Ch87 - Nightmare Disease

Mu Hanzhang went into the inner room and saw an imperial physician checking his mother’s pulse. The North Marquis was sitting on a stool at the head of the bed, and Ge Ruoyi was standing by the bed, waiting upon them.

“The fetus seems a little unstable, but fortunately, there is no sign that it has died.” The imperial physician finished taking the pulse, muttered to himself for a moment, and then immediately prescribed a medicine to calm the fetus.

Mu Hanzhang walked closer and saw Consort Qiu lying on the bed. Her complexion was a little white, and there was a layer of sweat on her forehead.

“Mother, is it still painful?” Mu Hanzhang sat down beside the bed, took a handkerchief from Ge Ruoyi and wiped away the cold sweat on her forehead. 

“It’s better.” Consort Qiu’s voice was a little weak, but her enunciation was clear and her palms were warm; it seemed she would be fine for the time being.

“She was perfectly all right before; how come there were suddenly signs of a miscarriage?” Mu Hanzhang turned to ask the imperial physician.

The fetus-nourishing medicine was prescribed by Imperial Physician Jiang. Ge Ruoyi had been brewing it herself and Consort Qiu’s food was prepared with the utmost care. Because Consort Qiu had very bad morning sickness in her first trimester, Mu Hanzhang specially transferred the imperial chef from their palace to the small kitchen in Consort Qiu’s courtyard to specially cook for her.

The imperial doctor had been called over at the last minute by the North Marquis. He also wasn’t very clear about what happened. “My wife was just startled; she didn’t eat anything bad.”

Startled? Mu Hanzhang looked down at his father sitting at the head of the bed.

The North Marquis sighed. “It’s good that you are okay. Then, get the medicine according to the prescription.” He said these words to Ge Ruoyi, but she took the prescription and didn’t go out, and instead, handed the prescription to Mu Hanzhang.

Mu Hanzhang took it and looked at it. It was almost the same as the prescription given by Imperial Physician Jiang. Some herbs were slightly different, but it should be a mild prescription. That was to say, the problem wasn’t serious.

The imperial physician accepted the thank-you gift from the North Marquis, saluted Mu Hanzhang, then left. He walked outside to see Jing Shao sitting in the seat of honor, and had to go up to greet him. 

“How is the situation?” Jing Shao asked.

“There should not be any big issues with Secondary Madam,” the imperial physician replied honestly.

The North Marchioness, unexpectedly sighed with relief when she heard this. Jing Shao glanced at her and felt that something about this matter was rather strange.

“You were alright before; how were you suddenly startled?” Mu Hanzhang held his mother’s hands and asked in a warm voice. 

Consort Qiu pressed her lips together. What had happened earlier was truly frightening. Now that her son had come, she felt like she had a supporter, and she calmed down and felt that the pain in her abdomen had lessened significantly. When her son asked this, however, she couldn’t answer. She just shook her head. “It’s alright if the child is safe.”

Mu Hanzhang frowned and lifted his head to question the North Marquis.

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“Ruoyi, what happened?” Mu Hanzhang’s face went cold as he said, “I told you many times that you must not leave her, whatever step she takes!” 

Ge Ruoyi immediately knelt on the ground when she heard this. “This servant deserves death, this servant did not properly take care of Secondary Madam. It was just that the young master suddenly rushed out and even pushed Secondary Madam. This servant didn’t have time to stop him…”

The room immediately fell quiet. Mu Hanzhang looked down and said nothing. The North Marquis was stunned. Mu Lingbao was related to this incident? The servant who had reported back to him about this hadn’t said anything, and this maid was also only revealing this now.

“Why didn’t you say that before?” The North Marquis was a little embarrassed; this way, it looked like he had deliberately kept it a secret.

“Mother, you should try to sleep for a bit first. I’ll let you know when the medicine is ready.” Mu Hanzhang didn’t say anything more, and properly covered Consort Qiu with the quilt. Consort Qiu looked at him with her beautiful eyes and knew that he was going to deal with this matter. Although she didn’t want to make trouble, the incident today had truly frightened her. She pressed her lips together and finally chose to stay silent. 

The North Marquis said a few comforting words, and then took Mu Hanzhang and Ge Ruoyi out of the inner room.

“This is just a small matter in the inner court; there was no need to trouble Wang Ye to come all the way here.” The North Marquis didn’t expect Jing Shao to also be here, and he hurried forward to salute him.

“This is no small matter,” Jing Shao said with an insincere smile, motioning his Wang Fei to come and sit with him.

“Why haven’t I seen big brother?” With a cold face, Mu Hanzhang went to Jing Shao and sat down in the second highest seat of honor. 

“Lingbao’s health hasn’t recovered yet. He just suffered a little fright; I had him go back and rest,” the North Marchioness quickly said.

