Chapter Twelve: Tian Hua?

  Xiao Chengye suddenly heard this, his heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but carefully examine Lu Weiyin again. But all he saw was that Lu Weiyin's face was slightly pale, with no visible wounds or scars, yet he didn't dare confirm whether it was the effect of Yuandai's medicine.

  Ling Yuancheng furrowed his brow and said, "Since you're feeling unwell, let's finish breakfast first. Then I'll accompany you down the mountain to get treatment and send you back to the Wenxuan Pavilion! Speaking of which, you came to Pingjing for the exam, didn't you? As the saying goes, 'sharpening one's sword at the last minute', even if it's not shining, it will still have some light. Since you've come for the exam, you can't help but study for a few days and make an effort. Who knows, maybe with good luck, you'll pass!"

  Wen Xuan Ge is exactly where brothers Lu Weiyin and Lu Weijie lived in Beijing.

  Lu Weiyin's brow furrowed involuntarily as he heard this: "I've just caught a bit of a chill, and after eating an early lunch, I'll be fine after a short nap. There's no need to see a doctor! As for the exam, others may not know me, but surely Sixth Brother does?"

  Ling Yuqing had said that earlier, but it was just an excuse to get rid of Lu Weiyin and send her down the mountain. In fact, she didn't think for a moment that Lu Weiyin could win first place. At this moment, after hearing what Lu Weiyin said, although she still wanted Lu Weiyin to continue staying on the mountain, it wasn't good to pressure her too much at this time, making everyone feel embarrassed. She couldn't help but sigh and temporarily closed her mouth, not speaking.

  After hastily finishing breakfast, Lu Weiying said she had a severe headache and hurriedly returned to her room.

  Xiao Chengye saw him like this, and instead became worried, hurriedly calling a servant to support him back. After Lu Weiyin left, the two people in the hall exchanged a glance, Ling Yuancheng couldn't help but express concern: "I think his complexion really doesn't look good!"

  Xiao Chengye opened his mouth, intending to inform Ling Yuanclear and Duan about their actions, but he felt that it was still uncertain whether Lu Weiyang's physical discomfort was caused by the medicine given by Duan. He didn't dare to speak out, fearing it would be inappropriate. The two exchanged a glance, both feeling helpless for the time being. They couldn't afford to have a falling out with Lu Weiyang, nor could they force him to leave Bieliang Institute.

  Xiao Chengye stood up and smiled: "Forget it! He said he would be fine after a short nap. We don't care about him, that's all! The weather is nice today, why don't we go out and take a walk on the mountain?"

  Ling Yuanqing nodded in agreement after hearing this. The two of them went out and strolled aimlessly on the Green Lotus Ridge, only returning to the other courtyard when it was almost noon. Because they were worried about Lu Weiyin, as soon as they entered the other courtyard, they rushed straight to Lu Weiyin's place.

  The two maidservants of the Xiao family, Jin Huan and Yu Chui, were waiting on Lu Weiying. Seeing Xiao Chengye and Ling Yuanqing enter, they hastily stepped forward to pay their respects. Xiao Chengye waved his hand slightly at them and asked, "Has Master Lu gotten up?"

  Jin Huan hastily replied, "Early this morning, Master Lu returned and said he had a severe headache. My wife and I thought that Master Lu might have caught a chill yesterday, so we helped him to bed! But it's been until now and he still hasn't woken up!"

  Xiao Chengye's eyes widened as he rushed to Lu Weiyin's bedside. The intricately carved bed had Lu Weiyin completely wrapped in the quilt, with only a strand of black hair exposed outside. Xiao Chengye furrowed his brow, and Ling Yuancheng stepped forward, lifting the corner of the quilt for a peek. Inside, Lu Weiyin was now flushed red all over, her breathing rapid. Ling Yuancheng reached out to feel her forehead, but quickly withdrew his hand in surprise at the heat emanating from it. "Weiyin must have truly caught a chill," he exclaimed, "she's running a fever!"

  Xiao Chengye was also shocked when he heard this, and hastily turned his head to instruct Jin Huan: "Quickly! Quickly send someone to invite the doctor to come!"

