Noble's Woman Guide

Chapter 108 - Payment of silver

In less than the time of a lighted joss stick, the news that the Queen Mother inflicted distress to Ye Huaiyang's pregnancy spread throughout the imperial palace and outside the palace, likewise, the Queen Mother was thus killed by the deputy commander of the imperial guard, Ci Yuan, was also amongst it and these were spiritedly discussed for a short while.

As the head of the Imperial Hospital, Lu Heng rushed to Taiji Palace in the first moments. The palace was as warm as spring with the furnaces blazing. With quick paces, the cascading scarlet muslins were drawn back to the side layers upon layers where an obscure figure lay at the end, who seemingly heard the sound of footsteps, stretched out a slender white hand.

" .... Niang-niang?"

Somewhat hesitant yet afraid of delaying the treatment, he immediately asked Yue'ya to draw the silk thread* and carefully check the pulses. But as soon as his fingers pressed on it, he felt that something was not right — this isn't a sign of miscarriage? Obviously, there is nothing wrong!

[T/N: * Suspended silk pulse diagnosis ]

Lu Heng was still astonished when the person inside spoke languidly, "Physician Lu, have you seen Sister Yun recently?"

" ... have not met her."

On the day the city was breached, Xie Miao mobilized all the Xie family's resources to help Chu Jinglan clean up the mess. Bumping into him, Lu Heng knew that Xie Yun was not dead and felt relieved instantly yet what followed was emptiness, as if caught in an endless dark void that no matter how he struggled, only empty solitude greeted him.

Later, Xie Miao restructured his family businesses and served as the assistant minister for the Board of Revenue at the same time. Although the Xie family was not as glorious as before, they were still a stronghold for the prominent families. Hence, they still received many invitations but most of them were attended by Xie Miao with the sons and daughters of the Shu branches while Xie Yun had not been seen.

There have been rumors outside that said she was disfigured by the fire so she never left the house and Lu Heng had asked Xie Miao about this but was rebuffed by him. Till now, he doesn't know what exactly is Xie Yun's situation, but his heart is in a perturbed state while his nights are restless. Remembering the appearance when she was scalded before, his chest seemed to be ablaze with torment again.

He can't let go and is unable to give up completely, so he doesn't know what to do.

Just at this moment, Ye Huaiyang's voice drifted out through the light canopy, "You do know about her disfigurement."

Lu Heng was slightly shaken and the hand that clasped the silk thread unconsciously clenched tightly when he immediately questioned closely, "Is it true? Is her condition serious? Is she still being treated?"

"Since you are so concerned, why don't you ask her yourself?"

Such an apathetic sentence stifled Lu Heng terribly yet he just kept silent. As if all the spikes on his body had diminished with the revenge, he only spoke grimly after a long time, "She is unwilling to see me the few times I visited her."

"Bengong will also be unwilling to see my beloved if Bengong's face is ruined. Did Physician Lu lose sight of this thought?" Overflowing radiant in Ye Huaiyang's phoenix eyes shot straight at Lu Heng's hung head, "But Bengong has sent someone to take a look. Her injury is rather critical but it's under control. Just her state of mind is low and will take a while to assuage. Bengong has asked Xie Miao to keep a close eye on her, lest she do anything stupid."

The last two words were like a heavy hammer pounding on Lu Heng's heart, the dull pain was unbearable that he stood up and forgot himself.

"She ... she will do something stupid?"