The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 689 - 678: Second Old Master Ji

Chapter 689: Chapter 678: Second Old Master Ji

All the herbs listed on the prescription were located and shown to the doctors one by one. After confirming they were correct, some set about making medicinal pastes, while others brewed herbal decoctions...

Doctor Ji then pondered over the acupuncture points before proceeding to administer the needles to Ji Hao.

As soon as the needle was inserted, Old Madam Ji and Second Madam Ji arrived in the courtyard with a middle-aged man in a rather impressive manner. Knowing that Ji Hao’s room needed to be kept clean, only the three of them and the old nanny entered the room.

Ji Xiang hurried to the bedside, and upon seeing his youngest son, he nearly burst into tears.

Doctor Ji, who was in the midst of inserting needles, didn’t show surprise or panic as he had been informed in advance of Ji Xiang’s arrival. He gave a slight nod and continued with the acupuncture.

After the needles were in place, Ji Xiang asked, "Doctor Ji, this is for..."

"To reduce the fever."

Ji Xiang’s heart tightened as he inquired, "Has it been constant?"

Doctor Ji nodded, "It subsided for a while, but the temperature rose again quickly."

"Mother mentioned you’ve prescribed a new medical formula. How confident are you in this new recipe?"

Doctor Ji sighed, "The young master is grievously wounded. No matter how good the prescription, the chances of success are slim. He hasn’t awakened yet, and the fever hasn’t subsided..."

Ji Xiang didn’t want to hear this. Slightly impatient, he demanded, "Just tell me, how confident are you all?"

Doctor Ji’s brows furrowed ever so slightly as he said, "There’s only an additional ten to twenty percent chance of success compared to the original."

Ji Xiang’s expression turned sour. He looked down at his son once more and then turned to help his mother leave.

Old Madam Ji cast a covert glare at him and reassured Doctor Ji, "Thank you for your efforts. He has just returned from a wearying journey, and we were not attentive enough to the child, which is why he is upset. He’s not angry with you."

Ji Xiang reluctantly said, "Mother, I dare not..."

Old Madam Ji gave him another hidden glare and assisted him out of the courtyard. Once outside, she scolded him in a low voice, "Your son’s life is still in their hands. Why are you lashing out at the doctor?"

"I didn’t..."

"Didn’t you?" Old Madam Ji said frankly, "Your face says otherwise. They’ve done their utmost these four days, and I’ve seen it."

Old Madam Ji, wiping away tears, said, "You weren’t there. Your son’s belly was filled with blood. Imperial Physician Fan and Doctor Ji had to cut open and remove several things from inside him. At that moment, I thought Ji Hao’s survival was unlikely. I don’t blame them; I only blame Ying Wenhai and the Ying Family. How vicious, to torment a child of my family like this."

Ji Xiang’s face grew dark. He glared at Second Madam Ji and bitterly said, "I punished him during the Mid-Autumn Festival, but you, out of indulgence, disagreed. Now look, he has brought about a huge disaster."

Second Madam Ji lowered her head and wiped her tears.

Old Madam Ji was displeased and sternly said, "Are you blaming your wife, or are you blaming me? It was I who let him out during Mid-Autumn Festival. He had an injury on his chest, and you were punishing and confining him. Were you trying to take his life?"

Angry, she continued, "I said back then we should investigate thoroughly and severely punish whoever caused the injury, but you didn’t take it seriously. Look now, your son’s life is on the line."

Old Madam Ji grew angrier as she spoke, "I’ve made inquiries; it was Ying Wenhai who instigated the infliction of that wound. If he had been found and severely punished then, perhaps none of this would have happened."

Old Madam Ji, tears streaming down her face, lamented, "We hardly get to see each other all year. Finally, during Mid-Autumn Festival, father and son were reunited, and all you knew was to punish him, even sending him to reside at the boarding school. Is this how a father acts? Is this how your father taught you when you were young?"

Now Ji Xiang was the one with his head down, silent. But he remembered that when he was his son’s age, he was studying away from home, and he never did anything to anger his own father.

Once they reached the main hall, Old Madam Ji finally calmed down a bit and wiped her tears, saying, "Your return is timely. These past days, my thoughts have been consumed with Ji Hao, and I’ve paid little attention to outside affairs. Yet, I’m aware that the Ying Family has been active, not only in approaching the witnesses who were present during the incident but even Doctor Ji’s family has received generous gifts. You already know what the Ying Family intends to do, don’t you?"

Ji Xiang nodded grimly and asked, "Has the Ying Family not come to apologize?"

Old Madam Ji’s gaze turned sharp as she looked at him, "What would it matter if they did? I ordered all their visitors to be thrown out. Let me tell you, Ji Xiang, regardless of how you and your father deal with this, you better listen to me—if Ji Hao survives intact, I will let you handle the situation; but if anything happens to him... if he suffers the slightest harm, I will ensure Ying Wenhai pays with his life..."

As she spoke, Old Madam Ji burst into sorrowful tears, "My poor Ji Hao is such a good child. That morning he was so cheerful, showing off his new clothes to me before leaving the house. Then he stepped outside and this happened; it’s like they’re gouging out my heart."

Ji Xiang opened his mouth but could only nod gravely and said, "I understand, Mother. I’ll wash up and then go to see County Magistrate Tang."

With that, he rose to his feet and looked toward Second Madam Ji.

Old Madam Ji then nodded at Second Madam Ji, signaling her to attend to him.

The couple bowed and left. Ji Xiang didn’t dismiss the servants until they were back in their own courtyard. There, he said to Second Madam Ji, "You should also persuade mother."

Second Madam Ji took a wet towel to assist him with washing up and responded, "I’ve been trying to persuade Mother, but you know she has always doted on Ji Hao the most. How could she not be heartbroken with him in such a state?"

Ji Xiang sighed and said, "You still don’t understand. I meant to persuade Mother to be more accepting, not to go head-to-head with the Ying Family."

Second Madam Ji paused, then looked up at him, "What do you mean by that? Your son has been injured like this; isn’t it right to confront them?"

Ji Xiang said, "The Ying Family has the backing of Prince of Yizhou. Do you think it possible for Ying Wenhai to be held accountable?"

Being an officer at the Bureau of Judicial Review, Ji Xiang was well-versed in laws, "Even without the support of Prince of Yizhou, with Ji Hao’s condition as it is, it would be impossible to sentence Ying Wenhai to death. Exile would be the most severe punishment."

And with Prince of Yizhou’s involvement, it’s likely not even exile could be secured.

Second Madam Ji was stunned for a moment before reacting. Still holding the wet towel, she flung it in frustration at his face, furious, "Ji Xiang, if you dare to negotiate using my son as a bargaining chip, I will take him back to my parents’ home to let my father decide!"

With that, she ran off, covering her face as she cried.

Caught off guard, Ji Xiang was slapped in the face by the wet towel; by the time he realized what had happened, his wife was already gone.

He became enraged, throwing the towel into the basin and venting, "Incorrigible, truly incorrigible, she has spoiled the child rotten."

Just as Second Madam Ji fled the courtyard, Old Madam Ji was informed of the scene.

She scoffed and instructed Daya, "Go, accompany Second Madam Ji to the young master’s courtyard. Let her stay there with her son. She’s only thinking of her husband now, but the only reliable one left is her son. No, even the son is unreliable now."