Chapter 247: Chapter 247

A light rouge on the County Magistrate’s Wife’s face couldn’t conceal her sickly appearance.

Li Lixing had never seen his mother , making his face even paler than hers.

"Mother..." he called out shakily, staring blankly at her, feeling lost.

The others were also shocked, staring at the County Magistrate’s Wife in surprise.

"County Magistrate’s Wife, are you feeling unwell?" Prince Luling quickly asked with concern.

The accompanying maid also hurriedly said, "Madam, is your stomach hurting again?"

"Bring... bring me the medicine..." the County Magistrate’s Wife said weakly.

"Yes, madam." The elderly maid swiftly took a small medicine bottle out of her waist pouch and turned to Prince Luling, saying, "Please trouble Landlord Li to ask someone to bring a bowl of water."

Prince Luling said to Li Xing’an, "Old Third, go and get some water."

"Got it, Father." Li Xing’an dashed off to fetch the water.

Li Yuzhu said, "Madam, since you’re not feeling well, you should rest at our place first."

"Yes... that sounds good." The County Magistrate’s Wife’s voice was weak.

The big maid carried the County Magistrate’s Wife on her back.

Li Yuzhu arranged for her to rest in the Great Princess’s bedroom.

Li Xing’an brought over a pot filled with warm water.

The maid of the County Magistrate’s Wife helped her take the medicine.

After taking the medicine, the County Magistrate’s Wife’s pain was not alleviated.

She kept rubbing her stomach, her expression pained.

Her brow was furrowed, her features twisted in discomfort. Find the newest release on novel~fire~net

The maid sighed in anxiety, "The village doctors can’t cure the madam’s illness, and the county town is too far; the medicine she takes is ineffective. What can we do now?"

"I’ll feel better after resting for a bit, so why are you worrying?" The County Magistrate’s Wife said weakly, eyes closed.

"Mother..., what’s... what’s wrong with you?" Li Lixing asked, staring at his mother in a daze.

The County Magistrate’s Wife opened her eyes and smiled gently at him, "I’m fine, just tired."

She was secretly surprised, wondering if her usually indifferent son finally knew how to care for her.

The County Magistrate’s Wife’s eyes turned red from emotion.

Prince Luling, who had come along, said, "Madam, my third daughter knows a little medicine. Let her take a look at you. Her skills are no worse than those of an old doctor. Not long ago, she cured a village woman with a tumor and also cured Miss Chai’s stubborn illness in our hometown."

The County Magistrate’s Wife was quite surprised, "Oh? Was Miss Chai’s illness cured by your daughter?"

Eldest Young Master Chai once went to a banquet at the distant relatives of the County Magistrate’s Wife in hopes of getting his sister married into the county.

Because Miss Chai had just recovered from an illness, many families were unwilling to marry such a girl. The wealthy looked down on the Chai Family, and the Chai Family looked down on the poor, so the marriage arrangement couldn’t be settled.

The Chai Family was renowned in the county, not because of Eldest Young Master Chai, but because of Miss Chai.

Miss Chai was once rejected in marriage and rumors had it that she was about to die, but a month later, she was vigorous, often riding a donkey cart around the village.

Recently, there was another rumor that she was about to get married, and her husband was from a scholarly family.

For a while, Miss Chai’s affairs were widely talked about.

Many people said that the poor girl was favored by the heavens.

The County Magistrate’s Wife had never met Miss Chai but had heard a lot about her. She never imagined that Miss Chai’s illness was cured by the young third daughter of the Li Family.

This gave the County Magistrate’s Wife some hope for her own illness.

Continuing with the story that Li Yuzhu had made up, Prince Luling said, "She studied medicine with female doctors in the palace for a few years. She’s too young to practice openly yet."

The County Magistrate’s Wife was in so much pain she was nearly fainting. The maid had mentioned not wanting to call the village doctor, looking down on their skills. But right now, she even wanted to call the village doctor; this Li Family’s third daughter was said to be better than the village doctors, and she was all the more agreeable.

Li Yuzhu came over to take the County Magistrate’s Wife’s pulse.

Soon, she understood the condition.

She asked the maid, "How long has the madam been feeling uncomfortable ?"

"It’s been since the beginning of the year," the maid replied. "She feels pain whether she’s hungry or full."

"Let me see the medicine she’s been taking," Li Yuzhu said again.

"Here it is." The maid handed the bottle to Li Yuzhu.

Li Yuzhu opened the cap, smelled it, and shook her head, saying, "The medicine isn’t bad, but it’s too mild. It only treats the symptoms, not the root cause, and will delay the illness. The madam’s condition requires strong medicine."

