09

Zhang Wei whistled leisurely as he strolled into the Zhang Manor, holding a pouch in hand. After they left the academy, he and Liang Feixing took one pouch each, while the third pouch was kept by Liang Feixing for rainy days. As it was already late, they agreed to keep the dead snake till the next day.

He held the string of the pouch and twirled it as he walked past some of the servants. They wanted to bow in greeting at first, but when they saw that it was him, they simply strolled past him with a look of derision on their faces.

But he was in a good mood after extorting all day and simply shook his head at how lowly the previous host was treated.

As he approached the hut, he heard Luo Yu's loud cries and sniffles from inside, which made him frown. He entered and found her on her knees by his mother's bed, wiping her tears fiercely. His mother was also lying on the bed, unconscious, and her face was pale.

"What happened?" He strode toward them, setting the pouch on the bed. It was only then that he noticed that Luo Yu was wiping his mother's mouth with a wet handkerchief.

Once she heard his voice, she dropped the handkerchief on the floor and flew into his arms, crying. "Brother Wei..."

Zhang Wei's brows furrowed tightly as he extricated himself and quickly approached his mother. He touched her pale face and found that it was chillingly cold. His face held a frown as he grabbed her wrist and checked her pulse.

His expression turned even worse immediately, and he turned to Luo Yu. "Boil some ginger and peppermint leaves."

"Brother Wei..." Luo Yu seemed doubtful and wanted to speak.

But he was clearly not interested in what she had to say and yelled, "Right now!"

Seeing his reaction, she instantly came to her senses and rushed off into the side kitchen to do as she was told. While she was gone, Zhang Wei held his mother's wrist and checked it again.

His expression was still just as grave, but he seemed calmer, and he muttered to himself, "Choppy pulse, black blood, coldness, and erratic breathing. It's definitely an internal injury. Qi Deviation, maybe?"

He looked at the woman lying motionless on the bed but still breathing with a strange look on her face. If it was really Qi Deviation, then it meant he had misjudged the woman. It meant that she was a cultivator, or had been in the past.

But he didn't have much time to think about it because Luo Yu soon rushed inside with a bowl in hand. He collected it from her and confirmed what was in it. "Ginger and peppermint leaves?"

If it was an internal injury issue, she couldn't just take anything, and any mistake could threaten her life.

Luo Yu nodded and wanted to speak. "I boiled them. Brother Wei, I don't think..." She paused and sighed, "The physician said her condition can't be treated, and she can only take those suppressants. He also said that she shouldn't take just anything."

Zhang Wei clicked his tongue at this. Sure, it was rather complex, but it wasn't untreatable.

"Okay," he said to Luo Yu. "Help me lift her up."

The girl still looked troubled but nodded anyway and lifted her head up while Zhang Wei fed her the drink in the bowl. Once she drank everything, they helped her back to the bed, and Luo Yu continued to sit beside her.

It took about ten minutes before the ginger and peppermint leaves began to show any effect. But it was efficient, and her breathing got stable. Zhang Wei checked her pulse again and finally sighed, his expression getting much calmer.

Luo Yu looked at him with widened eyes and twisted her fingers. "Will she be alright?"

"Yes." Zhang Wei nodded, and almost immediately, Luo Yu burst into tears again, like a broken water pipe.

Zhang Wei pursed his lips, seeing how relieved she was. He patted her head and consoled, "Don't cry. Tell me, what happened?"

Luo Yu nodded and heaved, wiping her tears fiercely. "Mother's health relapsed, and she has been unconscious all evening. She kept vomiting blood, and I went to the Madam to collect the monthly suppressants for her, but she refused to give them to me."

As she spoke, she burst into tears again, crying as she said derisively, "Those people from the main courtyard are so inhumane. Mother already stayed away from them, yet they are still so ruthless."

Zhang Wei was silent, but a glint flashed past his eyes at her words, and he asked, "Didn't Fa..." He paused and rephrased his words, feeling uncomfortable calling Zhang Lei his father. "Didn't they promise to give her the monthly suppressants as long as she doesn't cause trouble?"

"Yes." Luo Yu nodded. "Brother Wei, what do we do? If Mother doesn't get those suppressants soon, who knows..."

"It will be fine." Zhang Wei sighed and held her shoulders.

He then stood up and said, "Watch her closely, and if anything happens, find me immediately. I'll be right back."

"Where are you going, Brother Wei?"

Zhang Wei paused. She stared at him with worry in her teary eyes. He grunted, "Just wait. I'll be right back."

Before she could say another word, he turned and left the hut, heading for the main courtyard. The host's memory of the area was limited as he wasn't allowed to stay around, but after going around once, he soon found the Master's room.

As he approached, his gaze grew cold. He let the fact that the host was ignored by his father because he was an illegitimate slide. But what he would not ignore was both Zhang Lei and his Madam playing with someone's life.

Not to mention that he had promised the host to take care of his mother. He had wanted to take things easy and learn more about the family before he figured out what to do with the stepbrothers who killed the host, and now this had happened.

He hadn't even settled one score, and they dared to do another.