The Marchioness of Yongding immediately grasped her implication.
Whether the heir was truly ill was not something Chu Ruoyan, a sheltered young lady, could determine. The immediate task was to make her relent.
With a discreet nudge from the Marchioness, Lu Yuan promptly knelt and pleaded, "Sister Chu, I beg you! Saving a life is a greater virtue than building a seven-story pagoda. Without this medicine, my brother won’t survive!"
The Marchioness dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief, feigning distress. "Indeed, Miss Chu, my son’s life rests in your hands. If you have any conditions, name them—we’ll do our utmost to fulfill them..."
Suddenly, a sharp rebuke cut through the air. "Nonsense! Offering medicine to save a life is a moral duty—how dare you bargain over it!"
All eyes turned to the entrance, where an elderly lady clad in a pea-green jacket and a ruby-studded forehead band entered, supported by a maidservant. It was Old Madam Chu.
Lady Jiang the Younger hurried forward. "Mother, why have you come in person?"
Old Madam Chu scoffed. "Had I not come, the reputation of the Duke of Chu's Mansion would have been tarnished by certain people!"
Chu Ruoyan’s lips twitched.
Her grandmother, as always, prized reputation above all else.
When her mother had first married into the family, her father had just been appointed Vice Minister of Revenue. Fearing gossip, Old Madam Chu had insisted on a modest wedding.
But her father had defied her wishes, welcoming his bride with grand fanfare—eight bearers carrying her sedan chair in a lavish procession. From that day on, Old Madam Chu had resented her mother and, by extension, subjected Chu Ruoyan to endless grievances.
"Marchioness of Yongding, rest assured. With me here, you may take the medicine without hesitation!" Old Madam Chu declared.
The Lu mother-daughter pair brightened with relief.
Then, a soft yet resolute voice interjected, "No."
The hall fell silent.
Lady Jiang the Younger gasped. "Eldest Miss, what nonsense are you spouting? How dare you openly defy your elders?"
Old Madam Chu fixed her with a glare. "Say that again."
"I said, no."
Bang!
The teacups on the table rattled as Old Madam Chu slammed her hand down.
Lady Jiang the Younger hastily soothed her. "Mother, calm yourself! The Eldest Miss is merely confused—she didn’t mean to defy you."
The Marchioness of Yongding chimed in, fanning herself with her handkerchief. "Miss Chu, filial piety is the greatest virtue. How can you speak to your elders this way?"
The weight of "filial piety" could crush a person.
In the past, Chu Ruoyan had endured humiliation for her father’s sake.
But this time, she lifted her gaze and replied calmly, "Grandmother, allow me to explain. I’ve been unwell lately, and this millennium-old wild ginseng is a life-saving remedy for me. I beg your understanding."
Her reasoning was flawless—not a single fault could be found.
Yet Old Madam Chu sneered. "You stand here perfectly healthy—where’s the slightest sign of illness? Clearly, you’re making excuses to withhold the medicine. Defiant, disrespectful, and unfilial—what a wild, ill-bred girl you’ve become!"
"Grandmother?!" Chu Ruoyan gasped, her face a mask of disbelief. "How could you think so poorly of me? Though my birth mother passed early, my stepmother has diligently raised me without a moment’s neglect. How can you blame her?"
Old Madam Chu faltered.
Lady Jiang the Younger, as if swallowing a fly, stammered, "This... Mother, the Eldest Miss’s upbringing has been... adequate."
"Silence!" Old Madam Chu shot her a glare before turning back to Chu Ruoyan, sensing something amiss.
This girl, once so meek and silent, now dared to defy her repeatedly.
"Don’t think marrying into the Yan Family grants you protection. Your future in-laws and their kin are all dead—only a cripple remains. How can he uphold the General’s Manor? But fine. Let me make this clear: you insisted on this marriage. Don’t expect a single coin of support from your family afterward, nor any favors from your father!"
As the Duke of Chu, a first-rank official, her father could easily elevate a son-in-law—precisely what the Emperor desired. But her shortsighted grandmother failed to see this.
Chu Ruoyan lowered her eyes, hearing footsteps approach.
With a mournful tone, she whispered, "Grandmother’s reprimand is just. After my marriage, I wouldn’t dare set foot in the Duke of Chu's Mansion again..."
The moment she finished, Chu Huaishan strode in with a steward in tow.