The County Magistrate’s Wife was diagnosed with stage one stomach cancer.

Luckily, it was detected early; otherwise...

She glanced at Li Lixing, standing next to the bed, who was about to run away from home as a rebellious child, and sighed silently. If she had met the County Magistrate’s Wife later, Li Lixing would soon be a motherless child.

Early detection of stomach cancer, post-surgery survival can be at least five years, and many can live for as long as twenty years or even longer.

But if it progresses to stage three, the cure rate is extremely low.

There may only be one or two years left, and even shorter in particular cases.

She had seen a case where someone was diagnosed in the late stage, and the psychological shock combined with delayed surgery led to the person passing away in just over three months.

Li Lixing stood dazed at the bedside, listening to everyone talk about his mother. Suddenly, Li Yuzhu cast a deep and somber glance towards him, leaving him even more bewildered.

Clearly of the same age as him, but at this moment, Li Yuzhu’s expression resembled that of his mother.

Her expression was stern, but her gaze held a faint warmth and resignation.

Thinking of his mother, Li Lixing’s mischievous nature was considerably tempered; he furrowed his little brows, worriedly watching his mother.

He was so obedient, it was as if he had become a different person.

As the County Magistrate’s Wife turned her eyes, she happened to see her son’s expression.

Her heart was filled with a wave of bitterness.

Her son had become sensible, but it was too late!

Because she was almost gone.

Her sister, who had the same illness, lasted only a year before she passed, and she had been suffering for six months already.

The torment of the illness had made her life worse than death, and even more despairing was that her husband, the upstanding elder of this county, had not shared her bed for five years, and recently took a concubine, who was now pregnant with twins.

And her only son was only ten years old!

If she suddenly passed away one day, her son would completely lose his standing.

For instance, when her son went missing this time, her husband only sent five or six government officials to search, and after several days of no results, he did not send more people or expand the search area.

She asked him to post notices and send more people, but he said that if malicious people knew that the County Magistrate’s son was missing, wouldn’t they extort or kidnap him upon finding him? If they demanded tens of thousands of taels, where would he find the money?

He also said that if enemies found out, her son would be killed by them.

He was a mere County Magistrate, newly transferred from another county for only two months; what enemies could he have locally?

His indifferent search for their son clearly implied he wished for their son’s death!

So the demon’s son could inherit the family business!

If she died, then the demon would immediately be legitimized.

The man who relied on her family for his academic success, in the end, if she died and the son went missing, wouldn’t her family be left with nothing?

The County Magistrate’s Wife pondered and closed her eyes; another wave of pain washed over her face.

Li Yuzhu looked at her face and thought privately that the County Magistrate’s Wife had deep concerns.

This is greatly detrimental to her condition.

She retrieved medicines specifically for stomach cancer from her space and gave them to the Maid to administer to the County Magistrate’s Wife immediately.

She had Western medicine and Chinese patent medicine; altogether, there were all sorts of pills and tablets, over seven or eight types, more than twenty pills.

The Maid looked at the strange-shaped medicines in amazement.

"These are made from rare medicinal materials and can temporarily relieve the Madam’s pain," Li Yuzhu said.

The County Magistrate’s Wife, in desperation, quickly asked the Maid to feed them to her.

After taking the medicine, the discomfort in her stomach was indeed greatly alleviated.

"These medicines are amazing; my stomach immediately feels comfortable," the County Magistrate’s Wife was very pleased.

She praised Li Yuzhu, and Prince Luling was also very pleased.

Patients need rest, so Li Yuzhu asked everyone to stand outside, leaving only the County Magistrate’s Wife’s two Maids inside, including Li Lixing, who was also asked to step out.

Prince Luling, as a courteous host, arranged for Li Xing’an to keep watch outside the door, ready to assist at any time.

Li Xing’an gladly accepted the duty, having received a reward of a thousand taels.

He moved a chair to the shady area, fanned himself, ate sunflower seeds, and drank tea, feeling incredibly comfortable.

Mu Yuanxiu stayed as well, and he moved a chair to sit beside him, eating his sunflower seeds and drinking his tea.

For the first time, Li Xing’an was not angry; he even invited the bewildered and clueless Li Lixing to join them in eating sunflower seeds.

Li Lixing couldn’t eat, his head lowered, sitting gloomily on the side listening to their conversation.

Li Xing’an glanced at him and sneered, this kid! When his mother was around, he was completely unruly, now knowing his mother was at her end, he was subdued?

No, he must use the opportunity to teach him a lesson.

"Li Lixing, come over, I have something to say to you." Li Xing’an nodded at him and walked ahead with his hands behind his back.

Li Lixing, head lowered, shuffled his steps to follow.