Brother Nian can save her!
Yan Yuyao tried to hang herself?
How did he not notice that she had thoughts of seeking death!
This isn’t about meddling in other people’s business—this is a matter of life and death! Yu Jinnian thought to himself. He exchanged a glance with Ji Hong, who instinctively took the unfinished sorghum honey from his hand. Knowing that Ji Hong intended to let him go, Yu Jinnian immediately turned and rushed toward the Yan residence. Seeing the servant still standing there in a daze, he shouted, “What are you waiting for? Get up! Do you want to wait until your young lady is completely dead?”
The servant snapped out of his trance, his legs moving swiftly as he ran ahead to clear a path through several flower-covered doors in the Yan residence. He also shouted to the panicking servants, “Clear the way! Don’t block the young physician from seeing Fifth Miss!”
Yan Rong immediately straightened up, his eyes wide with anticipation.
Yu Jinnian strode unhindered into the inner courtyard. As soon as he stepped through the moon gate into Yan Yuyao’s boudoir, he caught sight of a dejected figure sitting on the steps outside Fifth Miss’s room, wringing his hands in anxiety—none other than the ever-righteous Sir Yan Rong.
At the sight of Yu Jinnian rushing in, Yan Rong straightened his posture and anxiously began to speak, “Yu—”
Before he could finish, Yu Jinnian took two steps up the stairs and delivered a fierce kick to Yan Rong’s shoulder, knocking him to the ground. Without saying another word, Yu Jinnian pushed open the door and entered the room. He saw a fallen round stool on the floor, a pale blue shawl hanging from the beam, and a few maids fumbling about in panic. His gaze sharpened as he hurried toward Yan Yuyao’s bed.
Yan Yuyao lay motionless.
At this moment, Fenjuan was crouched by the bedside, pressing on her mistress’s chest while sobbing, “Miss, why would you do this? It’s just a few books! I can go buy them secretly for you later. Why go to such extremes? If you leave like this, what will happen to me…”
Yu Jinnian rolled up his sleeves and asked, “How long was she hanging? How long since she was rescued? Open the windows.”
Fenjuan, hearing his commanding voice, turned around and was surprised to see Yu Jinnian. She had been so frightened by her mistress’s attempted hanging that she had lost her wits. Though unsure whether Brother Nian could save her mistress, everyone had heard of his reputation as a young miracle doctor, even praised by Old Master Luo. Sniffling, she stood up and replied, “I don’t know how long she was hanging. The shawl broke, and she fell, hitting something. I heard the noise and ran in…”
It couldn’t have been long—they had been gone from the Yan residence for less than ten minutes.
Yu Jinnian noted that Yan Yuyao was still faintly breathing, her hands still warm, though a purple-red mark encircled her neck. Her face had turned a bluish-purple, and spider-like veins spread across her cheeks. When he lifted her eyelids, her whites were filled with blood vessels, indicating hemorrhage. Fortunately, her neck hadn’t broken. If it had, even a deity couldn’t save her.
There are too many ways hanging can kill someone. The neck is the most fragile part of the body. It takes only the weight of two dou of rice to close the blood vessels, cutting off blood flow, oxygen, and causing suffocation—any of which can be fatal. Or, in the worst-case scenario, the force of kicking away the stool could snap the neck instantly.
Fenjuan, at a loss, desperately recounted what had happened, hoping to give Yu Jinnian something useful to save her mistress: “She still had breath when she fell and even spat out two mouthfuls of blood. I called out to her, but she didn’t respond and then fainted.”
Yu Jinnian felt for her pulse, which beat faintly, barely holding on.
He quickly laid her flat on the bed and began performing chest compressions.
“Brother Nian!” Fenjuan was bewildered, not realizing this was also a way to save her mistress. Watching Fifth Miss’s chest rise and fall under the force of his hands, she thought it must be incredibly painful. And the fact that an outsider was touching her mistress’s body—if this got back to the eldest young master, no one would escape punishment. But if this method could save her…
Fenjuan hesitated for a moment, then steeled herself. She gave a soft order: “No one is to speak of this. Shut the door, and don’t let the eldest young master in.”
Yu Jinnian said, “Fenjuan, come here and take over for me. I need to start acupuncture.”
Fenjuan froze, waving her hands frantically, “What? No, I can’t…”
“Stop talking nonsense. I’ll teach you.”
“Come here. Place your hands like this, one on top of the other…”
“One, two, three, four, five. Yes, just like that. Don’t stop.”
