Chapter 233 - 232: The Illness
Du Yunluo followed Mrs. Wang and Mrs. Zhen into Yanxi Hall.
She remembered that the last time she was here, Yanxi Hall was filled with laughter, and the maids and old women had joyful expressions on their faces. But this time, everyone wore a solemn countenance, their heads bowed as they went about their tasks.
Upon stepping into the main room, Old Mrs. Hou lay on the Arhat Bed in the corner, looking exhausted.
Mrs. Zhen rushed over to Old Mrs. Hou, holding her hand, unable to utter a word as she choked back her sobs.
Old Mrs. Hou patted Mrs. Zhen’s back, trying to speak, but it turned into a few coughs instead.
Mrs. Wang’s daughter, Zhen Wenqi, quickly brought over some tea, helping Old Mrs. Hou drink.
Du Yunluo stood quietly to the side, unblinkingly watching her grandmother.
Compared to last year, her grandmother seemed much older. She had been in such good health before, that even Mrs. Xia envied her robustness. But now, looking at her, Old Master Zhen’s illness over the past fortnight had dealt her a massive blow, as if she had aged ten years overnight.
The Arhat Bed was piled with bedding, suggesting that the inner room was reserved for Old Master Zhen’s convalescence while Old Mrs. Hou had been resting in the corner.
Old Mrs. Hou hoarsely said, "Go in and see Old Master first."
Mrs. Zhen nodded with tears in her eyes and led Du Yunluo into the inner room.
Passing a screen depicting blessings, prosperity, and longevity, the green bamboo curtains on the canopy bed were drawn up and hooked onto copper hooks. Old Master Zhen lay there, with his exposed hand so thin that it seemed like skin and bones.
Zhen Zimun stood up, nodding slightly at them, then leaned over the bed and whispered to Old Master Zhen, "Father, Sixth Sister and Yunluo are here to see you."
Mrs. Zhen stepped forward, gripping Old Master Zhen’s hand, and Du Yunluo followed suit.
She could see Old Master Zhen’s condition clearly now. The old man’s complexion was sallow and gloomy, causing Du Yunluo’s heart to sink. In her previous life, she had seen many elderly people pass away, and their faces always looked like this—not just yellow, but dark, exuding an air of death.
The last time she left Tong City, Old Master Zhen was also ill and bedridden, but his condition was far better than now. Who knew that within a year’s time, he would be like this...
Old Master Zhen half-opened his eyes, his pupils cloudy, and uttered "ah, ah" sounds.
Mrs. Zhen turned to Zhen Zimun and asked, "Second Brother, can’t Father speak?"
Zhen Zimun replied in a somber voice, "It’s a paralysis, he can’t speak."
Mrs. Zhen wiped away her tears and leaned over to speak more to Old Master Zhen, whose eyes teared up, his mouth opening and closing, but none of his words were understandable.
Seeing this, Mrs. Zhen cried even more fiercely.
Du Yunluo cried with her, offering some words of comfort to Mrs. Zhen.
Footsteps sounded outside, and the voices of Du Huaixi and Du Yundi carried into the corner room. Quickly, the two of them came in.
Du Yunluo ceded her spot by the bed and then carefully surveyed the interior of the room.
The window in the back was open, allowing the refreshing autumn breeze to disperse the smell of medicine and the sour stench of illness inside, but this was not a long-term solution.
Spring and autumn were fine, but come winter, when Old Master Zhen’s health would be even frailer during illness, having the windows open could be too much for his body to withstand. But if they weren’t opened, who could endure the smell inside?
The maids and old women serving him and the sons and grandsons caring for the ill might develop a sense of resentment, and then...
But to say that Old Master Zhen was certainly going to die, no one dared to assert such a thing for certain. Paralysis could lead to death, but there have been those who recovered, returning to walk and eat as before.
Old Master Zhen seemed dangerously ill, but perhaps he could pull through?
