Chapter 95: Growing More and More Absurd

At the Medical Pavilion, Shen Zhifeng and Shen Sisi had come hoping to see the divine physician, only to be turned away, just as expected.

Before coming, Shen Zhifeng had already heard that the divine physician was eccentric and rarely agreed to treat anyone, but he had never imagined that they would not even get to see the man himself. At once, he grew sullen and furious.

This time, he had indeed gone to some expense. He took out a gold ingot and pressed it into the little medicine boy’s hand. “Might I trouble you to ask the divine physician when he may be free?”

To his surprise, the boy did not even glance at it. He merely waved them off. “You should leave at once. The divine physician is not here anymore, and he will not be back for quite some time.”

Shen Sisi cried out, “What? Has the divine physician gone wandering the world again?”

The boy looked at her but did not answer.

That was not what he meant at all. He Liruo had merely grown weary of too many people coming to the Medical Pavilion and had gone off somewhere to drink tea and admire the flowers.

But Shen Zhifeng and Shen Sisi clearly took his words the wrong way. Shen Zhifeng hurriedly asked, “Then when will the divine physician return?”

The little medicine boy tilted his head and thought for a moment. “Perhaps in a year, perhaps in ten years. How should I know?” Then, in his heart, he added, though it might also be that he will be back by dinner.

The two of them were stunned. A year? Ten years? What if he never came back at all?

Shen Zhifeng refused to believe it. He made a scene and tried to force his way in, and in the end, both he and Shen Sisi were driven out of the Medical Pavilion.

Shen Sisi was nearly mad with rage. How had she ended up with such a fool for a father?

The pair returned in a sorry state to the ducal manor. Once they reached Yansong Hall, the old madam dismissed the servants and hurriedly asked, “How was it? Did the divine physician examine you?”

Tears in her eyes, Shen Sisi shook her head. “The people at the Medical Pavilion said the divine physician has already left, and he will not be back any time soon.”

“What?” The old madam stared blankly. “Then what are we to do?”

As for herself, it was still somewhat manageable; at least she had Shen Zhifeng. But Shen Minglei was dead. What was to become of the vast ducal manor in the future?

Shen Zhifeng slapped the table. “Doesn’t Shen Qingyun have a prescription? Why not just take that directly! They’re all medicines for preventing children, so they should all work, shouldn’t they?”

“Only I do not know whether our sister would be willing to give it to us,” Shen Sisi said, hopeful yet worried.

The old madam gave a cold snort. “If she dares refuse, I’ll see how she can bear the name of unfilial daughter! Come, Sisi. I shall go with you myself to ask for it. If she refuses, I’ll press that hat of unfilial conduct down on her head and see how she lives with it in the future!”

And so the three of them went together to the Reed Courtyard.

Shen Qingyun lay weakly upon the bed, as though she knew nothing at all. “Grandmother, Father, Sister, what brings you here? I have not yet recovered. Please forgive me, Grandmother and Father.”

Shen Zhifeng stared fixedly at Shen Qingyun’s face, trying to tell whether anything was amiss. Yet although she looked sickly, her eyes were perfectly clear.

The old madam coughed lightly. “Shen Qingyun, it is like this. We heard you were given some medicine, so we came to see how you are.”

At the old madam’s glance, Shen Sisi immediately stepped forward with a look of concern. “Sister, how is it that you still look so pale and worn? I heard the divine physician prescribed medicine for you. Has it been effective after you took it?”

“It is kind of Grandmother and Sister to worry over me. I am quite well; I daresay I shall recover in another two days.”

Shen Zhifeng very much wanted to ask Shen Qingyun what she was thinking, but Shen Sisi quickly caught his arm and stopped him. Then she pressed on, “Sister, I am curious about the prescription the divine physician wrote. Might you let me have a look?”

They had expected Shen Qingyun to hesitate and make excuses, but to their surprise, Shen Qingyun only paused briefly before telling Yicui to bring the prescription over.

“How is it that Sister has suddenly taken such an interest in this?” she asked.

Shen Sisi had not expected to get it so easily, and she beamed. “I have long heard of the divine physician’s name and wanted to see how the prescription he writes differs from those of ordinary doctors. Sister, may I take it back first and study it carefully?”

“It is only a prescription. Sister may take it,” Shen Qingyun said, coughing twice. Then, with apparent kindness, she added, “Only, this prescription was written according to my own constitution and condition. You may look at it, but do not give it to anyone else.”

Shen Sisi nodded at once. “Rest assured, Sister. I’ll take a look and return it tomorrow.”

Once they had the paper in hand, the old madam no longer had the patience to continue the performance. After a few polite words of concern with Shen Zhifeng, the three of them hurried back to Yansong Hall.

Yicui looked puzzled. “Miss, you really gave them the prescription just like that?”

Shen Qingyun wiped the powder from her face, revealing the natural rosy color of her cheeks. “It does not matter. The medicine I am taking is not the same as theirs to begin with. What I am drinking now is only nourishing and restorative; even if they took it, it would be useless.”

As expected, once the three had someone examine the prescription, they all wore disappointed expressions.

Shen Zhifeng’s face darkened. “I knew that girl would not be so kind. She actually gave us a fake prescription to deceive us!”

A triumphant look flashed across the old madam’s brows. “Do not worry. I had long anticipated that move. I already sent someone to steal out a bowl of the medicine that had been simmering in the kitchen.”

“Grandmother, you truly are clever,” Shen Sisi said, leaning against the old madam’s arm, her face full of adoration.

But the three of them did not remain pleased for long. When the medicine was brought to a physician to be examined, it was still those very same ingredients listed on the prescription, and could not possibly cure sterility.

Shen Zhifeng was so enraged that he smashed the bowl then and there.

“I hear that Shen Qingyun only recovered after the divine physician gave her acupuncture. Could it be that the medicine was useless all along, and what truly worked was the needle technique?” Shen Sisi quickly calmed herself and analyzed the matter from beginning to end.

“Then what are we to do?” The old madam was at a loss as well.

“The divine physician was brought here by Prince Li. Since His Highness could invite him once, he can surely invite him a second time. Why not ask Sister to help us by going to Prince Li?”

“This...” Shen Zhifeng was somewhat reluctant. He did not want to tell anyone that he had been afflicted with a sterility drug, much less ask Shen Qingyun to do anything for him.

As for going directly to Prince Li, that was even more impossible. Who would dare provoke him?

The three of them remained deadlocked for a long while. With no other choice, they could only try finding other doctors first.

It was certainly inconvenient to keep running out like this, so to conceal the truth, the old madam merely said that she was feeling unwell and had an uneasy heart, and needed several doctors to come and take her pulse for peace of mind. At her age, such a thing was only natural.

Shen Sisi stayed by the old madam’s side, while Shen Zhifeng, being the dutiful son, ran all over town searching for doctors on her behalf.

Shen Qingyun: Spread the word—the old madam is ill.

Emerald: Spread the word—the old madam has been poisoned with a sterility drug.

Pearl: Spread the word—perhaps the Duke is not the old madam’s biological son.

And so, from some unknown clinic, the rumor spread and spread until it reached Yansong Hall. Shen Zhifeng was so furious that he overturned the dinner table that very night, while the old madam herself simply fainted on the spot.

Mm. This time, she may truly have been angered into illness.