Fenjuan, trembling with nerves, felt her body stiffen. But knowing her mistress’s life depended on her, she gathered her resolve and followed Yu Jinnian’s instructions, performing chest compressions while kneeling. She didn’t understand why they were doing this but knew it was the only way to save her mistress. Seeing Yan Yuyao’s purple face, motionless, Fenjuan’s tears flowed as she counted out loud to keep herself going.
Yan Rong, slumped outside on the steps, suddenly heard chanting from inside the room. He jumped up, trying to see what was happening, but the maid at the door blocked his way. Growing suspicious, he shoved past her and burst into the room.
Pulling aside the curtain to the inner chamber, he saw Yu Jinnian sitting on the bed, holding Yan Yuyao’s bare foot and inserting acupuncture needles into the sole. Fenjuan, instead of stopping him, had unfastened Yan Yuyao’s clothes and was leaning over her, doing something incomprehensible.
Yan Rong shouted, pointing at Yu Jinnian and Fenjuan, “What are you doing?! This is indecent! Even if she’s dead, how can you insult her like this?” He rushed forward to drag Yu Jinnian away.
“Eldest Young Master! The young lady still has a breath left! Brother Nian can save her! He can save her!” Fenjuan cried, tears streaming down her face, but her hands didn’t stop moving—because the young miracle doctor had told her that if she stopped, her mistress would surely die.
Yu Jinnian also said, “As her brother, are you just going to stand by and watch her die?”
“She… she can really live?” Yan Rong’s eyes were red, as if he had been crying. He did care about Yan Yunyao, but how could he have known that burning a few of her books would drive her to hang herself? He stood frozen for a moment. “But…” He still couldn’t shake his rigid adherence to rules and propriety.
Ji Hong entered slowly from outside and took one look. His gaze fell on Yan Rong’s hand, which was grabbing the boy. Coldly, he said, “How dare you touch him?”
Yan Rong jerked his hand back, startled. Turning around, he stammered, “Young Master Ji…”
Ji Hong’s eyes were icy as he walked over. He gently took Yu Jinnian’s hand back, smoothed out the boy’s clothes, and then slightly bowed his head, his expression softening. “Jinnian, let’s go. Sir Yan knows the right thing to do. There’s no need for us to worry. You came running to save someone, and not only will he not be grateful, but he might even accuse you of violating a woman’s honor.”
Yu Jinnian glanced back at Yan Yuyao, whose fate was still uncertain. “But…”
Ji Hong shot a glance at Yan Rong and said, “You might save her once, but can you save her again?”
Though Ji Hong directed this at Yu Jinnian, it was clearly meant for Yan Rong. Ji Hong didn’t need to mince words—his position was powerful enough that even ten Yan Rongs couldn’t argue with him. Yan Rong didn’t dare retort; he could only stand there, dazed, as the two of them walked out hand in hand.
Yu Jinnian hesitated as he followed Ji Hong out of the room. Behind them, Fenjuan’s desperate sobs echoed. She cried out to Yu Jinnian, begging him not to leave Fifth Miss, and pleaded with the eldest young master to show some compassion. Yu Jinnian lowered his head, unconsciously gripping Ji Hong’s hand tighter. At that moment, Yan Yuyao was unaware of the world around her. In just two quiet hours, all her troubles would be over.
But what if she was saved?
Yu Jinnian could save Yan Yuyao once, but not again and again. With an unreasonable brother like Yan Rong, there would come a time when she succeeded. After all, he wasn’t her family or her servant—how could he stay by her side every hour of the day, watching over someone intent on dying?
Ji Hong wasn’t wrong. Some people were simply rotten to the core.
Yu Jinnian sniffed and muttered, “But I still want to save her…”
“Shh.” Ji Hong gently pulled the boy closer. “Wait.”
Yu Jinnian looked at him suspiciously. “Wait for what?”
Inside, Fenjuan had had enough and no longer cared about maintaining her status as a maid. Her attitude hardened as she said, “The young lady was right. She’s no different from those women outside. Eldest Young Master, since you’re so determined to prepare her coffin, I only ask for one favor. Since the young lady is unmarried and cannot be buried in the Yan family’s ancestral tomb, please send our bones back to Xingyi Prefecture—that’s where we belong. I will continue to serve her in the afterlife!”
Yan Rong’s voice trembled, “When did I ever say anything about a coffin!”
Fenjuan retorted angrily, “Then what is it? You’ve driven away the miracle doctor. The young lady is on the verge of death, and if you don’t prepare a coffin, are you expecting her to sit up and walk into her own grave?”
