CHAPTER 360: CHAPTER 348 PERSUADING THE DOCTOR (2)

Old Mrs. Zhao forgave them a year’s rent, and later the rent was very cheap. She also introduced acquaintances to look after the couple’s business.

Although the shop was located in a remote area, with the care of Old Mrs. Zhao, the business was very good.

When the couple encountered trouble in the city, it was Old Mrs. Zhao who sent people to help resolve the issues.

For her seventieth birthday, the Zhao Family, in a show of grandeur, announced that they hoped relatives would bring more people to celebrate her birthday.

Sister-in-law Chai, having few acquaintances in the city, entrusted someone to send a message to Chai Eying, asking her to come to the county town for the banquet, and suggesting she bring more people along.

Chai Eying brought Li Yuzhu and the two children with her.

Chai Eying gradually told Li Yuzhu about these matters.

After learning the reasons behind it, Li Yuzhu finally understood why Eldest Young Master Chai and his wife’s shop ended up in this alley.

She said, "Then there’s no time to lose, let’s hurry to the Zhao family."

Taking care of medical matters cannot be distracted, and it’s inconvenient to bring children along.

Chai Eying stayed in the back yard of the shop to watch the children, while Li Yuzhu accompanied Sister-in-law Chai to the Zhao family by carriage.

To see and diagnose the Old Madam, the consent of the housekeeper is needed first.

The one currently managing the household affairs of the Zhao family is Old Mrs. Zhao’s eldest daughter-in-law, Mrs. Zhao.

After listening to Sister-in-law Chai’s suggestion, she smiled, "Yunniang, the Old Madam is not ill at all. She was just startled by the crowd at the birthday celebration. Don’t worry unnecessarily and speak carelessly."

Sister-in-law Chai said, "Startled by the crowd? How can that be? Two months ago, at Fourth Cousin’s son’s first birthday, there were even more people, and the Old Madam was fine then."

Mrs. Zhao said, "That’s why it’s called an accident. That was then, and this is now. Yunniang, you have enough business at your shop to worry about, don’t worry about our family’s matters. You can go back now."

She pushed the teacup toward Sister-in-law Chai with a smile.

This was a gesture of politely seeing her off.

It also meant she was dismissing her.

Li Yuzhu quietly tugged at Sister-in-law Chai’s sleeve.

Sister-in-law Chai glanced at her and had to stand up, saying to Mrs. Zhao, "I would like to see my great-aunt."

"Alright, although I don’t know if she’ll recognize you, sometimes she’s clear, and sometimes she’s muddled." Mrs. Zhao shook her head and called for a maidservant, "Someone, take Miss Yun to see the Old Madam."

The maid responded and nodded to Sister-in-law Chai and Miss Li, "Please follow me."

The two followed the maid to Old Mrs. Zhao’s courtyard.

Someone greeted Sister-in-law Chai, "Miss Yun."

"Is the Old Madam feeling good today?" Sister-in-law Chai asked with a smile.

"The same as yesterday," a housekeeper replied.

Li Yuzhu and Sister-in-law Chai entered the main room, and a maid announced inside, "Old Madam, Miss Yun is here."

"Oh, it’s Yunniang? Come in, come in." Old Mrs. Zhao’s cheerful laughter came from the inner room.

Upon entering, Li Yuzhu saw Old Mrs. Zhao dressed in domestic clothes, sitting on the bed by the south window, watching two maids playing chess.

Seeing Li Yuzhu and them enter the bedroom, she waved at them with a smile.

Old Mrs. Zhao had a plump face, slightly overweight, and even without any gold, pearls, or jade on her head, one could tell she was a wealthy matron.

Good diet, with people serving her, wouldn’t one gain weight?

Sister-in-law Chai went forward with a smile, "Great-aunt, I brought someone here to chat with you. She wished you a happy birthday before, do you remember her?"

Li Yuzhu stepped forward, curtsied, and greeted with Sister-in-law Chai, "Greetings, Great-aunt."

Old Mrs. Zhao couldn’t remember Li Yuzhu, asked vaguely, "This young girl looks so delicate, how old is she? What’s her name?"

Li Yuzhu answered with a smile.

But the next thing Old Mrs. Zhao said directly stunned Li Yuzhu.

"Have you weaned now? You can’t keep whining for milk, how can a five-year-old child still cling to a wet nurse for milk?" Old Mrs. Zhao scolded, deliberately with a stern face, and called for a maid, "Quick, go find Jing Niang’s wet nurse, this child is here again wanting milk."

Li Yuzhu, "..."

Sister-in-law Chai, "..."

The maid in the room, "..."

Oh dear, the Old Madam’s muddled again.

She recognizes Sister-in-law Chai but completely doesn’t recognize Li Yuzhu.

