Chapter Eighteen: There Is Hope
Early the next morning, Lin Erlang slipped away quietly. Why did he sneak off? Lin Erlang felt that with a treasure hidden in his arms, could he really afford to be ostentatious? ...Well, when Lin Sanlang handed him the item, Lin Erlang didn’t think much of it at first—it was just ginseng, wasn’t it? The shop had plenty. But upon seeing what Lin Sanlang held, he nearly fainted. This…this was the Purple Jade Dragon King Ginseng, a top-tier specimen, and just this small segment was already so thick—imagine the whole root! Hearing his father’s words, Lin Sanlang quickly packed up and set off.
Carefully, he made his way to the county town, heading straight for the Gu family residence.
At this time—the Gu Residence.
“How could you servants attend to your master so poorly? Why didn’t you report the young master’s condition? If anything were to happen, could you bear the consequences?” In the west wing of the Gu Residence, a lady was reprimanding the staff in the room of the young master—the only cherished grandson of the Gu family, Gu Li (the author weeps: the male lead finally appears).
“Madam, the servants dared not hide anything—it’s just that the young master forbid us from telling, fearing you and the master would worry. Please spare us, madam!” The maids and attendants knelt, pleading, “Please spare us, madam!”
“With the young master so gravely ill, you servants think only of yourselves instead of your master. Take them away and sell them!” Madam Meng grew angrier by the moment. Seeing this, Nurse Lin quickly signaled the servants to drag them out.
When the physician was brought in by two burly men, he broke out in a cold sweat at the scene—my life is forfeit!
Gu Li was in the midst of an attack, his face bluish, and the poor physician was under Madam Gu’s intense scrutiny, not allowed to miss a single detail. Trembling, he withdrew his hand after feeling the pulse and spoke in a shaking voice:
“Madam, the young master suffers from a heart ailment, now made worse by improper care, leading to a fever. This heart condition has been present since birth, and I have no cure. I can only prescribe something to alleviate his symptoms, in hopes of easing his suffering.”
Hearing that her grandson’s symptoms could be eased, Madam Gu quickly said, “Very well, follow the physician’s advice for now! Nurse Lin—”
“Yes, Madam. Physician, please come with me.” Nurse Lin led the doctor away to prepare the medicine.
Page 2/3
The physician departed. Nurse Lin took him to the pharmacy…
Madam Gu returned to the bedside, gazing at her grandson, whose face was bluish and whose lips, bitten in pain, bore bloody wounds. His frail body made her heart ache. She had lost her son and daughter-in-law; she could not bear to lose her grandson. If anything happened to him, how could she go on?
When Lin Erlang arrived, Gu Li had just taken his medicine, with Madam Gu tending to him.
Gu Xiaoxiao, her youngest daughter, also came to visit her nephew. Facing her brother’s only child, Gu Xiaoxiao felt both pity and deep affection. The eldest sister had married and could not visit, so Gu Xiaoxiao often came to speak with Gu Li and keep him company.
“Xiao’er, Li’s attacks are becoming more frequent. If we can’t find the medicine soon, what will we do?” Madam Gu adjusted her grandson’s quilt, her eyes reddening as she looked at his pale face, unable to hold back her tears.
Gu Xiaoxiao hurried forward, taking her mother’s hand to comfort her. “Mother, don’t worry. Isn’t Father searching for the medicine? He’s so capable—he’ll surely find it. Maybe he already has, just handling some trouble. I’m sure he’ll bring it soon.”
Gu Xiaoxiao firmly believed her father would find a solution.
Looking at her daughter's earnest expression, Madam Gu could not be so optimistic, for she knew how rare that medicinal herb was—almost impossible to obtain! Yet she still clung to hope, believing in miracles.
Nurse Lin remained silent, and the room was quiet.
“Madam, Steward Lin has arrived,” the butler, Gu Hao, reported.
“What is Steward Lin doing here? The master hasn’t returned yet—tell him to wait for the master if he has business.”
Madam Gu had no time to receive him and ordered that Lin Erlang be sent away.
Page 3/3
“Madam, Steward Lin says he’s here to present ginseng,” Gu Hao said.
“Ginseng? What kind of ginseng requires him to deliver it personally?”
“I don’t know, but Steward Lin mentioned it’s a ‘Purple Jade Dragon King Ginseng!’” Gu Hao, too, was puzzled.
“What? What did you say? Lin Erlang brought the Purple Jade Dragon King Ginseng?” Madam Gu was instantly agitated, jumping up from the bed and rushing to the butler.
“Yes, Madam, that’s what Steward Lin said.” Gu Hao was startled; Madam Gu was too excited.
“Amitabha, Buddha bless us! It’s found, at last, it’s found—my grandson is saved!” Madam Gu, beside herself with joy, kept repeating prayers.
Gu Xiaoxiao was equally delighted—Li was saved!
“Madam, shouldn’t we invite Steward Lin in at once, lest we keep him waiting?” Nurse Lin, though glad, reminded the two, who were so overwhelmed they kept praying aloud.
Madam Gu composed herself, “Yes, quickly invite Steward Lin in. And hurry to Yunlai Inn to fetch the master—tell him Steward Lin has urgent business to discuss.”
“Yes,” Gu Hao went off to make arrangements.
Page 3/3