The storage room in the back courtyard was crowded with seven or eight people, most dressed as servants. On a wooden cot sat an elderly man in coarse cloth garments, his legs wrapped in a thin blanket, lips pressed tightly shut, saying nothing.

This, presumably, was the Uncle Bai Yun Xi had spoken of.

Cheng Chang glanced further into the room.

Beside the cot stood a strikingly beautiful woman, her hair styled in the fashion of a married woman.

She dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a cloth handkerchief and said hoarsely, “Uncle Bai says he doesn’t want the leg treated, but how does that leave Fulan to face her husband in the afterlife? He saved your life all those years ago—you’re like a father to him. If he knew you were being neglected like this in this household, he would surely blame me.”

“There’s no need to persuade me further, Young Mistress,” Uncle Bai said gruffly. “This old servant knows full well how much of a burden my family has been to this household over the years. The year before last, the eldest young lady sold off everything sellable in this house just to treat little Ling’s late mother’s illness. And I, bearing the empty title of steward, haven’t lifted a finger to ease the eldest young lady’s or the young mistress’s burdens—instead I’ve been living here off your charity along with A’Ling.”

“The eldest young lady is kind-hearted. Even with the household in this state, she never turned out us old, sick, and useless folk. And I’m not the only one in poor health here—you yourself are ill, Young Mistress, and can hardly afford to stop your own medicine.”

“This old servant is a useless wreck, already near the end of his years—doesn’t matter if this leg goes or not. But I’m no ingrate. This household has shown my family great kindness, and I cannot leave that debt unpaid.”

“Since we’ve come this far in speaking plainly, then let this old servant say what needs saying. A’Ling came of age last year already—Eldest Young Lady, why don’t you—”

He paused, gritted his teeth, and shoved forward the plainly dressed girl who had been standing silently by the bed, weeping.

“—find her a wealthy household and sell her off! Whether as a servant or a concubine, it doesn’t matter—at least it’ll bring in some silver, and count as this old servant’s repayment of the household’s kindness!”

The girl in plain clothes, shoved forward so suddenly, dropped to her knees with a thud.

She looked frightened but seemed not to dare object, lifting her head to look at Yun Xi and calling out hoarsely, “Miss…”

Yun Xi helped her up and said to Uncle Bai, “A’Ling is three years younger than me. I watched her grow up, and I’ve always thought of her as my own little sister. Even if you were willing to sell her, Uncle Bai, I would never be willing to let her go. I’ve already made plans—once this current business settles down, I’ll find her a good family to marry into. Poverty doesn’t matter, so long as their character is upright. I’ll prepare a proper dowry for her and see her married off with dignity.”

Her tone was calm, leaving no room for argument.

“And as for your leg, Uncle Bai,” she continued, “since the physician said before that it could be treated, then we’ll treat it. What’s the point of earning silver if not to spend it when it’s needed? Why sacrifice something so much more important just to save a little money?”

“The household may be run by my sister-in-law now, but who else but you, Uncle Bai, worries over every little detail, big or small? Why would you ever think you’ve just been living here for free?”

She smiled as she spoke. “Besides, once your leg heals, A’Ting is counting on you to spar with me again. Ever since my brother passed, there’s been no one left to practice with me.”

Hearing this, Uncle Bai’s brow creased with pain, and after a long moment he choked out, “This old servant just feels… feels that it’s too hard on the eldest young lady, carrying this whole household alone…”

Seeing him waver, Fang Fulan quickly instructed a servant standing nearby, “Go fetch the physician.”

The servant acknowledged and turned to go, but before reaching the doorway, froze completely.

“Eldest Young Lady— Young—Young Mistress—”

Everyone turned to follow the servant’s gaze and froze as well.

Someone was standing at the doorway of the storage room, though no one had noticed when he’d arrived.

No—to call him merely “someone” wasn’t quite adequate, because he was simply too extraordinarily handsome.

Dressed in plain, unadorned robes touched by spring sunlight, he seemed wrapped in a veil of pure frost. The fine jade at his waist caught the light and shimmered, yet it paled entirely beside the depth of his eyes.

Tall and slender in bearing, cool and composed, elegant without losing his commanding presence, gentle without losing a certain dashing sharpness.

Like starlight and moonlight. Like an immortal descended from the heavens.

Cheng Chang, in truth, felt rather awkward. He’d only meant to come take a look, but having overheard this whole family conversation unexpectedly, he found himself stuck in the doorway—unable to leave, unable to stay, wanting to help but unable to find an opening to speak.

“Well… I was just, passing by to take a look,” he finally said after a moment.

Yun Xi didn’t know what to say.

She had no idea how much of her conversation with Uncle Bai the Third Young Master had overheard.

Now that he’d come to the storage room himself, offering to help, if she brushed him off by saying it wasn’t necessary, it would only leave him stranded awkwardly in the doorway.

Yun Xi stepped aside, clearing a path, and bowed. “Third Young Master.” Then, turning to explain to the room, “This is the Third Young Master of Prince Cong’s household. I went to the Privy Council today and learned that Uncle Bai had fallen and injured himself. Seeing my distress, the Third Young Master offered to bring me home.”

Everyone in the room exchanged glances.

The Third Young Master of Prince Cong’s household? The notorious young lord rumored to be capable of every kind of misdeed?

He looked like some sort of celestial being—hardly seemed like a scoundrel at all.

The residence had had no visitors in a long while, and no one quite knew how to react. After a moment, Fang Fulan was the first to bow formally. “Greetings and good health to the Third Young Master.” The others quickly followed suit.

