Ballad of the Desert

Chapter 28: Illness

A few days have passed and still Huo Qu Bing hasn't shown up. Hong Gu, Xing Yen, and none of the maids understand what could have happened. Hong Gu tries to ask me but I refuse to say anything. I feel the mood is getting so tense and soon everyone around me talks less and their voices get lower. Until the end, when the maids see each other, they simply communicate via their eyes. One would shoot a look to the other while the other returns a look. I have no clue what they are communicating and how they are able to understand each other.

I point to Xing Lan and Xing Yen, who are delivering a meal, and ask Hong Gu "Do you have any idea what they are saying to each other?" Hong Gu replied "What's so hard to understand. Xing Lan asked Xing Yen "Did she eat today?" Xing Yen shook her head "Nope." Then Xing Lan followed with "I haven't eaten either, I'm so hungry!" Then Xing Yen snuck a peek at you and nodded to Xing Lan "Later let's get something to eat behind Yu Er's back!" and then the two girls agreed."

I spit out the tea in my mouth, coughing and laughing at the same time "Hong Gu, looks like your visual communications with Xing Yen after you entered the room was also all about whether I've eaten, and making plans to go eat later." Hong Gu calmly sipped her tea "My question was not "Has she eaten today?" but was instead "Has she drank anything today?" I wiped my lips with a handkerchief "You go on talking nonsense!"

Hong Gu lowered her cup "If I don't talk nonsense how can I get you to laugh. These past few days your expression has been just terrible. You're hurting and we are also suffering for you. Yu Er, why are you so hard on yourself? You clearly miss him terribly and are filled with lots of worries. Why don't you go see him?" I lower my head and say nothing when Xing Yen walks in "Ms. Yu Er, Housekeeper Chen from the Huo Estate is here to see you."

Hong Gu quickly invited him him in and walked out "The mediator is here so I can let out a breath of relief. If you two don't make up, you two might be able to withstand it, but none of us can any longer."

Uncle Chen walked in and immediately kneeled before me without even saying a word. I try to duck "Uncle Chen, please talk directly, I can't take such a courtesy from you." He continued to kneel, his face completely bleak, like he hasn't slept all night

"Ms. Yu, that day when the Big Boss of the Shi Enterprises came to see me to ask about you, he made a total of three trips. Each time I kept him out, and I also.....I also was quite rude to him. Even though young master ordered that we hide the driver of the carriage and conceal all information related to the inn at Liang Zhou, all he did was ask me to keep your whereabouts secret but he never asked me to be rude to Jiu Ye. Young master is arrogant and now he's trying to protect me, so he's not bothering to explain to you. I can't watch the two of you fighting over something I did all on my own, causing a rift between you two."

Mu hurt came forth "Uncle Chen, why did you do that? What's happening right now, is this the happiness you wanted for Qu Bing?" Uncle Chen was silent and only bowed his head to me three times. I continue to try and avoid his courtesy but he managed to bow at least once to me "Please get up! What can I do now since everything has already happened. Even if I rage or ask for punishment, there are no do-overs. Please get up and talk. I'm not used to talking to someone kneeling to me."

Uncle Chen continued to kneel and said nothing. Moments passed and I stared at him quizzically. He suddenly avoided my eyes and appeared to be summoning his courage. It took him a long time to say it "Yesterday the young master was out riding and he suddenly tumbled off his horse. He's been unconscious since then."

His words were so unbelievable that I couldn't comprehend what he just said "What? What did you just say?"

Uncle Chen spoke in such a low voice "The Palace physicians have been by many times but none of them have any solution. Normally they are all proclaiming themselves miracle healers fighting for recognition and respect. But once they face a genuine illness, they start hemming and hawing, trying to pawn it off on each other. The Palace is already in an uproar and the Emperor is in such a rage that he's threatened to kill the entire lot of them. If killing them means the young master will awaken, I don't care if a hundred heads roll. But right now we need them to save a life."