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In the evening, Manager Li, Physician Chen, Physician He, and Master Qin, along with his grandson, were invited to Yuling Courtyard for dinner.
Lu Man was extremely exhausted and didn’t stay for dinner. She left Mama Wang and her family, along with Lu Ying, behind and took the young siblings back to Donghui Courtyard to rest.
After that, He Cheng visited Donghui Courtyard every day at the hour of Chen (around 7-9 AM) to attend Mr. Feng’s class, copy medical texts in the study, and learn medical skills from Lu Man. He made at least two trips to Donghui Courtyard daily. He Mingzhu also visited Donghui Courtyard at least once a day to chat with her daughter, check on the young siblings, and occasionally share a meal there, although most meals were still eaten at their own home.
In the He household, there were only the mother and son, along with Fu Qin’s family of four, totaling six individuals. They now received a fixed monthly rent of fifty taels. Previously, He Cheng had some silver, and on the day of their move, they received a hefty sum of 1,200 taels in gifts. This substantial amount of money left He Mingzhu and He Cheng astounded for a long time. With the additional income from Lu Man and He Cheng’s financial planning, they were living quite comfortably.
Upon seeing the generous gifts, He Mingzhu was amazed, “These are all noble guests who came to support us and brought so many gifts. It’s all because of your sister’s reputation.”
He Cheng nodded, “Yes, sister is truly remarkable. Despite the difficult start, within a year, she has built such a strong network. Not only is she skilled in medicine, but also in handling relationships… I need to learn from her.”
Due to the word of mouth spread by Mrs. Fu and Mama Wang, He Cheng’s reputation as a medical practitioner gradually spread among the servants at the Princess Changting’s mansion. Knowing he was a descendant of Imperial Physician He Huang and the brother of the renowned “Goddess of Healing” Third Young Madam Jiang, they sought his medical expertise. He treated those he could and referred the more complex cases to medical facilities, occasionally seeking advice from Lu Man.
He Cheng was skilled in medicine, had a gentle demeanor, no airs about him, lived close to their residence, and was handsome. This attracted more and more servants seeking medical attention to him.
Especially young ladies, even if not truly ill, they would come to Yuling Courtyard to see the rumored handsome young man. He wouldn’t expose their pretense but also wouldn’t prescribe medication, simply advising on diet and refusing to charge for consultations without prescribing any medicine. He treated these young ladies with care, placing a white silk cloth on their wrists before taking their pulse.
He Cheng didn’t mention any consultation fees when treating patients, but he felt awkward not receiving payment from those who could afford it. Most people were willing to pay based on the standard fees of the nearby medical clinic.
Of course, He Cheng accepted payment when offered. He dedicated his time, expertise, and even stationery to treating patients. However, if someone couldn’t pay, he wouldn’t ask for compensation and would maintain his amiable demeanor. In cases of extreme hardship, where a couple of eggs were offered as payment, he would accept them graciously without showing any disdain.
As a charming and skilled young man, loved by all, especially since his sister was the third granddaughter-in-law of Princess Changting’s household, even the Princess and the old Marquis adored him. Even those with ill intentions didn’t dare to harm him.
Gradually, even some servants from the residence of Duke Pingguo Liu began seeking medical help from He Cheng. The residences of Duke Pingguo Liu and the Princess Changting were close, and their servants lived nearby, with some families even being interrelated by marriage.
One evening, as the sun set and colorful clouds filled the sky, He Cheng returned home from Donghui Courtyard, walking along a quiet path with only the sound of his footsteps. With his medical texts nearly transcribed, he felt unusually relaxed.
Living here was truly pleasant. He was close to his sister, allowing him and his mother to see her every day. With his medical skills and studies improving significantly, and having made a few like-minded friends, he felt content.
He knew all of this was arranged by his sister, and for now, he relied on her guidance. In the future, when he succeeded, he could support his mother and assist his sister. Thinking about the promising days ahead, his spirits lifted even more.
In the distance, he saw smoke rising from the roof of Yuling Courtyard and quickened his pace.
Approaching the small gate of Yuling Courtyard, he heard a voice from the other side, “Young Master He, this way.”
The voice was crisp and hushed, as if trying not to be overheard.
He Cheng halted, glanced to his right, and saw a crack in the wall of Liu’s residence with a small head peering out—it was the maid who had sought Lu Man’s help before.
Seeing He Cheng, the maid waved and called out, “Young Master He, please come and see my mistress.”
He Cheng shook his head and declined, “It’s not appropriate. It’s better for your mistress to visit a medical clinic.”
The maid pleaded, “If we could go to a medical clinic, I wouldn’t have needed to ask Young Master He. Since you can help others and even other young ladies, why can’t you help my mistress?”
He Cheng responded, “If you managed to get my sister’s attention, then your mistress must be seriously ill. I can only handle minor ailments and not complex cases.”
The maid persisted, “Young Master He, you haven’t even examined her. Why assume it’s a complex case?”
Considering her point, He Cheng agreed, “In that case, have your mistress come to my residence, and I will examine her.” With that, he started to walk away.
The maid urgently added, “A compassionate healer, could Young Master He bear the thought of my mistress dying in her prime?”
He Cheng paused and turned back.
Seeing his hesitation, the maid continued, “My mistress can’t easily leave the house, she lives in a nearby courtyard not far from this door. Please show mercy and see if her condition can be treated. If there’s hope, we’ll find a way. I implore you!”
After a moment of uncertainty, He Cheng walked towards the small door. Upon reaching it, he hesitated, unsure if he should enter, and then found himself forcibly pulled inside by the maid.
The door creaked shut. Apart from bird songs, the road was quiet, as if the preceding scene hadn’t occurred.
He Cheng had been forcefully pulled into a strange world, surrounded by lush greenery, immediately sensing the dampness in the air. The maid led him out of the small grove towards a nearby small courtyard.
This was the northwest corner of Duke Pingguo’s residence, a seldom-trodden area made even quieter by the tranquility of the evening.
The northwest side door was used by the maid to burn incense at night, and only Yao, the maid responsible for this task, held the key to this door. As this door was close to Fourth Miss Liu’s residence at Flowing Flower Residence, only a few individuals at Liu’s residence, including Yao, were aware of Fourth Miss Liu’s presence there and were instructed to monitor her movements and speech.