◎Then have Girl Fu come take a look.◎

Yunsui’s condition was not severe. After taking the medicine, her fever gradually subsided in the afternoon, though the red rashes on her body were still alarming. The other little maids, having heard that her illness was contagious, hurriedly asked the housekeeper to move Yunsui to a separate room. After another two days, the rashes slowly faded, improving day by day.

Gu Mama was kind-hearted and, worried about poor Yunsui, had come twice to check on her. Seeing her recover, she was surprised—she hadn’t expected that Second Miss really had some skill; that day was not an exaggeration.

Yunsui’s recovery delighted Yun Xing. She told everyone she met that Second Miss was kind-hearted and skilled. Gu Mama had said she couldn’t cure Yunsui, but Second Miss personally examined her pulse and prepared medicine, saving Yunsui.

The little maid’s face flushed with excitement as she recounted the story. Some other maids didn’t believe her—they had never heard of any mistress going out of her way for a second-tier maid. Besides, everyone had been in the household for two or three years, and no one had ever heard that anyone in Zhuyu Courtyard knew medicine.

Seeing their disbelief, Yun Xing scowled and told them to ask Gu Mama. When they did, Gu Mama confirmed that Yun Xing’s story was true! Suddenly, the news that Second Miss was kind and skilled in medicine spread among the maids.

Four days later, Yunsui fully recovered. Back at Zhuyu Courtyard, she respectfully kowtowed twice to Chu Yufu. All the grievances she had suffered vanished; if she hadn’t been sent to Second Miss’s side, her fate might have been grim. It was truly a blessing in disguise.

If Chu Yufu knew Yunsui felt this way, she would have laughed out loud. A minor wind rash was only frightening in appearance. Even without medicine, the recovery would have been slower, but far from “grim.”

Yunsui’s illness gave Chu Yufu a tangible sense that the epidemic had indeed arrived. She became somewhat anxious, occasionally waking in the middle of the night to check her stash of medicinal herbs to ensure they were still in place. Two days later, news came from Cishou Hall—Cousin Lu was ill.

It was lunchtime at Zhuyu Courtyard.

Chu Yufu was having her meal when she suddenly heard the news. Her heart skipped a beat, and she thought silently: it’s here.

Even knowing that Cousin Lu would likely be fine, she couldn’t help asking: “What did Cishou Hall say? Is Cousin Lu’s illness serious? Did they call a doctor?”

“They did. Cousin Lu fell ill yesterday. A doctor was called in the morning, and left half an hour later. I think it’s not serious—if it were, the doctor would have stayed,” Lan Zhu replied after some thought.

“True,” Chu Yufu said, quietly putting down her chopsticks.

Lu Jia’an, the heroine of this story, was flawless in character—warm, lively, generous, and with a strong sense of justice. The more Chu Yufu interacted with her recently, the more she admired this cousin, who cared deeply for her and carried herself with a heroic air.

Her grandmother had also sent Yang Mama twice in recent days, knowing Chu Yufu was physically weak, and specially brought a thick brocade quilt.

The more these two cared for her, the more guilty she felt. She knew she could have prevented them from suffering, yet had done nothing. Each time this thought surfaced, she couldn’t help but smile wryly.

What were their positions, and what was hers? Worrying about others was less useful than focusing on herself.

One had the aura of a story’s heroine, destined to be a powerful marquise; the other was the Chu family’s old matron. The ones needing concern most were themselves. As long as she delivered the medicine in time, her grandmother would be fine.

Comforted by this reasoning, she waited a few days until the appointed time. Around mid-afternoon, she told Lan Zhu to bring the prepared date and yam cakes, intending to visit Cishou Hall.

At the same time, in Cishou Hall, a little maid rushed into the main room, panting: “Bad news, Old Madam Wei! Cousin Lu—Cousin Lu, she—!”

Old Madam Wei clenched her prayer beads and stood abruptly: “What’s happened to Cousin Lu?”

“Cousin Lu… Cousin Lu suddenly has a large outbreak of red spots! You must come see!”

In the east wing, chaos reigned. Lu Jia’an hid in her bed curtains, crying and refusing to see anyone. Her personal girl, Sang Lu, crouched at the bedside, picking up fragments of a broken bronze mirror, crying as she worked.

Old Madam Wei pushed open the door, composed herself, stepped over the mess, lifted the bed curtain, and sat at the edge of the bed. She reached to pull the brocade quilt and said tenderly: “Good Jia’an, let Grandmother see what has happened—”

Lu Jia’an kept crying, clutching the quilt tightly. After a while, the old lady, anxious, also began to shed tears: “My darling, will you worry Grandmother to death?”

The crying subsided slightly from under the quilt, and a muffled voice came: “Everyone, go… go away. Only Grandmother may stay!”

