Chapter 14 : The Healing Immortal
14: The Healing Immortal
The entire flower hall erupted in astonished murmurs. The Grand Princess wanted to see the Qin Manor's Ninth Young Miss?!
Qin Shuang's face had initially been full of delight, but when Yue Ning spoke, her delight vanished, replaced by disbelief as she stared at Qin Wan. What? The Grand Princess wanted to see Qin Wan?
"Pr‑Princess… what about us?"
Unwilling to give up, Qin Shuang looked at Yue Ning and asked.
Yue Ning glanced at her coolly. "Grandmother only wishes to see the Ninth Young Miss. Please wait here."
Yue Ning's features were full of heroic spirit. Though her tone was polite, her entire bearing was still imposing and forceful. Qin Shuang pressed her lips tightly together, looking at Qin Wan with unwilling resentment. Why?! Why her?!
"Ninth Young Miss, please come with me. Grandmother wanted to see you much earlier, but since early morning, many guests have arrived. Now Grandmother finally has some free time and is waiting for you."
Hearing this, everyone in the flower hall was even more shocked, their eyes nearly popping out.
This Qin Manor's Ninth Young Miss was said to be the orphaned daughter of the Loyal and Valiant Marquis's Second Household. For so many years, she had been obscure in the Jinzhou Qin Manor. But now, why would the Grand Princess specifically want to see her? And she had wanted to see her since early morning?!
Everyone looked at Qin Wan with shock and doubt, then their eyes brightened.
Today, at the Anyang Marquis's household wedding banquet, all the noble young ladies attending were dressed in bright, splendid attire. Only this Ninth Young Miss, a touch of dark blue‑green in the crowd, stood out like a solitary orchid amidst a riot of color, her beauty restrained yet stunningly captivating.
Hearing Yue Ning's words, Qin Wan first looked at Jiang‑shi. Jiang‑shi's murky gaze held a probing intensity that was somewhat startling. She nodded. "When meeting Her Highness the Grand Princess, do not lose propriety."
Qin Wan lowered her eyes. "Yes, Qin Wan understands."
Yue Ning looked at Qin Wan, the corners of her lips curving slightly. She turned and walked out of the flower hall. Qin Wan, with Fuling, hurried to follow.
Those few dozen steps felt like a quarter of an hour under the various envious, jealous gazes. Only after leaving the flower hall did Qin Wan feel more at ease. Ahead, Yue Ning walked a few steps, then turned back, looking Qin Wan up and down for a moment. "How come I've never seen you before?"
There weren't many nobles in Jinzhou. The younger generation mostly crossed paths at various flower parties and banquets. But Yue Ning had never seen Qin Wan. Qin Wan's lips curved slightly. "Qin Wan was formerly reclusive and disliked crowds, so I never went out."
Yue Ning seemed to know of Qin Wan's circumstances. Hearing this, she sighed. "That's why Grandmother specifically sent an invitation for you."
Qin Wan quickly said, "Thank you, Her Highness the Grand Princess."
Yue Ning shook her head. "It is we who thank you."
Qin Wan didn't understand. Yue Ning said no more. Today, the marquis's household was filled with guests. Yue Ning led Qin Wan along covered corridors and small paths known only to the household's own people. Thus, from the guest‑receiving flower hall in the front courtyard all the way to the back, they soon reached the depths of the marquis's household.
The noise of the wedding banquet grew fainter, the surroundings increasingly quiet and elegant. Winding corridors, lush flowers and trees, pavilions and soaring eaves arranged in picturesque disorder, the Anyang Marquis's household was even more exquisite and artful than the Qin Manor.
Not long after, a blooming garden of hibiscus came into view. Behind the garden stood a solitary courtyard with jade‑colored tiles and white walls.
Yue Ning's steps quickened. "Grandmother is right here!"
Qin Wan's heart lifted, and she also hastened her pace. Fuling followed behind, both nervous and excited, yet not daring to breach propriety and embarrass Qin Wan. Soon they reached the courtyard gate. A maidservant in green robes walked out.
Seeing this maidservant, Qin Wan and Fuling simultaneously paused…
This maidservant was the green‑clad attendant beside the gravely ill elderly lady they had encountered on the street that day!
"Ah! We've finally waited for you!" The green‑robed maidservant stepped forward. Seeing Qin Wan, the delight in her eyes grew even stronger. "It really is the Ninth Young Miss! The Old Madam was still worrying what if it wasn't… Please, come in quickly…"
At this moment, the question in Qin Wan's heart was completely answered.
Why the Anyang Marquis's household had specifically sent an invitation for her, it was because the elderly lady she had saved that day was actually the Grand Princess Jiayi!
Qin Wan was momentarily stunned, somewhat dazed as she entered the courtyard gate.
Once inside, two middle‑aged women came out to greet them. The lady at the front appeared around forty, with intelligent eyes and peach‑blossom cheeks, extremely well‑preserved. A lotus‑pink silk dress made her look even younger and prosperous. Her gaze immediately fell on Qin Wan. "Ah, is this Mother's lifesaver? She looks even younger than Ning'er? Come, let me have a look…"
Seeing this, Yue Ning laughed. "Mother, the Ninth Young Miss is actually a year younger than me."
Hearing this, Qin Wan quickly curtsied. "Greetings to the Mistress."
