36 Eight Gates of Truth and Falsehood 5 (1/2)
”Master!”
A cry caused Wei Xuan to pause in his steps and blink. Adjusting his grip on the box containing gardening tools, the minister slowly turned around to face a maidservant running towards him.
Coming to a stop, the maidservant's countenance was red from exertion, and she rested her palms on her knees as she panted for breath, streams of sweat running down her brow. The attractive countenance tinged with scarlet would oftentimes make for a great sight, but both the master and servant turned a blind eye towards the issue.
”Speak,” Wei Xuan uttered after watching Xiao Ying straighten her back and draw heavy breaths.
”Why are you so hurried? If it's a mild problem, didn't I instruct you to pass a note later in the evening?”
”It's… It's about the Fourth Young Miss,” Xiao Ying dipped into a respectful bow before speaking in a controlled tone. Her gaze shifting around, the maidservant ushered for Wei Xuan to step closer and bend down, before standing on her toes to whisper into the minister's ear.
”Today marks the eighth day since the Fourth Young Miss fell into a coma. Currently, the Fourth Young Miss is experiencing a mild fever, causing the other sisters in the study to roar in panic.”
Watching the minister's countenance darken by the piece of information she had presented, the maidservant spoke in a similar worried tone, deliberately diminishing her voice to attract less attention.
”Master, should we really do nothing? The medications and prescriptions Physician Gao dispatched to us before he departed, will they truly be adequate? Shouldn't we at least search for a few physicians?”
Wei Xuan felt warmth welling in his chest upon hearing the maidservant's words, his judgement and experience indicating that Xiao Ying's intention was sincere. However, he berated her in a steely tone, his expression not changing a single bit.
”Do you really want such news to reach the Imperial Court? That Feng Tian Mu, don't you think his intentions are clear, asking me regularly whether Fei'er's condition had abated? Do you really want your Fourth Young Miss to be ravaged by those claws of that Imperial Physician lecher of a young man overreaching on his pride!?”
With every sentence, the minister's voice soared towards the heavens, a faint pulse of spiritual essence stampeding across the courtyard. Startled and scared by the sudden shockwave, the maidservant quickly swung her head from side to side, her eyes radiating a dense fear.
”This servant dares not! This servant dares not tarnish the Fourth Young Miss in any fashion, only wishing for the betterment of her health!”
”Then go,” Wei Xuan spoke in an airy voice, seemingly having vented his resentment.
”Go utilize Physician Gao's assortments to alleviate Fei'er's symptoms. A mild fever should be cured with the methods he left behind without a single issue, given his skill and ability.”
”Understood!”
Xiao Ying bowed, before racing towards the study. Looking down at the box of tools embraced within his arms, Wei Xuan huffed and hemmed for a while, seemingly unable to make a decision.
Ultimately, he waved a servant to come over, thrusting the box into the confused servant's arms before departing with a statement that both further bewildered and frightened the servant.
”Take good care of the begonias and amaryllis, there are not that many left, nor is the merchant arriving soon. If they aren't tended to properly by the time the Fourth Young Miss sees them, see where your head will go!”
Begonias…? Amaryllis?
The servant didn't understand and could only stand in a daze, his gaze fixated towards the minister's departing back. Unconsciously, his hand creeped up to massage and scratch his neck, wondering when it was going to depart from his shoulders.
There weren't any begonia or amaryllis seeds left in the storehouse of the manor, nor were there any planted in the courtyard! So…how was he supposed to carry out his task?
-