Chapter 13: The Mysterious Illness

While Murong Huan was still deep in sleep, chaos was erupting in the western courtyard of the Su family residence. Su Ze, the third young master, was being carried back by a few servants, but he was convulsing uncontrollably—his mouth twisted, eyes askew, baring his teeth wildly, his entire body trembling violently. The servants struggled to restrain him.

Madam Qin, the lady of the house, was beside herself, nearly vomiting blood from her anxiety, crying out desperately as she pointed at several maids and servants to go seek a doctor. But it was the dead of night, and where could they possibly find a doctor at this hour? Even if they did, who would be willing to come?

Fortunately, Third Madam Qiu claimed to know a physician who lived not far from the Su estate and promised she could summon him. She wrote a formal invitation and sent it with her maid and one of Madam Qin’s maids to the Healing Lane to find the doctor.

“Madam Si, don’t worry. The third young master will be fine; everything happens for a reason. Once Doctor Mo arrives, he will surely recover,” Third Madam comforted.

Hearing this, Madam Qin could not hold back her tears. “How can I not worry? The third young master was perfectly fine until now—how could he suddenly fall ill with such a strange affliction? Though my son is not particularly bright, my only wish was for him to live safely and soundly.”

“I understand, I feel the same about my sixth son. No matter how intelligent a mind is, it’s no substitute for a healthy body. No promising future is worth more than a peaceful life.”

“Then why did he fall ill all of a sudden?” Madam Qin cried, her face growing fierce.

The trembling servant, terrified under her gaze, hurriedly kowtowed. “Madam, it was a ghost. The third young master asked me to accompany him during the night, but on the way back, he suddenly saw a ghostly figure drifting through the courtyard, and that’s why he was so scared... that’s why he’s like this!”

“Nonsense! There are no such things as ghosts!” The old matriarch of the Su family, roused by the commotion and supported by a maid, hurried into the Yunxiang Courtyard where the third young master was. Upon hearing this, she shouted sharply.

“There really was a ghost. I saw the shadow drifting toward the northernmost courtyard!” one maid confirmed.

The northernmost courtyard had been arranged by Madam Qiu for the newly returned second mistress. It was originally an abandoned courtyard, cleared only today to serve as the child’s residence.

“Could it be that child deliberately came out to frighten us? She’s been sickly since childhood and now she’s causing my son to fall ill too? Besides, she’s always been an ill omen...” Madam Qin began.

Before she could finish, a sharp rebuke cut through the air: “What nonsense are you spouting? I see that child is quite well now, no different from any normal person. Walk upright and the evils will dissipate; as long as one conducts oneself properly, there’s nothing to fear from demons or malevolent spirits. Has the third young master done something wrong recently? Is he just paranoid?”

It was Su Qing who had entered and was scolding Madam Qin bluntly.

“Do you have any conscience? Your son is in this state, and you still say such things? Are you even his father?” Qin cried, raising her fists to strike, but Su Qing dodged.

He had no expectations for his third son. Aside from being relatively sane, the boy was a hopeless dullard who refused to learn no matter how much he was taught. He had even been given a rare chance to study at the Imperial Academy’s Four Gates Hall, but right before the entrance exam, he cowardly fled. The exam was merely a formality, but since then he avoided Su Qing, spending his days with a disreputable crowd, gambling and drinking, learning nothing but losing money.

If it weren’t for the shops left behind by the second elder brother and his wife, which had brought in a steady income, the Su family would not have been able to withstand such turmoil caused by the third young master and his companions.

Su Qing sighed and said, “Then let’s go to that child’s courtyard to see if she was the one who passed through just now.”

His suggestion was quickly agreed upon by the women present. So, aside from Madam Qin and a few maids who stayed by the third young master’s bedside, the others lit lanterns and went to the Wisteria Courtyard where Murong Huan was staying. Upon arrival, the courtyard was silent except for the rustling leaves; no other sound could be heard. The room was dark, no lamps lit, so the two girls inside had presumably fallen asleep.

“Since the child is already asleep, let’s not disturb her. Everyone return,” Su Qing said.

