Chapter Twenty-Seven: Xue Mingrui’s Doubts

The streets of Jiankang had returned to their usual peace and tranquility, but chaos reigned within the Marquis of Wei’s residence.

The young heir was ill again!

“Xue Kai, hurry and summon the imperial physician from the palace!”

The gatekeeper’s servant was terrified at the sight of the second young master carrying the heir inside.

Even the old marquis, who rarely left his quarters, hobbled over with his cane to Jiang Lan’s courtyard, accompanied by an elderly man with white hair and beard.

Xue Mingrui quickly rose and bowed. “Grandfather Jiang.”

Jiang Wu merely nodded. Having lost his son in middle age, he had never paid much attention to his nephews and grandchildren. He only knew this was the eldest son's wife's child, an obedient boy who usually looked after Jiang Lan, behaving as an elder brother should.

Xue Mingrui stood quietly to the side, worry etched on his face as he watched his cousin, beads of cold sweat on his brow, lying on the bed.

Jiang Wu glanced at the boy on the bed, his eyes unreadable, and simply instructed the elderly man beside him to check the pulse.

The old man sat on a low stool by the bed, his white brows knitting together in a frown.

“The young heir needs a quiet environment.”

The Marquis of Wei cast a brief glance, then stood up, immediately assisted by a servant. As he reached the screen, he looked back at Xue Mingrui.

Sensing his gaze, Xue Mingrui nodded and followed him out, turning back at every step, his eyes brimming with worry as he left his cousin lying unattended.

All the servants and maids stood outside. Inside, apart from the old gentleman, not even someone to serve tea or water remained.

Previously, when Jiang Lan had been gravely injured, Xue Mingrui had been away procuring rare treasures. By the time he rushed back, Jiang Lan’s wounds were no longer life-threatening.

He had always thought his cousin was simply cold-natured and disliked crowds, so only a few people were kept in his courtyard.

Now, it seemed truly odd.

Xue Mingrui sat below, absently rubbing the teacup in his hand without taking a sip.

After about half an hour, the white-bearded old man finally emerged, wiping sweat from his brow.

“There’s nothing serious. Some rest and he’ll recover.”

Xue Mingrui wanted to go in and check, but before he could move, the Marquis of Wei’s attendant blocked his way.

Jiang Wu rose, his eyes, deep with the weight of years, giving away nothing. “It’s late. Lan’er needs to rest. Mingrui, come back another day.”

The words left no room for argument; it would be unseemly for Xue Mingrui to insist.

“Yes, Grandfather Jiang.”

Leaving the residence, Xue Mingrui’s expression darkened as he saw Xue Kai waiting by the carriage.

“Did you fetch the physician as I asked?”

Seeing his master’s thinly veiled anger, Xue Kai became flustered. “Young master, it wasn’t me, it was them.”

Xue Mingrui frowned as Xue Kai pointed at the guards at the marquis’s gate, and patted Xue Kai’s shoulder. “We’ll talk about this at home.”

Xue Kai understood this was not the place to speak.

…

…

“Young master, this is what happened. I took your name card and invited the imperial physician, but no one in the Marquis of Wei’s house would allow him in, nor did they let me enter.”

“They insisted there was an unrivaled physician in the house and no outsiders were needed.”

“How can they call him an outsider? That imperial physician serves in the palace, and now the Empress Dowager is from the Jiang family, and His Majesty is the legitimate cousin of the young master. How can he be considered an outsider!”

Looking at Xue Kai’s indignant face, Xue Mingrui knew he was telling the truth—this was indeed how the Jiang household operated.

Recalling how the Marquis had treated him today—refusing to let him visit his injured cousin, not even inquiring as to how he was hurt—he realized they wouldn’t even use the palace doctors. The rumors at court seemed true: after the Marquis lost his beloved son, his disposition had changed completely, and his relationship with the Empress Dowager was all but severed; he had never set foot in the palace since.

Even when the late emperor had fallen gravely ill and wished to entrust the young emperor to his care, the Marquis had resolutely declined.

Otherwise, today’s power struggle between Empress Jiang and Prince Anping would never have come to pass.

But Lan was the Marquis’s own grandson. Why did it feel as if the Marquis was leaving his cousin to fend for himself?

Did he truly, as rumors claimed, cherish his only grandson like a precious jewel, raising him with the utmost care within his household?

In the past, Xue Mingrui had rarely visited the Marquis’s residence, and he believed such tales.

But now…