  Jin Huan was also frightened out of his wits. After hearing this, he immediately turned around and ran off, it's unknown who he went to look for.

  After the commotion, Xiao Chengye finally remembered his own sister. Green Hill Ridge was after all a mountainous area, and even if there were doctors nearby, their medical skills might be quite rough. And it would take some time for doctors from Pingjing to arrive. After thinking for a moment, Xiao Chengye sighed and said to Yu Juan, "Alright! Go invite Eldest Miss over to take a look at Master Lu!"

  Yuán Yuè was also flustered and didn't know what to do. After hearing this, she didn't think much and turned around to rush out.

  Xiao Chengxian was having a meal with Yuan Dai in the Far Mansion at this moment, and when she saw Yu Nian rushing over with a flustered expression, she couldn't help but be startled. After Yu Nian explained the reason, she turned her gaze to look at Yuan Dai for a moment: "You go back first, I'll go over right away!"

  After sending Yu Chui away, Xiao Chengyan couldn't help but complain: "Big brother is really muddled, wasn't it already said to him, how can he still be so flustered? He even sent someone to invite me over, this is...".

  Yan Dai smiled and said, "Since Brother Xiao has sent someone to invite me, I'll go take a look. It's no big deal. He's just having a fever, so I'll prescribe him some medicine to clear the heat and detoxify." Her expression was calm and composed, without any unusual signs.

  Xiao Chengyan originally intended to pull Yuandai along, but seeing her sitting calmly and contentedly, she knew that Yuandai had no intention of going together. Shaking her head, she said: "Forget it! Since big brother has invited us, I'll just go take a look!"

  Lu Weiyin's illness came on fiercely, but it went away extremely quickly. Xiao Chengxin examined his pulse and simply prescribed a decoction to reduce fever, which was brewed into a thick liquid and given to him to drink. In less than half an hour, the heat in his body had dissipated.

  He had just cooled down on this side, and the doctor who was hastily invited from Pingjing by Xiao Fu also entered the door. After inquiring about his condition, he learned that he had already taken medicine, so he asked Jin Huan for the prescription written by Xiao Xianyan, added a few more medicinal materials, collected the diagnosis fee, and left with a smile.

  Lu Weiyin slept straight through until the sky was dark, before finally waking up. Ling Yuqing had been keeping watch inside and didn't dare to leave his side, but now that he saw him wake up, she could finally put her mind at ease. Since Lu Weiyin's body was still weak, it wasn't good to scold him at this time, so she couldn't help but comfort him with a few gentle words.

  It was Lu Weiyin who thought about the time when he refused to go to Pingjing for treatment with Ling Yuqing, and his face was a bit awkward.

  Xiao Chengye and Xiao Chengyan saw that he had woken up, and they felt slightly relieved. Then, Xiao Chengye ordered the maid to bring over the bird's nest congee that had been cooked a long time ago, and served it to Lu Weiyin. After Lu Weiyin fell asleep again, the two of them left. By this time, Xiao Chengye was completely convinced that Lu Weiyin's fever this time was indeed caused by wind and cold, and had nothing to do with the two medicinal pills given by Yuandai.

  Knowing that Lu Weiying was fine, the two of them put their minds at ease and returned to the flower hall. Seeing that it was getting late, Xiao Chengye hastily ordered someone to prepare wine and dishes, and sat down with Ling Yuqing for a small drink, chatting about court affairs for a while, which was quite pleasant. When the first watch was almost over, the two of them stood up, ready to return to their respective rooms. Just then, Jin Huan from Lu Weiying's room came rushing over, looking flustered. Xiao Chengye saw her panicked expression and his heart skipped a beat. Without waiting for her to speak, he hastily asked: "Has something happened again with Master Lu?"

  "Master, just now Mr. Lu's head started to feel hot again, his whole face is red... and he has a rash..." She became more and more frightened as she spoke, and the next moment she couldn't help but burst into tears: "It looks like... it might be smallpox..."

