Seeing Ye Qing frown, Nan Gong Yu immediately understood that the child's condition was likely not good.
"Has he eaten anything?" Ye Qing asked.
"He doesn't know how to suckle. We hired a wet nurse, but he doesn't know how to eat. We tried feeding him with a spoon, but he threw it up. Divine Physician Ye, please save him. He has just come into this world and has yet to open his eyes to see the outside world," Si Feng pleaded.
Ye Qing sighed, "Si Feng, it's not that I don't want to help you, but I can't. If he had been born just two weeks later, his chances of survival would have reached fifty percent. But he doesn't even have a ten percent chance."
Si Feng was struck by lightning. "How can this be... You are a divine physician... Even you have no solution?"
"The reason people can live is that their five internal organs function normally. However, this child's five internal organs are underdeveloped and cannot sustain his life. If it were an illness, I could still treat it, but this congenital defect is beyond my ability," Ye Qing sighed, his gaze falling on the child's face in the swaddling clothes. "He can last until tomorrow at the latest."
Upon hearing this, Si Feng's tears began to roll down. He had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this child, never expecting their father-son bond to be so fleeting, lasting only three short days.
"Is there truly no other way?"
Ye Qing shook his head. "If there were even a sliver of a chance, I would save him. Alas, there isn't."
Si Feng held the child, crying suppressed sobs. He looked at the small, soft child in his arms, his vision blurred by tears, not knowing what to do.
"In his final moments, spend time with him," Ye Qing patted Si Feng's shoulder. Si Feng did not respond. Si Chen pulled him out, so as not to disturb Nan Gong Yu's rest.
"Si Feng was really looking forward to this child. What a pity," Nan Gong Yu sighed. "Guards, investigate what happened here."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Ye Qing was not particularly worried about Si Feng; he was concerned about Luo Bing Qing. "If Luo Bing Qing learns the truth, she might turn your prince's manor upside down."
"She would have to be capable of that," Nan Gong Yu said coldly. "If she had behaved herself and stayed in her courtyard to recuperate, none of this would have happened."
"She was worried about you, which is why she left the courtyard and fell into someone's scheme," Ye Qing said gently. "You are too harsh on her. You should be more lenient."
"She is not my woman; why should I be lenient?" Nan Gong Yu frowned. "Besides, I have already been lenient enough. Anyone else would have been sent to the netherworld long ago."
"My Lord." The window opened, and Si Ye leaped in from outside, blood still trickling from his head.
"Has Xiao Man met with trouble?" Seeing Si Ye injured, Nan Gong Yu's first thought was that Xiao Man was in trouble.
"My Lord, she is fine!" Si Ye clutched his head. "I don't know what I did to offend her. Last night, her attendants inexplicably knocked me out. They even made a hole in my head, and it's still bleeding."
Knowing Xiao Man was fine, Nan Gong Yu breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back against the pillow. "Qing Ti, quickly bandage him, lest he bleed to death later."
Ye Qing motioned for Si Ye to sit down, opened his medical kit, and applied styptic medicine to Si Ye's wound, then bandaged it. Si Ye winced, "My Lord, Princess Yong Ning went out last night. It seems she apprehended someone and brought them back."
Nan Gong Yu immediately thought of Wen Mo Han seeking him out. Could the person Xiao Man had captured be related to this matter?
"Have you found out who it was?"
"I've already sent someone from Tian Ji Pavilion to investigate. Princess Yong Ning had me knocked out, so there must be something she doesn't want you to know."
Ye Qing finished bandaging Si Ye. "Moreover, last night... Wen Mo Han seemed to have had an accident as well."
Nan Gong Yu sat up straight. Xiao Man had someone knock Si Ye out, and Wen Mo Han had an accident. However, as dawn approached, Wen Mo Han had still visited him. His complexion was somewhat pale, but he shouldn't be seriously injured.
"Investigate and find out what happened!"
"Yes."
"Also, check on the whereabouts of the National Preceptor," Nan Gong Yu instructed, worried. He feared the National Preceptor might harm Xiao Man. With Xiao Man's stubborn personality, she might not ask for his help if something happened.
"Third sister knows how to take care of herself."
"It's precisely because she takes care of herself so well that I am worried," Nan Gong Yu gritted his teeth. "Qing Ti, go to the General's manor. I feel uneasy about her defensive actions towards Si Ye."
"Everyone has secrets, and she is no exception."
"You don't understand. I fear she might be used. The General's demise could be a trap, a scheme within a scheme to ensnare everyone! Even I haven't found a way out of this chess game yet," Nan Gong Yu said slowly. "Feng Tian Lan is a man of deep, terrifying thoughts and meticulous planning. One wrong move could lead to falling into his trap. I am already caught in it, and I absolutely cannot let Xiao Man be drawn in as well!"
"Alright, I will go to the General's manor, but you must promise me to rest and recover in the manor."
"Deal."
Yin Zhu, while grinding ink for Xiao Man, frowned. Her young lady had been busy lately, not returning home all night, with dark circles under her eyes, clearly not getting enough rest.
"Miss, why don't you rest for a while?" Yin Zhu, seeing Xiao Man's hand tremble slightly as she wrote, said with concern, "You can approve these official documents after you wake up."
Xiao Man shook her head, picked up an official document, and continued to approve it. However, her hands were so sore and weak that she had to put down her brush and rub her palms.
Seeing this, Yin Zhu immediately turned and massaged Xiao Man's fingers. "Miss must have approved too many official documents for her hands to be so sore."
Xiao Man blushed. It wasn't from approving documents at all, but she couldn't tell Yin Zhu the reason.
"Miss, please rest. I'll brew you a pot of calming tea. The kitchen has your favorite walnut cakes."
"That sounds good," Xiao Man agreed. "Brew a strong cup of tea to refresh me."
Yin Zhu happily went to brew the tea. Xiao Man walked to the small table by the window and sat down, resting her head on it for a brief nap while waiting for Yin Zhu's hot tea and pastries. She ended up falling asleep.
When Feng Tian Lan arrived, he saw Xiao Man fast asleep, her head resting on the small table. Yin Zhu was about to wake Xiao Man when Feng Tian Lan stopped her.
Feng Tian Lan took the tea and pastries. "You can go. I'll be here."
Yin Zhu glanced at Xiao Man, then went back into the house to get Xiao Man's fox fur cloak. As soon as she retrieved it, Feng Tian Lan took it and gently told Yin Zhu to leave and not to disturb them.
"I'll wait outside. If the National Preceptor needs anything, just call for me."
Feng Tian Lan nodded, then draped the cloak over Xiao Man, lest she catch a chill sleeping like this.
Yin Zhu closed the door and immediately looked up at the roof, then at Xiao Man's room, her meaning clear: she wanted Dong Fang Wei to constantly monitor everything happening inside the room.