Chapter 096
Chapter 96: Broken Bone
“How is uncle?” Xia Meng Yan, helped by a maid, hurried into the hall. The central room was full of people, and crying carried out from the east room where Madam Jia was.
Old Master Lin saw Xia Meng Yan rush in. His tone was unhappy, but his words showed care: “Slow down, you are with child.”
Second Master Qian, seated below Old Master Lin, echoed him: “Meng Yan, do not worry. We are here. Waiting at home for news is the same.”
Third Master Zhou glanced at her, sounding a bit apologetic: “You just arrived and ran into such a big mess. Were you frightened?”
Xia Meng Yan bowed to the two uncles, then moved to Old Master Lin’s side and said: “Yan’er is not that delicate. I came to see if I could help.”
Second Master Qian and Third Master Zhou looked at each other and said nothing.
[What can a boudoir girl do.] That was what many were thinking, even Old Master Lin. But he still smiled with pride and patted her hand: “The physician is treating him inside. Let us wait a little.”
Soon, the physician came out with his medicine box. Madam Jia gripped her handkerchief and asked in a shaky voice: “Physician, how is my husband’s leg?”
The physician nodded to Old Master Lin, then told everyone: “The Eldest Master’s leg had not yet healed. Now there is a new injury on top of the old one. It was possible he could walk in three months, but now, even if he can stand again, it will not be the same as before.”
Everyone was startled. He spoke gently, but the meaning was clear: the Eldest Master might become lame.
How can the head of the Lin Family be a lame man.
Xia Meng Yan frowned. If her big uncle becomes lame, who will be the next family head? She swept her gaze over the faces in the room and read the hidden looks.
“Impossible.” Second Master Qian jumped up and grabbed the physician by the collar: “Did you not try your best? Did someone tell you to say this? How dare you curse my elder brother. Be careful, I could snap your neck, old man.”
“Second Brother, what are you doing? Let go.” Third Master Zhou rushed forward when he saw the physician’s face go white and pulled them apart: “This is not the time to make a scene. What if Eldest Brother hears you?”
Second Master Qian shoved the physician away, then glared at Third Master Zhou: “The Lin Family’s horses are always checked before leaving the gate. How could a calm horse be spooked for no reason? Did you have someone tamper with it in secret?”
Third Master Zhou’s face darkened: “Second Brother, you can eat anything you like, but you cannot say anything you like. Why would I harm Eldest Brother?”
Second Master Qian snorted with contempt and moved before Old Master Lin: “Foster Father, when Eldest Brother hurt his leg earlier, some of his business went to Third Brother. First thing he did was replace all the shopkeepers with his own men. Now that Eldest Brother’s leg was getting better, he wanted to use the same trick again, make sure he never stands, and hold the business forever.”
Third Master Zhou frowned and bowed toward the top seat: “Foster Father, I swear to the heavens, I have never thought to harm Eldest Brother. Second Brother only knows part of it. I replaced the shopkeepers because they were at fault. Eldest Brother knew and agreed. If Foster Father does not believe me, send someone to check.”
Second Master Qian curled his lip: “Ridiculous. Ask around outside. Which shopkeeper has never made a mistake? That man worked for the Lin Family for more than ten years. You dismissed him with one word. Eldest Brother nodded only to avoid tearing our faces apart. Do you think I do not see your plan?”
“Second Brother, do not talk nonsense without proof.”
“Who says I have no proof. You wait and see, I will—”
“Enough.” Old Master Lin slapped the table. Both men fell silent at once.
Madam Jia wept into her handkerchief. Hearing the Eldest Master’s leg might never recover, she felt the sky collapsing: “Father, please think of a way. My husband cannot be lame.”
Old Master Lin’s face turned gloomy, his presence pressing down on everyone.
Suddenly, someone traced a character on his back with a finger. Old Master Lin’s eyes moved. He said slowly: “I will send people to investigate how the Eldest was injured. If someone truly acted with ill intent, the Lin Family will make him pay a heavier price. It is late. Go rest for now. Tomorrow, Second and Third, send people to find the best physicians. You must get the Eldest’s leg healed.”
