The antique girlfriend of a chaebol heir

The official road winds its way through the autumn landscape.

Xie Shuheng did not take a car.

He rode a magnificent horse that was entirely black.

It was a fine steed obtained from the border camp, with exceptional stamina and amazing endurance.

For three days and three nights in a row, he barely slept, only taking a few sips of cold water and a few bites of dry rations when changing horses at the post station.

The green-curtained carriage followed behind, driven by Zhu Yue. Physician Wu was jostled around in the carriage, cursing all the way. Eventually, he got tired of cursing and dozed off while holding his medical kit.

They traveled day and night, and finally, at dusk on the fourth day, they entered the territory of Jiangnan.

Xie Shuheng's maternal grandfather's house was located deep in a bamboo forest outside the city; it was an old courtyard with four courtyards.

The gatekeeper recognized Xie Shuheng, and seeing him like this, he was so frightened that he almost dropped the broom in his hand and scrambled inside to report.

Xie Shuheng threw down the reins and strode inside, with Imperial Physician Wu following behind, grumbling and rubbing his aching back.

"Young Master Xie, if these bones of mine fall apart, I'll haunt you even as a ghost..."

Before he finished speaking, a person peeked out from the front hall.

He was an elderly man in his sixties, slightly overweight, wearing a loose, royal blue casual brocade robe with the sleeves rolled up high. He was holding a large, shiny pork knuckle in his hand, gnawing on it with his mouth dripping with oil.

Upon seeing an old man, a young man, and a servant standing outside the hall, the old man froze, forgetting to chew the meat in his mouth, and oil dripped down his chin onto his clothes.

"...Heng-ge'er?"

Xie Shuheng's maternal grandfather stared wide-eyed, as if he had seen a ghost.

His grandson was usually very proper and self-disciplined, even writing letters in a very formal manner. How could he suddenly appear in Jiangnan at this time—in such a disheveled state?

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Physician Wu was also stunned.

He glanced at Old Master Lin's ruddy complexion, at the half-eaten pork knuckle in his hand, and then at his robust physique. He slowly turned his head, staring suspiciously at Xie Shuheng, his voice tinged with a hint of despair:

"Young Master Xie, this... this wouldn't happen to be the patient you sent all the way to Jiangnan to see, would it?"

Xie Shuheng: "..."

Grandfather: "..."

"Mr. Wu, you're joking." Xie Shuheng pressed his temples; his voice was terribly hoarse from days of travel. "Grandfather, let's go inside and talk."

Upon entering the inner hall, the maternal grandfather hastily wiped his hands and mouth, ordered hot tea to be served, and his gaze darted back and forth between Xie Shuheng and Imperial Physician Wu, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

"Heng-ge'er, why aren't you in the capital preparing for the imperial examination? What are you doing in Jiangnan? And you brought... this person with you?"

"Reporting to my maternal grandfather, this is the former head of the Imperial Medical Academy, Physician Wu."

Xie Shuheng put down his teacup, and without exchanging pleasantries, got straight to the point.

"The reason I've come is to ask Imperial Physician Wu to examine Prefect Shen's daughter."

My grandfather paused, his teacup still in his hand.

He and Prefect Shen were indeed very close friends.

Prefect Shen was an honest and upright official with an excellent reputation in the Jiangnan region. Unfortunately, he had a difficult life and had a daughter in middle age, but she was sickly.

My maternal grandfather had seen the girl from afar a few times; she was slender and delicate, yet her refined and noble air was undeniable.

"That girl from the Shen family..."

The grandfather pondered for a moment, though many questions remained in his mind—such as why his grandson cared so much about the Shen family's daughter, and why he even disregarded the imperial examination…

But since things have come to this point, saving lives is the priority.

He had known Prefect Shen for many years and was well aware of his old friend's doting love for his daughter. He immediately slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Let's go! I'll personally take you to the Shen residence!"

The Shen family mansion is located in the east of the city. With its green tiles and white walls, the gate is not particularly grand, but it exudes the elegance of a scholar's family.

When Prefect Shen heard that they had brought an imperial physician from the capital, he almost stumbled out to greet them.

The usually dignified and upright prefect had red eyes at this moment.

He grasped Physician Wu's hand tightly, his voice trembling, "Old Physician Wu...you...you can really save my daughter?"

"Let me examine the patient first." Physician Wu regained his composure as a doctor, carrying his medical kit and following Prefect Shen to the backyard.

Xie Shuheng did not follow them inside.

