Tang Qingrong looked at Xiao Yunlong's eyes filled with hope.
Xiao Yunlong nodded slightly, about to speak.
Beside them, Li Minmin had already interrupted, "Mom, look at what you're asking. Even if we care about Grandpa's condition, we can't just seek help from anyone in a panic. Everyone in Jiangdong's upper business circles knows about Grandpa's strange illness, which started with attacks on the first and fifteenth of each month."
Li Benze grinned in agreement, "Exactly. This is no longer a secret in the upper circles. It's normal for Xiao Yunlong to know about it. In my opinion, he's probably just after that astronomical bounty. With his pathetic state, how can he cure a strange illness that so many famous doctors and experts couldn't? "
Tang Qingrong's face darkened, "You two, let's not talk about whether Yunlong can cure this strange illness first. First of all, he is your cousin. Can you show him a little respect? Especially you, Benze, calling him 'this kid Xiao Yunlong' all the time. You have no manners, this is too improper."
Li Benze, unable to argue with his mother, glanced at Xiao Yunlong and left in anger.
"I'm telling you, Mom, you know what happened to Yunlong cousin in Chuan City back then. Not only did his own family suffer ruin, but he also caused Grandpa and them to be unable to establish themselves in Chuan City. And it's said that he's been causing trouble again since arriving in Jiangdong recently. This kind of person is a born jinx. Those who are close to him will be unlucky, so Mom..."
Li Minmin bit her lip, raised her chin, and spoke earnestly.
However, before she could finish, Tang Qingrong coldly interrupted, "Enough of that. I held Yunlong when he was little. How can I not know what kind of person he is?"
As she spoke, Tang Qingrong turned to look at Xiao Yunlong and apologized, "I'm sorry, Yunlong. Benze and Minmin are still too young, and we spoil them too much. It's inevitable that they develop such arrogant personalities. Please don't take it to heart."
"Aunt, please rest assured, I wouldn't stoop to their level," Xiao Yunlong said with a light smile.
"Still wouldn't stoop to our level, as if you're so great. A useless live-in son-in-law, what kind of character!"
Li Minmin secretly curled her lips, cast a disdainful glance at Xiao Yunlong, and then turned to leave.
Tang Qingrong shook her head helplessly, "Let's go, Yunlong. We'll go to the reception room ahead!"
Saying this, Tang Qingrong took Liu Ruyan's hand and walked towards the front hall.
However, after this commotion, even Tang Qingrong had overlooked the matter of treating Elder Li.
It was evident that even Tang Qingrong probably didn't believe Xiao Yunlong could cure Elder Li's strange illness, so she naturally wasn't very concerned.
However, Xiao Yunlong knew that Elder Li's strange illness was unusual. Moreover, several prominent families in Jiangdong were suffering from this same peculiar madness at the same time, which made it even more intriguing. Xiao Yunlong vaguely sensed a hint of conspiracy.
Around noon, under Tang Qingrong's arrangement, the lunch dishes were laid out on a full table. It was clear that Tang Qingrong was genuinely happy, but Li Benze and his sister remained sullen, and Tang Zijun and Tang Wenya, the siblings, also ignored Xiao Yunlong.
Just as everyone was about to be seated, a black Mercedes-Maybach slowly drove into the villa.
Li Minmin glanced out the window and said, "It's Dad. Didn't he say he wouldn't be back for lunch? But it's good that he's back now."
As she spoke, a square-faced man with a sturdy build and well-maintained appearance, dressed in a casual suit, walked in with a pigeon-toed gait. This was Li Mingchu, Tang Qingrong's husband.
"I heard Grandpa's illness acted up again this morning. What exactly is going on?"
As soon as Li Mingchu entered, he looked at Tang Qingrong and asked sternly. His demeanor exuded an indescribable air of authority. Although he was just a minor captain in the Jiangdong City Lord's Mansion, his bearing was quite significant.
Tang Qingrong said with a placating smile, "We forgot to give Grandpa his medicine this morning, so..."
Before she could finish, Li Mingchu angrily interrupted, "How many times have I told you not to stop Grandpa's medication? This is a matter of life and death for Grandpa. How can you be so careless? Tang Qingrong, how do you manage this household?"
Tang Qingrong was rendered speechless by the reprimand.
Fortunately, Li Benze interjected, "Dad, it's my fault. Because there were guests at home, Mom entrusted this matter to me this morning, and I forgot. You can't blame Mom for this."
This guy, with his ear studs and thick gold chain, looked like a typical rich dandy, but he was quite good to his mother, knowing to step in and protect her at this moment.
Seeing this, Xiao Yunlong nodded with a hint of relief. While the person was a bit arrogant and overbearing, his heart wasn't entirely bad.
Li Mingchu's anger subsided somewhat.
Tang Qingrong then said, "Oh, Mingchu, let me introduce you. This is Xiao Yunlong, my second sister's son, whom I mentioned to you before. It's quite a coincidence that he's also in Jiangdong now, so he came to visit today."
"The one from Chuan City?"
Li Mingchu turned and glanced at Xiao Yunlong, without any intention of greeting him. He simply said coldly, "Since the food is served, let's sit down and eat."
After speaking, he directly sat down at the head of the table, picked up his bowl and chopsticks, and began to eat heartily, completely ignoring Xiao Yunlong.
Tang Qingrong stood frozen, unsure of what to say. No one else spoke, and the atmosphere suddenly became somewhat awkward.