Second Master Qian and Third Master Zhou bowed and withdrew. An attendant led the physician away to prepare medicine.
Only three people stayed in the main hall.
Old Master Lin stood. Xia Meng Yan followed at once. The two of them went into the east room.
Madam Jia did not understand why the Old Master took Xia Meng Yan inside. She thought they would check her husband’s wounds. [So much blood. Why let a pregnant woman see that, what if she is frightened and harmed.] In her heart, a granddaughter through a daughter could not compare to her son.
She hurried in and saw Xia Meng Yan lift the Eldest Master’s trouser leg to carefully examine the wound.
“Father, what is Meng Yan doing? The physician just applied medicine,” Madam Jia blurted.
“Be quiet.” Old Master Lin’s voice was low, his eyes on Xia Meng Yan: “Yan’er, what do you think? Do you have a way to cure him?”
Madam Jia stared in shock. What did that mean? Could Xia Meng Yan practice the medical arts?
Moments earlier, Xia Meng Yan had traced the character “Luo” on Old Master Lin’s back. He had panicked and actually forgotten about Divine Physician Luo.
As she examined the injury, Xia Meng Yan explained: “I studied the medical arts with Divine Physician Luo for a few years. I can hold on until Divine Physician Luo arrives.”
Madam Jia brightened at once. Right, how did she forget Divine Physician Luo? Then she thought of how hard he was to find: “Father, we do not even know where Divine Physician Luo is. How do we find him?”
Only Old Master Lin and the Eldest Master knew the Lin Family once helped Divine Physician Luo. If Madam Jia had not overheard Xia Meng Yan asking him for help last time, she would still be in the dark.
Old Master Lin did not look at her. This daughter-in-law was loud and quick-tempered like a firecracker. She cried the moment trouble came and could not keep calm. If not for the childhood betrothal between the families, he would not have let her marry into the family. It was not that she was bad. She simply was not fit to be the mother of a family head.
“You need not worry about Divine Physician Luo,” he said. “Just take good care of the Eldest.”
Xia Meng Yan withdrew her hand and took the handkerchief that Chun Yue passed her. She looked at them and said: “Big Uncle’s leg bone was crushed and snapped. If we fail, he will spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.”
The physician had already softened the truth.
Madam Jia started to sob again but swallowed it when she met Old Master Lin’s eyes.
“Yan’er, do you have a way?” he asked.
She nodded: “Yes, but I am only seventy percent sure.”
“Seventy percent is very good. Do it,” Old Master Lin said. He did not fully trust Xia Meng Yan, but he trusted Divine Physician Luo. Many had tried to become Luo’s student, including famous doctors in Man Lin City, and were all refused. For such a strange old man to choose Xia Meng Yan showed how exceptional his granddaughter was.
Xia Meng Yan had been standing too long and her legs felt weak: “I will send a letter to Divine Physician Luo and ask him to come as soon as he can.”
Madam Jia did not dare make a sound. She listened carefully. When she heard that Xia Meng Yan could reach Divine Physician Luo, tears fell again. She gripped Xia Meng Yan’s hand, excited: “Meng Yan, thank you. If your big uncle’s leg can be cured, in the future, as long as you ask, I will not hesitate.”
Xia Meng Yan smiled gently: “Aunt, we are one family. No need for thanks. But no one can know I can practice the medical arts.”
She still did not know all the storms inside the Lin Family. She could not reveal her trump card yet.
Madam Jia nodded again and again: “I understand. Today I saw nothing.”
A cup of tea later, Xia Meng Yan helped Old Master Lin leave the main house. They walked slowly along the corridor.
“Who do you think did it?” Old Master Lin asked. When the Eldest was hurt, his first thought was a hidden agent from the Huo Family. But then he thought, the Eldest was not dead. Even in a wheelchair he could handle the Lin Family’s affairs, only he would not suit the family head’s seat.
Xia Meng Yan looked into the dark night. The banyan leaves rustled in the breeze: “Maternal Grandfather already has people in mind. Why make it hard for me.”