Chapter 14 Master Chen is Critically Ill

Chapter 14: Master Chen Falls Gravely Ill

The summer night was sweltering, the incessant chirping of cicadas and birds outside only adding to the restlessness in Yin Rou's heart. Sitting by the window, she sipped one cup after another of cooled tea, yet it did nothing to soothe her unease.

Yu He pushed the door open and saw Yin Rou wearing just a thin sleeping robe, her damp hair hanging loose as she sat in the breeze, still drinking cold tea. Hurrying over, Yu He took the cup from her just as she was about to take another sip. "Miss, you'll get sick!"

Yin Rou reached for it again, but Yu He moved away.

"How could I get sick in such heat?" Yin Rou said to Yu He. "Give it back."

She only knew that if she didn't douse the chaotic thoughts raging inside her, they would truly consume her.

This was the first time Yu He had seen Yin Rou act so stubborn—her brows knit together, her lips slightly pouted, her dark eyes fixed on Yu He with an intensity that seemed less like willfulness and more like pleading.

It made one want to give in to her.

"No," Yu He stood firm and shook her head. "Have you forgotten how frail your health is? You've only just started recovering—how can you be so careless? Don’t forget, the scars on your body haven’t even faded yet."

Yu He continued scolding as she moved the tea far away, placing it out of reach.

Defeated, Yin Rou dropped her gaze.

Yu He set the cup aside and returned to help her up. "Miss, you should rest early."

Yin Rou followed obediently, but sleep was impossible—her mind was a tangled mess.

Though she had already convinced herself that the Third Young Master was the man from her vision, every time she recalled that scene—how someone so noble and untouchable could lose control over her—it felt unbelievable, even absurd.

And she couldn’t fathom what circumstances would make the Third Young Master, who embodied propriety and restraint, develop... feelings for her.

Yin Rou’s lashes trembled violently, her eyes filling with flustered unease, her cheeks burning crimson.

Liu Zhiyi had said the Third Young Master had angrily removed his own ring because Master Chen had given the ring intended for the Fourth Young Master to Chen Yanlin. Frowning, Yin Rou recalled the day Quan Zhong had come to summon her, mentioning that Master Chen and the Third Young Master had argued.

Undoubtedly, that was when the Third Young Master had taken off his ring. And the night before that incident, she had fled from Master Chen’s courtyard. Yin Rou’s fingers curled tightly into her sleeves, her eyes widening in shock, her gaze unsteady.

That night, she had accidentally stumbled into the Third Young Master’s arms... Later, she had mistakenly entered Xiaohuang Residence, where the Third Young Master had intervened when Ninth Yiniang bullied her. And now, there was the copying scriptures in Shifang Hall.

Yin Rou felt she had found a clue, but it only left her more confused. She tried to steady her breathing, but the moment she swallowed, her throat trembled with numbness.

"Yu He, I want water," Yin Rou said, her voice unsteady.

Yu He, who had just finished smoothing the blankets, turned to scold her again but faltered at the sight of Yin Rou’s trembling gaze. Relenting, she sighed. "Wait here, miss. I’ll fetch warm water."

Yu He returned quickly. Yin Rou took the cup, sipped once, then again, before her racing heart settled slightly.

But the moment she resumed her thoughts, all progress was lost. Though both were Master Chen’s sons, the impact of suspecting the Third Young Master was incomparably greater than when she had suspected Chen Yanlin.

If not for the evidence, she wouldn’t have dared imagine that the Third Young Master could share such an illicit connection with her. Perhaps he had already begun to harbor feelings for her. Yin Rou’s head spun, her heartstrings plucked, sending waves of nervous tingling through her.

Even now, she didn’t dare get too close. To her, the Third Young Master remained like a crescent moon hanging beyond reach in tall trees—completely out of reach.

Yet this was the only lifeline she could see. Yin Rou shut her fluttering eyelids tightly. According to the vision, the ring would eventually return to the Third Young Master’s hand.

She lifted her gaze to Yu He. "Yu He."

Yu He asked, "What is it, miss?"

Yin Rou pressed her dry lips together. That ring had become the key to proving her theory. After a moment’s thought, she said, "I need you to inquire about something for me tomorrow."

The next day, Yin Rou went to Shifang Hall as usual, while Yu He followed her instructions and headed to Huai’an Hall.

Quan Zhong had just stepped out of Master Chen’s quarters when he spotted Yu He looking around the moon-shaped gate. He approached and asked, "What brings you here? Does Miss Yin Rou have any requests?"

"Steward Quan." Yu He gave a small bow, hesitating before answering. "Indeed, the miss sent me."

Following Yin Rou’s directions, she first made some complaints, subtly hinting that she hoped he could speak to Master Chen about possibly exempting her from copying scriptures.

Quan Zhong shook his head apologetically. "It’s not that I won’t help, but the timing isn’t right yet. Tell Miss Yin Rou to endure a little longer."

"What timing?" Yu He asked offhandedly.

Quan Zhong sighed softly. "There’s an important business deal with the guild recently. Master Chen is deeply invested. We’ll likely have to wait until that’s settled."

Yu He was still figuring out how to steer the conversation toward the real matter when Quan Zhong brought it up himself. Truthfully, she didn’t know why Yin Rou wanted her to inquire about the guild’s affairs, but she would follow orders regardless.

"Isn’t the guild’s business all handled by the Fifth Young Master now? Why is Master Chen getting involved?"

Quan Zhong was guarded, offering only a vague smile.