Although Li Mingchu didn't say much, everyone could clearly see his contempt and indifference towards Xiao Yunlong. It was a kind of arrogance that chilled to the bone.
Xiao Yunlong simply smiled faintly. The other party, proud of his status, didn't want to bother with him, and he didn't want to bother with the other party either!
He then picked up his chopsticks and ate by himself.
Liu Ruyan just shook her head and joined in the meal.
Tang Qingrong was undoubtedly the most awkward. However, one was her husband, and the other was her nephew, so she couldn't say anything.
In fact, she knew that the reason her husband was indifferent and dismissive of Xiao Yunlong was not because of the supposed mistakes Xiao Yunlong had made before. The real reason was the downfall of the Xiao family, and also the decline of the Tang family.
Now, even the Tang family had to seek refuge in Jiangdong, and whether they needed to ask the Li family for assistance in business was another matter. As the saying goes, when you are under someone else's roof, you are bound to be looked down upon.
Tang Qingrong sighed helplessly in her heart, but she still smiled, "Come, everyone, don't be shy. Eat more. Come, Yunlong, you always loved my braised pork when you were little. Try it quickly."
"Thank you, Aunt. The taste is just like it was when I was little, very delicious!" Xiao Yunlong said as he picked up a piece and ate.
"Since it's delicious, you should eat more. And Ruyan, don't be polite either!" Tang Qingrong said kindly.
Throughout the entire process, Li Mingchu maintained a stern face. Suddenly, he said, "I forgot to tell you all, I've invited two divine doctors from Southern Xinjiang this afternoon to see Grandpa. Everyone be prepared!"
After speaking, without waiting for anyone to react, he buried his head in his food again, his words and demeanor truly filled with overbearing indifference.
Xiao Yunlong couldn't be bothered to care. A mere captain of the Jiangdong City Lord's Mansion was putting on airs in front of him. If it weren't for his fourth aunt, he wouldn't even have come to this door.
Although the lunch was sumptuous, the atmosphere was not lively, and could even be described as dull and awkward. After finishing his meal, Li Mingchu put down his chopsticks and went to the adjacent resting hall, not saying a word to Xiao Yunlong throughout the entire time.
As soon as lunch ended, the Southern Xinjiang divine doctors mentioned by Li Mingchu arrived. They were elderly men with graying beards and hair, dressed in long robes, each followed by a young assistant carrying a medicine box.
Seeing their attire, Xiao Yunlong immediately knew that these must be people from the Southern Xinjiang Divine Doctor Sect. He had encountered them before when treating Elder Liu Hongguo.
Li Mingchu quickly put on a smiling face and went to greet them, "The two divine doctors have finally arrived. I have been waiting for you at home. Please have some tea in the resting hall to quench your thirst and rest for a moment."
A slightly older divine doctor dressed in a white robe waved his hand, "No, there's no need for such trouble. There are several other patients in Jiangdong. After seeing your esteemed residence, we still have to rush to them, as they are also waiting!"
Li Mingchu nodded, "In that case, I won't be polite with the two divine doctors. Please come this way!"
With that, he led the two divine doctors and turned towards the backyard.
Tang Qingrong and Li Benze followed closely, and even Tang Zijun and Tang Wenya followed to watch the excitement.
Seeing this, Xiao Yunlong said, "Let's go, Ruyan. We'll go and see too."
Liu Ruyan whispered at this moment, "Yunlong, do you know something about Elder Li's strange illness?"
Xiao Yunlong nodded slightly, "This illness is very peculiar, and it's hard to explain in a short time. Let's just see what these two so-called divine doctors can do first!"
In the backyard, under Li Mingchu's orders, the servants guarding the door opened the room door, and the two divine doctors walked in.
The ten-square-meter room was not large and could not accommodate too many people at once. After all, Elder Li himself occupied a significant amount of space. Therefore, Xiao Yunlong and Liu Ruyan, as well as the two Tang siblings, could only watch from outside.
"I can't imagine the patient has degenerated to this state. Please untie the chains first and let the patient down," said the divine doctor in the white robe, Doctor Xia.
"No, Divine Doctor Xia, you don't know, but my father has been mentally unclear since he contracted this strange illness, and he often goes mad. If you let him down..."
"It's alright. With so many of us here, are we afraid of a dying old man?" Doctor Xia smiled faintly. "If you don't let him down, we can't diagnose and treat him."
Li Mingchu thought it made sense, so he waved his hand and ordered the servants to untie him. At the same time, he turned and instructed two attendants and guards from the City Lord's Mansion, "You two, if the situation is not right later, remember to immediately step forward and restrain Grandpa. You must not let him have any accidents, understand?"
The two attendant guards nodded heavily.
After the chains were unlocked, Elder Li was laid flat on the bed. It seemed he had received an injection and medicine not long ago, and he did not have an episode this time.
Divine Doctor Xia and Divine Doctor Zhong, dressed in black, stepped forward. One extended his hand to feel the pulse, while the other observed his mouth, nose, ears, and other parts.
However, as they repeatedly observed, the brows of the two old divine doctors furrowed deeper, and their expressions became increasingly grim.
Seeing this, Li Mingchu quickly asked, "How is it, two divine doctors? Have you figured out what illness my father has?"
The two divine doctors did not turn back, their brows still tightly furrowed as they continued their examination.
Xiao Yunlong, watching from outside, couldn't help but shake his head, "It seems, another two half-baked quacks!"