.
"Father Marquis, perhaps Big Sister should try?" Second Young Miss Zheng Yutan suddenly said. "It's better than letting Fifth Brother suffer like this."
"Second Young Miss! What are you saying?" Concubine Zhou flinched, trying to stop her.
Zheng Yutan's eyes glimmered with tears, soft and sincere. "Aunt, if there's even a chance, we must seize it. Do you want Fifth Brother to die?"
Concubine Zhou: "I—"
Hearing the word "die" so bluntly from Second Young Miss greatly upset her, yet she dared not argue.
Second Young Miss had the grand lady and Marquis backing her; crossing her meant living poorly in this household.
She could not bear to see her son die, but even the most famous doctors at Jinkui Hall had declared the injury incurable. What could she do? She was nearly in despair.
"Big Sister, do you really know medicine?" Second Young Miss looked to Zheng Qian, halting Concubine Zhou.
The grand lady's disdain was evident.
The Marquis was ready to order her out.
Zheng Qian spoke lightly: "A little. I know how to stop bleeding from external injuries."
Everyone: "…"
The Marquis could no longer restrain himself: "Wretch! How dare you spout nonsense here? Get out!"
He rarely spoke harshly—this one sentence was extremely severe. Hearts trembled.
Even Doctor Lu could not remain silent: "Let's wait a bit longer. See if the hemostatic powder works. Miss, do not act rashly."
Zheng Qian stepped back slightly: "Very well, I shall withdraw."
"Big Sister!" Zheng Yutan hurried forward, grabbing Zheng Qian. "Big Sister, how can you stand by? The doctor cannot save Fifth Brother. He is Father Marquis' only heir. You are clever; perhaps you can reverse the injury…"
Her words struck directly at the Marquis' heart.
The doctors had given up; the blood would not stop. Zheng Run was the only son. Any hope, however slight, had to be seized.
"…Big Sister, you can do it. If you couldn't, you wouldn't dare speak so boldly, right? You'd be afraid Father Marquis would strike you," Zheng Yutan continued.
The Marquis' heart softened slightly.
Zheng Qian's own chest relaxed—it seemed things could indeed work out.