Chapter 40: Yunxiang

The Wuding Marquis Residence was plunged into a state of frantic, chaotic activity.

Imperial Physicians from the Imperial Academy of Medicine hurried back and forth with their medicine boxes.

A few nobles and officials huddled together, whispering in low voices.

They sighed and shook their heads occasionally, as if waiting for a foregone conclusion they had long since accepted.

The servants and attendants of the Marquis Mansion were deep in intense preparations.

A few rushed toward the innermost wing with medicinal herbs, but most were busy arranging items for a funeral.

The atmosphere was so heavy that Shen Yu felt a crushing sense of oppression the moment she stepped through the door.

“How is the Marquis?”

Yun Wei asked, grabbing a passing servant.

Her voice was low but carried an undeniable urgency.

“Second Young Lady! You’re back… I don’t know the master’s condition, but the Eldest Miss has already sent someone to the coffin shop to order a casket. I’m afraid — “

The servant couldn’t bring himself to continue.

He lowered his head in silence, not daring to look at Yun Wei’s expression.

To put it bluntly, almost everyone in the Marquis Mansion had given up hope.

In his youth, Marquis Wuding had been a valiant warrior who made great contributions to the Empire.

All three of his sons — Yun Wei’s three older brothers — had died on the battlefield.

To the Empire, they were undoubtedly a family of loyal martyrs.

The Marquis was also a man of deep devotion, having only ever married Yun Wei’s mother.

Unfortunately, that virtuous lady had passed away from a cold shortly after giving birth to Yun Wei due to her frail health.

With his three sons dead and his wife gone, the Imperial Court had shown compassion for the aging Marquis’s plight, granting a special decree that his title could be inherited by his daughters.

Originally, the Marquis intended to pass the title to Yun Wei, his youngest daughter.

She was the most like him and had accompanied him to the battlefield several times.

The father and daughter worked together with seamless coordination.

But life was unpredictable.

The Marquis was now dying of an Intestinal Abscess, and Yun Wei was not yet ready to take over the residence.

At the moment, the only one capable of holding the family together was likely Yun Wei’s married older sister, Yun Xiang.

“I understand. Go back to your work,”

Yun Wei said.

It was as if the strength had been drained from her body.

Her legs gave way, and she collapsed into Shen Yu’s arms.

“Miss Yun…”

Shen Yu’s heart tightened as she felt the bone-deep softness of Yun Wei in her arms.

It was the first time she had seen an expression of despair and weakness on that once-valiant face.

“Don’t give up. There’s still a chance. I’m 60% certain I can save your father.”

“Really?”

Yun Wei’s voice was thick with tears.

Everyone in the mansion, even her own sister, believed her father’s time was up.

A mountain of negative emotions had crashed down upon her; Shen Yu’s comfort alone could hardly outweigh the grief, mourning, and hopelessness surrounding her.

“Little sister! You’re back?”

a soft, gentle voice called out.

The voice sounded similar to Yun Wei’s, but the tone was its polar opposite.

While Yun Wei’s voice was valiant and brisk, this voice was refined and incredibly tender.

One could tell immediately that these two sisters had vastly different personalities.

“Big sister… sob…”

“Oh, my little sister, why are you crying? You’re a grown woman. We have so many guests today. Don’t cry, don’t cry. Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve ever seen you cry.”

“What happened to my strong little girl?”

Yun Xiang pulled Yun Wei into a compassionate embrace, gently stroking her head.

Because their mother had died when Yun Wei was very young, she had naturally sought the motherly love she lacked from her sister, who was more than ten years older.

In the entire family, Yun Wei only acted like a child in front of Yun Xiang.

She was the type of person who wouldn’t make a sound even if a blade pierced her shoulder on the battlefield, yet in Yun Xiang’s arms, she could cry for three days and three nights.

“All right, stop crying! You can’t be so willful and spoiled today. Our father… he likely won’t survive the night.”

“The entire Marquis Mansion will be yours to inherit soon. You can’t lose your dignity. Hmm? And who might this be?”

It was only then that Yun Xiang noticed Shen Yu and Yin Qiu standing nearby with the medicine box.