Yun Xi dismissed the servants and invited Cheng Chang into the room.

Cheng Chang sat down beside the wooden cot and asked Uncle Bai, “Would you mind if I took a look at your leg?”

Yun Xi asked, “Are you skilled in medicine, Third Young Master?”

Cheng Chang shook his head. “I injured my leg once before, and picked up a smattering of medical knowledge from it. Barely scratches the surface, really.”

This was, in truth, only half true.

His heart condition in his previous life had been congenital; his parents had died early, and he’d been taken in by the elderly director of a major hospital. As a teenager, he’d spent much of his time in that hospital and had seen all manner of illnesses.

But he had no formal medical training and wasn’t entirely sure how to treat conditions—he only knew how to address certain symptoms using modern Western medicine.

Cheng Chang lifted the thin blanket. Uncle Bai’s trouser legs had already been rolled up high. The left leg, apparently injured today, had a badly swollen ankle, red and bruised, but fortunately not deformed—likely just a strained tendon, not a broken bone. A few days of ice and rest would heal it.

The more serious problem was the right leg—withered and thin as kindling, visibly two sizes smaller than the sturdy left leg.

Cheng Chang asked, “Was this right leg injured before? Or was there some illness?”

Yun Xi explained, “During the fighting at the northern frontier years ago, Uncle Bai took a blow from a barbarian blade to his right leg while saving my brother, and lost a great deal of blood. It healed at first, but after about a year, the leg gradually began to grow lame for reasons we don’t understand. At first he could still walk, but these past two years walking has become increasingly difficult—he needs a cane now.”

Cheng Chang nodded.

That would explain it.

Leg ailments like this could stem from many causes—even with modern medicine, sometimes the exact cause remained elusive.

But judging by the external signs, it was clearly muscle atrophy in the right leg. There were many possible causes for such atrophy; based on what Yun Xi had described, it seemed likely that inadequate treatment of the wound at the time had led to an internal nerve infection, which had gradually caused the nerve to die off.

Cheng Chang had seen cases like this before, accompanying the hospital director in his previous life. The director had always said that once a condition involved the nervous system, it became very difficult to treat.

But not entirely hopeless, either—Cheng Chang had personally seen people with leg ailments who, though left with a limp, hadn’t worsened further and had managed to walk steadily for years afterward.

He recalled that the person in question had eventually sought out a skilled practitioner of traditional medicine.

He looked up and asked, “How are you currently treating it?”

Yun Xi said, “Three doses of medicine boiled each month, but there’s been no improvement—if anything, it’s gotten worse.”

She watched Cheng Chang as he lowered his eyes, studying Uncle Bai’s leg with great care, then pulled the thin blanket back over it and said, “You should bring in a more skilled physician to administer acupuncture.”

Bai Ling, standing nearby, looked close to tears at this. “Young lord, you don’t know the whole story. The eldest young lady once brought in a physician renowned far and wide to examine my father. That physician also said acupuncture might help, but—”

“Then we’ll find someone to administer it,” Yun Xi cut in before she could finish, bowing to Cheng Chang. “We’re deeply grateful for your trouble, Third Young Master.”

She added, “Given your esteemed status, this storage room is dusty and unfit for a long stay. Allow me to see you back to the main hall, Third Young Master.”

Cheng Chang glanced at her, then at the young girl beside her, feeling somewhat puzzled. After a moment, he seemed to understand, and stood up. “Very well.” He followed Yun Xi to the front courtyard.

The sky had grown late. The attendants had already hitched up the carriage and were waiting at the gate. Seeing this, Cheng Chang took his leave of Yun Xi and departed by carriage.

Sitting in the carriage, he found himself thinking back to what the girl called Bai Ling had left unsaid.

He could more or less guess the rest.

To properly treat Uncle Bai’s leg, they would need a physician skilled in acupuncture, and the treatment would need to be sustained consistently—daily sessions for at least the first month.

Given the state of the House of Zhongyong’s finances, how could they possibly afford such a cost?

And the reason Yun Xi had cut Bai Ling off, he suspected, was that she hadn’t wanted their hardship spoken of in front of him.

If she was unwilling to ask for help, why would she want her difficulties aired in front of someone else, embarrassing both herself and the listener?

Cheng Chang lifted the carriage curtain and called one of the driving attendants inside. “In a few days, go ask around among the physicians who regularly come to the estate to treat illnesses—see which one has time, and have him find some excuse to visit the House of Zhongyong. Tell him…”

Cheng Chang considered his words carefully. “Tell him that a noble family he regularly treats has an injured leg, and he’s eager to find a solution, so he’s offering free clinics for people with leg ailments. But don’t make it entirely free—have him charge ten copper coins per session at first, then later claim he’s benefited greatly from the experience and gradually lower the price down to three coins.”

“Tell him not to worry about the difference in fees—he can come collect it from the estate.”

“Why’s that?” the attendant asked, startled. “Young lord, you want to help that lowly old man from the Marquis’s household get treated?”

He looked rather shocked. “You’ve finally decided to do someone a good turn—why not want anyone to know about it?”

He thought further and seemed to arrive at his own conclusion. “You haven’t recently developed a taste for that down-and-out young lady from the Marquis’s household, have you? Taken a fancy to her, and want to have her brought to the estate to… enjoy a taste of her?”

Cheng Chang was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing. “Taken a fancy to her? After meeting her only a handful of times?”

He lifted the carriage curtain, gazing at the setting sun on the horizon, and said quietly, “I just think she’s had a hard time of it.”