Suffered a fright? Mu Hanzhang only thought these words were funny; he pushed a pregnant woman, but he was the one who was actually frightened. He seemed even more pampered than a pregnant woman! The hands hidden in his sleeves gradually clenched into fists. Today’s matter definitely couldn’t be allowed to rest like this. If it was just smoothed over so carelessly, and these people weren’t taught a lesson, the child in his mother’s stomach wouldn’t be born safely.

“What fright did he suffer?” The North Marquis sat on the other side of the seat of honor, and hearing the North Marchioness’s words, he slammed his hand on the table. Considering his old age, he cherished this miracle pregnancy, and looked forward every day to his child being born soon. “Call the heir here.”

A servant accepted the order and left. The North Marchioness now knew who had divulged the information and glared at Ge Ruoyi fiercely. However, the other turned a blind eye and stood behind Mu Hanzhang with her head and eyes down. She made it clear that she was a maid from the prince’s palace, and wasn’t under the North Marchioness’s control. 

Consort Du felt that this situation was very unfavorable to her and her son. She wrung the handkerchief in her hands several times and deliberated on her wording before she said, “Husband, Lingbao didn’t do it intentionally. He must not have been looking and accidentally collided with her. Anyway, the child is fine, and I think it would be good for him to come and accompany sister.”

In a few words, she avoided blame for the situation and spoke as if she was generous enough to let her innocent son and heir come and accompany a pitiful secondary wife.

But none of the three people sitting in the seats above her answered. The North Marquis ignored her, and the other two didn’t feel like arguing with her.

Mu Hanzhang looked down and said nothing. He heard that Mu Lingbao had been bedridden. After recovering dispiritedly for two months, only now was he able to get up and walk around. Mu Hanzhang hadn’t seen him recently, but this matter couldn’t be an accident. Consort Qiu took extremely great care with her child. She walked very carefully and never walked on narrow or slippery paths, and Ge Ruoyi was by her side the entire time. Mu Lingbao’s reproductive abilities were crippled, but he wasn’t blind. How would he not be able to see two living people? 

Jing Shao took a slow sip of tea as he sat inside someone else’s inner residence without a shred of self-consciousness. He sat quietly, making it clear that he was supporting his Wang Fei.

After waiting for a long time, they didn’t see Mu Lingbao, but another imperial physician came. It was Imperial Physician Zhang whom Jing Chen had sent. Now that he had come, they couldn’t brush off Rui Wang’s kindness, so the North Marquis had someone take him in to examine Consort Qiu one more time.

Only after Imperial Physician Zhang had been inside for a while did Mu Lingbao come in exasperatingly slowly. His careless appearance made the North Marquis say, “Unfilial son! Why did you dawdle when father called you to come here?”

Seeing Mu Lingbao, Mu Hanzhang was really surprised. The original slightly fat man was now so thin that his cheeks had sunken in. His eyes were empty. When he saw Mu Hanzhang, a trace of resentment flashed across his face. 

“Mu Hanzhang!” When Mu Lingbao saw him, he immediately became spirited, rushed toward him in two or three steps, and reached out to grab his neck.

“What are you doing?” How could Jing Shao let him get away with it? He raised his hands to grab his weak wrists, and threw him to the side without much effort.

Mu Lingbao fell to the ground, quickly got up, pointed at Mu Hanzhang and said, “Was it you? You had people throw me into the river, didn’t you?” Mu Lingbao’s voice was no longer as indifferent as before, and his tone became a little sharp.

Jing Shao pulled Mu Hanzhang into his embrace and patted him gently, as if to comfort him from the fright. 

Mu Hanzhang immediately broke away and glared at him angrily. He turned to Mu Lingbao and asked, “Elder brother, what is the matter?”

The North Marchioness hurriedly went up and grabbed Mu Lingbao. “What are you shouting about? I ask you, just now, the secondary wife slipped and fell. Why didn’t you help her, and instead ran away?” As she said this, she stealthily pinched Mu Lingbao’s back and motioned him to follow along with her words.

“Mother, this son just heard that she didn’t slip by herself.” Mu Hanzhang opened his mouth slowly, but his voice was loud enough for everyone to hear.

“What, are you saying that your elder brother pushed her?” The North Marchioness raised her eyebrows and turned her head to glare at Mu Hanzhang. There should be filial piety and fraternal duty; she didn’t believe that Mu Hanzhang would outright accuse his own brother. 

Mu Hanzhang pressed his lips together. He really couldn’t just say that. Arguing with this unreasonable woman would only make this matter even messier. He took a deep breath and sat down beside Jing Shao. No matter how they tried to make trouble today, he had to clarify the situation.

At that moment, Imperial Physician Zhang, who had gone in to check Consort Qiu’s pulse, came out with the maid and gave a brief account of the situation, which was basically the same as what the imperial physician from before had just said.

Jing Shao secretly took his Wang Fei’s hand, looked at Mu Lingbao’s pale face, narrowed his eyes slightly and said, “This Imperial Physician Zhang was invited by Second Imperial Brother, and his medical skills are superb. I just heard that the heir was shocked. He should give him a look since it’s convenient right now.”

