Even someone like Qin An, who already had a respectable presence in the palace, couldn’t help but lose his composure when faced with his father’s life-and-death matter.
Reflecting on the past, he couldn’t help but sigh.
After receiving the letter, Mr. Qin personally left the traveling palace.
Heading straight to the Dong Family.
He happened to run into Mrs. Dong, who was preparing to go out for business, and saw the hurried Mr. Qin.
She had met Mr. Qin several times before and naturally remembered him.
Seeing him in such a rush, she thought something had happened to her daughter in the palace and immediately went up to ask.
"What brings Mr. Qin here? Is it something about Miss Lin..."
"Rest assured, madam, Miss Lin and the Second Princess are both well. It is a matter at my own household, so I’ve specifically asked for a letter from Miss Lin, hoping that Mr. Dong can take a look at my father’s condition."
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Dong’s heart settled, but she dared not neglect Mr. Qin’s request.
She immediately led him to the inner hall.
By coincidence, Mr. Dong was not at the medical shop today but was staying home to work on a new medicine.
When he saw his sister bring in an unfamiliar face, he looked a bit surprised.
But seeing he had no beard on his chin, he immediately understood.
"And who might this be..."
Mr. Qin, anxious, couldn’t even wait for Mrs. Dong to introduce him and spoke up right away.
"I am a person from the palace, and I am here on Miss Lin’s grace to ask Mr. Dong to attend to my father."
He said this while handing over the letter.
Mr. Dong did not put on airs, and immediately opened the letter to read it.
Then, with a serious expression, he said to Mr. Qin,
"Since it’s to see a patient, let’s hurry, the sooner we go, the better relief for the patient."
Mr. Qin was exceedingly grateful.
Although Mr. Dong was going to see his father out of deference for Lin Guiren, his words were still comforting to a relative’s heart.
They quickly boarded the carriage and headed towards the area slightly southwest of the west side where the residences were.
Mr. Dong had traveled far and wide and seen much.
He was well aware that the residents in this area were all poor people, so he wasn’t very surprised upon arriving.
This lack of shock made Mr. Qin look at him in a new light.
In fact, logically speaking, he could have asked a Medical Officer from the Imperial Hospital to attend to his father, which wouldn’t have been difficult.
But those Medical Officers were all to become Imperial Physicians in the future, dealing with nobles, and naturally, they were not familiar with such poverty.
Mr. Qin did not want his secrets exposed to others, and he feared the disdain that had once made him feel inferior.
So he came to Lin Wanyi and the Dong Family for help.
Seeing Mr. Dong’s usual expression, he finally had some peace of mind.
The house wasn’t big, simply made with wood and thatch.
There were only three rooms; on the left was a small kitchen, the right was probably where the children lived, and in front was the main house.
As soon as they entered, both were taken aback.
It wasn’t for any reason other than the overwhelming stench inside the house.
They knew a person sick for a long time might have severe maladies.
But in such a situation, it was clear that no one had taken care of it for quite some time.
Anger rose within Mr. Qin, but he subdued it as Mr. Dong was still beside him.
He spoke apologetically to Mr. Dong.
"Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Dong."
"You’re too kind, Mr. Qin."
The house wasn’t large; at a glance, they could see someone lying in the corner.
The quilt covering him had little cotton left, the cloth was worn and tattered.
Such beddings weren’t unusual for a poor family.
But the stains on it clearly hadn’t been cleaned for days. With this in mind, anger burned in his eyes.
He immediately rushed forward.
The person lying on the bed had a dark, unclear expression.
Exhaling more than inhaling.
Beside him was a broken bowl, the water inside had some sediment, and no one knew how long it had been there.
The stench emanated from beneath the quilt.
Mr. Qin didn’t even need to lift the quilt to know it must be a mess underneath.
"That wretched Miss Cai, treating my father this way, she truly is..."
Cursing words were on the tip of his tongue but he swallowed them back down.
Now was no time for insults; attending to the illness was urgent.
He immediately made way, speaking apologetically.
"Please, Mr. Dong, don’t be repulsed, attend to my father first."
Mr. Dong was not a man of many words, but seeing the current situation, he feared there was little hope left.
Nonetheless, he carefully checked the pulse.
A moment later, he said with a solemn face.
"Please accept my condolences, Mr. Qin. I’m afraid your father won’t survive the day."
Those words, even to the well-traveled Mr. Qin, nearly made him lose his footing.
Looking at his father on the bed, unsure if he was asleep or unconscious, sorrow welled up inside him.
"Is there really... no hope at all?"
Mr. Dong sighed deeply, shook his head, and said.
"Your father had chronic conditions before, and he likely had a stroke. For such stroke victims, care is crucial, but as it stands... when I felt your father’s pulse, it was barely detectable. He’s likely been suffering from hunger and cold for more than just a few days. So..."
His words turned Mr. Qin’s despair into hatred.
He was eager to end Miss Cai’s life!
But at that moment, there was no living soul in the house but the two of them.
Even if he wanted to kill, there was no target.
In the end, he could only kneel down, clutching his father’s dry, slightly cold hand, and sob.
Perhaps it was a moment of clarity, or maybe a father-son bond.
The elder of the Qin family, who hadn’t opened his eyes for days, slowly awakened.
"Is it... my dear son?"
Mr. Qin had been crying sorrowfully, but upon hearing this, he immediately looked up and saw his father struggling to speak.
He immediately looked at Mr. Dong.
The hope in his eyes was that perhaps he could pull off a miracle!
Sadly, Mr. Dong shook his head and straightforwardly said.
"Mr. Qin, seize the time."
This sentence shattered the hope that had just rekindled within Mr. Qin.
Knowing this was the only time the elder of the Qin family could speak with his son, Mr. Dong did not disturb them further.
He left the house and stood by the courtyard gate waiting.
These parting scenes of life and death were familiar to him as a physician.
But each time, he felt a deep sense of the impermanence of life. If his medical skills were slightly better, could he save more people? Follow current novᴇls on novel✶fire.net
A sigh welled up in his heart, but he was powerless.
Inside the house, the elder of the Qin family seemed to muster his last breath.
When he looked at Mr. Qin, he was even somewhat excited.
"I thought... thought you’d never... come back in this life."
"Father... forgive your unfilial son."