Joy of Life - Volume 2 - Chapter 81

Chapter 81: Entering the Hall

Fan Ruoruo laughed. "I know, one expects a doctor to be older. But he's only having a look today, and after all, even the imperial physicians respect Master Fei's medical skill. Our family has a relationship with Master Fei. It won't do any harm to let him take a look."

Fan Ruoruo wondered why she had decided to ask now. She laughed. "Do you have something else to bring against him?"

Fan Ruoruo was secretly amused. If his brother had his way, this marriage wouldn't be happening anyway, and who knows who that might upset. But she didn't say anything. Instead, she smiled. "People of our status learn quickly that there are many things outside our control."

Fan Ruoruo sighed. Where did free will come into it? "Clever people don't listen to rumors. It's all just gossip, do you understand? My brother is a distinguished fellow. He’s not hiding some sort of terrible behavior."

"What do they call him?" Fan Ruoruo's eyes were wide open as she asked curiously. She truly wanted to know what the people of the capital thought of her remarkable older brother.
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Fan Ruoruo covered her mouth to hide a smile. "Did you know my brother has another nickname?"

"The Empress Dowager said 'ten thousand miles in sorrowful autumn, always the guest, and yet he still beats people?'" She stifled a laugh. "Ten-thousand miles-in-sorrowful-autumn-always-the-guest, isn't that a bit long for a nickname?"

The two carriages entered a quiet courtyard not far from the palace. Outside the courtyard, one could clearly see a great number of palace guards. They had simple belts tied around their waists, so it was convenient for them to draw their daggers.

"I can’t let you in, Miss Ye," said the guard, slightly embarrassed.
Ye Ling'er laughed heartily. She pulled Fan Ruoruo to her side

. "This is the daughter of Count Sinan. She's quite well known in the capital." She glanced at Fan Ruoruo. "You mean to tell me that the little sister of ten-thousand-miles-in-sorrowful-autumn-always-the-guest cannot enter?"

Ye Ling'er giggled. "I've invited a doctor to see Miss Lin today. Are you going to let us through?" she said, explaining kindly to the guard.

Fan Xian lowered his head. He felt nervous. He had gone to all this trouble, and yet he still couldn't even see Miss Lin's face. Was it best to just give up? He wasn't sure whether this was his own fault or not. Last time, he had inadvertantly barged into the Temple of Qing and matched blows with the temple guard, and the whole palace guard had been subjected to a torrent of abuse by Eunuch Hong and the head commander, so today they were extremely strict.

When the guard heard mention of Master Fei, he looked at Fan Xian with a sudden deference, silently stepping backward, but then he thought of something and frowned. "A student of Master Fei’s? I've never heard of such a thing."

It was a token from the Overwatch Council. No one could have counterfeited it – or more precisely, there was not a craftsman in the land who would dare to counterfeit it. It was given to Fan Xian by Fei Jie in Danzhou when he was six years old.

Having received a sufficient guarantee, the guard let them pass. The three walked into the quiet courtyard, glancing at clusters of flowers as they walked along a stone-tiled path through them, leading to a small building deeper within the courtyard.

Ye Ling'er clearly did not like this woman, and she made a grunt of acknowledgement in response. "Where is Miss Lin?"

Ye Ling'er was not in the mood for arguing with the old lady today. "I have brought a doctor to see Miss Lin," she said reproachfully. "Go and tell her. When she is ready, this doctor will come and examine her."

Ye Ling'er brought up Fan Xian's identity as a student of Fei Jie. Surprisingly, the old lady did not concede. She was much more troublesome than the guard outside. Fan Xian did not know what the palace regulations were, but young unmarried ladies always had plenty of ladies-in-waiting by their side. Although they did not restrict them and they were not like the frightful spinsters of the court of the Qing dynasty in his previous world, these women were always loyal to a fault. She absolutely would not allow her mistress to get in any sort of danger.

Sure enough, Ye Ling'er was enraged. She shot up and unleashed a torrent of abuse at the old woman. Fan Xian watched and frowned. She was a rather angry girl, he thought. Who was going to teach her to control her temper in the future? At that moment, Fan Ruoruo attempted to intercede insincerely, asking the aggrieved old woman to sit at the table, handing her a cup of tea.

Although Ye Ling'er had a temper, she was not stupid. She cast a suspicious glance at Fan Xian. Fan Xian lowered his head a little, said nothing, and followed them up.

As they entered Miss Lin's bedchamber, Fan Xian lowered his head. He did not dare show that anything was off. A delicate fragrance reached his nostrils. He could tell that they were burning a specific type of incense that helped sick people convalesce, but it was concentrated too strongly, overpowering the delicate aroma of her boudoir.

As he thought about it, Fan Xian realized that he was somewhat unfaithful. He felt deep love for that girl in white who nibbled at the chicken leg. Entering Miss Lin's bedchamber and smelling her rare perfume, he began to wonder what her blushing face might look like.

Fan Xian straightened his appearance slightly, lifted the curtain, and entered.