Yu He thought for a moment, then added, "If there’s too much work, why not have the Third Young Master assist?"

"That’s precisely the problem." Quan Zhong frowned and shook his head. Master Chen was now determined to strip the Third Young Master of his authority entirely, hence his personal involvement.

"Enough. I’ll keep it in mind. You may go."

Quan Zhong rarely spoke so much. Yu He wanted to press further, but any more questions would arouse suspicion, so she bowed and left.

Before she could exit the moon-shaped gate, she saw a pale-faced maid rushing over. Yu He looked closer—it was Suqiu, Ninth Yiniang’s maid.

Suqiu rushed past her and ran up to Quan Zhong, panting. "Steward, please beg Master Chen on our mistress’s behalf!"

Quan Zhong scolded sharply, "Causing such a disturbance—how improper!"

Suqiu immediately held back her sobs and whispered, "The mistress has admitted her fault. Master Chen should consider her years of service and spare her this once."

"Coming here is pointless. Better to let Ninth Yiniang reflect quietly."

"Even if Master Chen refuses to see her, at least allow her to summon a physician!" Suqiu raised her voice toward the main house. "If her face isn’t treated soon, it’ll be too late!"

Quan Zhong hesitated, about to speak, when a mocking voice interrupted from afar.

"How lively."

Chen Yanlin strolled forward, looking disdainfully at Suqiu before addressing Quan Zhong. "I’m here to see Father. Is he in?"

Quan Zhong replied, "Master Chen is inside."

Chen Yanlin nodded leisurely. "With all this commotion, I thought he wasn’t here."

Quan Zhong was shrewd—Master Chen had undoubtedly heard the maid’s pleas but chose to ignore them. He smiled at Chen Yanlin. "Fifth Young Master, please wait. I’ll announce you."

"I’ll go in myself." Chen Yanlin gestured dismissively at Suqiu. "Steward, handle this."

Quan Zhong nodded and ushered Suqiu away. Yu He, seeing nothing more to see, turned to leave but was stopped by Chen Yanlin’s call.

Confused, Yu He halted. "What instructions does the Fifth Young Master have?"

Chen Yanlin shot her a sidelong glance and articulated clearly, "Go back and tell your mistress that what I promised her has been done."

Yu He looked up in confusion, but Chen Yanlin had already turned away and headed toward Master Chen’s room.

Pushing the door open, Chen Yanlin saw his father sitting upright in an armchair, sipping tea, completely unbothered by the earlier commotion caused by the maidservant’s cries.

Chen Yanlin curled his lip in a lazy smirk—no wonder they say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Master Chen set down his teacup and asked, "How are the arrangements?"

"Everything’s handled. Even the yamen officials have been greased—there won’t be any issues," Chen Yanlin replied with relaxed certainty, sitting down casually. "The goods will clear customs in three days."

Master Chen fixed him with a stern look and warned, "Make absolutely certain nothing goes wrong."

*

By evening, Yin Rou returned from Shifang Hall to Wantang Courtyard and immediately questioned Yu He about the matter. After listening to every word verbatim, she sat aside, lost in thought.

Though she hadn’t uncovered the details, piecing together the hints, it seemed Master Chen no longer intended to let Third Young Master manage the guild’s affairs.

Yu He, still preoccupied with Ninth Yiniang’s plight, said with both pity and vindictiveness, "Ninth Yiniang’s face was rotting away. Suqiu went to beg Master Chen for mercy, but he wouldn’t even see her."

Yin Rou froze. "What did you say?"

"Ninth Yiniang’s face—half of it is bleeding like it’s decaying. People say it’s utterly gruesome."

Yin Rou paled at the description. "How could this happen?"

Yu He shook her head. "I don’t know. Maybe it’s karma’s payback."

Yin Rou lowered her lashes, feeling no satisfaction—only despair. In this household, they had no agency, disposable objects.

"Oh," Yu He suddenly remembered, smacking her forehead. "On my way out of Huai’an Hall, I ran into Fifth Young Master. He said he’d fulfilled what he promised you."

For a moment, Yin Rou was blank, then her pupils shrank to pinpricks. An icy dread sliced through the stifling summer night, engulfing her entirely.

It was Chen Yanlin’s doing.

Her fingertips went numb and trembled, drained of blood. In her vision, Chu Yan’s face hadn’t been ruined—why was this different?

Yu He assumed she was just frightened. "Don’t dwell on it, mistress. You should eat and rest early."

Yin Rou nodded numbly, but that night, she was plagued by nightmares—visions of her father and brother being dragged away by soldiers, her mother dying of despair.

And that unrelenting vision.

She woke with a start—another day.

During the day, she stayed in Shifang Hall copying scriptures, obsessively turning over thoughts of Chu Yan’s disfigurement. If it differed from her vision, then change was possible.

But how? No one could say.

Her will to survive surged, emboldening her timid heart. She wanted to see Third Young Master, but in the following days, let alone Third Young Master, she didn’t even catch a glimpse of Shu Yan.

That evening, as she left Shifang Hall as usual, she encountered Yu He rushing up to her.

Seeing her distressed expression, Yin Rou asked in a tense voice, "What’s wrong?"

Yu He gasped, "Master Chen has suddenly taken ill! Everyone’s gone to see him—you must hurry too!"

Yin Rou was stunned. "How could this happen?"

Yu He shook her head. "The physician examined him and said it’s gravely serious."

The color half-drained from Yin Rou’s face, her terror spiked. If Master Chen’s illness took a fatal turn, she would soon be sold off by the madam!