Yan Rong stammered, “I… I didn’t mean…”
He had never thought Yao’er would die. She had always been well-behaved, educated, and virtuous. It was only this year, after falling ill, that her temper had become more irritable. But he never imagined that his quiet Fifth Sister would suddenly seek death.
Fenjuan pressed him further, “Eldest Young Master, are you going to collect her body or not?”
Yan Rong looked at Yan Yuyao lying on the bed, her pale, sickly appearance tugging at his heart. He suddenly grabbed a porcelain vase beside him and smashed it on the ground with a loud crash. Clenching his teeth, he stormed out of the room.
With red-rimmed eyes, he opened the door and shouted, “Young Master Ji!”
Both men turned back.
Yan Rong bowed deeply, his voice choked with emotion. “Please, Young Master Ji, Master Yu, wait! I was out of line earlier, and I apologize to you both. It’s just… Yao’er…” Thinking of Yan Yuyao lying on her deathbed, he finally set aside his pride and turned to Yu Jinnian, begging, “I implore you, Master Yu, save Yao’er. Please, I beg you…”
Yu Jinnian immediately looked up at Ji Hong, his eyes shining with hope. They were filled with the words, “Can I go now? Can I?” His fingers instinctively tugged at the man’s sleeve, softly pleading.
Ji Hong’s gaze softened. He patted the boy’s back and said, “Go on.”
Yu Jinnian’s face lit up like a joyful rabbit, and he sprinted back into the room, not forgetting to give Yan Rong another kick as he passed.
The Duke of Li’s son stood there coldly watching. Yan Rong, stunned, took the kick in silence, his upper body swaying but staying upright. After a long while, with his back aching, Ji Hong finally brushed off his sleeve and said, with a slight droop of his eyes, “That’s enough. Sir Yan, there’s no need to bow anymore. A healer’s heart is kind.”
Yan Rong straightened up, his mood still heavy, when he heard Ji Hong add, “Sir Yan, you’re so rigid with rules. Do you speak like this about etiquette when you’re in front of the Emperor?”
Yan Rong’s half-raised body froze again.
Ji Hong tilted his chin slightly, looking down at the man bowed before him. With a cold smile, he said, “Sir Yan, being so intelligent, I’m sure you’ve heard of my ‘fine reputation’ in the capital. So, you should know that I care little for etiquette. How you manage your family is none of my business, but if you overstep and try to manage my people, then perhaps your career will be added to the list of my ‘fine deeds.’”
Ji Hong’s so-called “fine reputation” was merely a rumor among the nobles. It was said that the Duke of Li’s son was born under a cursed star, which was considered highly inauspicious. Though he was born frail and sickly, kept in a courtyard most of the time, his fate was strangely strong. In his first year, his mother died, the next year his wet nurse passed away, and four years later, the Duke’s eldest son also died.
All those who could have hindered him were gone, and only then did he become the heir.
Yan Rong, though not entirely convinced by these rumors, couldn’t help but sweat nervously now that Third Young Master Ji had mentioned it. Who could say if he might deliberately bring calamity to the Yan family?
Cold sweat broke out on Yan Rong’s forehead. He was stuck, unable to respond either way, and could only bend his waist even lower.
—
Yu Jinnian continued instructing Fenjuan to perform chest compressions, while he pulled out his acupuncture kit and inserted needles into Yan Yuyao’s Baihui, both Neiguan points, Hegu, and Yongquan. Then he took out a slightly thicker needle and pricked deeply into her philtrum. After some time had passed, Yan Yuyao suddenly gasped, her eyeballs shifted slightly under her eyelids, and she took a long breath on her own. Soon, her breathing became more regular.
Yu Jinnian felt a surge of relief. He checked her pulse on her neck—it was present. He then gently opened her mouth and, upon seeing some blood, asked Fenjuan for a white silk handkerchief. He used it to wipe away a layer of bloody mucus from her mouth. Thankfully, it was only a few traces of blood and no fresh bleeding.
He carefully raised Yan Yuyao’s upper body and placed a soft pillow behind her back, propping her head up slightly to prevent cerebral edema. Once all this was done, Yu Jinnian finally exhaled deeply.