He stood in the center of the hall, his back straight, his hands hanging at his sides, but clenched into fists.

His knuckles were white, and the veins were slightly bulging, as if he was trying his best to restrain something.

His maternal grandfather glanced at him, as if to say something, but in the end he just sighed.

Physician Wu followed the nanny from the Shen family into the inner courtyard.

Shen Ci's boudoir was decorated in a very simple and clean style. There was no perfume or cosmetics like in a typical young lady's room. Instead, there was a faint smell of medicine.

The bed curtains were moon-white and hung low, only vaguely revealing a figure sitting by the bed.

The old woman stepped forward and gently lifted the curtain.

Physician Wu looked up and was slightly taken aback.

The girl on the bed was only seventeen or eighteen years old, her face was as pale as paper, and her lips were almost bloodless.

Yet his features remained exquisitely refined, with eyebrows like distant mountains and a nose like a hanging gall bladder. Even though he was emaciated from illness, he could not hide his otherworldly temperament.

Imperial Physician Wu had served in the palace for decades and had seen countless empresses and noble ladies, but few possessed such beauty and grace.

He suddenly understood.

He understood why Young Master Xie had gone to such lengths to rush him from the capital to Jiangnan.

That kid has probably already fallen for worldly desires.

This isn't about saving people; it's about saving one's own lifeline.

Physician Wu composed himself, stepped forward and sat down, taking out a pulse pillow from his medical kit: "Miss Shen, please forgive me."

Shen Ci nodded slightly, her gaze clear and calm, as if she had long since become indifferent to life and death.

She obediently extended her wrist, which was pitifully thin, with clearly visible blue veins beneath the skin, as if it would shatter at the slightest touch.

Physician Wu took the pulse with three fingers, closed his eyes, and concentrated.

The pulse was weak and intermittent, indicating a congenital deficiency and damage to the heart meridian.

He inquired in detail about the daily medications, writing them down one by one, but his brows furrowed more and more.

It was already dark when I left the Shen residence.

Xie Shuheng stood motionless beside the stone lion outside the gate of the Shen residence, like a sculpture.

The autumn wind whipped his robes, making them flutter, but he seemed not to feel the cold.

Upon seeing Physician Wu emerge, he rushed forward, his eyes even more bloodshot, his voice hoarse and barely audible.

"Old Wu, how is she?"

Physician Wu sighed, "Young Master Xie, let's talk about it back at the manor."

Back at my maternal grandfather's house, the lights were on in the hall.

Xie Shuheng stood under the lamp, looking anxious, and didn't even accept the hot tea offered by his maternal grandfather.

Physician Wu slowly sipped his tea, ate two pastries, wiped his mouth, and sighed.

"This girl was born with a heart condition. She has only survived this long because she was born into a wealthy family and has been kept alive by expensive medicines all year round. If she continues to follow the old prescription and takes good care of herself, and avoids extreme joy or sorrow, she probably has about two more years to live."

Xie Shuheng swayed, barely managing to steady himself by grabbing the corner of the table: "Isn't there any other way?"

"Yes." Imperial Physician Wu put down his teacup, looked up at him, and said, "I'll change the prescription."

"If saffron is used as the principal ingredient and decocted and taken daily, supplemented with six or seven other precious medicinal herbs such as ginseng, deer antler, and cordyceps, it can clear the heart meridians and nourish qi and blood. If properly managed, it can extend lifespan by several years, or even... longer."

A glimmer of light had just ignited in Xie Shuheng's eyes when Physician Wu's next words plunged him into an icy abyss:

"Young Master Xie must know the price of saffron. It comes from the Western Regions and is produced in very low quantities. Only the three red stigmas at the top of the flower are used in medicine."

"To obtain one pound of medicinal herbs, fifty thousand flowers need to be picked by hand. Even the princes and nobles in the capital may not be able to afford it year after year."

"Moreover, besides saffron, this prescription contains six or seven other equally precious medicinal herbs, costing a considerable amount each year..."

Physician Wu held up his finger, indicating a number.

"Ten thousand taels of silver."

The hall was deathly silent.

Grandfather gasped, nearly dropping the teacup in his hand.

Ten thousand taels of silver! What does that mean? Prefect Shen's annual salary was only a hundred taels. Even if the Shen family had some savings, they couldn't withstand such a expenditure.

After speaking, Physician Wu shook his head.

The meaning was clear—I gave them the prescription, but I can't afford to treat them; it's fate.