75 To Cultivate, One Should... 9 (1/2)

”Minister Wei, it's truly an honor to see you once again.”

A young man dressed in a mottled blue-gold robe dropped into a low bow, his countenance revealing a handsome smile. Wei Xuan thinly smiled, reaching out to quickly assist the young man into a standing position.

”No need for such respect, Imperial Physician Feng,” the minister concealed his discomfort, glancing at the young Imperial Physician with a beaming smile.

”Then… the minister called this one over…” Feng Tian Mu mused, his pondering expression nearly causing Wei Xuan to explode with disdain and irritation.

”Yes, yes, this one is in need of the Imperial Physician's assistance, ah!” the minister capitulated.

”This… My Fourth Daughter's ailment has worsened significantly during this winter…”

As if this isn't the first time that I've told you this!?

The minister cursed in his heart, the index finger and thumb of his right hand grinding against each other in anger. The sudden decline in An Fei's health had drove Wei Xuan into a panic that he even forgot about Gao Yun Zhi's warnings regarding the smiling Feng Tian Mu before him, causing him to contact the Imperial Physician with haste.

The Imperial Physician had agreed upon a moment's notice with enthusiasm with a gesture of righteousness, but what was he here doing now? Acting as if he had not a single idea on what he was called over for?

”Ah! The Fourth Young Miss's health has deteriorated!?”

Feng Tian Mu exclaimed, his countenance unaffected by the invisible ripples of annoyance radiating from the minister. The Imperial Physician suddenly accelerated his pace, before turning around to face the awkward minister.

”That's not good at all, this one should see the patient immediately! Lord Minister Wei, quickly lead the way, ah!”

Detecting the concealed, tumultuous shift in emotion within the young man upon hearing An Fei's name, Wei Xuan's eye couldn't help but twitch. However, he released a drawn-out sigh, before leading the Imperial Physician yet again into the Flowing Wind Residence.

-

”Sister Ying,” Xiao Wen pouted as she glanced at the young girl sleeping on the bed. ”Will the Fourth Young Miss be alright?”

”I don't know.”

Xiao Ying's curt reply rang from besides her, and Xiao Wen turned to find that the maidservant's countenance was exceptionally haggard. Worry slashed through Xiao Wen's heart as she glanced at Xiao Ying's desolate complexion, and she couldn't help but draw the latter into a warm hug.

”Sister Ying, everything will be fine!” The maidservant consoled for the umpteenth time.

”Master has already contacted Physician Gao to return with great haste, and he's personally told you that you're not responsible for a single thing.”

”But…”

Xiao Ying hesitated, before remaining numb and silent despite Xiao Wen's persistent inquiry. Back then, she was the person who personally delivered the slice of blood ginseng into the Fourth Young Miss' mouth, and was the closest observer of the catastrophe that occurred moments later.

It had been two weeks since the incident.

Her fingers clenched and twisted the hem of the her uniform, and Xiao Ying grit her teeth as she recalled the horrifying experience. A while later, the maidservant unclenched her hands, and with trembling fingers, she carefully adjusted the young girl's position to allow her to sleep better underneath Xiao Wen's concerned and worried gaze.

When Xiao Ying had fed the Fourth Young Miss the slice of ginseng, nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, causing both her and Wei Xuan to wonder why the girl had such a petrified gaze towards the blood ginseng. However, not more than a the time of a cup of tea had passed, and their hearts were seized by a brutal chill.

First came the erratic convulsions, and the blood.

Thick rivulets of blood raced down the young girl's mouth, nose, eyes, and ears, and her countenance had paled into a snowy sheen, devoid of blood. Furthermore, the blood alternated between several shades of scarlet, and a faint putrid odor diffused amongst the harsh metallic scent.

Regardless of what the minister or maidservant had attempted, the bleeding refused to cease, splattering against the wooden floor and soaking the bedsheets. The study of the Flowing Wind Residence was awash with scarlet, with such intensity that caused one to wonder how a thin and small physique like An Fei could possibly contain so much blood.

Then followed a mysterious and horrifying phenomenon that caused the maidservant to burst into chills when thinking about the event.