NOVPUB75: Chapter 47 Outpatient Visit
75 -47 Outpatient Visit
“I know a bit,” Ran Yan said, her voice light as a feather.
She wasn’t accustomed to lying to others; fabricating a story could deceive for a while, but more often than not, the more she spoke, the more loopholes there would be.
Seeing Ran Yan’s reluctance to speak further, Ran Yunsheng did not continue to press her.
Instead, he simply said, “I don’t have anything important to do myself.
I’ll find a tavern in the city to sit in and wait for you to return.”
After discussing their plans, they boarded the carriage.
The two patients Ran Yan was to see today were both prominent figures with considerable social standing in Suzhou City, although their status was not quite on par with the Qi, Ran, and Yan families.
However, their influence was such that even these families would not dare to offend them lightly.
Ran Yan spoke very little, and unless necessary, she would not initiate conversation.
Thus, during the journey, it was mostly Ran Yunsheng talking while she occasionally chimed in.
Ran Yunsheng also realized that his sister had changed greatly from before.
Although she had always been quiet, she used to be soft and frail, always following behind him and eagerly seeking his support—the epitome of a “delicate bird relying on others.” But now, the indifference that lingered between her brows, the subtle sense of detachment, it was as if she had become a completely different person.
This change caused a vague ache in Ran Yunsheng’s heart; in his view, his sister must have suffered greatly to have slowly become like this, so he spent the whole journey telling jokes, trying to cheer her up.
Upon reaching the city, Ran Yunsheng alighted in front of a tavern named Heavenly Fragrance Tower, while Ran Yan changed her route to visit the Lu Family, which was farther from the East Market.
The Lu Family was said to be a collateral branch of the Fan Yang Lu clan, which, during the former Sui Dynasty, boasted the title of “a family with three princesses.” Members of the Imperial family sought to marry into the Lu clan, and the Imperial family would take daughters from the Fan Yang Lu clan as imperial consorts.
This family was no inferior to the Zheng family of Xingyang, and even though the Suzhou branch of the Lu Family was just a side branch, they were still quite remarkable.
The patient who had fallen ill was the Lady of the Lu Household; after hearing the symptoms described by the butler the day before, Ran Yan could almost determine the problem and prescribe the right treatment.
However, the Lady was born into the direct line of the Cui clan from Qing He.
Compared to the Fan Yang Lu clan, the Suzhou Lu Family had even closer ties with the Cui clan.
The Lady was the link between the two families, and until they were allied with another Lady from the Cui clan, it was paramount that nothing untoward happened to her.
To show adequate respect, Ran Yan decided to make the house call for another diagnosis.
The illnesses afflicting those seeking medical attention were all peculiar but not life-threatening.
Nevertheless, the people of the Lu Family were all in disarray.
Just yesterday, the head of the family, Lu Hongchao, had come to request her service personally, and if she didn’t treat them first, it was likely the Lu family would hold a grudge against her.
Ran Yan’s carriage had just stopped in front of the main gate of the Lu residence when someone immediately came to greet her, “Is this Ran Shiqi?”
Ran Yan, wearing her mask, looked through the gauzy fabric and saw the steward from the Lu estate who had visited their manor the day before.
“Indeed,” Ran Yan replied with a slight nod.
The steward, who looked somewhat anxious, relaxed and joyfully said, “Wife has had a long journey; you should rest for a moment first…”
“No need,” Ran Yan cut off his pleasantries decisively but then remembering the countless reminders from Xing Niang to be gentle, she added, “The condition of the Lady is urgent.”
Because Ran Yan had declined assistance to get there, the steward had been standing at the door waiting from before dawn until now, his heart filled with both impatience and irritation.
However, Ran Yan’s forthright attitude engendered a certain degree of goodwill in him, so he quickly expressed his thanks and led her through the gate.
Inside, there was already a sedan chair waiting; the steward invited Ran Yan to sit in it.
Since chairs and stools with legs were not yet common in the Tang Dynasty, the sedan was different from those of later eras, low to the ground and only large enough for one person to sit cross-legged or kneel.
This was Ran Yan’s first time riding in such a sedan, and she felt somewhat uncomfortable.
She thought to herself that the Lu family really knew how to put on airs, even using a sedan inside the house.
After a while, though, Ran Yan understood the need for the sedan.
The Lu family compound was vast, with the whole clan dwelling together, divided into several large courtyards connected to each other, and the quarters of the Lady of the Lu Family were at the very end.
If one were to walk there, it would take at least a quarter of an hour.
The sedan bearers moved swiftly, yet Ran Yan’s ride inside was remarkably stable.
By the time Ran Yan arrived at the Lady’s quarters, all the people of the Lu Family were already gathered, filling the large room almost to the brim with around thirty to forty people—seemingly only the immediate descendants.
Seeing Ran Yan enter with her mask on, everyone rose to greet her.
Looking at the large family gathering, Ran Yan truly had no interest in greeting each one individually.
After paying her respects to the head of the family, she directly said, “Let’s prioritize the medical consultation.
The Lady’s health is most important.”