The two maids in the room exchanged glances and both sighed. Madam Jing is already in her thirties, her son is about to marry, what weaning?

An older maid said, "Miss Li, the Old Madam mistook you for our Madam Jing. She’s the Old Madam’s youngest daughter, who married far away in the Capital and hasn’t returned home for two years. The Old Madam has been thinking too much lately and is a bit disoriented, please don’t be upset."

Li Yuzhu realized, so that’s it, the Old Madam is missing her daughter.

Plus, with her illness, her memory got mixed up.

She smiled slightly, "I’m not upset, the Old Madam is old and misses her daughter."

Another maid brought some tea.

Sister-in-law Chai gave Li Yuzhu a signal, while she drank tea, she deliberately chatted with the maids.

Taking the opportunity, Li Yuzhu checked Old Mrs. Zhao’s condition.

Analyzing from everyone’s remarks and a series of physical data, Old Mrs. Zhao’s condition is still in the early stage, but it is quickly progressing to a middle stage.

If there is no medical intervention and the disease progresses, slowly it will take a year, quickly two or three months, she will become as confused as a one-year-old child’s intelligence.

In one or two more years, she will be like a newborn baby, incontinent, totally unrecognizable, and then she will soon die from the disease.

Medical treatment requires the family’s consent, and Mrs. Zhao disagrees with giving Old Mrs. Zhao treatment. Li Yuzhu cannot make decisions on her own, so she just examined and withdrew her hand.

She nodded to Sister-in-law Chai.

Sister-in-law Chai stood up and smiled, "Great-aunt, I’ll come to see you another day."

Old Mrs. Zhao nodded and smiled, "I haven’t seen Tian Lang in a long time. Is he a table-height now? You left him at home and didn’t bring him to see me. Next time, remember to bring Tian Lang along."

She still remembered Sister-in-law Chai’s son, which delighted Sister-in-law Chai, "He takes after his father, he’s tall, nearly a table-height now. Recently he made two little friends, playing happily at home, can’t get him to come. Next time I visit Great-aunt, I’ll definitely bring him."

"Just remember, don’t forget, Jing Niang’s memory is better than yours, every time she comes to see me, she brings her three boys along." Old Mrs. Zhao laughed heartily.

The two maids exchanged glances again, surprised.

Oh dear, now she remembers Madam Jing isn’t a child anymore?

Sister-in-law Chai and Li Yuzhu left the Old Madam’s quarters, bid farewell to Old Mrs. Zhao, and took the carriage back.

"Miss Li, how was your diagnosis? Can her condition still be treated?" Sister-in-law Chai asked urgently.

In the mansion, where there were many people and much talking, it was not convenient for her to ask Li Yuzhu.

After all, the lady of the house denied the Old Madam was ill, as a married distant grand-niece, it would be presumptuous of her to interfere, wouldn’t it?

Li Yuzhu said, "This illness is chronic and will slowly progress, currently she is in the early stage. The earlier it is treated, the more effective it is, and it can prevent the disease from deteriorating to the point of complete confusion and unrecognizability."

"..."

"If delayed a few more months, it’ll be too late. Even with treatment, it would have no effect. At that time, she might only have the intelligence of a newborn, capable only of basic actions and sounds, knowing nothing, requiring someone to care for her every need."

Sister-in-law Chai gasped, "Is it that serious?"

"Yes." Li Yuzhu nodded, "Even more serious cases exist. In any case, this illness is very troublesome for oneself and those around."

"But my elder cousin-in-law doesn’t agree to treat her, what can be done?" Sister-in-law Chai became anxious, "I don’t want her not to remember me."

Li Yuzhu reassured her, "Sister-in-law Chai, don’t worry too much. Although it’s better to treat it early, delaying three or five days won’t make a difference. I’ll stay in the county first, and we’ll find opportunities to persuade the Zhao family. Even if Mrs. Zhao disagrees with the treatment, there are others, right? Not everyone can disagree."

She heard from Chai Eying that Old Mrs. Zhao had four sons and two daughters.

The youngest child, Jing Niang, married a small official and lived in the Capital.

The eldest daughter married in the neighboring county, and the third and fourth sons worked in government offices in other provinces. The eldest and youngest sons reside in the county, managing family businesses together.

For the Old Madam’s seventieth birthday, apart from the youngest daughter Jing Niang, who didn’t return, everyone else stayed at the Zhao Mansion.

Sister-in-law Chai said, "Right, right, I’ll go find the others."

"Sister-in-law Chai, what will you say to the others in the Zhao family?" Li Yuzhu asked, looking at her.

Sister-in-law Chai was momentarily at a loss.

She thought for a moment, frowning, "I haven’t thought of it yet, I’m still thinking."