Yang Mama, upon hearing this, quickly called everyone to leave. Only after the footsteps receded outside the door did Lu Jia’an slowly lift her head from under the quilt. Looking at her grandmother, tears streamed down her face: “Wah, Grandmother, my… my face—”

The exposed skin of the young girl was covered in patches of red spots. The rash was as deep in color as a Chinese rose, like birthmarks seeping through the skin, spreading from her cheeks down to her neck. From the opened clothing, even her chest was dotted with red spots—frightening to behold.

Old Madam Wei’s heart felt like it was shattering. She bent over, hugged her granddaughter tightly, stroking the top of her head repeatedly, tears flowing as she said, “Jia’an, don’t be afraid. Grandmother will find the best doctor to treat you. Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid!”

After tucking her granddaughter back under the quilt and closing the bed curtains, she wiped her tears and called for someone to come in: “Quickly prepare a carriage and go to Jinma Street to fetch a doctor!”

Lu Jia’an lay on the bed, tears rolling endlessly. She recalled the face she had just seen in the mirror, and her heart sank. Only a simple cold—how could it become like this? She had been fine before her nap; how could a single sleep ruin her face?

A girl in her bloom, the age to love beauty, seeing her features ruined in an instant—how could she not despair? Such a disease, she thought, even Old Madam Wei may never have seen before!

Am I suddenly struck by a strange illness and going to die? Will these odd red spots on my body ever go away? Will my face ever return to how it was?

If I turn into a hideous creature, Young Master Zhao will certainly not want to see me again, nor would he like me! A strange, unbearable itch spread from the red spots. Lu Jia’an clutched the peony gold hairpin Young Master Zhao had given her and cried even louder.

Old Madam Wei sat at the edge of the bed, her eyes red, her heart pounding violently. Clutching her prayer beads, she chanted Amitabha Buddha repeatedly, her mind in a panic.

Rain mixed with snow pelted the roof, clattering loudly. Even in the warm room, she felt chilled, and the hand resting on her lap began to tremble.

Seeing this, Yang Mama thought: “Not good,” and hurried forward, holding the old lady’s cold right hand and whispering close: “Old Madam, please don’t panic. If you lose your composure first, Cousin Lu will have even less confidence!”

It was no wonder the old lady felt flustered. Fifteen years ago, on a winter day just like this with rain and snow, her third daughter, Miss Wen, who had not yet married, fell ill. It was also a simple cold, yet by the next day she was vomiting blood and died that night in the old lady’s arms.

Fifteen years later, Cousin Lu, who resembled her aunt, arrived. Again it was a cold, a strange illness, and a rainy, snowy day. Not only did the old lady feel anxious, even Yang Mama herself was somewhat unnerved!

After a long moment, Old Madam Wei forced herself to calm down and asked aloud: “Has the doctor arrived?”

A little maid replied: “Old Madam, it hasn’t even been half a quarter of an hour since the carriage left!”

The old lady was a bit dazed—less than half a quarter of an hour? She had felt like it had already been a long time.

Outside the room, the little maid Dan Xiang seemed distracted. Yang Mama called her to add charcoal to the room, but she didn’t hear the calls. When she finally snapped back to attention, Yang Mama’s face had already changed. After hesitating for a moment, Dan Xiang stepped forward and whispered:

“Mother, I think I’ve seen this illness before.”

Yang Mama widened her eyes, glanced into the room, pulled her toward the corner of the corridor, and whispered: “Really?”

Dan Xiang nodded: “Yes, really. A few days ago, Yunsui in the neighboring room fell ill, the same as Cousin Lu—covered in red rashes and with a fever!” Out of curiosity, she had peeked at Yunsui from a distance through the window and saw her body and face covered in red, almost identical to Cousin Lu.

“What about her now? Is she better? Which doctor treated her, and what medicine did she take?” Yang Mama asked.

“She’s fine now. No doctor was called. Second Miss treated her herself and prepared the medicine for her,” Dan Xiang replied.

“Second Miss?” Yang Mama was confused. “Which Second Miss?”

Dan Xiang blinked: “Which other Second Miss? The Second Miss of Zhuyu Courtyard!”

Yang Mama was stunned—Second Miss has this ability? But then she thought: Second Miss could make sleep-inducing sachets and understood massage techniques—she clearly had some medical knowledge. She simply hadn’t realized she could actually prescribe medicine and treat illness.

Breaking her train of thought, Yang Mama asked Dan Xiang a couple more questions, then returned to the east wing, leaning close to the old lady and speaking softly.

Old Madam Wei was surprised upon hearing this, hardly daring to believe it. Yang Mama, seeing her expression, understood her thoughts and reassured her: “Old Madam, Second Miss’s maternal grandfather and mother both know medicine. It’s reasonable she can practice it too. Having her examine Cousin Lu is better than having us, who don’t understand, watching. Besides, Cousin Lu and Second Miss have always been close; with her here, Cousin Lu may feel better.”

Old Madam Wei sighed, listening to the continuous sobs beside her, and nodded: “Then have Girl Fu come take a look.”