“Brother, ever since this child came back, our son has been frightened into this strange illness. Isn’t this a bad omen? Should we really keep her here to continue harming people?” Madam Qin insisted.

“Silence, Qin! Listen to yourself!” Su Qing snapped.

“How is the third young master’s condition her fault? How can you blame all this misfortune on a child?”

“The second brother is gone, can’t we show some kindness to the child he left behind? I think it’s because our family ignores this child that none of the Su descendants have ever truly succeeded or thrived!” Madam Qin’s words stunned not only herself but also Madam Qiu.

The old matriarch was furious. “I don’t like hearing that. So in your eyes, all the Su family descendants are foolish?”

Yet none could be found who even matched half the wit of the second elder brother.

Su Qing fell silent. Just then, Ah Shu, seemingly half-asleep, wobbled out. Without a lamp, her dark silhouette swayed like a ghost, immediately causing the maids to scream in terror: “A ghost!”

Their screams startled Ah Shu fully awake.

“Why are you all in our courtyard?”

“What nonsense! What do you mean ‘our courtyard’? A servant with no manners! This is all that child’s wild upbringing in the countryside!”

“Bring me someone to slap her soundly!”

Several maids surged forward. Seeing this, Ah Shu fled back into the room.

“Oh, you dare hide? I’ll make you regret it!” the lead maid Jiang Yu shouted.

“I’m my lady’s maid. What right do you have to bully me?” Ah Shu protested.

“Enough of this nonsense!” Su Qing, annoyed, intervened and then asked Ah Shu, “Has Murong Huan gone to sleep? Did she move around the courtyard just now?”

“No, no. My lady was very tired yesterday and is sleeping soundly,” Ah Shu replied quickly.

Su Qing said no more, turning his gaze to his mother.

At that moment, a maid ran over from the Yunxiang Courtyard, reporting, “Young master, old madam, Doctor Mo has arrived!”

“Forget it, mother. This has nothing to do with Murong Huan. Let’s go back and watch over the third young master carefully,” Su Qing said.

The old matriarch had nothing to say and hurried to the Yunxiang Courtyard. By then, an elderly doctor was already examining Su Ze’s pulse, but after some time, he only frowned and sighed without speaking.

“How is it? Is it serious? Can it be treated?” Madam Qin asked anxiously.

The doctor replied, “From his pulse, there’s no major illness. But why he’s in this state, I truly cannot tell. Could it be from fright?”

“Yes! It’s fright! Can it be cured?” Madam Qin pressed.

Doctor Mo frowned again, lost in thought. Suddenly, Su Ze muttered repeatedly, “Don’t look for me. It wasn’t me. I didn’t harm you. It was all that Zhou Jiulang’s doing. He...”

Startled, the doctor stood up and bowed to Su Qing. “Forgive my ignorance, but I cannot treat this condition. I have urgent matters to attend to. I must take my leave.”

With that, he headed for the door.

“Doctor Mo—”

Madam Qin tried to stop him, but Su Qing blocked her and politely escorted the doctor out.

“Brother, what do you mean letting the doctor leave like that? What about the third young master’s illness?”

“Doctor Mo’s meaning is clear: there is no illness. He just refuses to study and is faking illness!”

“How can you say that?”

“Even if he is ill, it’s not physical but mental! Didn’t you hear what he said? ‘It wasn’t me who harmed them.’ This unfilial son must have done something shameful, so he’s scared himself sick!”

Su Qing sighed helplessly. “Don’t waste time calling more doctors. If anyone else talks about this outside, we might all end up in the imperial prison together!”

Madam Qin bit her lip, tears streaming, but said nothing more.

…

The chaos in the Su residence did not awaken Murong Huan. What roused her was a strange dream.

In the dream, several drunken rakes chased after a white-robed fairy into a temple. Inside, they saw several beauties gathered in groups. The rakes then mingled playfully with the beauties. Suddenly, the scene shifted—the beauties vanished, leaving only white bones behind. The rakes, overcome with excitement, all suddenly died within the temple.

Murong Huan opened her eyes abruptly and sat up on her couch. As she woke, she felt a burning pain on her right arm.

Ah Shu’s voice came softly to her ear: “Ah Huan, you’ve woken up?”