“Shu’er? Shu’er—” Seeing Jia Shu faint, the Earl of Changchun’s wife was scared out of her wits and held him while shaking him violently.

The imperial physician hurriedly stopped her. “You can’t shake him, you can’t shake him! Your son already injured his head—if you shake him more, he’ll be finished!”

The Earl of Changchun’s wife stopped crying and glared fiercely at the imperial physician.

What was this damned imperial physician saying?

The imperial physician also looked innocent.

He had just spoken the truth in his urgency. Moreover, this wastrel son from the Earl of Changchun’s residence getting injured in brothels wasn’t a first or second occurrence. If he had to say, this was pure retribution—

Ahem, benevolent heart of a physician, benevolent heart of a physician.

“Imperial Physician, what exactly is my son’s condition?”

The imperial physician shook his head. “It’s not optimistic.”

“How can it not be optimistic? Imperial Physician, didn’t my son just regain consciousness?”

“That was only temporary consciousness. Your son most likely has blood clots in his brain. Whether they can disperse or not, I’m afraid we’ll have to leave it to Heaven’s will.”

“What happens if they can’t disperse?” the Earl of Changchun asked.

The imperial physician frowned. “If they can’t disperse, in mild cases the person might become foolish after regaining consciousness, in severe cases—”

Hearing this, the Earl of Changchun’s wife burst into tears.

“Enough!” The Earl of Changchun personally escorted the imperial physician out. After returning, he said sternly, “An overly kind mother spoils her child. I said a long time ago that we couldn’t indulge Shu’er like this, but you just wouldn’t listen. Now look what’s happened—disaster has finally struck.”

“My Lord, at a time like this, why are you saying such things? Hurry and go to the Imperial Medical Bureau to request the best imperial physician to examine Shu’er.”

“The best imperial physician? Do you think the best imperial physicians can be summoned just by asking?”

Ordinary imperial physicians at the Imperial Medical Bureau would be invited by various residences for consultations when not on duty, but the few highly skilled imperial physicians served exclusively for the imperial family. For noble ministers’ families to request such imperial physicians required imperial grace or tremendous influence.

The Earl of Changchun’s residence was middling in the capital—neither high nor low—and he really couldn’t summon such an imperial physician at the moment.

“Stop crying, take good care of Shu’er. I’ll go find someone to petition the Empress Dowager.”

“Yes, yes, My Lord, go quickly.”

The Earl of Changchun glanced at his unconscious son, a vicious glint flashing in his eyes. “What did Shu’er say just now? I thought I heard him mention the Li residence—”

Only then did the Earl’s wife react. “Right, Shu’er just said Xingzi Alley Li residence.”

She pondered for a moment, then said uncertainly, “Shu’er seemed to say, Li residence third miss—”

“Did Madam hear clearly?”

“That’s right, that’s what Shu’er said.” The Earl’s wife’s expression changed. “My Lord, could this be the culprit who harmed Shu’er? But what does ‘Li residence third miss’ mean?”

“Shu’er didn’t finish speaking. It should be ‘Li residence third young lady’!” the Earl of Changchun said word by word.

“Li’s residence third young lady?” The Earl’s wife looked completely puzzled. “What does this have to do with the Li residence’s third young lady? Wasn’t Shu’er injured at Bichun Tavern?”

The Earl of Changchun coldly interrupted her words with a sneer. “That’s exactly right. I already questioned the people who brought Shu’er here. They said someone disguised as a man snuck into Bichun Tavern, then injured Shu’er!”

“So you’re saying our Shu’er was harmed by the Li residence’s third young lady?” The Earl’s wife caught on and couldn’t help but fly into a rage. “That must be it! My Lord might not know, but the Li family’s third young lady is quite famous. In spring, she was abducted by human traffickers to the south, but incredibly came back without missing any limbs, and unlike some young ladies who lost their reputations and hid away, she made quite a few public appearances. To say she would disguise herself as a man to go to Bichun Tavern isn’t surprising!”

The Earl of Changchun sneered. “How could I not have heard? The Li family making a scene at the Jinlin Guards’ office was known by everyone.”

“My Lord, Shu’er was harmed by that little wretch to the point where his life and death are unknown. We can’t just let this go!”

“Of course, we won’t just let this go! Madam, please calm down. I’ll first go use connections to request the most skilled imperial physician in this field to examine Shu’er, then we’ll take some people to the Li residence and demand an explanation!”

The Earl of Changchun hurriedly went to use his connections to request an imperial physician. After the imperial physician came and examined the patient, he still gave roughly the same conclusion as the previous physician. After prescribing medicine, he departed gracefully.

The heavily shocked Earl and his wife couldn’t bear it any longer. They immediately took people and marched aggressively straight to the Li family’s West Residence.

Standing before the West Residence gate, the Earl of Changchun waved his hand and said coldly, “Smash the door!”

A burly guard stepped forward and banged on the main gate so loudly it shook the heavens.

Such commotion immediately attracted the attention of passersby and neighbors.

“What’s happening? Someone’s causing trouble at the Li family?”

“Don’t you remember? Not long ago, didn’t the Li family just make a scene at the Jinlin Guards’ office? This must be retaliation from the other party.”

“Wait, I think I recognize that person smashing the door. Once when I accompanied my master to the Earl of Changchun’s residence, I had drinks with that man…”

“Earl of Changchun’s residence? The one whose youngest son frequents brothels daily? Right, the Earl of Changchun’s residence had previously arranged a marriage with the Li family! Didn’t they already break it off? What’s this about today?”

“Who knows? Anyway, it’s going to be a good show. We’ll find out by watching.”

“Who is it, knocking so loudly?” The gatekeeper, Old Zhao, opened the door and was immediately pushed back by the Earl of Changchun’s guard.

The Earl of Changchun led his people striding inside.

“Hey, how can you break into private property?” Old Zhao hurried forward to block them.

“Get lost! If your Li family doesn’t mind losing face, I don’t mind airing your family’s young lady’s shameful deeds in front of everyone!” the Earl of Changchun said sternly.

Old and experienced, Old Zhao heard this and couldn’t be bothered to block them anymore. He ran inside to report.

Today happened to be the officials’ rest day. Li Guangwen was in Qingsong Hall listening to Old Madam Deng discuss recent household expenses when he heard Old Zhao’s report and was immediately shocked.

“What? People from the Earl of Changchun’s residence came to cause trouble? And they said our family’s young lady did shameful things?” Old Madam Deng stood up abruptly.

“Mother, don’t worry. Your son will go out and see.”

“Eldest son, don’t argue with them outside. First, invite them in before discussing.” After Old Madam Deng finished instructing, she had an ominous premonition and simply stepped outside. “Forget it, let’s go out together.”

Her son had a temper too bad—if he got into a fight with them outside, it would be terrible.

Old Madam Deng had just walked out when she saw a group of people approaching aggressively, led by the Earl and Countess of Changchun.

Seeing the Earl and Countess of Changchun, Old Madam Deng’s feelings were quite complex.

Just a few months ago, the Earl of Changchun’s residence had broken off the engagement with her eldest granddaughter that had been arranged for over ten years. At that time, neither of this couple had come to the door. She had thought they would never have dealings with this family again, but unexpectedly they had come today.

“Not knowing that My Lord and Madam were coming, what brings you here?”

Seeing the white-haired Old Madam Deng come out to greet them, the Earl of Changchun sneered. “We’ve come to seek justice for our son!”

“What does My Lord mean by this?”

The Earl’s wife had already rushed over, saying sternly, “My son was harmed by your despicable, lowly granddaughter to the point where his life and death are unknown. Quickly call that little wretch out here!”