Time Travel: The Noble Family
Chapter 382 - 134: Heavy Snow_4

Chapter 382: Chapter 134: Heavy Snow_4

Doctor Li gave Heping a cold glance and did not answer his words, but instead said to Guan Jingshuo, "If that booklet is of no use, return it to this old man."

Guan Jingshuo thought the booklet was a valuable item, "Doctor Li, I haven’t finished studying it yet. I’ll return it to you once I’ve learned everything."

Doctor Li nodded, "Alright, I’ll come for another consultation in a month. The fee will be one hundred silver notes." A fool wouldn’t slaughter a fat head; with these one hundred silver notes, he could go to the Eight Immortals Restaurant today and enjoy the best wine and dishes.

Guan Jingshuo dutifully paid the one hundred silver notes as the consultation fee.

After receiving the silver note, Doctor Li returned to the back hall, murmuring as he walked, "Today, I’ll enjoy good wine and dishes again; how comforting."

Heping was exasperated, thinking that this was no doctor but rather a drunkard. Guan Jingshuo, smiling, said, "If Doctor Li doesn’t mind, I would like to invite you to the Eight Immortals Tower,"

Doctor Li made a face of disdain, "Why would I need your invitation? I’m not a beggar. I have money." With that, he left.

Guan Jingshuo watched Doctor Li’s departing figure and smiled, finding such people rare in the world. Many doctors liked to ingratiate themselves with the powerful to gain fame, but this man, though peculiar, was not a sycophant. Doctor Li’s medical skills were exceptional, and his conduct was carefree; Guan Jingshuo greatly admired him.

Guan Jingshuo returned to the Marquis’ household and showed Marquis Yongding the new prescription prescribed by Doctor Li. Marquis Yongding nodded, "Since it is useful, follow his method."

Guan Jingshuo nodded, "Father, Doctor Li said that my good improvement is also related to daily bathing in hot springs. I plan to return to Peach Blossom Village tomorrow and come back after the New Year. Father, after the New Year, I’ll stay at the village until April or May before returning."

As long as it benefitted his son’s health, Marquis Yongding opposed nothing. Seeing the effects, Marquis Yongding no longer thought of searching for famous doctors in Jiangnan. Considering Doctor Li’s medical skills were also good, it was an opportunity worth seizing.

Guan Jingshuo stayed in Marquis Yongding’s Family for two days before heading to Peach Blossom Village. Lady Xiao Ning suggested going after the New Year, but Guan Jingshuo refused, "Mother, I don’t feel cold at the village. Here, I cannot even sleep at night."

Lady Xiao Ning wanted to continue, but from the side, Marquis Yongding coldly said, "If Shuoshuo feels good at the village, let him go. Why are you stopping him?" Marquis Yongding was no fool; his son had always respected this stepmother,

Lady Xiao Ning’s expression stiffened. Marquis Yongding’s words, if taken seriously, might imply she harbored ill intentions. Lady Xiao Ning exhaled deeply and said with a smile, "I was just worried that the back-and-forth travel might be even harder on Shuoshuo’s health."

Marquis Yongding looked at Lady Xiao Ning, recalling his son’s wish to keep his improved health secret, and his expression became stern, "Let that be the end of this matter. Let Shuoshuo go to the village tomorrow." Then to Guan Jingshuo, he said, "Come with me to the study."

In the study, Marquis Yongding looked at his son and asked, "Do you suspect her?" Although Marquis Yongding favored the concubines in the backyard, he never allowed a concubine-born child to overstep Guan Jingshuo. In the household, the first to enjoy the best things was always Guan Jingshuo.

Facing the father who cared deeply for him, Guan Jingshuo found no reason to deceive. After a long time, Guan Jingshuo said with difficulty, "Doctor Li said my illness is due to over-nourishment, and if it continues like this, I won’t survive more than three years. Dad, I know my own body, it has worsened a lot compared to two years ago. Doctor Li is not being alarmist, if not for him, I might indeed not live past three years." Before, one could say Doctor Li was being alarmist, but now he was suddenly filled with fear. Without Yueyao’s reminder, he would have only three years to live.