Fenjuan, too, seemed to release the heavy burden from her shoulders. Her body went limp, and she rolled off the bed, sitting on the floor in a daze. After a moment, reality set in, and she burst into tears. “Miss, Miss…”
Yu Jinnian paid no mind to her cries. He grabbed a piece of rice paper from the table, ground some ink, and wrote down the names of medicinal herbs: musk, camphor, gardenia, and turmeric, along with their dosages. Handing the prescription to Fenjuan, he instructed, “Take this and get the herbs. Boil them into a strong decoction and feed it to Fifth Miss once a day. If she can’t swallow, use a sheep intestine tube to insert it down her throat and pour it in.”
This was essentially a prescription for a brain-awakening tonic, a remedy to open the senses and restore consciousness. In his past life, it would have been administered as an injection, but given the current limitations, he had to use a decoction. He had read about the efficacy of such oral formulations and figured it was worth trying.
Fenjuan’s eyes widened in fear at the mention of tubes and inserting things into the throat. Hesitating, she asked, “Will this really work?”
“It’s the only way.” Yu Jinnian thought for a moment. The idea of nasal feeding sounded absurd at this time, not just because of the lack of materials, but because of the sanitary conditions. Using a gastric tube through the throat was the simplest method, but it had to be inserted and removed quickly to avoid obstructing breathing. Without proper materials, it might take two or three attempts to succeed, and it would be painful—but there was no other choice.
Survival had to come first before anything else.
“If she doesn’t wake by tomorrow, you’ll have to do the same with porridge water,” Yu Jinnian said with a shake of his head. “I’ll show you how to insert the tube properly. If you can’t learn, just call me every day. Remember, whether it’s porridge or the decoction, don’t feed her too much at once, and keep the water intake low for the next two days.”
Fenjuan nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Yu Jinnian then asked, “Do you have any ice left at this time of year?”
Ice was needed to make an ice cap to cool her head, constrict the blood vessels, and reduce oxygen consumption in the brain, preventing cerebral edema. Without any diagnostic tools, he had to rely on his eyes and experience to anticipate any potential complications.
Fenjuan thought carefully and quickly answered, “We still have some leftover wall frost from the summer. It can be used to make ice, but there’s not much of it.”
Wall frost, or saltpeter, when dissolved in water, absorbs heat and can be used to make ice.
Yu Jinnian nodded. “That’ll do. Use pig bladder to fill with ice water, tie it up tightly, and apply it to Fifth Miss’s head. Apply it for about half an hour, then remove it for a break. After another half hour, reapply. Do you understand?”
“Understood, I won’t forget a word!” Fenjuan swore fervently.
Hearing no further commotion from the room, Yan Rong couldn’t hold back any longer and rushed in, anxiously asking, “Is she alive?”
“Now you’re concerned? Isn’t it a bit late for that? What were you doing earlier?” Yu Jinnian finally had time to confront Yan Rong. He jumped down from the bed, shot him a scornful look, and said vaguely, “She’s alive for now, but whether or not she’ll wake up is uncertain.”
Yan Rong frowned, unease evident in his expression. “What do you mean by ‘alive for now’? Master Yu, what exactly do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said.” Yu Jinnian pointed to his own head, a hint of regret in his tone. “We don’t know if there’s brain damage. If there isn’t, she might wake up tomorrow. But if she was hanging too long and damaged her brain, she might wake up in three to five days, but with memory loss—or she might never wake up again.”
Yan Rong staggered, his mind reeling. “What…”
Yu Jinnian shrugged and walked toward him, each word hitting Yan Rong like a sharp needle. “She’ll just lie there, quiet and motionless, neither laughing nor crying—like a true, elegant flower. Isn’t that what you wanted, Sir Yan?”
Yan Rong’s eyes widened as he stumbled back a couple of steps. Speechless, he staggered to the bedside and gently touched Yan Yuyao’s cheek, whispering, “…Yao’er? Wake up, it’s your brother.”
Yu Jinnian instructed Fenjuan, “If your young lady starts convulsing, come find me immediately.”
Fenjuan nodded vigorously. “Understood, young doctor!”
Ji Hong walked over and took both of Yu Jinnian’s hands, massaging them gently. The boy’s fingers had grown stiff from handling the needles for so long. Ji Hong murmured softly, “You’ve worked hard.”
“It wasn’t hard,” Yu Jinnian replied with a smile. Then, he remembered something and turned to Yan Rong. “Also, prepare some ginseng soup, just in case. It has to be old, wild ginseng. Steam it in a bowl over water—don’t try to fool your young lady with anything less. I’m sure the Yan family can afford a few good roots of ginseng, right?”
Yan Rong was left speechless.
Yu Jinnian, still holding Ji Hong’s hand, said, “A’Hong, let’s go home.”
Ji Hong smiled. “Alright.”