CHAPTER 73: CHAPTER 73: WHERE IS SHINIAN?

"Indeed! Miss, don’t be modest. Why don’t others test the medicine? To be honest, even if I were infected with the epidemic, I wouldn’t dare to try such an unknown medicine with unclear effects."

"Miss, you’re obviously fine, yet for the sake of the city’s people, you sacrificed yourself to test the medicine."

"Let’s thank the Miss!"

"Thank you, Miss!"

"No matter what the result is, you are our great benefactor!"

Fu Shinian looked at Jing Lai in shock.

Jing Lai did it on purpose, right?

Deliberately creating momentum for her?

Jing Lai, with reddened eyes, bowed to Fu Shinian.

Fu Shinian risked her life to save Xiao Chengyu.

He had nothing he could do for Fu Shinian except to let the people of Ganning, and everyone under heaven, know of Fu Shinian’s sacrifice.

The news would spread back to the capital, undoubtedly bringing recognition to Fu Shinian.

[Ding! Xiao Fengxing’s fortune value -20, the Fu family’s fortune value +10, Xiao Chengyu’s fortune value +10]

This time, Fu Shinian quickly understood.

Xiao Fengxing thought he was clever. If he claimed that this formula would definitely work,

As long as it cured the city’s people, he would have accomplished a great deed.

If Xiao Chengyu died, it could only be said that his constitution was too weak to withstand the medicine.

But Xiao Fengxing didn’t dare to make such absolute statements.

As a result, everyone now thinks that this prescription might not work.

Instead, she sacrificed herself to test the medicine and won the people’s hearts.

Even if the prescription works, it would still be credited to her for sacrificing herself to test it.

Xiao Fengxing, who offered the prescription, was instead forgotten.

If you can’t even guarantee the efficacy of the medicine, how could His Majesty remember your contribution?

The credit naturally went to her.

Just like that, Xiao Fengxing’s fortune value decreased again.

But what excited Fu Shinian the most was that 10 points of fortune value were added to Xiao Chengyu.

This way, Xiao Chengyu’s body could be better, and he could withstand the effects of the medicine more.

Fu Shinian took a walk around the tribute courtyard, covered her face with a veil when leaving, and returned to her own courtyard, dismissing everyone and forbidding anyone to approach.

As expected, by evening she felt chills all over and developed a high fever.

Fu Shinian hurriedly knocked on her door; outside, Mai Dong was keeping watch.

"Mai Dong, tell Doctor Xu, I already have symptoms," Fu Shinian said.

"Yes!" Mai Dong rushed to find the Imperial Physician.

Before long, a medical woman came in, covering her mouth and nose, with medicine.

The medicine was still the previous common prescription, given to Fu Shinian to take first.

The medical woman did not leave but stayed with Fu Shinian to observe her condition.

Fu Shinian sacrificed herself to test the medicine; now how effective it was depended all on her.

The several Imperial Physicians were extremely concerned.

They also assigned a few servants from the residence to be at Fu Shinian’s courtyard at any time.

By morning, Fu Shinian began to have a headache, and the high fever eased off overnight but then returned.

But Fu Shinian still thought her illness wasn’t serious enough.

She needed to catch up to Xiao Chengyu’s progress.

She had all the doors and windows opened, letting the cold wind pour in completely.

The medical woman and servants all put on thick cotton clothing.

Sure enough, Fu Shinian’s condition worsened.

Though not yet to the point of coughing blood, she was already coughing violently.

"Is it okay now?" Fu Shinian asked Doctor Liu.

Doctor Liu, who had been taking her pulse, nodded after a while and said, "It’s worth a try."

The medical woman hurried to decoct the medicine.

While the room was busy with Fu Shinian, Xiao Chengyu also woke up, opened his eyes, but didn’t see Fu Shinian.

"Lord Hou, you’re awake." Jing Lai’s eyes were bloodshot.

Xiao Chengyu got up and looked around, "Where’s Shinian? Is she resting?"

"Uh... yes." Jing Lai nodded guiltily.

He had never lied to Xiao Chengyu before, feeling extremely guilty at this moment.

Xiao Chengyu immediately noticed something was wrong, "What’s going on? Is there something wrong with Shinian?"

Jing Lai lowered his head, caught between his guilt towards Xiao Chengyu and Fu Shinian’s instructions, unable to speak.

Xiao Chengyu threw off the covers and got up, heading for the inner room.

Fu Shinian had been resting in there before.

"Lord Hou!" Jing Lai quickly followed, "Lord Hou, you need to rest properly now!"

"Where’s Shinian? Where is she?" Xiao Chengyu looked at the empty bed, without a trace of Fu Shinian.

Xiao Chengyu’s heart was filled with a bad premonition.

"Miss Fu... Miss Fu was too tired, so she went to rest." Jing Lai said with his head down.

"Jing Lai, tell me the truth," Xiao Chengyu said.

Jing Lai had been by his side since childhood, how could he not notice Jing Lai’s abnormality?

"You never dared to lie to me," Xiao Chengyu said sternly, "so your concealment is very clumsy now."

Seeing Jing Lai still reluctant to speak, Xiao Chengyu said, "If that’s the case, I’ll go out and find her."

"Lord Hou!" Jing Lai knelt down with a thud, "Lord Hou, Miss Fu is in her own courtyard."

"She has also fallen ill now," Jing Lai said in a low voice.

Xiao Chengyu felt a chill throughout, blaming himself, "I infected her."

"No, no!" Jing Lai said, having to explain the whole story to Xiao Chengyu.

"Miss Fu decided to test the medicine on herself, to find the most reliable dosage to give you, Lord Hou." Jing Lai said, sniffing and choking up, "Miss Fu went to the tribute courtyard without covering her face, walking round and deliberately getting herself infected with the epidemic."

Jing Lai directly knelt, "Lord Hou, I’m useless, couldn’t stop Miss Fu. It should have been me instead, but the Imperial Physician took the pulse and said Miss Fu’s condition is closer to yours, Lord Hou."

Only then did Xiao Chengyu realize, that although Fu Shinian was fine on normal days, she would fall ill once winter came.

But she came to Ganning without hesitation.

Ganning’s climate differed from the capital, and it had been winter for some time now.

Snow was falling the day before.

Yet she came to take care of him and even intentionally contracted the epidemic for his sake.

Xiao Chengyu said nothing and walked straight out.

"Lord Hou!" Seeing this, Jing Lai quickly followed, took the fox fur cloak from the stand, and hurriedly put it on Xiao Chengyu, "Lord Hou, even if you’re going to find Miss Fu, you have to take care of yourself."

Xiao Chengyu didn’t stop, allowing the cloak to hang messily on him.

Seeing this, Jing Lai had no choice but to say, "Lord Hou, Miss Fu sacrificed this much for you; if your condition worsens, wouldn’t it mean Miss Fu’s sacrifice was in vain?"

"If Miss Fu saw you like this, she would surely scold you," Jing Lai said.

Xiao Chengyu halted, quickly tidying up the cloak, before striding toward Fu Shinian’s neighboring courtyard.

Indeed, several servants stood in the courtyard, who hurriedly saluted upon seeing Xiao Chengyu, "Lord Hou."

Xiao Chengyu didn’t stop, anxiously walking to the door, even neglecting to knock and directly pushed the door open.

He saw Fu Shinian propped up on the bed, continuously vomiting.

The entire room was filled with the scent of medicine, even stronger than in his own room.

Xiao Chengyu stepped forward quickly, gently patting Fu Shinian’s back.

Fu Shinian vomited violently, tears uncontrollably flowing down.