Chapter 753: Perhaps That Man Won’t Live for Many More Years!

Chapter 753: Who’s to say that man will even last a few more years!

Anjiang was a small place, and the prefect was the highest-ranking official in this tiny region.

Luo Shi had it easy in Anjiang, never having been crossed by anyone.

Even Xingxing had always been courteous to her.

Now, faced with such defiance, Luo Shi couldn’t tolerate it.

She immediately sneered, "Such nerve!"

Pang Jinkang was startled and hurriedly defended Xingxing, "...Mother, Miss Feng isn’t some stuck-up type. She’s just... just worried about passing any illness to you. Her fiancé really is quite sickly..."

The more Pang Jinkang spoke in Xingxing’s defense, the angrier Luo Shi became!

Her son, who had been lovesick over some girl, was now siding with her and allowing her to disrespect his own mother!

"Kang'er!" Luo Shi snapped. "Get your head straight. She’s just a merchant's daughter. The fact that she could marry into our household as a concubine is already me doing you a favor. She hit the jackpot!... And yet, she dares to pull this act with me?!"

Pang Jinkang stammered weakly.

Suppressing her anger, Luo Shi spoke earnestly, "Besides, Kang'er, think about it—by any measure, I am the elder and an official’s wife. If I summon her, she should come at once. Even if she fears passing on illness, she should at least pay respects from the doorway. How can she simply ignore my summons like this?... Stop defending her. If she behaves so insolently now, and I don’t teach her a lesson, once she enters our household as your concubine, won’t she get even worse?"

Pang Jinkang found himself at a loss for words.

Though he had seen with his own eyes how well-matched Xingxing and her fiancé were, he still held out hope—he still wanted Xingxing to become his concubine.

He had even thought it through: he could promise Xingxing that if she agreed, he would immediately bring her into the household, wouldn’t make her drink contraceptive tea, and would let her have his first son ahead of his official wife—as his promise to her.

He was willing to go this far for Xingxing!

So now, as his mother complained, Pang Jinkang held back defending Xingxing too much—he feared that if his mother didn’t vent her anger, she might later block Xingxing from entering the household outright.

Pang Jinkang lowered his head and mumbled, "Mother is right."

Seeing her son side with her, Luo Shi’s anger cooled off a little.

Only then did she play nice: "Fine. Miss Feng is, after all, a young woman. If her fiancé is ill, I happen to have brought a physician. Let the physician examine him as well."

Pang Jinkang looked up in surprise. "Mother!"

Luo Shi patted his arm and smiled meaningfully. "You’re not seeing the big picture, are you? They are still engaged. No matter how much we want this to happen, we can’t afford to look bad in public... By sending the physician to examine him now, we’re putting them in our debt. That puts us in control."

There was one thing Luo Shi didn’t say aloud.

Once they knew the condition of the fiancé’s health, it would be easy to manipulate the medicine if needed.

But such words, of course, didn’t need to be shared with her son.

Her son was softhearted. If he knew, he would surely be burdened with guilt.

It was just a life—easily dealt with with the right arrangements.

But her son’s peace of mind couldn’t let this weigh on him.

...

Xingxing, using the excuse of caring for her fiancé’s health, was currently playing weiqi with Wei Shiyan in the room.

Yu Yonggui had gone out again to investigate the situation and was not in the room.

The oil lamp sputtered in the room, with only the sound of chess pieces being placed. Xingxing and Wei Shiyan were engaged in a fierce game of chess, their match fiercely competitive.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

The maid who had earlier come to "invite" her to see Luo Shi had returned and was now standing outside, said in a honeyed tone: "Miss Feng, we heard your fiancé is unwell and unable to meet our Magistrate's lady. Our Magistrate's lady is kind-hearted and has specially sent her accompanying physician to examine your fiancé."

Xingxing exchanged a glance with Wei Shiyan.

Wei Shiyan pressed a few acupoints on himself and gave Xingxing a slight nod.

Only then did Xingxing rise and open the door.

The maid outside smiled politely, appearing courteous yet firm, already stepping aside and gesturing for the physician to enter the room.

Xingxing made no effort to stop them.

"The Magistrate's lady is too kind," Xingxing said with detached politeness.

The physician entered the room carrying his physician's case.

Wei Shiyan sat on a nearby couch, his face pale under the candlelight, further accentuated by the medicinal tint, looked every bit the invalid.

The physician felt for Wei Shiyan's pulse, frowned, asked a few questions, and finally wrote a prescription: "...First, we'll build up his constitution. Fortunately, I have these herbs with me. My apprentice will deliver them shortly."

Xingxing proffered payment, but the physician waved it away: "The Magistrate's lady has already covered it."

Xingxing directly pressed the silver tael into the physician's hand: "The Magistrate's lady's generosity is hers. What I give is mine. If you refuse, we won’t take the medicine."

"Well..."

The physician hesitated and instinctively glanced at the maid who had brought him.

The maid gave him the barest nod.

Only then did the physician accept the payment, took his leave, and left with his physician's case.

The maid smiled and said to Xingxing, "Our Magistrate's lady is very concerned about you, Miss Feng. Forgive my boldness—"

Xingxing smiled sweetly but cut in decisively: "If you recognize it's presumptuous, then there's no need to say it."

The maid had intended to say, *Our Magistrate's lady has been so kind to you. Even if you're afraid of passing on illness, you should at least greet her from a distance outside.*

But Xingxing had cut her off so directly that the maid stood dumbstruck, cheeks burning, unsure how to continue.

Xingxing arched a delicate brow: "Is there anything else?"

The maid could only leave, her ears still burning.

But she didn’t go far, waiting instead in a corner.

When the apprentice delivered the prepared remedies to Xingxing, she soon saw Xingxing take the remedies and head out—likely to the kitchen to brew it.

Only then did the maid return to report: "I saw with my own eyes, Miss Feng took the remedies to the kitchen."

Luo Shi raised an eyebrow: "In that case, I'll retire. The rain seems like it will continue for a while. Once her fiancé’s health improves, she may find time to pay her respects."

Pang Jinkang hovered nearby, biting back words.

Earlier, the physician had reported that Miss Feng’s fiancé was indeed in dire condition and needed restorative tonics to recover.

Pang Jinkang suddenly stood a little taller.

*How could a man in such poor health provide properly for Miss Feng?*

*He might not even live for many more years!*