Marquis Yongding’s face changed dramatically, but seeing his son’s healthy complexion, Marquis Yongding felt relieved, "Shuo’er, who told you that this Doctor Li could cure your disease?" He had never really believed his son’s claim about a friend; his son did not have many friends, and he could count on one hand the people his son was close to. Moreover, this Doctor Li was a commoner, and his son’s acquaintances were either rich or noble, how would he know such a doctor from the commoners who was also quite obscure.

Guan Jingshuo lowered his head. He couldn’t tell Marquis Yongding that it was Yueyao who had told him. That would arouse his father’s suspicion, and he did not want to bring trouble to Yueyao. Yueyao had already saved his life; how could he bring trouble to her now?

Marquis Yongding, watching his son’s expression, knew he would not speak; "You do not have to say anything, but you must properly thank that person. This doctor might not be famous, but he indeed has genuine skills. The person who told you about him must be no ordinary individual."

Guan Jingshuo nodded vigorously, "Dad, I will."

After Guan Jingshuo left, Marquis Yongding’s expression darkened. After a long time, he took out a box from his desk, which contained a painting, a portrait of a stunning beauty.

Marquis Yongding looked at the beauty in the painting and whispered lowly, "Lady Yun, it’s my fault that I did not protect Shuoshuo well. Rest assured, it won’t happen again."

Yueyao and Nanny Deng’s guesses were correct. Lady Xiao Ning’s infertility was indeed orchestrated by Ning Yun, but Ning Yun’s preparations went beyond that. Years ago, after being advised by Madam Ma, she had thought of finding another partner for her husband, but at that time, the Duke’s Mansion did not agree to Ning Yun’s request. For the sake of the family’s interests, they could not change the partner.

Ning Yun knew she could not completely fall out with the Duke’s Mansion because her son would still need their support in the future. Yet, she was not willing to suffer in silence, and she had prepared her moves in secret. Before dying, she made Marquis Yongding swear to treat their child well.

Marquis Yongding swore before Ning Yun. While Lady Xiao Ning’s appearance was not bad, compared to the heavenly beautiful and outstanding Ning Yun, there was a noticeable difference. Marquis Yongding, who was not a man to value only appearance, demanded a combination of both beauty and talent. By marrying Lady Xiao Ning, his suspicions toward the deceased Lady Ning grew, thus Lady Xiao Ning was never favored.

In the past, the Duke’s Mansion did not allow Ning Yun to go back on her decision, primarily because of the Duke’s Mansion’s Heir Apparent, who was also Lady Xiao Ning’s own brother. In the siblings’ eyes, there was no better marriage connection than this.

Lady Xiao Ning feared that Lady Ning and the legal mother might target her over this matter, so she was very cautious with her food and other personal items at that time. However, Lady Xiao Ning did not know that Lady Ning had never intended to harm her at her parental home. Barely three months after Lady Xiao Ning entered the family, Guan Jingshuo fell ill with a fever. Lady Xiao Ning, naturally wanting to display her virtuous qualities, stayed by Guan Jingshuo’s side day and night to take care of him. But she could never have imagined that during this period, she would forever lose the chance to be a mother.

Guan Jingshuo had Zhang Quan investigate certain matters, and answers were quickly found, as these were not secrets and anyone with slightly extensive connections could find out.

Guan Jingshuo organized the information Zhang Quan had gathered and discovered a shocking issue. Marquis Jingning’s Residence, Marquis Weiyuan’s Mansion, Marquis Luyang’s residence, and Marquis Yongding - among these four historically hereditary marquis titles, except for Marquis Yongding’s Family, all the other three mansions had people holding significant military positions, controlling authority in their realms. But their family had no one in a military role.

At that moment, Guan Jingshuo finally understood what Yueyao meant by Marquis Yongding’s Family severing its own foundation. Since ancient times, the civil and military sectors had not mixed well. Although his father had a notable reputation in the Capital City, he held only a ceremonial position without real power. And with Marquis Yongding’s Family entering civil service through the imperial examination, equating civil roles with forsaking ties with the powerful, their relatives were all enduring in sixth or seventh rank positions, with no one in the family holding significant power. If this continued, Marquis Yongding’s Family would decline.

Guan Jingshuo, remembering Yueyao’s words, felt a great sense of admiration. Third Miss of the Lian Family’s insight was not something ordinary people could match. They had such a significant flaw in their family, unnoticed by those involved, yet a completely unrelated nine-year-old girl was aware of it, which was indeed embarrassing.