Mrs. Zhen cried a river, eventually consoled by Du Huaixi and the others. Du Yunluo supported her to a seat in the corner room, where Mrs. Wang ordered water to be brought over for Mrs. Zhen and Du Yunluo to wash their faces.
Having cried, Mrs. Zhen spoke with a bit of a sob, "How did Father suddenly become like this..."
Old Mrs. Hou sighed and shook her head.
Mrs. Wang said, "Old Master loved to drink. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, he drank too much, wanting to go to the garden to enjoy the moon. That’s how it happened... This blame falls on us juniors for not being more attentive, urging Old Master not to drink too much or wander the garden, which might have prevented this incident."
Mrs. Zhen asked again, "Why haven’t I seen Big Brother and Sister-in-law today?"
With reddened eyes, Mrs. Wang replied, "After Old Master fell, the famous doctors in Tong City all said it wasn’t good. Big Brother couldn’t accept it and wasn’t willing to give up, deciding to search for famous doctors. Over these days, he’s invited doctors from nearby towns, but...
Big Brother refuses to give up and wants to keep searching. We were worried about possible accidents on his journey, so we sent Qian and Yuan to go with him, to look after each other.
Sister-in-law, in these past half-month inside and out, couldn’t hold up anymore and fell ill too, with Sister Ting attending to her."
Mrs. Zhen felt deeply saddened. Ever since Old Master Zhen fell ill, the entire household fell into chaos. Fortunately, Mrs. Wang held things together, preventing the entire household’s matters from collapsing.
Old Mrs. Hou sighed, "These are all dutiful children. It depends on whether Old Master can hold on to enjoy a few more years of blessings from his children and grandchildren."
Mrs. Wang quickly comforted, "Just think, Old Master loves enjoying life the most, with his birds and music. He hasn’t yet had the pleasure of four generations living together, surely he’s not willing to depart."
The maids and old women also hastened to offer their comfort.
Knowing that Mrs. Chen was ill, Mrs. Zhen felt obliged to visit.
Last year’s incident involving Zhen Wenqian had added an awkwardness between Mrs. Zhen and Mrs. Chen, but at times like this, there was no room for such concerns, and with Zhen Wenqian not at the residence, Du Yunluo accompanied Mrs. Zhen.
Mrs. Chen lay pale-faced on the bed, while Zhen Wenting’s chin was sharp and she seemed listless.
Speaking of Zhen Zishan going to seek a doctor, Mrs. Chen tearfully said, "Your Big Brother feels guilty. That day he was accompanying Old Master to the garden. Yet when his own drunkenness hit, he fell to the ground, and when the maids and old women went to help him, Old Master was anxious to see him, and in a moment of carelessness...
Oh, if there were a medicine for regret in this world, he’d use the entire family fortune to find it."
"It’s not Big Brother’s fault," said Mrs. Zhen.
People slow down after drinking too much, and Mrs. Zhen knew well how Zhen Zishan handled alcohol—he couldn’t hold more than two liang without getting drunk. That day, he drank a few more cups, and it was natural that he couldn’t stand steadily when the full effect hit.
The maids and old women went to take care of Zhen Zishan, so if Old Master Zhen slipped, there should have been someone to help steady him.
One could only say that everything collided just so.
Mrs. Chen said, "We don’t blame him, but he blames himself, running around looking for doctors all day. Sometimes he doesn’t come back for two or three days, and when he does, I hardly recognize him with his scruffy beard. But I can’t stop him from searching."
Mrs. Zhen pressed her lips, unsure of how to console her.
Zhen Wenting, off to one side, muttered with a pout, "In a small town like ours, what good doctors are to be found? I said long ago, if we’re really looking, we should search in the Capital. It’s full of talent, and someone there might genuinely be able to save Grandfather. Even if we’re unfamiliar with the Capital, don’t we have Uncle and Aunt there? They could inquire around too, but Father can’t swallow his pride to go to the Capital. Brother’s misdeed is embarrassing, but it’s not more embarrassing than losing Grandfather’s life."