  Suddenly hearing the two words "heavenly flower", both of them turned pale at once. Xiao Chengye asked hastily, "Heavenly Flower? You said it's Heavenly Flower?"

  Jin Huan cried and said: "I don't know either! I only heard people say before... that the heavenly flower first gives a fever, then breaks out in blisters... Master Lu... this time he has broken out in blisters all over his head and face... it's terrifying to look at..."

  Just now, Xiang Chengye was startled by the golden hoop and his wine had woken up more than half. At this moment, hearing that it was a rash all over her head and face, he suddenly thought of that medicine, and his heart put down more than half. He hastily instructed: "Don't cry, you go to Big Miss's place and ask if she has any solution, maybe it's not smallpox after all!"

  Jin Huan hastily responded, turned around and was about to rush out, but was pulled back by Ling Yuanqing. However, Ling Yuanqing was completely unaware of the medicine's situation, and upon hearing Xiao Chengyan's words, he quickly asked Xiao Chengyan: "Chengyan, have you gone mad? The heavenly flower is spreading fast anyway. Now it's hard to say whether Jin Huan will be infected or not, why are you still making her go to the inner courtyard to spread the message?"

  Xiao Chengye could only smile bitterly, and in front of Jin Huan's face, he couldn't say much more, so he said: "Yuan Qing, have you forgotten that when Wei Ying was ill earlier, it was Xiao Xian who took his pulse? If it really is smallpox, then naturally she should be careful too, and not come into contact with others!"

  Yin then turned to Golden Ring and shouted: "What are you still dawdling for? Go quickly!" Golden Ring responded, finally breaking free and running wildly away.

  He went out, Xiao Cheng Ye hesitated for a moment, but raised his hand to dismiss the servants in the flower hall, and said to Ling Yuanqing, who was covered in sweat: "Yuanqing, now that things have come to this point, although it's not necessarily so, I must talk to you first!"

  Ling Yuancheng's heart was in a state of turmoil, but he knew that Tian Hua's illness was not ordinary, so he didn't dare to rashly go and visit Lu Weiyang. Upon hearing this, he readily replied: "Whatever you have to say, just speak up!"

  After clearing his throat, Xiao Chengye finally stammered out the matter of the medicine pill. Ling Yuancheng did not expect him to say such a thing and was momentarily stunned, unable to find suitable words for half a day: "You... you..."

  Xiao Chengye smiled wryly and said: "When Wei Ying first had a fever, I didn't think of all that, I just thought he was really having a fever..."

  Just as they were talking, a shout came from outside: "Master, Golden Ring has come back with an answer!"

  "Come in!" Xiao Chengye hastily replied. After this, Jin Huan and another maid walked in together. Ling Yuqing caught a glimpse of the maid out of the corner of his eye and was taken aback for a moment. The maid turned out to be Wenping, who had been by Far Di's side all along. If Xiao Chengye had still been somewhat apprehensive earlier, he immediately put his mind at ease upon seeing Wenping. Since the medicine had been brought out by Far Di, she must have been perfectly clear about the symptoms during the episode. Now, however, she had deliberately sent Wenping over, which was undoubtedly a reassurance.

  The golden ring on her face still had a dense layer of worry, and she couldn't even be bothered to greet him properly, so she hastily reported: "Big sister heard Mr. Lu's symptoms just now, thought for a moment and said... it's not necessarily guaranteed that it's really smallpox..." She got to this point, but couldn't bear it anymore, and burst into loud sobs, covering her face with her hands.

  One of the attendants standing by couldn't help but smile wryly, and stepped forward to pay respects, saying: "Elder Master Xiao, Sixth Master, our young mistress has said that although this illness may not necessarily be smallpox, we must still take precautions. For now, it's best to first move those who have not come into contact with Master Lu today to another location, and temporarily keep those who have had contact in a separate courtyard, observing them for a few days before confirming they haven't contracted the illness."

  Xiao Chengye was stunned for a long time, and after a while, he finally sighed: "Your young lady is really good at plotting! I'm convinced today!" (This station... Your support is my greatest motivation.)