After leaving the West Court, Prince Ancheng, Xiao Mingyu, lingered a moment before taking his leave.
Zheng Chi picked up his crutch, slowly dragging his crippled body out of the West Court, and went to the small pavilion to sit alone, reviewing a chessboard by himself.
Yet even as he moved the pieces, Zheng Chi couldn't stop thinking about what Zheng Qian had said:
"Brother, if you want a fake leg to stand, you can come to me."
A fake leg…
What did she mean?
A wooden leg? Could it really help him walk?
He knew Zheng Qian often made a fool of herself by trying to flatter others, so why did he keep replaying her words in his mind?
Could it really be so important to walk without a crutch?
Could it help him settle past grievances?
Eight years had passed, and there were many things he still couldn't be certain about.
He had been just a child when the accident happened, only a year older than Fifth Brother, Zheng Run.
He often sat alone, and neither Yuzhong nor Shiyong (Xiao Mingyu's attendants) would disturb him.
"Yuzhong."
He called out to his young servant.
The smiling, lively boy of fifteen or sixteen immediately straightened, his small tiger teeth showing: "Master, what is your command?"
"Go find out what happened to Fifth Brother's wound."
"No need, Master. I already know. The whole household has been talking about it these past days," Yuzhong replied.
Unlike Shiyong, who was serious and taciturn, Yuzhong loved to mingle. He knew every master and servant in the household and quickly gathered news.
"Tell me," Zheng Chi said, placing a chess piece on the white jade board, preparing to play against himself. His pale fingers blended with the white pieces.
The piece clicked lightly against the board.
Yuzhong began: "Fifth Brother's foot was sliced by a kitchen knife, the wound long and deep. The doctors of Jin Gui Hall applied Lu Family's hemostatic powder, but it didn't stop the bleeding. Miss Zheng Qian used a waist belt to bind above the wound, avoiding the cut, and yet it stopped the bleeding. Then, she cleaned the wound with water…"
Zheng Chi's brows twitched twice.
First—Lu Family's hemostatic powder was famous for its efficacy. If that didn't work, how could a simple belt stop the blood?
Second—wounds should not touch water; doing so would cause swelling, rot, or pus. That was basic knowledge.
He glanced at Yuzhong.
Yuzhong read the intent behind his master's eyes: "Master, I swear, I do not exaggerate. Many were present, and I inquired from multiple sources. Miss Zheng Qian cleaned the wound, excised the necrotic tissue… and astonishingly, Fifth Brother said it did not hurt."
Zheng Chi froze, his hand hovering over a chess piece: "What?"
"Fifth Brother felt no pain. And there's more. After the procedure, Miss Zheng Qian stitched the wound—three layers, just like sewing fabric—yet Fifth Brother still felt no pain."
Yuzhong's tone was earnest.
Zheng Chi's gaze sharpened, cutting like a blade: "Nonsense!"
"Master, I am not lying. Many saw it with their own eyes. Initially, I didn't believe it either," Yuzhong said helplessly.
"And there's one more thing. Despite all this, Fifth Brother did not develop a fever."
Zheng Chi's fingers clenched slightly.
"This is impossible," he said hoarsely. A tide of emotions surged within him, dizzying and overwhelming.
How could this be?
Was there truly such a miraculous healer in the world?
Even if there were, it shouldn't be Zheng Qian. He had heard she had once tried to hang herself—could she truly be alive now, reborn as someone else?
If she had, wouldn't she have been more cautious, less high-profile, to avoid suspicion?
"Everyone in the household is talking. Some say she might be a disciple of the Ghost Doctor. Miss Zheng Qian attempted suicide, her soul left her body, and by chance encountered the Ghost Doctor, who taught her medicine and brought her back to life. That's why she suddenly acquired medical skills," Yuzhong explained.
The "Ghost Doctor" legend had always existed.
Originally, a hundred years ago, the Ghost Doctor referred to the miraculous physician Lu Qi, who could bring the dead back to life, claiming to "contend with ghosts for lives."
He never left any medical texts or taught anyone else. His descendants, ordinary at best, only learned a little from him, yet their family eventually became a renowned medical household. This hinted at Lu Qi's incredible skills.
Over time, the legend grew. People claimed they had been taught medical skills by spirits, learning medicine overnight.
But most were charlatans, exposed for their deceit.
And now… it seemed it was Zheng Qian's turn.
"Ridiculous," Zheng Chi muttered.
Yuzhong hesitated, then continued: "Master, if you truly refuse to let Miss Zheng examine you, there could be… consequences…"
"Consequences? Nonsense," Zheng Chi snapped. "There's no such thing as a Ghost Doctor's disciple. Lu Qi died over a century ago. His corpse has rotted three times over."
Yuzhong was speechless.
Zheng Chi slammed a chess piece onto the white jade board, no longer caring to play.
He rose, dragging his crippled frame back to his room.
At that moment, a fierce resentment boiled within him toward Zheng Qian.
She had stirred his calm, making him imagine things he had no right to dream of.
Back at Hui Ning Garden, Zheng Qian carried her cat and returned with Hong Luan.
Madam Dai hurried over: "Miss, did the eldest prince call for you?"
"Just a chat," Zheng Qian replied lightly. "Prince Ancheng came by."
"Prince Ancheng?" Madam Dai asked. "Who is he?"
The owner behind Zhai Yu Xuan had always been a mystery. Even Madam Dai, who handled daily affairs, hadn't heard of him.
Prince Ancheng was extremely low-profile, rarely meddling in court affairs. For ordinary folks, he was just another wealthy man. Even if a prime minister died, it didn't matter as much as a broken pot in the kitchen.
His visit didn't attract attention in the Zheng household.
"Oh… you didn't know? He's the owner of Zhai Yu Xuan!" Hong Luan piped up. "Miss sold him your abacus, so he came to meet you."
Madam Dai was stunned. She vaguely remembered Hong Luan mentioning it, but before receiving the money, she thought the girl was mad. After getting the money, no one paid attention.
"Is he really that powerful? The owner of Zhai Yu Xuan is extremely wealthy. How does he even know our eldest prince?" Madam Dai asked.
Zheng Qian laughed, saying nothing. She instructed them to keep it secret.
"Our wealth depends on Prince Ancheng. Don't ruin our path. If he knew we revealed his secret, would he show us favor?" she said.
Everyone nodded quickly, keeping silent—even Hong Luan dared not speak out.