Chapter 10: Second Young Master Lu's Legs Are Ruined

"Madam, please calm yourself. Right now, finding a doctor to treat Second Young Master's leg is what matters most!" Madam Gu was far more composed than Lady Leng, gently rubbing her back to help her catch her breath.

Lady Leng, her eyes red, nodded in agreement. Taking revenge on that wretched person could wait; her son's leg was far more urgent. Madam Gu had always been the thoughtful one.

"Go and fetch the physician from the Hall of Returning Spring!" Lady Leng commanded in a loud voice. Immediately, a maid reported that the physician was still at the restaurant, engaged in a discussion about medicine with an elderly gentleman.

Anxious and furious, Lady Leng slapped her jade hand down upon the table. "Take the master's invitation and summon the imperial physician who is off duty!" Was the whole city of Yue supposed to be paralyzed without this Dr. Sang?

Before long, the steward returned with Imperial Physician Shen, who was on his day off. Shen had no idea what had happened and was hurriedly dragged to the Lu residence, only to find himself called to save a life. When he saw Lu Junfan's blood-soaked legs, he couldn't help but frown.

"Imperial Physician Shen, please treat my son!" Lady Leng had set aside her usual hauteur, her eyes and heart filled only with a mother's concern.

Physician Shen nodded, carefully cut open the blood-stained trousers, and the moment his hands touched Lu Junfan's legs, the young man screamed in agony, his face turning pale while sweat poured down in rivers.

"Gently, it hurts... it hurts..."

Lu Junfan clenched his teeth, cursing An Xinchen a hundredfold in his heart. Wicked, arrogant wretch!

"Junfan, bear with it! Once your bones are set, you'll recover!" Lady Leng held her son tightly, her heart aching as she wished only that mending the break would be the end of it.

But to her dismay, Physician Shen stood up, his brow furrowing deeper still. He glanced at Lu Junfan and spoke slowly, "Madam Lu, I'm afraid... I'm afraid that even once the bones are set, Second Young Master's walking may still be affected." In fact, he meant to say the legs were ruined.

"What?" Lady Leng was stunned. Was it not just a broken bone? Shouldn't it heal once set?

But An Ran had never intended for Lu Junfan to walk again.

"Madam Lu, you may not realize—Second Young Master's legs were severed right through the bone. I am but a humble doctor and can only attempt to set them. But for the rest of his life... I fear..."

He would likely be confined to a wheelchair.

"Mother, I don't want to be crippled! Please, I don't want this..." Only now did true fear seize Lu Junfan, terror rising from the depths of his soul. What could a cripple hope for?

Lady Leng's eyes were already brimming with tears, her rage nearly overwhelming her, but her voice was eerily calm. "Mother will avenge you, I promise." She paid Physician Shen no further heed and hurried out the door.

To harm my son—I'll make you wish you were dead.

Meanwhile, in the restaurant, Dr. Sang listened humbly to An Yue's guidance, learning much. He glanced eagerly at An Ran, unable to hide his excitement, and could not help but say, "It seems you two ladies are new to Yue City..." He had barely begun to ask if they needed a place to stay when a "Miss!" interrupted him.

A woman in purple entered from outside, bowing respectfully. "Miss, everything has been arranged."

She wore a purple blouse and skirt, her hair pinned simply with a jade hairpin, her face half-veiled, rendering her beauty indistinct and mysterious. In her arms nestled a snow-white fox, its eyes like two black grapes, impossibly adorable.

The little fox, upon seeing the one on An Ran's shoulder, sprang to the ground. The two foxes rolled together, a ball of soft fur, tumbling about like a snowball.

"Yes, I am a little tired," An Ran admitted. She had planned to wait a few days before acting, but events had moved faster than she'd expected. She had spent considerable energy saving the child and was already considering how to deal with the troubles ahead.

"Miss, please come with me," said the purple-clad woman.

"Remember, do not feed him anything. Boil the prescribed herbs in three bowls of water until only one remains, then give it to him to drink." An Ran issued her instructions coolly before striding out the door.

An Yue quickly hoisted her bamboo basket and followed.

Dr. Sang watched master and servants depart, sighing inwardly at the girl's strange and fascinating temperament.