His voice was icy. "What foolish talk is this? You’re my legitimate daughter—who dares forbid you from entering this mansion?"
Old Madam Chu seethed.
Lady Jiang the Younger interjected, "Husband, Mother only meant—"
Chu Huaishan cut her off. "I have eyes. I saw everything." He turned to the Lu women. "Marchioness, my daughter is gravely ill and cannot spare the medicine. You may leave."
The authority of a seasoned official carried an unspoken intimidation.
The Marchioness of Yongding stiffened but had no choice. She departed with her daughter.
The hall was deathly silent.
Old Madam Chu glowered. "Son, you’ve arrived just in time. Look how spoiled your daughter has become—she dares disobey even me!"
Chu Huaishan bowed but countered, "Mother, Ruoyan already explained—the ginseng is for her own survival. Must you prioritize a stranger over your own granddaughter?"
Old Madam Chu fell silent. Chu Huaishan then rounded on Lady Jiang the Younger. "And you! If Mother is unaware of Ruoyan’s condition, aren’t you? She’s relied on medicine daily for years—how could you stand by and do nothing?"
Lady Jiang the Younger, caught off guard, opened her mouth to protest. But Old Madam Chu’s maidservant spoke first. "Your Grace, the Eldest Miss appears hale and articulate—hardly the picture of illness..."
"Lies!" Yulu burst into tears. "Your Grace, our young mistress... is truly ill! She vomited blood yesterday after returning from the palace gates but forbade us from telling you, fearing you’d worry!"
"What? She vomited blood?!" Chu Huaishan paled.
Chu Ruoyan quickly reassured him. "Father, it’s nothing serious now..."
Her complexion, already paler than most, now looked ghostly from exhaustion.
Chu Huaishan’s heart ached. "Foolish child, why hide such things? Chu Zhong! Fetch my token and summon Chief Physician Zhang at once!"
Lady Jiang the Younger’s eyelid twitched.
Chief Physician Zhang, the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau, served only the royal family. High-ranking officials could request his aid in dire emergencies—but only once a year. To waste this privilege on Chu Ruoyan was unthinkable!
She interjected, "Husband, Chief Physician Zhang is difficult to summon. The back-and-forth may delay treatment. Let’s first consult Doctor Cheng from our household. If he deems it necessary, we’ll call for Chief Physician Zhang."
Chu Huaishan found this reasonable and agreed.
Doctor Cheng arrived promptly. After taking Chu Ruoyan’s pulse through a silk cloth, he announced, "The Eldest Miss suffers from deficient vitality, cold stagnation, and reversed blood flow—a recurrence of her cold syndrome. Fortunately, it’s not too late. A few doses of potent medicine will suffice."
Only then did Chu Huaishan relax.
Once Doctor Cheng wrote the prescription, Chu Huaishan instructed, "Wife, escort Doctor Cheng out. And Mother, please retire for now."
Old Madam Chu snorted and stormed off. Lady Jiang the Younger gestured politely. "Doctor Cheng, this way."
After the crowd dispersed, Chu Huaishan finally addressed the man who had followed him in earlier: "Steward Fang, I apologize for the unseemly display."
Steward Fang gave a slight bow, and Chu Huaishan continued, "But as you’ve witnessed, it’s not that the Duke of Chu's Mansion refuses to spare the medicine. My daughter’s condition is severe, and she urgently needs it as well. As for Grandma Yan’s illness, I regret that I can offer no assistance."
"!!!"
The visitor was actually from the Yan Family!
Chu Ruoyan was momentarily stunned, never expecting the Yan Family to come seeking medicine at such a time.
Steward Fang clasped his hands and said, "This servant understands the Duke’s concerns. However, Grandma Yan’s condition leaves no alternatives. Chief Physician Zhang has stated that without this medicine, she has at most three days left. We beg the Duke, in consideration of the marital ties between our families, to spare just half a dose."
As he spoke, he drew a stack of banknotes from his sleeve—royal merchant notes, precisely three thousand taels.
"Father..."
Chu Huaishan raised a hand to silence her. "My daughter’s life is not for sale—not for three thousand taels, nor even three million."
Chu Ruoyan pressed a hand to her forehead. If only she hadn’t used her frail health as an excuse earlier!
Steward Fang sighed, as if anticipating this, and produced a name card. "Beyond this, our Third Young Master has also promised that if the Duke agrees, the Yan Family is willing to annul the engagement."