“No, I’m not sick!” Mu Lingbao was very clear on what his physical condition was like. Naturally, he didn’t want to show it to any imperial physician. Upon hearing this, he thus immediately refused loudly. 

Mu Hanzhang understood Jing Shao’s intent and said, “Elder brother is kind-hearted. Naturally, he wouldn’t purposefully push his concubine mother into the water, but not being able to see people clearly in broad daylight is not some small ailme…” Before he finished, he just looked at the North Marquis with some embarrassment.

The North Marquis also felt that something was wrong with Mu Lingbao, who had started shouting as soon as he came in. Thus, the North Marquis said, “Then, I’ll trouble the imperial physician to give the heir an examination.”

“Fuck off, don’t come over here!” Mu Lingbao screamed. Seeing the imperial physician with the white grizzled beard come forward, he struggled to retreat, and looked a little crazy.

Imperial Physician Zhang took a look at Jing Shao’s expression, pondered for a moment, then said, “Forgive this old subject for speaking bluntly, but I’m afraid the heir has contracted the nightmare disease.” 

As soon as these words fell, all the people in the room sucked in cold breaths of air. The so-called nightmare disease, euphemistically speaking, was to be possessed. Frankly speaking, it meant that he had gone crazy.

“That’s impossible,” the North Marchioness immediately cried out, and pulled Mu Lingbao to her side. “Lingbao was just frightened. The imperial physician gave him a calming prescription. He will be alright after resting for a couple of days.”

“Father, if it really is the nightmare disease, my mother is still pregnant right now. I heard that elder brother’s concubines are also about to give birth. An unexpected incident happening once is fine, but if there are more…” Mu Hanzhang frowned as he spoke quietly to the North Marquis.

“Mu Hanzhang, what nonsense are you saying?” The North Marchioness’s face was very ugly. 

“Have the imperial physician take a look to see if it’s true or not.” Jing Shao turned his body to the side to protect his Wang Fei from these two crazies.

After receiving Jing Shao’s hint, Imperial Physician Zhang took two more steps and reached out to grab Mu Lingbao’s hand. Mu Lingbao immediately roared, “Fuck off!” He pushed away the imperial physician and tried to run.

“Stop him!” The North Marquis realized that something wasn’t quite right. He quickly called for the guards to stop Mu Lingbao and also personally ran into the courtyard to catch him. When Mu Jin had found out that Mu Lingbao was crippled, he was very dejected. When he saw Mu Lingbao’s half-dead appearance, he immediately became angry and ignored him for a while. Who knew that after not seeing him for half a month, he became this deranged.

The North Marquis’s household was in utter chaos and confusion  At last, the North Marquis decided to confine the heir in his courtyard for the time being. Before Consort Qiu gave birth, he wasn’t allowed to come out. He also asked the imperial physician to prescribe a lot of calming prescriptions for Mu Lingbao to drink every day under the eye of his official wife. 

Consort Du tearfully went to accompany her son. The North Marquis seemed to have aged a lot again. When Jing Shao and Mu Hanzhang left, he just waved his hand tiredly.

Mu Hanzhang also wasn’t sure how to have his father handle Mu Lingbao. As long as he could ensure his mother’s safety, he was satisfied. On the way back, he was completely silent.

“If you’re tired, rest on me; we’ll be home in a little bit.” Jing Shao rubbed his chin against the top of Mu Hanzhang’s head.

“I didn’t expect that Mu Lingbao would become like this…” Mu Hanzhang pressed his lips together. It seemed that this incident had had a great impact on Mu Lingbao. 

“It’s just a matter of only having yourself to blame.” Jing Shao hugged him in his arms. “When you were a child, your muscles and tendons were ruined, but you didn’t abandon yourself to despair. He just lost some pleasure and his limbs and muscles are healthy, but he doesn’t want to pull himself together to take revenge. He only knows to throw temper tantrums at old women and weak children. There’s nothing to sympathize with.” He knew that his Wang Fei was soft-hearted, but for someone like Mu Lingbao, even if you were soft-hearted toward him, he wouldn’t be grateful.

Mu Hanzhang nodded slightly. This had already happened; it was useless to dwell on it. Now, he just needed to properly protect his mother.

The author’s small theater:

Xiao Shao: Jun Qing, do not be afraid, your husband will support you 

Hanzhang: …It’s fine as long as you don’t cause trouble for me

Xiao Hei: Neigh~ snort (Fighting in the households is so boring. I’ve already become part of the background. Go to the battlefield quickly and directly fight!)

Xiao Huang: Wawu! Wawuwuwu!!! (Lion’s head! I want to gnaw on the lion’s head!)

The author, who promised to let Xiao Huang come out to sell meng but failed, expresses that horse language is relatively simple, en!