The Anyang Marquis's wife, Jiang‑shi, pulled Qin Wan up, looking her over happily from head to toe, then led her inside. "Mother, look! The real person is even more like a healing immortal than what Lüxiu described…"
"Quick, quick, bring her here…"
A slightly hoarse voice sounded. Qin Wan looked up and saw the elderly lady reclining on the couch in the seat of honor. Different from that day, today she wore luxurious robes, her silver hair styled with ornate hairpins and a forehead band. She looked spirited and full of vigor!
Jiang‑shi smiled, holding Qin Wan's hand as they approached. "Here she is, here she is. Look at her aura, isn't it even better than those noble ladies raised by palace matrons in the capital? I never knew the Qin Manor hid such a young lady…"
As she spoke, they had already reached the Grand Princess. Qin Wan curtsied deeply. "Greetings to Your Highness the Grand Princess."
"No need for such formality. Quickly, come to Mother's side."
Jiang‑shi gently supported Qin Wan, guiding her to the Grand Princess. The Grand Princess took Qin Wan's hand, making her sit beside her. She smiled at Qin Wan before her, then looked at the green‑robed maidservant.
"Lüxiu, your description truly didn't do the real person justice by even one ten‑thousandth."
Lüxiu stood respectfully to the side, covering her mouth with a light laugh. "This servant is clumsy with words. Please forgive me, Old Madam."
The Grand Princess held Qin Wan's hand, sighing again. "However, your words 'healing immortal' were quite accurate."
Then, looking at Qin Wan affectionately, she asked, "Is your given name simply 'Wan'?"
Qin Wan nodded. "Replying to Your Highness the Grand Princess, that is correct."
The Grand Princess nodded. "A good name. Your parents surely hoped you would always have a smiling face in this life. Where did you learn your medical skills? Do you know, that day when Lüxiu brought me back to the manor, even Divine Physician Huang said my chances were slim. But following your method, by nightfall, I broke into a heavy sweat and survived. Not only that, after taking your prescription for a few more days, my wind‑evil illness improved greatly. Even Divine Physician Huang marveled. Hearing that my lifesaver was a young girl, he wanted to meet you."
Hearing this, Jiang‑shi also smiled. "Exactly. Divine Physician Huang is a former imperial physician from the palace. These past few years, he has been regulating Mother's health. Though he could stabilize the condition, there was never significant improvement. Ninth… let me call you Wan'er. Wan'er, your prescription seems unremarkable, yet it both saved Mother's life and improved her condition greatly. You are the great benefactor of our entire Anyang Marquis's household!"
Facing the praise from the two mistresses, Qin Wan's expression remained calm, only replying modestly, "Qin Wan's medical knowledge was learned from my parents. My father and mother enjoyed reading medical texts and also studied under a master. What they learned, they taught Qin Wan in childhood."
She paused slightly, then said somewhat apologetically, "After my father and mother passed away, Qin Wan had no opportunity to practice medicine. That day, encountering Your Highness the Grand Princess in an emergency, I acted impulsively. Afterward, Qin Wan felt anxious, fearing I might have harmed Your Highness…"
The Grand Princess and Jiang‑shi were surprised. The Grand Princess said, "From Lüxiu's description, you were skilled and diagnosed extremely quickly. I thought you must have received guidance from a master and practiced for many years. I never imagined you hadn't practiced all these years?" She sighed again. "What a waste. Without practice, you could still save my life. Such natural talent, you were born to be a healing immortal…"
Inside the inner courtyard, there was warmth and praise. Outside in the flower hall, people were still discussing Qin Wan's summons.
Though the Qin Manor people were inwardly shocked and puzzled, facing the frequent glances cast their way, they had to maintain outward composure. Suddenly, another figure appeared at the flower hall entrance. An elderly man with a white beard, over fifty, walked in.
"The Qin Manor… where is the Qin Manor's Old Madam…"
The old man walked very quickly. His arrival also stirred another wave of surprise in the flower hall.
Who in Jinzhou City didn't know Divine Physician Huang, who could raise the dead and restore flesh to bones, with patients lining up outside the city waiting for him?!
Lin‑shi was the first to notice the old man. She tugged Jiang‑shi's sleeve. "Mother, Divine Physician Huang is here!"
Jiang‑shi looked up. The next moment, the man called Divine Physician Huang, Huang Jinyuan, also saw them. He hurried straight to the Qin Manor group, asking urgently, "Where is the Ninth Young Miss from your manor?"
The image of Qin Wan being taken away by Princess Yue Ning was still fresh in their minds. Why was Divine Physician Huang also looking for Qin Wan?
Jiang‑shi's gaze darkened. What exactly had happened?
Jiang‑shi's frown deepened. "Just now, the Princess came and said the Grand Princess wished to see her. She just left with the Princess. Why is the Divine Physician looking for her?" She paused slightly, hesitantly adding, "What did Qin Wan do?"
"Ah, I'm too late!" Huang Jinyuan first let out a pained sigh, then noticed the utterly bewildered expressions on the Qin Manor people's faces. He asked puzzledly, "You don't even know your own manor has produced a healing immortal?"
Hearing this, the Qin Manor people were even more confused.
Huang Jinyuan laughed bitterly and stamped his foot. "Your manor's Ninth Young Miss saved the Grand Princess's life on the street four days ago, and you actually didn't know?!"