Feng Yunhe knew that his father now had only him and his second brother. If his second brother met with an accident, he would naturally not escape suspicion. Yet, even so, he did not want those close to him to doubt him even slightly.
His amber-like clear eyes were now tinged with a bit of timidity, which pained Feng Jinyao to see.
From childhood to adulthood, his father's overly strict love had ultimately left shadows in his heart. She reached out and took Feng Yunhe's hand, transmitting her warmth to him.
"Yunhe, when one's character is upright, one does not need to seek straight shadows, for the shadows will naturally be straight. You are to support this family in the future. If you are constantly concerned with what others think of you, you will only be hesitant. Do you understand?"
Feng Yunhe looked at her stubbornly. He understood the道理 (dàolǐ - principles/reasoning), but he still needed their firm affirmation to feel at ease.
He was very worried, worried about how his father, uncle, and aunt would view his younger brother's condition and if they would be biased against him.
If that were the case, wouldn't all his past efforts be in vain again?
"Also, Auntie believes in you."
She emphasized the word "believe" with conviction, her expression full of encouragement.
Upon hearing Feng Jinyao's words, the tears Feng Yunhe had been holding back finally flowed. No matter how strong he was, he was still just a six-year-old child who needed care.
"Let's go, Auntie, we're going to see second brother."
He wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, and when he looked up again, his eyes were clear.
Upon entering the room, the imperial physician was administering acupuncture to Yunli. His round face had an unusual flush, indicating he had a fever.
Feng Jinlin sat by the bedside, looking at this nephew he barely knew, and felt a surge of emotion.
His elder brother's one wrong step made every subsequent step difficult.
The struggles between his elder brother's wives and concubines had ultimately affected their offspring. They were so young, yet one suffered from illness, and the other's heart was broken. Feng Er felt a pang of displeasure.
The imperial physician's acupuncture was swift and precise. When he inserted the seventh needle, Yunli whimpered, then spat out some saliva, and his breathing gradually stabilized.
With a sigh of relief, the imperial physician began to remove the needles and then wrote a prescription, handing it to Madam Wen.
"Madam, this is the prescription. You must administer it three times a day to expel the cold from Second Young Master's body. Otherwise, if his heart and lungs are damaged, he may suffer from other ailments in the future."
"Alright, I will do my utmost to care for him."
With that, she handed the prescription to Yuegui, ordering her to fetch the medicine immediately, then have it decocted and delivered without delay.
Yuegui knew that Madam's actions were a gamble. If she succeeded in saving Second Young Master, the entire Feng family would be grateful to her. But if...
No, there could be no "if." She had finally managed to get ahead; she absolutely could not falter at this moment.
Clutching the prescription, she dared not delay and immediately left the manor to procure the medicine.
"When I was at my maternal home, I heard that the most feared complication of children falling into water is a persistent high fever. Many who wake up become imbeciles. Imperial Physician, Second Young Master, he..."
Madam Wen was not worried about caring for Yunli. Her only fear was that the high fever would damage his brain. If he truly became an imbecile, wouldn't that ruin Yunli's entire life?
The imperial physician's expression was grave. He could not give a full guarantee in this matter, only that he would do his best.
Feng Jinyao listened from the side, hesitating for a moment. She wondered if she should go to Guiyuan Hall to invite the divine physician Zhang. But what about Yunhe? In her previous life, he had died of illness. Divine Physician Zhang rarely made house calls. She had always kept this trump card in hand, fearing that Yunhe would not survive. But if Yunli were to become an imbecile because of this, could she stand by and do nothing?
"Don't worry, Yunli is protected by the ancestors of our Feng family. He will surely be fine. Sister-in-law, please take good care of him. I will go and seek medicine now!" Feng Jinlin, who had been silent for a long time, made up his mind after hearing Madam Wen's words.
He covered Yunli with the blanket. The little one, though round, appeared incredibly weak.
His eyes gained a hint of determination, and then he strode out of the courtyard towards the outside of the manor.
No one knew where he went or whom he sought. It was only the next morning that he returned with a red porcelain bottle and delivered it to the first branch's courtyard.
The imperial physician by Madam Wen's side sniffed a pill and, moments later, was overjoyed. "It's the Buddha Heart Fruit! With this medicine, Second Young Master can be saved even if he burns with a raging fever."
Upon hearing this, Madam Wen also happily embraced Zhu Jin.
Last night, the two of them had taken turns caring for Yunli. Although he didn't have a raging fever, his temperature had not gone down.
Fearing that her previous worries would come true, Madam Wen was anxious, but now all her worries were dispelled by this medicine.
She immediately fetched water, broke the pill into small pieces, and fed them bit by bit into Yunli's dry mouth.
After burning all night, the corners of his lips were a little chapped.
The medicine went down with the water, and Yunli mumbled a few times, slightly opened his eyes, looked around, and then fell asleep again.
Zhu Jin watched, her nose pricking with concern. "Imperial Physician, when will this medicine take effect? Why did Second Young Master open his eyes but not look at us, and then fall asleep again?"
With this medicine, the imperial physician felt reassured. The tension of the night was relieved, and he rarely showed a smile.
"Miss Zhu Jin, please do not worry. It will take some time for the medicine to work. In about an hour, Second Young Master's fever will surely recede!"
As the imperial physician predicted, an hour later, Second Young Master's fever finally subsided. He broke out in a sweat, looking as if he had been pulled out of water.
Fearing he would catch a chill, Madam Wen quickly had someone change his clothes and bedding. He also drank some warm water and finally regained consciousness.
When Feng Yunli saw Madam Wen, he was stunned for a moment, and then he burst into tears.
No matter how mischievous he had been before, he was still just a four-year-old child. When he fell into that icy pool, with no one to call for help, his heart was filled with despair.
Madam Wen sighed, recalling many past events.
She had not truly cared for this unexpected child.
Initially, her intention to care for him was to suppress Concubine Linlang and make the master feel guilty towards her.
Unexpectedly, his cries made her feel ashamed. What did the affairs of adults have to do with a child? Thinking this, she stepped forward and hugged him, humming a lullaby she often heard in her childhood to soothe him.
Madam Wen exuded a calming aura, and Yunli's crying gradually subsided. Exhausted, he slowly fell asleep in her arms again.
Zhu Jin watched, her eyes moistening.
The imperial physician, observing from the side, was also deeply impressed by Madam's demeanor.
She could genuinely care for the child of a concubine as if he were her own. Such affection could not be faked.
Meanwhile, after returning to his courtyard, Feng Jinlin looked weary. He felt cold and as if an immense burden was pressing down on him, making it difficult to breathe.
He almost collapsed to the ground, but Yin Canwen quickly caught him.
Looking at his pale face with concern, he asked, "Brother Feng, are you alright?"